Stoner claims Phillip Island pole

My Account
Logout

Create an Evening Standard Account

Use your social network

Save time by using your existing account to sign in to Evening Standard

We'll never share your information or post anything to your account without your permission

Welcome! Sign in here

Use your social network

Save time by using your existing account to sign in to Evening Standard

We'll never share your information or post anything to your account without your permission

Forgot your password ?

Registration

* indicates fields that are mandatory

Email *

Password *

Confirm Password *

First name *

Surname *

Postcode *

Country *

Mobile phone number

Username *

Gender *

Year of birth *

When you sign up...

You will have access to all our online competitions, discounted offers and can post comments on our site.

You will also receive The Weekender newsletter sent every Thursday - it’s full of fantastic offers and ideas for the weekend. You can update your email preferences in your account page when you log in.

Other newsletters and emails

Homes & Property Newsletter - Yes I want to receive the weekly email with all the latest news on property in the capital

Occasionally we would also like to send you relevant emails detailing specific offers either from ourselves or carefully selected partners. If you would prefer not to receive these then please tick the appropriate boxes below. We will never pass on your details.

I do not want to receive additional offers and information from the Evening Standard

I do not want to receive additional offers and information sent by Evening Standard on behalf of carefully selected partners

Terms and Conditions

* I have read, understood and agree to be bound by the terms and conditions of Evening Standard

Registration

Mail Sent for Registration Confirmation.

A confirmation email has been sent. Please activate your account by clicking on the activation link sent in your mail box.

The Ducati rider has tasted victory at Phillip Island for the last two seasons and dominated qualifying on Saturday as he posted a time good enough to edge out reigning champion Valentino Rossi by just 0.05secs.

Rossi had knocked Stoner off top spot in the final 10 minutes of the session but the Australian responded with a lap of one minute 30.341 seconds to register his second pole of the season.

Stoner's path to pole position was not without one or two handling issues, but he is upbeat over his chances.

"The past two years here our bike's been perfect due to the fact that we normally have very good traction here," said the 2007 champion.

"This year we have improved the turning in the long corners, but we've lost the rear grip coming out of the corners, so we've been working all weekend to try and improve that, but the general bike's been perfect. We'll just see what we can do."

Second-placed man Rossi leads Fiat Yamaha team-mate Jorge Lorenzo by 18 points with three rounds remaining in the 2009 FIM MotoGP World Championship, and was content to finish two places ahead of the Spaniard in qualifying.

"We worked well on the bike, we found a good setting, and I am quite fast," he said. "But it's a pity because it was possible to take pole position but I made a mistake and Casey beat me."

Lorenzo, the winner in Estoril last time out, missed out on third place by just 0.001secs to Repsol Honda's Dani Pedrosa, who recovered well from a heavy fall midway through the session.

Colin Edwards claimed fifth for Tech 3 Yamaha while Honda Gresini's Alex de Angelis completed the top six. Stoner's team-mate Nicky Hayden will line up seventh while Britain's James Toseland will start 12th on the second Tech 3 Yamaha.