Dovizioso grabs Malaysia pole, Rossi lurks

SEPANG, Malaysia: Andrea Dovizioso took pole position on Saturday for the Malaysia MotoGP as fellow Italian Valentino Rossi helped his own chances of finishing second in the world championship by storming to the front row.

Ducati’s Dovizioso clocked a 2min 11.485secs lap for his second pole of the season on a newly-repaved Sepang circuit that riders complained was taking too long to dry after Malaysia’s tropical rains.

With Honda’s Marc Marquez of Spain having clinched the MotoGP crown two weeks ago in Japan, Sunday (today) is set up for a contest between Rossi and Yamaha teammate Jorge Lorenzo for runner-up honours in the world championship.

The 37-year-old legend Rossi leads the Spaniard by 24 points with two races left.

In the frantic late stages of qualifying on Saturday, Rossi leap-frogged Lorenzo into second position, finishing just 0.246 behind Dovizioso.

It was a far better result for Rossi than in Australia the previous week, when he managed only 15th on the grid yet still stormed to a second-place finish behind winner Cal Crutchlow of Honda.

Lorenzo, the 2015 world champ, rounds out the front row, while Marquez leads the second line after finishing fourth in qualifying despite battling gastroenteritis for days.

No rider has been as successful here as Rossi, who has won here six times.

But the nine-time world champion has not won in Malaysia since 2010, which was also the last year he took the MotoGP world title.

Track temperatures have been moderate this week, but can top 50 degrees centigrade (122 Fahrenheit) — straining both man and machine.

The tropical humidity and sudden heavy downpours also can pose control issues.

Riders had to contend with a heavy rain on Saturday that soaked the track before final qualifying got going and were still adapting to the repaving.

Modifications to some turns also have made it a learning process this week, with several riders going down at various points. Track officials said all the changes were aimed at improving run-off and tyre grip.