Live coverage of Sprint race at the 2026 Assen MotoGP. The Sprint is scheduled for this afternoon at 15:00 local time.
Marco Bezzecchi came into Saturday having been fastest in both sessions on Friday and looking to rebound from his Czech disaster this weekend at Assen. The Italian pointed to stability as an area to improve with the RS-GP as he sought a first pole since the Italian Grand Prix. He ultimately came up short, but will start third today.
Jorge Martin said yesterday that Bezzecchi has a step on the field at Assen, but that it's more pronounced in time attack trim than race pace. It was the 2024 champion who came out on top in Q2, though, with Martin taking an "emotional" pole position.
The Spaniard was also the rider who was most outspoken about the heat, saying it would be "not really healthy" to do a full-distance grand prix on Sunday if the weather doesn't cool, which it is due to, to some extent.
Ai Ogura starts between the two factory Aprilias today, meaning a second front row lockout in four rounds for the Noale marque. Raul Fernandez qualified fourth, giving Aprilia its first lockout of the top-four positions in MotoGP qualifying.
Martin was also one of several crashers in Practice yesterday, going down at turn 12 and coming away unharmed. Two others were the two Gresini Racing riders, who both went down at turn 11. Fermin Aldeguer was taken to hospital and this morning has been declared unfit, while Alex Marquez skipped Q2 in the hopes of being in the best possible condition for the remainder of the weekend.
Marquez's crash yesterday brought out the red flags towards the end of Practice, after which Marc Marquez did not return to the track. He admitted afterwards that he didn't enjoy Friday, but he got directly into Q2 from Practice in sixth. Qualifying was underwhelming for the reigning champion, though, and he'll start seventh, just behind Fabio Di Giannantonio and Francesco Bagnaia who qualified on the second row.
Bezzecchi makes the move at turn nine, Martin responds at 10, and Bezzecchi shows him the kerb on the exit. The Italian takes fourth, he has six laps to catch the front three but he's a second adrift.
Martin back with Bagnaia on his tail now.
Martin ran wide at the chicane, but Bezzecchi was too weak on the brakes at the first turn to take the position.
Bagnaia is back in front of Marquez at turn five, they've now dropped right off the Aprilias.
Di Giannantonio closing on Fernandez, but no change in the order that time, still Ogura from Martin, Bezzecchi, Marquez at the front.
Miller has pulled into the pits to retire.
Fernandez leads from Di Giannantonio, but it's Ogura with the fastest lap that time by. Bezzecchi pressuring Martin but can't find a way through yet. Marquez has dropped off a little from Bezzecchi compared to a lap ago but he's still there.
Martin had dropped to fourth on lap four, he re-passed Ogura at the chicane, but Ogura came back again at the first turn on lap five.
Fernandez and Di Giannantonio escaping at the front now.
Fernandez has passed Martin for the lead at the final chicane, and Di Giannantonio passed Ogura for third.
Marquez has re-passed Bagnaia for sixth.
Acosta ran wide at turn seven and has dropped back to 14th.
Bezzecchi was coming under pressure from Marquez, but Marquez has been passed by Bagnaia now.
Fernandez up to second at turn five on lap two, Ogura back to third now.
Martin back to the front at turn six, Ogura back to second.
Bezzecchi wide at turn nine and he drops to 5th behind Di Giannantonio.
It's lights out at Assen and the Sprint is underway. Holeshot for Ogura from Martin, Fernandez, and Bezzecchi who was cautious into turn one.
Mir has crashed at turn four.
Riders are off on their warm-up lap ahead of the Sprint at Assen. Confirmation that everyone is on medium front, soft rear.
Pedro Acosta suffered two technical issues on Saturday morning at the Dutch Grand Prix.
This Sprint start will be the first one under MotoGP's new start rules that ban front start devices.
This will change the behaviour of the bikes off the line significantly with the riders likely getting much more wheelie as they pull away.
Being the first start under the new rules, it could be a bit chaotic, and also an opportunity to make ground for riders who can adapt quickly to the change and those who have been able to understand the most about how to approach the start without the device from the limited amount of practice starts they've had without them since last weekend at Brno.
