Pedrosa says Hopkins was not at fault

Valentino Rossi claimed pole for the Istanbul race, but Pedrosa was faster in the first two sectors of his final flying lap before his efforts to pass Hopkins - who was also on a qualifying lap - slowed him in the last sector and left him third on the grid.

But Pedrosa played down the incident, saying that traffic was an inevitable part of the final qualifying runs.

"I think it was difficult for everybody at the end," Pedrosa told the BBC.

"I got a lot of traffic in the end. On the out-lap I was very slow to try and get some clear space, but at that time Hopkins came.

"It was not his fault, but anyway he cost me a little."

Pedrosa added that he was satisfied with a front row position having only managed 16th in last year's rain-affected Istanbul qualifying session.

"At least this year I'm on the front row whereas last year I was on the back row I think, so it's a good improvement," he said.

"I hope to do a great start tomorrow because the first corner is always tricky here."