Edwards will be joined on row three by countryman Nicky Hayden (Ducati) and Australian Chris Vermeulen (Suzuki) - who fell without harm on Friday, then much more heavily this morning. Loris Capirossi was just 0.029sec slower than his GSV-R team-mate to complete the top ten.
After a promising Friday practice, Marco Melandri will start only eleventh for Hayate, followed by Alex de Angelis (Gresini Honda) and Sete Gibernau (Francisco Hernando Ducati).
Tech 3's James Toseland struggled badly and will start 15th, ahead of only class rookies Niccolo Canepa (Pramac Ducati) and Gabor Talmacsi (Scot Honda).
Qualifying:
1. Lorenzo
2. Rossi
3. Stoner
4. Pedrosa
5. Dovizioso
6. Elias
7. Edwards
8. Hayden
9. Vermeulen
10. Capirossi
11. Melandri
12. de Angelis
13. Gibernau
14. de Puniet
15. Toseland
16. Canepa
17. Talmacsi