The Spaniard secured his second consecutive pole with just three minutes of the hour remaining, recording a circuit best time of 1:21.815 in the process.

Series leader Nick Hayden slipped into second with just over a minute on the clock, but Kenny Roberts Junior spoilt Hayden's party by drafting across the line before the flag fell, and went on to take the position from the Kentukian, Roberts just 0.092 back of pole man, Pedrosa.

That stunning lap from the former 500cc world champion had eyebrows raised in pit-lane, a customer HRC engine in a self-built bike splitting the works machines leaving 'The King' with a wry grin on his face.

Shinya Nakano on the Ninja Kawasaki will start from the front of row two after twice taking the provisional pole with early qualifying rubber in the back of his bike.

Loris Capirossi, who sat at the front of the order for 25-minutes of the session, finally managed fifth place, with Marco Melandri taking sixth.

Sete Gibernau leads row three after lying in second place well inside the final ten minutes before being demoted by quicker men. Casey Stoner, running a stiffer chassis than in previous races, starts from eighth, with John Hopkins on the GSV-R Suzuki in ninth.

The factory Yamaha team, Camel sponsored, had a nightmare. With just under three minutes to run, Colin Edwards was in 14th, with Valentino Rossi a further place behind.

The Doctor did manage to climb the order to 11th with his final flying lap, but the Texas Tornado ended his day on the back of row five, 15th place. Even Carlos Checa, Dunlop shod, riding a satellite machine, finished ahead of the double world Superbike champ in 12th.

The frustration was all too evident on the faces of crew-chief Jerry Burgess and the assorted factory officials in the garage.

So, Pedrosa marches on, Hayden wants to leave for home on a high, and Kenny Junior looks set to spring a surprise or two on race day. For Rossi it's another charge through the field, with just morning warm-up left to try and find a set-up that can get him into contention for the win.

Rossi 1.053 seconds from pole sitter Pedrosa. Can he pull it off?

The 30-lap betandwin.com Motorrad Grand Prix Deutschland will get under starters orders at 12.30pm, local time, tomorrow.

Relevant times:

2005 Fastest Race Lap: Sete Gibernau - Movistar Honda - 1:23.705

2005 Pole Position: Nicky Hayden - Repsol Honda - 1:22.785

Circuit Lap Record: Max Biaggi - Camel Honda - 1:22.756 (2004)

2006 FP-3: Nicky Hayden - Repsol Honda - 1:22.803