With the new 2017 driver–motorcycle–tyres situation which presented us with a hierarchy as ephemeral as it is not very logical in this first part of the season, it is very clever who could describe to us who the podium will be made up of on Sunday afternoon on the circuit of Assen.
And for that, the last year's race, or rather races, will not be of much help to us since they took place in the rain and after tests also carried out in changing conditions. Just as they should be this year, with a sharp drop in temperatures and even rain expected for Saturday.
The bookmakers' opinion? A Extremely tight Marquez-Vinales-Rossi trifecta...
A typical Yamaha circuit? Yes. But Barcelona was too, and Iwata's machines suffered there against competition led by the men of Borgo Panigale... Never two without three for the latter?
Here are the references available before this first MotoGP session of the weekend in the low country:
| #DutchGP MotoGP | 2016 |
2017 |
| FP1 | 1'34.349 Andrea Iannone (see here) | |
| FP2 | 1'33.591 Andrea Iannone (see here) | |
| FP3 | 1'33.308 Andrea Dovizioso (see here) | |
| FP4 | 1'48.628 Marc Marquez (see here) | |
| Q1 | 1'48.482 Pol Espargaro (see here) | |
| Q2 | 1'45.246 Andrea Dovizioso (see here) | |
| Warm up | 1'34.638 Andrea Iannone (see here) | |
| Course | Miller, Marquez, Redding (see here et here) | |
| All time lap record | 1'32.627 Rossi 2015 |
It was only 19° in the air and 24° on the track when the red lights went out and the 23 drivers were released onto the track. At least 22 pilots since Jack Miller is forced by his mechanics to return to his box without even having left the pit lane.
From the first round, Andrea Dovizioso breaks his engine and spills oil in turns 9 and 10, which leads to Jonas Folger fell at high speed at turn #11. The German driver found himself seriously stunned in the gravel trap and will undergo medical checks at the mobile clinic.
Looks like it may have been oil spilled from # AD04's bike that caused the red flag 🚩#DutchGP pic.twitter.com/Bgc9NTp8Ya
- MotoGP @ 🏁 (@MotoGP) June 23, 2017
Right after, Jorge Lorenzo also fell at turn #9 and the red flag then came out, following the oil spilled on this part of the track.
Dramatic start to the opening #MotoGP session! 😯# JL99 hit the deck but he's up and OK#DutchGP pic.twitter.com/TIldlgbg3e
- MotoGP @ 🏁 (@MotoGP) June 23, 2017
The motorcycles only made a quick turn and returned to the box while the security officials, Franco Uncini et Loris Capirossi, inspect the track and spread absorbent product on the asphalt.
The session resumes after around thirty minutes of interruption, and after a few warm-up laps, we find Dani Pedrosa at the top of the provisional ranking thanks in part to a combination of soft/soft tires. The Hondas also seem to be performing well since Marc Márquez takes back the leadership in 1'35.526 and Cal Crutchlow completes this temporary domination, while only Alvaro Bautista was able to benefit from the wake of Marc Márquez to appear in a Top 5 dominated by the machines from Tokyo.
At the end of the first run, the hierarchy is established as follows: Marquez, Bautista, Pedrosa, Dovizioso, Miller, Crutchlow, Barbera, Zarco, Aleix Espargaro and Danilo Petrucci.
Maverick Vinales is then 11th and Valentino Rossi 13th at a full second.
On resumption, Johann zarco (medium/medium) nevertheless revives Yamaha's colors and takes command in 1'35.504 despite a final partial that still has room for improvement. The 5 fastest drivers are then within the same tenth of a second, and everything is still very provisional…
Moreover, a few moments later, Maverick Vinales (tender/tender) places his M1 at the top of the ranking in 1'35.263 while Valentino Rossi prefers to prepare for his race in soft/medium.
The second run presents the following Top 10: Vinales, Zarco, Marquez, Bautista, Pedrosa, Crutchlow, Dovizioso, Aleix Espargaro, Miller and Barbera.
In the last quarter of an hour, we first witness the return of a Jonas Folger (soft/medium) visibly very motivated despite his fall, since the German driver lights the first three partials in red and positions himself in second position. On the next pass, the number 94 took command while his teammate at Tech3 put on soft tires and temporarily positioned himself third.
