JEREZ, Spain (AFP) - Spaniard Jorge Lorenzo set a new course record on his way to claiming pole position for Sunday's Spanish MotoGP, the second race of the season.

The Yamaha rider, already on pole in the season-opener in Qatar, clocked 1min 38.189sec after lowering Italian Loris Capirossi's previous best 1:39.064 from 2006 three times during Saturday's qualifying.

Compatriot Dani Pedrosa, riding a Honda, finished 0.6sec off the pace and American Colin Edwards in a Yamaha crossing third fastest in 0.765.

Five-time MotoGP champion Valentino Rossi, on a Yamaha, is fifth on the grid, just behind 2006 world champion Nicky Hayden on a Honda.

World champion Casey Stoner, who won in Qatar, had the seventh fastest time and will start from the third row alongside Britain's James Toseland, who is suffering from bronchitis, and American John Hopkins.

"For us the pole position and second place in Qatar were a real surprise," said 20-year-old Lorenzo, who is in his first season in MotoGP having won the 250cc title last year.

"Today we repeated the pole and we were very happy with the last lap which was very good. The first few laps I was tense but on the last one I had a good feeling.

"We have some good pace which is important. We're ready to fight."

Pedrosa, the 2007 world championship runner-up, was delighted with his second place.

"It's very important to be on the front row at this track," said Pedrosa, who was third in Qatar.

"Lorenzo's time was unbelievable."

Stoner won the opening race in Qatar but has never enjoyed this Spanish track having injured his shoulder in a fall in practice over the winter and failing to gain a podium finish in last year's title-winning season.

Rossi usually enjoys his trips to Spain.

In 1996, he took the first of his six victories in all classes at Jerez. Five of those have come in the MotoGP class, including with Yamaha in 2005 and 2007.

But the 29-year-old is without a win since Estoril last year and he must win if he is to avoid his longest winless streak since his debut MotoGP victory at Donington in 2000.