Assen - The Dutch TT/MotoGP

Here's an excellent reason for starting a new thread. It's not a takeover, it's another MotoGP weekend, and a resumption of the race for the title. Assen is traditionally one of the best races, and it's a favourite circuit with the riders. After 6 rounds, 3 riders are on 106 points. It's unheard of, as the points awarding system in MotoGP is so extensive, going right back to 15th place. But Rossi, Lorenzo and Casey Stoner are equal, and tomorrow [yes, tomorrow] qualification is run. As usual with MotoGP, it's not essential to get pole position, but it is a good indicator. At Catalunya, after an astonishing race Lorenzo said hasta la proxima - until next time.

Can't wait.

Friday 26 June Qualifying

1150-1500, BBC Red Button/online

Saturday 27 June 125 and 250cc race

0950-1205, BBC Red Button/online

Race

1245-1400, BBC Two/online

MotoGP Extra

1400-1430, BBC Red Button online

Always liked Assen as a track but just feel it's not as good since all the changes were made to it.But still wet or dry it's normally a good race,think this one will be between Rossi and Lorenzo.

As I am still able to pick my working hours, I was able to tune into the BBC Red Button, the fount of all action TV. I wish they wouldn't keep referring to it though as something special. It's only channel 301 or 302 on Freeview. Anyway, I digress.

First the good news. JT made 9th in qualifying, so it seems he might be getting the hang of the Yamaha R1 at last. His estranged teammate [they don't share data], Colin Edwards made 5th though. So you could say that it's only qualified good news; but I wouldn't.

The bad news for fans of Nicky Hayden is that he's still back in 13th spot on the Ducati, while teammate Stoner was 4th [and that's slow for Casey]. So the usual suspects did the job, plus Pedrosa, who is coming back into form after injury. I expect JT and Stoner to do better than their qualification rank, and expect Pedrosa and Edwards to do worse. And there will be the usual presence of Caparossi and Dovizioso somewhere in the mix. It looks like it might be fast and entertaining, because there's bugger all time between them in race trim. And there's a 60% chance of rain..!

1. V. ROSSI. ITA. Fiat Yamaha Team. 1'36.025

2. D. PEDROSA. SPA. Repsol Honda Team. + 0.085

3. J. LORENZO. SPA. Fiat Yamaha Team. + 0.368

4. C. STONER. AUS. Ducati Marlboro Team. + 0.608

5. C. EDWARDS. USA. Monster Yamaha Tech 3. + 0.735

6. L. CAPIROSSI. ITA. Rizla Suzuki MotoGP. + 0.928

7. C. VERMEULEN. AUS. Rizla Suzuki MotoGP. + 1.169

8. A. DOVIZIOSO. ITA. Repsol Honda Team. + 1.212

9. J. TOSELAND. GBR. Monster Yamaha Tech 3. + 1.298

10. R. DE PUNIET. FRA. LCR Honda MotoGP. + 1.448

11. A. DE ANGELIS. RSM. San Carlo Honda Gresini. + 1.612

12. M. KALLIO. FIN. Pramac Racing. + 1.724

13. N. HAYDEN. USA. Ducati Marlboro Team. + 1.734

14. M. MELANDRI. ITA. Hayate Racing Team. + 1.923

15. T. ELIAS. SPA. San Carlo Honda Gresini. + 2.111

16. S. GIBERNAU. SPA. Grupo Francisco Hernando. + 2.428

17. N. CANEPA. ITA. Pramac Racing. + 2.580

18. Y. TAKAHASHI. JPN. Scot Racing Team MotoGP. + 2.594

19. G. TALMACSI. HUN. Scot Racing Team MotoGP. + 3.382

Thanks Official MotoGP website. Boo to the Beeb one..!

A couple of good races this morning in the 125cc and 250cc races, but now for the big one. Move over Wimbledon.

OK, so not a brilliant race at the front. Rossi won his 100th Grand Prix at a relative canter, as Lorenzo got baulked by the bit of traffic that was Edwards and Stoner. For a while he was catching up, but Vale responded. The first 5 placings were spread out, but the real race was for 6th, with JT winning it from a bunch including Elias, Capirossi, Hayden, Kallio and De Puniet. They were swapping places time and time again, lap after lap. It was better that the director concentrated on them, once Lorenzo had decided 2nd place was better than binning it. Once again, Pedrosa fell off, but so did his teammate Dovizioso, meaning no factory Hondas finished. So it's over a year since they last won a race, and Honda have never made a properly slow bike. Maybe that's a turning point.

In the 125cc race it was business as usual. Positions swapping left, right and centre. Bradley Smith led from the first lap, but then got swallowed up at 5th. The front trio, including Julian [one lap less] Simon, got away. But eventually Smith got past 4th man Iannone, and on completion, 2nd place Tirol was docked 20 seconds for a dangerous move, and Smith was placed 3rd. That leaves him in a very good position in the Championship, just behind Simon.

The 250cc race was a cracker, but without British interest [OK, we had a wild card entry at the back], the enthusiasm was all about the close action. Simoncelli had to win, but came in 3rd; pre-race Championship leader Bautista, spectacularly ran into the back of race winner Aoyama, who now leads the Championship himself.

Dutch MotoGP race result:

1 V Rossi (Ita) Yamaha 42 minutes 14.611 seconds

2 J Lorenzo (Spa) Yamaha 42:19.979

3 C Stoner (Aus) Ducati 42:37.724

4 C Edwards (USA) Yamaha 42:43.725

5 C Vermeulen (Aus) Suzuki 42:48.216

6 J Toseland (Gbr) Yamaha 42:53.958

7 R De Puniet (Fra) Honda 42:54.154

8 T Elias (Spa) Honda 42:54.385

9 N Hayden (USA) Ducati 42:54.434

10 L Capirossi (Ita) Suzuki 42:55.284

11 A de Angelis (RSM) Honda 43:00.621

12 M Melandri (Ita) Kawasaki 43:12.388

13 S Gibernau (Spn) Ducati 43:19.977

14 N Canepa (Ita) Ducati 43:24.508

15 Y Takahashi (Jpn) Honda 43:24.541

MotoGP world championship standings:

1 V Rossi (Ita) 131 points

2 J Lorenzo (Spn) 126

3 C Stoner (Aus) 122

4 A Dovizioso (Ita) 69

5 D Pedrosa (Spn) 67

= C Edwards (USA) 67

7 L Capirossi (Ita) 55

8 M Melandri (Ita) 54

9 C Vermeulen (Aus) 53

10 R de Puniet (Fr) 51

125cc race result:

1 S Gadea (Sp) Aprilia 39 minutes 07.577 seconds

2 J Simon (Sp) Aprilia 39:08.478

3 B Smith (GB) Aprilia 39:19.933

125cc championship standings:

1 J Simon (Spn) Aprilia 104 points

2 B Smith (GB) Aprilia 98.5

3 A Iannone (Ita) Aprilia 84.5

250cc race result:

1 H Aoyama (Jpn) Honda 40 minutes 44.008 seconds

2 H Barbera (Spn) Aprilia 40:48.432

3 M Simoncelli (Ita) Gilera 40:54.437

250cc championship standings:

1 H Aoyama (Jpn) Honda 121 points

2 A Bautista (Spn) Aprilia) 108

3 H Barbera (Spn) Aprilia 95

And now British Super Bikes [bSB] is on ITV4 and my Freeview reception is playing up. That's a shame. Next week Laguna Seca..!