MotoGP-Assen

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TEAM SUZUKI ECSTAR READY FOR ASSEN MotoGP?

The historical circuit of Assen will host the eighth round of the 2016 MotoGP? Championship this weekend and Team SUZUKI ECSTAR?s riders Maverick Vi?ales and Aleix Espargar? arrive in Netherlands following a bittersweet race in Catalunya, where Vi?ales had a positive race with fourth place but Espargar? suffered some electronic issues that forced him to retire with seven laps to go.

The positive developments introduced by Suzuki?s R&D are still under evaluation, but the day of testing in Catalunya following the race gave both riders and the team the chance to gather more information and a clear direction for the upcoming race.

Suzuki?s history at the TT Circuit of Assen is a glorious one, with nine victories since 1975, and also last year?s race saw Espargar? place second in qualifying. Both Team SUZUKI ECSTAR riders also finished in the top 10, with Espargar? ninth and Vi?ales 10th.

The circuit, known as ?The Cathedral of Motorcycling,? because of its historic significance to Motorcycle World Championship racing, is the only circuit to have hosted a race every year since its creation in 1949. Assen is quite a technical track, very narrow and it has several rapid changes in direction that could be favourable to the handling capabilities of the GSX-RR machines. This is feature particularly appreciated by Espargaro. With a total length of 4.555 km (2.82 miles), it has a very short straight (only 487m ? 1597.77ft) and a majority of right corners: 12 versus six left-handers.

Maverick Vi?ales:

?The work we did in Catalunya on Monday after race was very useful to better-investigate the potential of the new specs of the chassis. I?ve been struggling with the rear grip lately and the set-ups we found can apparently can help me in finding a better efficiency with traction. This is an important step forward for me, according to my riding style. We are constantly making progress technical-wise and the results are following; we are consistently fighting with the top competitors, although we still miss a little bit that we need to fight properly for even better positions. Assen will be an important and yet tough race, we have to try to finalise the best set-up possible according to the new chassis and be really focused.?

Aleix Espargar?:

?Assen is one of my favourite tracks in the championship and with the improvements we have done lately I believe we can do a good race. From the test in Barcelona two weeks ago, I found a better direction for the development. I will probably go back to the standard chassis as we found some very interesting options in the set-up that can be further explored and exploited. At the end of the test last Monday I did many laps because I felt very comfortable and had a clear perception that we were moving ahead. This continuous improvement, together with the layout of the TT circuit, gives me a further enthusiasm towards this next race.?

 

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Honda riders ready to go at historic Assen

Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team RC213V) arrives at MotoGP?s most historic venue after regaining the World Championship lead in a hard-fought Catalan Grand Prix earlier this month. Marquez finished the race a close second, while previous points leader Jorge Lorenzo (Yamaha) was taken out by another rider.

Marquez?s second-place finish was his sixth podium result from the first seven of 18 races and puts him ten points ahead of Lorenzo, with former champion Valentino Rossi (Yamaha) in third. Team-mate Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda Team RC213V) holds fourth overall after achieving his second podium of 2016 at Catalunya and completing Repsol Honda?s second podium double of the year.

Assen is the only MotoGP venue that?s been part of the series since the World Championship?s inaugural season in 1949. The Dutch round is also unique in that it?s a TT (Tourist Trophy) event instead of a Grand Prix. This harks back to the very beginnings of racing when competitors raced road bikes, known as touring models. Assen lets slip one age-old tradition this weekend ? it drops its usual Thursday/Friday/Saturday format in favour of the standard Friday/Saturday/Sunday programme.

Marquez has played his own part in Assen?s history, with four victories across all three classes during his last six visits. In 2010 he won the 125 race, in 2011 and 2012 the Moto2 race and in 2014 the MotoGP race. Last year the remarkable Spaniard fought for victory until the last corner, where a collision with Rossi dropped him to second place.

Marquez goes into the 2016 Dutch TT building strength as his team and the Honda Racing Corporation solve the riddle of one of this year?s crucial technical changes, the switch to same-for-all electronics software. The new software has been a challenge for a company that, uniquely in MotoGP, has always programmed its own rider aids.

Pedrosa is also benefiting from recent technical advances, which allowed him to finish just six seconds behind the winner at Catalunya, despite losing some time while fighting with rivals. The 30-year-old Spaniard also has good form at Assen: five podiums in the premier class, two in 250s and a victory in 125s, way back in 2002.

Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda RC213V) is Honda?s leading satellite MotoGP rider as the season approaches half-distance. The Briton has had an up and down start to 2016, with his points tally dented by several falls. However, he seemed to turn a corner at Catalunya, where he finished a season-best sixth and then clocked the fastest lap during the following day?s open test session. During that outing Crutchlow tried Michelin?s latest development tyres which suit him well and have him looking forward to Assen, where he scored a third-place finish in 2013.

Jack Miller (Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS RC213V) also had a better time at the last race, scoring his best premier-class result to date. The young Australian finished tenth after managing the low-grip conditions brilliantly.

Tito Rabat (Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS RC213V) will have an easier time at Assen than he did at his home race at Catalunya, where he bravely rode to 14th place, just 15 days after breaking his left collarbone at Mugello. The Spaniard has since continued his recuperation and should be in much better shape this weekend.

Marc Marquez 93
?We?ve had two weekends off after Catalunya, and it has been good to be able to disconnect a bit, spending a little time with my friends and enjoying the amazing experience of doing some laps on the RC213V-S at the Red Bull Ring last Tuesday. Anyway, I?m happy that the time to go racing at Assen has arrived, as it?s a track I really enjoy and, importantly, the first in a series of circuits that suit my riding style quite well! Step by step, we?re making some small improvements to the bike, so in Assen we?ll keep working hard from the first session to find a good set-up and try and fight for the podium again. The weather is particularly unpredictable there, so we?ll keep an eye on that also and try to be fast from the beginning of the weekend.?

Dani Pedrosa 26
?It was nice to be able to put in some good laps at the last race in Catalunya, to enjoy a bit of fighting and to step back on the podium, but now we must focus on doing a good job in Assen as well. We?ll see what feeling we?ll have in different conditions: colder than recent races, and very high-speed. The chances of rain are always high there, so we hope to have enough dry sessions to do some good work, both for the race weekend and for the future. Last Tuesday I quite enjoyed taking part in a video shoot at the Red Bull Ring in Austria: it was my first time at that track, which looks really good, and I had fun with the RC213V-S, which is an awesome street bike.?

Cal Crutchlow 35
?We go to Assen in an optimistic frame of mind after the test in Barcelona. It?s a track that I like and I?ve had some good results there in the past. I?m hopeful Michelin will bring some of the tyres we tested after the last race because I think they would work around Assen. We tested some setting changes at the test in Barcelona, as well as some new aerodynamic wings. We made the front of the bike softer and that helped me to decelerate quite well and then tested some different electronics settings. It was nice to be fastest and back on top of a timesheet, even if it was a Monday and it doesn?t mean anything. We took a lot of positives and worked well as a team and I think we can take that forward to this next race.?

Jack Miller 43
?It was a good weekend in Barcelona, but we can?t get ahead of ourselves off the back of one good result. We found some direction in Barcelona and we need to keep working to improve both our qualifying performance and our race pace. I?m looking forward to getting to Assen and giving it a go round there. I like the track; last year I had really good speed there on the open bike, so I?m looking forward to trying the factory bike there this time around.?


Tito Rabat 53
?The race in Barcelona definitely gave my confidence a good lift and I needed it after the injury problems from Mugello. It was good to have the two-week break because I needed it to help my left shoulder fully recover. I have been working really hard to get back to my peak level of fitness and I feel going to Assen I will be able to push at 100% again. I really like Assen and it will be great for me to ride a MotoGP bike for the first time at such an iconic venue. It is important that I can build on the point scoring finish in Barcelona with another strong challenge for the top 15 again this weekend.?

 

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Movistar Yamaha MotoGP bring Championship Battle to TT Assen

The Movistar Yamaha MotoGP team arrived in Assen in high spirits after securing their fourth consecutive victory of the season in Catalunya a little more than two weeks ago. Riders Jorge Lorenzo and Valentino Rossi are looking forward to returning to action at the 'Cathedral of Speed' this weekend as they aim to take over the lead in the championship standings.