Here's your starting order for today's Sprint, with Martin leading that Aprilia 1-2-3-4 at the front.
| 1 | Jorge Martin | ESP | Aprilia Racing | Aprilia RS-GP |
| 2 | Ai Ogura | JPN | Trackhouse Racing | Aprilia RS-GP |
| 3 | Marco Bezzecchi | ITA | Aprilia Racing | Aprilia RS-GP |
| 4 | Raul Fernandez | ESP | Trackhouse Racing | Aprilia RS-GP |
| 5 | Francesco Bagnaia | ITA | Ducati Lenovo Team | Ducati GP26 |
| 6 | Fabio Di Giannantonio | ITA | Pertamina Enduro VR46 | Ducati GP26 |
| 7 | Marc Marquez | ESP | Ducati Lenovo Team | Ducati GP26 |
| 8 | Pedro Acosta | ESP | Red Bull KTM Factory Racing | KTM RC16 |
| 9 | Fabio Quartararo | FRA | Monster Energy Yamaha | Yamaha YZR-M1 |
| 10 | Joan Mir | ESP | Honda HRC Castrol | Honda RC213V |
| 11 | Enea Bastianini | ITA | Red Bull KTM Tech3 | KTM RC16 |
| 12 | Alex Marquez | ESP | Gresini Racing | Ducati GP26 |
| 13 | Franco Morbidelli | ITA | Pertamina Enduro VR46 | Ducati GP25 |
| 14 | Diogo Moreira | BRA | Pro Honda LCR | Honda RC213V |
| 15 | Brad Binder | RSA | Red Bull KTM Factory Racing | KTM RC16 |
| 16 | Alex Rins | ESP | Monster Energy Yamaha | Yamaha YZR-M1 |
| 17 | Luca Marini | ITA | Honda HRC Castrol | Honda RC213V |
| 18 | Jack Miller | AUS | Prima Alpine Pramac Yamaha | Yamaha YZR-M1 |
| 19 | Maverick Vinales | ESP | Red Bull KTM Tech3 | KTM RC16 |
| 20 | Augusto Fernandez | ESP | Yamaha Test Team | Yamaha YZR-M1 |
| 21 | Cal Crutchlow | GBR | LCR Honda Castrol | Honda RC213V |
| 22 | Toprak Razgatlioglu | TUR | Prima Alpine Pramac Yamaha | Yamaha YZR-M1 |
No tyre information for Crutchlow, but everyone else is on soft compound rear, medium compound front. No deviation yet, but we'll see if that changes in the next few minutes before the start.
33C air temperature is a few degrees down on what we had in Practice yesterday afternoon. It's pretty cloudy at the minute, so track temperature is a little down on yesterday, too. Still warm enough, though, at 46C.
Pit lane has opened at Assen and the riders are heading out on their sighting lap ahead of this 13-lap Sprint.
Moto2 Q2 has finished with David Alonso taking pole position ahead of Alberto Ferradez and Izan Guevara.
Championship leader Manuel Gonzalez could only manage eighth.
Here is footage of Navarro's crash that caused red flags in Q1. We're into the last minutes of Moto2 Q2 now.
Welcome back to live coverage of today's MotoGP action from the Netherlands, where the Sprint is due to get underway in just over 50 minutes at 15:00 local time.
We're a little delayed with Moto2 qualifying, with Q2 yet to start after a red flag for a crash for Jorge Navarro, who seemed to be okay afterwards.
Jorge Martin inherited pole after a late lap cancellation for Raul Fernandez in Assen MotoGP qualifying.
It's Jorge Martin who takes pole at Assen. Aprilia lock out the front row with Ogura second and Bezzecchi third. Fernandez makes it an all-Aprilia top-four.
Bagnaia and Di Giannantonio complete the second row, ahead of Marc Marquez, Acosta, and Quartararo on row three.
Mir and Bastianini were the slowest riders in Q2, while Alex Marquez will line up 12th after not taking part in Q2.