Casey Stoner claimed pole position - his 11th of the season – at the Australian Grand Prix yesterday to set himself up for a potential fifth consecutive win at his home Moto GP race.

The Honda rider, who also led all three practice sessions on Friday and yesterday, can clinch the MotoGP series championship today if he wins and reigning world champion Jorge Lorenzo of Spain finishes no better than fourth. It was Stoner’s fourth consecutive pole at Phillip Island.

Stoner’s fastest lap was 1 minute, 29.975 seconds Saturday, 0.473 seconds ahead of Lorenzo’s Yamaha. Marco Simoncelli of Italy, on a Honda, rounded out the front row in third, 0.151 seconds behind Stoner.

The Australian, who will celebrate his 26th birthday today, had complained about a bumpy and slippery track after Friday’s opening practice session.

Stoner posted the fastest time with 15 minutes left in the one-hour session, then improved with the first sub-90-second lap of the weekend, a 1:29.981, on his 19th tour of the 4.445-kilometre (2.76-mile) circuit. One lap later he set the time that was good enough for pole.

Nine-time world champion Valentino Rossi, riding a Ducati and still recovering from an injured finger, will start today’s 27-lap race from 13th.

Two riders had accidents during the session. American Ben Spies dropped his Yamaha at Turn 3, went to the medical centre and ended up seventh after returning to the track. Hiroshi Aoyama of Japan crashed his Honda but was able to return to the track.