British MotoGP: Valentino Rossi snatches Donington pole position

Valentino Rossi’s hopes of winning the last British MotoGP race at Donington Park got a massive boost today when the Italian stormed to his fourth pole position of the season.

The reigning world champion and current points leader clocked a best time of 1.28.116 in the final three minutes of the session to deny Spaniard Dani Pedrosa by just 0.095s.

Pedrosa’s best of 1.28.211 with just over a minute remaining wasn’t good enough to deny Rossi pole position but it ensured he kept fellow Spaniard Jorge Lorenzo down in third place on the grid for tomorrow’s 30-lap race.

Lorenzo maintained his 100 per cent front row qualifying record with a best lap of 1.28.402, which edged out factory Ducati rider in fourth by just 0.044s.

It has been a tough day for Aussie Stoner after he crashed on his out lap at the Melbourne Loop this morning.

And his hopes of a front row were dented today when the 23-year-old lost the front-end of his GP9 at McLeans just after the halfway stage.

The 2007 world champion eventually clocked a best time of 1.28.446 to finish ahead of Repsol Honda rider Andrea Dovizioso, who is looking to end a nightmare run that has seen the Italian fail to finish the last three races.

Top independent team rider was again Monster Yamaha Tech 3’s Colin Edwards in sixth place. The Texan posted a best time of 1.28.865.

British team-mate James Toseland equalled his best qualifying result of the season with ninth. The 28-year-old, who had a nightmare British GP debut 13 months ago, was as high as fifth in a session run in dry but cool conditions.

Toseland ended with a best time of 1.29.270 to finish just 0.4s off the top six.
Nicky Hayden’s recent run of good form came crashing to a halt today, the American left languishing down in 15th place on the grid and a massive 2.152s off Rossi’s pace.

It was a stark contrast to just one week ago when the 2006 world champion claimed a superb fourth place on the grid in Germany.

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