SACHSENRING (Germany) - ITALY'S Valentino Rossi grabbed pole position under the rain for the German Moto Grand Prix here on Saturday.

The Yamaha rider clocked 1 min 32.52sec to snatch top spot by just 0.640sec from Spanish teammate Jorge Lorenzo for his third pole of the season after Japan and the Netherlands and the 54th of his career.

Australian Casey Stoner was third fastest at 1.239sec ahead of American Nicky Hayden who finished fourth after surviving a dramatic fall in treacherous conditions which brought down six riders.

'Conditions were really tough,' said Rossi. 'There was a river running through the track at one point. So it's a really important pole. But I hope, like everyone, that we'll have nice weather tomorrow.'

Behind the top three, Hayden, San Marino's Alex De Angelis and Frenchman Randy De Puniet make up the second row.

Spaniard Dani Pedrosa, winner of the US MotoGP, clocked just the eighth fastest time behind American Colin Edwards and Italian Loris Capirossi.

Weather forecasts Sunday are for dry conditions and temperatures of 20 degress celsius. -- AFP