Valentino Rossi will start the Malaysian Grand Prix from the front of the grid after scorching the Sepang track with the fastest time in qualifying Saturday.
The Italian Yamaha rider, who won here last year, clocked 2 minutes 1.833 seconds, the fastest lap time ever recorded for a bike race on the 5.54km track.
Alex Barros of Brazil was second with a time of 2:2.228 on a Honda and Kawasaki rider Shinya Nakano of Japan took third place, clocking 2:2.278.
Rossi's arch rival, Sete Gibernau of Spain kept the world champion in sight for Sunday's race with a fourth placing effort of 2:2.283 on a Honda.
Makoto Tamada of Japan who won the provisional pole position on Friday was fifth on a Honda, clocking 2:2.394
Gibernau won the Grand Prix of Qatar last week after Rossi crashed out in the sixth lap, cutting Rossi's overall lead to just 14 points with three races to go.
Rossi said the pole position was crucial in his bid to win on Sunday and put his bid for a sixth world title back on track.
"I am happy to get the pole," Rossi said. "We were able to come back to being very competitive today and we hope for a favorable result tomorrow.''
Sebastian Porto of Argentina took pole position in the 250cc, clocking 2: 6.940 on his Aprilia. Honda rider Daniel Pedrosa of Spain was second with a time of 2:7.644 while Randy De Puniet of France, clocked 2:8.287 on an Aprilia to take third place.
In the 125cc, the lead went to Italy's Andrea Dovizioso, who timed 2:12.684 on his Honda. Aprilia's Hector Barbera of Spain came second with 2:13.576 while Australia's Casey Stoner on a KTM secured the third position with a time of 2:13.718.
Japan Grand Prix
Formula One team members had an interesting selection of television programs to watch Saturday, a rare offday of a race weekend -- the Yankees-Twins baseball playoff or the US presidential debate.
Some even chose to watch live shots of the damage and flooding caused by the approaching typhoon Ma-on.
The teams have been advised to stay in their hotels while typhoon Ma-on approaches the Suzuka area. Rains have been constant from Friday morning, increasing in force throughout the day. If it hits, it could bring winds of more than 160kph and more than 40cm of rain, according to the Meteorological Agency.
"Due to a Super Typhoon warning the Suzuka Circuit will be closed tomorrow, Saturday," said a Minardi team statement. "The Japanese government recommended all teams not to leave the hotels, that's why no one will be available at the track."
Although the typhoon is expected pass through the track area quickly, and make Sunday relatively clear, there is still concern that the Sunday schedule may be affected if the Suzuka circuit is flooded.
Organizers of the race closed the circuit yesterday, canceling the regular qualifying sessions, which are now scheduled to take place before the race today -- a first in Formula One.
Some drivers hoped to get some exercise during their enforced layoff. However seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher was thwarted in a chance to play some indoor soccer when he discovered the local gym had already been booked for other activities.
That left the Minardi, Ferrari, Jordan and the rest of the teams to hang around the hotel with little to do but watch television.
Meanwhile, the extra time gave team members and officials the opportunity to debate the latest off-track developments in Formula One -- the rescue of an old race or the emergence of a new team.
The on-again, off-again saga of the fate of the 2005 British Grand Prix was on-again after a group that is said to include former world champion Nigel Mansell indicated it may come to the rescue and supply needed financial backing.
The British Racing Drivers Club, which currently owns the Silverstone track, confirmed Thursday it had met with Brand Synergy about promoting the race.
But it said no financial deal had been signed.
"There has been no independent verification of financial backing for their proposal," BRDC said in a statement.
Many details -- such as the agreement of the teams for an extra race in 2005 -- also need to be dealt with.
"I am very confident there will be a solution found and we will be racing at Silverstone next year," said BAR team boss David Richards. "For us as a team, and I'm sure for many of the other British-based teams, the commercial impact of not having the event, and the effect on all our staff as well, is to me not acceptable. We need to find a solution."
Paul Stoddart of Minardi put it more bluntly. "There will be a Silverstone race," he said.
The possibility of an extra team in the 2006 season also remains to be seen. A Russian-born, Canadian businessman on Friday announced plans to enter a team in Formula One in 2006.
Alexander Shnaider would like his Midland F1 team to start racing in the season-opening Australian Grand Prix. The Midland Group does extensive business in Russia and the former Soviet Union.
Shnaider said the team has been accepted by F1 officials, including series boss Bernie Ecclestone. Like many F1 teams, it is to be based in England.
The chassis is to be built by Italian manufacturer Dallara, which built cars for the Scuderia Italia team from 1988 to 1992, and also built a chassis for Honda in 1998. It also has cars in the Indy Racing League. Midland hopes to announce engine and tire suppliers in January or February and begin testing its car by September.
Shnaider also said he would like to see a Russian driver and perhaps a Russian Grand Prix.
A sumo star was born in Japan on Sunday when 24-year-old Takerufuji became the first wrestler in 110 years to win a top-division tournament on his debut, triumphing at the 15-day Spring Grand Sumo Tournament in Osaka despite injuring his ankle on the penultimate day. Takerufuji, whose injury had left him in a wheelchair outside the ring, shoved out the higher-ranked Gonoyama at the Edion Arena Osaka to the delight of the crowd, giving him an unassailable record of 13 wins and two losses to claim the Emperor’s Cup. “I did it just through willpower. I didn’t really know what was going
The US’ Ilia Malinin on Saturday produced six scintillating quadruple jumps, including a quadruple Axel, in the men’s free skate to capture his first figure skating world title. The 19-year-old nicknamed the “Quad god,” who is the only skater to land a quadruple Axel in competition, dazzled with an array of breathtakingly executed jumps starting with his quad Axel and including a quadruple Lutz in combination with a triple flip and a quadruple toe loop in combination with a triple toe. He added an unexpected triple-triple combination at the end to earn a world-record 227.79 in the free program for a championship
Shohei Ohtani’s interpreter is being criminally investigated by the IRS, and the attorney for his alleged bookmaker said Thursday that the ex-Los Angeles Dodgers employee placed bets on international soccer — but not baseball. The IRS confirmed Thursday that interpreter Ippei Mizuhara and Mathew Bowyer, the alleged illegal bookmaker, are under criminal investigation through the agency’s Los Angeles Field Office. IRS Criminal Investigation spokesperson Scott Villiard said he could not provide additional details. Mizuhara, 39, was fired by the Dodgers on Wednesday following reports from the Los Angeles Times and ESPN about his alleged ties to an illegal bookmaker and debts well
MLB on Friday announced a formal investigation into the scandal swirling around Shohei Ohtani and his former interpreter amid charges that the Los Angeles Dodgers superstar was the victim of “massive theft.” The Dodgers on Wednesday fired Ippei Mizuhara, Ohtani’s long-time interpreter and close friend, after Ohtani’s representatives alleged that the Japanese two-way star had been the victim of theft, which was reported to involve millions of dollars and link Mizuhara to a suspected illegal bookmaker in California. “Major League Baseball has been gathering information since we learned about the allegations involving Shohei Ohtani and Ippei Mizuhara from the news media,” MLB