Misano MotoGP: Stoner breaks lap record to take pole

Casey Stoner (Repsol Honda) set a new motorcycle lap record at Misano to take pole position ahead of Jorge Lorenzo (Yamaha Factory Racing) and team mate Dani Pedrosa.

Stoner started the qualifying battle in earnest in the final fifteen minutes by setting the fastest lap on two wheels at Misano, before going on to better it with a 1.33.138, faster than his 2008 pole record of 1.33.378.

Lorenzo upped his pace to whittle down Stoner’s lead to 0.120s but was unable to beat the Australian’s best lap.

In the final three minutes of the session Ben Spies (Yamaha Factory Racing) secured fourth to start ahead of Marco Simoncelli (San Carlo Honda Gresini) in fifth and Repsol Honda rider Andrea Dovizioso, who completes the second row in sixth.

Colin Edwards (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) rode well to start tomorrow’s race from seventh on the grid, whilst team mate Cal Crutchlow endured a disappointing qualifying session, in which he was thirteenth fastest, culminating in a crash in the final thirty seconds where he lost the front end at turn ten but walked away unhurt.

Alvaro Bautista (Rizla Suzuki) will start from eighth, ahead of fastest Ducati rider Hector Barbera (Mapfre Aspar Team) in ninth.

Hiroshi Aoyama completes the top ten, whilst Rossi set a 1.34.676 on his last lap to take 11th, 1.538s behind Stoner.

1. Casey STONER Repsol Honda Team Honda 274.0 1’33.138 
2. Jorge LORENZO Yamaha Factory Racing Yamaha 271.7 1’33.258 0.120 / 0.120
3. Dani PEDROSA Repsol Honda Team Honda 276.6 1’33.318 0.180 / 0.060
4. Ben SPIES Yamaha Factory Racing Yamaha 269.6 1’33.947 0.809 / 0.629
5. Marco SIMONCELLI San Carlo Honda Gresini Honda 267.9 1’33.990 0.852 / 0.043
6. Andrea DOVIZIOSO Repsol Honda Team Honda 273.8 1’34.026 0.888 / 0.036
7. Colin EDWARDS Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Yamaha 266.4 1’34.054 0.916 / 0.028
8. Alvaro BAUTISTA Rizla Suzuki MotoGP Suzuki 274.6 1’34.360 1.222 / 0.306
9. Hector BARBERA Mapfre Aspar Team MotoGP Ducati 274.7 1’34.592 1.454 / 0.232
10. Hiroshi AOYAMA San Carlo Honda Gresini Honda 274.8 1’34.637 1.499 / 0.045
11. Valentino ROSSI Ducati Team Ducati 271.2 1’34.676 1.538 / 0.039
12. Karel ABRAHAM Cardion AB Motoracing Ducati 273.3 1’34.727 1.589 / 0.051
13. Cal CRUTCHLOW Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Yamaha 267.7 1’34.791 1.653 / 0.064
14. Randy DE PUNIET Pramac Racing Team Ducati 268.9 1’34.870 1.732 / 0.079
15. Nicky HAYDEN Ducati Team Ducati 271.8 1’34.955 1.817 / 0.085
16. Loris CAPIROSSI Pramac Racing Team Ducati 270.7 1’35.502 2.364 / 0.547
17. Toni ELIAS SPA Honda MotoGP Honda 272.6 1’36.167 3.029 / 0.665