Last year’s race-winner at Estoril Jorge Lorenzo showed his strengths at the Portuguese track again on Saturday as he followed up his free practice dominance with his fifth pole position performance of the year in qualifying.
The Spaniard has not won from pole this year, but he will hope to do so on Sunday as he seeks to reduce the 30-point advantage his team-mate Valentino Rossi enjoys at the top of the standings. Lorenzo’s best Saturday time of 1’36.214 on the 27th of his 29 laps was enough to put him at the front of the grid for the round 14 contest. MotoGP
Rossi, who has an imposing 30-point lead in the standings, was 0.260 seconds slower, just edging Ducati star Stoner.
The reigning world champion has won five times on the circuit and a sixth on Sunday will leave him well-placed for yet another global title. CNN International
MotoGP: Grand Prix of Portugal - Race Line-Up
“I felt good on the bike although I pushed it a bit to the wall to see what happened,” said Lorenzo after his fifth pole position of the year.
Ducati rider Stoner said he was “delighted to return in such a way” after being written off as set for retirement by certain pundits.
Spaniard Dani Pedrosa finished half a second off the pace on his Repsol Honda with American Colin Edwards in fifth place. AFP
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