Toseland frustrated by set-up problems

The Tech 3 Yamaha rider said he could not find a suitable balance on his bike and admitted that any time he adjusted his machine to improve the braking stability, acceleration was sacrificed.

"It has been a frustrating day," said Toseland. "We have been working a lot on the bike and when we cure one problem we create another.

"That session was almost more like a test than a qualifying session and it is frustrating because I feel like I can definitely run the pace around the top six."

Toseland is hopeful of improvement in Sunday's race because his Yamaha, like that of works rider Valentino Rossi, has handled better on the harder race rubber than on the softer qualifying Bridgestone tyre.

"My pace wasn't too bad on the hard compound race tyre, so if I can get a good start and get away with the pack in front, I'm sure I can have a good race and be in there fighting," he added.

His team-mate Colin Edwards was equally disappointed, despite putting his bike seventh on the grid.

"I was really happy with the bike this morning because I could run a fast and consistent pace that only the top three could better," he said.

"But then we changed a couple of things for qualifying and just went in the wrong direction, so that probably cost me a place on the second row.

"I even kept tucking the front [tyre], which hasn't happened to me once since we switched to the Bridgestones in the winter. We'll just revert back to the old set-up for the race. I'm quite confident."