Assen, Holland. "The Cathedral" of speed. The best known, most famous motorcycle racing track, in the world. The race is the Dutch TT (Tourist Trophy). Rain is in the forecast and we could have a "flag-to-flag" race, where there will be no race stoppage, but rather, the bikes will be able to change from dry to wet tires or vice versa. Andrea Dovizioso has pole. This is his first pole in his 150th MotoGP start, and the first pole for Ducati since Andrea Ianonne gave them P1 on the grid at Mugello last year. This is the first time since the Italian round at Mugello in 2011, that the front row of a MotoGP grid, does not have a Spaniard on it. There's lots of water still on the track. Scott Redding qualifies third, and is the first independent team rider to be on the front row of the grid in 2016.
It's not safe to use intermediate tires according to Danilo Petrucci. There is no dry line. In second place, is Valentino Rossi. Marc Marquez is fourth. Start the race on wet tires. But, does the spare bike have intermediate or slick tires on it already? That's going to be a big problem, if the spare bike is not prepped for track condition changes. Remember, Valentino Rossi was the guy to win the last MotoGP race held in wet weather, the British Grand Prix at Silverstone, last September. Rossi also has nine wins here, at Assen. Cal Crutchlow is going to roll off in fifth place. Sixth is Yonny Hernandez. What a great result for the Colombian!
He had a wreck in morning warmup. Pol Espargaro is seventh and he had a huge wreck in the second part of the Ruskenhoek. Again, the track is very wet. The softer wet tire will likely degrade before the harder wet does, but if the track dries out, even the harder one will be a concern. A potential deviation of two seconds per lap, is going to be possible. It's tense on the grid at the moment. No one has experience on the intermediate on this track at the moment. Jorge Lorenzo is tenth, and his crew is drilling holes in the screen so his helmet visor doesn't steam up. Hector Barbera qualified 12th despite having a huge crash in practice.
Bradley Smith is 13th and did well. Smith was on the podium by accident in the most recent flag to flag race at Misano last year. Alvaro Bautista wrecked three times in practice. Dani Pedrosa is way down in 16th place, and that is his worst start since only his third ever MotoGP race at the Turkish Grand Prix in Istanbul, way back in 2006. Stefan Bradl is 17th. Will there be differences in tire selection between some of the top runners? This race is declared wet. So, riders can swap bikes. Tito Rabat starts 19th and had a heavy fall in the morning warmup.
Ducati boss Paolo Ciabatti says Andrea Iannone will start the race with rain tires. Michele Pirro replaces Loris Baz once again. Pirro wrecked in practice. 26 laps scheduled for this race. Tense times before we start at Assen. Scott Redding third. Valentino Rossi in second. On pole, Andrea Dovizioso. The majority of riders have gone with a hard/soft tire setup for these conditions, on the Michelin wets. Scott Redding, Tito Rabat, and both Aprilia's have gone with a soft/soft setup. It's not if, for changing bikes and tires. It's when.
Scott Redding makes his first front row start since 2013, when he was in front for Moto2 action in Great Britain. Redding went on to win that race. The bikes roll off on the warmup lap, but problems surface for Eugene Laverty. Laverty does get going. At Haarbocht (turn one), it is wet. Assen is very narrow, and this contributes to the fact that at the far end of the speedway, it can be wetter, or dryer, than it is at the start/finish line. It is gray and gloomy as the riders are surely on rain tires. It's not raining, but there are dark clouds at the back of the track, and a little wind that could dry it a little bit.
Here are the post time weather conditions. 17 degrees Celsius (62 degrees Fahrenheit), air temperature. 21 degrees Celsius (69 degrees Fahrenheit), track temperature. Not a major difference in ambient vs. track temperatures, because of the cool, rainy conditions. We're ready for a flag to flag race. How long will the wet weather last, as 105,000 fans are here for the first ever Sunday running of the Dutch TT. Parts of the track are now beginning to dry out. Motorcycles have been racing here at Assen for 86 years. They first did so in the town around northern Holland, and then, since 1949, they've raced here at Assen. This is the original. The granddaddy of them all. The only original speed palace retained from the original 1949 world championship calendar.
