Preview Dutch Grandprix, Assen, The Netherlands

2013-06-25 18:46
Team Repsol Honda RC213V rider Dani Pedrosa leads
the way to the classic Dutch TT at Assen this
weekend. The experienced Spaniard heads the World
Championship after two race wins and a series of
strong finishes; while young rookie sensation
team-mate Marc Marquez is third overall.

The Dutch TT is round seven of 18 in what is
shaping up to be a titanic struggle for overall
honours. The event is steeped in tradition and
history, the on-track battle is as electrifying
as it has ever been in more than 90 years of
motorcycle racing at the venue in the north of The Netherlands.

The factory Honda riders are as ever playing a
leading role in the drama. Both Pedrosa and
Marquez are fresh from another podium finish
apiece, followed by a special test session where
they were able to try out prototype versions of next year’s machine.

Pedrosa has been in charge of the championship
ever since round five in France, where he scored
his second successive win. Since then the
27-year-old has held his lead with a pair of
canny second places. In his strongest title
challenge yet, the seasoned Repsol Honda trooper
knows the way to success is through consistent strength.

Pedrosa scored his first ever GP win at Assen, on
a 125 Honda in 2002, and has finished on the
rostrum four out of seven times in the MotoGP
class. But his best hope of victory was dashed
last year having qualified on pole, he crashed
out on the first lap, an innocent victim of
another rider’s mistake. He will be hoping that
the other riders will be paying more attention in
the crowded first corners of the modern version of the historic track.

Marquez won the Moto2 title last year, and moved
up to the senior class in a blaze of glory,
claiming pole and victory on only his second
MotoGP race. He has finished on the rostrum at
every race bar one – he crashed out at Mugello
while lying second with three laps to go.

Marc has a strong record at Assen: winning for
the last two years in the Moto2 class, as well as
in 2010 on a 125. The young rider is anxious to
avoid over-ambitious expectations in only his
first MotoGP season. At the same time his points
score means he is still well in touch with the leaders.

The Honda pair are facing a strong rival, in
defending champion Jorge Lorenzo (Yamaha), a
rider known for consistent strength. The battle
between men and machines has the fans eager for
more; this year’s race is poised to add another
chapter to the long and glorious history of the Dutch TT.

German former Moto2 World Champion Stefan Bradl’s
season has regained momentum with a fourth and a
fifth at the last two races; and the LCR Honda
RC213V rider has gained ground also in the
championship. More than a change of luck, he
credits finding better machine settings, and aims
to continue the improvement at Assen.

Team GO&FUN Honda Gresini RC213V rider Alvaro
Bautista has had the opposite experience. The
Spanish rider has suffered two first-lap crashes
at the last two rounds, and will be playing
special attention to the tricky tight early
corners of the modern version of the historic circuit.

Australian grand prix first-timer Bryan Staring
scored his first points for 13th at the last
round in Catalunya. The GO&FUN Honda Gresini FTR
Honda rider is hungry for more, as he gains
experience on the CBR1000RR-powered CRT bike.
Assen is one of a handful of MotoGP circuits where he has previous experience.

The balance of power is at a critical stage also
in the all-Honda-powered Moto2 class. British
star Scott Redding (Marc VDS Racing Team Kalex)
surged into a strong points lead with two
consecutive wins in rounds four and five in
France and Italy. At the last round in Catalunya
earlier race winners Pol Espargaro and Esteve
Rabat (both Tuenti HP 40 Pons Kalex) finished
first and second to start their fight back; while
Redding lost ground with fourth place.

Assen provides the next chance for the rival
Spaniards to close up again; and likewise a
chance for Redding to re-open the gap – currently
35 points. Last year the Briton was third; he
will be aiming to go two better than that in the
absence of the two riders who finished ahead of
him … both gone to the MotoGP class.

Moto2 machines come in a variety of prototype
chassis, but all are powered by race-prepared
Honda CBR600 engines supplied by the organisers.
This guarantees close and reliable racing:
Assen’s famous race-deciding final chicane is
likely to play the same role in 2013.

Honda is up against rival factory machines in
Moto3, with 250cc Honda engines in either factory
or independent frames. In its second year, the
new four-stroke class is thriving with eager
young talent, with close racing for every championship point.

Six races in, South African Brad Binder is still
leading the Honda troops in a very close eighth
overall. The Ambrogio Racing Suter Honda rider is in his second Moto3 season.

Experienced French rider Alexis Masbou
(Ongetta-Rivacold FTR Honda) is closing up fast,
just two points adrift after a near-perfect run
of top ten finishes over the last five races.

Tenth overall and only six points behind Masbou
is the spirited young Australian Jack Miller
(Caretta Technology – RTG FTR Honda), who leapt
forward with a typically forceful seventh in
Catalunya, one place lower than his best result so far.

Assen was first used for motorcycle racing in
1925, in the form of a long public-roads circuit.
Over the years the length has been cut, although
when the Dutch TT took its place as the third of
six round on the inaugural World Championship
calendar of 1949, it was still 10.3 miles (16.5 km) in length.

