MotoGP leader Jorge Lorenzo took pole position at the Spain Grand Prix yesterday, ahead of fellow Spaniard Dani Pedrosa and Nicky Hayden of the United States.

After rain during the early Moto3 qualifying run, the sun came out in time for Lorenzo to guide his Yamaha around the 4.42-kilometre (2.74 mile) Jerez Circuit in a session-fastest time of 1 minute, 39.532 seconds.

Defending champion Casey Stoner will start fifth, while seven-time MotoGP champion Valentino Rossi will start from 13th position.

It was Lorenzo’s second pole of the young season. The 2010 champion, who won here the last two years, rode to triumph from pole at the season-opening Qatar GP.

In the Moto3 class, Alex Rins of Spain took pole position with a fastest lap of 1 minute, 57.507 seconds. Germany’s Sandro Cortese and Miguel Oliveira of Portugal completed the top three finishers.