Following a thrilling race and a productive test in Barcelona a fortnight ago, the Movistar Yamaha MotoGP team head North for the Motul TT Assen. Last year's race in the Netherlands saw Valentino Rossi storm to a brilliant victory, whilst Jorge Lorenzo made it a double podium for Yamaha. This year the Factory Yamaha teammates are again keen to feature at the front of the pack during an extra special eighth round of the MotoGP World Championship as it will be the first time the Dutch GP is held on a Sunday instead of the traditional Saturday race.

Lorenzo is looking to bounce back on Dutch soil following an unlucky DNF in Catalunya at the last round. The Mallorcan holds second place in the championship and hopes to step on the top step of the rostrum in Assen for the fifth time in his Grand Prix racing career. He previously secured a win in 125cc (2004), 250cc (2006 and 2007) and MotoGP class (2010) and is eager to apply some of the findings from the post-Catalunya test to his set-up for this weekend.

Teammate Rossi is also looking forward to continuing his battle for the championship. The Italian currently holds the Fastest Lap and Best Pole record thanks to a 1'32.627 lap he set in qualifying last year. He has won nine times in front of his Dutch fans (125cc x 1 in 1997, 250cc x 1 in 1998, and MotoGP x 7 in 2002, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2013 and 2015) and counts Assen as one of his favourite tracks. His superb win from last year gives him an extra confidence boost for this weekend as he tried to move up from third place in the championship standings.

The TT-Assen round has featured on the Motorcycle World Championship calendar since its creation in 1949 and draws in thousands of racing fans each year. The original circuit was over 6km and a favourite among riders, but lay out modifications shortened the track to its current 4,542-meter long format. Thanks to its narrow tarmac and rapid change in direction the track is a true test for riders to show off their skills, whilst being cheered on by spectators on the completely filled grass banks and grandstands alongside the track.

Massimo Meregalli - Movistar Yamaha MotoGP Team Director
"After a successful IRTA and private test and a short break, the team can't wait to visit the TT Assen Circuit, a track that suits our bike well. We have secured four victories in a row ever since we returned to racing on European soil and we aim to continue this momentum this weekend. Both Vale and Jorge like the track and they are eager to put what we have learnt during the tests into practice when we start the first session on Friday. It will be the first time we race in Assen on a Sunday and we aim to make it another memorable weekend."
Jorge Lorenzo
Championship: 2nd, 115 points

"Barcelona was a great pity. I knew it was going to be a tough race especially after feeling that the tyres were struggling after five or six laps, but then the crash ruined everything. Now we need to forget the incident and try to fight again in Assen. Racing in Holland is always a kind of bittersweet feeling. It's a track I love but on the other hand I've experienced both good and bad results. The layout is always good for our YZR-M1s so we are willing to have another go to get a great result again. I look forward to racing there!"
Valentino Rossi
Championship: 3rd, 103 points

"I used this short break to rest a bit and now I'm ready for the next race. I love Assen, it is one of my favourite tracks, but that doesn't mean anything because every race this year is very open and very uncertain. We just have to stay focused, try to work in the best way possible and see what happens. In Barcelona we had a good race and also the test went well. I really want to get back on track and prepare for the upcoming race with my team."
Tech3 duo primed for the cathedral of speed challenge

The Monster Yamaha Tech3 team pairing of Pol Espargaro and Bradley Smith optimistically await the eighth round of the 2016 MotoGP season at the legendary Assen circuit where they aim to storm to two top tier results. This weekend's Motul TT Assen will be the first time in the race's history that it will run on Sunday as opposed to Saturday, with the venue being the only one to have hosted a round of the Motorcycle World Championship every year since 1949.

Pol Espargaro will confidently set about following up his impressive finish of 5th at the last round in Catalunya with a strong showing aboard the Yamaha YZR-M1. The young Spaniard, who recently celebrated his 25th birthday, will seek to use the knowledge gained at the confidence boosting post Catalan Grand Prix test to make another step forward and consolidate his standing of 6th in the championship.

Meanwhile, Bradley Smith intends to determinedly battle his way to the top independent position in Sunday's race and bounce back after an unfortunate mechanical issue caused him to retire at the last GP. The Briton, who holds a positive record at the Dutch venue, will look to begin the weekend with instant speed and complete the event with a notable performance in front of the passionate and festive crowd.

Pol Espargar?
Championship: 6th, 59 points

"As always I am looking forward to heading back to the famous Assen circuit where I will carry on the fight to be as close to the factory MotoGP riders as possible. At the last round, which was my home GP, I was very happy to get 5th which equalled my best result of the season. Then, we undertook a useful test the following day and collected some important data, which will certainly help us in the future. Therefore, I am confident that we can have a positive weekend once again, in the Netherlands. For sure the weather will be important and there might be a chance of rain, so we really need to be focused from the first session onwards in order to be prepared in case of bad weather. However, I am determined to do well and it's always a pleasure to ride at Assen."
Bradley Smith
Championship: 12th, 29 points

"The last GP ended in a disappointing way for me, yet, I know that I could have ended the Catalunya race well, so I will remain optimistic for the forthcoming Motul TT Assen. It will be the first time that we race there on a Sunday, and it goes without saying that I want to kick off the new schedule with a good performance. The circuit is definitely a unique one and it is a track where I have had success over the years, with two podium finishes in the lower classes. We still have some catching up to do on my teammate, but after the constructive test in Catalunya, I am certain we can get back to where we need to be. A lot of English fans make the journey over to the cathedral of speed so I will do my absolute best to give them a lot to cheer about."

 

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A good Friday for Octo Pramac Yakhnich at Assen: Petrux 7th and Scott 10th

A Friday full of satisfaction for Octo Pramac Yakhnich at the historic Circuit of Assen.
The Dutch Grand Prix starts well with the double Top Ten conquered in FP2 by Petrux (7th) and Scott (10 ?) which has a precious value primarily because of the variable climatic conditions that usually characterize the weekend at the "Cathedral of Speed" of MotoGP

Danilo ends up the first day of practice with an excellent seventh place just 54 thousandths behind the hypothetical second row of Andrea Dovizioso. Following a fantastic FP1 finished with the fourth fastest time (1'34.660) perfecly shared with teammate Scott Redding, Petrux managed to repeat in the afternoon confirming to be at ease in the second part of the circuit (3rd overall time in T4). The crono of 1'34.065 worths provisional seventh position.

After the morning exploits, Scott also managed to improve in the afternoon lowering his time by half a second to end with a precious 10th place with a time of 1'34.172, less then 2 thents of a second from Jorge Lorenzo?s fifth time. Target of Redding is to improve tomorrow especially in T1 where he met some problem even in FP1.

10? - Scott Redding
1'34.172

We went very well in Fp1 and we are also pleased with the result of the FP2. Also because we worked a lot on the set up. I think I could take another two tenths but we'll try tomorrow. I?m confident for the race because the times are good even with the hard tire. But the Sunday?s story is always different so we have to go step by step.

7? - Danilo Petrucci
1'34.065

I'm happy for this result. In Holland is always very important to stay in the Top 10 because it is difficult to predict the weather conditions in the next day. I'm also happy for the time though in the time attack I committed some little mistakes. After the Barcelona test we have chosen a new way of working to preserve the tire and I think we made the right choice because today we have been very consistent with the times.

 

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SUZUKI ECSTAR STRONG IN ASSEN OPENING DAY

Team SUZUKI ECSTAR?s Maverick Vi?ales and Aleix Espargar? both put in strong qualifying performances this afternoon at the Motul TT Assen ahead of Sunday?s eighth round of the MotoGP? World Championship race in the Netherlands.

Both GSX-RR riders shaved significant time from their morning FP1 session with Vi?ales going fourth on the timesheets with a 1'33.892-lap and Espargar? eighth with a time of 1'34.087.

Team SUZUKI ECSTAR deployed two different versions of the GSX-RR chassis today: Vi?ales had two machines available with the evolution chassis, the one already tested two weeks ago in Barcelona, while Espargar? had two bikes with the standard chassis. This choice was made after the test at the Catalan GP, where the team and riders went in hunt of better grip at the rear.

