MotoGP Blog

For much of the session, it looked like the previous sessions here, and in the UK: Stoner, then everyone else some way back. The last ten minutes were to prove things to be rather different, dismissing this cliché before it established itself.

Stoner did, indeed, dominate after a mixed morning warm-up for all in the changeable conditions, establishing a 0.7 sec gap to Rossi before the final round of qualifiers. Suddenly, stunningly, Rossi found the pace he had been searching for and knocked Stoner back to second place. Back in the pits Stoner stood up, mounted the Ducati and just monstered it: 1:35.520, the fastest lap around this remodelled, neutered Assen track.

The excitement was not yet over, as a resurgent Pedrosa took up the gauntlet and flung his Honda into the curves with a determination and grace we have seen all too infrequently from the Spaniard. He looked like he meant it, like he cared. And he did; just 0.032 secs behind Stoner’s staggering lap and 0.1 secs ahead of Rossi, Pedrosa completed the front row. Blocked out by the title challengers, we can expect a joust tomorrow of gladatorial proportions. Stoner does not have the lead by the margin he did all weekend at Donington, Rossi and Pedrosa mean, and need, to establish a lead over one another of some substance. In many ways, it is the perfect front row for the halfway point in the season. Stoner later said he could have gone faster. I’m not so sure.

Hayden was the best of the rest, leading his team-mate for much of the session he came within a half second of pole, sparing his blushes by just beating de Puniet down to 5th on the LCR Honda. Edwards also put up a valiant show, out-qualifying Lorenzo on the factory bike (6th and 7th respectively).

Already a man down for the weekend, we lost another today as Hopkins slid out, dropping the bike in a high-speed low-side and colliding with a section of unprotected wall. He has fractured his left ankle and damaged his left knee, adding further misery to his already troubled season. The injuries may rule him out of the next two races. This means we’ll only see 16 bikes on the grid tomorrow, with Capirossi also missing the race.

Rossi won from 7th place last year. It will take another effort of this sort to repeat the win to fend off Pedrosa and Stoner. Pick a winner? Rather you than me.