Webber charges to first F1 pole

Highlights - Webber claims German pole

By Russell Barder

Red Bull's Mark Webber qualified on pole for the first time after a rain-affected qualifying session for the German Grand Prix at the Nurburgring.

The Australian clocked one minute 32.230 to finish ahead of Brawn GP's Rubens Barrichello and Jenson Button.

Sebastian Vettel was fourth in the second Red Bull as the unpredictable weather made for a thrilling afternoon.

The improving McLaren of Lewis Hamilton will start fifth, equalling his best qualifying performance of the season.

The reigning world champion last started inside the top six in Bahrain and his performance on Saturday was just reward for his team who have worked tirelessly to get a new floor, new top bodywork and front wing onto his car.

For Webber, Saturday's performance puts him in a good position to record his first win and the 32-year-old said: "This is a very special day for me.

"I've been close to getting pole a few times in the past, and now we're here.

"The team has done a very good job; I've been quick all weekend, but we got really tested today.

"But I'm now in a fantastic position to get my first win. Obviously the Brawns have had a strong season and will push us.

"But we're up for the fight - I certainly am - and I'm up for trying to win my first race."

Vettel pushed hard around the final few corners as he searched for pole at his home grand prix, but the German had to settle for a place on the second row.

BBC SPORT'S FUEL-ADJUSTED GRID (with projected race first pit stops*) 1 Webber (lap 21) 2 Vettel +0.250 (lap 19) 3 Hamilton +0.614 (lap 18) 4 Barrichello +0.617 (lap 14) 5 Button +0.838 (lap 13) 6 Sutil +1.474 (lap 28) 7 Kovalainen +1.524 (lap 21) 8 Massa +1.906 (lap 25) 9 Raikkonen +2.025 (lap 26) 10 Piquet +2.048 (lap 26) * Calculated on the weight of fuel left in cars after qualifying had finished German GP qualifying results F1 Mole explains fuel-adjusted grid

Heikki Kovalainen, running without the same updates as his McLaren team-mate Hamilton, recorded a creditable sixth, while Force India enjoyed their best ever qualifying with Adrian Sutil seventh on the grid.

The Ferrari's of Felipe Massa and Kimi Raikkonen, who have also come to Germany having made a few aerodynamic tweaks, will start eighth and ninth respectively.

Nelson Piquet Jr completes the top ten having out-qualified team-mate Fernando Alonso for the first time, who was the most high profile victim during the second qualifying session and starts from 12th.

The Nurburgring's infamous micro-climate played its part during that session as the rain that had began to fall at the end of qualifying one threatened to cause havoc.

The drivers were desperate to get out early at the start of the second session and all made the decision to go with slick tyres.

However, within the space of a lap the majority pitted for intermediates as cars span off with the rain continuing to fall.

It was a decision that appeared to pay dividends as laps times increased, until Barrichello and the Brawn team pulled a masterstroke by reverting to slicks as the rain abated in the middle part of the session.

Qualifying two was madness, but it was good fun.  Jenson Button

The Brazilian went nearly three and half seconds quicker than the rest of the field and they soon followed suit to make for an exciting climax to the session, with Hamilton and Button pulling out a lap late on to just make it through.

"I had some crazy ones in the past but it's always the more recent one that counts," said Barrichello.

"We were just saying that it felt like we were not breathing for the whole session and it feels like we are only starting to breath again now."

Button added: "Qualifying two was madness, but it was good fun.

"We're struggling with the tyres anyway, but when you chuck water in there as well it's quite difficult.

"But it's great to see us, Rubens and myself, in the top three - and Mark's got his first pole, so congratulations to him."

Webber said of his last lap in qualifying two, on slicks in the rain: "I was all over the place, nearly off several times, nearly in my hotel room at the last corner. I thought I must have been 18th. I couldn't believe it when I was fourth."

Qualifying one saw Toyota's German driver Timo Glock eliminated as he could only put his car 19th, although he was later demoted to last after stewards ruled he had impeded Alonso.

It means Toro Rosso's under-pressure Sebastien Bourdais, whose seat is rumoured to be under threat, moves one place up the grid.

To complete a busy day for the stewards, Red Bull were fined £8,500 for failing to release Vettel from the pits when it was safe to do so as he almost collided with Williams' Kazuki Nakajima

Rossi earns 100th career victory

Valentino Rossi romped to his 100th career victory as he won the Dutch MotoGP at Assen to go clear in the MotoGP world championship standings.

The reigning world champion came home ahead of Fiat Yamaha team-mate Jorge Lorenzo, with Australia's Casey Stoner, who led early on, finishing third.

Honda duo Dani Pedrosa and Andrea Dovizioso crashed out from threatening positions on the same corner.

Their exits helped James Toseland to sixth, his best result of the season.

606: DEBATE Even though I'm a Casey fan, this is a big achievement for a rider to win 100 races. Rossi is an all-time great and no one will ever achieve as much as he has done in MotoGP Hammydigrassi

"I'm so happy, it was a great race," Rossi told BBC Sport.

