The Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Team have left the Sachsenring and made their way to the TT Circuit Assen. The Dutch track, often referred to as ’The Cathedral‘ of motorcycling, is a favourite of riders and fans alike.
Quartararo is keen to make a strong comeback at the Assen track this weekend, which is a circuit he likes. El Diablo has scored some impressive results in the Netherlands so far. In his Moto3 debut year (2015) he secured a second place here. He equalled the achievement in the Moto2 class in 2018 and followed it up with a third place in the MotoGP class in 2019 and a win in 2021 after a local one-year pandemic hiatus. The Frenchman is in eighth place in the overall rankings after the German GP and is hoping to gain a position before starting the summer break.
Morbidelli has also enjoyed strong results at the much-beloved Dutch track. He secured a third place in the Moto2 class in 2016, which he followed up with a Moto2 win the year after. His best classification at the TT Circuit Assen on a MotoGP bike was in 2019, when he took fifth position. The Italian is currently in 12th position in the overall standings and is gunning for points this weekend to end the first half of the season on a positive note.
The TT Circuit Assen was especially built for the Dutch GP in 1955, but Assen has been part of the Motorcycle World Championship calendar every year since 1949 when the race was still held on public roads. The current Assen track measures 4.5km and remains a favourite amongst riders thanks to its rapid changes in directions coupled with a nice mixture of high-speed and low-speed corners (six left and twelve right). Especially the Geert Timmer chicane, just before the start-finish straight, makes for great entertainment right in front of the main grandstand.
Those who want to get to know the Assen track a bit better can watch this week‘s special MotoGP eSport video. Morbidelli joined Trastevere73 to explain how the MotoGP eSport video game compares to a real-life lap.
