Marc Marquez does not expect Assen to play to his strengths, insisting his target this weekend is simply to “survive” and limit the damage in the MotoGP Dutch Grand Prix.
The factory Ducati rider arrives at the 10th round of the 2026 MotoGP season in the wake of consecutive Sunday wins at Balaton Park and Brno.
However, the Spaniard doesn’t expect his winning streak to continue in the Netherlands after finishing three tenths off the outright pace on Friday in sixth place. He also suffered a small crash at Turn 16 in FP1.
“So, the target was top 10, and when I saw that the lap time was acceptable, I just hit the box, and tomorrow will be another day," he said, referring to his decision to stay in the garage after practice restated with just three minutes remaining following a red flag.
“I understand immediately that in this circuit, normally, I was struggling, and this year will be a bit more difficult than the previous ones, but let's survive.”
Marquez explained that he doesn’t feel comfortable on the 4.54km TT Circuit, stressing how riders are punished for making even minor errors.
“It's too fast, and too fast to change directions - and too narrow,” he said. “Small mistakes, you can pay very expensive.
“I'm not riding comfortably, but I'm riding okay. Especially the T1 I feel okay, but the T2, T3, T4, I'm not enjoying, but you need to be on the bike.”
He added: “The layout is nice, and I like the layout, but the risk you take on this circuit is super high, and I don't like this.
“It's just up and down. But we are professionals and you will not love 22 circuits, and you will not like the 22 weekends and 22 races.
“You need to be professional and try to do your 100%. I won last year here, sprint and the main race, and this year we are there and we will try to do our best.”
Marquez has scored three victories at Assen over the years. It took him until his third year in MotoGP before he triumphed at the ‘Cathedral of Speed’, before winning again with Honda in 2018. Last year, the Assen race fell during a purple patch in Marquez’s campaign.
"I don't like it because, first, I won races here, I won races, but it's very fast and narrow, and the run of areas is full of gravel, very big rocks in the gravel that are in the rules, but no," Marquez said.
"It's that kind of circuit that I hope for some rain, but it will not be the case this year, and yeah, try to survive."
Photos from Dutch GP - Friday
Dutch GP - Friday, in photos
Dutch GP - Friday, in photos
Dutch GP - Friday, in photos
Dutch GP - Friday, in photos
Dutch GP - Friday, in photos
Dutch GP - Friday, in photos
Dutch GP - Friday, in photos
Dutch GP - Friday, in photos
Dutch GP - Friday, in photos
Dutch GP - Friday, in photos
Dutch GP - Friday, in photos
Dutch GP - Friday, in photos
Dutch GP - Friday, in photos
Dutch GP - Friday, in photos
Dutch GP - Friday, in photos
Dutch GP - Friday, in photos
Dutch GP - Friday, in photos
Dutch GP - Friday, in photos
Dutch GP - Friday, in photos
Dutch GP - Friday, in photos
Dutch GP - Friday, in photos
Dutch GP - Friday, in photos
Dutch GP - Friday, in photos
Dutch GP - Friday, in photos
Dutch GP - Friday, in photos
Dutch GP - Friday, in photos
Dutch GP - Friday, in photos
Dutch GP - Friday, in photos
Dutch GP - Friday, in photos
Dutch GP - Friday, in photos
Dutch GP - Friday, in photos
Dutch GP - Friday, in photos
Dutch GP - Friday, in photos
Dutch GP - Friday, in photos
Dutch GP - Friday, in photos
Dutch GP - Friday, in photos
Dutch GP - Friday, in photos
Dutch GP - Friday, in photos
Dutch GP - Friday, in photos
Dutch GP - Friday, in photos
Dutch GP - Friday, in photos
Dutch GP - Friday, in photos
Dutch GP - Friday, in photos
Dutch GP - Friday, in photos
Dutch GP - Friday, in photos
Dutch GP - Friday, in photos
Dutch GP - Friday, in photos
Dutch GP - Friday, in photos
Dutch GP - Friday, in photos
Dutch GP - Friday, in photos
