Simoncelli claims pole at Assen

POLE position for the Dutch TT has gone to Marco Simoncelli with a lap time of 1:34.718.

Taking his second pole of the 2011 season, the hairy Italian was embroiled in time attack with factory Yamaha rider Ben Spies for the majority of the session. Simoncelli completed six laps in the '35 and another six in the '34 second brackets.

In the red/white anniversary livery, the Texan opted to end the session in the garage finishing ahead of championship leader Casey Stoner. Jorge Lorenzo will head the second row of the grid ahead of Repsol Honda's Andrea Dovizioso.

Returning to the track after missing his home GP, Cal Crutchlow made it to the second row of the grid in sixth position. Karel Abraham, after signing an extension with Ducati to continue next year, was the top Ducati in the qualifying session taking the seventh fastest time.

Valentino Rossi spent the majority of qualifying testing the new GP11.1 ending in 11th with a 1:36.564 lap, 1.8 seconds off Simoncelli.

Loris Capirossi crashed out with ten minutes remaining, his Ducati hit him in the back knocking him unconcious, the fall left his bike with a flat front Bridgestone tyre. He was taken to the medical centre to undergo checks and has so far been diagnosed with three broken ribs.

Full times:

1. Marco SIMONCELLI ITA San Carlo Honda Gresini 1'34.718
2. Ben SPIES USA Yamaha Factory Racing 1'34.727 0.009
3. Casey STONER AUS Repsol Honda Team 1'35.008 0.290 0.281
4. Jorge LORENZO SPA Yamaha Factory Racing 1'35.143 0.425 0.135
5. Andrea DOVIZIOSO ITA Repsol Honda Team 1'35.244 0.526 0.101
6. Cal CRUTCHLOW GBR Monster Yamaha Tech 3 1'35.329 0.611 0.085
7. Karel ABRAHAM CZE Cardion AB Motoracing 1'35.742 1.024 0.413
8. Colin EDWARDS USA Monster Yamaha Tech 3 1'35.818 1.100 0.076
9. Nicky HAYDEN USA Ducati Team 1'35.866 1.148 0.048
10. Randy DE PUNIET FRA Pramac Racing Team 1'36.435 1.717 0.569
11. Valentino ROSSI ITA Ducati Team 1'36.564 1.846 0.129
12. Hiroshi AOYAMA JPN Repsol Honda Team 1'36.580 1.862 0.016
13. Hector BARBERA SPA Mapfre Aspar Team MotoGP 1'36.590 1.872 0.010
14. Alvaro BAUTISTA SPA Rizla Suzuki MotoGP 1'36.820 2.102 0.230
15. Loris CAPIROSSI ITA Pramac Racing Team 1'37.130 2.412 0.310
16. Toni ELIAS SPA LCR Honda MotoGP 1'37.651 2.933 0.521
17. Kousuke AKIYOSHI JPN San Carlo Honda Gresini 1'39.006 4.288 1.355