marco simoncelli on pole at assen

Marco Simoncelli pipped American Ben Spies to take pole position for Saturday's Assen MotoGP.

Gresini Honda rider Simoncelli managed a time of one minute 34.718 to take top spot, with Spies just nine thousandths of a second behind.

Championship leader Casey Stoner was third on his Repsol Honda with reigning champion Jorge Lorenzo fourth.

British rider Cal Crutchlow managed to qualify in sixth despite riding with a broken collarbone.

Simoncelli - who is still searching for his first MotoGP podium finish - has crashed out of three of the six races so far this season but has now qualified in the top two in all of the last five.

Nine-time champion Valentino Rossi was second in wet practice on Thursday on his new Ducati but that result proved to be a false dawn after he could only qualify down in 11th place.

Crutchlow had an operation last week to repair his left collarbone and put in a superb effort to start on the second row.

The 25-year-old had a plate and seven screws inserted into the fracture after a crash at Silverstone but was lying in third place with less than a minute of qualifying to go before a late surge from the pack pushed him back.

Assen MotoGP qualifying results:

1) M Simoncelli (It) Gresini Honda 1'34.718

2) B Spies (USA) Yamaha 1'34.727

3) C Stoner (Aus) Repsol Honda 1'35.008

4) J Lorenzo (Sp) Yamaha 1'35.143

5) A Dovizioso (It) Repsol Honda 1'35.244

6) C Crutchlow (GB) Tech 3 Yamaha 1'35.329

7) K Abraham (Cze) Cardion Ducati 1'35.742

8) C Edwards (USA) Tech 3 Yamaha 1'35.818

9) N Hayden (USA) Ducati 1'35.866

10) R De Puniet (Fr) Pramac Ducati 1'36.435

11) V Rossi (It) Ducati 1'36.564

12) H Aoyama (Jpn) Repsol Honda 1'36.580

13) H Barbera (Sp) Aspar Ducati 1'36.590

14) A Bautista (Sp) Suzuki 1'36.820

15) L Capirossi (It) Pramac Ducati 1'37.130

16) T Elias (Sp) LCR Honda 1'37.651

17) K Akiyoshi (Jpn) Gresini Honda 1'39.006

Moto2 qualifying result:

1) S Bradl (Ger) Kalex 1'39.305

2) M Marquez (Sp) Suter 1'39.600

3) S Corsi (It) FTR 1'39.700

125cc qualifying result:

1) M Vinales (Spa) Aprilia 1'44.597

2) J Zarco (Fr) Derbi 1'44.785

3) S Cortese (Ger) Aprilia 1'44.787


link : http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motogp/13907590.stm

Come on Marco finally win your first race in Motogp!!!

Extremely tight between first and second, should be a really good race. I've always enjoyed assen as a track. I hope Simoncelli wins it but I can't see past Stoner on this one.