BBC Sport motorsport

Defending champion Stoner lies third in this year's championship

Casey Stoner followed up his comfortable win at the British MotoGP by taking pole position for Saturday's Dutch MotoGP at Assen in record time.

His lap time of one minute 35.520 seconds was nearly a second quicker than the previous pole record.

The Ducati rider came home ahead of Spain's Dani Pedrosa, with current world championship leader Valentino Rossi in third place.

James Toseland was 13th with John Hopkins 15th despite a fractured ankle.

Stoner was on course for pole until both Pedrosa and Rossi bettered his time, so he went out again at the close of the session to clinch his third pole position in as many races.

In the 125cc race, Briton Bradley Smith starts second on the grid behind Simone Corsi.

Scott Redding, who won last time out at Donington, was sixth fastest.

Dutch MotoGP qualifying result:

1 C Stoner (Aus) Ducati 1min 35.520secs
2 D Pedrosa (Spn) Honda 1:35.552
3 V Rossi (Ita) Yamaha 1:35.659
4 N Hayden (US) Honda 1:35.975
5 R de Puniet (Fr) Honda 1:35.985
6 C Edwards (US) Yamaha 1:36.278
7 J Lorenzo (Spa) Yamaha 1:36.532
8 C Vermeulen (Aus) Suzuki 1:36.768
9 S Nakano (Jpn) Honda 1:36.804
10 S Guintoli (Fra) Ducati 1:36.823

250cc qualifying result:

1 A Bautista (Spn) Aprilia 1:39.510
2 H Barbera (Sp) Aprilia @ 0.231
3 M Simoncelli (Ita) Gilera @ 0.344

125cc qualifying result:

1 S Corsi (Ita) Aprilia) 1:45.533
2 B Smith (GB) Aprilia @ 0.340secs
3 J Olive (Spn) Derbi @ 0.363

6 S Redding (GB) Aprilia