It was one of the tightest top tens in history on Saturday at the TT Circuit Assen, and race day is shaping up to be a classic. Here are a few things to know ahead of lights out...
- Marc Márquez (Repsol Honda Team) has qualified on pole position for the first time in the premier class at Assen. This is the 75th pole position in his Grand Prix career and the 47th in the MotoGP™ class on what is his 98th start. However, he will start from pole position for the first time this year as he set the pole in Texas but started from Row 2 due to a penalty.
- Over the last seven years only Casey Stoner (2012) and Movistar Yamaha MotoGP's Valentino Rossi (2015) have won the MotoGP™ race at the Dutch TT from pole position.
- Third on the grid, which is his second front row start of 2018, Valentino Rossi is the most successful rider across all classes on the grid at Assen with ten wins: 1 x 125cc, 1 x 250cc and 8 x MotoGP™. Nine of these came from the first two rows on the grid.
- Yamaha haven’t won since Rossi (17 successive races) took victory at Assen last season, which is the longest sequence without a win since the 18 races that included the last two races of 2002 and the 16 races of 2003.
- Heading the second row on the grid as the highest-placed Ducati rider is Andrea Dovizioso, who will be aiming to become the second Ducati rider to win at the Dutch TT in the premier class, along with Casey Stoner (2008).
- Aleix Espargaró (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) has qualified seventh, which is his best qualifying result since he was also seventh in Argentina earlier this year.
- After passing through Q1 for the third first time since Aragón last year, Johann Zarco (Monster Yamaha Tech 3), who was on pole for the first time in the premier class last year at Assen, has qualified in eighth place – the third successive time he’s failed to qualify on the first two rows.
#MotoGP Q1 ????@JohannZarco1 steals a Q2 spot on his final lap and will be joined by @Rins42 #DutchGP pic.twitter.com/UTiA1xF5KB
— MotoGP™???????????? (@MotoGP) 30 June 2018
- Andrea Iannone (Team Suzuki Ecstar) completed the third row of the grid, which is his worst qualifying result since he was 12th in Argentina earlier this year.
- Danilo Petrucci (Alma Pramac Racing), who was on the podium for the third time in the premier class last year at the Dutch TT, has qualified in 11th on the grid, which is his worst qualifying result since he was the 18th at Argentina this year.
- Angel Nieto Team's Álvaro Bautista has qualified in 12th place on the grid, which is his best qualifying result since he was ninth in Aragón last year.