Catalunya QF

Lorenzo snatches Catalunya

pole from Rossi

from: http://www.crash.net
Jorge Lorenzo has taken his third pole position of the 2009 MotoGP season after out-gunning Fiat Yamaha team-mate Valentino Rossi by just 0.013sec during a scorching hot qualifying session for the Grand Prix of Catalunya.

Lorenzo, riding with FC Barcelona colours on his Fiat Yamaha, had been fastest for most of the first 40 minutes of the hour - using the harder compound rear tyre that will be used in the race - before being demoted by Rossi, who then held pole right until the final minute.

It was only then that Lorenzo, previously seen berating countryman Sete Gibernau, found enough performance on the softer compound rear to return to pole by 0.221sec. But reigning world champion Rossi wasn't finished and, with his left leg dangling, was a fraction under Lorenzo towards the end of his final lap.

The Italian, who will start Sunday's race third in the championship behind Casey Stoner and Lorenzo, broke the timing beam just 0.013sec behind the Spaniard's best to record his first front row start since round two at Motegi.

Stoner will complete the front row for Ducati, 0.452sec from Lorenzo, with Andrea Dovizioso fourth for Repsol Honda. Dovi was 0.62sec slower than Lorenzo and the last rider to lap within one second of the #99.

Dovizioso's team-mate Dani Pedrosa, winner of last year's race, suffered another blow when he fell from his factory RC212V in the closing stages, just moments after rising from 14th to eighth.

The home hero, already struggling with a cracked thigh bone, ran wide through the gravel before falling roughly just before the tyre barrier. The #3 was carried away on a stretcher, but was fortunately seen walking unaided after a check-up at the Clinica Mobile.

Having a much better day was countryman Toni Elias who, perhaps spurred on by rumours that 250cc world champion Marco Simoncelli is being lined up for a Gresini Honda ride next year, claimed fifth on the grid.

Colin Edwards fell in the final five minutes but still claimed sixth for Monster Tech 3 Yamaha, with Randy de Puniet qualifying seventh for Honda LCR. One place behind Pedrosa was the second Tech 3 machine of James Toseland, with rookie Mika Kallio making a welcome return to the top ten for Pramac Ducati.
Rizla Suzuki riders Loris Capirossi and Chris Vermeulen will start side-by-side in eleventh and twelfth as they carefully manage the limited mileage available from their new engines, with Nicky Hayden sure to be disappointed with a row five start after such a promising opening day on the second factory Ducati.

Rounding out the 19 rider field will be newcomer Gabor Talmacsi, who lowered the difference between himself and the top to 3.859sec, compared with 4.6sec on Friday and 4.9sec this morning. Scot Honda team-mate Yuki Takahashi, whose place Talmacsi is rumoured to be taking, will start 16th.

This weekend's event is the first this year to feature dual compound rear slicks - harder on the right than the left - and also the first time that the extra hard rear compound has been on offer.

Qualifying times

1. Jorge Lorenzo SPA Fiat Yamaha Team 1min 41.974 sec
2. Valentino Rossi ITA Fiat Yamaha Team 1min 41.987 sec
3. Casey Stoner AUS Ducati Marlboro Team 1min 42.426 sec
4. Andrea Dovizioso ITA Repsol Honda Team 1min 42.594 sec
5. Toni Elias SPA San Carlo Honda Gresini 1min 43.139 sec
6. Colin Edwards USA Monster Yamaha Tech 3 1min 43.168 sec
7. Randy de Puniet FRA LCR Honda MotoGP 1min 43.175 sec
8. Dani Pedrosa SPA Repsol Honda Team 1min 43.207 sec
9. James Toseland GBR Monster Yamaha Tech 3 1min 43.233 sec
10. Mika Kallio FIN Pramac Racing 1min 43.336 sec
11. Loris Capirossi ITA Rizla Suzuki MotoGP 1min 43.365 sec
12. Chris Vermeulen AUS Rizla Suzuki MotoGP 1min 43.411 sec
13. Nicky Hayden USA Ducati Marlboro Team 1min 43.414 sec
14. Alex de Angelis RSM San Carlo Honda Gresini 1min 43.422 sec
15. Sete Gibernau SPA Grupo Francisco Hernando 1min 43.714 sec
16. Yuki Takahashi JPN Scot Racing Team MotoGP 1min 43.777 sec
17. Marco Melandri ITA Hayate Racing Team 1min 43.792 sec
18. Niccolo Canepa ITA Pramac Racing 1min 43.991 sec
19. Gabor Talmacsi HUN Scot Racing Team MotoGP 1min 45.833 sec