FIM MotoGP World Championship Sepang, Malaysia October 18, 2008 Final Qualifying Results: 1. Dani PEDROSA (Honda), Bridgestone, 2:01.548 2. Valentino ROSSI (Yamaha), Bridgestone, 2:01.957 3. Jorge LORENZO (Yamaha), Michelin, 2:02.171 4. Nicky HAYDEN (Honda), Michelin, 2:02.192 5. Colin EDWARDS (Yamaha), Michelin, 2:02.245 6. Andrea DOVIZIOSO (Honda), Michelin, 2:02.836 7. Casey STONER (Ducati), Bridgestone, 2:02.953 8. Loris CAPIROSSI (Suzuki), Bridgestone, 2:03.078 9. Randy DE PUNIET (Honda), Michelin, 2:03.110 10. John HOPKINS (Kawasaki), Bridgestone, 2:03.184 11. Chris VERMEULEN (Suzuki), Bridgestone, 2:03.271 12. James TOSELAND (Yamaha), Michelin, 2:03.282 13. Anthony WEST (Kawasaki), Bridgestone, 2:03.392 14. Marco MELANDRI (Ducati), Bridgestone, 2:03.835 15. Shinya NAKANO (Honda), Bridgestone, 2:04.001 16. Sylvain GUINTOLI (Ducati), Bridgestone, 2:04.378 17. Alex DE ANGELIS (Honda), Bridgestone, 2:04.679 18. Nobuatsu AOKI (Suzuki), Bridgestone, 2:04.835 19. Toni ELIAS (Ducati), Bridgestone, 2:05.120 More, from a press release issued by Kawasaki Racing Team: HOPKINS AND WEST ON TARGET FOR TOP TEN AT SEPANG John Hopkins overcame difficult track conditions at the Sepang circuit this afternoon, to qualify his Ninja ZX-RR in tenth place for tomorrow’s Malaysian Grand Prix. Anthony West trailed his Kawasaki teammate by just two tenths of a second at the end of the hour-long timed session, and will start tomorrow’s 21-lap race from 13th position and the fifth row of the grid. With rain forecast for qualifying, and mindful of the fact that the 2006 grid was decided on practice times when monsoon conditions saw the final timed session cancelled, both Kawasaki riders went out on qualifying rubber right at the end of free practice this morning. A mistake by Hopkins cost him time, but West managed to get the best from the super-sticky rubber to claim the top spot on the timesheet at the conclusion of the session. It looked as if West’s gamble with the qualifier might pay off, as heavy rain started to fall shortly after the final free practice session and continued right up to the start of qualifying. Unfortunately for the Australian, the rain disappeared and the tropical sun soon started to dry out the 5.548km Sepang track Despite treacherous conditions making available grip unpredictable, Hopkins switched early from wets to slicks in an attempt to get a feel for the tyres before running the first of two qualifiers. The 25-year-old Kawasaki pilot wasn’t able to get the best from his first qualifying tyre due to chatter, but his run on the second saw him jump up to fifth place, before he was eventually demoted to tenth by a succession of faster riders right at the end. West continued to struggle with a lack of rear traction out of the turns during qualifying, despite changes made to the set-up of his Ninja ZX-RR during this morning’s free practice session. Adopting the same approach that saw him hold off his teammate last time out at Phillip Island, West simply pinned the throttle and put his faith in the qualifying tyre. As a result, the Kawasaki pilot finished just two tenths of a second behind his teammate to secure his best grid position since the Czech Republic Grand Prix at Brno. Both Kawasaki riders go into tomorrow’s Malaysian Grand Prix confident of bringing their Ninja ZX-RR MotoGP machines home in the top ten. John Hopkins #21 – 10th – 2’03.184 “The rain was so heavy ahead of qualifying that I thought Ant was going to end up on pole thanks to his fast lap this morning! Qualifying was fully wet to start with, but grip was hard to find even with the softest wet tyres on the bike. We were sliding around everywhere, which was good fun but not very productive. I switched to slicks quite early, but it was quite tricky dodging the damp patches and the grip was pretty unpredictable. My first qualifier induced some chatter in the bike, but my second qualifying run was a lot better. Unfortunately, because of the track conditions at the start, we ran out of time to stick another qualifier on the bike. I’m pretty confident I could have improved my grid position if we’d had the chance to use the last soft tyre, but that’s the way it is sometimes and it was the same for everyone. The improvements we made this morning to our dry set-up mean we’re pretty much on the pace, so a top ten finish is definitely on the cards for tomorrow.” Anthony West #13 – 13th – 2’03.392 “We didn’t manage to make any big improvements to our set-up this morning, so launching the bike out of the turns was still a problem during qualifying this afternoon. At the start of the session, with the track completely wet, everyone was having the same problem, but as the track started to dry out it was just me who was sideways out of the corners In the end I could only do what I did in Australia and just open the throttle and hang on. I was pretty close to John at the finish, so it seems it’s not such a bad approach. If I’d had time to run my second qualifier then I might have been able to close the gap to him even further, but the conditions at the start put paid to that. It’s nice to be off the back row of the grid and I think a top ten finish tomorrow is a distinct possibility. That, and beating my teammate of course, is what I’ll be aiming for anyway.” Naoya Kaneko Kawasaki Technical Manager “The conditions this afternoon meant that neither rider was able to use their full allocation of qualifiers, otherwise I think we’d have been a bit closer to the front of the grid. We’ve qualified better than we did in Australia, so I’m happy about that, as starting from the back row of the grid makes everyone’s job more difficult. We know we have good wet settings, and the changes we made to our dry set-up this morning improved things, so I’m pretty confident that both riders will finish tomorrow in the top ten regardless of the weather conditions.” More, from a press release issued by Fiat Yamaha: ROSSI GETS IT RIGHT IN TRICKY QUALIFYING TO TAKE TENTH FRONT ROW Valentino Rossi secured his tenth front row start of the season in Sepang today in a tricky qualifying session which saw the track conditions changing constantly after a heavy downpour. His Fiat Yamaha team-mate Jorge Lorenzo made it two Yamahas on the front row, leaving the pair in prime position for a double-podium assault tomorrow. Following a strong opening day yesterday, Rossi continued in the same vein in the dry this morning and was fourth fastest. Torrential rain throughout the 125cc qualifying session left the track soaking as the MotoGP qualifying got underway, but as the sun came out the track began to dry rapidly, meaning conditions were changing for the riders on every lap. The teams were faced with delicate tyre decisions as they tried to keep abreast of the rapidly drying track but Rossi, his crew and his Bridgestone tyre technician got it