Lorenzo slammed his hands on his bike in anger after he was forced to abort a final flying lap that could have seen him pip Pedrosa, 14 points behind him in the standings, to pole.

“We had electrical problems in the last two laps. We will have to check them out. I’m very disappointed because we have been very fast here,” said a frustrated Lorenzo.

Compatriot Hector Barbera clinched his first front row start in third ahead of American Nicky Hayden.

Australian world champion Casey Stoner, trailing Lorenzo by 20 points in third overall, was off the pace and finished fifth fastest.

Valentino Rossi of Italy, a nine-times world champion across the classes but enduring another tough season, was over a second off the pace as he finished 10th quickest.