Stoner masters rain to take pole in Italy

Championship leader Casey Stoner made the most of a rain-affected qualifying session to claim pole position at the Italian MotoGP yesterday.

The 21-year-old Australian, who has won three of this season's five races, took advantage of a brief respite in the rain to lap the 5.245m circuit at Mugello in two minutes 0.359 seconds, 1.022 seconds ahead of Suzuki compatriot Chris Vermeulen.

The sun came out for the last 10 minutes of the session, drying the track and allowing seven-times world champion Valentino Rossi to grab the third place on the front row, 1.336 seconds behind Stoner.

Stoner admitted he had not foreseen the deluge that ended off his rivals' hopes of bettering his time.

"I put down the lap that gave me pole then it seemed to be getting drier, so I came in to get new tyres," he said.

"Two minutes later it poured down. I just crossed my fingers that it would continue. I think at the end the conditions were almost there for the other riders to beat my lap time, but luckily the track didn't dry out fast enough."

Rossi was relieved the rain had stopped long enough for him to avoid starting on the third row of the grid.

"It's the worst conditions for qualifying practice.

"First wet, then dry. At first I was only eighth (fastest)," said the Italian, who is second in the championship race and aiming to notch up his sixth MotoGP win in six years at his home Grand Prix.