***Spoiler Dutch MotoGP @ Assen Thread***

[Yamadog]

First blood:

Assen MotoGP free practice one results:

1 Casey STONER AUS Ducati Marlboro Team DUCATI 1'36.569
2 Nicky HAYDEN USA Repsol Honda Team HONDA 1'37.186
3 Dani PEDROSA SPA Repsol Honda Team HONDA 1'37.398
4 Colin EDWARDS USA Tech 3 Yamaha YAMAHA 1'37.437
5 Alex DE ANGELIS RSM San Carlo Honda Gresini HONDA 1'37.470
6 Valentino ROSSI ITA Fiat Yamaha Team YAMAHA 1'37.480
7 Andrea DOVIZIOSO ITA JiR Team Scot MotoGP HONDA 1'37.507
8 John HOPKINS USA Kawasaki Racing Team KAWASAKI 1'37.652
9 Shinya NAKANO JPN San Carlo Honda Gresini HONDA 1'37.821
10 Randy DE PUNIET FRA LCR Honda MotoGP HONDA 1'37.951
11 Jorge LORENZO SPA Fiat Yamaha Team YAMAHA 1'37.987
12 Loris CAPIROSSI ITA Rizla Suzuki MotoGP SUZUKI 1'38.082
13 James TOSELAND GBR Tech 3 Yamaha YAMAHA 1'38.198
14 Chris VERMEULEN AUS Rizla Suzuki MotoGP SUZUKI 1'38.341
15 Sylvain GUINTOLI FRA Alice Team DUCATI 1'38.435
16 Anthony WEST AUS Kawasaki Racing Team KAWASAKI 1'38.768
17 Marco MELANDRI ITA Ducati Marlboro Team DUCATI 1'39.020
18 Toni ELIAS SPA Alice Team DUCATI 1'39.805

[phoenix]

hopefully not another weekend where I get my hopes up for Nicky and then all I hear is "...and Hayden drops down to...."


I guess this means that Spies' interview is temporarily suspended.

[Yamadog]

FP2

1. Casey Stoner AUS Ducati Marlboro Team (B) 1min 36.087 secs
2. Valentino Rossi ITA Fiat Yamaha Team (B) 1min 36.819 secs
3. Colin Edwards USA Tech 3 Yamaha (M) 1min 36.931 secs
4. Nicky Hayden USA Repsol Honda Team (M) 1min 37.012 secs
5. Alex de Angelis RSM San Carlo Honda Gresini (B) 1min 37.126 secs
6. Shinya Nakano JPN San Carlo Honda Gresini (B) 1min 37.137 secs
7. Randy de Puniet FRA LCR Honda MotoGP (M) 1min 37.187 secs
8. John Hopkins USA Kawasaki Racing Team (B) 1min 37.251 secs
9. Dani Pedrosa SPA Repsol Honda Team (M) 1min 37.280 secs
10. Chris Vermeulen AUS Rizla Suzuki MotoGP (B) 1min 37.282 secs
11. Andrea Dovizioso ITA JiR Team Scot MotoGP (M) 1min 37.326 secs
12. Sylvain Guintoli FRA Alice Team (B) 1min 37.357 secs
13. James Toseland GBR Tech 3 Yamaha (M) 1min 37.838 secs
14. Jorge Lorenzo SPA Fiat Yamaha Team (M) 1min 37.960 secs
15. Anthony West AUS Kawasaki Racing Team (B) 1min 38.413 secs
16. Toni Elias SPA Alice Team (B) 1min 38.656 secs
17. Loris Capirossi ITA Rizla Suzuki MotoGP (B) 1min 38.667 secs
18. Marco Melandri ITA Ducati Marlboro Team (B) 1min 39.214 secs

And Loris crashed again and will not ride. Ben Spies said thanks but no thanks to deputize.

[desert_rider]

And Loris crashed again and will not ride.

   That boy is going to kill himself !!

[DredheadV2.0]

hopefully not another weekend where I get my hopes up for Nicky and then all I hear is "...and Hayden drops down to...."

Then hope for either fewer laps or a more efficient 212V motor.  Isn't the new motor supposedly even thirstier than the spring-valve?

Nicky's doing much better on this bike, but I think he'd do even better on the Ducati.

