It is time, for Moto3 racing, at the legendary "Cathedral of Speed", Assen, in the Netherlands. The junior lightweight division of the MotoGP World Championship... Moto3, takes to the track... next!
We have raced here since 1949, but for the first time we race, on a Sunday. The stands are packed. Here are the weather conditions at post time for Moto3. 18 degrees Celsius (64 degrees Fahrenheit), air temperature, and 28 degrees Celsius (82 degrees Fahrenheit), track temperature. A southwest wind is blowing at eight miles per hour. Rain is forecast later on. 22 laps scheduled for this race. Brad Binder is points leader by 44 points. Jorge Navarro, who won in Barcelona is not racing, due to injury. This race should be a cracking event. Enea Bastianini has pole with a 1:42.163 time, for his fifth pole, and his first since Aragon in Spain last September. No one was won Moto3 from pole in the last dozen races. In Misano last September, Enea Bastianini, was the winner.
In Misano last September, it was an all Italian front row on the grid in the junior class since 1999 when the 125cc class was the junior class, racing at Catalunya in Spain. That front row featured Roberto Locatelli, Lucio Cechenello, Simone Sana, and Marco Melandri, a former 250cc World Champion who has also raced in World Superbike and MotoGP. Enea Bastianini missed a race at Le Mans in May. But, he's working on getting his 2016 season back on track. Andrea Migno starts second on the grid. He equals his best qualifying effort, having also scored a second place starting spot at Mugello in Italy, back in May.
Gabriele Rodrigo has run well during the weekend. Niccolo Bulega is third. Fourth is Romano Fenati. Brad Binder rolls off fifth in the middle of the second row. He could surely pad his points lead in the absence of Jorge Navarro, as mentioned. Bo Bendsneyder is seventh, in his home race. Juanfran Guevara starts sixth. Bendsneyder is starting his first home Grand Prix. Fabio Quartararo is eighth. He has not had a podium in a year. In ninth, another Fabio. Fabio Di Gianntonio. Francesco Bagnaia completes the top ten grid places.
Riders have to push early, if this race should see rain, and we have to go to 2/3rds distance. Starting 12th is Lorenzo Dalla Porta. Dalla Porta is the rider replacing Jorge Navarro as he heals up after a double break in his left leg suffered in Motocross training accident. He starts ahead of another Italian, Niccolo Antonelli. Antonelli has crashed three times in the last five races, and starts just ahead of Jules Danilo, his team mate. Danny Webb is a permanent replacement for Karel Hanika. Joan Mir, Alexis Masbou, and Khairul Idham Pawi all had grid penalties. Aron Canet will be one to watch. He was quick in practice, but had a horrible qualifying run, and could only muster 16th. Bulega, Migno, and Bastianini, on the front row.
Albert Arenas is subbing for the injured Jorge Martin. The tire situation is this. Enea Bastianini has the softer option front tire. Niccolo Antonelli, Jules Danilo, and Livio Loi did so, and Loi went for the softer option rear tire, too. Loi is a hometown favorite even though he's Belgian, not Dutch. Will the weather play a factor? Fabio Quartararo is having issues with his motorcycle. Can Brad Binder continue his 100% podium record? We're about to find out. The green flag waves at the back. Red lights on. Red lights, out! Go! Enea Bastianini bogs down on the start as Romano Fenati gets a good one. Andrea Migno also gets away well.
He holds the lead into the first corner. Romano Fenati is third, and Brad Binder, is fourth. Bo Bendsneyder runs wide and there's some argy bargy through the first few corners. Niccolo Bulega has dropped down to fifth spot. Brad Binder moves inside Andrea Migno. The riders negotiate the Strubben for the first time. Francesco "Pecco" Bagnaia is trying to move up. Romano Fenati is being eaten up by Brad Binder, current Moto3 championship points leader. They fly down the Veenslang straightaway. Bo Bendsneyder loses two places on the start. Enea Bastianini wants by Brad Binder. No dice. They charge down to De Bult for the first time. Gabriel Rodrigo has also had a fantastic start to this race ladies and gentlemen.
