Assen MotoGP: Simoncelli on pole

Italian Marco Simoncelli will start tomorrow’s 26 lap Dutch Grand Prix from pole position aboard his San Carlo Honda.

With 10 minutes remaining Simoncelli matched exactly the fastest time of then pole sitter Ben Spies, but Simoncelli went top because his second fastest lap was better than Spies’s. With only a few minutes remaining Simoncelli went out to improve his time and cement his pole position.

Repsol Honda rider Casey Stoner completes the front row in third.

Reigning champion Jorge Lorenzo heads the second row in fourth, ahead of Andrea Dovizioso. Brit Cal Crutchlow unbelievably set the sixth fastest time in qualifying, less than two weeks after breaking his left collarbone.

Karel Abraham was the fastest Ducati in seventh. Valentino Rossi struggled with the new Ducati GP11.1, languising down in 15th for the majority of the session.

With only a few minutes left Rossi went out to improve his time, pushing himself up to 11th, two places and 0.7secs behind team-mate Nicky Hayden. 

1. Marco Simoncelli ITA San Carlo Honda Gresini 1m 34.718s
2. Ben Spies USA Yamaha Factory Racing 1m 34.727s
3. Casey Stoner AUS Repsol Honda 1m 35.008s
4. Jorge Lorenzo ESP Yamaha Factory Racing 1m 35.143s
5. Andrea Dovizioso ITA Repsol Honda 1m 35.244s
6. Cal Crutchlow GBR Monster Yamaha Tech 3 1m 35.329s
7. Karel Abraham CZE Cardion AB Motoracing 1m 35.742s
8. Colin Edwards USA Monster Yamaha Tech 3 1m 35.818s
9. Nicky Hayden USA Ducati Marlboro 1m 35.866s
10. Randy de Puniet FRA Pramac Racing 1m 36.435s
11. Valentino Rossi ITA Ducati Marlboro 1m 36.564s
12. Hiroshi Aoyama JPN Repsol Honda 1m 36.580s
13. Hector Barbera ESP Mapfre Aspar 1m 36.590s
14. Alvaro Bautista ESP Rizla Suzuki 1m 36.820s
15. Loris Capirossi ITA Pramac Racing 1m 37.130s
16. Toni Elias ESP LCR Honda 1m 37.651s
17. Kousuke Akiyoshi JPN San Carlo Honda Gresini 1m 39.006s