Friday practice
WorldSBK
On a tricky opening day at a windswept TT Circuit Assen, it was Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) who set the pace. The weather changed multiple times throughout the day, with rain giving way to sunshine before reverting back to rain once again.

Read our WorldSBK 2024 Round Two Report here…

Bautista, winner of the last four Superbike races at the Dutch Round, completed 26 laps of the 4.555km circuit to end the day two tenths of a second faster than Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team).

Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) ended the day third fastest. 17 times winner at the Dutch Round, Jonathan Rea (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) was fifth fastest in both sessions but completed just 18 laps over the course of the day.

Championship leader Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) was riding for the first time since undergoing surgery for compartment syndrome and was sixth fastest.

 WorldSSP
Stefano Manzi (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing) timed his Superpole session to perfection, as the Italian was able to claim the second pole position of his World Supersport career.

With the session having started in wet conditions, Manzi was one of the first riders to switch to slick tyres, and almost immediately after he set his fastest time, the rain came down once again. Manzi claimed the pole position as a result, with his Ten Kate teammate, Glenn van Straalen, alongside him on the front row of the grid. Adrian Huertas (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team) rounded out the front row of the grid for Race 1.

Full Friday Superbike and Supersport results available here…

Saturday
WorldSK
Rain started falling just seconds before the pit lane opened to add even more drama to the 15-minute session. At the halfway stage of the session, Jonathan Rea (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) was the pacesetter with a 1’43.444s before going even faster to post a 1’42.650s. He did, however, face competition from Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati), who was just a tenth away from the #65.

Despite the track drying, times didn’t improve too much with Rea able to hold on to claim a first Yamaha pole position, thus making it poles with three different manufacturers, joining Noriyuki Haga and Stephane Mertens and only behind Troy Corser with six. It was his 44th pole position and his first in 203 days, with his last coming at Portimao last year. It was also Great Britain’s 160th pole position.

He was 0.094s clear of Bulega, who had been so impressive in the fully wet FP3 session. He made it three front row starts in three rounds in his rookie season. Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) claimed third place with a 1’43.003s, around 0.353s down on Rea.

Full Superbike Superpole results here…

 WorldSBK Race 1
After bursting into the lead and pulling out a 25-second lead on intermediate tyres before his rivals started closing him down, the Italian was able to take a memorable debut win during the Pirelli Dutch Round following the red flag.

Spinelli gambled with tyres by starting with a front and rear intermediate tyre on his Panigale V4 R, becoming a race leader in his first WorldSBK outing and moving four seconds clear at the end of Lap 1. His advantage then increased to 14 seconds at the end of Lap 2. In doing so, he became the 10th youngest race leader in WorldSBK history.

With conditions improving, riders on slick tyres were able to find grip and time, although Andrea Iannone (Team GoEleven) pushed a bit too hard and crashed at Turn 3.

By the end of Lap 8, Spinelli’s lead had been cut to 19 seconds as the track continued to dry. At the start of Lap 13, the gap was down to 11 seconds as he ran about three seconds slower on his intermediates, with Bautista leading the hunt of the Italian.

However, on Lap 14, Razgatlioglu overtook Bautista at the final chicane to move into second place and was soon on Spinelli’s tail with his pace advantage.

However, with the #54 closing in, the red flags were shown due to oil on track after Andrea Locatelli (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) had a technical issue at Turn 15 on Lap 15. It’s the first time WorldSBK’s had two debutant winners in a single season – after Nicolo Bulega in Australia and Spinelli – since 1996 and only the third time in history.

The red flag meant Razgatlioglu finished second, with Bautista third. It was Razgatlioglu’s 120th podium as he closes in on Troy Corser in second place in the all-time list, it was also Bautista’s 94th rostrum to put him level with Bayliss.

“It’s incredible because this is my first race and I am in front of Toprak and Bautista! It’s really incredible. The first time I rode a Superbike was in Friday Practice,” reflected a delighted Spinelli.

WorldSBK Race 1 Results

1. Nicholas Spinelli (Barni Spark Racing Team)
2. Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) +1.979s
3. Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +2.089s
4. Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) +4.851s
5. Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) +5.147s

View Full Results

 WorldSSP Race 1
Adrian Huertas won his second race of the season after charging from outside the points with 12 laps remaining to win Race 1 in the Netherlands.

It was a race of two halves, with Huertas’ gamble paying off, winning the race on slick tyres on a drying track. Behind the Spaniard was Stefano Manzi (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing Yamaha), who stole second place on the final corner – claiming a 16th second-place finish. Rounding off the podium and finishing as the top rain tyre runner was Valentin Debise (Evan Bros. WorldSSP Yamaha Team), who claimed a third WorldSSP podium and his first outside of France.

Glenn van Straalen (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing) ended his home round in fourth position, ahead of Aussie Tom Edwards in fifth, who spent the entire race on the slick tyres.

WorldSSP Race 1 Results

1. Adrian Huertas (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team)
2. Stefano Manzi (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing) +8.149s
3. Valentin Debise (Evan Bros. WorldSSP Yamaha Team) +9.180s
4. Glenn van Straalen (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing) +9.291s
5. Tom Edwards (D34G Racing WorldSSP Team) +14.695s

View Full Results

Sunday
Superpole Race

Once the lights went out, Jonathan Rea (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) dropped to third on the exit to turn one, with rookie Bulega storming into the lead for the opening stage of the race and building a gap of almost three seconds.

Bautista made a mistake early on, dropping to eighth. However, the #1 was not the only rider to make a mistake, with Razgatlioglu running wide and dropping from second to fourth – leaving the #54 with work to do.

Bautista’s pace picked up, gaining positions and carving his way through the field into second position, and eventually catching his teammate. Bulega, who like the rest of the field, opted for the SCQ tyre for the Superpole Race, set the fastest lap in lap three with a 1’33.882. Once Bautista passed on the penultimate lap, though, the #11 had no response.

Bautista crossed the line to win and complete an incredible comeback ahead of Bulega in second. Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) stole third place at the final corner to claim his 37th career podium finish while Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) bagged fourth.

Superpole Race Results

1. Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati)
2. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +2.686s
3. Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) +7.403s
4. Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) +7.551s
5. Jonathan Rea (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) +8.177s

View Full Results

WorldSBK Race 2
Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) claimed his first win at the TT Circuit Assen in sensational style after some mid-race rain provided plenty of excitement for the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship field.

When the lights went out, Bautista got a great start from first on the grid, as did teammate Nicolo Bulega next to him, with the #1 holding on to P1 through the first lap. The rider on the move was Andrea Locatelli (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) as he powered from sixth to second on the first lap and challenged Bautista.

However, ‘Loka’ soon found himself behind Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team), who was determined to claim a first podium and then Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team), as the Turkish star battled from ninth to third in the first few laps.

On Lap 6, Razgatlioglu moved into second as he overtook Gardner to move into second place. It wasn’t long until he made his move for P1 by passing the #1 into the final chicane under braking; a trademark move of ‘El Turco’.

Rain started to fall on Lap 8, with the white flags shown, signalling that riders could change tyres if they wanted – although no one dived into the pits immediately. Elsewhere, Locatelli passed Gardner on Lap 8 for the podium through the chicane, although Gardner responded a lap later, and Bautista re-claimed P1 with a pass over Razgatlioglu.

With the rain falling harder, it was Gardner’s Yamaha machine who had the pace advantage, passing Bautista at the final chicane to take the lead and demote Bautista into second, before Locatelli moved ahead of the reigning Champion.

The #55 soon moved into the lead with an aggressive move on Gardner at Turn 8 before Bautista followed him through, with the #1 putting the pressure on ‘Loka’, passing him at the start at Lap 16 when the Italian ran wide.

Soon, Razgatlioglu was back in front when he passed Bautista at the Geert Timmer Chicane for the lead, with Gardner all over the pair of them.

With four laps to go, the gaps stretched out a little but everything remained close despite Razgatlioglu edging out a gap. It enabled the 2021 Champion to hold on for victory, his third of the season as well as his and BMW’s first win at the Dutch venue.

Bautista took second, moving onto 96 rostrums and three behind Chaz Davies in the all-time list, while Gardner held on to finally take his first WorldSBK rostrum after so many fourth-place finishes and his first in any class since the 2021 Algarve Grand Prix. He became the first Australian on the podium since Misano Race 1 in 2010, when Troy Corser was on the rostrum.

Andrea Iannone (Team GoEleven) was on the move throughout the race as he moved into podium contention but had to settle for fourth place ahead of Locatelli in fifth despite leading the race at times, finishing just a tenth behind Iannone.

“Grid position isn’t important because it’s the race that matters. I enjoyed this race. I’ve never won here before and also for BMW they hadn’t won here. I’m very happy today,” insisted Razgatlioglu.

WorldSBK Race 2 Results

1. Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team)
2. Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +0.625s
3. Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) +1.022
4. Andrea Iannone (Team GoEleven) +3.120s
5. Andrea Locatelli (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) +3.217s

View Full Results

 Championship Points

1. Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) 123 points
2. Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) 117 points
3. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) 109 points
4. Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) 93 points
5. Andrea Locatelli (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) 64 points

View Championship Standings

WorldSSP Race 2
After finishing fourth in Race 1, van Straalen put on an incredible display to win after pitting for wet tyres on lap two.

Although rain fell during the warm-up lap with the entire grid on slick tyres, as the race began it really started to pour down. This saw eight riders pit at the end of the first lap. Race leader Huertas then decided to pit on lap two and was followed by another eight riders, with each rider needing to spend at least a 76-second intervention time in the pitlane.

