KEY POINTS:
CHESTE - Spain's Dani Pedrosa claimed his fourth pole position in a row when he clocked the fastest time in qualifying for the season-ending MotoGP in Valencia.
The Honda rider edged out newly-crowned world champion Casey Stoner by 0.086 of a second to take pole for a race he must win to have a chance of finishing as runner-up in the title race.
Pedrosa's Honda team mate Nicky Hayden, who won the championship last year, completed the front row of the grid.
Frenchman Randy de Puniet leads the second row on his Kawasaki ahead of fellow countryman Sylvain Guintoli and his Yamaha team mate Makoto Tamada.
Suzuki's John Hopkins and Ducati rider Loris Capirossi were joined by on the third row by Honda's Carlos Checa who is in his final MotoGP race before moving to Superbikes next season.
Five-times MotoGP and 500cc world champion Valentino Rossi, who needs a point to guarantee finishing second behind Stoner, is unlikely to ride after breaking three bones in his right hand in a heavy crash at the start of qualification.
Rossi crash
The Italian lost control of his Yamaha after the first curve at the Ricardo Tormo circuit and was bounced along the tarmac before being thrown off into the gravel.
Rossi was able to stumble away from his wrecked bike although he was clearly in pain as he grasped his injured hand.
If the 28-year-old does make todays race he will start back in 17th place on the grid.
In the 125cc class, the only championship yet to be decided, points leader Gabor Talmacsi claimed pole position ahead of title rival and Aprilia team mate Hector Faubel.
World champion Jorge Lorenzo posted the second fastest time in the 250cc category and will start behind Finn Mika Kallio and ahead of Yuki Takahashi and Marco Simoncelli on the front row.
- REUTERS