They slide through Hoge Heide and into the Ramshoek as Bagnaia blitzes three riders and grabs third spot! Through the Geert Timmer chicane, this could be all drama. Deary me! There's a monstrous crash through the final corner at Geert Timmer! It looks like Albert Arenas has wrecked and may have come into contact with Adam Norrodin. Bagnaia leads as Gabriel Rodrigo is giving Enea Bastianini all he can handle. Brad Binder, meanwhile has lost three or four places. Fabio Quartararo is the latest rider to get around Binder. Pecco Bagnaia came from tenth, to lead. But, Romano Fenati has other plans. Scusi, Pecco. Oh dear! We have a big wreck through this series of corners!
Gabriel Rodrigo and Fabio Quartararo both crash, hard! Both of these chaps are crawling away from their bikes, meaning they might be hurt. Rodrigo lost the rear wheel traction on his bike, and nearly gets his head run over by another rider! Dear God! That was close! You haven't missed a thing up front. Fenati leads Bagnaia. Niccolo Bulega is the man to set the first fast lap of this race at 1:43.763. Bagnaia inside Fenati, for the lead! The doctors are attending to Albert Arenas. Arenas got caught up with two other riders. Those were Jakub Kornfeil and Tatsuki Suzuki. Bagnaia leads as they work their way through Duikersloot. Khairul Idham Pawi has also crashed.
Dark clouds are coming, to Assen. Aron Canet has only made up two places since the start of this race. He started 16th and is currently 14th. Bo Bendsneyder is battling Niccolo Antonelli. So, the hometown fans should be cheering indeed. Fenati passes Bagnaia under braking for the first turn. Bulega drops back behind Migno as Aron Canet resets fast lap at 1:42.778. Aron Canet is running right behind his new team mate for this weekend, Lorenzo Dalla Porta. Phillip Oettl is also running back there. Close racing at the sharp end, ladies and gentlemen. Fenati leads and Francesco Bagnaia really wants a piece of this.
But, Fenati is holding firm. Aron Canet can finish on the podium. But, he has to be sensible. Fenati leads from Bagnaia. But, here comes our points leader! Brad Binder, is steaming to the front. Bagnaia has made up time through Ramshoek and Hoge Heide. Fabio Di Giannantonio is doing very well running fifth at the moment. Niccolo Antonelli has also moved inside Andrea Migno. Binder passes Enea Bastianini. Di Giannantonio passes his team mate, Bastianini. Seven Italian riders in the top eight places. Di Giannantonio is up to third as Romano Fenati retakes the lead from Francesco Bagnaia. Fabio Di Giannantonio now moves up to second. Bastianini is now under threat from Brad Binder as well.
Bagnaia looks for the inside line into Hoge Heide. Niccolo Bulega is being pressured by Lorenzo Dalla Porta. Through the Strubben, Fabio Di Giannantonio fights back on Enea Bastianini. The top fourteen riders are all in one big group, with Phillip Oettl trailing in 15th. Fenati, Bagnaia, Di Giannantonio, Brad Binder, Antonelli, Bastianini, Migno, Mir, Bendsneyder, Dalla Porta, Bulega, Canet, Danilo, Juanfran Guevara, and Oettl. Bagnaia leads. Bagnaia and Di Gianntonio picked Romano Fenati's pocket, and went by. Bagnaia is still searching for the first lightweight class win in Grand Prix motorcycle racing competition.
Canet passes Dalla Porta. Juanfran Guevara is moving forward. Wow! Fabio Di Giannantonio has taken the lead of the Dutch TT in Moto3! He makes the pass for the lead at Ruskenhoek. Fabio Di Giannantonio runs wide. Jules Danilo almost crashes! Brad Binder pulls out of the slipstream of Di Giannantonio, and, moves up into third. Fabio gets pushed wide by Niccolo Antonelli. Di Giannantonio is also being challenged by Bo Bendsneyder. Joan Mir is also moving up. Mir passes Andrea Migno, and Mir started way down in 18th place. Aron Canet has also passed a few riders and is now behind Enea Bastianini.
