The 2007 world champion clocked a lap record of one minute, 55.286 seconds and starts ahead of six-times world champion Valentino Rossi and the Italian's Yamaha team mate Jorge Lorenzo of Spain. [ID:nISS448791]
The 23-year-old Stoner complained about the weather conditions at the Doha circuit, which was dusty after light rain dried up in the Gulf Arab capital.
"I think it is going to be very risky toward the end of the race tomorrow," Stoner said in a press conference after the qualifying round. "We have less confidence than we had been prior to the race in the past."
Italian Andrea Dovizioso was fourth on a Honda, followed by fellow countryman Loris Capirossi on a Suzuki and American Colin Edwards on his Yamaha.
Stoner's U.S. team-mate Nicky Hayden, the 2006 world champion with Honda who has now switched to Ducati, fell towards the end of the qualifying session and was tended by a medical team. The scope of his injuries was not clear.
Spain's Julian Simon took pole for the 125cc category, clocking a lap record time of two minutes, 7.791 seconds.
Gabor Talmacsi of Hungary will be on pole for the 250cc race after settling a lap record time of two minutes, 1.902 seconds. (Reporting by Dania Saadi; editing by Sam Cage and John O'Brien.
Source:
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