MotoGp, Sunday we race in Assen: the cathedral of engines where Valentino greeted his victory

The “Cathedral of Engines” was erected to avoid trouble. Too many accidents in the clandestine races along the city streets, so the Dutch government made a law to legalize racing and the first circuit was a sort of 18km triangle between Rolge, Border and Schoonloo: it included some dirt tracks and the crossing of two bridges. It was 1925. Close to the century, the TT Circuit is the only one where people have always met since the beginning of the world championship adventure (1949) with the pandemic exception of 2020. Until a few seasons ago, we raced on Saturdays: from this year the checkered flag is waved again on Saturday, but for the sprint race.

Here Valentino Rossi won his last race and wrote history: it happened 6 years ago, he closed by 63 thousandths ahead of Petrucci, 20 years and 311 days had passed since the first of 115 career victories (Brno 1996). In 2008 Casey Stoner had won with a Ducati: since then there has been a continuous alternation of Honda and Yamaha successes until last year when Bagnaia crossed the finish line first, starting that incredible comeback on Quartararo which led him to celebrate the world championship in Valencia. A fast but not very fast course (at the most you can reach 310 km/h), with many bends (18): according to the technicians of Brembo, which supplies the braking systems to the entire world championship, from the point of view of the braking sections it is to be considered a easy circuit. Of the 10 braking points, 3 are more demanding: naturally the one after the start, the Haarbocht on the right, where you go from 291 to 119 km/h in 240 meters and 4 and a half seconds; then number 9, from 246 to 113 kmh in 164 meters and 3.4 seconds; to finish 16, from 217 to 89 kmh in 148 meters and 3.5 seconds.

Where to see the Assen GP on TV

Qualifying, sprint race and grand prix live on Sky and streaming on Now but also free-to-air on Tv8. As always, it begins on Friday morning with the first free practice of mMoto3 scheduled at 9, then of Moto2 (9.50) and MotoGP (10.45). The second session of the day starts at 1.15 pm for Moto3, at 2.05 pm for Moto2 and MotoGP – which already indicates the first 10 entitled to direct passage to Q2 – at 3 pm. Saturday FP3 is at 8.40 am for Moto2, at 9.25 am for Moto2.

At 10.10 the MotoGP has half an hour for free practice, followed by Q1 and Q2 to determine grid positions. Moto3 (12.50) and Moto2 (13.45) qualifying in the early afternoon, then at 15 it’s the turn of the 13-lap MotoGP sprint race. Sunday, race day preceded by the very short MotoGP warm-up (9.45am). The start of the Moto3 is scheduled for 11 (20 laps). Green light at 12.5 (10pm) for Moto2, MotoGP (26) starts at 2pm.