Tom Edwards (D34G Racing WorldSSP Team) led the race in the early stages after deciding to stay out on slick tyres. John McPhee (WRP-RT Motorsport by SKM-Triumph) was another rider who stayed on slicks, eventually crashing out of the race.

Edwards was passed by Kaito Toba (PETRONAS MIE Racing Honda), who claimed the lead before Lorenzo Baldassarri (Orelac Racing Verdnatura) then took over, with there being over 20 seconds difference per lap between the slick and rain tyre runners.

Stefano Manzi (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing) pitted on lap five, dropping the #62 to 25th position – outside the points. Things soon went from bad to worse for Manzi, receiving an 11.82s penalty for not completing the 76-second intervention time.

With 10 laps remaining, the battle for second place was tense, with Tuuli soon finding his way through Huertas and Toba. Van Straalen, however, was on a charge as he made his way into second before stealing the lead.

On the last lap of the race, all eyes were on Dutch rider van Straalen and the riders in second and third, with Huertas finding his way through on Tuuli. The #66 could not respond to Huertas’ pace, with the Spaniard stretching the gap to over half a second. With a strong pace on the last lap, van Straalen was able to take his maiden victory and become a home hero. The #28 became the first Dutch winner at Assen in 10 years and the fourth Dutch winner in WorldSSP.

Nicolo Antonelli (Ecosantagata Althea Racing Team) finished in fourth. Rounding out the top five was Bahattin Sofuoglu (MV Agusta Reparto Corse), who showed consistent pace throughout.

WorldSSP Race 2 Results

1. Glenn van Straalen (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing)
2. Adrian Huertas (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team) +1.352s
3. Niki Tuuli (EAB Racing Team) 2.944s
4. Niccolo Antonelli (Ecosantagata Althea Racing Team) 4.167s
5. Bahattin Sofuoglu (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) +10.872s

View Full Results

Championship Points

1. Adrian Huertas (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team) 86 points
2. Stefano Manzi (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing) 85 points
3. Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) 84 points
4. Marcel Schroetter (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) 84 points
5. Bahattin Sofuoglu (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) 55 points

View Championship Standings

WorldSSP 300 and R3 World Cup Results can be viewed here…

The post WorldSBK Round Three Report | Razgatlioglu and Bautista impress appeared first on Racing, Riding, Motorcycle Reviews, Race bikes, Tech Tips, Rider Training....

Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) is back on top! The Italian took the Tissot Sprint win at the Motul TT Assen in some style, outpacing title rival and reigning Champion Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) to gain some precious points back on his compatriot. Third place saw Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) come home for his first Sprint rostrum, but after a slightly controversial penalty for Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing)…

It was a manic start and none more so than Binder as the South African shot to the inside line and was immediately up into third behind Bagnaia and Bezzecchi. The number 33 didn’t wait long to attack either, slicing through into second and left with a small gap to Pecco in the lead ahead of him. But neither did Bezzecchi waste any time, pouncing immediately once he was back on the back of the 33 and then setting off in pursuit of Bagnaia. That mission didn’t take long either. By 10 to go, he was through and putting the hammer down.

Bagnaia followed by Binder followed by Quartararo and then Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing), up from 10th on the grid, was the group on the chase behind the number 72. Soon enough, Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) joined the party too, with Luca Marini the big loser off the line as the Mooney VR46 Racing Team rider dropped from the front row to seventh once the shuffle calmed down.

As Bezzecchi eked out a tenth here and a hundredth there, the first key move was Aleix Espargaro getting past a slightly scrappy Martin, and as the laps ticked down Quartararo started to home in on Binder. The gap from Binder to Bagnaia ahead was around a second, but from Bagnaia to Bezzecchi? Now, it was coming down. With three to go, the reigning Champion took nearly four tenths out of the lead, just as Aleix Espargaro joined the party in the fight for third. Bezzecchi, however, wasn’t going to let that happen. The hammer went down again and he was able to hold onto an impressive and convincing win, setting himself up for an assault on the top on Sunday.

Just behind him, onto the last lap it first looked as though Quartararo was going to make a move on Binder, but then the South African was the rider on the move. Homing in on Bagnaia in the fight for second, he was close but not quite close enough to make a final chicane dive… but the drama wasn’t over. After a track limits warning earlier in the Sprint, the number 33 was given a Long Lap just at the flag after heading onto the green one too many times, which becomes a three-second penalty. And that, therefore, makes it a pitch perfect Sprint for Bezzecchi, a solid second for Bagnaia, and the first podium on Saturday for Quartararo after the Frenchman only previously scored a single point over the first seven Sprints.

Aleix Espargaro is therefore fourth, ahead of Binder demoted to fifth by that penalty. Martin takes sixth for some damage limitation after his P10 in qualifying, but he’ll want a lot more on Sunday. Likewise Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing), who took seventh from seventh on the grid.

Enea Bastianini (Ducato Lenovo Team) was next up as he made some serious progress when the lights went out despite a tough qualifying, and he was the protagonist of a moment at the final chicane with Marini as he attacked and the Mooney VR46 rider straight-lined the chicane. It wasn’t quite the gravel trip of 2015, but in 2023 it saw the number 10 get a time penalty that drops him to tenth behind Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP).

MotoGP Assen Tissot Sprint Podium (Full Results Here)

1 Marco Bezzecchi – Mooney VR46 Racing Team
2 Francesco Bagnaia Ducati Lenovo Team (+1.294)
3 Fabio Quartararo Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP (+1.872)

Sunday
A lot was riding on the Motul TT Assen as Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) went from struggling for form in Practice 1 to adding another win to his 2023 title tilt, outpacing Tissot Sprint winner Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) on Sunday. Bezzecchi went into the Grand Prix race as the rider to beat with incredible pace around Assen, but was forced to settle for second place on Sunday. Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) once again crossed the line in third but was demoted out of the top three for exceeding track limits, this time on the last lap, which promoted Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) into third to take an important Grand Prix podium.

The grid settled on one of the most iconic circuits on the 2023 MotoGP calendar, as with points to be won ahead of the summer break. The pressure was on for the title-fighting trio as third-placed rider in the standings, Bezzecchi, was looking strong in the Netherlands after taking pole and the Sprint win. With just 31 points covering the top three, there was plenty to play for with Championship leader Bagnaia sat alongside Bezzecchi on the front row and third overall, Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing), faced a mountain to climb from the fourth row.

When the lights went out it was Binder who flew his way into the lead of the race from fifth on the grid, diving up the inside of Bagnaia at Turn 1 to snatch the holeshot at the apex, elbows out as ever.  Binder led the way on lap one ahead of Bagnaia and Bezzecchi, with Aleix Espargaro and Luca Marini (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) keeping themselves in contention in fourth and fifth.

Meanwhile, Maverick Vinales (Aprilia Racing) had made a good start to his Grand Prix, flying up to fifth from seventh on the grid. The opposite was true for Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) as he then crashed out from behind the Aprilia, leaving Viñales to shoot off.  He was the fastest rider on the circuit, too, past Marini on a charge until he crashed out.

Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) also suffered early dramas, he enjoyed a return to the top three in Saturday’s Tissot Sprint but got a terrible start in Sunday’s Grand Prix dropping down to 12th place from 4th on the grid, and then crashed out alongside Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing) in a premature end to their races.

Meanwhile at the front, Bagnaia took the lead from Binder with 24 laps to go, making light work of the South African to put down a blistering pace at the front. The Italian began to put the hammer down, with Binder latched onto his rear wheel and Bezzecchi next up, the top three beginning to break away from the rest of the field.

The laps ticked away and it seemed Bagnaia was controlling the pace, stretching out the leading battle. But Binder and Bezzecchi were still very much on the chase, and with 10 to go Bezzecchi had had enough of following the KTM. The Italian decided it was his turn to follow the race leader Bagnaia as he pushed the South African to one side to take over in second, the mission now: catch Pecco. It went down to eight tenths, back up to a second and then down to nine tenths. Then it was 1.3, 1.1… but Bezzecchi couldn’t breach the gap. Binder wasn’t going down without a fight either, as he tried all he could to bite back.

By the last few laps, Binder had company from Aleix Espargaro and Martin, with the three glued together. First it looked like the Aprilia was closest to try and strike on the KTM, and the number 41 homed in on the first part of the final lap. But Binder put in a masterclass defensive performance and fended off the two behind to take third… or did he? Fine margins decided the South African’s fate once again, as a track limits breach on the final lap warranted a +1 position penalty, demoting him to fourth.

Espargaro had his hands full on the last lap with Martin trying to find his way through, too. It was an epic drag to the line that saw the Prima Pramac Ducati pull alongside the factory Aprilia as they crossed the line side by side, with almost nothing in it – but that almost nothing was enough to see Aleix Espargaro awarded that final place on the rostrum. Binder is classified fourth, and Martin fifth.

Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP) finished sixth ahead of Marini as the Italian got mugged through the final chicane mid-race, losing four positions at once. Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda IDEMISTU) bagged P8, some distance up the road from Franco Morbidelli (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) and rookie Augusto Fernandez (GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3), who rounded out the top ten in a solid Sunday effort.

