Factory Yamaha's Jorge Lorenzo bagged an almost-unopposed pole position for tomorrow's Jerez MotoGP round as Dani Pedrosa, Valentino Rossi and Cal Crutchlow all crashed.
The reigning world champion set a 1'38.673 with his penultimate lap as his nearest rivals, save for Marc Marquez, slid into the gravel on their final flying laps and didn't have time to get back out for another attempt.
Repsol Honda's Pedrosa third lap of six was his best and was enough for second place, a quarter of a second behind his compatriot before losing the front at turn eight with one minute left.
Team-mate Marquez stayed upright to secure third fastest and the last spot on the front row with Monster Yamaha's Crutchlow, who fell at turn 13, in fourth. The Isle of Man resident went down heavily in the crash but walked away and did get back to his second bike only for time to run out.
Rossi slid off at turn 11 and had to settle for fifth place, one ahead of Alvaro Bautista. Nicky Hayden was seventh and a little under a second off the pace with Stefan Bradl, who came from qualifying two, next along.
Hector Barbera took tenth place with Andrea Iannone, who fell in free practice four, 11th and Bradley Smith in 12th.
