Rossi on provisional pole

Valentino Rossi is on provisional pole for the Australian Grand Prix on Sunday, a race which could see him clinch the MotoGP World Championship.

Rossi can win his fourth successive title with a second place on Sunday, and he made his intentions clear with a time of 1:30.222, putting him 0.378 seconds ahead of title rival Sete Gibernau.

The two championship rivals were clear of the rest of the field, with the works Honda of Nicky Hayden 0.777 seconds behind in third, Colin Edwards in fourth, and Ruben Xaus in fifth. Loris Capirossi qualified in sixth on the factory Ducati.

Jeremy McWilliams is the top Brit in 16th place, with Neil Hodgson in 20th. James Haydon is again riding for the Proton KR team as a replacement for Kurtis Roberts, and has qualified in 22nd, ahead of the WCM of James Ellison.

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