right each time and the Italian remained close to the top throughout the session. As the hour closed out it looked like a Fiat Yamaha one-two, with Rossi on pole, but a final effort from Dani Pedrosa was even faster and he edged the world champion off the top spot for tomorrow’s 21-lap race. Valentino Rossi Position: 2nd Time: 1’01.957 Laps: 21 “The conditions were incredible today and this practice was as much about strategy as it was about qualifying tyres and set-up, because you had to judge the right moment to go out with the right tyre. We worked very well in our garage and managed to make the right decisions every time, so I was at the top or near to it for most of the session and able to constantly make big improvements. When I saw that I’d done a 2’01.9 I thought that I might have the pole, but Dani was even faster so congratulations to him today. Anyway it’s good to be back on the front row because we have been off it for two races, and now we’re in a good place to start our challenge tomorrow. I am really looking forward to the race because I love this track and my M1 is really flying here. However I hope the weather is ok because for sure it will be more fun in the dry!” Davide Brivio Team Manager “We came out very well from a tricky situation today. It was a delicate job to correctly follow the conditions, which were changing so quickly, but we managed it very well and this front row is just reward for some good work from the team. This was an important front row because there are a lot of riders here looking very competitive, but also the information from this session might be useful tomorrow if we have the same conditions. Let’s hope not, but anyway we will be prepared.” More, from another press release issued by Fiat Yamaha: FIVE IN A ROW FOR LORENZO AS HE CLAIMS ANOTHER FRONT-ROW Jorge Lorenzo and his Fiat Yamaha crew got their strategy right to secure an important front row start during a complicated qualifying session in Sepang today, the rookie’s eighth of the season and fifth in a row. Lorenzo will start from third with team-mate Valentino Rossi beside him in second and Dani Pedrosa on pole. A dry morning session gave the leading rookie time to make further improvements to his race-setting and he finished in third, but by late morning the weather had turned and an hour of heavy rain left the track soaking for the start of the MotoGP practice. Once the sun came out the track began to dry rapidly and conditions were changing by the minute, but the Spaniard and his crew did a good job of choosing the right Michelin tyre for the right moment and he was competitive throughout. A fast final lap left him in second behind Rossi but Dani Pedrosa had the edge and pushed the pair down to second and third, nonetheless leaving Lorenzo in a good position to launch his podium challenge in tomorrow’s 21-lap race. Jorge Lorenzo Position: 3rd Time: 2’02.171 Laps: 19 “It was a strange session today but as the track began to get more and more dry I thought that it would be possible to try for the pole position. I made some good laps but I think in the end, and after so many laps in the wet, I wasn’t quite at the maximum in the dry and I didn’t do the fastest possible lap I could have. Anyway this front row is very important because I am determined to be back on the podium tomorrow and now we are in good shape to fight for that. I hope that the weather is better tomorrow and that we can have a dry race, our bike is working so well here and I am looking forward to the battle.” Daniele Romagnoli Team Manager “This was a very different kind of qualifying session because the track changed so much, but it was great fun and very exciting! The team worked very well and we chose the best tyre for the right conditions each time, so this helped us to be competitive throughout. This morning’s session was also very encouraging because we improved a lot from yesterday and our race pace is now very good. We’re starting from the front row and we’re in good shape so we are expecting an exciting race tomorrow.” More, from a press release issued by Bridgestone: Pedrosa takes first Bridgestone pole in Malaysia Round 17: Malaysia Qualifying Sepang International Circuit Saturday 18 October 2008 Repsol Honda rider Dani Pedrosa has stormed to pole position in this afternoon’s turbulent qualifying hour, taking his first pole on Bridgestone tyres in today’s wet-dry session. Pedrosa set his time in the dying moments of the session, topping the timesheets by an impressive 0.4s from Fiat Yamaha’s Valentino Rossi who claimed his tenth front row start of 2008. Pedrosa and Rossi were the only two men to dip under the 2m02s mark with lap times continuing to tumble as the long 5.543km Sepang track dried out throughout the session. Jorge Lorenzo took the final front row spot with third place for Fiat Yamaha. Such was the frantic nature of the qualifying hour that a total of 12 different riders held provisional pole at some point in the session with a total of 37 different changes of provisional pole position time during the sixty minutes. Pedrosa’s result is the 11th pole position for a Bridgestone rider this year adding to the 8 scored by Casey Stoner and the 2 achieved by Valentino Rossi. He also becomes the tenth different rider to claim pole position using Bridgestone tyres since the tyre manufacturer joined MotoGP back in 2002. An additional three Bridgestone riders were able to set top ten pace in the tricky conditions this afternoon with Ducati’s Casey Stoner in seventh position, Rizla Suzuki’s Loris Capirossi in eighth place, and Kawasaki rider John Hopkins in tenth position. Tohru Ubukata – Bridgestone Motorsport Manager, Motorcycle Race Tyre Development How have this afternoon’s weather conditions affected tyre choice and performance? “At the start of the qualifying session, there was still a lot of water on the track following the heavy lunchtime rainstorm, so all riders started out using wet weather tyres. As the track started to dry out more and more, we could see a very good performance from our tyres with our riders dominating the timesheets. Just after halfway through the session the track was sufficiently dry to switch to slick tyres and the lap times started to drop, which created a constantly changing classification. In the end, riders were able to put qualifiers on, even if the conditions were still not ideal. Dani did a great job to take pole, beating his pole time from last year by three-tenths-of-a-second and taking his first pole position on our tyres.” Did Bridgestone gather any useful race tyre data from this morning’s dry session? “It was quite a busy morning to make up for the time we lost yesterday but we were able to look at the harder range of slick tyres that we feel will be more suitable for the race distance. Although we were not able to carry out any long runs, we