Qualifying cancellation leaves Rossi on Motegi pole

MotoGP qualifying called off due to rain at Japanese track.

Heavy lunchtime rain at the Twin Ring Motegi circuit led to the cancellation of all qualifying sessions for the Polini Grand Prix of Japan, leaving grid positions in all three World Championship categories to be decided according to Free Practice positions.

“I’m lucky, because I had the fastest time from the Friday practice session. I’m also happy that we are fast in the wet, because I was second behind Colin (Edwards) this morning. We are quite ready for the two conditions, and we just have to wait to see which one we have,” said the reigning MotoGP World Champion, who starts on pole at Motegi for the first time in his career.

“With just 45 minutes in each set of circumstances we are not at the limit yet. I think that this is the same for all the other riders too. I’m happy to start on pole, because this is important for the race.”

Valentino Rossi will thus start from pole position at Motegi for the first time in his career, courtesy of his late time on Friday afternoon. All MotoGP times were faster in the first free practice session, the only dry run that the riders have had in preparation for the 2009 race.

Rossi will line up alongside series leader Casey Stoner and Fiat Yamaha teammate Jorge Lorenzo on Sunday, the same three riders making up the front row as at the first race of the year in Qatar. The 2008 World Champion is in a prime position to avoid a breakaway by Stoner, the rider who took victory so comprehensively less than two weeks ago.

“We’ve been running reasonably competitive in both wet and dry,” noted the Australian after Saturday qualifying was cancelled. “We could have done with a little bit more time; we weren’t going for the quickest lap time on Friday, more just preparing for the race. We’re on the front row, so it’s all good.”

He also revealed that the downpour experienced at Motegi had been useful, if not ideal for his set-up decisions.

I think that before today I’d done a maximum of about three laps in the wet with this bike, so we’re still learning. The team has done a good job. We’ve still got a few things to try and work out tomorrow, but wet or dry we should be in the right direction.”

Rizla Suzuki rider Chris Vermeulen is joined by Monster Tech3 Yamaha’s Colin Edwards –the fastest rider in the wet FP2 session- and three-time Motegi racewinner Loris Capirossi on the second line, whilst the highest placing Honda comes on the third row. Andrea Dovizioso leads the Japanese company’s charge in his first race for the Repsol Honda factory squad, with Hayate Racing man Marco Melandri and San Carlo Honda Gresini’s Toni Elias by his side.

MotoGP Free Practice Nr. 1 Classification

Pos.	Num.	Rider	Nation	Team	Motorcycle	Lap time	Km/h	Gap
1	46	Valentino ROSSI	ITA	Fiat Yamaha Team	Yamaha	1'48.545	286.472
2	27	Casey STONER	AUS	Ducati Marlboro Team	Ducati	1'48.601	284.885	0.056
3	99	Jorge LORENZO	SPA	Fiat Yamaha Team	Yamaha	1'48.965	294.117	0.420
4	7	Chris VERMEULEN	AUS	Rizla Suzuki MotoGP	Suzuki	1'49.382	291.813	0.837
5	5	Colin EDWARDS	USA	Monster Yamaha Tech 3	Yamaha	1'49.697	289.466	1.152
6	65	Loris CAPIROSSI	ITA	Rizla Suzuki MotoGP	Suzuki	1'49.980	288.615	1.435
7	4	Andrea DOVIZIOSO	ITA	Repsol Honda Team	Honda	1'50.030	278.350	1.485
8	33	Marco MELANDRI	ITA	Hayate Racing Team	Kawasaki	1'50.123	287.769	1.578
9	24	Toni ELIAS	SPA	San Carlo Honda Gresini	Honda	1'50.209	293.000	1.664
10	52	James TOSELAND	GBR	Monster Yamaha Tech 3	Yamaha	1'50.342	289.621	1.797
11	3	Dani PEDROSA	SPA	Repsol Honda Team	Honda	1'50.391	283.315	1.846
12	69	Nicky HAYDEN	USA	Ducati Marlboro Team	Ducati	1'50.393	287.081	1.848
13	72	Yuki TAKAHASHI	JPN	Scot Racing Team MotoGP	Honda	1'50.404	286.548	1.859
14	59	Sete GIBERNAU	SPA	Grupo Francisco Hernando	Ducati	1'50.538	284.510	1.993
15	15	Alex DE ANGELIS	RSM	San Carlo Honda Gresini	Honda	1'50.601	282.648	2.056
16	14	Randy DE PUNIET	FRA	LCR Honda MotoGP	Honda	1'50.669	285.487	2.124
17	36	Mika KALLIO	FIN	Pramac Racing	Ducati	1'51.643	290.010	3.098
18	88	Niccolo CANEPA	ITA	Pramac Racing	Ducati	1'51.929	273.141	3.384