After a 2000km drive with his parents in the family motorhome from their base in Barcelona, Spain, Stoner, 16, from Kurri Kurri in New South Wales, is leaving nothing to chance in his preparation for his first race at Assen.

Known as the cathedral of motorcycle racing, Assen is the most historic track on the world championship calendar. Originally based on public roads, the winding circuit is the only survivor from the inaugural 1949 world series.  It is the fastest and longest GP circuit, and unlike purpose-built tracks, many of the corners are cambered, with a crown at the centre. This poses an additional challenge to the GP riders, with extra set-up time essential for the unique and complex circuit.

"I have played the Assen circuit a lot on the Playstation game, so I have an idea of how it is," Stoner said.

"I know they've made some changes to the track for the race this year, but as I've never raced there it won't make any difference to me.

"Really everything is still new for me this year. I'm having to learn to ride all the tracks, even those I have been at before, because riding a 250 there is completely different from what I used to do on a 125, and it means I have to learn throughout the race weekends."

Stoner graduated to the 250cc class after a season racing a 125cc machine in the British and Spanish national series.  He scored his second sixth-placed finish of his 250cc debut season two weeks ago in Spain, just a month after he cracked a scaphoid bone in his wrist in a crash at the French GP.

"I'm feeling pretty healthy now, and the wrist is not giving me too much trouble," Stoner said.

Riding an Aprilia for the Italian-based Safilo Oxydo Race LCR team, Stoner is the youngest rider to score points in the 250cc world championship. He has also qualified three times in the top eight, including twice in seventh place, making him the youngest rider to start in the first two rows of a 250cc grid.

Australia's veteran MotoGP rider, Garry McCoy, is still sidelined by his leg injuries, but is expected to return to racing at the British GP at
Silverstone on July 12-14.

More than 100,000 fans are expected to flock to the revised 6.027km Assen circuit this weekend, with the racing on Saturday - a day earlier than all other GPs.