Qualifying cancelled after Estoril monsoon

Strong winds and heavy rain that battered the Estoril circuit saw qualifying for all three Grand Prix classes abandoned this afternoon.

Torrential rain started to fall shortly after midday and with large patches of standing water on the track, Race Direction decided to abandon qualifying at 230pm.

The decision was taken with no sign of the adverse conditions improving sufficiently for any track action to take place in safe conditions.

Yesterday morning’s first MotoGP practice was also a victim of atrocious conditions and it was the first time a qualifying session was abandoned since the 2006 Malaysian Grand Prix in Sepang.

As a result of today’s severe disruption, grid positions for tomorrow’s races were decided on combined practice times.

That left Jorge Lorenzo to claim pole position for the MotoGP race after his best lap of 1.48.522 in drying conditions during yesterday’s second free practice session.

Nicky Hayden will start from second on the grid with Valentino Rossi completing the front row.

Hungarian Gabor Talmacsi will start on pole for the Moto2 race but the weather disruption leaves Scott Redding down in a lowly 25th.

British rider Bradley Smith will head off the 125GP field with Danny Webb starting from a career best second on the grid.

Danny Kent will start from tenth on the Lambretta machine.