Italian Marco Melandri demoted world champion Valentino Rossi as youth came to the fore at the final round of the MotoGP Championship in Spain.
Movistar Honda rider Melandri was fastest at Valencia as he edged out the Ducati Marlboro machine of Spaniard Carlos Checa.
Melandri's Spanish team-mate Sete Gibernau was third quickest ahead of the Repsol Honda of American Nicky Hayden.
Italian Loris Capirossi put the second Ducati into fifth on the provisional grid ahead of Brazilian Alex Barros' Camel Honda.
A late bid by Rossi failed to lift the Italian onto the front row as the Gauloises Yamaha rider tried to put in a fast lap late in the session but could only manage seventh.
Rossi's machine was in Yamaha's corporate colours, rather than those of sponsors Gauloises, to mark the Japanese corporation's 50th year.
Australian Casey Stoner topped the 250cc class first qualifying practice on the Carrera Aprilia, with Britain's Chaz Davies 18th fastest on the Aprilia Germany machine.
Italian Mattia Pasini was quickest on the Totti Aprilia in the first qualifying practice for the 125cc class.
