Moto GP returns to us fans after a long wait of a month, and it does so in the form of Motul TT Assen. With a ton of rider announcements still left and a championship to win, there is a lot for us fans to look forward to.
Bombshell announcements
Perhaps the biggest talking point from the month-long break is the sheer amount of surprise driver transfers. The first domino to fall in this series was the transfer of Jorge Martin to Aprilia Racing in 2025, replacing the outgoing Aleix Espargo.
This transfer paved the way for the other frontrunner of that coveted factory Ducati seat, Marc Marquez. Marquez signed with Ducati Lenovo team on a two-year deal that will see him race for the Italian outfit for at least 2026.
Elsewhere, it was KTM that took the headlines by storm. They have announced Enea Bastianini and Maverick Vinales as riders of the satellite Red Bull KTM Tech3 team.
The final piece that came in the spring break was the transfer of Marco Bezzecchi from a Ducati bike to Aprilia Racing where he will paired with Jorge Martin.
With 7 teams still left to announce their lineups, the driver market will be interesting to watch.
Bagnaia’s strong suit
The Assen circuit has been a favourite among many riders. But the rider that has won the last two races held at this circuit is Francesco Bagnaia. The only other rider that managed consecutive wins at the Cathedral of Speed was Valentino Rossi (2004, 2005). With Marc Marquez recently announced as his teammate for 2025, he would be looking forward to making a strong point for himself.
Elsewhere, Jorge Martin still leads the rider’s championship over Bagnaia by 17 points. He, however, is yet to taste the champagne at this track. He would be hoping to change this fact and further extend his championship lead.
Sitting in P3 and firmly in contention is Marc Marquez. He too, like Pecco, has won at this venue in Moto GP two times previously. His 2024 season has been one for the books so far and he too would be looking forward to getting that first win with a Ducati. If Marc Marquez manages to come atop the podium come Sunday, it would mark a gap of 980 days between his wins, with his last win being in 2021 at Emilia Romagna GP.
Aprilia magic
Aprilia has started the second part of the season with the strong signings of Marco Bezecchi and Jorge Martin. However, their current rostrum is no slouch either. Last year’s TT Assen saw Aleix Esparago finish in P3 in the race and P4 in the sprint.
On the other side of the garage is another Assen master. Maverick Vinales has had a win in 2019 and podiums in 2018, 2021 and 2022. With his 2024 form looking good, can he add another Assen win to his bag?
KTM’s updates in first racing action?
The manufacturer that gathered the most eyeballs in the Mugello testing held at the beginning of the month was KTM. They had introduced a new design of side fairing, a similar one to the Jerez test.
This update helped the Austrian outfit to top the timesheets at the Mugello test with Brad Binder. However, it being a wet session, didn’t mean as much. The Motul TT Assen could be the first racing opportunity that KTM will get to test their bikes.
With Jack Miller, race winner here in 2016, effectively without a seat in 2025, he would be looking for a good performance to come under the radar of other Teams.
However, whether they decide to introduce these upgrades at this race is yet to be seen.
Yamaha’s private testing
The team heading to the Netherlands with the highest aspiration would be the Japanese outfit Yamaha. Yamaha had an extra testing opportunity at the Valencia track after the Mugello testing. They had greatly appreciated this chance since the Mugello test was interrupted due to rain.
Fabio Quartaro has won here in the past, in 2021. But the last two TT Assen have not been good for him as he retired from both. His pace, however, has been there. He grabbed a sprint podium last time around and qualified P4 for the race. His teammate Alex Rins, an effective free agent for 2025, would be looking to impress the Yamaha bosses with his performance.
Whether or not this testing has had any positive impact on the team’s condition will be a thing to witness.
The Track
TT Assen is the longest-serving track on the MotoGP calendar. Moto GP has raced here at its every rendition barring 2020. A rider and fan favorite, this track is known for its amazing atmosphere.
Weekend Schedule and Where to Watch
You can watch all the action live on Eurosport (TV Broadcast) and Jio Cinema (Digital streaming). The full schedule in IST is given below:
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