If the 3-week spring break, due to the postponement of the Kazakhstan Grand Prix due to the floods that hit the region, was filled with headlines about the successive changes of positions on the chessboard of the 2025 transfer window, it is now time to resume the accounting of the Championship of the MotoGP world, as it approaches its 8th round, which begins today on the TT Assen circuit in the Netherlands. This season, there is still one championship to win, with 13 Grands Prix, 13 Tissot Sprints and a maximum of 481 points before the succession of two classics, starting with the TT Circuit Assen which is celebrating its 75th Grand Prix since it appears on the calendar every year since 1949, with the exception of one absence in 2020 due to pandemic…
More than just an Excel table, our graph allows you to immediately see the asymptotic shape of the curve
Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team), one of only two riders to have scored maximum points during a weekend this season, with
Maverick Vinales (Aprilia Racing). The reigning double world champion did not miss his home meeting at Mugello, and is 18 points closer to the lead in the general classification, all the more confident since he won there last year. pass. On paper, he is therefore the favorite, and his speech proves it…
“After Mugello, having three weeks off to recover was a good thing. I rested a bit, but mostly continued training, riding my Panigale V4S on the track and then competing in a Monster Energy event at Silverstone with other drivers. Today, things are getting serious again and I am happy to resume the season at Assen, one of my favorite circuits, which I have tattooed on my arm. During the last GPs, we worked well and my sensations with the Desmosedici were very good. I remain on two consecutive victories, three if we count the Mugello Sprint, so, for sure, the conditions are met to continue to work well. I hope the weather will be good and allow us to work consistently since the first session on Friday, but in any case, I am ready to face the weekend in any conditions. »
In front of the official Ducati is only the leader of the championship, Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing), humiliated by Borgo Panigale despite his top performances for two years. Whoever has bet on Aprilia from 2025 will undoubtedly be keen to show that he is the best, even if the meter track has hardly been favorable to him so far, with the Madrilenian only having one podium. at the Dutch TT, a victory from pole in 2018 in Moto3™ on the way to the crown. He finished P5 in 2023 for his best MotoGP™ result at the circuit. In 2021, he qualified 14th, moved up to 12th place at the start of the race before dropping to 19th place and abandoning, the result of his injuries contracted in Portugal earlier in the season. 7th in 2022, 6th in the Sprint and 5th in the GP in 2023, we will not draw any predictions from this…
Four other drivers seem able to come and play spoilsport, starting of course with Marc Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) which, from Jerez, makes good money from its race weekends.
Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Team), Pedro Acosta (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) and Maverick Vinales (Aprilia Racing) are also capable of very good things, although a little less consistent at the moment.
But to write the eighth chapter of this 2024 MotoGP season, it will be necessary to cover the 4,542 meter route 13 times during the Sprint on Saturday and complete 26 loops on Sunday, on a track with a not very abrasive surface characterized by very fast sequences, especially in the second part.
Brembo sleeps soundly,
Michelin brought a harder front tire…
Among the current full-time riders, 9 have reached the podium at Assen in MotoGP, Marc Marquez (7), Vinales (4), Quartararo (2), Bagnaia (2), Bezzecchi (2), Miller (1), Joan Mir (1), Alex Rins (1), Aleix Espargaro (1), et
7 took pole,
Marc
Marquez
(1),
Johann
Zarco
(1),
Bagnaia
(1),
Quarterly
(1),
Alex
Espargaro
(1),
Vinales
(1)
et
Bezzecchi
(1).
The last editions were won by Francesco Bagnaia (2023 et 2022), Fabio Quartararo
(2021), Maverick Vinales (2019), Marc Marquez (2018) and
Valentino Rossi (2017, his last victory).
The records are set at 1’41.472 for pole position (Marco Bezzecchi) in 2023, and 319.8 km/h for the speed (Andrea Iannone) since 2015!
Weather-wise, we should avoid the rain…
This morning, during Free Practice 1, we witnessed a real duel between Francesco Bagnaia et
Marc Marquez for leadership, interspersed with a few marginal bursts of brilliance from the opposition on the soft rear tire. The two men equipped with worn Mediums already appear to be the strong men of the weekend, probably giving us a taste of what 2025 will be like…
While waiting to discover more, at the moment when the 23 pilots (Lorenzo Savadori is once again a Wildcard for Aprilia) are preparing for this Practice, the only 60-minute pre-qualifying test session, with wind, partly overcast skies and temperatures of 20° in the air and 37° on the ground, let’s enjoy these few moments of live coverage thanks to the official MotoGP.com website:
Here is the table that summarizes the facts known so far.
