The Brazilian makes it four MotoE™ poles in four races to beat Tulovic by less than a tenth
Eric Granado (One Energy Racing) remains unbeaten in FIM Enel MotoE™ World Cup E-Pole this season after beating Lukas Tulovic (Tech3 E-Racing) by 0.074s at the Motul TT Assen. Granado’s 1:43.114 couldn’t be beaten by World Cup leader and Free Practice pacesetter Alessandro Zaccone (Octo Pramac MotoE).
How Assen’s first E-Pole played out
Mattia Casadei (Ongetta SIC58 Squadra Corse) was the first rider to set a sub-1:44 lap time in E-Pole, a 1:43.968 to go 0.736s faster than the competition. Corentin Perolari (Tech3 E-Racing) cut Casadei’s advantage to 0.294s to go second, as Barcelona winner Miquel Pons (LCR E-Racing) lit up his Energica Ego Corsa’s rear wheel on the exit of Turn 5 – a mistake that cost the Spaniard, whose lap would eventually get chalked off after exiting pitlane too late anyway.
Rookie Fermin Aldeguer (Openbank Aspar Team) then went fastest overall with a 1:43.923, a new benchmark for the following riders to try and better. And that’s exactly what Matteo Ferrari (Indonesian E-Racing Gresini MotoE) did. The 2019 World Cup winner beat Aldeguer’s time by 0.047s to sit on provisional pole, but the Italian would immediately get shoved down to P2.
Why? Well, reigning World Cup winner Jordi Torres (HP Pons 40) – smoking his way out of Turn 11 – went 0.398s clear at the summit to set a new benchmark. Tulovic was next on track and despite a rear-end twitch at Turn 5, the German rider was now the reference thanks to a cracking 1:43.188. Second in the title race Dominque Aegerter (Dynavolt Intact GP) slotted himself into P3 before it was just two riders left to set a lap: Granado and Zaccone.
A brilliant lap from Granado saw the Brazilian take provisional pole by 0.074s, as all eyes panned to Zaccone. A tenth and a half down in Sector 1, Zaccone had pulled it back by the end of Sector 3 to be 0.121s quicker than Granado heading into the final split. However, crossing the line, the Italian couldn’t hold his advantage as the rain began to fall, with Zaccone going P3 to displace Torres from the front row.
The remaining top 10 riders
Torres leads the second row and is joined by Aegerter and Ferrari, as seventh place Aldeguer and eighth fastest Casadei are the only other riders to get within a second of polesitter Granado at Assen. Perolari and Hikari Okubo (Avant Ajo MotoE) complete the top 10 in another fantastic E-Pole session, as we now await race day.
Don’t miss the MotoE™ race at 15:30 local time (GMT+2) on Sunday afternoon!
The rookie sensation is on pole again in another qualifying masterclass
Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Raul Fernandez bagged his fourth pole position of the season at the Motul TT Assen thanks to a 1:36.356, a lap time good enough to fend off teammate and main title rival Remy Gardner by 0.186s. Sam Lowes (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) will start Sunday’s Moto2™ battle from the outside of the front row in third, the British rider 0.330s back from pole.
Another Red Bull KTM Ajo 1-2
World Championship leader Gardner was the first rider to dip into the 1:36s bracket in Q2 to briefly lead the standings, but teammate Raul Fernandez quickly took the initiative. The rookie landed a 1:36.567 to beat Gardner by over three tenths, as Lowes and Q1 graduate Aron Canet (Aspar Team Moto2) placed provisional P2 and P3.
Having been demoted to P7, Gardner then came back out of the box with gritted teeth. The three-time 2021 winner returned to top spot but once again, Raul Fernandez struck back to go just 0.010s away from the all-time lap record. On his final flying lap, Augusto Fernandez snatched a front row away from teammate Lowes to cement his first front row start since the 2019 Japanese GP, however, a yellow flag infringement for Augusto Fernandez (Elf Marc VDS Racing) sees the Spaniard demoted to P8.
The remaining top 10
Canet’s P4 is a fantastic result after finishing Free Practice in P21, and the same can be said for Hector Garzo (Flexbox HP40). Fifth for the Spaniard, from Q1 and P20 in Free Practice, sees him claim a best qualifying result since the 2020 Valencia GP. Rookie Ai Ogura (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) starts sixth, yet another impressive result from the Japanese rider.
Jorge Navarro (+Ego Speed Up) was a late crasher but lines up seventh on the Assen grid, just 0.460s splits the fastest seven riders in Q2. Augusto Fernandez will be more determined than ever to try and fight for the podium having had his lap cancelled, the Spaniard is eighth ahead of Lorenzo Dalla Porta (Italtrans Racing Team) – his best Moto2™ qualifying result – and Tony Arbolino (Liqui Moly Intact GP).
