Jorge Lorenzo has shot a warning to the rest of the MotoGP field this afternoon, qualifying half a second faster than Dani Pedrosa and nearly a second quicker than team-mate Valentino Rossi, and taking his debut pole position. World champion Casey Stoner, meanwhile, could only manage seventh - a full second behind the pole man.
Britain’s James Toseland, who is suffering from a nasty bout of bronchitis which saw him on a drip yesyerday, qualified one place behind Stoner in eighth.
Results:
1. Jorge Lorenzo SPA Fiat Yamaha Team (M) 1min 38.189 secs
2. Dani Pedrosa SPA Repsol Honda Team (M) 1min 38.789 secs
3. Colin Edwards USA Yamaha Tech 3 (M) 1min 38.954 secs
4. Nicky Hayden USA Repsol Honda Team (M) 1min 39.061 secs
5. Valentino Rossi ITA Fiat Yamaha Team (B) 1min 39.064 secs
6. Randy de Puniet FRA LCR Honda MotoGP (M) 1min 39.122 secs
7. Casey Stoner AUS Ducati Marlboro Team (B) 1min 39.286 secs
8. James Toseland GBR Yamaha Tech 3 (M) 1min 39.334 secs
9. John Hopkins USA Kawasaki Racing Team (B) 1min 39.439 secs
10. Loris Capirossi ITA Rizla Suzuki MotoGP (B) 1min 39.484 secs
11. Shinya Nakano JPN San Carlo Honda Gresini (B) 1min 39.559 secs
12. Chris Vermeulen AUS Rizla Suzuki MotoGP (B) 1min 39.704 secs
13. Andrea Dovizioso ITA JiR Scot Team (M) 1min 39.767 secs
14. Alex de Angelis RSM San Carlo Honda Gresini (B) 1min 40.037 secs
15. Anthony West AUS Kawasaki Racing Team (B) 1min 40.088 secs
16. Toni Elias SPA Alice Team (B) 1min 40.286 secs
17. Sylvain Guintoli FRA Alice Team (B) 1min 40.939 secs
18. Marco Melandri ITA Ducati Marlboro Team (B) 1min 41.027 secs