26 laps of racing about to get underway. Stand by for drama! Round eight of the MotoGP World Championship, is underway! Scott Redding gets a great start from third on the grid. Scott Redding moves into the lead as Andrea Dovizioso is dropping back from pole. Redding runs too hot into turn one, and Valentino Rossi takes advantage. Rossi leads Andrea Dovizioso. Aleix Espargaro is up to third place on the Suzuki. Rossi leads the pack into the world famous Strubben left hand flick, which is turn five. In the wet, it is tiptoe through the tulips here in Holland, to quote the Tiny Tim song. Rossi leads Dovizioso, and let us not forget a flyer of a start from Aleix Espargaro!
Scott Redding has been demoted to eighth spot. Rossi turns his way through Ruskenhoek and down towards Stekkenwal. Rossi snakes his way through De Bult. Marc Marquez wants to pass Aleix Espargaro, but can't make it work just yet. Andrea Ianonne, meanwhile, has charged from the rear of the grid, up into 11th place! Yonny Hernandez also makes a move on Marc Marquez. Cal Crutchlow is pushing as well. Yonny Hernandez makes a pass on Aleix Espargaro. He's coming in a hurry is Yonny Hernandez! He has the Aspar Ducati up to third spot. Andrea Ianonne, meanwhile is attempting to make a move on both Pol Espargaro and Jorge Lorenzo.
Marc Marquez now moves up to fourth place through Stekkenwal. Andrea Ianonne is catching Jorge Lorenzo. Oh my. He's already made the pass. Rossi leads over Dovizioso and Yonny Hernandez is still third. Rossi's pit crew is prepping the spare bike, that has the dry tires on it, should the track begin to dry out. Dani Pedrosa has made up ten places from 16th to sixth. The pavement at the Ramshoek is beginning to dry out. Every team is in the lane now, trying to set up the dry weather motorcycles for their riders. Dani Pedrosa is another rider who went with the softer option wet rear Michelin tire.
Jorge Lorenzo has not had a good feel with the Yamaha all weekend and has had massive bike setup issues, as we witness our first fast lap laid down in this race. It's Hernandez at 1:52.835. ...And, folks, Hernandez leads the Dutch TT, making a move around Rossi! Hernandez leads a MotoGP race for the first time! Rossi ran wide, and Hernandez found the open door and walked right through it. Jorge Lorenzo meanwhile, is dropping like a stone. He had been running fifth, but has sunk to 11th. Scott Redding and Jack Miller have both passed him in the second sector on the track. Danilo Petrucci puts a move on Andrea Iannone. Hernandez, in the lead, throws caution to the wind, and sets down another fastest lap! 1:51.637 is the time.
Hernandez is two seconds quicker than Valentino Rossi right now. The track is drying here at Assen. But, there are still some wet patches to struggle with. Marc Marquez is hanging on in fourth, riding along, seeing what will happen. This is a true conundrum for the riders, as they can't really do much unless the conditions somehow change. Jorge Lorenzo is also having a real bear of a race because he's been passed by Scott Redding, Jack Miller, Alvaro Bautista, Stefan Bradl, and Pol Espargaro. When will the track dry out sufficiently enough that the harder option wet tires will overtake the softer option wet Michelin's insofar as usability and durability?
Some of these blokes just mentioned... Miller, Bautista, Bradl... have nothing to lose. Lorenzo is now 15th in the running order, being put under pressure by Tito Rabat. In the championship, Lorenzo would drop to third, 23 points behind Marc Marquez who is the points leader. Hernandez's Ducati is a bucking bronco. But, he's keeping the wild stallion under control, with another fast lap at 1:50.906. Hernandez is now clear of Rossi by 2.2 seconds. Marc Marquez is still riding in fourth, but Danilo Petrucci, he's going to have other things to say about that. He wants by Marquez, ASAP.
Yes. Petrucci makes his move.
