Valentino Rossi kept up his perfect run in the San Marino round of the FIM MotoGP World Championship by securing pole position for the race at Misano.
The Fiat Yamaha rider had been fastest in every session at the circuit but looked like losing out on pole to Dani Pedrosa of Repsol Honda.
But Rossi left it late to set the best qualifying time of one minute 34.338 seconds to claim pole position for his home race.
“I am very happy to get the pole position here in Misano,” he said. The Press Association
Spain’s Dani Pedrosa powered his Honda to the fastest time in the closing moments of the battle for pole, only for Rossi to turn on the style with his final lap.
His time of one minute 34.338 seconds gave him pole for the sixth time this season and 57th of his career, with Pedrosa claiming second spot just 0.222 seconds behind.
MotoGP: San Marino Grand Prix - Race Line-Up
Rossi’s Yamaha teammate Jorge Lorenzo claimed third. CNN International
Both Pedrosa and Lorenzo were in pole position at stages of a dramatic final qualifying lap before Rossi pounced to secure his fifth pole of the season.
The Italian leads Lorenzo by 25 points in the Championship standings.
With only minutes remaining pole position had looked beyond the eight time world champion.
But the defending champion took a risk by changing his tyres and then produced a stunning lap to claim the 57th pole of his career. BBC Sport
“The track was more slippery than this morning but the team did a fantastic job changing my tyre in a time worthy of a Formula One mechanic,” said Rossi, who is desperate to impress at home this weekend after crashing out at Indianapolis last Sunday.
“The race is tomorrow and I hope to see crowds in the stands at Misano,” said Rossi, winner here last year.
With former world champion Casey Stoner still out with a mystery virus, Pedrosa is hopeful of moving up to third from fourth in the overall standings this weekend. AFP
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