Today?s work also focused on some set-up adjustments for the track and mainly on electronics, which is already to be refined as today?s performance didn?t leave the riders convinced they could both take the best out of their machines.

Davide Brivio ? Team Manager:

?This track is one of those where we could do good, both riders already managed to stay in the top-10 and it?s a good start. Tomorrow, we will still have much work to do to finalise some set-up options, verify which tyre is the best one; and also in the electronics. We exploited today?s dry day, we hope tomorrow will be the same, but the weather in Holland is pretty unpredictable. It is important to already be in the virtual Q2. Our machine has performed well also last year at this circuit, we have improved it further, so we hope for a positive weekend.?

Maverick Vi?ales:

?We have much work to do here, I like this track and the bike has improved a lot since last year, but we still need to work on the electronics. After the test in Barcelona, I decided to adopt the evolution chassis, which is not that different from the standard one, but it has that little bit more that I think could help me to turn better. Today we did many improvements, but we still need to improve the electronics. The base is optimal, as well as the set-up, but I still have some trouble when it comes to exiting corners and find the best acceleration. Of course being in fourth with this kind of issue is not a bad thing; therefore, we will work more tonight to find new solutions and hopefully tomorrow we will be more effective.?

Aleix Espargar?:

?I?m not happy about the position but for sure I am satisfied with the work we have done. It?s true that I?m eighth but we must consider that the gap is not so big as I?m only three tenths-of-a-second from the third place. I made a big improvement from FP1 to FP2 and this says we are working in the right direction. We are working a lot in preparation for the race, because here it will be a pack-race and therefore it is important to find consistency and stability. With the choice of the standard chassis the set-up options are more-or-less already defined, but we have much room for improvement with the electronics. We are working hard, we have some ideas in mind; and we will try to be faster tomorrow.?


Motul TT Assen FP2 Results:

1 Andrea IANNONE - Ducati Team - 1'33.591
2 Valentino ROSSI - Movistar Yamaha MotoGP - 1'33.595
3 Marc MARQUEZ - Repsol Honda Team - 1'33.724 + 0.133
4 Maverick VI?ALES - Team SUZUKI ECSTAR - 1'33.892 + 0.301
5 Jorge LORENZO - Movistar Yamaha MotoGP - 1'33.991 + 0.400
6 Andrea DOVIZIOSO - Ducati Team - 1'34.011 + 0.420
7 Danilo PETRUCCI - OCTO Pramac Yakhnich - 1'34.065 + 0.474
8 Aleix ESPARGARO - Team SUZUKI ECSTAR - 1'34.087 + 0.496
9 Pol ESPARGARO - Monster Yamaha Tech 3 - 1'34.163 + 0.572
10 Scott REDDING - OCTO Pramac Yakhnich - 1'34.172 + 0.581

 

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Solid Start for Movistar Yamaha MotoGP at TT Assen

Movistar Yamaha MotoGP's Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo showed their intentions for this weekend's TT Assen round today. The teammates enjoyed two productive free practice sessions, securing second and fifth place respectively in the combined time sheets.

Movistar Yamaha MotoGP's Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo started the eighth round of the MotoGP World Championship today at an overcast TT Circuit Assen. The teammates set a solid pace early on in the weekend, during what are expected to be the only dry sessions of the TT Assen, securing second and fifth position respectively in the combined times.

Eager to claim a position in the top ten, Valentino Rossi needed little time to get a feel for the iconic 'Cathedral of Speed'. Determined to battle for victory again this weekend, he hit the ground running and climbing to third in the provisional results list on his first stint. He kept this position while working on the balance of his bike whilst comparing the two frames brought by Yamaha until the pace quickened at the end of FP1. His best time, a 1'34.758s, earned him seventh place.

The Doctor made great progress in the afternoon. With some rays of sun peering through the clouds, he rode his YZR-M1 to a provisional third position and continued to improve his times throughout the session. He didn't stop pushing until he set a 1'33.595s lap for second place, only 0.004s from first.

Teammate Jorge Lorenzo was also quick on the pace in the morning practice session, climbing up to second after the first ten minutes. Having established a good rhythm around the TT Circuit Assen, he shifted his attention towards fine-tuning the basis set up of his YZR-M1 with both frames. He finished FP1 in sixth position with a best lap of 1'34.722s.

The Mallorcan carried forward his solid form in the afternoon. He was keen to head back out on track and gradually built up his pace. He continued to work hard on his setting and dropped under the 1'34 mark at the end of the session. His fastest time of 1'33.991s puts him in fifth place in today's combined times, 0.400s from the front.

Massimo Meregalli - Movistar Yamaha MotoGP Team Director
"The predicted rain could mean that today's FP1 and FP2 were the only dry sessions of the week, making it crucial for our riders to finish in the top ten today, to make it safely through to Q2 tomorrow. We are pleased to have done just that. We've been busy working on finding a good set up whilst comparing the two frames we brought here on both sides of the garage. Vale will change to the old frame whereas Jorge will probably continue to use the new one. Valentino had two productive practice sessions today and this showed in his fast time at the end of FP2. He feels comfortable on his bike and seems to have resolved some of the issues he had in the morning. Jorge also delivered solid and consistent times and made great progress, dropping under the 1'34s mark, but is not completely satisfied yet. With the use of today's data we identified the areas we will work on tonight to prepare something for tomorrow's Free Practice 3, however the conditions at the track could be very different by then."
Valentino Rossi
2nd / 1'33.595 / 41 laps

"It was a good day and I'm quite satisfied. This morning I had a small problem but in the afternoon we improved the setting of the bike and we improved my speed. In the end Iannone just beat me by 0.004s, but I'm in second place so I'm quite happy. For sure we need to continue to work. With the harder tyre for the race it will be a bit more difficult with a higher pace, and four or five riders are very fast. We need to improve but, for a Friday, it was a good performance. We compared the chassis we have tried during the Barcelona test another time. The difference is not so big but in the end I prefer my standard frame. I have more feeling in the front so we will continue with the normal one."
Jorge Lorenzo
5th / 1'33.991 / 38 laps

"Today we again tried the new chassis on a different track. In Montmel? I felt quite a big difference, here I didn't feel it so much so I need one more day to understand if it's also better here. It's been a difficult day, but at least we practiced in dry conditions. We are still missing something, especially in T4 and I also don't completely like how the bike is working, so we are going to try to change the setting for tomorrow. We are not far behind, but I would like to have some more speed."
Espargaro begins Motul TT Assen Charge

Monster Yamaha Tech3 team rider Pol Espargaro got straight on the pace in the Netherlands and closed day one with a positive performance. The young Spaniard began strongly and after completing the first shake down laps, he quickly set about adjusting his Yamaha YZR-M1 to the iconic Assen circuit. He impressively finished the FP1 in 3rd, with a lap time that was a mere 0.074 from the position in front, which left him highly confident for the afternoon. Here, the 2013 Moto2 World Champion carried on his efforts and with rain expected tomorrow morning, he pushed and determinedly posted a best time on his penultimate lap that left him only half a second from the top. Espargaro now optimistically looks on to the all-important qualifying shootout at the Cathedral of Speed.

On the other side of the Monster Yamaha Tech3 pit box, Bradley Smith concluded a solid opening day at the historic Dutch circuit for the 8th round of the 2016 MotoGP World Championship. The 25-year-old instantly jumped into action when the morning session kicked off and he started the initial work as he looks to seal a strong placement in Sunday's Grand Prix. He finished in 9th with a time that was only 0.269 behind his teammate. Then, when Free Practice 2 commenced, the Briton continued his tireless work as he made adjustments to the setup of his Yamaha YZR-M1 and also made progress with the Michelin tyres as he gathered information for his race choice. He eventually completed 21 laps, setting his best time on the penultimate one and now he confidently awaits the second day of action at the Motul TT Assen.