[Yamadog]

Pole:

1. Casey Stoner        Ducati Marlboro Team     1:35.520           23
 2. Dani Pedrosa        Repsol Honda Team        1:35.552 + 0.032   28
 3. Valentino Rossi     Fiat Yamaha Team         1:35.659 + 0.139   29
 4. Nicky Hayden        Repsol Honda Team        1:35.975 + 0.455   25
 5. Randy de Puniet     LCR Honda MotoGP         1:35.985 + 0.465   28
 6. Colin Edwards       Tech 3 Yamaha            1:36.278 + 0.758   23
 7. Jorge Lorenzo       Fiat Yamaha Team         1:36.532 + 1.012   26
 8. Chris Vermeulen     Rizla Suzuki MotoGP      1:36.768 + 1.248   25
 9. Shinya Nakano       San Carlo Honda Gresini  1:36.804 + 1.284   25
10. Sylvain Guintoli    Alice Team               1:36.823 + 1.303   26
11. Andrea Dovizioso    JiR Team Scot MotoGP     1:36.899 + 1.379   22
12. Alex de Angelis     San Carlo Honda Gresini  1:36.948 + 1.428   24
13. James Toseland      Tech 3 Yamaha            1:36.978 + 1.458   26
14. Toni Elias          Alice Team               1:37.287 + 1.767   25
15. John Hopkins        Kawasaki Racing Team     1:37.643 + 2.123   20
16. Anthony West        Kawasaki Racing Team     1:37.793 + 2.273   26
17. Marco Melandri      Ducati Marlboro Team     1:38.726 + 3.206   25

Apparently Hopper fractured an ankle in a big off, so we'll see if he's as tough as Lorenzo I guess. Melandri? How long will it be before Sete takes that seat?

[atypical1]

Gooooooooooooo Casey!

james

[dnlwthrn]

Hopper's out 3-4 weeks.  Fractured bone in ankle, plus 2 fractures in the tibia, plus possible knee issues.  He's not to put weight on the foot for 20-25 days.  He "might" be ready to ride again by the time they get to Laguna.

Interesting to see that the top 6 all qualified faster than the previous record lap.  I'll be watching tomorrow morning with the little ones, thanks to MotoGP.com

[DredheadV2.0]

Okay, someone please tell me what "A-style TT" means.  It's not a TT race like Manx or any of those other crazy street-assault TT races, so...

kthxbye

[Jeff N]

A-Style is an Italian clothing company.

The races in Holland, MotoGP's oldest venue (that's been badly hacked and shortened, BTW), have always been called the TT because it was once a public roads course.

[DogBoy]

The Dutch GP is a very old and historic event and still uses the TT name from the days when all races were known as TT's. At one time many races were run on public roads closed for the event.

A-style is the sponsor. A-style TT = Red Bull GP.

[DogBoy]

Jeff got me by 27 seconds.

[Jeff N]

 

[DredheadV2.0]

 

Hence my confusion.

[phoenix]

 
looks like missionary position to me.

[Dutch]

 
looks like missionary position to me.

Doggy -

[Mookie]

Holy crap, just saw Hopper's crash (well, parts of it).  He went really fast *into a wall*.  I'd say he's probably lucky to be alive  

[Aero]

 

 

A-Style is an Italian clothing company.

And I'm expecting a copyright infringement suit any day now!

[dnlwthrn]

What, no results posted yet?  


Sure was an interesting race.  I wish I would have caught the whole thing, as I missed about the first 10 laps (and all the crashes).

Summary:  Rossi lowsides on the first lap, taking out RdP as he goes down.  He somehow manages to save the bike, gets back on and keeps racing (now in last).  Edwards gets caught behind the crash, and has to work back through the pack.  Stoner passes Pedrobot for the lead, and never looks back.  Nicky settles in behind Pedrosa for a good race, and appears to be set for 3rd.  Edwards makes his way back up to 4th, and then on the last chicane (where he tried to pass Nicky 2 years ago and crashed on the last lap), Nicky's bike appears to quit.  He coasts across the line banging his fists on the tank as Edwards passes him for the final podium spot.  Rossi manages to get up to 11th (IIRC).

So the championship is all up in the air again, with Pedrosa leading Rossi by 4 points and Stoner only 25 points away from Rossi in third.

Race Results
1    C. STONER            AUS    Ducati Marlboro Team    42'12.337
2    D. PEDROSA    SPA    Repsol Honda Team    + 11.310
3    C. EDWARDS    USA    Tech 3 Yamaha            + 17.125
4    N. HAYDEN            USA    Repsol Honda Team    + 20.477
5    A. DOVIZIOSO    ITA    JiR Team Scot MotoGP    + 27.346
6    J. LORENZO    SPA    Fiat Yamaha Team    + 28.608
7    C. VERMEULEN    AUS    Rizla Suzuki MotoGP    + 32.330
8    S. NAKANO            JPN    San Carlo Honda Gresini + 34.892
9    J. TOSELAND    GBR    Tech 3 Yamaha            + 38.566
10    S. GUINTOLI    FRA    Alice Team                    + 38.817
11    V. ROSSI            ITA    Fiat Yamaha Team    + 46.025
12    T. ELIAS            SPA    Alice Team                    + 48.213
13    M. MELANDRI    ITA    Ducati Marlboro Team    + 59.594

[Jeff N]

Crap. Asimo leads the Championship.

http://www.roadracingworld.com/news/article/?article=33045