The two riders pursuing Hernandez (who, by the way, has the soft option tire), Valentino Rossi, and Andrea Dovizioso, have done the opposite. They are using the hard option rain tires. Rossi picks up 3/10ths of a second in sector two, and drops the gap to under two seconds. Andrea Ianonne has had enough of Marc Marquez trundling along. "Hey buddy, move it!" Ianonne sweeps by. From the back of the grid, Ianonne is now fifth. These two had a barn burner of a Moto2 race here at Assen in 2011. Hernandez sets another fast lap. But, Danilo Petrucci uses the old cliche of "anything you can, I can do better" and lowers fastest lap to 1:49.864. Hardy har har. Marc Marquez has bested Andrea Ianonne for the time being, in their scrum for fifth.
In the back half of the top fifteen we see riders such as Scott Redding, Dani Pedrosa, Jack Miller, Alvaro Bautista, Aleix Espargaro, Stefan Bradl, Cal Crutchlow, Pol Espargaro, and Bradley Smith. Eugene Laverty is 20th at the moment. Ianonne passes Marquez in the Veenslang headed again for the Ruskenhoek. In the battle for second, Andrea Dovizioso is closing in on Valentino Rossi. Both Suzuki's are having a hard time here at Assen. Aleix Espargaro has dropped to 11th from his third place grid spot, and we haven't heard a peep from Maverick Vinales all day. He's down in 17th spot. He's three seconds slower than the leaders, running in the 1:53 range.
Meanwhile, poor old Jorge Lorenzo is down in eighteenth spot. There's a hint of a dry line on the road. Danilo Petrucci resets fastest lap again. 1:49.319 this time. We know that the track surface here at Assen dries quickly. So, how long will the wet weather Michelin tires hang together on a dry track, as riders may be looking for water if their tires begin to chunk. Most teams are getting the spare bikes up to temperature, with the dry weather setups installed. Will this mean some riders opt to swap bikes? We'll have to wait and find out. The plot thickens, here at Assen. Petrucci has a great ride going in fourth and lowers fast lap, again! 1:48.837!
Lorenzo on the Yamaha continues to languish in 18th, and he's under pressure from Hector Barbera. The leaders are at the far end of the track, going through De Bult. Through Mandeveen and Duikersloot. Now, they start the run back to the start/finish line. Up through Meeuwenmeer, Hoge Heide, and Ramshoek, to the Geert Timmer Bocht, at the end of the lap. Their going to pit soon to swap bikes as we see the riders headed through the Geert Timmer chicane. The pit crews don't get an indication of when their rider will come in. This is not like car racing where you click your radio and say, "I'll pit this lap", and then, the crew chief says, "OK. Pit now, pit now. Box, box, box." There will be pit boards out on the wall saying when a rider will hit the lane.
New fast lap for one D. Petrucci. 1:48.339. He's cooking! The top six riders are actually all running 1:48s. So, the track is drying out, fast. Crutchlow should inherit ninth from a fading Dani Pedrosa. Rossi is gapping Andrea Dovizioso as well. Rain is here, ladies and gentlemen. The umbrellas are going up in the grandstands. It is surely raining at Mandeveen and Duikersloot. The white flag with the red X on it, is out. That's the rain flag. The rain is at the top end of the circuit at the moment. Hernandez leads Rossi by 3.6 seconds. Danilo Petrucci is now coming back into contention for a possible podium finish, folks. Rain in pit lane. If it starts raining, the harder option tires will be a good thing to be on.
Cal Crutchlow has made his way to eighth spot. Hernandez is still the fastest chap on the road with a 1:49.265. Dovizioso has clawed back half a second on Rossi and is right on his rear wheel! Ominous, dark clouds veil the skies here at Assen. It's bucketing down with rain at the top end of the track. The faucet is turned on. We see spraying water off the tires through Duikersloot and Mandeveen. Could Yonny Hernandez pull off the ultimate upset in the 86 year history of this great race? We'll have to wait and see. Let us not forget, that the last time a MotoGP race was run by a non-factory rider, was a decade ago. Toni Elias (who is now racing in MotoAmerica in the U.S.) pulled off the feat, in Portugal.