Pol Espargar?
9th / 1'34.163 / 36 laps

"I am very pleased overall with the first day at Assen, because the times were competitive throughout both sessions and I finished only half a second from the front, plus, just 0.1 from Jorge. I enjoy riding at this track and my feeling this morning, when we started, was positive straight away. Then, at the beginning of FP2, we had to try some tyre options in order to have a clear idea about which way to go this weekend. Initially I didn't feel too comfortable on the hard compound of rear tyre, so we tried another one but it was the same, which means the hard compound won't be our choice. At the end of the FP2, it felt like a qualifying session as the forecast for tomorrow is not ideal so it was important to finish inside the top ten. There were a lot of fast guys outside the cut off point for QP2 so to end up where I did means that I can have a better rest tonight as I am through to Qualifying 2 even if the rain falls tomorrow. There, I plan to be strong and continue the good form in the Netherlands."
Bradley Smith
14th / 1'34.531 / 40 laps

"The opening day at the Motul TT Assen has been quite encouraging and I am satisfied with what we accomplished as I was inside the top ten throughout the day, which is positive for us. Yet, unfortunately we didn't undertake the best strategy for FP2 in terms of the scoring a fast lap time. Instead, we focused more on setting the bike up for the race and trying to improve my feeling, which seems to be good here, so we wanted to take advantage of this. Having said that, I'm a little disappointed to end up in 14th because we had the potential to finish inside the top ten today, which would have been useful in case of bad weather tomorrow. Anyway I have to acknowledge the positives, and overall, this is probably one of the better starts that we've had so far this season on a Friday. The guys and I worked really well as a team and all day we focused on trying to improve the rear setting of the bike and now we have a good plan for the rest of the weekend. We were able to try the soft and medium compounds of front tyre as well as the soft and hard rear options so now we have a clear indication of the direction which way we will follow this weekend."

 

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Dutch TT gets underway in Assen for Repsol Honda Team

There were mixed feelings for the Repsol Honda men on a cloudy-but-dry opening day of the Dutch TT in Assen, with Marc Marquez finishing in a close third position, while Dani Pedrosa ended up 11th.

In the morning, each of the teammates spent the whole session on just one set of tyres, aiming to find the best setting choices for his bike. Marc managed to sort out a few solutions that helped in the afternoon, when he was able to constantly lap at the front; he set a very good pace from the beginning and ultimately closed the day just over one tenth from the top.

Dani struggled to find his pace at the beginning of FP2, and although he managed to complete a more positive last run in the end and to reduce his gap to the front to just 0.615s, he wasn?t able to improve as much as he had hoped.


Marc Marquez 93
3rd
?In the first free-practice session, we found things a little demanding and I wasn't able to ride as comfortably as usual, but we remained very focused and worked hard to look for a solution for the afternoon. So, the important thing from today is that the changes we made worked well in the second session, and I was able to set a good pace. We were amongst the top riders throughout the session, but we were also testing a lot of things that I think will help us tomorrow. Here, the track conditions change every time you go out, so we?ll work to try to continue improving, as the times are always very close.?


Dani Pedrosa 26
11th
?It?s been a very challenging first day because we had some difficulties with stability during both practice sessions. So far, we?ve failed to improve with the changes of tyres and setup that we tried. With such changeable weather, we didn?t want to take the risk of trying too many things, and it was a shame to have these difficulties on a day like today, with everybody?s lap times so tight. Nevertheless, we?ll stay positive; tomorrow we?ll try to take a step forward and get into the top 10 in the last free-practice session in order to gain confidence ahead of qualifying.?


PRACTICE 2
STANDINGS
Friday 24 Jun 2016, 16:18 UTC
# RIDER NUM NAT. TEAM CONSTRUCTOR TIME/GAP
1 ANDREA IANNONE 29 ITA DUCATI TEAM DUCATI 1'33.591
2 VALENTINO ROSSI 46 ITA MOVISTAR YAMAHA MOTOGP YAMAHA +1'33.595
3 MARC MARQUEZ 93 SPA REPSOL HONDA TEAM HONDA +1'33.724
4 MAVERICK VI?ALES 25 SPA TEAM SUZUKI ECSTAR SUZUKI +1'33.892
5 JORGE LORENZO 99 SPA MOVISTAR YAMAHA MOTOGP YAMAHA +1'33.991
6 ANDREA DOVIZIOSO 4 ITA DUCATI TEAM DUCATI +1'34.011
7 DANILO PETRUCCI 9 ITA OCTO PRAMAC RACING DUCATI +1'34.065
8 ALEIX ESPARGARO 41 SPA TEAM SUZUKI ECSTAR SUZUKI +1'34.087
9 POL ESPARGARO 44 SPA MONSTER YAMAHA TECH 3 YAMAHA +1'34.163
10 SCOTT REDDING 45 GBR OCTO PRAMAC RACING DUCATI +1'34.172
11 DANI PEDROSA 26 SPA REPSOL HONDA TEAM HONDA +1'34.206
12 HECTOR BARBERA 8 SPA AVINTIA RACING DUCATI +1'34.404
13 CAL CRUTCHLOW 35 GBR LCR HONDA HONDA +1'34.480
14 BRADLEY SMITH 38 GBR MONSTER YAMAHA TECH 3 YAMAHA +1'34.531
15 EUGENE LAVERTY 50 GBR ASPAR MOTOGP TEAM DUCATI +1'34.789
16 JACK MILLER 43 AUS EG 0,0 MARC VDS HONDA +1'35.008
17 STEFAN BRADL 6 GER APRILIA RACING TEAM GRESINI APRILIA +1'35.056
18 YONNY HERNANDEZ 68 COL ASPAR MOTOGP TEAM DUCATI +1'35.125
19 MICHELE PIRRO 51 ITA OCTO PRAMAC RACING DUCATI +1'35.220
20 ALVARO BAUTISTA 19 SPA APRILIA RACING TEAM GRESINI APRILIA +1'35.284
21 TITO RABAT 53 SPA EG 0,0 MARC VDS HONDA +1'36.582

 

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TOUGH ASSEN QUALIFYING FOR SUZUKI ECSTAR

Team SUZUKI ECSTAR riders Aleix Espargar? and Maverick Vi?ales will start tomorrow?s Motul TT Assen MotoGP? race in the Netherlands from the third and fourth rows after rain played a part in today?s final qualifying.

In the morning's dry FP3, Vi?ales and Espargar? both transferred directly to Q2 following their strong third and eighth positions respectively. But times dropped-off dramatically in FP4 and the two all-important qualifying sessions following the showers and a change to wet tyres.

Espargaro had to struggle with the tyre at the very beginning of the qualifying session, not being able to find a good feeling with the soft one and having to switch pretty soon to the hard. Then, some traffic on track prevented him to do a clean lap for the time attack. His feeling is positive, however, as the improvements done and the race pace set him as a contender in such a pack race as Assen is expected to be.

Vi?ales was an early casualty of Q2, slipping off his GSX-RR at the start and having to transfer to his second machine, which messed-up the team?s strategy for a new set of tyres for the time attack. The Spaniard, however, could work intensively both on dry and wet to find a good set-up for the race pace, giving him good hopes for tomorrow?s race.

Because of a penalty to Andrea Iannone ? who will start from the back ? Maverick Vi?ales will start one place ahead in tomorrow?s race, meaning from 11th.

Davide Brivio ? Team Manager:

?It?s a pity both for Aleix and Maverick because we couldn?t express all our potential, despite the rain. Aleix found some traffic on track while he was going for the time attack and he was good to find the eighth time as well as he had had a wise strategy; he had a bad feeling with soft tyre he didn?t lose time and immediately got back to switch to the hard one. Maverick unfortunately had a little slide at the very beginning and this complicated everything; he was supposed to make some laps and then come in the pit to change to a new hard tyre, but after the crash he had to exit again with the soft and then there was no more time for the planned tyre substitution. We could have been better with both, but this is the situation and we have to take the best from it. Aleix can actually do a good race because he?s in the third row, Maverick will have to struggle a little more, but both on dry and wet we proved to have a good pace. Today could have been better, but nothing is compromised for the race.?

Aleix Espargar?:

?Today the weather seemed to say ?welcome to Assen?! As we expected the rain came to mix up the cards and actually the qualifying classification is a bit strange. This morning in the dry I could make important improvements and this paid off, then in the afternoon with the rain we had to start from zero. In qualifying I exited with the soft tyre but I immediately felt it was not performing as I wanted because I had a lot of spinning on the straight, so I decided not to lose time and get immediately a hard one. Unfortunately, after that I found some traffic on the track right when I was pushing for my time attack, and I couldn?t do better. It?s a pity because I felt comfortable and I believe that without this inconvenience I could have fought for the first row, but this is racing and it?s ok. I feel confident because I have a good feeling with the machine both in dry and wet, so for me the weather will not be a variable and with a good start I think I could be fighting for the top positions.?

