Rossi and Lorenzo fall just short of front row

Fiat Yamaha will be without a presence on the front row for the first time this season when the riders line up in Le Mans, but the factory team will still mount a strong challenge on the holeshot with both Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo on the second line of attack. Rossi´s day went swimmingly, although Lorenzo had considerably more difficulty in qualifying.

Valentino Rossi - Fourth

`Today everything seemed to go very well and I was quite confident; I thought that with the last qualifying tyre I could do 1´32.9 or even 8 and be on the front row, but at the end we had a small problem and couldn´t manage this. Of course the first row is always better but with the race tyres we are in good shape, with a strong rhythm and a great set-up. Tomorrow I will look to make a good start, try to get to the front immediately and then try to stay there with the other fast riders. As I said, our race pace is fine but there are four or five other riders with a similar fast pace so it´s going to be a very interesting race tomorrow! My target is to be on the podium so now we´re hoping for another dry day and then we will do our very best to be there.´

Jorge Lorenzo - Fifth

`This is a very difficult time and I have a lot of pain in all of my body, but I want to keep going and I think fifth place is a very good position for me today. Of course I know it´s a risk for me, but this sport always has some danger and I don´t think about this. Today was hard and my crash this morning didn´t help, but I didn´t make anything worse and I was able to ride this afternoon and to try hard with my qualifying tyres. We need to improve the bike more for this track, especially the electronics and the chassis, but I know that we can be better tomorrow and I am sure that my physical condition will be better as well. Neither our bike nor my mental or physical condition is perfect here and my rhythm is not as good as at the other races, but of course I still want to try to be in front and this is why I have made some mistakes today. It´s not the end of the world however, I´ve been in worse situations in the past and I won't panic. Tomorrow is another day and, although today I was lacking some confidence, I know I will feel better in myself tomorrow and that I will be able to try to take some points.´