First Practice Dutch GP - Rossi crashes - Nakano fastest

[Stretchy]

Pos. Rider Team Bike Time
1 Shinya Nakano Kawasaki Racing Team Kawasaki Ninja ZX-RR 1:39.619
2 John Hopkins Rizla Suzuki MotoGP Suzuki GSV-R 1:39.887
3 Casey Stoner Honda LCR Honda RC211V 1:40.031
4 Chris Vermeulen Rizla Suzuki MotoGP Suzuki GSV-R 1:40.429
5 Carlos Checa Tech 3 Yamaha Yamaha YZR-M1 1:40.725
6 Colin Edwards Camel Yamaha Team Yamaha YZR-M1 1:40.861
7 Marco Melandri Fortuna Honda Honda RC211V 1:40.931
8 Dani Pedrosa Repsol Honda Team Honda RC211V 1:41.032
9 Makoto Tamada Konica Minolta Honda Honda RC211V 1:41.209
10 Kenny Roberts Jnr. Team Roberts KR211V 1:41.304
11 Randy De Puniet Kawasaki Racing Team Kawasaki Ninja ZX-RR 1:41.322
12 Nicky Hayden Repsol Honda Team Honda RC211V 1:41.386
13 Alex Hofmann Ducati Marlboro Team Ducati Desmosedici GP-6 1:41.907
14 Loris Capirossi Ducati Marlboro Team Ducati Desmosedici GP-6 1:42.974
15 James Ellison Tech 3 Yamaha Yamaha YZR-M1 1:43.389
16 Valentino Rossi Camel Yamaha Team Yamaha YZR-M1 1:44.088
17 Jose Luis Cardoso Team D'Antin Pramac Ducati Desmosedici GP-6 1:44.558
18 Ivan Silva Team D'antin Pramac Ducati Desmosedici GP-6 1:46.254
19 Toni Elias Fortuna Honda Honda RC211V 1:48.919


Weather: Dry-Wet.

The first free practice session at the 'new' Assen circuit has ended with Kawasaki's Shinya Nakano setting the fastest time after a rain-hit 90-minute exploratory run, but the real drama came when Valentino Rossi crashed heavily early on.

The Doctor fell from his YZR-M1 machine at high-speed approaching the final chicane and had to be stretchered off to the medical center.

Early reports from track-side indicated that Camel Yamaha's Rossi had broken his wrist and sustained injuries to his chest and ankle. He attended a Dutch hospital for further examinations, and as yet there is no official word on his condition and his further participation in this weekend's race meeting.

Nakano's time of 1:39.619 is some 19 seconds faster than Rossi's 2005 pole-lap, following major reconstruction of the North loop, which reduced the overall length of the lap from 3.7-miles to 2.8-miles.

Super Shinya was followed home by Suzuki's John Hopkins and LCR Honda's Casey Stoner, the trio split by 0.412 seconds.

The session started dry, but the clouds had gathered during the first 45 minutes, and soon after, the heaven's opened and the riders returned to pit-lane, in the hope that the wet weather would abate. Sadly, the rain continued to fall and the session was effectively finished.

Injured riders Marco Melandri (20 laps) and Loris Capirossi (14 laps) showed why motorcycle racers are a hardy bunch, Melandri only cleared to ride in Holland yesterday following the accident at the start of the Catalan GP.

The weather forecast for the rest of the day is mixed, so fingers crossed that the second free practice hour remains dry. That session is due to begin at 2pm, local time at the Circuit Van Drenthe.

[aardvark]

MotoGP World Champion Valentino Rossi has been passed fit to ride at Assen, despite being hospitalised following a heavy morning fall.

The Italian superstar was thrown from his Camel Yamaha at high speed on only his sixth lap of the first free practice session, which had been extended to 1hr 30mins due to recent track modifications, and was taken to the trackside Clinica Mobile and then on to Assen hospital.

Full medical checks at the hospital revealed that Rossi hadn't - as initially feared - broken his right wrist, but has sustained hairline fractures to his right hand and left ankle, plus chest bruising and a haematoma on his right elbow.

Rossi then appeared in the Camel Yamaha pits just as this afternoon's second free practice session started - already wearing his leathers - and was soon out on track trying to regain lost ground ahead of Friday's qualifying session and Saturday's race.

After a nightmare start to the 2006 season, Rossi - the reigning five-times MotoGP world champion - has won the last two GPs to close the points gap from a low of 43 to 29 behind Repsol Honda's Nicky Hayden prior to this weekend's eighth round of the championship.

Rossi has previously stated that he must finish on the podium at all remaining races to have a chance of defending his crown.

The British Grand Prix takes place just one week after Assen

[Neka79]

wow...was gunna comment that a broken wrist would put him out for 4 weeks minimum (surely??) but as its not as bad as that, and hes back on the bike, i wonder how his fitness will be?? will he be able to handle 20 laps/100km on a moto gp machine??

after all..he is the doctor, so dont count him out...

[Pabs]

Rossi came back from hospital in late afternoon session and put himself in 12th practise quilifying spot with his injuries

[NovaCoder]

Rossi came back from hospital in late afternoon session and put himself in 12th practice qualifying spot with his injuries

It's got to hurt him in the race and prob for the next couple of races after that....what a year he's having