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Casey Stoner continued to dominate in Le Mans as the Repsol Honda rider secured pole for the French MotoGP.
Stoner, who broke the track record in the practice sessions, pipped Marco Simoncelli by 0.06 secs with Andrea Dovizioso completing the front row.
But Yamaha’s championship leader Jorge Lorenzo had to settle for fifth, one place ahead of Britan’s Cal Crutchlow. BBC News
Another Honda was fourth with Repsol’s Dani Pedrosa leading row two over countryman and World Champion Jorge Lorenzo, giving Honda the top four spots on the grid. It was the first time the two Spaniards failed to qualify on the front row this season. The pair were both over half a second behind Stoner.
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MotoGP: French Grand Prix - Race Line Up
MotoGP: Casey Stoner Fastest in First Practice at Le Mans
MotoGP: French Grand Prix - First Practice Results
MotoGP: Casey Stoner Fastest in Second Practice at Le Mans
MotoGP: French Grand Prix - Second Practice Results
MotoGP: Casey Stoner Fastest in Final Practice at Le Mans
MotoGP: French Grand Prix - Final Practice Results
Monster Tech 3 Yamaha’s Cal Crutchlow was a best ever sixth in is rookie season, the Brit besting his teammate Colin Edwards by .259 of a second with those two the last riders within a second of Stoner.
Yamaha’s Ben Spies and Ducati’s Valentino Rossi had the exact same time and will join Edwards on the third row, with Rossi’s teammate Nicky Hayden leading row four. Cycle News
Randy de Puniet (Pramac Racing) had a tough qualifying hour after crashing into the gravel at turn 12 in the first ten minutes but managed to finish just outside the top ten in 11th in front of an enthusiastic French crowd. Álvaro Bautista (Rizla Suzuki) who missed the MotoGP race here last season due to a broken collarbone and is still recovering from his broken femur, finished a respectable 12th place, ahead of Hiroshi Aoyama (San Carlo Honda Gresini), Héctor Barberá (Páginas Amarillas Aspar) and Loris Capirossi (Pramac Racing).
Bringing up the rear in Sunday’s race will be rookie Karel Abraham (Cardion ab Motoracing) and Toni Elías (LCR Honda) who both crashed during the qualifying hour but were able to rejoin unharmed. motogp.com
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