MotoGP news

Soaked Rossi leads all-Yamaha front row in Germany

Valentino Rossi placed himself in the best position to successfully defend his championship lead this weekend by qualifying on pole in the rain for the German Grand Prix. The Yamaha rider will line up alongside team-mate Jorge Lorenzo with Ducati pairing Casey Stoner and Nicky Hayden continuing the symmetry.                 

The top three riders in the championship will start in the same positions on the grid at the Sachsenring, with Rossi's top place being his third of the year so far, although Nicky Hayden enjoyed his best qualifying position since joining Ducati, coming off the back of a strong top five race result at his home event a fortnight ago; the session was not all good news for Nicky, however, as he joined a number of others riders in falling onto the slippery surface at Turn 8 but only after flying off his bike and collecting Niccolò Canepa's Pramac in the process, which subsequently met the gravel trap for the second time in the session.

Other members of the unfortunate club were Marco Melandri for Kawasaki, Toni Elías, de Puniet, de Angelis - this drama all followed moment the same corner for Vermeulen and Toseland earlier in the weekend.

Behind the leading two teams, the San Marino's Alex de Angelis took advantage of the conditions and impressed with by securing the fifth grid slot for the Honda Gresini outfit, joined by Frenchman Randy de Puniet who enjoyed an equally good day for another Honda satellite team, LCR, as he completed Row 2.

Rain and the Sachsenring are an all too familiar combination with Dani Pedrosa after suffering his very heavy impact of 2008; the Spaniard fell back to eighth place in qualifying and will be sandwiched by Colin Edwards' Tech3 and Loris Capirossi's Suzuki on the third row. Mika Kallio ensured a great day for the Gresini squad which sees both of its bikes qualify in the top ten and are firmly aiming for points on Sunday.

Pedrosa's Honda team-mare Dovizioso will be hoping for some luck from 11th after falling in the last two races, starting ahead of Melandri and Britain's James Toseland. Canepa managed 15th position, despite being hit by Hayden, as Talmacsi and Elías completed the grid.

The German Grand Prix at the Sachsenring will begin at 2pm local time (BST +1/GMT +2) on Sunday.

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