( CNN ) -- World champion Jorge Lorenzo hailed MotoGP 's new qualifying format after claiming pole position for Sunday 's season-opening race in Qatar . The Spaniard headed off Britain 's Cal Crutchlow in Saturday 's new 15-minute session , involving just the top 12 riders , while last season 's championship runnerup Dani Pedrosa was third to complete the front row . `` It 's great to finish in pole position , especially knowing Cal was extremely fast over one lap , '' Lorenzo , who won last year 's race from pole , told the MotoGP website . He said of the new qualifying format : `` It 's very different to last year and I think more fun for the fans to watch . `` From the point of view of the riders , I feel more nervous and with more pressure on me because you know you have only four attempts for your last lap -- and not 15 like last year ! So it 's more important to go quickly and not make a mistake . '' Italy 's Andrea Dovizioso was fourth for Ducati ahead of German rider Stefan Bradl and Spanish rookie Marc Marquez , who had topped the practice times in his first outing for Honda Repsol . Lorenzo 's new teammate Valentino Rossi continued his struggles of the past two years at Ducati as he could only qualify seventh . `` Qualifying was not fantastic for us , '' said the seven-time world champion , who has won three times in Qatar but not since his last season at Yamaha in 2010 . `` Our performance in free practice was better than this , so we 'll wait for tomorrow . Unfortunately in qualifying , on the second tire -- with which I could have improved -- I was stuck in traffic so could not improve my lap time and lost some positions . `` For sure , tomorrow becomes more difficult to start from further back , but we have good pace so we can be quite competitive . '' Pedrosa is seeking to improve his record at Losail -- one of only two circuits on the current calendar where the Spaniard has yet to win in any category of bikes . `` It 's important that we 're on the front row , '' the Honda rider said . `` I think the Yamahas are strong , so I just hope to improve the bike a little bit more and then be on the pace for the race . ''
Jorge Lorenzo sets the quickest time in qualifying for first race of MotoGP season . World champion outshines new Italian teammate Alexander Rossi in Qatar . Spaniard will start in first row alongside Cal Crutchlow and compatriot Dani Pedrosa . Two - time world champion Rossi is on the third row in seventh place .