With a record lap during the short dry running period allowed in Italian Grand Prix qualifying, Casey Stoner secured his fifth pole position of the 2011 MotoGP season.
As soon as the session began, the entire field took to the drying track on slicks. By the halfway point, conditions had improved sufficiently for Honda’s Stoner to register a time of 1m48.034s, barely surpassing Jorge Lorenzo’s practice time to set the fastest MotoGP lap ever at Mugello.
Rain soon returned, starting off as a steady drizzle which intensified, preventing any further improvements. In fact, the circuit was completely deserted for an extended period before a few riders ventured out to test the now fully wet surface in the final five minutes.
Following his victory at Assen, Ben Spies secured second place for Yamaha, while Marco Simoncelli’s third position on the Gresini Honda marked the end of a streak of five consecutive grands prix where he had started either first or second.
A disappointed Lorenzo failed to achieve a perfect lap amidst the rainfall and ended up in fifth place, behind Honda’s Andrea Dovizioso, but ahead of Tech 3 Yamaha riders Colin Edwards and Cal Crutchlow.
Returning for Honda after a three-race hiatus, Dani Pedrosa finished in ninth place.
Valentino Rossi, a seven-time Mugello MotoGP champion, may have hoped for a joyous home race on an Italian bike, yet his arduous campaign with Ducati persisted.
He will start far down in 12th place, his GP11.1 not only outperformed by factory teammate Nicky Hayden but also by customer Ducatis ridden by Hector Barbera and Karel Abraham.