Raul Fernandez leads Trackhouse 1-2 in exciting Assen MotoGP sprint
Raul Fernandez won an exciting sprint at the Dutch Grand Prix to lead a Trackhouse 1-2
Raul Fernandez led a Trackhouse 1-2 in an exciting sprint at the MotoGP Dutch Grand Prix, as the factory Aprilia duo roughed each other up in a battle for fourth.
A week on from a bout of appendicitis, Raul Fernandez scored his second sprint win of the season after beating Trackhouse Aprilia team-mate Ai Ogura by 0.362s.
Fernandez took the lead at the end of the third lap and resisted a late charge from Ogura, brushing off a lost pole position to add to his sprint victory from Mugello.
Fabio Di Giannantonio completed the top three on the leading Ducati for VR46, while Marco Bezzecchi extended his championship lead to nine points after finishing fourth ahead of Aprilia team-mate Jorge Martin.
Marc Marquez was seventh at the chequered flag, though was later promoted to sixth, as his difficult Assen weekend continued into the 13-lap sprint.
He is now 42 points back of Bezzecchi in the standings.
Polesitter Martin was jumped off the line by Ogura, as everyone got away from the grid cleanly without use of front holeshot devices.
But the factory Aprilia rider would quickly move back into the lead, with Fernandez moved into second ahead of Ogura on the second lap.
Fernandez then began to pressure Martin’s lead and moved to the front of the pack at Turn 16 on the third tour.
Martin then fell into the clutches of Di Giannantonio and Ogura, before locking horns in a tough battle with team-mate Bezzecchi.
Bezzecchi launched his RS-GP on the inside of Martin into Turn 9, though the latter toughed it out on the outside into Turn 10.
Running slightly wide at Turn 10, Bezzecchi carved back through on his inside to take fourth on lap eight.
Ogura moved into second on Di Giannantonio next time around, but couldn’t quite close down team-mate Fernandez.
Di Giannantonio was a second clear of Bezzecchi at the chequered flag, with Martin 4.5s from the lead in fifth.
Pecco Bagnaia did take the chequered flag in sixth, but was docked one position for touching track limits at the final chicane on the last lap.
This promoted Marc Marquez to sixth, while Tech3’s Enea Bastianini was top KTM in eighth.
Pedro Acosta took the final point in ninth on his factory team KTM, having dropped to 15th on the second lap when he ran off track at Turn 7.
Fabio Quartararo was the leading Yamaha rider, but didn’t score any points in 10th.
Alex Marquez did start the sprint after missing qualifying and was 13th on his Gresini Ducati.
Honda’s Joan Mir crashed out on the opening lap, while VR46’s Franco Morbidelli and Pramac’s Jack Miller also failed to finish.
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