COLIN EDWARDS set the pace in qualifying, and was ready to move it still higher to be sure of repeating his first-ever pole, achieved here last year, when he was forced to slow by a cruising Marco Melandri on his last lap.
“We had a minor problem yesterday, but today my Yamaha felt like it was on rails. I did my first lap to lay a time down, and it was almost good enough to go and have an espresso.
“I was a little faster on my second qualifying tyre; and on my third tyre I was really pushing.
“Coming down the back straight I could see I was going to catch Melandri in the chicane. I’m thinking: turn round, look, have a look … but he didn’t, and I had to slow.
“I guess he forgot I'm from Texas, and I usually carry a gun around. If I would've had it…
“We’re friends, so I don’t want to bag him too bad, but in the last two minutes of a qualifying session you need to be paying attention.”
Another to complain was Loris Capirossi, who said: “I lost out on my last qualifying lap because two riders were having a chat on the circuit.
