After the back-to-back races in Italy and Germany, Francesco Bagnaia and Enea Bastianini arrive in the Netherlands for the Dutch GP, the last MotoGP Grand Prix before the summer break that will begin on Monday and will last until the first week of August.
Both Ducati Lenovo Team riders will aim for solid results at the Cathedral of Speed. Last year Bagnaia won the Dutch GP and set the current all-time lap record in 1:31.504. The Italian rider will look forward to trying to extend his Championship lead in the Netherlands. Bagnaia currently leads the standings with a 16-point advantage over Jorge Martin (Pramac Racing) second, 34 over Marco Bezzecchi (VR46 Racing Team) third and 51 over Johann Zarco (Pramac Racing) fourth.
On the other side of the garage, Enea Bastianiani aims to get closer to the top positions at Assen. The rider from Rimini got positive feedback in Germany, where he took part in his second race this year after returning from injury. In the last GP at the Sachsering, Bastianini closed 10th in the Sprint and finished 8th on Sunday, bringing up to 16 his score in the Standings that sees him currently 18th.
Francesco Bagnaia (#1, Ducati Lenovo Team)
“It’s the last race before a long summer break. Therefore, before starting the second and most challenging part of the season, it will be important to consolidate our position in the standings. We had a fantastic victory last year in Assen, and we will try again this year. I expect a much tighter race and numerous opponents ready to fight for first place. The TT Circuit is one of my favourite tracks, and that’s why the circuit’s layout is also tattooed on my arm! My feeling with the Desmosedici GP is excellent, so I am confident I can do well again this weekend.”
Enea Bastianini (#23, Ducati Lenovo Team)
“The last Grand Prix at the Sachsenring turned out much better than I expected, and in the race, I didn’t suffer physically as I did at Mugello. Definitely, in Assen, I will arrive a little more tired after the last two consecutive races, but they were also good training. I’m starting to get to know my bike and recover my strength: we’ll see how it goes this weekend, but I hope I can get even closer to the frontrunners.”
Ducati Lenovo Team riders will take to the track at the TT Circuit Assen for the first Free Practice of the eighth round of the 2023 MotoGP season on Friday at 10:45am local time. The Sprint of the Dutch GP will be held on Saturday at 3:00pm local time, while the GP will kick off on Sunday at 2:00m.
Circuit Information
Country: Netherland
Name: TT Circuit Assen
Best lap: A. Espargaro (Aprilia) 1:32.500 (176,7 km/h) – 2022
Circuit Record: Bagnaia (Ducati), 1:31.504 (178,6 km/h) – 2022
Top Speed: Iannone (Ducati), 319,8 km/h – 201
5Track Length: 4.54 km
Sprint Distance: 13 laps (59.02 km)
Race Distance: 26 laps (118.04 km)
Corners: 18 (6 left, 12 right)
- From Ducati Media House
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