MotoGP Assen Race Podium (Full Results Here)

1 Francesco Bagnaia Ducati Lenovo Team
2 Marco Bezzecchi – Mooney VR46 Racing Team (+1.223)
3 Aleix Espargaro Aprilia Racing (+1.925)

Moto2
Jake Dixon (Inde GASGAS Aspar M2) is now a Grand Prix winner! The British rider converted some serious form into a maiden win at the Motul TT Assen, getting the better of Ai Ogura (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) late in the race. Ogura was back on the box after taking a step back into the frontrunning postcodes we’ve seen him challenge before, and Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Ajo) completed the podium after an eventful journey into third.

Alonso Lopez (Beta Tools SpeedUp) took the holeshot from pole and Ogura jumped Dixon off the line, with the Brit slotting into third and that trio then immediately getting the hammer down. But Acosta was on the move, picking his way past his teammate, Albert Arenas, and Championship leader Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) to get into clear air and then chase them down.

It became a quartet as Dixon stalked Ogura and got past, then Lopez, and the Brit then made a move stick at Turn 1 to take over. Ogura then shoved past Lopez and the even Spaniard dropped behind Acosta not long after, before then Dixon then headed wide and gave up the lead dropping to third.

Ogura led Acosta led Dixon, but the next to suffer a moment was Acosta as the Spaniard was forced into a save at the Geert Timmer chicane, heading wide and letting Dixon back through. At that moment, it seemed Ogura had checked out in the lead too – over a second clear and on fine form. It was a reset, reload, and gear up for seven laps to go for those on the chase.

That’s what Dixon did, and when the Brit struck at Turn 1 it was a slightly brutal move – one he apologized for as his bike got sucked in – but he made it stick. And then he kept it clean to the flag for that fabulous first Grand Prix win, and in convincing style. 

Ogura may well not have taken that win but after a stunning weekend running back at the front, the second place is a great sign for last year’s title challenger after an injury-hit start to 2023. And Acosta, on a tougher weekend, kept himself on the podium – despite some late drama.

After an adventurous start, the number 37 was then also hit with a Long Lap after that moment and subsequent shortcut at Turn 17. And when he complied, it was on the limit. Just on the white line as he caned it round, it was deemed completed and he took that all the way to another podium – but it still wasn’t plain sailing. A late race charge from Fermin Aldeguer (Beta Tools SpeedUp) saw him glued to Acosta into the final chicane on the final lap, and the two had a drag race to the line, just won by the number 37 by hundredths.

Aron Canet (Pons Wegow Los40) was only a few tenths behind in fifth, with Lopez fading to sixth – just ahead of Arbolino. Manuel Gonzalez (Correos Prepago Yamaha VR46 Master Camp), Arenas and Celestino Vietti (Fantic Racing), the latter despite a Long Lap, completed the top ten in a close trio.

Moto2 Assen Podium (Full Results Here)

1 Jake Dixon – Inde GASGAS Aspar Team
2 Ai OGURA – IDEMITSU Honda Team Asia (+1.334)
3 Pedro Acosta – Red Bull KTM Ajo (+4.448)

Moto3
Jaume Masia (Leopard Racing) put in a stunner at the Motul TT Assen, taking his first victory of the season and making serious gains on Championship leader Daniel Holgado (Red Bull KTM Tech3), who failed to score. Ayumu Sasaki (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) was just denied at the last corner once again but takes yet another podium as his roll continues, and likewise German GP winner Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Ajo) as the Turkish rider completed the rostrum at Assen. 

Polesitter David Muñoz (BOE Motorsports) took the holeshot from Joel Kelso (CFMoto Racing PrüstelGP), but the Aussie was through soon after as the two went side by side. It didn’t take long for those on the chase to get back into the groove though, and the drama was amping up elsewhere.

After a disastrous qualifying that left him last on the grid, Championship leader Holgado was already facing a mountain to climb – and on the first lap it only got worse. Crashing and off into the gravel early on, losing a whole chunk of time, the race was on for him to try and recover the impossible.

Meanwhile fellow Championship challenger Ivan Ortola (Angeluss MTA), who qualified well down the order, was on a mission. He was straight into the top ten, then into the top three, and despite serving his Long Lap given on Saturday for not respecting a black and orange flag, right in the fight at the front in a seriously impressive performance under pressure.

And so, with Ortola back in the mix and a top group of ten escaping the rest, the freight train to decide the podium rolled on. As ever, it all went down to the final chicane, and Sasaki was at the head of the group – one week on from the Japanese rider just losing out at the final corner at the Sachsenring. This time around, an attack came again as Masia shot up the inside into the Geert Timmer chicane, and the number 5 made the move stick, and made it cleanly. The drag to the line saw Masia just hold onto it by 0.081, with Sasaki forced to settle for second but both making big strides in the standings. 

Likewise does Öncü, who held onto third for another podium finish – just edging out Ortola after the Angeluss MTA Team rider’s stunning charge from 20th. Muñoz, after a late tangle with Romano Fenati (Rivacold Snipers Team), takes fifth, ahead of Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) and fellow rookie Collin Veijer (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) on his home turf. Fenati was forced to settle for eighth after the late shuffle, with Kelso ninth and Stefano Nepa (Angeluss MTA Team), after straightlining the chicane, completing the front group and the top ten.

Moto3 Assen Podium (Full Results Here)

1 Jaume Masia – Leopard Racing
2 Ayumu Sasaki – Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP (+0.081)
3 Deniz Öncü – Red Bull KTM Ajo (+0.276)

The post MotoGP Assen: Bagnaia Fights Back On Sunday appeared first on Racing, Riding, Motorcycle Reviews, Race bikes, Tech Tips, Rider Training....

Race One
There was no shortage of thrilling action in the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship at the iconic TT Circuit Assen in Race 1 during the Pirelli Dutch Round as Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) claimed a hard-fought victory in the Netherlands. He overcame his rivals and a three-place grid drop to fight his way from fourth place on the grid to finish ahead of Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) in the 21-lap race.

Bautista was given a three-place grid drop for the Race 1 grid for slow riding on the racing line in the Tissot Superpole session, which dropped him from pole position to fourth place. He was into the top three from the start before fighting with Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) who passed him into the chicane on the opening lap. Bautista was able to respond at Turn 1 to move back into the top three, before he started chasing down Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK).

Razgatlioglu was running in second place and looked to close down Rea to put a bike between him and Bautista but the reigning Champion overtook Razgatlioglu at the chicane on Lap 5 to move into second place, before moving into the lead on Lap 9 when he overtook Rea at the high-speed right-hander of Turn 6 to move into the lead. Although Rea tried to keep the pressure on Bautista, the Spanish rider pulled a gap on the six-time Champion with the trio setting into their respective positions.

Bautista’s victory was his 38th WorldSBK win and puts Ducati on 398 in WorldSBK with the Italian manufacturer just two away from a milestone 400th victory. It was also Ducati’s 698th race on the podium, meaning they could hit 400 wins and 700 races on the podium in the same race. Rea’s second place was his 247th in WorldSBK, as well as his 24th at Assen which puts the track level with Aragon and Portimao.

Fourth place went to a charging Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) after he moved up the order. He had been running in seventh place, behind Lowes, Scott Redding (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) and Axel Bassani (Motocorsa Racing) but, as the laps progressed, he made his way up the order. Locatelli made a move on Lowes at Turn 5 on Lap 15 before following that up two laps later by overtaking Redding. He closed the gap to Bassani and overtook him on the last lap to claim fourth spot; continuing his record of not finishing outside the top five in 2023 and at the TT Circuit Assen. Bassani was fifth at the end of the race, ahead of Dominique Aegerter (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team), who passed Lowes and Redding in the closing stages, in sixth.

Lowes claimed seventh place at the end of the race, just over a tenth behind Aegerter, while Aegerter’s teammate, Remy Gardner, was eighth after a strong Race 1 for the Independent Yamaha team. Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) was another who made moves late on in the race as he claimed ninth place with Redding eventually finish in tenth. Redding had been fighting for fourth in the early stages of the 21-lap race but he fell down the order in the closing stages of the 21-lap race, finishing 0.259s behind Petrucci.

Xavi Vierge (Team HRC) was 11th after he bounced back from an incident with Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) where Vierge ran wide at the chicane and lost positions when Rinaldi overtook him. Garrett Gerloff (Bonovo Action BMW), like a lot of riders, made moves in the latter stages of the race as he took 12th place; finishing just 0.187s ahead of Michael van der Mark (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK) in 13th. Two Ducati riders completed the points-paying positions with Philipp Oettl (Team GoEleven) in 14th and Rinaldi in 15th.

Lorenzo Baldassarri (GMT94 Yamaha) finished in 16th place after a late-race battle with French rider Loris Baz (Bonovo Action BMW), with Baz making his return from injury. Rookie Bradley Ray (Yamaha Motoxracing WorldSBK Team) was 18th in his first race for Yamaha although he was fighting in the points during the early stages of the race. Hafizh Syahrin (PETRONAS MIE Racing HONDA Team) was 19th ahead of Oliver Konig (Orelac Racing MOVISIO), Eric Granado (PETRONAS MIE Racing HONDA Team), wildcard Gabriele Ruiu (Bmax Racing) and Isaac Vinales (TPR by Vinales Racing) in 23rd.

Iker Lecuona (Team HRC) was the first retirement of the race when he crashed out at Turn 1 on Lap 6, forcing him to retire from the race. Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) retired after bringing his bike back to the pitlane after he suffered a technical issue.