"I felt good from the first lap, so I decided to push to the maximum.

"I know Jorge Lorenzo is hard to beat but I have great pace, the tyres worked very well and Yamaha is fantastic on this track."

His victory was a lot more straight forward than his dramatic win over Lorenzo in Barcelona, and he joked "this was more boring from the outside, but another battle with Jorge like that is too much for old people like my grandmother."

Stoner's third place finish was all the more impressive considering he was suffering from stomach cramps for the second consecutive race, and after the race he was clearly in pain.

"It's not my fitness, I know I've trained hard enough, it's something a bit strange", said the Australian.

"Luckily the bike was working well on a bad day."

Once Rossi got past Stoner there was no great battle for the podium places, with the main area of excitement being the battle for sixth place.

Toseland was at the front of the pack for a lot of the time, holding off the attentions of Mika Kallio, but going into the closing stages, it seemed his chance of sixth place was gone.

But Toni Elias and Loris Capirossi went on to the grass at the final corner, opening the door for Toseland to go through, and Kallio skidded off into the gravel and failed to finish.

"I was getting ready to pass Mika at the last corner when Elias came under me at Turn 10. That let Loris through too and I'd gone from sixth to ninth!," said Toseland.

"It was so chaotic I didn't even see Kallio crash and I thought when Elias dived under Loris at the last chicane that they might run off. Fortunately for me they did and I took advantage - leading that group for so long, I think I deserved sixth."

Earlier, in the 125cc race, Spain's Sergio Gadea claimed his first win of the season as he came home ahead of Nico Terol and Julian Simon, with Bradley Smith fourth.

But Smith was promoted to a podium position after Terol was penalised 20 seconds for a clash with Gadea.

That result ensures Smith remains in close contention in the 125cc championship standings.

And Hiroshi Aoyama took the lead in the 250cc standings after winning his race, ahead of Hector Barbera and Marco Simoncelli.

Previous championship leader Alvaro Bautista failed to finish after hitting the back of Aoyama's bike.

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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

Matt Roberts' MotoGP column

Lorenzo (left) sprays winner Rossi on the podium, but Stoner isn't in the mood

Following the Battle of Barcelona, Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo's reluctant ceasefire at Assen represented the calm after the storm.

But there was blood and thunder in the chasing group, which featured a bunch of the hardest riders you could throw together.

Guys like James Toseland, Alex de Angelis, Toni Elias, Loris Capirossi and Nicky Hayden are renowned hard chargers, all riding for contracts next year, and you could tell.

"I know we were only fighting for sixth place but it felt more like there was a title on the line out there!" said Hayden, who lost pace in the second half of the race because of a loose handlebar.

The blood came from Mika Kallio, who crashed on the final lap and trapped his left hand under his Ducati, burning away his glove and part of his finger.

Admirably, he was able to laugh it off: "It is so painful, an incredible pain on the same finger I already injured during my first MotoGP test at Valencia. Maybe it would be better to cut it off!"

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To his enormous credit, it was Toseland who came out on top to clinch sixth, but nobody rode harder than Elias.

He came through from last place to seventh, only to run himself and Capirossi off track with a reckless attempt at one last pass in the final corner.

Despite apologising to Loris immediately after the race, the move earned him a 20-second penalty that relegated him to fifteenth place.

With the announcement over the weekend that Marco Simoncelli will be coming into the Gresini Team garage next season, you can sense the desperation of Elias and De Angelis, who accused his team-mate after the race of being "unsporting, both on the track and off it."

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It was another rough weekend for Casey Stoner, with his mystery illness returning to limit him to a second consecutive third place.

Stoner is not having the best of times at present

It has been reported that Stoner has a stomach problem, and whilst it is true that he has suffered cramps during the last two races, he insists that they are the result of tiredness, which he is unable to explain.

Stoner voiced his irritation at a different matter after qualifying on Friday, when he complained of rivals riding slowly on the racing line to get a tow for a fast lap.

"Race Direction pretty much make the rules and the punishments up as they go along," he fumed.

"They need to start penalising these riders because it is dangerous, but I don't expect them to because they never do. There's no point even asking."

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One thing the Grand Prix Commission have been decisive about is dropping their idea for a single bike rule in MotoGP next season.

The move had been considered in order to reduce costs and to allow more teams to put a bike on the grid.

But it seems recent events, such as the thrilling flag-to-flag races at Le Mans and Mugello, when the riders came in to switch bikes, have persuaded them otherwise.

A single-bike rule would have also meant that Lorenzo would have been unable to start at Mugello, where he crashed on the warm-up lap.

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The other announcement made by the FIM this weekend was to confirm Dunlop as the single tyre supplier for the Moto2 class, which will replace the 250s in 2010, on a three-year contract.

One of the teams had an early Moto2 prototype at Assen, and Steve Parrish was invited to complete a couple of laps, which you'll be able to see when we get chance to do a proper piece on the new category soon.