Maverick Vi?ales:

?I?m disappointed because the crash at the very beginning of the qualifying session ruined the work we were doing which was really positive. In the morning I?ve been very fast and also my pace in FP4 proved to be good, my feeling was good and I was enthusiastic for the qualifying. Unfortunately, I had this crash, I cannot even explain what happened because I was riding very carefully as it was one of the early laps. Anyhow, this interfered with our strategy; the idea was to run some laps with the soft and then go for the hard, but I lost time with the crash and then finally there was no time for a tyre change. It?s a pity, probably we can learn from this experience, but at the same time I feel confident for the race because the race pace is good. Usually in Assen the race is a pack race, so I?ll try to make a very good first lap to recover positions and then fight for a good place at the end.?


Motul TT Assen Q2 Results:

1 Andrea DOVIZIOSO - Ducati Team - 1'45.246
2 Valentino ROSSI - Movistar Yamaha MotoGP - 1'45.961 + 0.715
3 Scott REDDING - OCTO Pramac Yakhnich - 1'46.312 + 1.066
4 Marc MARQUEZ - Repsol Honda Team - 1'46.430 + 1.184
5 Cal CRUTCHLOW - LCR Honda - 1'46.568 + 1.322
6 Yonny HERNANDEZ - Aspar Team MotoGP - 1'46.828 + 1.582
7 Pol ESPARGARO - Monster Yamaha Tech 3 - 1'46.997 + 1.751
8 Aleix ESPARGARO - Team SUZUKI ECSTAR - 1'47.118 + 1.872
9 Andrea IANNONE - Ducati Team - 1'47.567 + 2.321
10 Danilo PETRUCCI - OCTO Pramac Yakhnich - 1'47.601 + 2.355
11 Jorge LORENZO - Movistar Yamaha MotoGP - 1'47.897 + 2.651
12 Maverick VI?ALES - Team SUZUKI ECSTAR - 1'48.415 + 3.169

 

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Stunning front row start for Scott Redding in DutchTT. Petrux will start from third row

It has been a fantastic Saturday for Octo Pramac Yakhnich at the "Cathedral of Speed" of Assen. Scott Redding gained a stunning front row start at the end of a spectacular qualifications and celebrated at Parc Ferme? with his team. Danilo Petrucci, tenth after Q2, will start from the third row by virtue of Andrea Iannone?s relagation.

Scott has confirmed the good feelings he had since Friday and played a sensational qualifying best interpreting the perfect team strategy. After lapping fast in his first run and recording the fifth quickest time, Scott entrered the pits to change the tire as the track was drying. Choice that turned out and allowed the British rider to get back on track finishing in third place behind Andrea Dovizioso and Valentino Rossi, with a time of 1'46.312.

Petrux was not able to make the most of the situation, also due to a crash in FP4. In Q2 he tried to push hard but didn?t manage to go beyond the 10th time (1'47.601). All things considered his week end remains very good as he showed to be very fast on the dry gaining direct qualification to Q2. Weather forecasts seem to predict a wet race and in FP4 when the rain began to fall, Danilo turned consistently keeping a podium race pace (behind Marquez and Rossi).

3rd - Scott Redding
1'46.312

I am very satisfied with this result. We had very bad luck so far in the season but we did well to never give up. The sensations were good even during the weekend in dry conditions. Today we did the maximum, thanks to my team's strategy. Also I am very happy for this: the guys are working for me every day and this is a small satisfaction that I am happy to have given him. I really hope to repeat tomorrow

10th - Danilo Petrucci
1'47.601

I made a mistake not to get back to garage to change the tire. I did not want to risk and instead those who have made this choice are in front row. We start from the third row, however, and we see what can happen tomorrow. We'll try to do a great race and I'm very confident. Before crashing in FP4 I was the fastest with the rain but I'm ready for all conditions. Moreover today I tried everything: I crashed, I was first, I came tenth so do not scare me at all.

 

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Movistar Yamaha MotoGP Qualify on First and Fourth Row in Dramatic Dutch Qualifying


Movistar Yamaha MotoGP rider Valentino Rossi saved his best effort for last

in today's 15-minute qualifying heat to secure second place on the starting grid for tomorrow's TT Assen. Teammate Jorge Lorenzo was looking competitive in the early stages of Q2, but was unable to acclimatise to the tricky and changeable track conditions and finished in eleventh position.

Movistar Yamaha MotoGP rider Valentino Rossi judged the grim conditions at the TT Circuit Assen track exactly right during the Q2 session and dropped a strong final lap to start the Dutch GP from the middle spot on the front row.

Teammate Jorge Lorenzo was unable to ride the hot lap he had in mind and will start tomorrow's race three rows further down the grid.

Rossi had been posting competitive times in every session and various types of weather so far this weekend and, despite this afternoon's treacherous track conditions, the Q2 session was no exception. The Doctor followed his usual procedure of letting the other riders go out on track before him to be assured of some clear space. Once he completed a very careful out lap he put the hammer down and set a 1'49.662s for third place.

His following two attempts didn't gain him any places and, with four minutes of the session left, the Italian decided to come in for a fresh wet rear tyre, despite a dry line forming on track. His decision paid off; after a minute he was ready to hit the track once more and set a brilliant 1'45.961s for second place, 0.715s off the fastest time.

Teammate Lorenzo had suffered a crash in FP3, luckily without any major consequences, and was able to take part in the afternoon sessions without any trouble. With the FP4 session being the only time the team had been able to test the wet set-up, the Mallorcan was also eager to go out at the start of the 15-minute long Q2 session. He was the first man to leave pit lane and set a 1'51.016s lap for provisional pole before dropping down the order to fifth place as the other riders completed their first lap.

Over the next ten minutes of the session he continued to better his time gradually, but was unable to climb up the ranking until the very end of the session. Struggling to find a good feeling on the slowly drying track, that still had damp patches in various corners, he was in twelfth position but was determined to make his final attempt count. He gave one final push after the flag went out and improved on his own best lap by 1.289s with a 1'47.897s to take eleventh place.

Massimo Meregalli - Movistar Yamaha MotoGP Team Director
"It was a very challenging qualifying session today because the team only had the wet FP4 session to get a feel for the conditions. Valentino improved his set up in the afternoon for qualifying and he made the right decision to come in for a fresh wet rear tyre when he did, so his second place is also the fruit of his experience. Despite a crash in FP3, Jorge improved the feeling with his bike in dry conditions this morning, but qualifying didn't go as we expected. Jorge didn't make a pit stop and rode the entire session on one set of tyres and this gamble will unfortunately cost him a start from the fourth row tomorrow. We are in a good place with our dry set up, but we still have a lot of things to fix for the wet one, especially as the conditions for tomorrow are still uncertain. We will use the warm up tomorrow to finalise our package whatever the conditions will be."
Valentino Rossi
2nd / 1'45.961 / 7 laps

"I stopped at the pit box four minutes before the end of the session, because my rear tyre was already getting too hot, because there were some places of the track that were starting to dry. For me it was too early to change to the intermediate tyre because three or four corners were still completely wet, so we put in another rain tyre and it was the right choice. It's a shame for me that I'm not in pole position, but above all I'm happy for the second place and starting from the first lane tomorrow."
Jorge Lorenzo
11th / 1'47.897 / 9 laps

"It was a heavy crash even though it was a small crash, losing the front, but the corner was fast. The gravel was very close to the track and when I arrived to it I had a very high speed and I rolled through the gravel a lot. A lot of rocks hit me in the neck, on my back and my hip, so I damaged my skin and superficially have a lot of pain, but luckily not in my bones, they are OK so I can race without any problem. I don't think it had an effect on qualifying, I just didn't feel safe or comfortable in the rain on wet tyres. I tried my best but I was slow."
Espargaro to launch from head of the third row at Motul TT Assen

Monster Yamaha Tech3 team rider Pol Espargaro undertook an impressive qualifying campaign at the Cathedral of Speed and will kick off tomorrow's highly anticipated race from 7th on the grid. The young Spaniard began the day by completing the morning practice in 12th after suffering a fall midway through the session, which prevented him from progressing to Q2, which he missed by only 0.073 of a second. However, rain fell just before FP4 where Espargaro battled onwards then, in QP1, he launched into action and notably finished first to progress through to qualifying 2. Here, he continued his efforts and after topping the time sheets early in the session, the Spanish rider pushed further and cut his time again, before completing the shootout in 7th by the time the chequered flag fell. Now the 25 year old keenly awaits the GP tomorrow where he aims to seal the top independent rider honours.

