#DutchGP MotoGP Race: Rossi power ten, Vinales down, Dovizioso leader of the championship

Since 2016, the Dutch Grand Prix had returned to the ranks of traditions by finally taking place on a Sunday, and no longer on a Saturday, as since… 1949. But this edition in Assen was still an exception with a start of hostilities fixed not at 14 p.m., but at 00 p.m. A difference in schedule which should not have changed much in itself. But in the face of fickle weather, every minute could count... Johann Zarco was the man with a pole position won in tricky conditions. So what would the Frenchman have in store for us for his eighth appearance among the elite?  

Before answering, here is the state of the situation when the drivers took their place on the starting grid…

#DutchGP MotoGP	2016	2017
FP1	1'34.349 Andrea Iannone (see here)	1'34.680 Danilo Petrucci (see here)
FP2	1'33.591 Andrea Iannone (see here)	1'33.130 Maverick Vinales (see here)
FP3	1'33.308 Andrea Dovizioso (see here)	1'46.441 Scott Redding (see here)
FP4	1'48.628 Marc Marquez (see here)	1'44.925 Johann Zarco (see here)
Q1	1'48.482 Pol Espargaro (see here)	1'46.926 Scott Redding (see here)
Q2	1'45.246 Andrea Dovizioso (see here)	1'46.141 Johann Zarco (see here)
Warm up	1'34.638 Andrea Iannone (see here)	1'51.203 Jack Miller
Course	Miller, Marquez, Redding (see here et here)
All time lap record	1'32.627 Rossi 2015

As for the events since the start of this season, here is the reminder…

 

The essential thing this Sunday was the weather update. A track brought to 26°, a pampered audience at 19°, everything would be fine without a threatening sky and a wind that could just as easily encourage the sun to come out as invite nasty clouds eager to relieve themselves on the tarmac. Assen. But when he took his place on his starting block, the Batavian asphalt remained dry.

zarco left with a couple of software and he was the only one to take this bet. Marquez was equipped as Petrucci in two mediums and Red took a medium front and a hard rear. Folger was in medium and soft. The majority of riders were on full medium for the 26 laps of the race.

At the start the double World Champion resisted Marquez to take orders and Red took third position. Folger et Pedrosa missed their flight. Vinales was tenth behind Iannone, Dovizioso seventh.

zarco made full use of his seven-league boots to gain a small lead over the official Honda. Petrucci led the peloton behind the leading trio, containing Baptist et Redding while Dovizioso was already knocking on the door of the top5. Vinales was passed through Crutchlow…As for Marquez, he spared no effort...

After five rounds, we attended a festival Iannone, moved up to seventh on a Suzuki in mediums. zarco held on but so much Marquez which Red et Petrucci were most threatening. Three rounds later, it's Vinales who gained momentum to finish seventh, but already three seconds behind the Tech3 drivers still in the lead. Sam Lowes opened the list of falls. He was fifteenth and therefore in the points. He was imitated by Jonas Folger which thus put an end to a regularity which had led her to be in the points in all the races until then.

Accidents that did not disrupt a Red who dealt the blow to Marc Marquez to better launch an attack on the satellite Yamaha driven by the one who would like to replace him in 2019... A matter settled the next lap, but not without difficulty. Once overtaking was done, Rossi opened the door a little into which he rushed zarco. But the Doctor slammed the door in his face, going so far as to make contact. Austin currency?

Barely recovered from our emotions, we saw Vinales fall and thus lose the lead in the championship.

Car Dovizioso was still fifth and on a hellish pace.

In the lead, we organized a duel between Red et Marquez, under the eyes of Petrucci et Zarco, whose tires were showing signs of weakness ten laps from the goal. But not those of Petrucci who took the best of Marquez !

Good form for the Ducati as the rise of Dovizioso confirmed. A danger that Red decided to preserve himself by pushing the pace and gaining a lead of 1s5 over his compatriot from Pramac. Baptist fell when he was sixth.

With nine laps to go, the white flag was waved for a possible change of bike because the rain was coming. Nothing to cool Dovizioso who took the best of Marquez while Petrucci was an imminent danger to Rossi zarco returned to the pits to take his second motorbike. Barbera imitated him.

What would heaven decide? A question that did not arise Dovizioso, imperial, who brought into line Petrucci who returned the favor two turns later. Lorenzo was coming home to change machines. Seven rounds from the decision.

Five more turns and Petrucci going Red to take the lead in a Grand Prix. A first in his career. Dovizioso widened, letting pass Marquez. But Red had no intention of leaving the Ducati Pramac alone and he regained the advantage with three laps to go. DesmoDovi did the same on Marquez. Crutchlow was fifth and the rain was remembered by everyone!

zarco took a penalty for excessive speed in the pits when returning to take his bike. Victory would be played out between Red et Petrucci. As for the third step of the podium, it was very undecided with the return of the LCR driver... Under the checkered flag, Red won the day, his tenth at Assen, ahead of Petrucci, Marquez with nothing in front Crutchlow et Dovizioso, new leader of the championship. Miller is sixth Baz eighth behind Abraham and in front Iannone. The losers are Pedrosa, thirteenth in front Zarco, et Lorenzo fifteenth.

#DutchGP MotoGP Race: Ranking

1. Valentino Rossi ITA Movistar Yamaha MotoGP (YZR-M1) 41m 41.149s
2. Danilo Petrucci ITA Octo Pramac Racing (Desmosedici GP17) 41m 41.212s
3. Marc Marquez ESP Repsol Honda Team (RC213V) 41m 46.350s
4. Cal Crutchlow GBR LCR Honda (RC213V) 41m 46.392s
5. Andrea Dovizioso ITA Ducati Team (Desmosedici GP17) 41m 46.476s
6. Jack Miller AUS Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS (RC213V) 42m 4.539s
7. Karel Abraham CZE Pull&Bear Aspar Team (Desmosedici GP15) 42m 18.131s
8. Loris Baz FRA Reale Avintia Racing (Desmosedici GP15) 42m 18.207s
9. Andrea Iannone ITA Team Suzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR) 42m 18.315s
10. Alex Espargaro ESP Factory Aprilia Gresini (RS-GP) 42m 43.078s
11. Espargaro Pol ESP Red Bull KTM Factory Racing (RC16) 42m 50.533s
12. Tito Rabat ESP Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS (RC213V) 42m 51.270s
13. Dani Pedrosa ESP Repsol Honda Team (RC213V) 42m 51.493s
14. Johann zarco ENG Monster Yamaha Tech 3 (YZR-M1)* 43m 16.804s
15. Jorge Lorenzo ESP Ducati Team (Desmosedici GP17) +1 lap
16. Hector Barbera ESP Reale Avintia Racing (Desmosedici GP16) +1 lap
17. alex rins ESP Team Suzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR)* +1 lap
Scott Redding GBR Octo Pramac Racing (Desmosedici GP16) DNF
Alvaro Bautista ESP Pull&Bear Aspar Team (Desmosedici GP16) DNF
Bradley Smith GBR Red Bull KTM Factory Racing (RC16) DNF
Maverick Vinales ESP Movistar Yamaha MotoGP (YZR-M1) DNF
Jonas Folger GER Monster Yamaha Tech 3 (YZR-M1)* DNF
Sam Lowes GBR Factory Aprilia Gresini (RS-GP)* DNF