The new bikes, which will house 600cc Honda engines in prototype chassis designs, sound amazing and are already quick.

Aleix Espargaró proved as much at Jerez last weekend when he raced an early Yamaha-powered prototype in the Formula Extreme category, qualifying just two tenths of a second slower than Alex Debon's pole position for the 250cc race at the same track earlier this year and then leading the race before crashing.

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Sensationally, Espargaró led the 250cc race at Assen too and for me the elder brother of teenage 125 sensation Pol was the unsung hero of the weekend.

Discarded by the Grand Prix paddock at the end of last season as a talented but unfocused rider, Espargaró was given a call on Monday to replace injured Hungarian rider Balasz Nemeth on the factory Aprilia made vacant just a few weeks previously by MotoGP-bound compatriot Gabor Talmacsi.

It seems eight months on the dole were enough to give the 19-year-old some perspective and he looks to have added application to his natural flair, qualifying fifth and then leading the first lap of the race before finishing in an outstanding fourth place.

With a year's testing on the Moto2 bike under his belt by next season he may well be one of the names to watch out for in 2010, which should give you just enough time to learn how to say it.

Matt Roberts' Assen practice report

Dutch MotoGP, Assen
Date: 26-27 June
Friday 26 June: Qualifying: 1200-1500, BBC Red Button/online Saturday 27 July: 125cc and 250cc races: 0950-1205, BBC Red Button/online. Race live: 1240-1400, BBC Two/online

By Matt Roberts BBC Sport at Assen

Simoncelli is finding it hard to stay on his bike

Marco Simoncelli celebrated his new MotoGP contract with Honda Gresini by crashing out of 250cc free practice at high speed on Thursday, in a session dominated by current series leader Alvaro Bautista, who is certain to follow the Italian into the premier class next year.

Seeing Simoncelli's gangly frame skating across the tarmac is something we've become used to during a fraught defence of his title so far.

He has crashed eight times already - and it is a habit he will need to kick if he is going to make a successful step up.

However, as Mick Doohan said about Casey Stoner, you can teach a fast guy to stop crashing but you can't teach a slow guy to go fast.

Testament to that mantra is Randy de Puniet, who hit the deck no fewer than 22 times last season but has only had to pick gravel out of his underpants once so far in 2009.

606: DEBATE Simoncelli is a hard charger, strong willed takes no prisoners elgoog44

Playboy-sponsored Randy set out like a scalded bunny, setting the fastest time in free practice ahead of the 'big three' of Valentino Rossi, Casey Stoner and Jorge Lorenzo.

However, expect the cream to rise to the top on Friday, in particular Stoner, who was held up by traffic on three of his quick laps and ran wide on a final effort that would have otherwise put him on top of the pile.

Britain's James Toseland also made a decent start to the weekend at a circuit where he took victory in each of his World Superbike title-winning seasons.

James instantly felt the benefits of a radically revised set-up on his YZR-M1, following lengthy consultations with Fiat Yamaha team director Masahiko Nakajima after the last race in Catalunya.

With Nakajima in his garage for the entire session, the Yorkshireman ran a softer rear shock spring and revised footpeg, handlebar and seat positions.

The improvement was instantly visible as he chased Rossi and Dani Pedrosa at the top of the time sheets during the first 20 minutes of the session.

He comfortably lapped within the top six after that before slipping to ninth in a typically frantic conclusion - only 0.537 seconds off De Puniet's pacesetting time.

Simoncelli confirms MotoGP switch

Dutch MotoGP, Assen
Date: 26-27 June
Friday 26 June: Qualifying: 1200-1500, BBC Red Button/online Saturday 27 July: 125cc and 250cc races: 0950-1205, BBC Red Button/online. Race live: 1240-1400, BBC Two/online

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Simoncelli has struggled in the defence of his title this season

Reigning 250cc world champion Marco Simoncelli will compete in MotoGP with the San Carlo Honda Gresini team during the 2010 campaign.

Italian Simoncelli, 22, rejected the chance to step up this year in order to defend his title but will replace Alex de Angelis or Toni Elias next year.

"He's shown that he has the ability to be a major force in the premier class," said team chief Fausto Gresini.

"Also Honda rate him highly and believe he is a rider with great potential."

Simoncelli is currently fifth in the 250cc standings, having missed the opening race of the season because of a wrist injury and then crashing out of the most recent event in Barcelona.

606: DEBATE The Hair Bear in MGP next year, watch out everyone, no prisoners will be taken!! bigarthurisgod

This weekend he will try to revive his fortunes at the Dutch Grand Prix at Assen.

"Next year I will be a member of the Honda Gresini team and I am very happy because it is an Italian team," stated Simoncelli, who is set to take on the likes of reigning MotoGp champion Valentino Rossi next season.

"I think they are a very strong team. I am very happy to be with Honda and with Fausto. As many people know I am friends with Valentino Rossi and we sometimes go motocross training together but I would like to be fighting against him next year because that will mean I am doing very well."