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MOTOGP: Edwards Claims Shanghai Pole
Written by: Colin Young   
Shanghai, China
 
Tech3 Yamaha's Colin Edwards (Photo: Yamaha Racing) ยป More Photos

A bold set-up gamble paid off for Colin Edwards with the Texan claiming pole position in today’s qualifying session for the Chinese Grand Prix.

Edwards led a Yamaha one-two when he stunned Valentino Rossi with his fast lap with just two minutes remaining. It was the first pole of the season for Edwards and pitches him into the contest for victory in tomorrow’s 22-lap race.

Edwards and Rossi were joined on the front row by defending world champion Casey Stoner on a Ducati. Stoner won this race last year and is keen for a repeat performance to erase the nightmare of poor results at recent races in Spain and Portugal.

Almost overshadowing Edwards’ pole performance was the amazing effort by Yamaha rider Jorge Lorenzo, who got out of a wheelchair to qualify fourth. The young Spaniard had fractured his left ankle and suffered painful bruising to his right leg, ankle and heel in a massive highside crash in Friday practice.

In claiming pole position Edwards posted the fastest ever motorcycle lap of the 3.28 mile Shanghai track, a 1’58.139.

After
struggling in Friday practice Edwards went with a set-up plan to put more weight at the rear for better grip. It worked.

“I had never seen a set-up like this on a Yamaha before but it transformed the bike and I just took my brain out and went for it in qualifying,” Edwards said. “We were just looking for more traction because I struggled so badly in that area in practice. On my fast lap I felt like I was playing a computer game, when the shadow passes you and you are always trying to catch that shadow.”

Rossi is bristling with confidence at this Bridgestone friendly track and claims to have finally found the answers to a happy marriage between his M1 and Bridgestone tires.

“Today I just had fun and I was able to fight with the guys on Michelins and I enjoyed being at the maximum on this track,” Rossi said. “It’s very important to be on the front row because we are not sure about the weather, it could rain. We have worked a lot for tire life with the race set-up and also to improve the performance of the qualifying tires.”
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