At the end of the 22 lap Moto3™ race at the Dutch TT last year, Jules Danilo in sixth position crossed the finish line just 0.161 seconds behind race winner Francesco Bagnaia. This is the closest top six finish of all-time in grand prix racing - and now we're headed back to Assen. Here are a few stats and facts:
- Joan Mir (Leopard Racing) won his fourth race from the opening seven races in the Catalan GP. The last rider to do that was eventual Champion Danny Kent in 2015.
- Mir's win in Barcelona is his fifth in the Moto3™ class, equaling Sandro Cortese, the first Moto3™ World Champion.
- Mir leads the standing with a margin of 45 points; this is the second biggest margin in Moto3™ after the opening seven races of the year behind Danny Kent in 2015 (51).
- Mir finished eighth at Assen last year during his rookie season in the Moto3™ class.
- Marinelli Rivacold Snipers rider Romano Fenati crossed the line in the second in Barcelona, the 18th podium finish of his career. Last year, he finished fourth at the Dutch TT from fourth on the grid, his best result on that track.
- Jorge Martin (Del Conca Gresini Moto3), who started from pole position in Barcelona, crossed the line in third for his fourth podium finish of the year. He is still aiming to win his first Moto3™ race. He was injured last year in Assen after a crash sustained in Barcelona and bowed out after FP2. Albert Arenas then took his place.
- Enea Bastianini (Estrella Galicia 0,0) was fourth in Barcelona, equaling his best result of this season so far. With 560 points scored, he is now fifth on the Moto3™ World Champion points standing behind Oliveira (628). He qualified on pole position for the last two years in Assen, but he crossed the line only once - in 6th place in 2015.
- None of the riders currently competing in Moto3™ have ever won at the Dutch TT. However, Fabio Di Giannantonio (Del Conca Gresini Moto3) and Andrea Migno (Sky Racing Team VR46) have stood on the podium.
- No Moto3™ rider has won at the Dutch TT after qualifying on pole since the introduction of the category in 2012.
- Marco Bezzecchi (CIP) crossed the line in 14th in Barcelona, the best result of his rookie year. He also equaled the best result for Mahindra in 2017.
- Mahindra won the last Moto3™ race in Assen, the first Grand Prix win for the Indian manufacturer. Mahindra also recorded their first Moto3™ pole position at this track with Miguel Oliveira, back in 2013.
- Bo Bendsneyder (Red Bull KTM Ajo) crossed the line in ninth last year in Assen, his best result at the time. He will be aiming to become the first Dutch rider to win a Grand Prix race since Hans Spaan in Brno 1990.