MotoGP preview: Assen

From the sweltering heat of Barcelona the MotoGP World Championship heads north to the Netherlands for round eight at Assen from June 26-28, with Honda’s remarkable Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda) still undefeated in 2014.

Marquez may have seen his run of successful pole position qualifying results come to an end at the Barcelona-Catalunya with a qualifying crash – his first of the season – but come race day the 21-year-old delivered the goods again as he won a brilliant battle at the front over Valentino Rossi (MoviStar Yamaha) and Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda).

Marquez is now 58 points clear at the top of the standings following his seven-race winning streak, with his nearest rival Rossi perhaps looking the most likely to be capable of ending his victorious run.

Last year at Assen Rossi returned to winning ways with his first victory since 2010, delighting the Dutch crowd with a great ride from fourth on the grid. Marquez finished second that day by just over two seconds and he has a good record at The Cathderal of motorcycle racing having notched up three wins at the historic venue in the 125 and Moto2 categories.

Pedrosa is third in the standings going into Assen, and he was in hunt for victory at Catalunya until a last lap error which saw him touch the rear wheel of Marquez. Pedrosa appeared more comfortable and competitive again after arm pump hindrances earlier this season and along with Marquez he will strive to win at Assen for Honda, at what is considered to be a good track for Yamaha.

Last year’s visit to the TT was one to forget for Jorge Lorenzo who battled through the pain barrier to finish fifth, from 12th on the grid, having broken his collarbone in Thursday practice and having flown back to Barcelona for surgery in order to be ready to race. Lorenzo won at Assen in 2010 but has since struggled at the Dutch venue.

Fifth in the current standings is Andrea Dovizioso who has been in the top ten at every race so far, in contrast to his Ducati factory colleague Cal Crutchlow who will go in search of a good result at round eight, having had a difficult time since his arrival with the Italian factory.

The likes of the Espargaro brothers, Pol (Monster Yamaha Tech3) and Aleix (NGM Forward Racing), will be hunt for more crucial championship points, whilst Stefan Bradl (LCR Honda MotoGP) and Alvaro Bautista (GO&FUN Honda Gresini) are riding to secure their racing contracts for 2015 and potentially beyond.

Bradl returned to form at Catalunya with a solid ride to fifth and his aim is to stay ahead of the likes of Andrea Iannone (Pramac Racing) and Bradley Smith (Monster Yamaha Tech3) and climb higher up the standings in the top 10.

Australia’s Broc Parkes (Paul Bird Motorsport) was just out of the points at Catalunya, and he’ll be racing at a circuit where he has previous experience in the world superbike and supersport ranks.

Moto2
No matter what happens at Assen, Tito Rabat will continue to lead the Moto2 world title. After another great win last time out, Rabat has extended the championship lead to 34 points over his team-mate Mika Kallio. With 25 on offer for a win, it takes no mathematician to realise that the Spaniard’s lead is invincible this coming weekend.

With this in mind, the likes of Finland’s Kallio and Spain’s Maverick Viñales of Paginas Amarillas HP 40 (second and third in the standings and the only two races winners other than Rabat so far this year) must respond now.

Previous Moto2 world champions have experienced mixed fortunes at Assen within their title-winning seasons. Toni Elias may have finished second in 2010, but there was a non-finish for Stefan Bradl in 2011. Marc Marquez saw the chequered flag in fifth position in 2012, with Pol Espargaro then becoming the first rider to win the Dutch event en route to the Moto2 title last year. Perhaps trivia like this will generate some promise for those chasing Rabat, who at home in Catalunya achieved the absolute clean sweep of victory from pole, setting the fastest lap along the way.
Australia’s Anthony West (QMMF Racing) will be looking for a stronger qualifying position in order to push for a top 10 finish.

Moto3
It looked almost certain that Aussie Jack Miller would relinquish the Moto3 advantage to Romano Fenati during the closing stages of the Catalan Grand Prix, but the Australian would again pull a rabbit out of the hat to continue leading as the battle moved on to Assen.

It was Alex Marquez who won at Catalunya for Estrella Galicia 0,0, picking up a first Honda-powered lightweight class victory since 2012 and in the process ending a remarkable run of success for KTM. It also marked the first victory for Emilio Alzamora’s team since it switch from Austrian to Japanese power at the start of this year, as well as allowing brothers to win world championship Grands Prix on the same day for the very first time in the history of the series which inaugurated in 1949.

With seven events down, 11 to go and the customary summer break now only two races away, the lead for Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Miller is seven points over Sky Racing Team VR46’s Fenati, with Vazquez 25 points in arrears of the lead (the exact equivalent of one race win). A further seventh behind is Marquez in fifth position, now just two in arrears of his teammate Alex Rins who lost a chance at victory last time out due to a broken gear changer.