Reigning MotoGP World Champion cruised to a relatively easy MotoGP pole position at the Sachsenring this afternoon, lapping three-tenths faster than second-placed man Dani Pedrosa with Tech 3 Yamaha's Colin Edwards completing the front row.
Stoner set a time of 1'21.067 with three minutes of the hour-long session remaining, but had been in control for the final 20 minutes, taking pole from Edwards. The Aussie began the session out in front, briefly surrendering the lead to Valentino Rossi and Randy De Puniet after 15 minutes.
Edwards put in a 1'21.794 on a qualifying tyre with 35 minutes to go and held it until Stoner went out and banged in two successive fastest laps to claim pole.
There was plenty of action in the final minute as Andrea Doviziso stole second, but last lap was beaten by Edwards who then lost second to Pedrosa all in the space of 15 seconds.
Britain's James Toseland eventually finished the session in 11th place just one second off Stoner's time. He had spent much of the hour in 17th and last place, briefly jumping to 14th on the half-hour before sliding back down again. The Yamaha rider came out four minutes to go, after spending 10 minutes in his garage, and put in a 1'22.126 which was good enough for ninth until he was bumped down two places in the final minute.
MotoGP qualifying practice - conditions dry
1 1 Casey STONER AUS Ducati Marlboro Team Ducati 1'21.067 285.261
2 2 Dani PEDROSA SPA Repsol Honda Team Honda 1'21.420 285.412 0.353
3 5 Colin EDWARDS USA Tech 3 Yamaha Yamaha 1'21.519 279.720 0.452
4 4 Andrea DOVIZIOSO ITA JiR Team Scot MotoGP Honda 1'21.656 274.879 0.589
5 48 Jorge LORENZO SPA Fiat Yamaha Team Yamaha 1'21.795 278.997 0.728
6 14 Randy DE PUNIET FRA LCR Honda MotoGP Honda 1'21.821 274.669 0.754
7 46 Valentino ROSSI ITA Fiat Yamaha Team Yamaha 1'21.845 279.647 0.778
8 69 Nicky HAYDEN USA Repsol Honda Team Honda 1'21.876 280.010 0.809
9 56 Shinya NAKANO JPN San Carlo Honda Gresini Honda 1'21.920 276.144 0.853
10 15 Alex DE ANGELIS RSM San Carlo Honda Gresini Honda 1'21.977 273.972 0.910
11 52 James TOSELAND GBR Tech 3 Yamaha Yamaha 1'22.126 274.181 1.059
12 24 Toni ELIAS SPA Alice Team Ducati 1'22.256 284.360 1.189
13 65 Loris CAPIROSSI ITA Rizla Suzuki MotoGP Suzuki 1'22.542 276.214 1.475
14 7 Chris VERMEULEN AUS Rizla Suzuki MotoGP Suzuki 1'22.601 276.144 1.534
15 50 Sylvain GUINTOLI FRA Alice Team Ducati 1'22.938 281.910 1.871
16 33 Marco MELANDRI ITA Ducati Marlboro Team Ducati 1'23.131 282.870 2.064
17 13 Anthony WEST AUS Kawasaki Racing Team Kawasaki 1'23.158 276.994 2.091