Assen, 29 June: Heavy rain and cold winds lashed the Assen circuit making 2conditions treacherous during today’s qualifying session for the Dutch TT. The rain conditions were an unlucky blow for the Honda LCR team and Carlos Checa, after the three practice sessions had been held on a dry track.

With no wet track set-up time Checa did not feel comfortable in the conditions and qualified sixteenth for tomorrow’s 26 lap race. On a water-logged track Checa lacked grip and feel in the slippery conditions, similar to the problems he faced in last week’s British GP at Donington. Australian rider Chris Vermeulen qualified on pole position.

CHECA: Sixteenth - 1’53.271

CHECA: “I was hoping for a dry day but like at Donington last week I have zero feeling in the rain, especially at the rear, I cannot lean the bike in the turns and it is difficult to open the throttle. There is a gap to the leading group so clearly I’m hoping for a dry race in the hope we can make some progress in normal conditions. In these conditions it is not possible to push for a faster time.”

In 250cc qualifying, the conditions also worked against Irish rookie Eugene Laverty who was hoping for a dry day, confident that he could have improved his times from yesterday. He will start from 21st on the grid with a time of 1’44.148.

LAVERTY: “I would prefer a dry race because I think I have the potential to be faster with some set-up changes we wanted to make from yesterday. But the weather spoilt that chance today and then as the track dried out late in the session my wet set-up was unsuitable for the conditions.”