Colin Edwards, who was mightily displeased to be baulked by Marco Melandri while on a good run with his last qualifying tire. "Good job it didn't happen in Texas, I carry a gun there!", was the Edwards analysis. I think he was joking...

The rain held off just long enough for MotoGP qualifying to finish in the dry, and for Championship leader Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda) to take his first pole of the year. He just held off the fastest man from regular practice, Colin Edwards, who was mightily displeased to be baulked by Marco Melandri while on a good run with his last qualifying tire. "Good job it didn't happen in Texas, I carry a gun there!", was the Edwards analysis. I think he was joking...

I am pretty sure that like team mate Toseland, who moved up to seventh after having been eleventh overnight, he was using the wider 4in (as opposed to 3.75in) front rim. The extra effort needed for change of direction isn't really an issue at Le Mans so the improved stability going into corners makes it worthwhile.

Defending champion Casey Stoner rounds out the front row and was a lot more relaxed than at recent races after finding some major improvements in his last few laps on race tires. He reckons he's not the only one who used to find it difficult round Le Mans who now feels a lot more comfortable and predicts a close race.

Nicky Hayden's sixth spot on the grid looks better than the situation really is—it's an eight-place jump up from his position after free practice. Give the bike some grip and it suits his style. Nicky shares the row with the Fiat Yamahas of Rossi and Lorenzo. The Doctor thinks he should have been on the front row, Jorge is severely battered physically and emotionally after two crashes this weekend, including one this morning that slapped his cracked right ankle into the gravel trap at the end of the back straight three times—hard. He ran off track twice again this afternoon, fortunately with no damage although one high-speed run over a curb and back on to track produced a classic motocross "flying W".

The Honda men are still using the valve spring motor but there will be a pneumatic valve bike at Mugello in two weeks time in the hands of Tady Okada (if it rains get your money in him). Nicky says brother Roger is ?shootin' for Laguna', and we'll know very soon if Kawasaki will have a wild card for the US GP. The team will have to start building up two machines very soon if it's going to happen.