could see a good initial performance from the tyres with a few riders lapping in the low 2m02s that we would expect to be the required race pace for tomorrow if it is dry. I was also pleased with the grip and durability of our wet weather tyres in the drying conditions in qualifying. Based on the weather so far this weekend, we can certainly not rule out the possibility of a wet or drying race tomorrow. It looks set to be quite an unpredictable race whatever the weather.” Bridgestone-shod Riders’ Qualifying Session Results Pos. Rider Team Qualifying Time (pos) Gap to Pole P1 Dani Pedrosa Repsol Honda Team 2m01.548s Pole P2 Valentino Rossi Fiat Yamaha Team 2m01.957s +0.409s P7 Casey Stoner Ducati Corse 2m02.953s +1.405s P8 Loris Capirossi Rizla Suzuki MotoGP 2m03.078s +1.530s P10 John Hopkins Kawasaki Racing Team 2m03.184s +1.636s P11 Chris Vermeulen Rizla Suzuki MotoGP 2m03.271s +1,723s P13 Anthony West Kawasaki Racing Team 2m03.392s +1.844s P14 Marco Melandri Ducati Corse 2m03.835s +2.287s P15 Shinya Nakano San Carlo Honda Gresini 2m04.001s +2.453s P16 Sylvain Guintoli Alice Team 2m04.378s +2.830s P17 Alex de Angelis San Carlo Honda Gresini 2m04.679s +3.131s P18 Nobuatsu Aoki Rizla Suzuki MotoGP 2m04.835s +3.287s P19 Toni Elias Alice Team 2m05.120s +3.572s Weather: Wet-Dry Air 29°C, Track 38°C More, from a press release issued by Rizla Suzuki: Rizla Suzuki MotoGP’s three-rider attack all gave competitive displays in the varying conditions of this afternoon’s qualifying session at Sepang in Malaysia. Loris Capirossi (2’03.078, 22 laps) again led the way for the team as he qualified in the middle of the third row in eighth place. His result could have been even better but a mistake on his last qualifying tyre cost him time when he looked likely to take at least a front row position. Chris Vermeulen (P11, 2’03.271, 21 laps) topped the timesheet twice through the session as he again showed his prowess in the wet conditions in the early part of the practice. He worked thoroughly with his crew to try wet, intermediate and dry tyres in the damp, but quickly drying, conditions, and was pleased with the performance he got from all compounds. Nobuatsu Aoki (P18, 2’04.835, 20 laps) improved dramatically during the session and recorded his fastest lap of the weekend towards the end. Aoki was especially satisfied with the set-up of his Suzuki GSV-R in the wet conditions, but has improved the dry settings as well. Today’s qualifying started with a very wet track after monsoon-like rain fell over the 5,548m circuit, but warm sunny conditions dried the surface enough for riders to use qualifying tyres by the end of the hour. Honda’s Dani Pedrosa will start from pole position for tomorrow’s 21-lap race, which gets underway at 14.00hrs local time (06.00hrs GMT). Loris Capirossi: “All weekend it has been hard to be competitive with the top riders, but it has been better than we expected and in the different conditions this afternoon we were certainly up with everybody else. The whole team made a really good effort this afternoon because we tried many things and by the end of the session we had a really good setting. It was a bit strange because we started with rain tyres and at the end we were able to use slicks. I made a mistake on my last tyre and that cost me some time, so I could have been a bit higher up the grid. I think we are well prepared and we will have to see what happens, but I think we can have a good race.” Chris Vermeulen: “I am disappointed with my grid position, but very happy with the way we worked during the whole session. We were quick on wets, on in-between tyres and quick on the slicks. On my last lap when the track was at its driest I got held up by Melandri as he pulled in front of me, and I couldn’t go off the dry line to get past him as it was still quite wet in places out there. I am confident for any conditions tomorrow and I will have to make up for my grid position early on and take things from there.” Nobuatsu Aoki: “The wet setting was pretty good today so I hope it rains tomorrow! Even if it is dry though we have improved a lot since yesterday and my guys have worked so hard today to set the bike up. It doesn’t matter whether it is dry or wet tomorrow, but I would really like it to be wet that would be lovely.” Paul Denning Team Manager: “The weather conditions made this afternoon’s qualifying one of the most interesting of the season and our guys all featured at the very sharp end many times throughout, but unfortunately we didn’t quite get the role of the dice at the end when it really mattered. That said, the bike has been a lot more competitive here than at the last Grand Prix. We know it’s going to be really tough whatever the conditions tomorrow, but there is a level of confidence with Loris and Chris that will see them giving 100% tomorrow. “Nobu has stepped his game up today, and the quicker he goes the more interesting the data is from some of the new parts he is testing. We hope he has a fast and enjoyable race tomorrow afternoon and gets in amongst the points.” More, from a press release issued by JiR Team Scot Honda: Andrea Dovizioso takes 6th and is competitive in Sepang qualifying The second day of practice for the Malaysian Grand Prix saw Andrea Dovizioso competitive as ever, holding provisional pole position until the dying minutes of qualifying. The morning’s free practice was held in dry conditions, which confirmed the JiR Team Scot rider is able to keep pace with his rivals. The qualifying round began with the wet track, which dried slowly, meaning many riders recorded their best times in the final minutes of qualifying. At the start of the penultimate round of the season, Andrea will start from the second row for the third time this season, determined to conclude the race with a significant result. Cirano Mularoni Team Manager JiR Team Scot “In the final stages of qualifying the best riders constantly rotated their turn at the top of the timing sheet showing continual improvement as the track improved! We made the most of the intermediate tires and from those Andrea has been able to reap a good result. In terms of our competitiveness, we are starting from the second row and could make another good race and result tomorrow.” Andrea Dovizioso Rider JiR Team Scot MotoGP HONDA RC212V 6th time: 2’02 “836 “I am really happy with the result today with the track in difficult conditions with parts of it still wet, which slowly continued to dry. The second row is good for us and the start will be all-important. I have a good race rhythm of around 2’03 “3 that should allow me to aspire to finish in the top five positions. We started this afternoon with the wet track, using soft tyres. Then we turned to a harder compound. I was good in wet conditions with Michelin rubber that has excellent performance and allows me to be fast. I was able to