With only four rounds left in the 2009 MotoGP World Championship year, Valentino Rossi is due for double glory, claiming a 30 point lead in the overall rankings plus a five point advantage in the BMW M Award rankings for best qualifier.

Commencing four of the final five events in pole position, Rossi has moved ahead of colleague Jorge Lorenzo in the BMW M Award stakes, although the challenge for glory between the Fiat Yamaha duo seems set to go down to the wire.

Rossi enabled Lorenzo to claim the BMW M Award advantage earlier this year when he qualified off the front row in three consecutive rounds, Jerez, Le Mans and Mugello, however his qualifying best has been brilliant since and his overall record of six poles so far this year makes him a worthy leader in the standings.

Lorenzo could also be deserving of winning the award if he is able to maintain his excellent record of qualifying on the front row at each Grand Prix this season.  He was on pole in his MotoGP debut last season in Qatar and has lead the grid four times this year, although his final 2009 pole was at the start of July at Laguna Seca.

Following a dominant factory Yamaha duo in the hunt for a BMW M prize, second placed Lorenzo by a 70 point margin meaning it is highly unlikely he will catch his rivals, is Repsol Honda’s Dani Pedrosa. The competitor from Barcelona takes two poles so far this year and has been on the front row in the prior four sessions, however his preseason brought along injuries which only allowed him to qualify 14th and 11th at the opening two sessions in Qatar and Japan.

An extra 19 points following Pedrosa is 2008 BMW M Award victor Casey Stoner who began the year in fine form with a victory from pole at Qatar in round one. Unfortunately he has skipped the last three rounds which has taken him out of the running, though Stoner had only qualified off the front row twice this year prior to his illness.

In fifth place is Monster Yamaha Tech 3’s Colin Edwards, who places sixth in the World Championship following 13 events. Edwards has qualified in either fifth, sixth or seventh place every time this season.

Following Edwards is Andrea Dovizioso, who places just above the Texan in the overall classes and has been unable to take a front row beginning this year, despite getting close many times.