Repsol Honda rider Dani Pedrosa secured his first pole position of the 2011 MotoGP season as he continued to show blistering pace at Brno.

The 25-year-old Spaniard led the field home in Friday practice and carried his speed into yesterday’s qualifying session, setting a time of one minute 56.591 to take his maiden pole of the year.

The track had fully dried in time for qualifying following a wet morning practice and it was reigning champion Jorge Lorenzo and Pedrosa’s team-mate Casey Stoner who traded fastest times during the first half of the session.

But Pedrosa responded and his quickest time could not be matched despite Yamaha rider Lorenzo taking four tenths off his previous best time to secure second place.

Stoner remained third while the second row was filled by Lorenzo’s team-mate Ben Spies, Italian Marco Simoncelli, of Honda Gresini, and Ducati’s Valentino Rossi, respectively.

Rizla-Suzuki’s wildcard rider John Hopkins did not participate in qualifying after an accident during the wet practice session ruled him of the race weekend.

The American crashed at turn three and suffered a dislocation and a fracture to his hand as he slid in the gravel.

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