Romano Fenati retakes the lead from Pecco Bagnaia. Fenati and Binder both want the lead and both blow by Bagnaia like his motorcycle is chained to a stump! As they come to Geert Timmer again, there's another wreck! Aron Canet goes down and wipes out Juanfran Guevara in the process! Canet was the fastest bloke on this speedway, folks. Now, it's game over. In replay, we see Canet get thrown from his bike, which somersaults through the air! The bike landed in front of Guevara and bounced up over his head! Holy s***! That's a wreck if I ever saw one, folks. Canet went way too hot into the Geert Timmer chicane, and paid the price, big time! Ugh!
Looking at the points, Brad Binder, has a HUGE margin over the absent Jorge Navarro, and it should grow. He's up by 69 points as of now. Francesco Bagnaia is going for the lead! He has it, but Fenati and Binder are chasing him down. Niccolo Bulega has come back into contention and so has Andrea Migno! He's come to third. Binder runs wide. Enea Bastianini has dropped to 11th and he's duking it out with hometown hero Bo Bendsneyder. Phillip Oettl is catching up, too. With all the crashes, Maria Herrera and John McPhee have entered the points paying positions. Andrea Migno launches an attack, and is now into the lead of this race!
Migno looks like he was shot out of a cannon! Brad Binder takes second away and says "thank you much" to Romano Fenati. We are a lap or so from halfway in this race. Migno is the fastest man on the speedway at the moment running a lap at 1:43.474. Joan Mir on one of the Leopard (Leo pard) Racing bikes, is trying to break this Italian juggernaut at the front of the field. Phillip Oettl challenges Bo Bendsneyder and Bendsneyder's team mate Brad Binder, now leads this race. Migno retakes the lead down into De Bult. He has the preferred line ahead of Fenati and Binder. Niccolo Bulega has made a move on Niccolo Antonelli.
Fabio Di Gianantonio wants a piece of Bulega though. Jules Danilo is also running well, along with Enea Bastianini. Migno has the lead and here comes Bulega as the lead battle turns into a huge scrum! The Italians are definitely in the picture here in Holland. Danilo passes Antonelli. Migno leads Binder. Lorenzo Dalla Porta is not out of this thing yet, either. He runs tenth. Bulega makes a move on Bagnaia, almost gets into the turn too hot, and Bagnaia retakes the place. They fly around the fastest part of the track through Hoge Heide and into the Ramshoek. Bulega nudges Brad Binder out of the way. Migno, Fenati, and Bulega, are the top three. All three VR46 team riders are in the front.
There's also a hotly contested battle for 14th led by Darryn Binder from John McPhee, Jakub Kornfeil, Alexis Masbou, Livio Loi, Maria Herrera, and Tatsuki Suzuki. Suzuki would earn his fourth points paying finish in the last five races if he holds station. Romano Fenati passes Niccolo Bulega. Fabio Di Gianantonio wants to pass Pecco Bagnaia. Bulega leads the Dutch TT lightweight race. Fabio Di Gianantonio passes Brad Binder. Bulega tries his team mate, but runs out wide onto the rumble strips on the outside of the course. Bagnaia is feeling the heat from Di Gianantonio and Brad Binder now runs sixth, pursued hotly by Antonelli. Alexis Masbou and Tatsuki Suzuki have now both crashed out of this race.
Suzuki looks to be favoring his right wrist. Bagnaia makes a pass for second as there is a threat of rain in the air. Migno wants by Bagnaia and can't get there. Here comes Fabio Di Gianantonio. Binder is falling down the order as he tries and successfully passes Antonelli. But, Antonelli nabs him again. Binder takes a wide line into the Strubben corner. Fabio Di Gianantonio has now taken the lead of this race! Di Gianantonio missed the win last time out at Mugello, by a cigarette paper. But now, he leads. But, just as we are singing his praises, he runs wide. He got it wrong through Meeuwenmeer. Bulega tries passing Binder on the inside into the Timmer chicane. Bulega runs wide another time.
