Rossi secures pole position with Sepang record

A best lap of 2’00.518 in MotoGP qualifying secured Valentino Rossi pole position for Sunday’s race at Sepang, with Jorge Lorenzo and Dani Pedrosa completing the front row.

The Italian broke his own previous pole record at the circuit – recorded on a 990cc machine in 2006 – by 0.087s and lapped 0.569s faster than his Fiat Yamaha team-mate Lorenzo.

Lorenzo, who crashed on his MotoGP race debut at the track last season, was followed onto the front row of the grid by Pedrosa.

The Repsol Honda man had been the fastest in practice, but was unable to match the blistering pace set by Rossi, finishing a further 0.167s behind Lorenzo.

Casey Stoner, who won the race at Sepang in 2007, will head up the second row after lapping at almost a full second slower than Rossi, while Loris Capirossi secured fifth spot on the grid on his Suzuki GSV-R.

Toni Elías (San Carlo Honda Gresini), Nicky Hayden (Ducati Marlboro), Randy de Puniet (LCR Honda), Colin Edwards (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) and Alex de Angelis (San Carlo Honda Gresini) all came through inside the top ten as well.