The conditions could not have been a greater contrast to Phillip Island in Australia six days ago but despite the extreme heat and humidity, Spaniard Dani Pedrosa grabbed his third consecutive pole around this long demanding 3.447 mile Sepang circuit. The Repsol Honda rider, who has won 125 and 250cc races at Sepang, is joined on the front row of the grid for the Polini Malaysian Grand Prix by World Champion Casey Stoner and Italian Marco Melandri who joins the Australian at Marlboro Ducati next season.