Tune into the Moto2™ Dutch TT at 12:20 local time (GMT+2).
Top 10: 1. Raul Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo) – 1:36.356 2. Remy Gardner (Red Bull KTM Ajo) + 0.186 3. Sam Lowes (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) + 0.330 4. Aron Canet (Aspar Team Moto2) + 0.409 5. Hector Garzo (Flexbox HP40) + 0.446 6. Ai Ogura (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) + 0.448 7. Jorge Navarro (+Ego Speed Up) + 0.460 8. Augusto Fernandez (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) + 0.528 9. Lorenzo Dalla Porta (Italtrans Racing Team) + 0.595 10. Tony Arbolino (Liqui Moly Intact GP) + 0.651
Every practice session, qualifying battle and race, exclusive interviews, historic races and so much more fantastic content: this is VideoPass!
The two factory YZR-M1 riders went head-to-head as we witness the fastest-ever two-wheel Assen lap set by the Spaniard
For the first time since the 2020 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, Maverick Viñales (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) will start from pole position after setting a new all-time TT Circuit Assen lap record in Q2, a 1:31.814. The Spaniard and teammate Fabio Quartararo went head-to-head in an exhilarating qualifying, with the World Championship leader settling for P2 ahead of Q1 graduate Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team). Two Yamahas lead a Ducati on the front row as eight-time World Champion Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) is forced to start from P20 at the Motul TT Assen.
A big result for Ducati in Q1, late disappointment for Tech3
It was a huge opening qualifying session for two title contenders at Assen: Johann Zarco (Pramac Racing) and Bagnaia. Ducati have been struggling a bit this weekend, but Pecco was able to slot in a very quick early banker to sit top of Q1 for almost the entire session. Zarco, meanwhile, encountered an issue with his GP21 and didn’t head out on track until there was time for just two flying laps.
Motul TT Assen: MotoGP™ Q1 26/06/2021
Steve Day, Matt Birt and Simon Crafar guide you through proceedings as the final two spots in Q2 are handed out
The Frenchman, second in the title race, was a long way off getting into the top two on his first lap, and then ran wide at Turn 1. Was that his qualifying effort done? It seemed that way, however, Zarco was able to sneak one more lap in – and what a lap it was. The Pramac Racing star landed a time good enough for P1, seeing Bagnaia demoted to P2 and Iker Lecuona (Tech3 KTM Factory Racing) into P3, late heartbreak for the Spaniard who misses out on a first Q2 appearance of the season by less than a tenth.
The pole position scrap
Free Practice 1, 2, and 3 pacesetter Viñales set the initial time to beat, a 1:32.413, but it was beaten on Quartararo’s first flying lap by 0.077s. However, Quartararo’s next flying lap was nothing short of stunning. Through Sector 3, El Diablo was over three tenths faster than his own time and was on course to set the first-ever sub-1:32 lap time at the Cathedral of Speed. Sure enough, Quartararo crossed the line to lay down Assen’s fastest-ever two-wheel lap – a bonkers 1:31.922.
At the end of the first runs, Quartararo was 0.491s clear of second place Viñales, with three tenths separating third place Zarco and ninth fastest Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar). It would take an almighty effort to beat Quartararo’s time, but that’s exactly what Viñales was doing. His first lap went astray after a moment at Turn 9, but his sixth lap of the session saw Viñales set a blockbuster 1:31.814 to beat his teammate by 0.071s, a scorcher from Top Gun.
Bagnaia shot up to P3 with a great lap, Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) then went P3 before Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) decided it was his turn to sit on the provisional front row, as all eyes turned to Quartararo. Up by nearly two tenths in Sector 1, Quartararo was 0.135s under at the end of Sector 2. However, a small mistake at Turn 10 cost the number 20 time and crossing the line, Quartararo couldn’t improve, meaning Viñales took pole for the first time in 2021. A sensational battle between the factory Yamaha teammates.
How the front four rows take shape
On his final flying lap, Bagnaia picked up a magnificent front row start having come through Q1. Nakagami leads Row 2 in P4 after his best qualifying of the season, excellent from the Japanese rider, who is joined on the second row by Zarco and Oliveira. Rins suffered a late crash at Turn 8 but is unhurt and will start from P8 as the leading Suzuki, Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) and Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) are on the third row in 8th and 9th respectively – just over three tenths cover Bagnaia and Aleix Espargaro.
Reigning World Champion Joan Mir’s (Team Suzuki Ecstar) qualifying struggles continue as the Spaniard starts P10, but the number 36 has very good race pace. Pol Espargaro (Repsol Honda Team) is the second fastest Honda rider in P11, the Spaniard sits 0.089s ahead of 12th place Valentino Rossi (Petronas Yamaha SRT).