As always at the end of the session, things accelerate and this time we witness the offensive of last year's winner, Jack Miller, which however cannot compete with that of a Cal Crutchlow obviously very efficient.
However, three minutes from the checkered flag is good Johann zarco who breaks the 1'35 mark by registering a 1'34.806 which allows him to lead the debates.
Valentino Rossi (tender/tender) reassures his fans by seizing provisional fifth place but it is ultimately Danilo Petrucci who shows off the power of his Ducati and proves to be the fastest man in a first session as eventful as it is contested, before breaking his engine as Andrea Dovizioso did at the start of the session.
Another problem for a Ducati!
This time it's #DP9, but he still ends the session on top! 🏁#DutchGP pic.twitter.com/CwpK9ScGgu
- MotoGP @ 🏁 (@MotoGP) June 23, 2017
Ranking compiled by our friends at crash.net :
1. Danilo Petrucci ITA Octo Pramac Racing (Desmosedici GP17) 1m 34.680s [Lap 20/21] 305km/h (Top Speed)
2. Johann zarco ENG Monster Yamaha Tech 3 (YZR-M1)*
1m 34.806s +0.126s [17/20] 303km/h
3. Cal Crutchlow GBR LCR Honda (RC213V) 1m 34.822s +0.142s [18/20] 303km/h
4. Andrea Dovizioso ITA Ducati Team (Desmosedici GP17) 1m 34.829s +0.149s [15/17] 309km/h
5. Valentino Rossi ITA Movistar Yamaha MotoGP (YZR-M1) 1m 34.841s +0.161s [22/22] 302km/h
6. Andrea Iannone ITA Team Suzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR)
1m 34.914s +0.234s [20/22] 304km/h
7. Dani Pedrosa ESP Repsol Honda Team (RC213V) 1m 34.936s +0.256s [20/21] 302km/h
8. Jonas Folger GER Monster Yamaha Tech 3 (YZR-M1)*
1m 35.052s +0.372s [14/19] 301km/h
9. Jorge Lorenzo ESP Ducati Team (Desmosedici GP17)
1m 35.155s +0.475s [18/20] 306km/h
10. Karel Abraham CZE Pull&Bear Aspar Team (Desmosedici GP15) 1m 35.183s +0.503s [18/20] 305km/h
11. Jack Miller AUS Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS (RC213V) 1m 35.193s +0.513s [13/17] 304km/h
12. Maverick Vinales ESP Movistar Yamaha MotoGP (YZR-M1) 1m 35.263s +0.583s [13/22] 305km/h
13. Marc Marquez ESP Repsol Honda Team (RC213V) 1m 35.282s +0.602s [21/23] 302km/h
14. Scott Redding GBR Octo Pramac Racing (Desmosedici GP16) 1m 35.381s +0.701s [19/21] 303km/h
15. Alvaro Bautista ESP Pull&Bear Aspar Team (Desmosedici GP16) 1m 35.528s +0.848s [10/21] 307km/h
16. Espargaro Pol ESP Red Bull KTM Factory Racing (RC16) 1m 35.562s +0.882s [20/20] 305km/h
17. Alex Espargaro ESP Factory Aprilia Gresini (RS-GP) 1m 35.722s +1.042s [14/20] 302km/h
18. alex rins ESP Team Suzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR)* 1m 35.877s +1.197s [23/23] 304km/h
19. Sam Lowes GBR Factory Aprilia Gresini (RS-GP)*
1m 35.898s +1.218s [18/18] 296km/h
20. Hector Barbera ESP Reale Avintia Racing (Desmosedici GP16) 1m 35.916s +1.236s [10/23] 310km/h
21. Tito Rabat ESP Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS (RC213V) 1m 36.404s +1.724s [19/24] 303km/h
22. Loris Baz FRA Reale Avintia Racing (Desmosedici GP15) 1m 36.819s +2.139s [15/20] 295km/h
23. Bradley Smith GBR Red Bull KTM Factory Racing (RC16) 1m 37.603s +2.923s [18/19] 297km/h
