Factory Yamaha superstar
Jorge Lorenzo utilised Bridgestone's softer compound tyre as he 'pushed to the limit' to claim pole for Sunday's opening round of the 2012
MotoGP World Championship in Qatar.
Lorenzo kept reigning champion
Casey Stoner on the Repsol Honda RC213V at bay to cement the top spot by 0.221s on his YZR-M1.
The Spanish rider is also delighted he will be joined on the front row for tomorrow's race, under the floodlights at the Losail circuit, by Britain's Cal Crutchlow on the satellite Monster Yamaha Tech 3 machine in third.
“I am really happy with tonight's result. I had to push more than 100% to make pole position but I pushed to the limit and managed to make a perfect lap,” said Lorenzo.
“We still have to improve the power on the straight and our maximum speed but in the rest of the track the bike is working really well.
“Tomorrow will be a tough race and tyres will be very important I think. A big thank you to Yamaha and my team for giving me such a good bike.”
2010 world champion Lorenzo will be chasing his first Qatar
MotoGP victory on Sunday, while Stoner has won for four of the last five years.