Dovizioso is now up into second on the Ducati. The rain is bucketing down. Riders have not ridden in a heavy downpour this weekend yet, and now, they are doing just that. It could play into the hands of a rider like Yonny Hernandez, if he's got enough rubber left on his rear tire. Valentino Rossi has to think, championship. He's ahead of both Marquez and Lorenzo at this stage of the game. Stay on the motorcycle, sunshine, even in this rain. If indeed Yonny Hernandez wins this race, it would be Ducati's first MotoGP win, since Casey Stoner won his home Grand Prix in Australia, at Phillip Island, in 2010. The Ducatisti back in Bologna, as well as the team, will be gnawing on their fingernails, hoping for a miracle.
We have 15 laps left in this race as the rain pours. They dive through turn one at Harbocht to start another lap. Oh no! Just as we were singing his praises, the commentator's curse, strikes Yonny Hernandez! He's fallen off the bike! Poor Yonny Hernandez! The moment of his life, to be a possible first-time MotoGP winner, has slipped through his fingers! Ducati's chances are still there, with Andrea Dovizioso. But, Valentino Rossi in second, well, "The Doctor" could have other plans. Dovizioso wants only his second ever MotoGP win. But, there's a long way to go yet. We haven't even quite reached half distance in this race yet.
The spare bikes that were set for dry running, are now being converted back to a wet setup. If guys who have burned up their wet tires, need to, they could have a spare motorcycle with some fresh wet skins on it, for the run to the flag. The Ducati mechanics are obviously nervous. They have a first win in six years, within their grasp, if Andrea Dovizioso can hold on. In the championship, Valentino Rossi will cut Marc Marquez's points lead down, to a mere dozen markers. Jorge Lorenzo is going to really lose out. Michele Pirro just passed him for 20th place. There's standing water on the road. Yonny Hernandez is in the lane, changing bikes.
But, for Hernandez, it is game over in terms of a race win. He will have to salvage points, and that's all he can do. Fourteen laps left and Rossi is closing on Andrea Dovizioso. We're not even halfway home yet and the plot thickens. This is a recurring theme. Recall back to the Great Britain even last year. Who was on the podium at the British GP last September? These three riders who now lead the Dutch TT. Dovizioso, Rossi, and Petrucci. Scott Redding is up to fourth, behind these guys, having an awesome ride as well. Oh dear! Game over for Andrea Iannone who was running in fifth! He spills the bike, in the wet. Petrucci passes Rossi. Rossi comes back through on Petrucci at turn seven. There's so much water on the road now, riders can't do anything but get massive amounts of wheel spin.
Scott Redding could make it on to the podium before this race is over. Out of the top four riders, Redding is the only bloke using the softer option wet rear Michelin tire. Petrucci gets around Rossi into Duikersloot. Three Ducati's in the top four at the moment. Just twelve laps now remain in this race, folks. Redding moves to third. A Ducati 1-2-3 here at Assen! Can they hold station in the rain? Well, that's easier said than done. Deary me. Yonny Hernandez has crashed out of this race for a second time. It's without doubt game over for rider #68. The Colombian, retires from the event. Visibility is now a massive problem. Because of the standing water, the riders cannot see where they are going.
Rossi passes Redding through the Ramshoek, and Redding wants to come back on Rossi. Redding can't quite make it. Marc Marquez, Dani Pedrosa, and Cal Crutchlow, are all now coming back into the fray. Seven riders could be fighting for the win in the biggest MotoGP race of them all, the Dutch TT! Redding passes Rossi in the spray. Folks, we've got a red flag now. This track is too wet to race on, with eleven laps left to run. None of the riders can be too happy about this. But, visibility is also a really tough issue. Scott Redding is furious about this, and the Repsol Honda rider's, (Marc Marquez and Dani Pedrosa), are both unhappy about it.
