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Jerez - Spain's 2010 world champion Jorge Lorenzo recorded his 46th career pole position on Saturday when he posted the fastest time in qualifying for the Spanish MotoGP.
The Yamaha rider - who won the season-opening Qatar MotoGP - pipped compatriot Dani Pedrosa on a Honda while the 2006 world champion Nicky Hayden of the United States was third fastest on a Ducati.
Lorenzo's tally of 46 pole positions includes 20 in MotoGP.
Lorenzo and Pedrosa swapped fastest times throughout a thrilling duel on Saturday and were the only two riders to go under 1:40 and in doing so Lorenzo also bettered Pedrosa's fastest lap time set in 2010.
While Hayden, who recorded his best win of last season here last year when he finished third, shone for the Ducati team his team-mate, Italian legend Valentino Rossi, failed to sparkle and will start 13th on the grid.
Englishman Cal Crutchlow caught the eye as he recovered from a spectacular crash to record the fourth fastest time ahead of defending world champion Casey Stoner of Australia.
Grids for Sunday's Spanish motorcycling Grand Prix after qualifying on Saturday:
1. Jorge Lorenzo (ESP/Yamaha) 1min 39.532sec
2. Dani Pedrosa (ESP/Honda) at 0.135sec
3. Nicky Hayden (USA/Ducati) 1.031
4. Cal Crutchlow (GBR/Yamaha) 1.038
5. Casey Stoner (AUS/Honda) 1.045
6. Ben Spies (USA/Yamaha) 1.558
7. Andrea Dovizioso (ITA/Yamaha) 1.648
8. Alvaro Bautista (ESP/Honda) 1.915
9. Stefan Bradl (GER/Honda) 2.018
10. Randy de Puniet (FRA/Aprilia) 2.168
11. Karel Abraham (CZE/Ducati) 2.192
12. Hector Barbera (ESP/Ducati) 2.339
13. Valentino Rossi (ITA/Ducati) 3.429
