Lorenzo takes pole for home race

Catalunya MotoGP, Barcelona
Date: 13-14 June
Saturday 13 June: Qualifying: 1150-1500, BBC Red Button/online
Sunday 14 June: 125cc and 250cc races: 0950-1205, BBC Red Button/online Race live: 1230-1400, BBC Two/online; MotoGP Extra, 1400-1430, BBC Red Button/online

Lorenzo is racing in the colours of FC Barcelona this weekend

Home favourite Jorge Lorenzo delighted his fans in Barcelona as he took pole position for Sunday's Catalunya MotoGP ahead of Valentino Rossi.

Lorenzo clocked a time of one minute, 41.974 seconds to beat his team-mate and reigning world champion by 0.013 seconds for his third pole of 2009.

Championship leader Casey Stoner was third but Dani Pedrosa crashed yet again and finished in eighth place.

Britain's James Toseland's came ninth, his best grid placing so far this year.

Saturday's qualifying took place in sweltering heat, with similar conditions expected on Sunday, and Stoner said this was bound to add a degree of unpredictability to the race.

606: DEBATE

We're in for a treat of a race tomorrow. Jorge has Vale under pressure and Casey does not seem to be able to get more from his Ducati.I'm looking forward to it

Aerodownforce

"No-one really knows what anyone's capable of in conditions like this because once the tyres start spinning it's going to be difficult to keep the lap times that we're doing today," he said.

"It's going to be a very interesting race with a lot of slides and things like that."

Toseland had mixed feelings after his best qualifying display of the year so far, as wobbles on the last two corners cost him a chance of finishing fifth fastest.

"To finish under a tenth of a second off fifth place and be down in ninth is frustrating though, but at least I'm frustrated to be close to fifth and not 15th!" he said.

"It's a shame that I'm not on the second row because the way I'm riding and the way the team is working, we deserve to be a bit higher up, but we've all done a great job today and I've got a good chance in the race tomorrow."

Fellow Briton Bradley Smith had a disappointing day in qualifying for the 125cc race.

The current championship leader had to settle for seventh place on the grid, with the front three spots going to Julian Simon, Pol Espargaro and Jonas Folger.

And Hector Barbera made it a clean sweep of pole positions for Spanish riders as he qualified fastest for the 250cc race, ahead of Alvaro Bautista and Marco Simoncelli.

Catalunya MotoGP qualifying result:

1 J Lorenzo (Spn) Yamaha 1 min 41.974 secs
2 V Rossi (Ita) Yamaha 1:41.987
3 C Stoner (Aus) Ducati 1:42.426
4 A Dovizioso (Ita) Honda 1:42.594
5 T Elias (Spn) Honda 1:43.139
6 C Edwards (US) Yamaha 1:43.168
7 R de Puniet (Fr) Honda 1:43.175
8 D Pedrosa (Spn) Honda 1:43.207
9 J Toseland (GB) Yamaha 1:43.233
10 M Kallio (Fin) Ducati 1:43.336
11 L Capirossi (Ita) Suzuki 1:43.365
12 C Vermeulen (Aus) Suzuki 1:43.411
13 N Hayden (US) Ducati 1:43.414
14 A de Angelis (RSM) Honda 1:43.422
15 S Gibernau (Spn) Ducati 1:43.714

125cc qualifying result:

1 J Simon (Spn) Aprilia 1 min 51.448 secs
2 P Espargaro (Spn) Derbi 1:51.468
3 J Folger (Ger) Aprilia 1:51.787

Selected others:
7 B Smith (GB) Aprilia 1:52.209
10 S Redding (GB) Aprilia 1:52.536

250cc qualifying result:

1 H Barbera (Spn) Aprilia 1min 46.749secs
2 A Bautista (Spa) Aprilia 1:46.899
3 M Simoncelli (Ita) Gilera 1:46.908