Yamaha and Michelin have thus taken all four pole positions of the 2008 season, despite superstar rookie
Jorge Lorenzo being unable to extend his perfect qualifying run due to injuries sustained in a huge Friday highside.
However, Lorenzo will still start from a very impressive fourth on the grid after a determined performance.
The joint world championship leader, who had tested the strength in his badly damaged ankles with 21 laps and 14th position in morning practice, remained on his Fiat Yamaha whenever he entered the pits today - to avoid further strain - but was visibly frustrated by his situation and suffered a massive scare with 20 minutes of qualifying to go.
The 20-year-old lost the rear of his M1 as he applied the power out of the final turn, sending his bike bucking and shaking violently - pitching the Spaniard high out of his seat.
Fortunately, Jorge just kept control and showed his mental as well as physical courage by surviving a further 'moment', when he ran off track, to take third position with just three minutes to go - before being demoted to the head of row two as Edwards leapt to the top in the final minute.
The Texan took his first pole since the 2007 British Grand Prix - and third in
MotoGP - by 0.355secs from former factory team-mate
Valentino Rossi, who underlined his excellent race pace with several appearances at the front of the field throughout the hour, having been fastest on Friday and again during Saturday morning.
The Fiat Yamaha star is thus well on target to battle for his first
Bridgestone victory on Sunday – but with heavy rain predicted for race day anything could happen, and Edwards is no slouch in the wet.
Another rider likely to shine whatever the conditions is world champion
Casey Stoner, the Australian taking his first front row start of the year with third on the grid, less than a tenth behind Rossi, and looks set to rebound from two tough rounds.