exploit the good tyres from qualifying, despite not really changing our set-up from wet to dry. Tomorrow in the warm-up we will have to make the last changes to the suspension. We are still looking at a top five finish in the race, even if a podium this season is still a wish! The characteristics of the track and the warm, humid conditions will make for a challenging race.” Gianni Berti Technical Coordinator JiR Team Scot “We did well in qualifying and the team has been able to work well and hard, interpreting well and promptly, the continuous changing conditions of the track. Andrea has always been near the top and now we start from the second row. For the race we are ready, and Andrea has proven he has good race rhythm.” More, from a press release issued by FIM: FIM Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix Malaysian Grand Prix : decision of the Race Direction On Saturday 18th October, rider Alex de Angelis (RSM) has practised start after the chequered flag at the end of the qualifying practice session, which is an infringement to article 1.21.16 of the FIM Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix Regulations (see Press Release published on July 16: Exception: In the MotoGP class practice starts are not permitted after the chequered flag at the end of the qualifying practice). The Race Direction has thus decided to penalise the rider with a fine of USD 1,000. No appeal has been lodged. The decision of the Race Direction is final. More, from a press release issued by Dorna Communications: Dani Pedrosa took pole position for the Polini Malaysian Motorcycle Grand Prix in one of the finest qualifying sessions of the season, snatching the top spot from 2008 MotoGP World Champion Valentino Rossi with the clock already run down to zero. The 2007 Sepang poleman had been racing against time to get out for a final attempt, pulling out of the Repsol Honda Garage and warming up for a fearsome 2´01.548 lap of the Asian circuit. Rossi looked to have secured what would have been his third pole of the season with two flying laps, with his reaction suggesting that enough had been done, but Pedrosa fired back to cut the Italian´s time by 0.409. A frenetic final five minutes saw numerous changes in the leadership of the session, as the riders brought their qualifying tyres to the game in search of pole position. Casey Stoner, Andrea Dovizioso and Rossi had all seen their names at the head of the timesheet, although only the latter could keep a spot on the front row for the Malaysian showdown. Nearly all weather conditions were experienced on track after some heavy rainfall and intense humidity, with the track still not completely dry by the time Pedrosa earned his first pole position with Bridgestone tyres. Rossi will start from second on the grid, with Fiat Yamaha teammate Jorge Lorenzo on the front row for the fifth consecutive race. Lorenzo took his second 250cc title victory at Sepang last season, and is chasing a podium finish after two races in which he has ended up fourth. The grid positions will be an important boost for all of the top three, with the knowledge that every premier class winner in Malaysia since 1999 has come from the first row. Second Repsol Honda rider Nicky Hayden will take off from the head of the second row, joined by Friday´s fastest man, Tech 3 Yamaha´s Colin Edwards. JiR Team Scot man Dovizioso completes the line, with 2007 victor Stoner relegated to row three alongside Loris Capirossi and Randy de Puniet. 250cc Hiroshi Aoyama´s provisional pole time of 2´06.893 went untouched on Saturday, confirming the Japanese rider´s first pole position of the 2008 season. The winner of last year´s Polini Malaysian Motorcycle Grand Prix was third in the Saturday session, but had done enough on Friday afternoon to clinch the top spot. The Red Bull KTM rider could yet play an important part in the title battle this weekend, lining up as he does alongside contender Alvaro Bautista and current series leader Marco Simoncelli on the front row. Simoncelli was one of the few riders to better their Friday times, finishing the second qualifying session two tenths behind Aoyama. Metis Gilera´s Italian star could clinch the title on Sunday afternoon, and knows that a podium finish is his best option for taking the crown in style. Archrival Bautista will be doing his best to stop Simoncelli´s celebrations, and the presence of second Red Bull KTM man Mika Kallio in the final place on the front row adds further intrigue to the occasion. Ratthapark Wilairot held onto his position at the top of the second row, with home pride at stake for the Thai rider. Aleix Espargaro, Julian Simon and Yuki Takahashi accompany the Thai PTT SAG man on row two. 125cc Andrea Iannone was the principal beneficiary of the Saturday rainfall in Sepang, with no rider able to get near to his provisional pole time set in the dry opening 125cc qualifying session. The I.C. Team rider´s 2´14.676 time went unchallenged in the wet, giving him a first Grand Prix top spot. It wasn´t all good news for the Italian, however, as he suffered a crash in the early laps of the Saturday session. Iannone escaped unscathed, but will be wary of the wet as he takes off from pole position for the 125cc Polini Malaysian Motorcycle Grand Prix. He won a soaking race in China earlier in the year. 2007 racewinner Gabor Talmacsi and Briton Danny Webb both held onto their own front row spots, Webb starting from the first line for only the second time since Portugal where incidentally he also took his best Grand Prix result to date. Second fastest in the wet run, Pol Espargaro completes the front four. Out to impress potential suitors in the final races of 2009, Sergio Gadea heads the second row for the third time this season. He is accompanied by Joan Olive, Saturday crasher Tomoyoshi Koyama and Simone Corsi, whilst newly-crowned World Champion Mike di Meglio and Corsi´s rival for the runner-up spot Stefan Bradl will make their assault on the top step of the podium from the third row. Twentieth on the grid, Lorenzo Zanetti was the fastest rider in the second qualifying session, his time some fourteen seconds down on Iannone´s dry time. More, from a press release issued by Tech 3 Yamaha: Colin Edwards fifth, James Toseland 12th after exciting qualifying Colin Edwards and James Toseland both led an eventful and exciting Malaysian MotoGP qualifying session in Sepang today before the Tech 3 Yamaha pairing had to settle for fifth and 12th on the grid respectively. Edwards and Toseland topped the timesheets in the final ten minutes of a session that started on a wet track after torrential late morning rain had battered the 5.548km circuit. In typically hot and humid conditions at Sepang, the track dried rapidly and shortly before the halfway stage, Edwards and Toseland were able to switch to slick race tyres and