WorldSBK Assen Race One Podium (Full Results Here)

1 Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati)
2 Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) +3.148s
3 Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) +3.891s

Tissot Superpole Race
The shortened Tissot Superpole Race in the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship was a fierce fight between Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) and Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) for victory at the TT Circuit Assen during the Pirelli Dutch Round. The pair could barely be separated throughout the eight-lap race as they secured a front row start for this afternoon’s Race 2 following their battle.

Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team) got the holeshot as the lights went out and jumped into the lead of the race but Bautista was able to respond on the opening lap to re-claim first place before looking to build a gap. Rea and Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) both kept the pressure on Bautista while Rea’s teammate, Alex Lowes, was also in the four-rider group for victory.

As the race approached the final few laps, Bautista started to pull out a gap over Rea to claim victory in the Superpole Race and claim first on the grid for Race 2, ahead of Rea in second and Razgatlioglu in third. Victory for Bautista moved Ducati onto 399 wins in WorldSBK history and 699 races on the podium, while Rea’s second place set a new record for podiums at one track with 25. Razgatlioglu claimed his 89th podium in WorldSBK with third place.

Lowes finished in fourth place after losing time to Razgatlioglu, Rea and Bautista but he also had a margin of more than two seconds over Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) in fifth place after he had a fight with Axel Bassani (Motocorsa Racing) and Dominique Aegerter (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team). Locatelli got through on Lap 6 while Bassani and Aegerter were fighting and separated by just 0.273s at the end of the line.

Aegerter took seventh and he will lead the third row in Race 2 as he withstood a charging Scott Redding (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) in eighth place. Aegerter held on by just 0.071s to take seventh spot in the eight-lap Superpole Race to secure a third-row start for Race 2. Xavi Vierge (Team HRC) will start from ninth in Race 2 after taking the same position in the Superpole Race as he looks to emulate his podium from Mandalika.

The race was shortened to eight laps following a technical issue for Loris Baz (Bonovo Action BMW) with possible fluid on the track, with the start delayed for this to be checked. Baz did not take part in the shortened Superpole Race following the issue.

WorldSBK Tissot Superpole Race Assen (Full Results Here)

1 Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati)
2 Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) +0.916s
3 Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) +1.757s

Race Two
The battle for the lead involved Bautista, Razgatlioglu and Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) in the early stages of the race with all three taking their chance to lead throughout the race. Razgatlioglu made his move for the lead on Lap 3 but Bautista responded quickly, before Rea made his move on Lap 5 at the same Turn 8. Bautista was able to respond almost immediately to re-claim the lead and Rea’s race would come to an end on the following lap. He lost the front of his Kawasaki machine at Turn 9 on Lap 6 which put him out of the race.

It meant the fight for victory became between Bautista and Razgatlioglu, but the reigning Champion was able to pull out a gap over Razgatlioglu as he claimed his 40th WorldSBK win and Ducati’s 400th win in WorldSBK. Razgatlioglu was unchallenged as he took second place in Race 2 to continue his run of podium finishes, now at six races. He was directly ahead of teammate Andrea Locatelli in third, matching his podium tally from 2021 and doubling his count from 2022. Locatelli had to fend off a challenge from Axel Bassani (Motocorsa Racing) who took fifth place.

Not only did Bautista’s victory give Ducati their 400th WorldSBK victory, it was also their 700th race on the podium to hit two milestones in one race. As it was Bautista’s 40th win, all on Ducati, he has exactly 10 per cent of Ducati’s WorldSBK victories. Razgatlioglu now has 90 podiums to his name while teammate Locatelli has ten, putting him level with Simon Crafar and Max Neukirchner while equalling his best podium tally to date.

Bassani had been running in the lead group during the first half of the race and was promoted to third following Rea’s crash but Locatelli made his way past his compatriot on Lap 8 at Turn 5 with a similar move to the one he made on Saturday against Bassani. Dominique Aegerter (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) backed up his sixth-place finish in Race 1 with fourth in Race 2. At the final chicane, the pair made contact with Bassani taking to the green and Aegerter staying on track. The incident was looked at and Bassani, who crossed the line in fourth, was demoted one place due to a track limits infringement on the final lap; Aegerter was therefore classified in fourth place, his best WorldSBK finish, with Bassani in fifth. It was yet another strong result for GRT Yamaha as Aegerter’s teammate, Remy Gardner, took sixth place after fighting his way through the field.

Scott Redding (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) claimed seventh spot after a hard-fought race for the British rider, finishing just over a second behind Gardner but also withstanding a late charge from rookie Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team). Petrucci finished in eighth place but was only 0.075s behind Redding at the end of the 21-lap race as he charged through the field. Ninth belonged to Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) after a dramatic race for the Brit. On the sighting lap, Lowes went into the gravel and he was able to bring his bike back to the pits for the team to work on. He was able to start the race from the back of the grid, rather than fourth place where he had been scheduled to, but was able to slice his way through the field to ninth place. Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) took tenth place to end a difficult weekend in the top ten.

German rider Philipp Oettl (Team GoEleven) took 11th place, just over a second behind Rinaldi, while he had to fend off Garrett Gerloff (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) who finished in 12th place and only four tenths behind Oettl. Lorenzo Baldassarri (GMT94 Yamaha) took 13th place ahead of Hafizh Syahrin (PETRONAS MIE Racing HONDA Team) was 14th ahead of Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing); Sykes claiming his first point since returning to WorldSBK for the 2023 campaign.

Oliver Konig (Orelac Racing MOVISIO) was 16th and almost 10 seconds down on the points-paying positions and he had to fend off Eric Granado (PETRONAS MIE Racing HONDA Team) in 17th place. Isaac Vinales (TPR by Vinales Racing), making his first start of the 2023 campaign, was 18th after a late fight with wildcard Gabriele Ruiu (Bmax Racing). Ruiu was just 0.020s behind Vinales at the end of the race.

Three riders crashed in quick succession on Laps 2 and 3 in separate incidents. Bradley Ray (Yamaha Motoxracing WorldSBK Team) crashed at Turn 9 on Lap 2, Michael van der Mark (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) crashed at Turn 16 and Xavi Vierge (Team HRC) crashed at Turn 1 on Lao 3. Van der Mark was taken to the medical centre for a check-up following the crash and he was subsequently transported to hospital for further assessments on a suspect left femur fracture. Loris Baz (Bonovo Action BMW) was another who retired from the race when he crashed at Turn 15 on Lap 8, while Iker Lecuona (Team HRC) crashed at Turn 4 on Lap 12; he did re-join the race but brought his bike into the pits and retired.

WorldSBK Assen Race 2 Podium (Full Results Here)

1 Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati)
2 Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) +3.915s
3 Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) +7.416s

Championship Standings After Assen (Full Standings Here)

1 Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) 174 points
2 Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) 118
3 Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) +104

The post WorldSBK RD3 Assen: Bautista Scores Yet Another Hat-Trick appeared first on Racing, Riding, Motorcycle Reviews, Race bikes, Tech Tips, Rider Training....

The racing in the FIM Enel MotoE World Cup is truly some of the best. That’s never been more true than of Race 1 at the TT Circuit Assen, with just 0.081 covering the podium as Dominique Aegerter (Dynavolt Intact GP MotoE), Eric Granado (LCR E-Team) and Mattia Casadei (Pons Racing 40) took the show to the wire.

Aegerter had qualified on pole but the battle for the lead was initially between Granado and Casadei, who went side-by-side into the first corner. However, both ran wide exiting Haarbocht and Matteo Ferrari (Felo Gresini ) emerged in the lead, ahead of Aegerter and Miquel Pons (LCR E-Team). Granado and Casadei slotted into fourth and fifth, but both were back ahead of Pons within a lap.

Granado soon proved the master of the fast Ramshoek left-hander, overtaking Aegerter there on Lap 3 just when it looked like Ferrari might be starting to creep away, then passing the 2019 World Cup winner himself another lap later again. Ferrari reclaimed the lead from the Brazilian as they ran through the Ossebroeken section on Lap 5, but Granado got back in front later that lap at Stekkenwal.

Meanwhile, a big battle had broken out for third between Aegerter, Casadei, and Pons, but the current World Cup leader had shaken those off when he launched an attack on Ferrari. He squeezed past the Gresini rider into the Geert Timmer Chicane on Lap 6, and Ferrari dropped towards the back of the leading pack when he had two big wobbles as he tried to take second position back at the start of Lap 7, with Casadei inheriting third position.

Aegerter then got underneath Granado at Strubben, but that gave them a slow entry down the back straight and Casadei stormed by both  on the run into the Ruskenhoek, before Granado then re-passed Aegerter. The Swiss rider snatched the spot back just a few corners later at the Geert Timmer Chicane though, and making a little contact as he did so and that losing Granado a handful of tenths.

Despite being back in the runner-up position with a lap to go and a World Cup lead to protect, Aegerter didn’t seem in the mood to simply collect points. He dived past Casadei at Strubben but could not make the move stick and very nearly got chucked off his Energica Ego Corsa when he opened up the throttle again. Still, the Swiss rider tried again at Ramshoek near the end of the lap, but it all came down to the final chicane.

Granado was back on their tail as Aegerter went for the lead just ahead, and the Swiss rider just about shut the door on Casadei to secure the win. Granado needed no second invitation to try his own attack, blasting just past the Italian to grab second by mere thousandths to take second.

After some early heroics and then excellent damage limitation, Ferrari took fourth ahead of Hector Garzo (Tech3 E-Racing) in fifth, just 0.960 seconds behind the winner. Marco Alcoba (Openbank Aspar Team) had been in the leading group on the last lap but crashed at high speed at the Ramshoek, with an x-ray clearing him of a fractured left elbow but another medical review coming on Sunday.

