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ASSEN, The Netherlands - Italian Marco Simoncelli of the Honda team dominated Thursday's first practice for the weekend's Dutch MotoGP ahead of Valentino Rossi and Casey Stoner.
In the rain-disrupted session, Simoncelli lapped 0.360sec ahead of Ducati's Rossi, with Honda's Australian rider and series leader Stoner close to half a second down on the latter Italian.
Spaniard Jorge Lorenzo, on a Yamaha, won here last season and came in fifth behind Honda's Andrea Dovizioso of Italy.
READY FOR THE 'CATHEDRAL' SERVICE
Stoner goes into Saturday's MotoGP looking to make it four wins on the bounce and cement his place at the top of the standings.
The Honda rider, who won in Assen three years ago, leapfrogged defending champion Jorge Lorenzo to take over top spot in the title race after winning the British GP at a rainy Silverstone on June 12.
Rossi needs to get to the podium to remain in with a chance of snatching the title, but still has not won a race this season and is now on his longest run of races without victory since 2000.
But he enjoys the Assen track, known as 'The Cathedral' to race fans, having won here five times. He missed last year's race because of injury.
The second practice was cancelled after a crash by Italian rider Alex Baldolini in the Moto2 class, in which he inadvertently left a trail of oil over a considerable portion of the track when he re-entered.
In the rain-disrupted session, Simoncelli lapped 0.360sec ahead of Ducati's Rossi, with Honda's Australian rider and series leader Stoner close to half a second down on the latter Italian.
Spaniard Jorge Lorenzo, on a Yamaha, won here last season and came in fifth behind Honda's Andrea Dovizioso of Italy.
READY FOR THE 'CATHEDRAL' SERVICE
Stoner goes into Saturday's MotoGP looking to make it four wins on the bounce and cement his place at the top of the standings.
The Honda rider, who won in Assen three years ago, leapfrogged defending champion Jorge Lorenzo to take over top spot in the title race after winning the British GP at a rainy Silverstone on June 12.
Rossi needs to get to the podium to remain in with a chance of snatching the title, but still has not won a race this season and is now on his longest run of races without victory since 2000.
But he enjoys the Assen track, known as 'The Cathedral' to race fans, having won here five times. He missed last year's race because of injury.
The second practice was cancelled after a crash by Italian rider Alex Baldolini in the Moto2 class, in which he inadvertently left a trail of oil over a considerable portion of the track when he re-entered.
