Assen, Netherlands: Italian Andrea Dovizioso powered to pole position for the Dutch Grand Prix at Assen by edging out compatriot Valentino Rossi in a treacherous qualifying session yesterday.
Defending champion Jorge Lorenzo had a torrid time, suffering what he called "a heavy crash" in the final practice earlier in the day and then qualifying only 10th.
Nine-time world champion Rossi stopped midway through the rain-hit qualifying action to save the tyres on his Yamaha, allowing Ducati's Dovizioso to claim the 17th pole of his career, and his fourth in MotoGP.
"I stopped mid-session because the rear tyre was too hot and there were some places where it was dry," said Rossi, who saw his title rivals struggle in the wet.
"We put in another rain tyre. It was the right choice, I'm happy with the front row."
Honda's championship leader Marc Marquez could only manage fourth, just behind surprise package Scott Redding of Britain, who will start from third for Ducati Pramac.
"I nearly crashed two or three times," Redding said. "It was stressful and difficult.
"If there were 10 minutes more I would have put the intermediate tyre in. We'll see tomorrow in the race. We'll give it our best."
The travails of his title rivals leaves Rossi with a fantastic opportunity to close the gap in the championship in Sunday's race, which he will begin 22 points behind Spaniard Marquez.
The 37-year-old Rossi has won around the Assen track seven times in his MotoGP career, while Dovizioso's only victory in the elite class came in the British Grand Prix seven years ago.
Lorenzo, who is 10 points behind Marquez in the standings, was left shaken after his nasty tumble.
"It was a heavy crash even though it was a small crash, losing the front, but the corner was fast. The gravel was very close to the track and when I arrived to it I had a very high speed and I rolled through the gravel a lot," said the Spaniard.
"A lot of rocks hit me in the neck, on my back and my hip, so I damaged my skin and superficially have a lot of pain, but luckily not in my bones, they are OK so I can race without any problem."
Marquez also came off his bike in qualifying as riders struggled with conditions which switched from dry to wet.
He admitted he had been fortunate to get a scooter ride back to the pits.
"The marshals were a bit far away and I saw a scooter with a key in it and nobody around. When I took it, I saw that it belonged to a photographer, but he let me go," he explained.
"I wanted to get back to the pit as soon as possible, so honestly I would've taken it even if he said no!"