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Pedrosa on pole for British MotoGP
 Pedrosa's lap was over two seconds better than the Donington record. LONDON, England -- MotoGP title contender Dani Pedrosa put his Honda on pole position for Sunday's British Grand Prix after the fastest-ever lap at Donington Park. The 20-year-old Spaniard's time of one minute 27.67 seconds, on a blisteringly hot afternoon, was over two seconds inside American Colin Edwards' race lap record of 1:29.973 set two years ago. Australian Chris Vermeulen, riding a Suzuki, was second fastest -- but half a second slower than Pedrosa -- with Italian Marco Melandri completing the front row on a Honda just 13 days after his big crash in Barcelona. "It's been a great weekend but the race could be different," warned Pedrosa, who dominated free practice before taking the third pole of his rookie season. World champion Valentino Rossi, a multiple winner at Donington in the past but riding with a broken bone in his right hand after crashing in practice for the Dutch TT last week, could manage only the 12th best time. The Italian, who took painkillers before the qualifying session, blamed unexpected set-up problems with his Yamaha for his predicament. "We didn't expect to have so many problems here in Donington because last year our bike worked really well," said the 27-year-old. "It's a track where I've always been able to be really fast and go very well from the start, so it's quite disappointing. "The situation with the wrist isn't so bad, but I've got some problems in the hard braking areas. For sure I can't ride how I would like to," he added. Championship leader Nicky Hayden, Pedrosa's American team mate and the winner at Assen last Sunday, starts alongside Rossi on the fourth row in 11th place with Edwards 10th. Hayden has 144 points in the championship after eight races and leads second-placed Pedrosa by 42. Italian Loris Capirossi is third on 100 with Rossi and Melandri on 98. Italian Michel Fabrizio, standing in for injured Spaniard Toni Elias at Fortuna Honda, was ruled out after crashing heavily in final practice and breaking his right collarbone. Spaniard Jorge Lorenzo took his second successive pole position, and sixth of the season, in the 250cc class. Championship leader Andrea Dovizioso of Italy lines up alongside in second place. Alvaro Bautista, the 125cc championship leader, secured his fourth pole of the season with the Spaniard's main title rival Mika Kallio of Finland second fastest. Bautista was more than a second quicker than Kallio's 2005 pole lap. 
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