qualifiers. Having encountered some issues in the drying conditions on his full wet tyres, American Edwards quickly rediscovered his form on Michelin’s impressive slick rubber in tricky conditions, with parts of the circuit still littered with damp patches. Edwards, who was quickest in yesterday’s dry conditions, started his charge in the final third of the session, jumping into the top three with 18 minutes remaining. With lap times dropping dramatically as conditions improved, only six minutes remained when the 33-year moved to the top of the timesheets. His best lap of 2.02.245 on his last flying lap moved him back into second behind world champion Valentino Rossi, but with a sixth front row start of the season beckoning, he was bumped down three places in a frantic final few seconds. Today’s performance though secured Edwards his best grid position since the German MotoGP race in mid-July as he missed the front row by just 0.07s. Edwards though has been able to consistently post some of the most competitive lap times in the dry this weekend, raising hopes of a podium challenge in tomorrow’s 21-lap race. The mixed conditions also made it an action-packed session for 28-year-old Toseland. Initially running full wet and then intermediate tyres to build up his confidence, once he’d fitted his Tech 3 Yamaha YZR-M1 with slick rubber he jumped into the top three with 17 minutes remaining. He then moved into first place with just nine minutes left on the clock before a time of 2.02.282 on his final qualifying tyre put him on the second row. As lap times continued to plummet, Toseland unfortunately slipped down to 12th, though he’s confident of a strong performance in his Malaysia MotoGP debut tomorrow. Colin Edwards 5th 2.02.245 17 laps “That was a pretty eventful session to say the least. I was last, first, tenth and ended up fifth and that’s how it can be on a drying track. You have tyres that are right for one moment, and then a minute later that’s not the right tyre and six or more guys go faster. At the start when it was already drying up pretty quickly, I just couldn’t get the tyres to work at all in those mixed conditions. I went out on one of the hardest tyres I had and it just wasn’t lasting, so I decided to sit in the pits for a bit hoping it would get to a point where it would be dry enough for slicks. It was drying really quickly, but I was worried it was going to rain again and I was going to be in big trouble because I think I was last at one point. I think I was the first guy to go on slicks in the front and rear and I got to some decent times for the conditions, just using a soft race tyre to get some confidence for the qualifiers. I wanted to put the slicks on as soon as I could just to try and put in a decent time and improve my position in case it rained again. I only used two qualifiers and my first one was just to understand how much grip there was. The grip was pretty good although there were still a couple of little damp patches you had to watch for. It only slowed us down by a second from last year’s pole but you just had to stay on line. You couldn’t really venture off line too far. On my last qualifier I did a good job but I made a small mistake and that might have cost me the front row. But with the way the session started and the problems I was having with the rain tyres on a drying track, I’ll definitely take a place on the second row. I feel good for tomorrow’s race. I’ve been going well all weekend in the dry and we played with the rear shock today, making the spring a bit softer and the bike feels even better. I’ve just got to convert it into a result now.” James Toseland 12th 2.03.282 20 laps “Today was all about timing and judging when to jump on the bike with slick tyres on to make the most of the drying track. But unfortunately I just missed out. The track was just drying at the point when I’d run out of time to put in another qualifier, but I’m sure I could have got in the 2.02s and that’s a second row, so it is a bit frustrating. Early on when it was full wet I was trying not to take any risks because I could see it was going to dry quickly. There were still a few puddles in some places and going through them on slicks pretty much means an instant loss of traction for a split second. At times I was top three, then out of the top ten, and then leading, so that shows how up and down it was when the track was dry. I also didn’t get the most out of my last qualifier because I thought I might have the chance to come in for the fourth one. So I pushed hard on the warm-up lap and to be honest I went too quick and it was sliding around a lot. And as it happens I wouldn’t have had time to use the fourth one anyway. We have still got some work to do for the race tomorrow as well. This morning in the dry we moved in the right direction and I was about a second off. If I can improve the setting to run in high 2.02s, then there is no reason why I can’t be fighting for the top six.” More, from a press release issued by Marlboro Ducati: STONER SEVENTH BUT CONFIDENT FOR THE RACE, MELANDRI 14TH The second day of the Grand Prix of Malaysia was again hit by mixed weather conditions, making for a tricky qualifying practice and a virtual lottery in the scrap for grid positions. It was a case of judging the conditions and timing a qualifying run for as late as possible but a small problem cost Casey Stoner the chance of challenging for pole position. With less than five minutes remaining of the session the Australian became the first rider to dip inside the 2’03 mark but he missed the chance to defend his position when a small mistake in the garage saw him head out onto the track for his final attempt without enough time to complete his flying lap before the chequered flag was waved. However, last year’s race winner remains confident of mounting a challenge tomorrow after a very positive morning free practice in dry conditions, thanks to the good job made by the team on the set up of the bike overnight. Marco Melandri is also satisfied with his set-up but could only manage fourteenth place on the grid. CASEY STONER (Ducati Marlboro Team) 7th – 2’02.953 “The guys did a great job with the bike overnight and in the dry this morning it felt much better than it had done yesterday. My pace was good and I felt much more comfortable. We struggled a little bit in the afternoon because there wasn’t enough weight on the rear but we didn’t really get much time to work on that because it dried out so quickly. In any case, the wet pace was pretty good so if it rains tomorrow, which looks likely, then I’m confident we’ll have a good set-up. Unfortunately qualifying was a bit of a lottery with the way the track dried out and we missed the chequered flag with my final qualifying tyre by just twenty seconds, so that was frustrating. Anyway, the most important thing is