An intriguing Sunday awaits
After a crash in Q1, Marc Marquez will start from his worst premier class qualifying position in P20, as the Sachsenring winner and fourth place finisher Brad Binder (Red Bull Factory Racing) endure a tough afternoon at Assen – P21 for the South African.
Can anyone take the fight to the Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP riders on Sunday afternoon? Find out at 14:00 local time (GMT+2).
Q2 results: 1. Maverick Viñales (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) – 1:31.814 2. Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) + 0.071 3. Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) + 0.302 4. Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) + 0.500 5. Johann Zarco (Pramac Racing) + 0.580 6. Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) + 0.636 7. Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) + 0.783 8. Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) + 0.795 9. Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) + 0.852 10. Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar) + 0.934 11. Pol Espargaro (Repsol Honda Team) + 1.016 12. Valentino Rossi (Petronas Yamaha SRT) + 1.105
Every practice session, qualifying battle and race, exclusive interviews, historic races and so much more fantastic content: this is VideoPass!
Tech3 KTM Factory Racing’s Iker Lecuona made best use of the tow on the first of the flying laps, jumping up to P2 behind Bagnaia. Before then Zarco, having earlier made a mistake and it appearing as if it was game over, the Pramac man dug deep to go top with the chequered flag out.
World Championship leader Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) was all smiles after FP4 at the Motul TT Assen – and for good reason. The Frenchman topped the 30-minute race-pace session with a 1:32.513, 0.204s ahead of teammate Maverick Viñales, with Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) completing the top three.
It was the perfect Saturday afternoon for the Spaniard in qualifying; title leader Acosta misses Q2 action after FP3’s incident
For the first time in his Moto3™ career, Jeremy Alcoba (Indonesian Racing Gresini Moto3) will start from pole position after setting a new lap record in Q2 at the Motul TT Assen. The Spaniard’s 1:41.194 was 0.212s faster than second place Romano Fenati (Sterilgarda Max Racing Team), Dennis Foggia (Leopard Racing) completes the lightweight class front row.
How Q2 played out
Joining the automatic Q2 riders from Q1 were Jaume Masia (Red Bull KTM Ajo), Xavier Artigas (Leopard Racing), Lorenzo Fellon (SIC58 Squadra Corse) and Izan Guevara (Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team), as the second part of qualifying began with John McPhee (Petronas Sprinta Racing) setting the early benchmark – a 1:42.043.
Typically, the times would tumble. Niccolo Antonelli (Avintia Esponsorama Moto3) took over at the top, as fifth place Gabriel Rodrigo (Indonesian Racing Gresini Moto3) produced a world class save to stay on board at the rapid Turn 15 left-hander. Kaito Toba (CIP Green Power) then went P1 by just 0.004s over Alcoba, the latter then going quickest overall with a 1:41.808.
Sergio Garcia (Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team) then made his move to the top, his 1:41.473 was 0.335s faster than anyone, before Fenati struck to shoot up to first. However, latched onto the back of Foggia, Alcoba took the chequered flag and picked up his maiden Grand Prix pole position.
Who’s launching from inside the top 10?
Second in the World Championship Garcia will spearhead Row 2 ahead of Toba and Rodrigo, 0.340s splitting the front couple of rows at the Cathedral of Speed. Antonelli slipped to P7 after briefly holding P1 in qualifying, Darryn Binder (Petronas Sprinta Racing) and Artigas complete the third row, just over a tenth clear of Masia in P10.
Acosta declared unfit for Q2
After the last corner incident involving Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Ajo), Riccardo Rossi (BOE Owlride), Stefano Nepa (BOE Owlride) and Ryusei Yamanaka (Carxpert PrüstelGP), Championship leader Acosta was ruled out for Q2 due to a thoracic trauma. Acosta will undergo further tests to see if he’s fit or unfit for Sunday’s race. Rossi and Nepa were also transferred to the hospital for further checks, all riders are conscious and will be hoping to take part in the Dutch TT on Sunday.
Qualifying is done and dusted in the lightweight class, now focus turns to race day. 11:00 local time (GMT+2) is when the lights go out for the Moto3™ encounter!
Top 10: 1. Jeremy Alcoba (Indonesian Racing Gresini Moto3) – 1:41.194 2. Romano Fenati (Sterilgarda Max Racing Team) + 0.212 3. Dennis Foggia (Leopard Racing) + 0.278 4. Sergio Garcia (Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team) + 0.279 5. Kaito Toba (CIP Green Power) + 0.285 6. Gabriel Rodrigo (Indonesian Racing Gresini Moto3) + 0.340 7. Niccolo Antonelli (Avintia Esponsorama Moto3) + 0.473 8. Darryn Binder (Petronas Sprinta Racing) + 0.561 9. Xavier Artigas (Leopard Racing) + 0.684 10. Jaume Masia (Red Bull KTM Ajo) + 0.809
Follow the story
Every practice session, qualifying battle and race, exclusive interviews, historic races and so much more fantastic content: this is VideoPass!
