Meanwhile, Kawasaki rider
Shinya Nakano was the unsung hero in Assen. After qualifying in second place he rode superbly to achieve his best ever
MotoGP finish - a second place - after Edwards fell. Nakano's rookie team-mate
Randy de Puniet arrives at the circuit where he won the 250cc race last year in the rain, desperate for points after a disappointing start to his MotoGP career.
Another rider looking for a change of fortune will be Anglo-American
John Hopkins, who qualified on pole at Assen. It was his first ever MotoGP pole and he stuck with the leaders until slowing with tyre problems to finish sixth, four places in front of his team-mate
Chris Vermeulen.
Both Hopkins and, to a lesser extent, Vermeulen have close links to the UK, but Cumbrian James Ellison is the only 'official' home rider and will make his
Donington Tech 3 Yamaha debut despite sustaining an ankle injury at Assen, when he crashed out of 12th place.
The 27 lap 250cc race also promises to be a cracker with 19 year old Spaniard
Jorge Lorenzo on the charge riding the Fortuna Aprilia. He grabbed his fourth win of the season in convincing style in Assen but still trails the consistent
Andrea Dovizioso by 16 points in the championship.
Italian Dovizioso, riding the Humangest Racing Honda is the only rider in all three championships to finish on the podium in the opening eight races which included a victory in Barcelona. However, with Lorenzo in such devastating form the former 125cc World Champion knows he must win more races to keep the Spanish teenager at bay.
Nineteen year old Spaniard Alvaro Bautista is running away with the 125 cc World Championship. Riding the Master-MVA Aspar team Aprilia he has two grands prix and only finished off the podium once to open up a 47 point lead in the Championship over the KTM of Mika Kallio.