Pons eventually came through to finish sixth, ahead of Niccolo Canepa (WithU GRT RNF MotoE Team), Bradley Smith (WithU GRT RNF MotoE Team), Jordi Torres (Pons Racing 40), and Kevin Zannoni (Ongetta Sic58 Squadracorse).

MotoE Assen Race One Podium (Full Results Here)

1 Dominique Aegerter – Dynavolt Intact GP MotoE – Energica – 13’55.704
2 Eric Granado – LCR E-Team – Energica – +0.072
3 Mattia Casadei – Pons Racing 40 – Energica – +0.081

Sunday
Eric Granado (LCR E-Team) was rewarded for his bravery in tricky conditions as the Brazilian took victory in Race 2 of FIM Enel MotoE World Cup at the Motul TT Assen. The number 51 scythed his way from fourth to the lead in just three laps in a contest which would be cut short due a Red Flag, with points leader Dominique Aegerter (Dynavolt Intact GP MotoE) claiming second and Mattia Casadei (Pons Racing 40) completing the podium.

The Red Flag saw Miquel Pons (LCR E-Team) crash out and suffer contact from Marc Alcoba (Openbank Aspar Team), with the LCR rider conscious and getting a check up at the circuit before heading to local hospital in Groningen for a CT scan to his pelvis.

Before the flag was thrown, however, it was a five-wide run to the first corner when the action finally got underway, with patchy showers having twice delayed the start. Casadei came from fourth on the grid to lead the field into the first corner, while Aegerter fended off an early challenge from Matteo Ferrari (Felo Gresini MotoE) at Strubben, and then again at De Bult, to end the opening lap in second, with Granado just behind them.

The riders had no time to waste, with the delays seing the originally distance of eight laps cut to six, and Granado was a man on a mission. He passed Ferrari as they turned into Haarbocht at the start of Lap 2 although, in doing so, he made room for Pons to follow him. A brief battle between the LCR duo ensued before Granado shook off his teammate and attacked Aegerter.

Incredibly, as the rain flags flew again, Granado passed Aegerter around the outside of the high-speed Ramshoek left-hander, then went down the inside of Casadei when they arrived at Haarbocht again on Lap 3. Ferrari got back underneath Pons three corners further around at the Ossebroeken complex and, unfortunately, that was just the start of the LCR rider’s troubles.

Exiting the following corner, De Strubben, Pons highsided and was thrown from his motorcycle. Running two bikes back, Marc Alcoba was unable to avoid it and also crashed. Alcoba eventually remounted but, as Pons was initially attended to at the side of the track, the race was red flagged on Lap 4. Soon after news came through it would not restart, and instead half points would be awarded.

Granado is therefore classified the winner, ahead of Aegerter, Casadei, Ferrari, Niccolo Canepa (WithU GRT RNF MotoE Team), Alex Escrig (Tech3 E-Racing), Kevin Manfredi (Octo Pramac MotoE), Maria Herrera (OpenBank Aspar Team), Kevin Zannoni (Ongetta Sic58 Squadracorse), and Hector Garzo (Tech3 E-Racing).

In the FIM Enel MotoE World Cup standings, Aegerter has now moved to 158 points, but Granado closes in slightly in second on 126.5 points, with Ferrari third on 112.5. Action in the electric class resumes with the Motorrad Grand Prix von Österreich, at the Red Bull Ring on August 19-21!

MotoE Assen Race Two Podium (Full Results Here)

1 Eric Granado – LCR E-Team – Energica – 05’21.0940
2 Dominique Aegerter – Dynavolt Intact GP MotoE – Energica – +0.270
3 Mattia Casadei – Pons Racing 40 – Energica – +0.556

The post MotoE Weekend: All The Action From Assen appeared first on Racing, Riding, Motorcycle Reviews, Race bikes, Tech Tips, Rider Training....

Francesco Bagnaia blasted back into serious MotoGP title contention with victory in a wild Motul TT Assen. World Championship leader Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) clashed with his nearest rival in the points table Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing), early on and crashed out.

The early incident also left Espargaro down in P15 and facing a fight back. But fight back he did and that as Quartararo crashed again later in the race, the Frenchman ultimately taking home a nil points and a Long Lap penalty for the Monster Energy British Grand Prix after summer break for the overly ambitious move.

Meanwhile, Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) put in a stunner to follow Bagnaia home with some breathing space and take his first premier class podium, with Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) shooting up from P11 on the grid to third, visiting parc ferme with Aprilia for the first time. And did we mention Aleix Espargaro’s 2-for-1 on Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) and Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) at the final chicane for fourth?!

Rewinding to before all that, Bagnaia launched well and led the field into the first corner, while Quartararo briefly dropped back to fourth when he ran wide as he tried to go with the pole-sitter. He quickly re-passed Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) and also went down the inside of Espargaro at De Strubben, but then couldn’t keep the RS-GP behind him when they ran up the back straight.

Bagnaia had 0.7 in hand at the end of the first lap, by which time Bezzecchi had passed Miller for fifth, and the rookie was into fourth when he overtook Martin at the start of Lap 3. Miller then dropped from sixth to 10th on Lap 4 when he served his Long Lap Penalty for irresponsible riding in Q2, facing his own comeback.

On Lap 5 though, it was high drama at Turn 5 as the top two in the World Championship came together. Quartararo looked to make a move on Espargaro but dropped his Yamaha and slid into the Aprilia, no saving it. The Frenchman was last by the time he had remounted, and while Espargaro did well to stay upright and avoid a crash, he still plummeted to 15th and was facing one serious Sunday fight back from the gravel.

That left Bezzecchi in second, with Bagnaia’s advantage over the field out to 1.3 seconds and Martin holding third ahead of Binder. The South African was back to fifth when he was overtaken by Viñales as they ran through the Ossebroeken complex on Lap 10, however, with the number 12 on a charge.

A few laps later, De Strubben then bit Quartararo again – hard. The Frenchman had already dropped off the lead lap after a visit to the pits before he fell off for a second time once back out, highsiding on the exit of the slow left-hander. Thankfully, Quartararo got onto his feet and was given the all clear, having adding no injury to the insult of two crashes.

Meanwhile, Bagnaia continued to lead as Espargaro mounted his fightback. The Spaniard was already closing in on the battle for ninth between Zarco and Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar) when, a couple of positions ahead, Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) was then given a Long Lap Penalty for exceeding track limits, promoting #41 to the top ten. And there was plenty more to come.

Virtually the only thing that hadn’t happened by that stage was rain, but it soon started falling as well. Rain flags and then the white flag, signalling that riders were allowed to change bikes, started to wave, but it never got heavy enough to force them to do so. Still, it made for a tricky period in the race, as Viñales passed Martin for third at the Geert Timmer Chicane on Lap 17, then both Binder and Miller overtook the Pramac rider on the next lap.

For the second weekend in a row, Miller was doing an admirable job of recovering from a Long Lap Penalty, passing Binder for fourth at the start of Lap 21 and wasting little time in closing up to Viñales as he sought consecutive podiums. He looked to have made the move at the Timmer Chicane on Lap 25, but was in a bit too hot and had to bail out of it, which put him under pressure from Binder.

Up ahead and free of all the mayhem, however, Bagnaia cruised to victory. He eased off at the end, with the winning margin officially only 0.444 seconds after 26 remarkable laps, but it never seriously looked in doubt. Bezzecchi sent the VR46 team into raptures with his first premier class podium, and Viñales was less than a second further back in third after escaping the clutches of Miller.

Aleix Espargaro, meanwhile, wasn’t done. The Aprilia rider had risen to sixth and that looked like an admirable salvage job, but then he divebombed Miller and Binder as they ran into the Timmer Chicane for the final time – and pulled it off with such perfection it’s a contender for move of the year, decade or maybe more.

Fourth snatched away, Brad Binder would take fifth, ahead of Miller, Martin, and Mir. Mir had a couple of close brushes after contact with Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) as they lined up on the grid before a clash with Luca Marini (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) once the race had actually started. Oliveira shed bodywork in that incident but still finished ninth, ahead of Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar), Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing MotoGP), Nakagami, Zarco, Fabio Di Giannantonio (Gresini Racing MotoGP), and Alex Marquez (LCR Honda Castrol) in the final points position.

Raul Fernandez (Tech3 KTM Factory Racing) retired with arm pump, while Franco Morbidelli (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) and Darryn Binder (WithU Yamaha RNF MotoGP Team) made it three YZR-M1 riders who crashed out of the contest as Yamaha leave the Cathedral pointless, echoing Honda at the Sachsenring.

Now though, the MotoGP paddock now has the summer break to catch its breath before Round 12. The Monster Energy British Grand Prix descends on Silverstone from the 5th to the 7th of August, and there’s absolutely everything to play for.

Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team): “It felt long, very long. The first time I looked at how many laps were remaining, it was 24, so I’d just done two laps and it was too long. In any case, I’m so happy; so happy after two difficult races, when we were always competitive but without any results, so it’s incredible. I’m so happy, we did an incredible job. It wasn’t easy because, halfway through the race, it started raining a bit, and it was very scary, but finally I won here. That means to me that we are very good, we are strong.”