that we’re in good shape for wet or dry conditions so I’m looking forward to going out and having some fun in the race.” MARCO MELANDRI (Ducati Marlboro Team) 14th – 2’03.835 “The conditions today were a little strange but in the end the track was dry so I can’t blame that for my fourteenth place. I know I’m repeating myself but I don’t have any feeling with the bike in these conditions and that’s despite doing a good job with my team on the set-up here. It is going to make it difficult tomorrow, especially with such tough conditions that we always have to deal with here in Malaysia.” More, from a press release issued by Repsol Honda: SUPERB PEDROSA GRABS POLE POSITION Malaysian Grand Prix, Sepang Qualifying, Saturday October 18 2008 Repsol Honda RC212V rider Dani Pedrosa stormed to a brilliant pole position at Sepang this afternoon, triumphing at the end of a complex session which started out on a soaking wet track. This is his first pole with Bridgestone tyres, which he used for the first time three races ago, at last month’s Indianapolis GP. Thanks to some clever work from his crew, Pedrosa timed his final run to perfection, snatching pole in the final moments of the session when the track was dry enough for slicks but still damp in places. Heavy rainfall hit MotoGP’s only tropical venue shortly before lunch, earlier than usual. Riders started the session on rain tyres, switching to wets with about 20 minutes remaining. From that point on, lap times started tumbling, with pole position sometimes changing twice in a minute. Pedrosa’s step-by-step approach to race preparation had paid dividends this morning when the Spaniard cut almost a second from his best Friday time to complete the third practice session less than two tenths off the fastest time, which had been set by a rival using qualifying tyres. Dani Pedrosa, pole position, 2m 01.548s “It is fantastic to be on pole here, especially since this is my first pole with Bridgestone tyres, so a big thank you to them and also to my team who have worked so hard for this. Track conditions were changing all the time this afternoon, so it was quite tricky. At the beginning it was wet, then little by little the track dried, so you had to be on the ball to understand when it was best to change tyres. I was able to get in a good lap time in my final run, and I’m very happy to get this pole position. Pole is particularly important here because the lap times are all very close, so a good start will be crucial. We already know what race tyres we are going to use and I feel that we are ready to race. Of course, everything depends on the weather, it usually rains here most days, so we will have to wait and see when tomorrow’s rain storm arrives. It could be wet, dry or mixed.”. Kazuhiko Yamano – Team Manager “Dani did a great job, my congratulations to him, especially since this is his first pole with Bridgestone. My thanks to them and to all the team on this important day. His last lap was very good and very fast. I think he is ready to fight for the win here, all the elements are there, so we are looking forward to a very exciting race.” More, from a press release issued by Repsol Honda: HAYDEN FOURTH AT END OF ‘WILD DAY’ Malaysian Grand Prix, Sepang Qualifying, Saturday October 18 2008 Repsol Honda rider Nicky Hayden had a good shot at pole position this afternoon, ending the tricky wet-and-dry qualifying session a close fourth fastest, just two hundredths of a second off the front row. Qualifying got underway on a soaking track following a monumental downpour that hit Sepang before lunchtime. Riders started out on rain tyres, then swapped to slicks with about 20 minutes remaining. The session was frantic, with pole position changing constantly and riders trying to pack as many qualifying tyres as they could into the last few minutes when the track was at its driest, with damp patches here and there. Hayden’s final run might have got him on pole. He got the fastest time of the session in the first two splits but then ran out of front grip. There hadn’t been enough time for him to fit a new front qualifier for that final outing. Tomorrow Hayden goes for his third podium from the last four races. The American finished second in last month’s Indianapolis GP and third in the Australian GP earlier this month. Nicky Hayden, 4th fastest, 2m 02.192s “It was quite a wild day. This morning we improved quite a lot, but so did everybody else. It wasn’t spectacular but we definitely made an improvement, at times we were really competitive. This afternoon was pretty gnarly. We started on full wets and the track kept drying and drying. We ended up fourth which isn’t a disaster. At one stage near the end I was 15th, thankfully we didn’t get any big showers then, so I was able to get in a good lap, but I really wanted to be on the front row. I was fastest in T1 and T2 on my last qualifier. But lately I can only get one run out of my qualifying fronts and we didn’t have enough time to change the tyre, because with the big discs we use here it take a while to change. So I did two runs on it and midway round my last lap she was done and I lost some time. I’m a little bit bummed, I haven’t had a pole all year and every year for the last few years I’ve had at least one. The rear Michelin qualifier was amazing, it was ridiculous how much grip it had, even across the wet patches. If we can make a little step in the morning, get the bike turning a little better, I feel like I can be competitive. It’s going to be a long, hard race if I’m going to hang in there.” Kazuhiko Yamano – Team Manager “Nicky got the second row which is great, because I think he can fight at the front tomorrow. He still wants to make a few little improvements to improve machine turning, so the morning warm-up will be very important for him. Nicky’s motivation is very high, he wants to score another podium.” More, from a press release issued by Honda: PEDROSA POWERS TO POLE FOR SEPANG SCORCHER Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda RC212V) made sure he was always going to be among the front-runners at this hugely significant Grand Prix. The Spanish star sped to a pole time of 2m 01.548s at the end of a spectacular qualifying session that saw provisional pole change hands many times, often twice in one minute! Valentino Rossi qualified second fastest with Jorge Lorenzo, third quickest (both Yamaha). With just over 0.6 seconds separating the main men on the front row Nicky Hayden (Repsol Honda RC212V) heads row two in his swansong season for the Honda factory. Perhaps of more import is the unstinting effort of Andrea Dovizioso (JiR Scot Honda RC212V) who lines up sixth. Randy de Puniet (LCR Honda RC212V), the gritty Frenchman, proved, once again, that he has what it takes to mix it with the best at one of the most challenging circuits on the calendar. And on a