Jorge Lorenzo will start from pole position for the sixth time this year, grabbing the top spot for tomorrow’s Shell Advance Malaysian Motorcycle Grand Prix at Sepang.
The Fiat Yamaha rider, beaten by team-mate Valentino Rossi in Friday’s practice, stormed back to put himself in the best possible position to wrap up the title.
All Lorenzo needs to do to secure the 2010 title is to finish in at least ninth place.
Ducati’s Nicky Hayden will start from second place after holding onto the top spot late in the session, only to be toppled by the all-conquering Spaniard by 0.1s.
Last round’s pole-sitter Andrea Dovizioso secured third position on the grid with another impressive qualifying display. The sole Repsol Honda representative this weekend was 0.292s off Lorenzo’s marker by the conclusion of the hour-long session. His team-mate Dani Pedrosa is out of action this weekend due to a broken collarbone.
Just missing out on a front-row start was Ben Spies. Australian Casey Stoner (Ducati) ended the session in fifth position ahead of Valentino Rossi (Fiat Yamaha) who took the final slot on row two.
Completing the top 10 were Colin Edwards (Monster Yamaha Tech 3), Rizla Suzuki duo Álvaro Bautista and Loris Capirossi.
Pos | Rider | Team | Bike | Time |
1 | Jorge LORENZO | Fiat Yamaha Team | Yamaha | 2’01.537 |
2 | Nicky HAYDEN | Ducati Team | Ducati | 2’01.637 |
3 | Andrea DOVIZIOSO | Repsol Honda Team | Honda | 2’01.829 |
4 | Ben SPIES | Monster Yamaha Tech 3 | Yamaha | 2’01.993 |
5 | Casey STONER | Ducati Team | Ducati | 2’02.023 |
6 | Valentino ROSSI | Fiat Yamaha Team | Yamaha | 2’02.030 |
7 | Colin EDWARDS | Monster Yamaha Tech 3 | Yamaha | 2’02.097 |
8 | Alvaro BAUTISTA | Rizla Suzuki MotoGP | Suzuki | 2’02.394 |
9 | Loris CAPIROSSI | Rizla Suzuki MotoGP | Suzuki | 2’02.522 |
10 | Marco MELANDRI | San Carlo Honda Gresini | Honda | 2’02.624 |
11 | Marco SIMONCELLI | San Carlo Honda Gresini | Honda | 2’02.690 |
12 | Aleix ESPARGARO | Pramac Racing Team | Ducati | 2’02.723 |
13 | Randy DE PUNIET | LCR Honda MotoGP | Honda | 2’02.775 |
14 | Hiroshi AOYAMA | Interwetten Honda MotoGP | Honda | 2’02.778 |
15 | Hector BARBERA | Paginas Amarillas Aspar | Ducati | 2’02.928 |
16 | Mika KALLIO | Pramac Racing Team | Ducati | 2’04.167 |