But, this is like Sepang, in Malaysia. It's so wet, that it's like taking a shower with your clothes on. The last full lap, was lap 14. There might be a new, shortened race, now. In Sepang, Malaysia, we expect these monsoon conditions. But not at a race in Europe. Restarting this race will hinge on the weather. We won't be getting a restart now. 20 minutes ago we were talking about a drying track. But that's not the case now. Andrea Dovizioso might not have a chance at winning this thing, now. We'll have to wait and see where we're at.
The red flag is due to standing water. Then, restarting, we'd shorten this race to 12 laps. There will be a new race. In replay, we see that Valentino Rossi did not have his red rain light on. The Michelin tires are not too worn out. But, what rain tires will these blokes go for? Probably the soft tires. When, or will, we start a new race? We watch in replay, Andrea Ianonne's wreck. Andrea Dovizioso did a 2:01.190 as the leader. Jorge Lorenzo was six seconds off the pace. The rain is getting even heavier now. Yonny Hernandez won't be able to restart the race. It is raining harder now, than it was when the riders were out in the race, earlier.
This is rain of biblical proportions. We hope to see a new, 12 lap race, folks. But, we don't know. Only God knows when this race is going to restart. The front row will be Dovizioso, Petrucci, and Rossi. The standings will be based on the end of lap 14. The BMW safety car, looks like a speedboat going around in these conditions. The clouds are just starting to break up. But the standing water is incredible. Jack Miller is running eighth right now. Dani Pedrosa was perturbed at the red flag, because he was running five seconds a lap faster than was Andrea Dovizioso, cutting 1:56.1 lap times.
Dani Pedrosa won a race in monsoon conditions very similar to this, in Malaysia, in 2012. The rain is lightening up, and there's some sun coming through. Yours truly, is giggling with glee, like a little kid. Why? After all this rain, and all the concerns about flooding, the sun, is now out, at Assen! The weather does a complete 180! We may be able to grow some tulips out here, and play Tiny Tim's song, "Tiptoe Through The Tulips", after all! Hehehehe. When the red flag came out, the championship shaped up, with Marc Marquez, leading Valentino Rossi, by 17 points. Jorge Lorenzo was a further 21 points back, and Dani Pedrosa, 44 points behind.
Will we see a wet track or a dry one for this race? We start this race now, from scratch. IRTA marshals are reminding teams of the quick restart procedure. There is a five minute clock for the riders to get back out there on the grid. Remember Moto2 at Mugello? That was a mess. Hopefully this one won't be as chaotic. Pit lane opens in ten minutes. Marshals clear water away from the Strubben. Andrea Ianonne might just make the restart. It's a new page, a new chapter, that is about to be written. What happened before, only determined the grid positions. It's a 12 lap, Sunday afternoon shootout.
There are no Sunday newspapers in Holland. So, the fans have found other things to do, waiting for this race to restart. Shohei Nakamato (VP of Honda Racing Corporation) talks to Paolo Ciabatti (Sporting Director of Ducati Corse). There's still a lot of standing water in the chicane as marshals sweep the water away before the pit lane opens in four minutes, for the 12 lap dash. Gigi Dall'Igna, from Ducati, looking on. The championship leaders such as Rossi, and Marquez, they can't take risks in these conditions. Those down the points table, who haven't got a shot, they could throw caution to the wind, if they chose, just as long as they don't crash. Pit lane will open very soon.
The riders filter out of pit lane for the quick restart procedure, on a fully wet track, for a dozen laps. Stay off the white curbs. They are slick and wet. The spray isn't a concern. But, the standing water, is. All riders, on this restart, with the exception of Jack Miller, will have the soft/soft tire combination for wet weather Michelin rubber, on their bikes. Miller has a soft front matched with a hard rear. Today's race marks the 250th four-stroke MotoGP race in history. Riders are on their warmup lap. Let's check the weather conditions again, for the restart. 15 degrees Celsius (59 degrees Fahrenheit), air temperature. 20 degrees Celsius (68 degrees Fahrenheit), track temperature, with a southwest wind.
