Stoner scores pole position at Phillip Island
Casey Stoner
Casey Stoner has qualified on pole for tomorrow’s Iveco Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix at Phillip Island.
For the 21st time in his career, Stoner will start from pole position as he aims to create history by winning four race in-a-row at Phillip Island.
The session was held in the dry with rain only hitting the track right at the conclusion of the one hour session.
Ducati’s Stoner, who is celebrating his birthday today, was the standout of the session, clocking a time of 1m30.107s, more than six tenths ahead of new world champion Jorge Lorenzo (Fiat Yamaha).
Third place went to American Ben Spies (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) – his third career front-row starting position. Spies’ team-mate Colin Edwards will start the race from fifth.
Splitting the Tech 3 machines is Marco Simoncelli (San Carlo Honda Gresini) and the best of the Italian riders.
Rounding out the top 10 is Nicky Hayden (Ducati), Randy de Puniet (LCR Honda), Valentino Rossi (Fiat Yamaha), Andrea Dovisioso (Repsol Honda) and Marco Melandri (San Carlo Honda Gresini).
Honda’s Dani Pedrosa had a difficult session, finishing 15th – more than three seconds down on Stoner. Pedrosa is still recovering from a broken collarbone while fighting to maintain his second place in the MotoGP championship.
Hector Barbera and Loris Capirossi both had incidents during the session.
Qualifying, MotoGP, Phillip Island
| Pos. | Rider | Nation | Team | Bike | Time |
| 1 | Casey STONER | AUS | Ducati Team | Ducati | 1’30.107 |
| 2 | Jorge LORENZO | SPA | Fiat Yamaha Team | Yamaha | 1’30.775 |
| 3 | Ben SPIES | USA | Monster Yamaha Tech 3 | Yamaha | 1’31.386 |
| 4 | Marco SIMONCELLI | ITA | San Carlo Honda Gresini | Honda | 1’31.402 |
| 5 | Colin EDWARDS | USA | Monster Yamaha Tech 3 | Yamaha | 1’31.415 |
| 6 | Nicky HAYDEN | USA | Ducati Team | Ducati | 1’31.530 |
| 7 | Randy DE PUNIET | FRA | LCR Honda MotoGP | Honda | 1’31.554 |
| 8 | Valentino ROSSI | ITA | Fiat Yamaha Team | Yamaha | 1’31.627 |
| 9 | Andrea DOVIZIOSO | ITA | Repsol Honda Team | Honda | 1’32.018 |
| 10 | Marco MELANDRI | ITA | San Carlo Honda Gresini | Honda | 1’32.367 |
| 11 | Aleix ESPARGARO | SPA | Pramac Racing Team | Ducati | 1’32.542 |
| 12 | Mika KALLIO | FIN | Pramac Racing Team | Ducati | 1’32.816 |
| 13 | Hiroshi AOYAMA | JPN | Interwetten Honda MotoGP | Honda | 1’33.190 |
| 14 | Alvaro BAUTISTA | SPA | Rizla Suzuki MotoGP | Suzuki | 1’33.224 |
| 15 | Dani PEDROSA | SPA | Repsol Honda Team | Honda | 1’33.384 |
| 16 | Hector BARBERA | SPA | Paginas Amarillas Aspar | Ducati | 1’33.390 |
| 17 | Loris CAPIROSSI | ITA | Rizla Suzuki MotoGP | Suzuki | 1’34.269 |