MotoGP Assen Podium (Full Results Here)

1 Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) – Ducati – 40’25.205
2 Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) – Ducati – +0.444
3 Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) – Aprilia – +1.209

Moto2
The Moto2 Championship sits on a knife edge going into the summer break after Augusto Fernandez picked up his second win in a row, coming out on top in a true classic at the Motul TT Assen. The Red Bull KTM Ajo rider is now equal on points with Celestino Vietti (Mooney VR46 Racing Team), who finished fourth, although the Italian leads as it stands thanks to more wins so far this season.

Ai Ogura (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia), meanwhile, sits just a point further back after hauling his way back from as low as 16th to claim second on the day, with polesitter Jake Dixon (Inde GASGAS Aspar Team) completing the podium.

It was as you were when the race got underway as far as the top two was concerned, with Dixon leading Inde GASGAS Aspar team-mate Albert Arenas into the first corner, but drama hit early for Sam Lowes (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) as he ran well wide. Alonso Lopez (MB Conveyers Speed Up), however, had launched well from fifth on the grid before passing Arenas for second at De Strubben and then Dixon for first at Stekkenwal. Marcel Schrötter (Liqui Moly Intact GP) moved into third when he passed Arenas at the Geert Timmer Chicane on Lap 4, in what was something of a breakaway quartet at the head of the field.

However, Fernandez reeled them in and he gladly took fourth position when Arenas made a small error at De Strubben on Lap 5. Then, just up the road at De Bult, Schrötter picked off Dixon to move into second position and Arenas got back ahead of Fernandez, as home hero Bo Bendsneyder (Pertamina Mandalika SAG Team) lurked in sixth spot.

Arenas got back into the podium places when he overtook Dixon at the Timmer Chicane on Lap 7, before Schrötter hit the front for the first time when he got past Lopez as they ran down the back straight on Lap 8. Fernandez passed Dixon for fourth at De Strubben on Lap 9, before Lopez ceded second position to Arenas and third to Fernandez on a ragged 10th lap of the race.

Schrötter looked like he might finally break through for his first Grand Prix victory until disaster struck for the German on Lap 12, when he crashed out at De Strubben and handed the lead to Arenas. On Lap 13, Lopez re-passed Fernandez at the Timmer Chicane, but the German GP winner prised second position back from the man on the Boscoscuro on Lap 15.

Meanwhile, Vietti and Ogura, who started the race as the top two in the Championship, were closing in on the lead group as they battled over eighth position. Both were on a comeback after tough starts to the race, Vietti having only qualified 11th before finding himself even further away from the top 10 in the opening corners, and Ogura having two big rear end moments within the first handful of laps which had dumped the Japanese rider as far back as 16th.

Lopez dropped three positions to sixth when he ran wide exiting Haarbocht on Lap 16, promoting Dixon to the podium places again, as Vietti received a track limits warning. What would turn out to be the decisive lead change came on Lap 17 when Fernandez went underneath Arenas at De Strubben, while Bendsneyder sent the Dutch crowd wild when he passed Dixon for third just behind them. Unfortunately for the rider from Rotterdam, he undid his good work with a slow run off the Timmer Chicane at the end of the lap. He was picked off by not only Dixon, but also Cameron Beaubier (American Racing), who got ahead of both of them.

Dixon re-passed Beaubier moments later at De Strubben, and signalled to the American that they should work together to catch the top two of Fernandez and Arenas, who had taken advantage of the battle for third place to skip several tenths of a second clear. They did just that, as Ogura finally moved back into the top five with a pass on Bendsneyder at the start of Lap 19, which opened the door for Vietti to follow him through.

Ogura’s progress continued when he got through on Beaubier at De Strubben on Lap 20, while Dixon took second place from Arenas at the Timmer Chicane on that same lap. At the start of Lap 21, Beaubier crashed out of fifth position as he came under big pressure from Vietti, and Ogura was then into the top three – 13 positions higher than he had been when he nearly got chucked off his bike for the second time – by passing Arenas.

The Japanese rider went down the inside of Dixon for second position as they turned into Haarbocht on Lap 22, and Arenas got back in front of the Briton at the Timmer Chicane. Dixon got him back at the start of Lap 23, though, and Arenas was out of the race altogether when he dropped it at De Bult. That crash promoted Vietti to fourth, behind a top three of Fernandez, Ogura, and Dixon, and that is how they would finish – all within a second of each other – after an astonishing Dutch GP for the Moto2 field.

Bendsneyder claimed fifth on home soil and Lopez, who had started to become somewhat ragged, got home in sixth, ahead of Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team), Joe Roberts (Italtrans Racing Team), Manuel Gonzalez (Yamaha VR46 Master Camp Team), and Filip Salac (Gresini Racing).

Fermin Aldeguer (MB Conveyors Speed Up), Jorge Navarro (Flexbox HP40), Somkiat Chantra (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia), Jeremy Alcoba (Liwui Moly Intact GP), and Barry Baltus (RW Racing GP) completed the points. Lowes was notable among the non-finishers, crashing out on only Lap 4.

Moto2 Assen Podium (Full Results Here)

1 Augusto Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo) – Kalex – 39’07.133
2 Ai Ogura (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) – Kalex – +0.660
3 Jake Dixon (Inde GASGAS Aspar Team) – Kalex – +0.725

Moto3
Ayumu Sasaki (Sterilgarda Husqvarna Max) is now a Grand Prix winner! The Japanese rider put in an impressive performance to come out on top in a classic Moto3 showdown at the Motul TT Assen, taking the win ahead of Izan Guevara (GASGAS Aspar Team) and Sergio Garcia (GASGAS Aspar Team). Some drama hit for Dennis Foggia (Leopard Racing) as he crashed out, and Jaume Masia (Red Bull KTM Ajo) likewise after the number 5 suffered contact on the final lap.

Tatsuki Suzuki (Leopard Racing) nabbed the holeshot ahead of a fast-starting David Muñoz (BOE Motorsports), only just edging the Spaniard out into Turn 1. But Sasaki was quick to take back over at the front and Guevara quick to follow into second as the classic Moto3 freight train began. However, a smaller group was initially able to break away – and then the first drama hit for Foggia as he was given a Long Lap for a shortcut at the final chicane.

That dropped him back into the chasing group, where Garcia was already tucked in trying to push forward, along with John McPhee (Sterilgarda Husqvarna Max). And the Brit and his fellow veterans got the job done, bridging the gap to make another freight train. That created another classic fight at the front, and then the second drama hit for Foggia. A brush with Muñoz sent the Leopard rider wide, and he was unsettled on the kerb before crashing out.

The chopping and changing continued, but Sasaki led onto the last lap, with Suzuki shadowing and Masia into third as Guevara got shuffled back. Suzuki struck briefly but the number 71 hit back, but then huge drama hit the final lap. Muñoz went for an optimistic for a move on Masia and instead, skittled the number 5 out – earning himself a Long Lap for Silverstone – and McPhee crashed just behind in his own incident.

At the front, Sasaki was clear as Guevara and Suzuki went toe-to-toe, with Garcia able to close up too. By the final chicane, Sasaki had just enough room to cross the line for his first Grand Prix win, and Guevara muscled through on Suzuki. Garcia then attacked the Japanese rider to gas it past on the left, the Championship leader retaining that moniker by just 0.007.

Sasaki becomes a Grand Prix winner, Guevara cuts the gap to just three points off the top and Garcia takes yet another podium under increasing pressure, with Suzuki just left out of the party. Xavier Artigas (CFMoto PrüstelGP) completed the top five with a slightly under the radar but impressive ride, the last rider in the front group who saw the flag after the last lap drama. 

Daniel Holgado (Red Bull KTM Ajo) overcame a Long Lap given for crashing under yellows in practice to take sixth, just heading the second group ahead of Stefano Nepa (Angeluss MTA Team). There were a few more tenths back to Ryusei Yamanaka (MT Helmets – MSI), who just beat Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Tech3) and Kaito Toba (CIP Green Power). Öncü retains his record as the only rider in Moto3 to score in every race so far this year.

Riccardo Rossi (SIC58 Squadra Corse), Ivan Ortola (Angeluss MTA Team) and Lorenzo Fellon (SIC58 Squadra Corse) were next, ahead of Carlos Tatay (CFMoto PrüstelGP) classified 14th after two Long Laps from Germany and a three-second penalty for track limits. Andrea Migno (Rivacold Snipers Team) completed the points after a Long Lap and a double Long Lap after failing to comply with the first.

Moto3 Assen Podium (Full Results Here)

1 Ayumu Sasaki (Sterilgarda Husqvarna Max) – Husqvarna – 37’28.371
2 Izan Guevara (GASGAS Aspar Team) – GASGAS – +0.314
3 Sergio Garcia (GASGAS Aspar Team) – GASGAS – +0.392

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After deposing the “no Yamaha win since 2009” stat at the Sachsenring, Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha) arrives on the front foot and with his eye on another: no one’s won back to back at Assen since Valentino Rossi did it in 2004 and 2005. Since the Quartararo reigned last year in the Netherlands, it’s within reach… and his form only backs that statement up further. Three in a row would be quite a way to head into summer break.

Elsewhere at Yamaha, Darryn Binder (WithU Yamaha RNF MotoGP) and Andrea Dovizioso will want more, the latter a former podium finisher at Assen and the former looking for a bounce back before summer break. Franco Morbidelli (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP), meanwhile, continues looking for a big step forward, the Italian well outside his already conquered postcode of the podium fight so far in 2022.

