Valencia MotoGP: Valentino Rossi injured as Dani Pedrosa claims pole position

Dani Pedrosa stormed to his fourth successive pole position in Valencia this afternoon, but Valentino Rossi suffering multiple fractures in his right hand after a heavy crash overshadowed the Spaniard’s performance.

Pedrosa clocked a best time of 1.31.517 to edge out new world champion Casey Stoner by just 0.086s, but all eyes were on the circuit medical centre instead of the track.

Just nine minutes had been completed when Italian Rossi was violently thrown off his factory Yamaha under acceleration out of the first corner. He walked away but was clearly in some pain, clutching his right hand before he was taken by ambulance to the circuit medical centre.

X-rays confirmed the 28-year-old had broken three bones in his right hand, including his little finger, though he plans to at least try and start tomorrow’s race.

Failure to do so will see Rossi miss a Grand Prix for the first time in his career after 191 successive starts since his debut in 1996.

The crash on his sixth lap left Rossi languishing way down 17th, with Pedrosa again in imperious form on qualifying tyres on the Repsol Honda RC212V. If Rossi fails to start tomorrow’s 30-lap race and Pedrosa wins, the double world 250 champion will pip Rossi to second place in the championship. Going into the race the pair are split by 24-points, though in his three previous pole position starts, Pedrosa has only gone onto claim one podium in Sepang last month.

He snatched pole in a frantic final few minutes after team-mate Nicky Hayden had seized top spot in the final two minutes.

American Hayden, who won his first world title in Valencia a year ago after Rossi crashed out of their winner takes all final round shootout, jumped to the top of the timesheets with a 1.31.903 that moved him 0.060s clear of Randy de Puniet.
Aussie Stoner then jumped to pole with a 1.31.603 that was a massive 0.300s clear of Hayden. Pedrosa’s late surge bumped Stoner down to second while Hayden clung onto a place on the front row for the fifth time this season.

Randy de Puniet will head the second row in fourth, one place ahead of impressive Tech 3 Yamaha rider Sylvain Guintoli, who will start from easily his best grid slot of the season.

Guintoli’s previous best was eighth on the grid in Estoril. Dunlop enjoyed its best qualifying result of the season today with Tech 3 team-mate Makoto Tamada starting from sixth place.

Chaz Davies’ nightmare weekend continued this afternoon. After his heavy crash yesterday morning that left him with three chipped bones in his right hand and a severely sore back, Davies returned to action today but tumbled off again in qualifying.

He crashed his D’Antin Ducati with 15 minutes remaining, though it appeared he didn’t aggravate any injuries.

Anthony West also crashed early in the session but he walked away unhurt. The Aussie will start down in 16th place.