satellite machine too. He qualified ninth. Perhaps the most accomplished performance belonged to Dovi though. The rampaging Italian reinforced his premier class credentials with a typically tyrant display. The revered rookie ruled the roost and showed the grid his mettle in the most convincing fashion. Shinya Nakano (San Carlo Honda Gresini RC212V) had topped the leaderboard in the early stages but was slow out of the pit on his last run with qualifying tyres and ended the session in a lowly 15th place. Alex de Angelis (San Carlo Honda Gresini RC212V) was typically diligent in his efforts to put his machine higher than the 17th grid spot he eventually achieved. The San Marinese man did not make the best of his qualifying tyres but in race trim might well surprise the crowd. Dani Pedrosa, pole position, said: “It’s fantastic to be on pole here, especially since this is my first pole with Bridgestone tyres, so a big thank you to them and also to my team who have worked so hard for this. Track conditions were changing all the time this afternoon, so it was quite tricky. At the beginning it was wet, then little by little the track dried, so you had to be on the ball to understand when it was best to change tyres. I was able to get in a good lap time in my final run, and I’m very happy to get this pole position. Pole is particularly important here because the lap times are all very close, so a good start will be crucial. We already know what race tyres we are going to use and I feel that we are ready to race. Of course, everything depends on the weather, it usually rains here most days, so we will have to wait and see when tomorrow’s rainstorm arrives. It could be wet, dry or mixed.” Nicky Hayden, 4th fastest, said: “It was quite a wild day. This morning we improved quite a lot, but so did everybody else. It wasn’t spectacular but we definitely made an improvement, at times we were really competitive. This afternoon was pretty gnarly. We started on full wets and the track kept drying and drying. I haven’t had a pole all year and every year for the last few years I’ve had at least one. The rear Michelin qualifier was amazing, it was ridiculous how much grip it had, even across the wet patches. If we can make a little step in the morning, get the bike turning a little better, I feel like I can be competitive. It’s going to be a long, hard race if I’m going to hang in there.” Dovi, sixth on the grid said:”I am really happy with the result today with the track in difficult conditions with parts of it still wet, which slowly continued to dry. The second row is good for us and the start will be all-important. I have a good race rhythm of around 2’03 “3 that should allow me to aspire to finish in the top five positions. We started this afternoon with the wet track, using soft tyres. Then we turned to a harder compound. I was good in wet conditions with Michelin rubber that has excellent performance and allows me to be fast. I was able to exploit the good tyres from qualifying, despite not really changing our set-up from wet to dry. Tomorrow in the warm-up we will have to make the last changes to the suspension. We are still looking at a top five finish in the race, even if a podium this season is still a wish! The characteristics of the track and the warm, humid conditions will make for a challenging race.” Frenchman De Puniet made ninth on the grid and said: “It was a strange and demanding qualifying session we came out with wet tyres but after some laps we had to switch to cut tyres because the surface started to dry up quickly. My pace on cut tyres was pretty good and I felt comfortable with the bike overall package. Then I came out on qualifiers but couldn’t improve like I expected. I really do not why because I am usually faster than this on qualifying tyres but do not feel worried about it. My rhythm on race trim makes me confident for tomorrow’s race even if the weather can change every minute.” Shinya Nakano, 15th, said: “It is a shame we haven’t managed a higher grid position because I’ve been consistently fast here all weekend. Unfortunately I missed my final chance on a qualifying tyre because I was too late out onto the track to make the most of it. In any case I am confident for the race because my pace is so good. All I have to do is repeat that level of performance and I’ll be able to have a good race.” Alex De Angelis, who qualified 17th: “Qualifying was really difficult today because the track conditions were constantly changing: at the start it was still very wet after the heavy shower and then it started to dry out, but it was never consistent. Unfortunately we only got one lap in on a qualifying tyre we went out late on the second one and the flag was waved before I got the flying lap in. We were unlucky because the track was visibly much drier so I’m sure I could have finished in the top ten. The forecast for tomorrow is mixed too so there could be a few surprises in the race hopefully positive ones for us.” 250cc Qualifying Hiro Aoyama (KTM) starts from pole ahead of championship contenders Alvaro Bautista (Aprilia) who managed second quickest time and series leader Marco Simoncelli (Gilera) in third. Aoyama’s team mate Mika Kallio completes the front row. Yuki Takahashi (JiR Scot Honda RS250RW), a man to represent the Honda factory in the premier class next season, secured eighth spot on then grid. Ratthapark Wilairot (Thai Honda PTT SAG RS250RW) will line up 5th. The Thai ace, Wilairot. said: “The track was more dirty and slippery today, and it was almost impossible to ride at the same pace. We decided to try some stuff to adjust the bike to these conditions, in case tomorrow the track is like today. I have high hopes to get a great result tomorrow, we have a great grid position and we have to take advantage of that”. Takahashi said: “This afternoon, in the second qualifying round, things went well. I’m satisfied but it is beyond me why only seven other riders managed to improve the times recorded yesterday. If tomorrow is dry for me we will be in a good condition and we could be fast. It will be important to stay among the first riders at the beginning of the race. The conditions of the track, despite the rain, have not deteriorated and neither have they influenced our practice and qualifying. I have a good race-pace, but the level of the competition is high, but we will do our utmost to achieve a good result. During practice I have improved my confidence with the track and even if it is hot and humid I do not feel any fatigue. The bike is in place and we have to make a few minor adjustments in the warm-up tomorrow. ” 125cc Cyril Carrillo (FFM Racing Honda RS125R) qualified 26th and said: “I lost the rear-end at the second corner in the wet conditions and crashed and I broke the radius of my left hand. Obviously I cannot race tomorrow or at Valencia