US rider Nicky Hayden won the MotoGP pole position for the second consecutive year for today's Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix.
With about five minutes to go in the hour-long qualifying session yesterday, Hayden motored around the 4.445km Phillip Island circuit in 1:29.020 to lead the field.
It was the fastest-ever lap on the circuit and three-tenths of a second quicker than his pole time of 1:29.337 last year, the previous best time.
POTO: EPA
The 25-year-old Hayden became only the second rider in eight years to win back-to-back poles -- Australia's Mick Doohan was the last in 1997-98. Hayden's average speed through the lap was 179.878kph.
"It was a good day, our tires went well, and it's good to be out there in first," said Hayden. "But we've got a lot of work to do before tomorrow."
Japan's Shinya Nakano, on a Kawasaki, moved into the second position on the front row in the final seconds of qualifying, relegating five-time Australian champion Valentino Rossi of Italy to third.
"Nicky is in front, but not by much, so it should be a good race," Rossi said.
"We're hoping for good weather," he said.
Rossi, the MotoGP world champion last year, won last week's Malaysian Grand Prix to move within 26 points of standings leader Hayden, who has 214 points.
In 250cc qualifying yesterday, world championship leader Jorge Lorenzo continued to set the pace. The 19-year-old Spanish rider backed up his fastest time in Friday's opening qualifying session with a lap of 1:32.717 to lead all riders yesterday.
With seven wins this season, Lorenzo, riding an Aprilia, will enter today's race with four wins in his last five starts.
The second-fastest qualifier was Alex de Angelis of San Marino, 1:33.602 on an Aprilia.
In 125cc qualifying, Mika Kallio of Finland, riding a KTM, maintained the fastest time he recorded in Friday's first session, posting 1:36.625 yesterday to take the pole.
Championship leader Alvaro Bautista of Spain was second-fastest, improving on the fifth place he earned on Friday. Bautista, with a time of 1:36.800, has qualified on the front row in all but one race this year and has finished on the podium in 11 of the 12 races.
Kallio crashed out on the final lap of the half-hour session and a number of riders tried to topple him from the top spot. But Kallio held on to secure his third pole position of the season and the 11th of his world championship career.
Later, Kallio said the congested qualifying conditions yesterday were "very dangerous" and called for rule changes.
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