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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Rossi starts on pole in Valencia | Rossi starts on pole in Valencia |
| (4 days later) | |
| Valentino Rossi set a new lap record at Valencia as he claimed pole for the final MotoGP of the season on Sunday. | Valentino Rossi set a new lap record at Valencia as he claimed pole for the final MotoGP of the season on Sunday. |
| Nicky Hayden, the only man who can deprive Rossi of a sixth world title, starts in fifth with Troy Bayliss second and Loris Capirossi in third. | Nicky Hayden, the only man who can deprive Rossi of a sixth world title, starts in fifth with Troy Bayliss second and Loris Capirossi in third. |
| Rossi, whose winning time was one minute 31.002 seconds, leads by eight points, after previous leader Hayden crashed at Estoril last time out. | Rossi, whose winning time was one minute 31.002 seconds, leads by eight points, after previous leader Hayden crashed at Estoril last time out. |
| Sunday is the last 990cc bike race before changing to 800cc next season. | Sunday is the last 990cc bike race before changing to 800cc next season. |
| Rossi, who claimed his fifth pole position of the season, had not been ahead in the standings until the race in Portugal last time out. | Rossi, who claimed his fifth pole position of the season, had not been ahead in the standings until the race in Portugal last time out. |
| He will clinch the title if he finishes ahead of Hayden on Sunday, but Hayden can claim the title if he wins and the Yamaha rider fails to finish second. | He will clinch the title if he finishes ahead of Hayden on Sunday, but Hayden can claim the title if he wins and the Yamaha rider fails to finish second. |
| "Sunday is the most important race of the year," Rossi told Spanish television afterwards. | "Sunday is the most important race of the year," Rossi told Spanish television afterwards. |
| "I will be fully concentrated from the first to the last minute. The bike is going very well and I feel comfortable." | "I will be fully concentrated from the first to the last minute. The bike is going very well and I feel comfortable." |
| Final qualifying times for Valencia MotoGP: | Final qualifying times for Valencia MotoGP: |
| 1 V Rossi (It) Yamaha 1:31.0022 T Bayliss (Aus) Ducati 1:31.2103 L Capirossi (It) Ducati 1:31.3074 S Nakano (Jpn) Kawasaki 1:31.3415 N Hayden (US) Honda 1:31.3786 D Pedrosa (Spn) Honda 1:31.3857 C Stoner (Aus) Honda 1:31.4708 C Vermeulen (Aus) Suzuki 1:31.6069 J Hopkins (US) Suzuki 1:31.66310 C Edwards (US) Yamaha 1:31.711 | 1 V Rossi (It) Yamaha 1:31.0022 T Bayliss (Aus) Ducati 1:31.2103 L Capirossi (It) Ducati 1:31.3074 S Nakano (Jpn) Kawasaki 1:31.3415 N Hayden (US) Honda 1:31.3786 D Pedrosa (Spn) Honda 1:31.3857 C Stoner (Aus) Honda 1:31.4708 C Vermeulen (Aus) Suzuki 1:31.6069 J Hopkins (US) Suzuki 1:31.66310 C Edwards (US) Yamaha 1:31.711 |
| 250cc qualifying results: | 250cc qualifying results: |
| 1 H Aoyama (Jpn) KTM 1:35.1092 J Lorenzo (Sp) Aprilia 1:35.4503 A de Angelis (SM) Aprilia 1:35.539 | |
| 125cc qualifying results: | 125cc qualifying results: |
| 1 A Bautista (Sp) Aprilia 1:39.0582 H Faubel (Sp) Aprilia 1:39.2883 S Gadea (Sp) Aprilia 1:39.499 | 1 A Bautista (Sp) Aprilia 1:39.0582 H Faubel (Sp) Aprilia 1:39.2883 S Gadea (Sp) Aprilia 1:39.499 |