Jorge Lorenzo clinched his first pole of the season after a late crash dashed Marco Simoncelli's hopes in qualifying for Sunday's Estoril MotoGP.
Spanish reigning champion Lorenzo, who is seeking his fourth successive win at the track, recorded a time of 1:37.161.
Simoncelli will start second on the grid, with Honda's Dani Pedrosa filling the last spot on the front row.
Lorenzo heads the rider's standings by nine points following his recent success in his home race in Jerez.
Despite damp conditions during practice on Friday, qualifying took place on a dry track on Saturday, although temperatures were cooler and the threat of rain ever present.
Lorenzo left it until two minutes before the end of the hour-long session before setting the fastest time - after Simoncelli had been fastest for most of the session.
The Italian, who led by more than 0.7 seconds going into the closing stages, was demoted with five minutes to go and then slid off and was denied the chance to respond.
Pedrosa completes the front row, with his team-mate Casey Stoner and Lorenzo's team-mate Ben Spies on the second row, along with Andrea Dovizioso on the third Repsol Honda.
That position had been held by rookie Cal Crutchlow with a minute to go, but the Englishman then lost out to not only Dovizioso but also his own Yamaha team-mate Colin Edwards.
Ducati's Valentino Rossi finished a disappointing ninth and completes the third row.
Spanish reigning champion Lorenzo, who is seeking his fourth successive win at the track, recorded a time of 1:37.161.
Simoncelli will start second on the grid, with Honda's Dani Pedrosa filling the last spot on the front row.
Lorenzo heads the rider's standings by nine points following his recent success in his home race in Jerez.
Despite damp conditions during practice on Friday, qualifying took place on a dry track on Saturday, although temperatures were cooler and the threat of rain ever present.
Lorenzo left it until two minutes before the end of the hour-long session before setting the fastest time - after Simoncelli had been fastest for most of the session.
The Italian, who led by more than 0.7 seconds going into the closing stages, was demoted with five minutes to go and then slid off and was denied the chance to respond.
Pedrosa completes the front row, with his team-mate Casey Stoner and Lorenzo's team-mate Ben Spies on the second row, along with Andrea Dovizioso on the third Repsol Honda.
That position had been held by rookie Cal Crutchlow with a minute to go, but the Englishman then lost out to not only Dovizioso but also his own Yamaha team-mate Colin Edwards.
Ducati's Valentino Rossi finished a disappointing ninth and completes the third row.
Estoril MotoGP qualifying results:
1 J Lorenzo (Sp) Yamaha @ 1:37.161
2 M Simoncelli (It) Ducati @ 1:37.294
3 D Pedrosa (Sp) Honda @ 1:37.324
4 C Stoner (Aus) Honda @ 1:37.384
5 B Spies (US) Honda @ 1:37.866
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