Pedrosa on pole for French GP
(AFP)
Updated: 2006-05-21 10:00 Spain's Daniel Pedrosa has
grabbed his second consecutive pole position ahead of the French Moto GP, the
fifth race of the motorcycling world championship.
Pedrosa, 20, who took pole last week in Shanghai and went on to win the race,
will start as a big favourite for Honda here having won at Le Mans three years
in a row while riding in the less powerful categories.
The Spaniard won the past two years on 250cc and in 2003 on a 125cc, and gave
his victory chances a boost by hitting a top speed of 271.8 kph to break the lap
record time previously held by Italian icon Valentino Rossi.
Pedrosa, who last week became the second youngest winner of a race in
motorcycling's premier category, will start Sunday's race just ahead of Japan's
Shinya Nakano (Kawasaki) and American John Hopkins (Suzuki).
Frenchman Randy de Puniet will start in fourth place on the second line
alongside two Italians who have already won this season - Marco Melandri
(Turkish GP) and Loris Capirossi (Spanish GP).
Reigning world champion Rossi, riding a Yamaha, will start from the third
row.
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