MotoGP: Francesco Bagnaia Wins the Dutch TT in Assen
By Jack Hammersley
Francesco Bagnaia wins back-to-back Dutch TT’s for the first time since 2004-5 with Valentino Rossi
Track conditions at Assen were the hottest of the weekend with a lot of worries about the front tyre as it was susceptible to overheating, especially when behind a rider.
The lights went out and it was Brad Binder who took the holeshot ahead of Francesco Bagnaia and Marco Bezzecchi, Fabio Quartararo dropped down to 12th! Jack Miller had gained five places up to seventh.
Miller crashed out of the race at turn one on the second lap of the race, the front just washed out from underneath him.
Pecco Bagnaia made the move on Binder into turn eight, Quartararo crashed out of the race with his fellow Frenchman Johann Zarco. A very disappointing end to such a strong weekend.
Maverick Vinales was pushing hard to catch up the leaders from fifth place setting the fastest laps of the race. On lap four Vinales was pushing too much and lost the front at turn eight.
Luca Marini who looked to be still struggling with the front end of the bike was overtaken by Martin into the GT chicane and proceeded to fall down from fifth to tenth in two corners.
Enea Bastianini was running in the group for fifth place, his best race his returning from injury, but The Beast lost the front at turn five.
On lap 17 Bezzecchi used the horsepower of the Desmosedici GP22 to overtake Binder out of turn five, his early to mid race pace was just a bit slower than Pecco, he had 1.4 seconds to close in nine laps.
Fabio Di Giannantonio was having another strong ride in ninth place and was closing in on Takaaki Nakagami and Luca Marini but lost the front at turn five.
Binder was being put under pressure from Aleix Espargaro and Jorge Martin, he wasn’t too far from Bezzecchi either.
Bagnaia started the final lap of the race 0.9 seconds ahead of Bezzecchi, he had managed the race perfectly since taking the lead.
Francesco Bagnaia crossed the line to win the Dutch TT at Assen, the first rider to win back-to-back Dutch TT’s since the layout change in 2006.
Marco Bezzecchi finished in second place ahead of Binder who held off Espargaro and Martin to take the final podium spot.
Brad Binder was demoted a position for exceeding track limits at turn eight, the same way he did it in the Sprint. That meant Aleix Espargaro took his first podium of the season.
Heading into the summer break, Pecco leads the championship by 35 points ahead of Martin who’s one point ahead of Bezzecchi.
Featured Image: MotoGP.com