Pecco dominates Dutch TT

MotoGP

Forget the fact that Pecco Bagnaia (Lenovo Ducati) won Ducati’s first race at Assen since Casey Stoner did it 16 years ago in 2008, the 2022 Dutch TT will be remembered for many more reasons than Pecco’s near-perfect performance from pole position…

It probably won’t even be remembered for the sensational first podium of both rookie Marco Bezzechi and his newly formed Mooney VR46 Ducati squad, as the Italian rode an impressive race from the head of row two to finish a strong second place, less than half a second behind the race winner. Not to mention the return to form of Maverick Vinales (Aprilia Racing Team),who fought off some late and intense pressure from Jack Miller (Lenovo Ducati) to score his first Aprilia podium, also putting himself back in parc ferme for the first time in 12 long months.

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Instead, the Dutch TT will be remembered as the race in which reigning world champ and points leader Fabio Quartararo (Monster Yamaha) made two big and uncharacteristic blunders. The first was when he dived under title rival Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team) for second place on lap five and lost the front, crashing while also running Espargaro into the gravel. Thankfully the Spaniard stayed upright and managed to rejoin the race, albeit way down in 15th place.

Quartararo also remounted and rejoined, in 24th (last) position, and continued to stay out despite coming into pitlane to talk to his team. But it was after he rejoined, two laps down on the rest of the field, that things went from bad to worse, his Dutch TT ending with a violent highside at the same scene of his first mistake.

Quartararo came into the race with a 34-point advantage over Espargaro and when he took his title rival out, that didn’t look to be in too much threat when the Spaniard rejoined in 15th and for a single point. But between Espargaro’s incredible race pace mixed with the determination to make the most of Quartararo’s rare error, he rode like a man with nothing to lose.

With 10 laps to go, Espargaro sliced through the field and was up to eighth before spots of rain appeared, upsetting the rhythm of some of the riders ahead of him. It didn’t change his rhythm though: he was consistently the quickest man on circuit, making light work of a two-second gap to Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM) up ahead.

Miller was also on the move. With his second long-lap penalty in as many races, the Aussie rejoined the race in 10th place after serving it on lap three, and had clawed his way back up to fourth place with six laps left to run. He was all over the rear tyre of Vinales with two laps to go, looking like he would score his second podium in as many races, but a misjudged lunge up the inside of the Aprilia rider saw him run wide and back into the clutches of a fifth-placed Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM).

By the final lap, Espargaro had found his way past Oliveira and a rain-spooked Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Ducati), and had his sights set on Binder’s fifth place. And with Miller’s late error dropping him to within striking distance, Binder too eyed the Aussie’s fourth position. So as the trio came into the final chicane for the very last time, Binder made a move on Miller as Espargaro also took a lunge up the inside of Binder, with the Spaniard coming out on top to cross the line in a remarkable fourth place for 13 hugely valuable championship points.

Espargaro’s gain was Miller’s loss, though – the Aussie lost two places to cross the line in sixth behind Binder, with Martin, Joan Mir (Suzuki Ecstar), Oliveira and Alex Rins (Suzuki Ecstar) rounding out the top 10.

So from what was a 34-point advantage at the end of the previous round, Quartararo (172 points) is now 21 points clear of Espargaro (151) and will have to serve a long-lap penalty next time out in Silverstone for irresponsible riding.

Johann Zarco’s (Prima Pramac Ducati) 13th-place finish was enough to keep him in third overall. Bagnaia (106) moves up two spots to fourth in the standings ahead of Enea Bastianini (Gresini Ducati, 105).

Moto2

Augusto Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo) scored his second consecutive victory in the Moto2 category, putting himself on equal points with Celestino Vietti (Mooney VR46) at the top of the standings in the process.

It didn’t come easy for the Spanish talent, having qualified in ninth. But he was in podium contention by mid-race distance, eventually benefiting when Marcel Schrotter (Ligui Moly Intact) crashed out of a handy lead, eventually making his race-winning move on former Moto3 world champ Albert Arenas (GasGas Apsar) on lap 17. And while Arenas would eventually crash out of the race, teammate and pole man Jake Dixon kept his cool to finish on the podium in third place, just three quarters of a second behind Fernandez.

However, ride of the day goes to Team Asia Honda’s Ai Ogura, who after qualifying in fourth had a huge moment in the early laps which dropped him out of the point-scoring positions. In a ride to rival Espargaro’s, the Japanese rider fought his way back through to second position and to within just a single point of Vietti and Fernandez in the standings.

Vietti finished fourth ahead of local rider Bo Bendsnyder (Pertamina Mandalika SAG Team), who rounded out the top five. Just a single point separates Vietti (146), Fernandez (146) and Ogura (145), with Aron Canet (Flexbox HP40, 116) 30 points adrift in fourth.

Moto3

As is becoming an increasingly common occurrence in the 2022 Moto3 World Championship, Izan Guevara (GasGas Aspar) lead for the majority of the 22-lap contest in Assen, with consistency and rhythm that belies his 17 years.

Pole man Ayumi Sasaaki (Husqvarna Sterilgarda Max) first took the lead from the Spaniard with three to go, but Guevara retook the lead to start the 21st lap. As the Japanese rider looked for his maiden GP win in what was his 95th GP start, the pair exchanged places numerous times on the penultimate lap, with Ayumu Suzuki (Leopard Honda) hot on their tails and well in the fight for the win.

As they crossed the line to start the final lap, Suzuki was ahead of Guevara with eye set on his countryman and race leader Sasaaki, as both Jaume Masia (Red Bull KTM Ajo) and David Munoz (BOE Motorsports) both passed the Spanish star, relegating him back to fifth.

As Suzuki and Sasaaki swapped places, Munoz suffered a highside that also took Masia and John McPhee (Sterilgarda Husqvarna Max) with him, promoting Guevara back into the podium places.

Guevara then passed Suzuki for second as Sasaaki held on to celebrate his first-ever GP win. Guevara’s teammate and championship leader Sergio Garcia also pipped Suzuki for the final podium spot.

Aussie Joel Kelso (CIP Green Power) qualified well in 10th and was on the back of the leading group during the early stages. He faded as the race wore on, however, eventually coming together with Adrian Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Tech3) on the final lap and crashing out of the race.

Garcia still leads on 182 points but Guevara is just three points adrift. Dennis Foggia (Leopard Honda) didn’t see the flag and remains in third, albeit 67 points behind.

With the riders now at the start of a five-week summer break, the action will recommence at the Monster Energy British Grand Prix at Silverstone for Round 12 of the MotoGP Championship, with race day slated for Sunday, August 7.