next week. A great pity for me and the team because I had my best GP qualifying session yesterday.” Honda rider quotes. Malaysian GP Sepang, final qualifying October 18, 2008. MotoGP: Dani Pedrosa, Repsol Honda: 1st 2m 01.548s. “It is fantastic to be on pole here, especially since this is my first pole with Bridgestone tyres, so a big thank you to them and also to my team who have worked so hard for this. Track conditions were changing all the time this afternoon, so it was quite tricky. At the beginning it was wet, then little by little the track dried, so you had to be on the ball to understand when it was best to change tyres. I was able to get in a good lap time in my final run, and I’m very happy to get this pole position. At the last few races I struggled a bit to get the best out of the qualifiers, but now I think I understand them well. Pole is particularly important here because the lap times are all very close, so a good start will be crucial. We already know what race tyres we are going to use and I feel that we are ready to race. Of course, everything depends on the weather, it usually rains here most days, so we will have to wait and see when tomorrow’s rain storm arrives. It could be wet, dry or mixed.” Nicky Hayden, Repsol Honda: 4th 2m 02.192s. “It was quite a wild day. This morning we improved quite a lot, but so did everybody else. It wasn’t spectacular but we definitely made an improvement, at times we were really competitive. This afternoon was pretty gnarly. We started on full wets and the track kept drying and drying. We ended up fourth which isn’t a disaster. At one stage near the end I was 15th, thankfully we didn’t get any big showers then, so I was able to get in a good lap, but I really wanted to be on the front row. I was fastest in T1 and T2 on my last qualifier. But lately I can only get one run out of my qualifying fronts and we didn’t have enough time to change the tyre, because with the big discs we use here it take a while to change. So I did two runs on it and midway round my last lap she was done and I lost some time. I’m a little bit bummed, I haven’t had a pole all year and every year for the last few years I’ve had at least one. The rear Michelin qualifier was amazing, it was ridiculous how much grip it had, even across the wet patches. If we can make a little step in the morning, get the bike turning a little better, I feel like I can be competitive. It’s going to be a long, hard race if I’m going to hang in there.” Andrea Dovizioso, JiR Scot Honda: 6th 2m 02.836s “I am really happy with the result today with the track in difficult conditions with parts of it still wet, which slowly continued to dry. The second row is good for us and the start will be all-important. I have a good race rhythm of around 2’03 “3 that should allow me to aspire to finish in the top five positions. We started this afternoon with the wet track, using soft tyres. Then we turned to a harder compound. I was good in wet conditions with Michelin rubber that has excellent performance and allows me to be fast. I was able to exploit the good tyres from qualifying, despite not really changing our set-up from wet to dry. Tomorrow in the warm-up we will have to make the last changes to the suspension. We are still looking at a top five finish in the race, even if a podium this season is still a wish! The characteristics of the track and the warm, humid conditions will make for a challenging race.” Randy De Puniet, LCR Honda: 2m 03.110s. 9th 2m 03.110s. “It was a strange and demanding qualifying session we came out with wet tyres but after some laps we had to switch to cut tyres because the surface started to dry up quickly. My pace on cut tyres was pretty good and I felt comfortable with the bike overall package. Then I came out on qualifiers but couldn’t improve like I expected. I really do not why because I am usually faster than this on q-tyres but do not feel worried about it. My rhythm on race trim makes me confident for tomorrow’s race even if the weather can change every minute.” Shinya Nakano, San Carlo Gresini Honda: 15th 2m 4.001s. “It is a shame we haven’t managed a higher grid position because I’ve been consistently fast here all weekend. Unfortunately I missed my final chance on a qualifying tyre because I was too late out onto the track to make the most of it. In any case I am confident for the race because my pace is so good. All I have to do is repeat that level of performance and I’ll be able to have a good race.” Alex De Angelis, San Carlo Gresini Honda: 17th – 2m 04.679s. “Qualifying was really difficult today because the track conditions were constantly changing: at the start it was still very wet after the heavy shower and then it started to dry out, but it was never consistent. Unfortunately we only got one lap in on a qualifying tyre we went out late on the second one and the flag was waved before I got the flying lap in. We were unlucky because the track was visibly much drier so I’m sure I could have finished in the top ten. The forecast for tomorrow is mixed too so there could be a few surprises in the race hopefully positive ones for us!” 250cc: Ratthapark Wilairot, Thai Honda PTT SAG: 5th 2m 07.410s. “The qualifying was really good I have an even better feeling with the bike than I did at Phillip Island. I can run with all the fast riders. For my fastest lap I was with Kallio but running alone I was only 0.3 seconds slower so I am really happy. The engine is very good and the chassis settings almost perfect. I have to get a good start much better than the disastrous start I got at Phillip Island. If I do I am very confident that I can run with the top group.” Yukio Takahashi, JiR Scot Honda: 8th 2m 07.766s. “This afternoon, in the second qualifying round, things went well. I am satisfied but it is beyond me why only seven other riders managed to improve the times recorded yesterday. If tomorrow is dry for me we will be in a good condition and we could be fast. It will be important to stay among the first riders at the beginning of the race. The conditions of the track, despite the rain, have not deteriorated and neither have they influenced our practice and qualifying. I have a good race-pace, but the level of the competition is high, but we will do our utmost to achieve a good result. During practice I have improved my confidence with the track and even if it is hot and humid I do not feel any fatigue. The bike is in place and we have to make a few minor adjustments in the warm-up tomorrow. ” 125cc: Cyril Carrillo, FFM Honda: 26th 2m 18.334s. Will not start due to injury. “I lost the rear end at the second corner in the wet conditions and crashed and I broke the radius of my left hand. Obviously I cannot race tomorrow or at Valencia next week. A great pity for me and the team because I had my best GP qualifying session yesterday.”