Lots of water still in the Strubben corner. Visibility isn't so good going between the Veenslang and the Ruskenhoek. The track will still be wet. Everyone is on the softer option rear Michelin. 12 laps. Round eight of the MotoGP World Championship, is now, a totally new race. The 86th running of the Dutch TT, is seconds away. Red lights on. Red lights out! We're racing at the Dutch TT! Danilo Petrucci and Valentino Rossi get away well. But, Andrea Dovizioso will lead into the first turn at the Haarbocht. Some argy bargy between Scott Redding and Marc Marquez. Marc Marquez takes the lead from Redding on the inside!
Marquez runs wide, and Dovizioso takes the place back. Cal Crutchlow is up to fourth as we see a bike sliding off the road! Aleix Espargaro does some nearly agricultural racing with his Suzuki. Marc Marquez is right in the thick of it, and Jack Miller looks to be moving up. Danilo Petrucci and Dani Pedrosa are in contention, too. They rocket through the Veenslang for the first time in this new race. Scott Redding has to maintain his composure. He started on row two, but has been blitzed at the start and is down to 11th spot. Jack Miller has now moved into fourth spot. Through De Bult corner, Dani Pedrosa ditches his bike!
Valentino Rossi has taken the lead of this race. Cal Crutchlow has also crashed. Riders are pushing hard, trying to find the limit, on these stone cold rain tires. Crutchlow has now wrecked four times this weekend. Right now, our top ten in this race is:
1. Valentino Rossi
2. Andrea Dovizioso
3. Marc Marquez
4. Jack Miller
5. Danilo Petrucci
6. Pol Espargaro
7. Bradley Smith
8. Scott Redding
9. Tito Rabat
10. Eugene Laverty
Rossi's rain light on the back of his Yamaha is working this time. Rossi won the race here in 2015, and has won at Assen, nine times. Jorge Lorenzo runs 14th at the moment. Oh dear! Problems for Danilo Petrucci. Oh no! Andrea Dovizioso has now crashed out of this race! Ducati's luck, goes from bad to worse! Game over for Dovizioso in turn 12, Meeuwenmeer. Valentino Rossi has a two second lead over Marc Marquez and sets fastest lap at 1:49.485. With ten laps to go, though, Jack Miller, is in third! He's on the podium! Dovizioso crashed when the front end of his Ducati washes away.
Bradley Smith has also crashed. This has become a race of survival. An endurance race, if you will. Rear tire grip on these Michelin's has been good. But there has been concern about the grip or lack thereof, on the front tire. Oh no! Rossi's gone down! He's down and out, too! Jack Miller is up to second, and Marc Marquez now leads the Dutch TT with ten laps left. The front end of Rossi's Yamaha washes out through Mandeveen. Off throttle, trailing the brake, the front end of the Yamaha YZR M1 washes away and crash... into the gravel, Rossi goes. Jack Miller has closed up on Marc Marquez. This is your lead battle, ladies and gentlemen, for the win in the Dutch TT!
Aleix Espargaro wrecks the Suzuki. Bradley Smith is entering pit lane. Smith appears to have also crashed out. Bradley Smith is being sent from the lane, on the bike he's already crashed. Rossi is beside himself. He could have recorded his first back-to-back wins in the premier class of MotoGP, since 2009. Not today. Jack Miller in second, will be whipping his fans in Australia into a frenzy! Jack Miller goes inside Marc Marquez and leads the Dutch TT!
Jack Miller leads a MotoGP race for the first time in his career. Pol Espargaro is now third, and on the podium, but coming under pressure from Scott Redding. These two tussled it out in Moto2 in years past. Andrea Iannone is now fifth, after starting at the back of the grid, and crashing earlier on. Jack Miller could rewrite the history books in MotoGP in seven laps. Marc Marquez might get his second straight second place finish. Tito Rabat has crashed out of the race. Jorge Lorenzo is now stone last in this Dutch TT, is 12th spot, with only a dozen riders that took the start after the race was restarted due to the red flags earlier.