At Aprilia, meanwhile, it can raise a smile that one of their worst races of the season so far, all told, is still in fact what the Noale factory would have been aiming for at the start of just last season. “Worst” describing fourth place for Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) still maintains the number 41 in second overall and was another consistent, big-points finish he’ll be looking to build on again.

On the other side of the garage there’s another two-sided coin for Maverick Viñales from Germany too: he suffered a technical issue and had to retire, but he had to retire after having been pinned to the back of his teammate for some time, looking like a podium charge was on the cards. Will there be one at Assen? It’s those final laps of the race, the ones we didn’t get to see at the Sachsenring, where ‘Top Gun’ often shines, and everything seems to be coming together.

That statement is also true of Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing). The Frenchman is on a steady upward curve of results with the next natural number in the progression being 1 aka the win. As satisfying a stat as that would be, his recent run already stands alone as impressive. Now third overall – and top Ducati in the Championship – can he pull another podium out the bag?

Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) did just that in Germany to put some tougher races behind him, and ‘Thriller’ did it despite a Long Lap penalty too. Of all those on the grid, Miller’s memories of Assen are probably the sweetest as he took that incredible win in 2016, so what can he do in 2022? And can Jorge Martin (Prima Racing) find something more? What will Luca Marini (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) and Fabio Di Giannantonio (Gresini Racing MotoGP) have in the locker after impressive speed in Germany? Can Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing MotoGP) bounce back from a stint of going AWOL?

Then, of course, there’s Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team). From bad luck in Barcelona to a slide out of second at the Sachsenring, it’s been a tougher few weeks for the number 63. Assen hasn’t traditionally been the best for Ducati, but Pecco even has the track as a tattoo, having taken his very first win there in Moto3 in 2016. He’s also reigned in Moto2, and knows his way around the Cathedral. The gap to the top is now a big one, but the season is only half way done…

Lurking a single point above both Bagnaia and Miller in the standings, meanwhile, is the truest Sunday rider of late – in the best sense. No matter the grid position, when the lights go out Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) wrings some magic out of his KTM, and he’s now into the top five overall. It’s never two or three positions either, it’s a charge as far as the charge can possibly go, and it’s paying dividends. Can he and teammate Miguel Oliveira – who is gaining back some solid form too – take that extra step forward at Assen?

Another factory looking for more, in their case a real bounce back, is Suzuki. Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar) crashed out in Germany after that stunning charge in Barcelona, and the number 36 will be gunning for glory at Assen. Teammate Alex Rins, meanwhile, tried to take part put then hit a serious pain barrier before withdrawing due to his wrist. Can he try again at Assen?

Finally, Honda. The stat sounds a little brutal: no points for the first time since the French GP in 1982. But all told, that happening at the track where the marque won the previous 11 races probably takes the sting out, as is likely also true of the well-stocked trophy cabinet added to in the intervening decades. It’s a tough run, however, with Stefan Bradl the sole finisher for Repsol Honda Team, teammate Pol Espargaro riding through the pain barrier, Alex Marquez (LCR Honda Castrol) suffering a technical issue and Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) sliding out.

All four riders have shown much more this season already, so the TT Circuit Assen will certainly bring the factory back into the points as a minimum, and offer some more track time as they fettle the all-new Honda RC213V. 

Classic, historic, and nestled in the north of one of northern Europe’s most vibrant countries, there have already been 72 great reasons to visit Assen – or tune in. This weekend provides the 73rd as MotoGP returns to the Cathedral, so join us at 14:00 (GMT +2) on Sunday for the final showdown before summer break!

MotoGP Championship Top 5 Heading To Assen (Full Standings Here)

1 Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) – Yamaha – 172
2 Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) – Aprilia – 138
3 Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing) – Ducati – 111
4 Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing MotoGP) – Ducati – 100
5 Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) – KTM – 82

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Rea started the race from third place, behind teammate Alex Lowes in second and polesitter Razgatlioglu but was soon fronting the field. The 2021 champion responded a few laps later to re-take the lead of the race. Rea once again passed the Turk on lap 16 before his attention turned to the charging Bautista.

Bautista had worked his way up from fifth on the grid to fight in the lead group and, after passing Razgatlioglu for second place, aimed to attack Rea on the final lap of the race. Bautista closed in on the run to the final chicane, but Rea was able to hold on to claim victory, his 16th at Assen, and take the lead of the Championship by just two points ahead of Spanish rider Bautista.

Rea’s victory means he has now won 99 races for Kawasaki and his first chance to make it a century for one manufacturer comes in the Tissot Superpole Race, a milestone that would just add to the number of records Rea has in the WSBK history books. With his first chance to make more history coming on the Sunday, Rea was asked about his feelings heading into a potential history-making day.

He said: “Step by step. We don’t want to think too much about that. Of course, the target is to go out and as many points as we can, try to win the race, but not for a piece of cake. I don’t know if the team have got anything planned but 100 wins for a manufacturer is an incredible milestone and, of course, that’s the next big hurdle for us. If it’s not tomorrow, I’m sure it’s going to happen at some point this season. We can be very proud of our partnership together and look forward to many more race wins.”

WorldSBK Race One Podium (Full Results Here)

1 Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK)
2 Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati)
3 Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK)

Tissot Superpole Sprint
The Tissot Superpole Race at the Motul Dutch Round was another thrilling battle in the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship as Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) claimed a historic victory in a shortened race.  Rea was able to make the move for victory on the final lap against Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) at turn eight to take his 100th victory for Kawasaki. The win for the six-time world champion means he has now claimed 100 wins for a single manufacturer, the first rider to do so in WorldSBK and adding to his already-incredible record at the TT Circuit Assen at the Dutch Round.

The race was reduced from ten laps to nine when Gabriele Ruiu (Bmax Racing) had an issue on the grid, forcing the original start to be delayed and the race distance reduced by one lap. Rea was able to make the move for victory on the final lap against Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) at turn eight to take his 100th victory for Kawasaki, something he was hoping to get a cake for.

Bautista finished second after fighting from fifth on the grid, and passed Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) at the high-speed turn six for the lead of the race at that time before Rea moved into the lead on the final lap. Rea will therefore lead Bautista and Razgatlioglu from the front row in race two. The drama did not stop there, though, with Bautista given a one place penalty for a track limits infringement on the final lap, promoting Razgatlioglu to second with Bautista third.

Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) claimed fourth place and will line up there from race two on Sunday afternoon, ahead of rookie Iker Lecuona (Team HRC) in fifth place after another strong performance from the Honda rider. Locatelli’s fourth place means Italian riders have now finished in that position eight times in the last nine races and the fifth time in a row. French rider Loris Baz (Bonovo Action BMW) claimed sixth spot, finishing as the best Independent rider, to complete the second row for race two.

American star Garrett Gerloff (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) will lead away the third row in Race 2 after claiming seventh spot, finishing ahead of Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) in eighth. Rinaldi will start from the third row after battling his way up from 12th on the grid, ahead of fellow Italian rider Axel Bassani (Motocorsa Racing) in ninth; Bassani completing the third row for race two.

Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) was running inside the top nine throughout the race, but a technical issue at the start of the ninth and final lap meant he was forced to retire from the race. As he qualified inside the top nine during the Tissot Superpole session on Saturday, but didn’t finish there, he will start race two from tenth.

Tissot Superpole Podium (Full Results Here)

1 Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK)
2 Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +0.220s
3 Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) +0.267s

Race Two
Drama was never far away in the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship at the TT Circuit Assen with Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) romping away to claim victory during the Motul Dutch Round, as rivals Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing WorldSBK Team) and Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) came to blows at turn one in the early part of the 21-lap race.

Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) got a good start from second on the grid and moved into the lead of the race ahead of Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK). The pair, also running with Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Honda), battled it out for the lead of the race in the early stages of the race. With the trio swapping places throughout, the battle came to a premature conclusion at turn one on lap six.

Razgatlioglu ran wide at the right-hander, but remained on track, with Rea making his way through turn one shortly after. The pair collided on the exit of the corner with both riders being forced to retire from the race. The incident was placed under investigation by the FIM WorldSBK Stewards, with the investigation taking place after the race.

The incident allowed Iker Lecuona (Team HRC) to move into the lead of the race ahead of Bautista, although the Ducati rider soon made his move on the rookie to head the charge. From there, Bautista was able to pull away at the front of the field to win by 8.7 seconds ahead of Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) after Locatelli passed Lecuona on lap 18. Bautista’s victory is his 19th win in WorldSBK, running the #19 plate, and now the only rider to finish on the podium in all six races run so far.

Second for Locatelli means he has now scored his best WorldSBK result to date, and his fifth podium so far. Lecuona’s podium means Honda have claimed a podium finish for the first time at Assen since 2016 when Michael van der Mark (now BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) claimed third. 

Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) finished in fourth place as he bounced back from two technical issues in race one and the Superpole Race to record fourth place after a mega battle with Scott Redding (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) and Axel Bassani (Motocorsa Racing). Redding finished in fifth place, his best finish since switching to BMW, after Bassani was given a three-second time penalty for repeatedly exceeding track limits throughout the race.  

Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) finished in seventh place to end a difficult weekend for the Italian rider, finishing five seconds clear of Michael van der Mark (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) in eighth place. Van der Mark was making his first appearance of the 2022 season and is still recovering from his leg fracture but will take home a top eight finish for his efforts in front of his home fans. Xavi Vierge (Team HRC) claimed ninth place with two Hondas inside the top ten, while Frenchman Lucas Mahias (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) rounded out the top ten.