| MotoGP™ Netherlands, Assen | 2023 | 2024 |
| FP1 | 1’32.246 Marco Bezzecchi (See here) | 1’32.401 Francesco Bagnaia (See here) |
| Practice | 1’32.063 Marco Bezzecchi (See here) | 1’31.340 Francesco Bagnaia (See here) |
| FP2 | 1’32.405 Marco Bezzecchi (See here) | (See here) |
| Q1 | 1’31.993 Johann Zarco (See here) | (See here) |
| Q2 | 1’31.472 Marco Bezzecchi (See here) | (See here) |
| Sprint | Bezzecchi, Bagnaia, Quartararo (See here) | (See here) |
| Warm Up | 1’32.422 Fabio Quartararo (See here) | (See here) |
| Course | Bagnaia, Bezzecchi, Espargaro (See here) | (See here) |
| Record | 1’31.472 Marco Bezzecchi (See here) | 1’31.340 Francesco Bagnaia (See here) |
The red lights go out with a 5-minute delay due to track cleaning…
Like this morning and as it becomes a habit, Marc Márquez sets off first, while now many of them do not take to the track immediately, this time
Marco Bezzecchi even staying in his box for 3 minutes.
This afternoon, the majority of drivers are on soft at the rear, while all three options are used for the front.
At the end of the first round launched, we find Jorge
Martin at the top of the table, already in 1’33.166.
In the next passage, Raul Fernandez is in 1’32.695 at the soft rear, then Jorge Martin
regained the advantage in 1’32.326, thus beating the best time of the morning.
After 10 minutes, we still see sectors lighting up red, with Francesco Bagnaia in 1’322.229 in front
Maverick Vinales, Jorge Martin, Alex Márquez, Marc Márquez, Raul Fernandez, Enea Bastianini, Pedro Acosta, Marco Bezzecchi and Fabio Quartararo.
Marco Bezzecchi took 7th position before leaving the track without falling.
Pedro Acosta then took 3rd place before conceding it to Maverick Vinales also on a soft tire.
After what can be considered the first run, the top 10 is made up of Francesco Bagnaia, Jorge Martin, Maverick, Pedro Acosta, Aleix Espargaro, Alex Marquez, Marc Marquez, Raul Fernandez, Marco Bezzecchi and Enea Bastianini. Fabio Quartararo is then 10th, Johann Zarco
19e.
Once the mid-session mark is reached, Fabio Di Giannantonio climbs to 8th position, on medium tire. At the moment, it is difficult to be certain that the soft rear tire will be able to last the race, and the choice will be all the more difficult since the medium seems to perform particularly well…
Brad Binder escapes from the bottom of the ranking, in two stages, to provisionally position itself 4th. But
Enea Bastianini immediately robs him of this place, himself dethroned in the process by Fabio DiGiannantonio.
Halfway through the session, Francesco Bagnaiawith medium tires already 12 laps old, clocked a 1’31.901 which was demoralizing for his opponents.
The top 10 is then made up of Francesco Bagnaia, Jorge Martin, Fabio Di Giannantonio, Maverick Vinales, Alex Marquez, Brad Binder, Pedro Acosta, Aleix Espargaro, Marc Marquez and Raul Fernandez.
This is the moment when Marc Márquez comes out with two soft tires, and the number #93 closes to 2 tenths of his future teammate, before returning very quickly to his box.
22 minutes before the end of the session, Francesco Bagnaia leaves with his two medium tires already totaling 14 laps. Impressive ! In the process, Maverick
Vinales gets closer to 31/1000 of the leader, but his time is canceled, putting him back in 5th.
20 minutes before the flag drops, everyone is in their box except Jorge Martin. The last quarter of an hour to set up the little game of aspirations, no one wanting to take the little train…
Marc Márquez immediately takes second place but seems to be on the limit, and Maverick Vinales
establishes the reference of the day in 1’31.561.
Francesco Bagnaia don’t hear it that way and improve the circuit record in 1’31.340.
The top 10 is then made up of Francesco Bagnaia, Maverick Vinales, Enea Bastianini, Alex Marquez, Raul Fernandez, Marc Marquez, Jorge Martin, Pedro Acosta, Fabio Quartararo and Fabio Di Giannantoniobut there are 8 minutes left…
Jack Miller hits Jorge
Martin without falling, but has to go back to the box. It’s over for him.
Jorge Martin rises to 3rd position, Enea Bastianini minor fall at turn #8, and on the last lap there were still 10 of them improving the first sector!
More Aleix Espargaro falls heavily, which results in yellow flags and the cancellation of the times.
Au final, Francesco Bagnaia, Maverick Vinales, Alex Marquez, Alex, Jorge Martin, Marc Marquez, Brad Binder, Enea Bastianini, Raul Fernandez and Franco Morbidelli go directly to Q2.
MotoGP Practice Rankings for the 2024 Dutch Grand Prix at Assen:
Credit ranking: MotoGP.com
MotoGP Netherlands TT Assen
