MotoGP Sunday Guide – Sepang

- Dani Pedrosa starts from pole for the second time this year – his only other pole position was at the French GP at Le Mans using Michelin tyres. Pedrosa won at Sepang in 2003 to clinch the 125cc world title, he also won the 2004 250cc race.

- The last time that a Honda rider was on pole using Bridgestone tyres was when Makoto Tamada was the fastest qualifier at the final race of 2004 in Valencia.

- Valentino Rossi will be aiming for his eighth successive podium finish, which would be his longest sequence of successive podiums since 2005. Rossi has had six podium finishes at Sepang including four victories.

- If Valentino Rossi finishes in the top three he will become only the second rider in MotoGP history to reach the milestone of 150 podium finishes across all classes – the other rider to achieve this is Giacomo Agostini who finished on the podium 159 times.

- Jorge Lorenzo, who won the 250cc race at Sepang two years ago, is starting from the front row for the eighth time in his debut season in MotoGP.

- Nicky Hayden has finished fourth at Sepang on four occasions. Sepang is one of five current circuits where Hayden has not had a podium finish; the others are Estoril, Le Mans, Donington and Misano.

- Colin Edwards is starting from his best grid position (fifth) since he was third fastest qualifier at the German Grand Prix. Edwards has finished tenth three times in the last three years at Sepang.

- Andrea Dovizioso is starting from his best grid position (sixth) since he was the fourth fastest qualifier at the German GP. Last year Dovizioso finished eleventh in the Malaysian 250cc race after battling for the lead up to the penultimate lap when he crashed after a collision with Mika Kallio.

- Casey Stoner has not qualified for the front row for the first time since he was fourth on the grid at Mugello.

- Loris Capirossi has had three podium finishes in the premier-class at Sepang, including a win in 2005 riding the Ducati.

- Randy de Puniet (ninth) is starting from his lowest grid position since he was the fourteenth fastest qualifier at Donington. De Puniet finished fourth last year in Malaysia – his best ever dry weather result on a MotoGP machine.