Bit by bit the lap length was reduced, although
still retaining sections of public road, and in
2006 came a radical revamp to the present fully
closed circuit of 2.8 miles (4.5 km). The first
part comprises a series of tight corners under
new grandstands in modern stadium-circuit style,
but the second part of the lap is faithful to the
characterful old track, so that it can retain its
long-standing racing nickname, “The Cathedral”.

Uniquely among 2013 GPs, the Dutch TT at Assen
has been on the calendar every year since 1949.
Fiercely defended local tradition meant it
remained the only Saturday race, until the night GP at Qatar in 2007.



Honda MotoGP rider quotes

Dani Pedrosa, Repsol Honda:

“After a good race in Catalunya and an important
20 points, I still lead the Championship and I am
looking forward to Assen. I won my first ever
race there and have very special memories. The
weather can be temperamental so I hope we get
some dry track time on Friday to find a good
setting. It is a good track but it’s important to
have a good feeling with the tyres because there
are several fast corners. I hope we can keep the
momentum going and do a good race.”

Marc Marquez, Repsol Honda
“I had a difficult weekend in Catalunya but in
the race, riding behind Dani, I was able to learn
many things. The Aragon test was useful and we
were able to solve some problems we’ve
experienced in the last few races, and also get
to know the Honda RC213V a lot better! I know the
weather in Assen can be unpredictable so it will
be important to make the most of the dry track
time we have. I like the circuit and I am feeling
really good at the moment so it will be
interesting to get there on the MotoGP machine for the first time.”

Stefan Bradl, LCR Honda MotoGP:
“Hopefully we can have a better result this year
in Assen. Last season I took fourth on the grid,
but crashed out on lap two in the race. Probably
I was a bit too aggressive, but now I am more
experienced, and after the last positive results
(fourth in Mugello and fifth in Catalunya) I
arrive with high motivation. Honestly Assen is
not one of my favourite race tracks … especially
the first part is not really good for me … but we
aim to continue our progression. The testing days
in Catalunya and Aragon were pretty productive
for us. We could work on the front-end issues and
find some good adjustments for the following rounds.”

Alvaro Bautista, FUN&GO Honda Gresini
“The first-lap crash at Catalunya left a very
bitter taste. Psychologically it was a heavy
blow, because before the start I felt we were in
good shape. Myself and the team had done a great
job to find a setting that allowed me to set a
good pace, and in qualifying we could secure an
optimum starting position in fourth. Everything
was in place for a great race. Unfortunately what
happened is part of racing. So disappointing at
your home race: for it to happen in front of your
own fans was tough to take for me and the team.
Now I want to forget that and focus on the
positives we found there and in the Aragon test.
Last year at Assen we were competitive up to the
start, then I made a mistake. This year I will be
more cautious. It’s a difficult track with a slow
first section then some faster corners … it’s not
easy to find a compromise. Obviously the weather
is usually a factor, with damp sections and dry
sections … but that’s Holland! I am really
determined to do a good job there, and recover
the points lost in the last two rounds.”

Bryan Staring, FUN&GO Honda Gresini
“After a positive result in the Catalan Grand
Prix, where I scored my first World Championship
points, I go to Holland with a different
approach. I feel motivated and confident about
this race especially because I finally won’t have
to spend time learning the track. I already know
it! I really like Assen and I will be able to
start work on the machine straight away. I am
desperate to do well this weekend and get the
most out of the bike so that I can show my potential.”


Moto2 Rider Quotes

Scott Redding (Marc VDS Racing Team:
“I’m looking forward to returning to Assen, as
it’s definitely one of my favourite tracks.
Fourth in Catalunya, a track that really punishes
my size, was a good result in terms of the
championship, but it was also a little
disappointing to miss out on a fifth podium
finish. I was third at Assen last season and I
think a podium finish this time around is a
realistic goal, but even more important is to try
and extend my lead over Pol Espargaro and Tito
Rabat in the championship standings. If I can do
that and stand on the podium this weekend, I’ll be a happy man.”

Pol Espargaro, Tuenti HP40 Pons:
“Last year we were really good in practice at
Assen – I work well with the track. I did an
incredible lap time but maybe that made me too
confident because in the race I made one of my
biggest mistakes and crashed. What I want to do
this time is finish the race, get a good result
and go to the next race with less of a points
disadvantage to Scott. That’s the most important thing.”

Esteve Rabat, Tuenti HP 40 Pons:
“We need to continue like this, working race by
race. And I also want to work at improving my
physical condition – that’s my first priority. My
riding style is starting to work well with the
bike, which I'm happy about, but we will have to see how it goes at Assen.”


Honda Moto3 Rider quotes

Brad Binder, Ambrogio Racing Suter:
“I can’t wait to get to Assen. Twelfth at
Catalunya was a disappointment: my bike was on
rails and I rode my best, but we got blown away
on the long straight. Assen’s very different,
really technical and more complicated. I’m really looking forward to it.”

Alexis Masbou, Ongetta-Rivacold:
“For sure the engine will be less important at
Assen. I think it will be a good track for the
Honda, so I hope I can get a better result than at Mugello and Catalunya.”

Jack Miller, Caretta Technology – RTG:
“I don’t mind the track, I think it should be all
right for us. We just need to keep working and
see how we go, just keep getting better, step by step.”

Source: Honda Pro Image

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