Bo Bendsneyder is still running well in 12th place. Phillip Oettl is also moving back up the order. Romano Fenati leads this race with eight laps to go. Andrea Migno goes for the lead and takes it through Hoge Heide and Ramshoek. But, Pecco Bagnaia is also charging. We are past 2/3rds race distance. If rain came and stopped the race, it would be official. There is a gap emerging between the top four and Niccolo Antonelli in fifth. Enea Bastianini has fought his way back to sixth. Meanwhile, Migno looks at a move on the outside around Bagnaia! Fenati also comes through on Pecco.
Brad Binder has now put himself ahead of Bagnaia. Binder has a massive wobble and goes off the road! Binder skates across the grass, but is out of contention to win. Binder has dropped down to 13th. Binder's podium run in the Moto3 World Championship, is over. It will be the first time in eleven races that Binder has finished outside the top four. If he stays where he is, he'll gain one point for his championship lead. Bagnaia and Migno run 1-2. The Italians rule, here at Assen, at the moment. Eight Italians in the top eight places! Mama Mia! Jules Danilo goes inside Lorenzo Dalla Porta. Dalla Porta is eighth. Five laps to go. Bagnaia wants his first win, and also the first for Mahindra.
Pecco Bagnaia will try to slipstream past Romano Fenati. No dice into turn one. Jules Danilo passes Lorenzo Dalla Porta for seventh. Bo Bendsneyder makes up a place and moves to 11th. Antonelli passes Bastianini. Bagnaia wants to win for Mahindra. They have transmission upgrades set for the next race in Germany. Enea Bastianini tries to make a move, and pays the price, falling hard! The pole curse continues. Bastianini went down through Mandeveen, turn ten. Fenati leads from Bagnaia and Migno. Three laps left, and the scuffle at the front is hot and heavy.
Pecco Bagnaia passes Andrea Migno for second. He has to have a go at Fenati. Andrea Locatelli has crashed out. Joan Mir has the top Leopard (Leo-pard) KTM. Niccolo Antonelli has taken third from Andrea Migno through Gert Timmer. Antonelli is now up to third, putting the heat on Bagnaia. He moves to second. Darryn Binder rejoins the race. He has likely had a crash or an off course excursion someplace. Ah. Game over for Binder at the Strubben corner. Brad Binder is languishing in 12th. We have a lap to go. Will Pecco Bagnaia make history?
Antonelli fights back and passes Bagnaia for the lead in the Moto3 Dutch TT. Bagnaia tries to fight back. Antonelli slams the door in his face. Fenati and Di Gianantonio are coming, and fast! Niccolo Bulega has dropped out of podium contention. But, here comes Fenati! Fenati leads and Fabio Di Gianantonio is trying and does make the pass on Migno! Under half a lap left in Moto3 at "The Cathedral". Sixth place man Jules Danilo could have something to say, too. Pecco Bagnaia is now back up to third place. Can he place the Mahindra in the right spot to challenge for victory?
A bunch of riders are going wide, and on the extreme inside, it's Migno taking the lead through the Ramshoek! Bagnaia is making his move as well! Migno looks like he's going to do it! Bagnaia comes through! It's a photo finish! Down the stretch they come! Bagnaia and Mahindra win it! What a race!
#21 Francesco Bagnaia ITA. Mahindra
What a race! The Geert Timmer chicane is amazing! But, spare a thought for poor old Andrea Migno. So close, and yet, so far. Bagnaia wins by a hundredth of a second! The top five were covered by just over a tenth of a second! Yikes! Andrea Migno may be getting a penalty, if he's taken an advantage from going off course. The first Grand Prix win is always sweet and it is for Bagnaia. Andrea Migno will keep a podium place but he's demoted to third from second. He will still get to stand on the podium.
Next up for Moto3 is a race in Germany. The Sachsenring in Saxony, Germany, is the venue. Stay tuned for coverage of that one, coming soon.
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