Lorenzo pleased with improved fitness

The Spaniard is racing with an injured foot and shoulder after his vicious crash in qualifying at Laguna Seca two weeks ago, and had been disappointed by how much the wounds hampered him in Friday practice.

But he was relieved today after topping the morning session and then leading qualifying until Rossi's last gasp pole run.

"Today it was a little bit better," said Lorenzo. "I can brake much later than yesterday. Yesterday the feeling was a little bit strange.

"So I'm happier with today, because I was also fast in the morning. Here in the rain normally I am struggling to get a good pace."

Lorenzo had looked assured of pole going into the final seconds of the session, only for Rossi to throw in an incredible lap in worsening conditions and beat him by 0.6s.

But Lorenzo said he was not too concerned to lose the top spot given the conditions and the number of accidents in the session.

"It was very easy to crash, so I pushed quite a lot but not too much, and second place is fine," he said.