Pedrosa concerned about weather

Rain affected both practice sessions at Le Mans, but the track stayed dry for qualifying.

Pedrosa looked set for a place on the second row before leaping to first - just 0.005 seconds ahead of Jorge Lorenzo - with the last lap of the hour, but he was unwilling to make any predictions for Sunday given the changeable weather.

"We will see tomorrow in the race," said the Spaniard. "With the weather we are having this weekend, that could be key to everything. We have to be very focused for the race."

He added that he was pleased to secure Honda's first pole of a season in which the company looked like it might struggle following poor pre-season testing times and Pedrosa's string of winter injuries.

"It was great to do a pole position. It's been a long time," said Pedrosa, who last started from first position at Sepang last season.

"My target was the front row. At this track I think it's very important to be on the front row. So I'm happy to take pole, and it's because of my team, because they're working very hard. Now I just need to get a good set-up for the race."