Qualifying for the𓂃 Malaysian Grand Prix at Sepang has been cancelled, after over a two hour delay, due to standing water left by heavy rain.

Following three free practice sessions held on a perfectly dry racetrack, a massive rain storm - complete with thunder and lightening - hi♛t the Sepang circuit just before Saturday afternoon's qualifying, delaying the session initially by one hour due to sev🔯erely reduced visibility and standing water.

After t𒁃hat hour the rain had fortunately stopped, but left beℱhind vast amounts of standing water and - after further track examinations - it was decided that another one-hour delay was required to try to reduce the flooding, with marshals seen sweeping water and digging trackside ditches.

But, despite the pitlane being almost dry, water kept running onto the track and topping u꧒p the deep pools of standing water - forcing race direction to finally admit defeat and cancel the session💫.

As such, the grid for Sunday's race will be set by using the b෴est lap times recorded during the three free practice sessions, meaning that world champion Valentinꦫo Rossi (fastest in FP3) will start on pole ahead of world championship leader Nicky Hayden and Friday pace setter Loris Capirossi.

All riders but the injured Dani Pedrosa, Makoto Tamada, Alex Hofmann and Jose Luis Cardoso set their best free practice lap - and now 'qualifying time' - during Saturday morning's third and final pracꦯtice session.

The full grid positions can be seen below:

1. Rossi (FP3)
2. Hayden (FP3)
3. Capirossi (FP3)
4. Roberts (FP3)
5. Pedrosa (FP2)
6. Gibernau (FP3)
7. de Puniet (FP3)
8. Hopkins (FP3)
9. Melandri (FP3)
10. Stoner (FP3)
11. Edwards (FP3)
12. Nakano (FP3)
13. Tamada (FP2)
14. Elias (FP3)
15. Checa (FP3)
16. Vermeulen (FP3)
17. Hofmann (FP2)
18. Ellison (FP3)
19. Cardoso (FP2)