On the opposite side of the Monster Yamaha Tech3 pit box, Bradley Smith fought against the elements at the historic Dutch circuit and will begin the 8th round of the World Championship from the fifth row of the grid. The young Briton kicked off his day by continuing his setup work from yesterday before finishing the morning session in 15th, which confirmed his attendance in Q1. Here, Smith got straight to work as he battled against the tricky conditions and he built up his pace as the minutes counted down, before setting a personal best on his penultimate lap. Nevertheless, the 25 year old optimistically looks on to the race tomorrow where he intends to clinch a solid point scoring result.

Pol Espargaro
7th / 1'46.997 / 8 laps

"To end up in seventh position in what was definitely one of the most difficult days I have experienced in MotoGP, is something that we have to be pleased with. Today was about being smart on the bike which I had to work a lot on and I also had to be super smooth plus not make any mistakes. The fact that we had to go through QP1 was an extra tricky task because with these conditions you can't predict how things will turn out. The bike was sliding so much in FP1 but I didn't ride on the absolute limit until the last minute as I didn't want to crash. Instead, in the final qualifying I pushed one lap too early and on the last one I had Vinales in front who hindered me a bit so I couldn't improve the lap time further. It's a pity but considering how the day started, we have to be very satisfied with our position. For tomorrow I really hope we will have a dry race, as our pace seemed to be strong and consistent. If the conditions are wet I think it will be a real lottery, just like at the beginning of the season, as we could see today how easy it is to crash out because of a minor mistake. However, we will do our best and fight until the chequered flag."
Bradley Smith
14th / 1'48.909 / 8 laps

"It was tricky out there today, but we gave it everything that we had. It was the first time since Argentina that we had to ride in the wet, and I was quite apprehensive because we didn't have a fantastic setup when it rained there. Anyway the team worked really well today and we tried to undertake a solid strategy by pitting in Q1, yet unfortunately I couldn't tell the guys in the garage exactly what I wanted and we were very short on time! Therefore, we compromised ourselves a little bit by going out on the second bike. Nevertheless, I felt that we had decent pace and Hernandez and Pol who progressed, were really competitive in the second qualifying practice, so I have to take some positives from that as I was close to both of them in the first session. For tomorrow, we have some work to do and we can still improve the bike in different areas in order to obtain a good result for the Dutch fans."

 

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VI?ALES & TEAM SUZUKI ECSTAR 9TH AT RAIN-HIT ASSEN

Team SUZUKI ECSTAR?s Maverick Vi?ales raced to ninth place in a drama-packed Motul TT Assen MotoGP? two-part race in the Netherlands today as team-mate Aleix Espargar? was a casualty of the treacherously-slippery conditions and slid-off in the restarted race after fighting to catch-up after running wide early on.

Torrential rain caused a red-flag after 14 of 26-laps on safety grounds with the race re-run over 12 laps for full championship points. The first start proved to be complicated for Vi?ales, resulting in him being 18th after the first lap; he struggled to be competitive but managed to recover some positions, resulting in 13th place at the red flag. Even with new tyres, in the restart he suffered pretty-much the same lack of confidence with the machine, but he managed to make some overtaking manoeuvres and finally close the race well into the points.

Espargar? had a very positive jump in part one of the race, being third at the end of first lap, but then progressively lost competitiveness and slid-back some positions. At the restart, a collision with another rider pushed him into the gravel at the first corner, resulting in him being in last position. The modifications to the set-up done by his crew during the idle time between ?part 1? and ?part 2? proved to be effective though and the confidence he found back allowed him to recover on the riders ahead, but his positive progression had been interrupted by a slide that took him out of the race.

Ken Kawauchi ? Technical Manager:

?For sure this has been a hard weekend for us. Maybe this is the typical Assen weather, but for us it?s not been a big deal. Until FP3, in the dry, we were going very well with both riders in Q2 and consistently performing among the top, especially Maverick with a very good pace. But after rain came, our troubles started to get bigger and we struggled to find good settings. In Sunday?s race we were taunted by the weather, and with the race split into two legs, we struggled in both as we couldn't find proper set-ups. Here we have understood that our machine still needs to be investigated further to take the best out of it, it can be performing in any conditions if compared to other bikes, but we still have a lot to learn on how to take this good from it and take profit. I want to see the positive side of the weekend; today we have gained much experience and collected a lot of data, which will be very useful for the next time we have a wet race.?

Maverick Vi?ales:

?Unfortunately the rain was not a big deal for us, we lack in experience and today we paid the biggest price. We were pretty competitive in the dry, but when rain arrived we couldn?t find a proper set-up to have a machine that could make me comfortable. I suffered a lot during both legs of the race, and I?m sad for this because I felt we could have had a good chance in the dry. Unfortunately, we still have a lot to learn and grow when we are in rain conditions, we are all learning, but for sure this result is under our expectations; although being well into the points is a positive thing.?

Aleix Espargar?:

?It?s a pity because we did a real improvement and my feeling was good. After the first start I felt very uncomfortable on the bike, I couldn?t deploy the power to the ground and also had issues in turning, but in the time between the two legs of the race my crew applied some modifications that finally proved to be very effective. After the second start I had a collision with another rider at ?Turn 1? which sent me into the gravel, but I didn?t crash and I could re-join the race. After this the improvements to the bike allowed me to feel confident and recover to the riders ahead, but unfortunately I crashed. It?s a pity with the result, but I am finally satisfied for the job we have done and for this experience under the rain and it will be useful for the future in case of another wet race.?


Motul TT Assen Results:

1 Jack MILLER - Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS - 22'17.447
2 Marc MARQUEZ - Repsol Honda Team - 22'19.438 + 1.991
3 Scott REDDING - OCTO Pramac Yakhnich - 22'23.353 + 5.906
4 Pol ESPARGARO - Monster Yamaha Tech 3 - 22'27.259 + 9.812
5 Andrea IANNONE - Ducati Team - 22'35.282 + 17.835
6 Hector BARBERA - Avintia Racing - 22'36.139 + 18.692
7 Eugene LAVERTY - Aspar Team MotoGP - 22'40.052 + 22.605
8 Stefan BRADL - Aprilia Racing Team Gresini - 22'41.050 + 23.603
9 Maverick VI?ALES - Team SUZUKI ECSTAR - 22'43.595 + 26.148
10 Jorge LORENZO - Movistar Yamaha MotoGP - 22'45.051 + 27.604
NC - Aleix ESPARGAR? - Team SUZUKI ECSTAR

 

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Fantastic podium for Scott. Petrux?s dream ends with the red flag.

Overwhelming emotions for Octo Pramac Yakhnich in the DutchTT; characterized by the rain which on lap 16 forced the riders to return to the pits. Danilo Petrucci was leading, Scott Redding came in third with an impressive race pace. The prospect of seeing both on the podium was concrete, confirmed by Danilo times (four consecutive best lap as the track began to dry out) and Scott's comeback in lap 13. He registered over two-times seconds less than the leading group. Scott took the lead at the first corner but a mistake set him back 10 positions. The British rider did well to stay calm, and from lap 3, recovered positions that let him catch up to the leading group while the rain began to fall harder. Meanwhile, Petrux had a perfect race without making any mistakes letting him take the the lead in lap 14. After the red flag and the re-start, the rider Fiamme Oro, had to deal with a technical problem that forced him to retire. As in the first start, Scott could not keep the position, but had the merit to believe in it to go get Pol Espargaro and win his first podium with Octo Pramac Yakhnich. With 15 points won, Assen Scott rose to 14th place in the ranking of MotoGP with 32 points. Danilo, after three consecutive Top 10 remains with 24 points. Octo Pramac Yakhnich rose to sixth place in the ranking for teams with 68 points.

3? - Scott Redding


"It is a great satisfaction. It was a very difficult race. In a few moments, before the red flag, I could not see hardly anything. I drove by instinct and I managed to stay upright. The feeling with the bike was great and it was so even in the second half of the race. I am very happy for having given this satisfaction to the boys who have done an extraordinary job. We had so much bad luck so far and this weekend with the first row on the grid and the podium is a reward for having always continued to believe in what we were doing."

DNF - Danilo Petrucci


"I am very disappointed. We went very fast throughout the weekend, the team did a superb job. I was convinced that I could be among the first even in dry conditions. I felt good in the race, everything was going the right way, I was very motivated because I felt that this was the right time to bring home the victory. Unfortunately, that problem has ruined everything. I saw the dash go off and I thought even that would hinder me. But the engine stalled. I am disappointed but also aware that we have done an extraordinary job. I would have deserved this win but I am sure we will have other opportunities. Starting from Germany!"

 

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Miller & Marquez take brilliant first & second at rainy Assen

Jack Miller (EG 0,0 Marc VDS Honda RC213V) scored a stunning first MotoGP victory at rain-lashed Assen today, taking advantage of the ever-changing weather conditions to beat the established stars with a perfectly executed ride in a restarted and shortened race.

The Australian was followed home by twice MotoGP World Champion Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda RC213V), whose 20-point haul moves him 24 points ahead of reigning champion Jorge Lorenzo (Yamaha), who finished in tenth position. The result was Honda?s third MotoGP victory of 2016 and its first one-two of the year.

The 26-lap Dutch MotoGP race got underway on a wet track at the usual 2pm start time, but at half-distance a torrential rain storm hit the circuit, flooding the track and creating a fog of spray that made it too treacherous to continue, so the race was red flagged.

A new 12-lap race got underway at 3pm, with the track still wet, but with much less standing water and much better visibility. Former World Champion Valentino Rossi (Yamaha) led the way until he fell on the third lap.

Rossi?s exit handed the lead to Marquez, riding fast but taking care not to take big risks that might endanger his points lead, with Miller right behind. Soon the former Moto3 race winner moved ahead of the former 125cc, Moto2 and MotoGP champion. Marquez knew discretion was the better part of valour today, so he didn?t chase his fellow RC213V rider, but followed at a respectful distance to make sure of his third consecutive second-place finish. At the end he was 1.9 seconds down on the winner.

Miller?s inch-perfect win was historic for a couple of reasons. The 21-year-old born in Townsville (Queensland) is the first non-factory team rider to win a MotoGP race since Toni Elias won the 2006 Portuguese Grand Prix aboard his Honda RC211V, riding for Fausto Gresini?s team. He is also the first Australian to win a MotoGP race since Casey Stoner won the 2012 Australian GP on his Repsol Honda RC212V. This was Miller?s first GP win since he won the 2014 Valencia Moto3 race. His previous best result in the premier class was tenth at the Catalan GP earlier this month.

Understandably, Miller was somewhat emotional after his unexpected victory, which is the culmination of years of hard work. The youngster and his parents Sonya and Peter first came to Europe in 2010 when they lived in caravan parks, while Miller learned his craft on a Honda RS125. He made his GP debut in 2011, when he also won the German 125cc championship. He started his full-time 125 career the next year. In 2014 he finished second in the Moto3 World Championship behind Honda?s Alex Marquez. Last year he moved directly to MotoGP with Honda, missing out the Moto2 class.

Today?s race was less kind to Honda?s other three MotoGP riders. Tito Rabat (EG 0,0 Marc VDS Honda RC213V) and Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda RC213V) fell victim to the tricky conditions, sliding off during the second race. But they were both undaunted and picked up their bikes to restart. Rabat reached the chequered flag in 11th and Pedrosa in 12th.

Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda RC213V), who was a superb fifth fastest in yesterday?s qualifying outing, also slid off but was unable to restart.

The ninth Grand Prix of 2016 ? the season?s halfway point ? takes place at the Sachsenring, Germany, on July 17.

Jack Miller 43 -1st
?I don?t often say this but I?m lost for words. I feel incredibly emotional right now and it is hard to describe the sensation of winning for the first time in MotoGP. I felt confident and fast in the first part of the race but it was the right call to red flag it because the conditions were getting pretty dangerous. The track was really slippery for part two as well but I immediately felt comfortable. I could see a few riders making mistakes but I just kept my focus and concentrated on being fast and consistent without taking any silly risks. Once I passed Marc I just tried to block out the fact that I was heading for my first win and keep a clear mind. Coming out of the final chicane and seeing the chequered flag was just an unbelievable feeling. My family and I have made a lot of sacrifices to make today happen and it feels amazing. I can?t thank Team Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS enough. They have given me incredible support and never stopped believing in me. I must also thank Honda and their management for giving me this opportunity and allowing me to show what I can do at this level. It might take a while to sink in but I am going to enjoy tonight that?s for sure!?

Marc Marquez 93-2nd
?Today?s race was one of those in which you can either lose many points or gain them, and you can face it with two mentalities: either you take a risk to gain a bigger advantage, or you focus on finishing the race in order to lose the fewest points possible. The latter is the mentality that the team repeated to me about 40 times from this morning, and it is exactly what I did. I tried to stay in the top five so as not to drop many points to Valentino and attempted to not make mistakes in order to finish the race. At the beginning of the first race I didn?t feel comfortable and lost touch, but then I was able to recover. I think that stopping the race was a good decision, because it was very dangerous out there. In the second race I started off thinking about pushing a bit more, but everyone was very fast and I decided not to follow Rossi and Dovizioso because they were going too quickly. Then both of them crashed. When I saw Jack stalking behind me, I knew that he would be going for his first win so I preferred to let him pass and keep a couple of seconds gap between us, as well as a cushion to third place. I did that because with Jorge so far back and Rossi out of the race, second place was as good as a victory. In the end, we leave Assen with a bigger lead.?

Tito Rabat 53-11th
?It was a very difficult race and tricky conditions but I am happy to score more points. In the second race I?d got into the top 10 and felt I had a very good pace. I?m not normally so confident in the rain conditions but I felt really comfortable. I tried to pass Bautista because I was quite a bit faster than him in the last two sectors but I carried a bit more lean angle at turn 11 and it was a huge mistake because I crashed. I was lucky to be able to rejoin the race and I?m happy to finish and gain a lot of experience of the bike, tyres and electronics in the race. I want to say big congratulations to Jack and the whole team for the victory today. He rode an unbelievable race and deserved his victory.?

Dani Pedrosa 26-12th
?It's been a pretty tough weekend but races like today are a lottery. In the first race it seemed that the race strategy of running the soft tyre had gone well. At first, when the track was drying, I went slowly, but when it started to rain I upped my pace very quickly while others were at a disadvantage. However, that was when the Race Direction decided to stop the race. I felt unlucky, because it turned out that thinking ahead or trying to pick a different strategy wasn?t beneficial. In the second race I crashed on the first lap, because I had a new rear tyre without too much grip. It has been a difficult Grand Prix but we will try to find better solutions for the next race and regain our feeling in order to go faster.?


Cal Crutchlow 35-DNF
?I?m not happy as you can imagine. Everything in a race like today is going to be an if, but or a maybe, but I felt great in the first part of the race. The tyre wasn?t working properly at the start and I was struggling to get heat into it, but then as soon as it started to dry I was the fastest man on the circuit. I feel I would have won the race. Then it started raining again and it was a disaster. In the restart I chose the softer tyre and crashed out, simply because I had too much grip in the rear tyre. I had no experience on the tyre apart from in the qualifying session yesterday, and the conditions were so different. I got caught out with a cold front tyre, and honestly I am so disappointed. Take nothing away from the guys on the podium, especially Jack, but I felt there was an opportunity to finish the race on the podium and maybe win it. Jack took that chance, and I?m really pleased for him. If there was anyone else on the grid I?d want to win apart from myself, and it would be him.?

 

[KUCIAR666]

Dutch Downpour Dampens Movistar Yamaha MotoGP's Efforts

Movistar Yamaha MotoGP's Jorge Lorenzo, who struggled in the first unpredictable race at the TT Assen, took the second chance with both hands today and secured tenth position. Teammate Valentino Rossi was riding impressively at the start of the 12-lap sprint this afternoon and was looking to win the race until a crash at turn ten meant the end of his challenge.

