 Hayden is chasing his first MotoGP title |
US world championship leader Nicky Hayden grabbed pole for the Australian MotoGP with a blistering late lap in qualifying at Phillip Island. The Honda rider lapped the 4.4km circuit in one minute 29.02 seconds, the fastest time of the weekend.
Kawasaki's Shinya Nakano was 0.23 secs back in second, ahead of title holder Valentino Rossi (Yamaha) in 1.29.27.
Hayden's team-mate Dani Pedrosa, second in the title race, could only manage the 10th fastest time of the session.
Italians Marco Melandri and Loris Capirossi, the only other contenders, were seventh and 13th respectively.
Hayden leads the world title race from Pedrosa by 22 points with four races remaining.
Rossi, who is chasing a sixth victory on the Australian circuit, is third, 26 points behind the American.
Hayden, 25, was happy with his fourth MotoGP pole, but said: "I need to find some better grip and better race pace. We've got some work to do, no doubt."
Italy's Rossi, third and 26 points behind Hayden in the standings, admitted an error had cost him.
"It was possible to get pole but I made a mistake on the final corner and I lost some time.
"Sure, Nicky is in front but we are close and we have a good setting for Sunday."
Australian MotoGP qualifying results:
1. Nicky Hayden (US) Honda 1:29.020
2. Shinya Nakano (Jap) Kawasaki 1:29.258
3. Valentino Rossi (Ita) Yamaha 1:29.271
4. Kenny Roberts Jr (US) KR211V 1:29.662
5. Colin Edwards (US) Yamaha 1:29.680
6. Carlos Checa (Spa) Yamaha 1:29.865
7. Marco Melandri (Ita) Honda 1:29.949
8. Casey Stoner (Aus) Honda 1:29.969
9. Randy de Puniet (Fra) Kawasaki 1:30.037
10. Dani Pedrosa (Spa) Honda 1:30.081
250cc qualifying:
1. Jorge Lorenzo (Sp) Aprilia 1:32.717
2. Alex de Angelis (SM) Aprilia 1:33.602
3. Sylvain Guintoli (Fr) Aprilia 1:33.732
4. Andrea Dovizioso (It) Honda 1:33.866
5. Marco Simoncelli (It) Gilera 1:33.941
6. Hiroshi Aoyama (Jpn) KTM 1:33.995
7. Hector Barbera (Sp) Aprilia 1:34.399
8. Yuki Takahashi (Jpn) Honda 1:34.486
9. Roberto Locatelli (It) Aprilia 1:34.650
10. Shuhei Aoyama (Jpn) Honda 1:35.158
125cc qualifying:
1. Mika Kallio (Fin) KTM 1:36.625
2. Alvaro Bautista (Spa) Aprilia 1:36.800
3. Lukas Pesek (Cze) Derbi 1:37.056
4. Thomas Luthi (Swi) Honda 1:37.084
5. Joan Olive (Spa) Aprilia 1:37.220
6. Mattia Passini (Ita) Aprilia 1:37.292
7. Raffaele de Rosa (Ita) Aprilia 1:37.294
8. Fabrizio Lai (Ita) Honda, 1:37.415
9. Julian Simon (Spa) KTM 1:37.533
10. Gabor Talmacsi (Hun) Honda 1:37.596
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