Roberto Tamburini (Yamaha Motoxracing WorldSBK Team) claimed his best WorldSBK result to date with 11th place, finishing just 0.004s clear of Christophe Ponsson (Gil Motor Sport-Yamaha) who claimed 12th place. Leon Haslam (TPR Team Pedercini Racing), making his WorldSBK return, took the team’s first points of the season as he finished in 13th place. Sammarinese rider Luca Bernardi (BARNI Spark Racing Team) claimed two more points in his debut campaign with 14th place, with Leandro Mercado (MIE Racing Honda Team) in 15th and rounding out the points.

Wildcard Gabriele Ruiu (Bmax Racing) was 10 seconds away from scoring points at Assen, although he had to fend off a challenge from Malaysian rookie Hafizh Syahrin (MIE Racing Honda Team) with just a tenth between them at the end of the race. Rookie Oliver Konig (Orelac Racing VerdNatura) rounded out the classified runners.

Kohta Nozane (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) crashed out of the race on the opening lap at turn one, with the Japanese rider taken to the medical centre for a check-up following the crash. Nozane was diagnosed with a fracture of the right fifth metatarsal bone. On the same lap, Garrett Gerloff (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) made contact with Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) at turn five, with the American rider not finishing the race after sustaining damage to his bike. Loris Baz (Bonovo Action BMW) crashed out of the race on lap two, while Philipp Oettl (Team Goeleven) was out of the race with a technical issue on the same lap.

Alvaro Bautista: “I had the best seat to see all the action! I was so lucky because I saw Toprak and Jonathan crash, and I was scared because they both crashed in front of me. After that, Lecuona came and touched me in my side and then when I go into the next corner, I think Bassani came from very far behind and just touched my ribs. I was lucky again. In two corners, I was very lucky. After that, I needed a couple of laps to understand what was happening. It was incredible to understand!”

“I was quite fast and quite consistent. I sometimes just tried to relax because I saw the gap was increasing a lot. I started to make some small mistakes but I preferred to just keep the rhythm and concentrate until the end. Consistency is the key for this season, especially because Toprak and Jonathan are very fast. I don’t think I can win a lot of races like I did three years ago”

Race Two Podium (Full Results Here)

1 Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati)
2 Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) +8.770s
3 Iker Lecuona (Team HRC) +11.580s

Championship Standings After Assen (Full Standings Here)

1 Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) 109 points
2 Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) 91
3 Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) 64

Oli In The Points
After a P14 in World Supersport’s race one at Assen Oliver Bayliss was able to do even better in race two. Starting from eighteenth on the grid, the Barni Spark Racing Team rider came out of turn one in P9 and closed the first lap in P11. Regrouped by some riders in the first part of the race Bayliss found himself P14 on lap 12.

In the last six laps the Australian rider started his comeback passing first Brenner and then De Rosa; in the last four laps – having gained another position due to a crash in front of him – Oli tried hard to attack Sofuoglu as well and go for the Top 10. Bayliss finished in P11, 22” behind the winner, but only 5” from the Top 5. It was a prestigious result for a rookie rider in World Supersport and his first race at Assen. Bayliss takes home seven points in the championship standings. 

At the front end of the WorldSSP field, reigning champion Dominique Aegerter claimed both wins at Assen on his Ten Kate Yamaha.    The Swiss rider battled back after losing ground at the start of the 18-lap Sunday race to claim honours and extend his lead at the top of the WorldSSP Championship.

Oli Bayliss: “We could sum it up with one sentence: we couldn’t ask for more. The team did a great job and every time I went out on track I was faster than the previous round. Also in Race 2, compared to Race 1, my pace improved and we reached the best possible result. I want to thank the whole team for the great work and the warmth I feel around me”. 

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Assen celebrates its 30th anniversary battle for WorldSBK, with Ducati’s Alvaro Bautista leading the championship after two Sunday wins at round one at Aragon, Kawasaki’s Jonathan Rea sitting second on the points table and heading to Assen with the possibility of scoring his 100th victory for the marque,  and world champion Toprak Razgatlioglu in third.  News also this week that Dutchman Michael van der Mark (BMWO is back on the bike for his home round after a season delay due to injury, and that Leon Haslam will race for the Pedercini Kawasaki squad for the Assen round. 

Race times (all times Australian Eastern Standard Time)

• WorldSBK   Saturday 10pm-21 laps     Sunday 7pm-10 laps and 10pm-21 laps
• WorldSSP   Saturday 11.15pm-18 laps Sunday  8.30pm-18 laps

It’d been 1022 days between Alvaro Bautista’s (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) spells at the top of the championship but after just three races back with the Ducati Panigale V4 R, the Spaniard is already leading the standings. 

Bautista’s double on Sunday at Aragon sees him come to a circuit where he was unbeatable in 2019 too, when he romped to a double, winning the opening 11 races of the season. However, as seen at Aragon, it’s a lot closer now; can he fend off Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK), who won all three races in 2021? His teammate, Michael Ruben Rinaldi, took a podium in 2021 at Assen and had a solid first round; can he challenge for victory this time?

In the green corner, Jonathan Rea took the opening honours of the 2022 season with race one victory in a thrilling final corner battle with Bautista. After the duo’s closest fight for victory, Rea now comes to a circuit that he’s become synonymous with. An unprecedented 15 wins – on both Honda and Kawasaki – mean that he’s the favourite.   Two more victories at Assen this weekend for the six-time world champ, will create history and a milestone moment for Rea with a record 100 career wins for Kawasaki. 

Tyre choice was crucial in 2021 and Rea did his homework to take his most recent triple in WorldSBK; he’s three points behind Bautista. On the other side of the garage, Alex Lowes’ season started with a crash and whilst yet to get a podium for Kawasaki at Assen or in 2022, his first one in WorldSBK came at Assen in 2014; will he deliver?

Third in the standings after Aragon, reigning World Champion Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) had a solid first round, with Yamaha making a visible step at a circuit they’ve historically struggled at. However, despite the gains, Toprak confirmed that they’d reverted back to the old electronics package for Aragon and hinted at a complete return to the 2021-spec Yamaha YZF-R1 for Assen. The Dutch venue is one of just three venues on the calendar that Toprak hasn’t won at – the others are Aragon and Barcelona. In 2021, third in race one and the Superpole Race were the highlights before he was skittled at turn one by fellow Yamaha rider Garrett Gerloff (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team). Teammate Andrea Locatelli has fantastic Assen memories, taking a first WorldSBK podium in 2021 after leading a race for the first time; can he go a step further?

It was a very positive opening round for Team HRC and their rookie line-up of Iker Lecuona and Xavi Vierge. The Spaniards lie fifth and sixth in the Championship and thus make it two Honda riders inside the top six. Both Lecuona and Vierge hope to consolidate their pace at a circuit they’ve not tested at; Lecuona found a breakthrough in braking at Aragon but with Assen being more about flow and corner speed, could their bike be a natural contender? Neither rider has performed particularly well in the MotoGP paddock days at Assen, but with a new challenge can come a reset; expect both Hondas to feature.

Where to start with BMW? On one hand, it looks like they’ve made gains as they had plenty of top ten success through the Aragon weekend, albeit not the top five they achieved in tricky conditions last year. However, Scott Redding (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) had a difficult time, something he said was “hard to accept”, struggling all round and managing a 15th in race one as his sole point-scoring ride. He’ll hope to fair better and break into the top ten as he continues his adaptation to an inline four engine configuration. Home-hero Michael van der Mark returns, the Dutchman kicking off his season at Assen after missing round one due to injury.  He’s had podiums for Honda and Yamaha in past years and two top six finishes in 2021, so we will see where the BMW takes him.

The top Independent battle rages on and Frenchman Loris Baz (Bonovo Action BMW) is in control; he gave BMW their best result of 2022 with seventh in race two at Aragon. Teammate Eugene Laverty took a top ten at Aragon and aims to make gains at Assen, however, it’s a familiar battle splitting the BMWs: Garrett Gerloff vs Axel Bassani (Motocorsa Racing). Gerloff showed great promise in Free Practice at Aragon but faded in the races and now comes back to the scene of his controversial collision with Toprak in race two last year.

For Bassani, he was the opposite of Gerloff last time out; not featuring in practice but coming good in the races, with seventh in the Superpole Race before a tenth top-six finish of his WorldSBK career in race two, taking sixth. Lucas Mahias (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) is next up in 14th overall, returning to the track where he suffered a big crash in 2021.

Vying to crack the top ten for the first time, Philipp Oettl (Team Goeleven) took two 13th places in his WorldSBK debut weekend and goes to Assen, where he took two WorldSSP podiums in 2021. Then, Sammarinese rookie Luca Bernardi (BARNI Spark Racing Team), who came from 18th on the grid at Aragon to 12th in Race 1 for debut points. He took a top five at Assen last year in WorldSSP. Roberto Tamburini (Yamaha Motoxracing WorldSBK Team) was a surprise at Aragon and took points, whilst fellow Yamaha rider Kohta Nozane (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) struggled, not scoring points and crashing in Race 2.

Christophe Ponsson (Gil Motor Sport Yamaha), Leandro Mercado (MIE Racing Honda Team), teammate Hafizh Syahrin and Oliver Konig (Orelac Racing VerdNatura) aiming for first points and the news of  “Pocket Rocket” Leon Haslam returning to Pedercini after the departure of Loris Cresson.  (TPR Team Pedercini Racing). Despite being scheduled to make a wildcard debut, reigning British champion Tarran Mackenzie has been ruled out after a preseason testing injury.

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