Pedrosa moved up from 250cc to MotoGP for this season

Pedrosa claimed the fastest lap in the short history of the Shanghai circuit with a time of one minute, 59.009 seconds in his final run.

He will share the front row of the grid with John Hopkins and Colin Edwards.

World champion Valentino Rossi could only finish in 13th place despite being quickest in Friday's first practice.

Shinya Nakano was fourth and will share the second row with Championship leader Nicky Hayden and Sete Gibernau, whose pole time of 1:59.710 from last year was bettered by six riders this time around.

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The weather disrupted the session with 15 minutes taken off the one hour of action.

Pedrosa said: "Sunday will be a difficult race because we don't know what the weather's going to do, it's changing all the time.

"We have a good position at the start and hopefully I can get away well and then we have to fight."

China MotoGP, leading qualifying times:

1. Dani Pedrosa (Sp) Honda, 1 minute 59.009 seconds
2. John Hopkins (US) Suzuki, 1:59.373
3. Colin Edwards (US), 1:59.383
4. Shinya Nakano (Jpn), 1:59.570
5. Nicky Hayden (US) Honda, 1:59.574
6. Sete Gibernau (Spa) Ducati, 1:59.639
7. Casey Stoner (Aus) Honda, 1:59.890
8. Marco Melandri (It) Honda, 2:00.014
9. Randy De Puniet (Fra) Kawasaki, 2:00.044
10. Loris Capirossi (Ita) Ducati, 2:00.078.

Selected other times: