Dutch TT, Assen: MotoGP Pre-Race Report
The cathedral of racing is here! The Dutch TT in Assen is taking place this weekend with the race starting on the Saturday. Jorge Lorenzo is in the best form of his life feeling strong, his mindset right on point and ready to attack the circuit after his horror accident 12 months ago where he pushed the limits to race. Marc Marquez seems to have recovered and found his focal point to maximise performance in order to chase down his Yamaha manufacturer rivals. So far the time sheets have been speaking loudly with Marc Marquez and Dani Pedrosa finishing 1 and 2 on the first day of practice.
If you look at the history of the circuit the Assen event is one to attend. The crowd go wild and the riders exceed expectations when it comes to chasing down one another on the circuit. It was the best day of the weekend so far for Alex Marquez who finished 5th on the first day of practice. The weekend has been progressing with strength and the confidence he has with the bike is exciting to see. Alex has been transitioning from Moto3 to Moto2 and where a rider improves the motivation also grows. An athlete at this level must be resilient. The Dutch TT is a race where riders can prove their worth. Last year Anthony West an Australian rider in the Moto2 class won the race. His victory cemented the opportunities that exist when riding on the limit.
Australian rider Jack Miller is improving and feeling more confident as the races go on. Jack is trying to test many different aspects of the bike and is looking forward to qualifying where he will put his body and bike on the line to get as close to the top riders as possible. The CWM-LCR Honda team need a strong set of results this weekend after a few races where the bikes ended up in the gravel trap. There is still a lot of work to do after day one for all three categories as conditions change, tyre compounds are tested and the riders find where they feel most comfortable. Valentino Rossi will be aiming to stand up to his rivals and make a point! The nine-time World Champion topped Free Practice 1, which is the first time since Indianapolis last year. This will put Rossi’s mindset at an all time high. Rossi knew that he had to improve and qualifying will be the true test. His qualifying performances so far this year have been poor. The Italian Stallion is happy and has used his new chassis whereas Lorenzo struggled with the new Bridgestone tyre and is trying to feel out where to improve. Every rider has to be assertive in these situations and decide how they will be the strongest.
Assen is going to be a thrill ride! Watch out for a shake up with riders from all of the categories focusing on the number one spot. Moto3 will be interesting to watch from a qualifying perspective as the towing rule has changed. In Assen riders must be within 107% of their normal lap time with each circulation in free practice and qualifying. This is not a hard limit but used as an indicator where riders falling out of the 107% margin will have to be reviewed and a decision made. Riders will be penalised if they slow down and wait for a tow. This system will be assessed after its use this weekend.
