Valentino Rossi, the Moto GP drivers championship leader, held talks with Ferrari about racing in the team's second car at next weekend's Formula One Italian Grand Prix, but decided against it.
Ferrari then opted for Force India's Italian driver Giancarlo Fisichella, who will race for the world champions for the remainder of the season.
"I talked with Ferrari about racing at Monza. But without testing and not being in a fight for the title, it would not have been logical," Rossi said.
Fishcichella replaces Ferrari test driver Luca Badoer, who struggled in his two races after coming in for the injured Felipe Massa.
Rossi showed no signs of regret as he took pole position for tomorrow's San Marino Grand Prix with a speedy late lap in qualifying.
With only minutes remaining, Rossi took a risk by changing his tyres but then produced a time of 1min 34.338secs to leave Spain's Dani Pedrosa in second.
"I am very happy to get the pole position here in Misano," he said.
"We know that it's going to be a very tough race tomorrow, but we are in good shape."Jorge Lorenzo, second in the overall standings behind Yamaha teammate Rossi, clocked the third fastest time with Spanish compatriot Toni Elias fourth on his Honda.
Rossi, 30, has cast doubt on his long-term future at Yamaha after they announced last week that Lorenzo will race for them again next season.He questioned the policy of having two strong MotoGP riders in one team.
Veteran Italian Capirossi escaped injury despite an off-track excursion during the session.
Hiroshi Aoyama took pole in the 250cc category.
* With agencies
German plea
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told the German parliament that. Russia had erected a new wall across Europe.
"It's not a Berlin Wall -- it is a Wall in central Europe between freedom and bondage and this Wall is growing bigger with every bomb" dropped on Ukraine, Zelenskyy told MPs.
Mr Zelenskyy was applauded by MPs in the Bundestag as he addressed Chancellor Olaf Scholz directly.
"Dear Mr Scholz, tear down this Wall," he said, evoking US President Ronald Reagan's 1987 appeal to Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev at Berlin's Brandenburg Gate.
the pledge
I pledge to uphold the duty of tolerance
I pledge to take a first stand against hate and injustice
I pledge to respect and accept people whose abilities, beliefs and culture are different from my own
I pledge to wish for others what I wish for myself
I pledge to live in harmony with my community
I pledge to always be open to dialogue and forgiveness
I pledge to do my part to create peace for all
I pledge to exercise benevolence and choose kindness in all my dealings with my community
I pledge to always stand up for these values: Zayed's values for tolerance and human fraternity
Our legal advisor
Rasmi Ragy is a senior counsel at Charles Russell Speechlys, a law firm headquartered in London with offices in Europe, the Middle East and Hong Kong.
Experience: Prosecutor in Egypt with more than 40 years experience across the GCC.
Education: Ain Shams University, Egypt, in 1978.
FINAL RESULT
Sharjah Wanderers 20 Dubai Tigers 25 (After extra-time)
Wanderers
Tries: Gormley, Penalty
cons: Flaherty
Pens: Flaherty 2
Tigers
Tries: O’Donnell, Gibbons, Kelly
Cons: Caldwell 2
Pens: Caldwell, Cross
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IPL 2018 FINAL
Sunrisers Hyderabad 178-6 (20 ovs)
Chennai Super Kings 181-2 (18.3 ovs)
Chennai win by eight wickets
The Brutalist
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Stars: Adrien Brody, Felicity Jones, Guy Pearce, Joe Alwyn
Rating: 3.5/5
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