Gresini Honda's Marco Simoncelli grabbed top spot on the Assen MotoGP final free practice timesheet before the heavens opened in Holland with half an hour left to go in a session that saw all three Repsol Honda riders crash within a lap of each other.
Casey Stoner was the first to go down on his third lap but walked away unhurt, then Andrea Dovizios highsided out of turn nine, breaking a bone in his foot and finally stand-in rider Hiro Aoyama.
All three were on left-handers and more than likely cold tyres are to blame. Stoner was back on track immediately with Dovizioso returning after a medical centre check while Aoyama was also unhurt.
Simoncelli, meanwhile, took full advantage, lapping in 1'36.149 but Stoner ran him close on his second bike with a 1'36.243 and Ben Spies was the fastest of the Yamahas in third but is less than a tenth slower than the Australian.
The second Factory Yamaha of Jorge Lorenzo was fourth but three-tenths slower than his team-mate while Valentino Rossi is proving the GP11.1 is better than the previous incarnation but he is a full second slower than the poletime.
Crocked Cal Crutchlow is an astounding sixth and one place ahead of his equally injured Monster Yamaha team-mate Colin Edwards. Doviziso ended the session in eighth, Nicky Hayden ninth and Toni Elias, yes, Toni Elias rounding out the top ten.