Jack Miller led the Moto3 race here a few years back and crashed out in turn one. Miller is riding the race of his life right now. Miller's lead stretches to over a second. 1.1 seconds. Estrella Galicia has the softer option rear tire on Miller's Honda motorcycle. With Rossi's wreck, the points are adjusted. Lorenzo will trail Marquez by 25 markers, and Rossi, will be 42 points behind. This race is the third DNF for Rossi in 2016. Pol Espargaro and Scott Redding continue their battle for third. The track is drying with five laps left. Miller could actually be on the hard option rear tire, although the Estrella Galicia Marc VDS Honda team is not saying exactly if it is or not.
Alvaro Bautista is bearing down on Stefan Bradl, and Bradl has been passed by Hector Barbera. Eugene Laverty remains ninth. Maverick Vinales and Jorge Lorenzo are way down in tenth and 11th, and those two blokes are usually fighting for podium honors. The gap to Marc Marquez is 1.1 seconds. The gap is just 1.8 seconds between Miller and Marquez, coming through the Ramshoek and into the chicane. Miller came from Moto3 straight into MotoGP, skipping past Moto2 altogether. Four laps remain now. Marc Marquez is 1.3 second behind. Pol Espargaro is just holding off Scott Redding.
The sun is shining now at Assen. Miller leads Marquez by 1.3 seconds, through the Veenslang and the Ruskenhoek. Tito Rabat has rejoined the race and will likely finish 12th. Miller is two seconds clear of Marquez. Pol Espargaro has 3/10ths of a second over Scott Redding. Espargaro will earn his first career MotoGP podium should the order stay as is. Miller's lead is 2.1 seconds with three laps left. Bradley Smith runs off the road another time, into the gravel, and then he pulls back on track. Jack Miller is about to join elite company of Australian riders who have won in MotoGP. Riders like Casey Stoner, Mick Doohan, Darryl Beattie, Kevin McGee.
Two laps to go. Scott Redding dives inside Pol Espargaro and makes it stick. Two laps left. Aussie Chris Vermuellen has also won in MotoGP. He gave Suzuki their last win in the premier class of MotoGP in 2007, at Le Mans in the wet. Miller has ridden brilliantly in this Dutch TT. Marc Marquez pulls back 4/10ths of a second in the second split. But, that might not be enough. One lap to go. Through Haarbocht, Miller just has to concentrate. Scott Redding runs his best lap of the race at 1:49.866. Redding has blown Pol Espargaro into the weeds. Miller has 2.6 seconds in hand in the first sector. He's coming closer, to his first MotoGP win!
Hold your concentration and your nerve for half a lap. He's safe through De Bult, and into Mandeveen one final time. Two corners to go at the Ramshoek and the Geert Timmer chicane. One of the Aprilia's has crashed on the final lap. Not a factor. Jack Miller into the final chicane for the final time. It's right, and now it's left, and right again. Jack Miller has done it! Jack Miller wins the Dutch TT!
#43 Jack Miller AUS. Honda
Miller celebrates with a wheelie! Marc Marquez also celebrates with 20 points! Miller becomes the first non-factory rider to win a MotoGP race since Toni Elias did it in Portugal in 2006. Miller had all sorts of injuries early in the season and had to miss the race at Circuit of the Americas in Texas. Jorge Lorenzo finishes tenth. A pivotal moment, too, for points, with the crash for Valentino Rossi. The first ever Sunday race at Assen was a bonanza! Miller is the first Aussie to win in MotoGP since Casey Stoner.
Miller made absolutely no mistakes in this race. Miller almost fell off the bike, but pulled off a standing wheelie that was just amazing. Miller does a lot of burnouts. So long, Michelin rear tire! Miller missed the tests due to a fractured leg. Miller wins the first Dutch TT to be run on a Sunday. Dani Pedrosa, Tito Rabat, and Bradley Smith, all crashed. But, they actually all finished in the points. What a wild race!
Andrea Iannone finishes fifth. You could write a book on the story of the 2016 Dutch TT. A race that will go down in history. Well done, Jack Miller! Marc Marquez has a 24 point lead in the championship. The next race in MotoGP, was in Germany, at the Sachsenring in Saxony, Germany. Stay tuned for that.
No comments:
Post a Comment