Australian Casey Stoner put his Honda on pole position for the British Grand Prix on Saturday while Cal Crutchlow's hopes of home glory disappeared with a broken collarbone. Stoner, the 2007 world champion who will be starting his 150th grand prix in all categories on Sunday, made sure of his fourth pole in six races with a quickest lap of two minutes 02.020 seconds.
Italy's Marco Simoncelli, also on a Honda, was second fastest in a dry session ahead of Yamaha's reigning world champion Jorge Lorenzo of Spain. Stoner can become the first Honda rider to win three successive MotoGP races since Valentino Rossi in 2003 and few would bet against the 25-year-old after he dominated Friday practice in mixed conditions.
"Looking at the way we went this weekend, it doesn't really matter what conditions tomorrow brings," said the Australian, knowing it could be wet on Sunday. "I am definitely going to prefer dry...but we feel ready for any conditions."
Simoncelli, who started the last race in Spain on pole but faded to finish sixth, hoped to be Stoner's main adversary in the absence of Honda's injured Spanish rider Dani Pedrosa. There was bad news for Crutchlow, the sole British rider in the championship, who looked sure to miss his home race after falling on only his second lap and fracturing his left collarbone. Officials said the Yamaha Tech3 rider, who clutched his shoulder in pain as he lay on the grass before being taken away on a stretcher, was also suffering from concussion.
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