Dramatic rainfall at the TT Circuit Assen played a big role in the proceedings today. As the first race was red flagged due to weather conditions after lap 14, Jorge Lorenzo and Valentino Rossi had to go out for a 12-lap dash. Lorenzo rode a steady race to claim six vital points for the championship. Rossi was unlucky to get caught out by the extremely wet conditions and was unable to complete the race.

There was uncertainty before the start of the TT Assen, as black clouds were looming threateningly above the riders' heads on the starting grid. Jorge Lorenzo had a brilliant start the first time round, moving up from tenth to fifth in the first couple of corners. However, not being able to keep the pace at the front in the treacherous conditions, he made his Yamaha as wide as possible to defend his position but was unable to find a good feeling and held 19th place when the race was red flagged.

The race was restarted at 15:02 with the starting grid being based on the position the riders held on the lap 14 standings. Having to commence the 12-lap dash from the seventh row on the grid, Lorenzo also fought bravely during the second part of the race. Similar to the first outing, he had a great start and was able to move up several positions to 13th by the end of the first lap. Though he couldn't keep up the momentum, he pushed as hard as he could without crossing the limit and took tenth place over the line.

Teammate Rossi had a good start in the first part of race from second place on the grid and took the lead coming out of the first corner. He was quick to find a good rhythm, but remained cautious. He kept a steady pace but had to let Yonny Hernandez and Andrea Dovizioso come through as he was trying to get a feel for the monsoon-like conditions. He later regained second place when Hernandez crashed out and at that point Rossi decided it was time to put the hammer down and closed back in to Dovizioso whilst being followed by Danilo Petrucci and Scott Redding. What followed was a tense battle between the top four riders, but it was cut short when the race was red flagged.

Rossi again had a good start the second time round, this time from third position, and was lying in second place after turn one. A lap later he was in the lead and soon opened up a gap of over two seconds to his closest rival, until he was caught out by the rain on lap three and unable to continue the race.

With a tenth place Lorenzo scores six points and is now 24 points behind Marc Marquez whilst holding second place in the championship standings. Rossi remains third in the rankings, 18 points behind his teammate.

Massimo Meregalli - Movistar Yamaha MotoGP Team Director
"Unfortunately it was clear at the start of the race that the weather would be a big factor today. As always the team worked hard to give both Vale and Jorge the best possible set up for the race, but none of the practice sessions were as wet as it was today. With the weather changing every couple of minutes it was a real gamble for the riders to decide how hard they could push. Jorge struggled to find a good feeling in the wet and did the best with what he had and has been able to take home some important points. Vale did well in the first race and also excelled at the restart of the race, despite the chaos. It was a real pity that he wasn't able to finish the race, because he has been strong in all these extreme conditions. It's a shame that our results here don't represent our potential, had the weather been a bit more consistent. We'll leave this weekend behind us now and focus on the next round at the Sachsenring!"
Jorge Lorenzo
10th / +27.604 / 12 laps

"In the first race I was in 19th place and the last rider. I was even thinking about stopping because the conditions on the track were terrible, but I kept riding and they stopped the race. We restarted the race with less water on the track and a soft rear tyre and, though I was one of the last ones and there were many crashers, I gained more confidence than I had in the first race. These are important points for the championship, in the first race I would not have scored any. Marquez also scored a lot of points today, but Rossi, who could have recovered points, lost a lot. Ultimately we were able to save a difficult weekend. Before Le Mans we were also around 24 points behind and now we are more or less in the same situation, after two difficult races, so we have to think positive and keep in mind that we still have a lot of races to recover the gap to Marquez."
Valentino Rossi
DNC / -10 laps

"It's a great shame considering our great level of speed and competitiveness this weekend with our bike at this track. We could have gotten some important points for the championship after a difficult weekend and we could have taken second place in the championship over Lorenzo, but unfortunately I made a mistake. In the second half I pushed too much while I already had a good advantage. On that lap I was trying to push to understand my level. In the second part of the race we started with a soft rear, which provides very good grip, but unfortunately I entered turn ten too fast. I think we had a good chance today, but with my mistake I threw away a lot of points. The distance, especially to Marquez, is quite big, but we need to continue working hard like this and try to be competitive also next time."
Espargaro powers through the rain to seize 4th at the Cathedral of Speed

Monster Yamaha Tech3 team rider Pol Espargaro equalled his best result in the premier class with a 4th place finish in a drama filled and soaking wet Motul TT Assen in front of 105,000 passionate fans. The Spaniard leapt forward when the lights went out at the beginning of the wet race and he carefully navigated around the circuit on the first lap which he completed in 8th. Then, shortly after, Espargaro dropped back six positions yet, he stayed focused and stuck into a consistent pace, which allowed him to move up to 9th by the midway point as he steadily made progress. However, by that time, the weather conditions were considerably worse which lead to the Grand Prix being red flagged. A shortened sprint of 12 laps resumed shortly afterwards and he got straight back to work before concluding the opening lap in 6th. With a third of the total distance left to run, Espargaro slotted into the final podium position as he continued to push, before eventually crossing the line in 4th, closing an incredibly challenging round 8 battle.

Meanwhile Bradley Smith's hopes of a strong result were dashed at the wet Dutch Grand Prix after falling on the 16th lap shortly after the race recommenced. The young Briton began the GP from 13th on the grid and he was shuffled back one position by the close of the first lap. Smith persevered as he launched into his recovery campaign and consistently progressed before clinching 12th when the red flag was shown. Nevertheless, the 25 year old lunged forward at the restart and moved up to 7th, yet his luck ran dry on the following lap as he fell at the 15th corner. He nursed his Yamaha YZR-M1 back to the pits and then bravely re-joined the Grand Prix and sealed 13th.

Pol Espargaro
4th / +9.812 / 12 laps

"To come away from a tricky event like today with a 4th position in conditions that were completely wet, is like a dream for us. Of course there is a bittersweet taste in my mouth as I just missed out on the podium again, yet with all the crashes that we saw, I had to be careful and think about the Championship. In addition, Scott was clearly faster and able to push a lot more on the front tyre. In the second race we could use the softer rear compound and my feeling with the bike was much better straight away. Therefore, I can say that I believe I have been competitive in wet conditions for the first time since I've been in MotoGP. However my legs, arms, fingers, neck and whole body are now aching from the huge tension that we had while riding in these conditions. I must admit that I wished the GP was red flagged a bit sooner because it really was becoming dangerous to ride during the heavy rain. Anyway, the bike worked well, and the only issue we had to face was that, compared to the other manufactures, we struggled to get a feeling with the front tyre. The crashes from Valentino, my teammate and Jorge's race underline how tough it is for us to find the limit at the front end, so it was challenging to fight with the Honda and Ducati riders. Yet, this result is another important step in the right direction for my standings in the Championship and we have started to open a gap on the other satellite riders and also reduce the gap to Vinales. So we will continue to push and we'll remain focused so that hopefully, we can finish in a better position before the end of the season."
Bradley Smith
13th / -3 laps / 12 laps

"It was an eventful day and with the challenging conditions, it was tricky for everyone to not make any mistakes. We started with the harder option rear tyre, which was the first time that we tried it all weekend and it took me a long time to get a general feeling. Yet, I could see Pol just in front of me on the track and I thought that I had made the right decision to go for the full distance, because 26 laps is a long time. Then we had a lot of rain and to be honest, it would have be nice to stop a few laps earlier because it was quite unsafe. It's always difficult for race direction to understand the right moment but this is something we need to talk about in the future at safety commissions. Then, in part two, I felt a lot better because we were able to start with the softer compound of rear tyre, and twelve laps gave us that chance. I immediately made up a lot of positions in the opening lap, and in fact, I would say that it was one of the most competitive laps that I've had this season. Then unfortunately, like many other riders, I fell because I lost the front as it was pushed too much by the extra grip from the rear. Even though it's another disappointing weekend, it was nice to finish and get some points because the team has worked really hard. We will continue to soldier on and do the best that we can. Right now, if we look at the championship we're not where we want to be, but hopefully our fortune will change at some point this season and we'll be back to where we belong."