Jerez : MotoGP qualifyingThe Repsol Honda rider laid down a record breaking lap at the Circuito de Jerez to take his first top spot of the season, driving the thousands of fans flocked gathered at the Spanish track wild with delight. The session created the closest ever
top ten in MotoGP history.
Pedrosa traded the fastest time honours with Valentino Rossi, and the two will start alongside each other on the front row at a race in which they are predicted to fight for the win all the way. The two were the quickest at last month's Official Test, with Rossi emerging as the victor in a 40 minute shootout on that occasion.
The pole-setting 1'39''402 lap from the 21 year old was just five hundredths of a second quicker than that of the five time World Champion, with Carlos Checa just seven thousandths behind him. Checa has been on great form all week at his home track, and will start tomorrow from the front row after a long absence from the leading three.
Colin Edwards, Casey Stoner and John Hopkins, who on any other day might have taken pole with their jaw-dropping times, will follow the leading three from row two. Shinya Nakano picked up his pace to take seventh, ahead of Gresini Honda duo Toni Elias and Marco Melandri, and Kenny Roberts Jr.
DORNA / CAPSIS International
