Tissot Pole Position Awards

The MotoGP™ World Championship leader Dani Pedrosa smashed the five year old lap record to grab pole position for the Grand Prix of Catalunya in Barcelona this afternoon. On his 200th grand prix appearance the Honda rider took his second pole position of the season in sweltering conditions around the 4.727 kms circuit on the northern outskirts of Barcelona. He is joined on the front row of the grid for the 25 lap race by British Yamaha rider Cal Crutchlow and World Champion and last year's Barcelona winner Jorge Lorenzo.

Pedrosa, who chases his third grand prix victory of the season tomorrow, received his Tissot T-Touch Expert MotoGP watch from Matt George, the Tissot International Sponsorship Manager, knowing that tyre choice and preservation will play a vital part in the outcome of the sixth round of the championship in the hot conditions tomorrow. It was a mixed day for the Tissot Ambassadors with Nicky Hayden the top Ducati rider qualifying in the middle of the second row in fifth place. Stefan Bradl, fresh from his excellent fourth place in Mugello starts, from the fourth row where he is joined by a battered Bradley Smith still suffering from his Mugello crashes.

It was a vital Moto2™ pole position for local rider Pol Espargaro. The Spaniard has dropped to fifth place in the championship standings after winning that opening round in Qatar. He received his Tissot Racing Touch watch knowing that nothing short of a race victory in the 23 lap race tomorrow will do if he's going to pull back Scott Redding's 47 points advantage in the championship. It was a disappointing session for Tissot Ambassador Tom Luthi. The Swiss rider led the three practice sessions but qualified on the fourth row of the grid in tenth place.

Spaniard Luis Salom claimed just his second ever Moto3™ pole. Fresh from his victory in Mugello the KTM rider led the way from Alex Rins and Miquel Oliveira. He lies second in the world championship just four points behind Maverick Vinales who had a crash and mechanical problems but still qualified on the second row. Salom received his Tissot Race Touch watch after an impressive performance throughout the weekend.

Fast Facts
Dani Pedrosa –
• This was his 44th pole position - 26 MotoGP and nine apiece in 125 and 250 cc
• He makes his 200th grand prix appearance tomorrow - He has won three world titles, 47 races and been on the podium 116 times
• The pole setter has won in all three classes in Barcelona
• This is the first time he has qualified on MotoGP pole in Barcelona

Pol Espargaro –
• This is his 13th pole position - ten Moto2 and three 125 cc
• He takes his second pole of the season - His first was in Qatar where he won the race
• The pole setter led the Moto2 World Championship going into the Barcelona race last year
• He took his very first pole in the 125 cc class at Barcelona in 2008

Luis Salom –
• This is just his second pole position
• His first pole came in Qatar this year where he won the race
• Tenth place is his best result in Barcelona
• He chases back to back wins after victory in Mugello