MOTORCYCLING Live

- Capirossi is equally delighted with his front-row finish, recording a fastest time of 1:49.121, while Casey Stoner is in second having set a 1:49.008.

00:00 The chequered flag greets Lorenzo, whose 1:48.987 is good enough to secure pole! Rossi's final lap could not trouble the leader, and the Italian is down in fourth.

01:00 De Puniet flies into fifth spot, pushing down Edwards and that is a real steal. Rossi and Lorenzo are both on flyers, will Capirossi's time remain the best?

02:00 Unbelievable! From nowhere, Capirossi snatches top place with a 1:49.121! Astonishing time from the Suzuki rider, who can respond to that?

03:00 De Puniet remains the top-placed Honda in sixth place, while Toni Elias slides off into the gravel, and that is his day's work done.

04:00 The riders are out for their final lap, as Edwards looks to build from fourth spot, and Takahashi from ninth.

05:00 Pedrosa is on a better lap by the looks of his early pace, and when he crosses the line he takes 11th with a 1:50.426.

06:00 But Rossi hits back in style! The Italian sets a fastest time of 1:49.227 and regains top spot.

07:00 Lorenzo moves above Rossi with a 1:49.405 and that really shakes things up, taking second spot above the favourite.

08:00 Rossi stay second with a 1:49.449, and the Italian must feel as though he can still pip Stoner into first, but is still a way off. Meanwhile, Dovizioso is up into seventh with a 1:49.996.

10:00 Dovizioso is back in eighth in his Honda recording a best time of 1:50.130, while everyone continues to ponder what can be the problem with Dani Pedrosa?!

13:00 Edwards takes third spot with a 1:49.547, and Lorenzo and Capirossi are pushed down to fourth and fifth respectively.

15:00 Casey Stoner takes almost half a second off his best time, recording a 1:49.370 to pip Rossi and move top! Meanwhile, Vermeulen is up to 11th.

17:00 Capirossi leapfrogs Edwards, timing a 1:49.791 and looking in very fine fettle today.

20:00 Lorenzo looks to be on a bit of a flyer and his team look on optimistically, but it is only a 1.49.695. Dani Pedrosa is still struggling, setting a 1:52.370.

22:00 Casey Stoner, who was the fastest in final free practice lest we forget, records a 1:50.105, but he remains in fifth. De Puniet, meanwhile, moves up to seventh.

25:00 Edwards sets a 1:51.030 so subsequently stays in third, while Pedrosa drops to 16th, as his session gets even worse.

27:00 Nicky Hayden, you may be wondering, is languishing back at the foot of the field, setting a best time of 1:52.433 so far, which is not troubling anyone.

30:00 The field seems to be in a bit of a lull right now, with Dani Pedrosa sitting glumly in the paddock, back in 15th place.

32:00 Toseland looks to be on a quick lap as he attempts to improve on his current 12th place. De Angelis is in eighth, with De Puniet in ninth.

35:00 Capirossi moves below the 1:50 mark, setting a 1:49.464 to consolidate fourth place, while Lorenzo's splendid ninth lap keeps him in good stead, second.

37:00 James Toseland improves his fastest time, but remains in 12th place with a 1:51.105. Vermeulen and Pedrosa follow him in 13th and 14th respectively.

40:00 Jorge Lorenzo pips Colin Edwards once more, moving back into second, with Dovizioso in sixth and Elias in seventh.

42:00 Rossi remains in front, taking his fastest time down to 1:49.539, while Melandri is down in 10th spot.

45:00 Casey Stoner is down in fifth place so far, recording a 1:50.301, with Capirossi in fourth just ahead of the Australian.

47:00 Rossi consolidates top spot with a fastest lap of 1:49.757, as Edwards moves above Lorenzo, improving his time to 1:49.835

50:00 Valentino Rossi, the home favourite, records a 1:49.978 with a good early lap in his Yamaha, with Lorenzo in second and Edwards third.

55:00 Capirossi sets the early pace with a 1:51.578, and Edwards and Lorenzo also look to be off to a flyer.

59:00 Qualifying is underway, and the sun is flooding Mugello, with the riders relishing the conditions.

- You can watch qualifying LIVE on British Eurosport 2 (Sky 411 / Virgin Media 525); Also available on your PC via the Eurosport Player - click here to subscribe.

- Eight-time world champion Valentino Rossi, who was born locally, is the overwhelming favourite here having won for the last seven years in a row, and is third, just under two tenths back from Stoner.

- The 2007 world champion set a time of 1min 49.323sec on his Ducati to edge out championship leader Jorge Lorenzo by just 27 thousandths of a second.

- Welcome to live text coverage of qualifying at the Italian Grand Prix in Mugello. Despite a heavy fall, Australian Casey Stoner set the fastest pace in final practice yesterday, and will be the man the other riders have to beat.