Following the crash, the Spaniard was taken to the local hospital in Assen for further checks where a thoracic trauma was diagnosed. As a result, the 17-year-old was ruled out for the remainder of the action on Saturday and, therefore, won’t take place in Q2. However, Acosta could still be declared fit on Sunday morning and could start the Moto3™ Grand Prix at the TT Circuit Assen from 18th on the grid after not taking part in Q2.
It’s a perfect weekend so far for FIM Enel MotoE™ World Cup standings leader Alessandro Zaccone (Octo Pramac MotoE), a 1:42.676 in FP3 sees the Italian lead Eric Granado (One Energy Racing) by 0.261s heading into E-Pole at the Motul TT Assen. Dominique Aegerter (Dynavolt Intact GP) sits in third, just under three tenths shy of his main title rival.
It was a very busy Moto2™ session on Saturday morning at the TT Circuit Assen, with all but two riders managing to find pace. Behind the leading trio comes Jorge Navarro (+Ego Speed Up) in fourth and Somkiat Chantra (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) in P5, the duo get the better of sixth place Sam Lowes (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team). World Championship leader Remy Gardner (Red Bull KTM Ajo) is having a quiet weekend so far but is safely into the business end of qualifying, P7 for the Australian, as Ai Ogura (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia), Celestino Vietti (SKY Racing Team VR46) and Tony Arbolino (Liqui Moly Intact GP) make it four rookies inside the top 10.
It’s a clean sweep so far for the Spaniard as seven tenths cover 16 riders at Assen – it’s tight, and some title hopefuls are in Q1
It’s so far so good for Maverick Viñales (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) at the Motul TT Assen as the Spaniard claims P1 again to spearhead the premier class timesheets before qualifying. Fabio Quartararo makes it a Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP 1-2, the World Championship leader 0.197s behind Viñales’ 1:32.336, as Pol Espargaro (Repsol Honda Team) continues to find form in the Netherlands with P3.
The tale of a dry FP3
The sun was shining on Saturday morning at the TT Circuit Assen, which meant one thing: conditions were ideal for the riders to set personal best lap times. The likes of Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) and Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) improved early doors inside the top 10, but it was Friday pacesetter Viñales catching the eye.
The factory Yamaha star set the first sub-1:33 lap time with 25 minutes to go, a 1:32.848, before Viñales then stretched his advantage to 0.497s over Pol Espargaro with a 1:32.686. Quartararo then moved the goalposts to make it a YZR-M1 1-2 at the summit, but Viñales fought back to go over two tenths clear as the clocked ticked down into the final 10 minutes.
Plenty then changes in the closing stages, including the likes of Valentino Rossi (Petronas Yamaha SRT), Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) and Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) getting themselves into the top 10, as every rider improved on Saturday morning.
The automatic Q2 qualifiers
Aleix Espargaro left it late to leap up to P4, the Spaniard sits one place behind younger brother Pol in the Free Practice standings. Reigning World Champion Joan Mir and Team Suzuki Ecstar teammate Alex Rins are safely into the second part of qualifying, a good outing for the GSX-RRs, as Nakagami makes it two Hondas in Q2 with a P7 finish in FP3. Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) is the lone KTM ranger in Q2 so far, the Portuguese rider is eighth ahead of Rossi and Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) – the Bologna factory have work to do in the Netherlands.
Work to do for title hopefuls
Second in the Championship Johann Zarco (Pramac Racing) – a crasher at Turn 3 on Saturday morning – will contest Q1, alongside Ducati and title-challenging counterpart Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team). Marc Marquez is battered and bruised from his huge FP2 highside, the eight-time World Champion is another who will be in Q1, as will Sachsenring 4th place finisher Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing).
FP4 comes your way at 13:30 local time (GMT+2) before qualifying begins at 14:10. With just 0.7s covering 16 riders, the fight for pole position should be mighty – don’t miss it!
Top 10 combined: 1. Maverick Viñales (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) – 1:32.336 2. Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) + 0.197 3. Pol Espargaro (Repsol Honda Team) + 0.305 4. Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) + 0.411 5. Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar) + 0.412 6. Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) + 0.509 7. Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) + 0.517 8. Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) + 0.535 9. Valentino Rossi (Petronas Yamaha SRT) + 0.558 10. Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) + 0.571
Every practice session, qualifying battle and race, exclusive interviews, historic races and so much more fantastic content: this is VideoPass!
Bringing you the Best Motorcycle News from Around the Web!
We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.Ok
