Spanish MotoGP rookie Jorge Lorenzo shattered the Motegi lap record to take pole position for the Japanese MotoGP with World Championship leader Valentino Rossi fourth.
Lorenzo, 21, clocked 1:45.543 in a sun-drenched qualifying session for Sunday's race on a Michelin-shod Yamaha for his fourth pole position of the season.
He bettered the previous course record of 1:45.724 set by Italian Loris Capirossi in qualifying for the 2006 Japanese GP when the premier class used 990cc machines before the limit was lowered to the current 800cc.
The time also bettered by 0.321 seconds the best 800cc Japanese GP qualifying time recorded by countryman Dani Pedrosa on a Honda last year.
Defending world champion and Ducati ace Casey Stoner of Australia posted the second best time of 1:45.831 on the 4.8km stop-and-go Motegi track, ahead of American Honda rider Nicky Hayden at 1:45.971.
Italian ace Rossi was fourth fastest at 1:46.060 to stay in the hunt for his sixth premier-class world title.
Rossi, 29, only needs to finish third in the race to take the world title, his first in three years.
Rossi, Lorenzo's senior Yamaha team-mate who switched his rubber to Bridgestone from Michelin at the start of the season, is cushioned by a 87-point lead with four races to go.
Stoner, 22, hampered in recent races by fresh damage to his left wrist - he originally injured it in 2003 - has clinched four races so far this season but missed the podium in the last three GPs.
Rossi chalked his fourth straight win and seventh of the season in Indianapolis a fortnight before.
| P. | Driver | Team | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jorge Lorenzo | Yamaha Factory | 1:45.543 |
| 2 | Casey Stoner | Ducati MotoGP | 1:45.831 |
| 3 | Nicky Hayden | Honda HRC | 1:45.971 |
| 4 | Valentino Rossi | Yamaha Factory | 1:46.060 |
| 5 | Daniel Pedrosa | Honda HRC | 1:46.303 |
| 6 | Loris Capirossi | Suzuki MotoGP | 1:46.450 |
| 7 | Colin Edwards | Yamaha Tech3 | 1:46.496 |
| 8 | Randy De Puniet | Honda LCR | 1:46.554 |
| 9 | Shinya Nakano | Honda Gresini | 1:46.616 |
| 10 | James Toseland | Yamaha Tech3 | 1:46.863 |
| 11 | John Hopkins | Kawasaki Racing | 1:46.888 |
| 12 | Chris Vermeulen | Suzuki MotoGP | 1:46.904 |
| 13 | Andrea Dovizioso | Honda Scot | 1:46.907 |
| 14 | Antonio Elias | Ducati Pramac | 1:46.958 |
| 15 | Sylvain Guintoli | Ducati Pramac | 1:47.400 |
| 16 | Marco Melandri | Ducati MotoGP | 1:47.475 |
| 17 | Anthony West | Kawasaki Racing | 1:47.669 |
| 18 | Alex De Angelis | Honda Gresini | 1:47.680 |
| 19 | Kousuke Akiyoshi | Suzuki MotoGP | 1:48.671 |
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