The TT Assen is called ‘The Cathedral’ of motorcycle racing - and MotoGP is preparing for another pilgrimage to the holy land this weekend for the next round of the 2022 world championship.
Only missing in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic, the TT Assen has been an iconic mainstay of motorcycle Grand Prix racing since the world’s first motorsport World Championship began in 1949. It has become one of the biggest annual sporting occasions in the Netherlands, with thousands of fans travelling from across Europe to create an electric atmosphere.
The venue has gone from a long street circuit to a shorter but no less incredible track over the seven decades since, creating some of the greatest racing in the world every time racing returns to its home. After a stunning German Grand Prix, fans and riders alike are ready to see what drama Assen whips up on its latest showing.
The circuit was resurfaced in 2020, and while this led to some uncertainty over how the tyres would hold up due to a lack of pre-race testing, all lap records were broken during the weekend – all-time circuit lap, race lap and race duration. Even with the layout changes over the years, the historic track remains one of the most adored circuits in the world and traditionally hosts exciting contests littered with close racing thanks to the.
Neil Hodgson, who admitted Assen has a special place in his heart after he won the Superbike World Championship in 2003, revealed he is excited about this weekend’s event. Speaking exclusively to Mirror Sport , Hodgson said: “There’s always fantastic racing at Assen so it should be a good one.
“It’s one of those places where you arrive at the track and you can feel the history around it. Racing has been coming here since Grand Prix racing started in the 1940s. There’s always a full crowd so the atmosphere is really good, and the layout of the track is quite unique; it’s really flat with banked corners, so corner speed is really high.
“It tends to create really close racing and it’s got a great chicane at the last corner, so there’s a lot of drama there.”
Lots of British fans are expected to make the short trip across the North Sea, and Suzi Perry believes they contribute to an atmosphere akin to a second British Grand Prix in northern Netherlands. While she liked when the race was held on Saturday - a tradition altered to have the event fall in line with the rest of the calendar - Perry still favourably compared the TT Assen to Formula 1’s very own crown jewel event, the Monaco Grand Prix.
“It's a lot faster than Monaco - and a lot less stuck up,” Perry exclusively told Mirror Sport . “When you arrive at the circuit, you feel a part of the history.
“It’s called it The Cathedral for a reason. The track itself is just one of those old school, magnificent, proper racing tracks and I honestly can't remember a race there that wasn't fantastic. With some tracks, you don't really get much overtaking but Assen is one that provides spectacular entertainment.”
History suggests the race will be a thrilling, captivating watch but championship leader and reigning world champion Fabio Quartararo threatens to make it a fairly straightforward affair. The Yamaha rider is the overwhelming favourite to triumph on Sunday, and it will truly be his championship to lose should El Diablo win at The Cathedral.
“Fabio [Quartararo] is a big star in Grand Prix motorcycle racing; he mixes with football stars like [Kylian] Mbappe and Neymar, and it’s effortless for him,” Perry aded. “I think we appreciate this new star that’s evolving in our sport, and I think we’ll see him continue his form this weekend.
“The championship is his to lose, but you never know what’s going to happen in MotoGP. He used to struggle in the rain, but he’s sorted that out so he’ll still have a good chance even if it levels the field a bit more.”
Hodgson agreed with the notion that Quartararo will win provided it stays dry, but the 48-year-old is wary of how wet weather opens the door for riders who have nothing to lose in the championship to risk more for the win. He listed Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing), Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) and Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) - who won the race in Assen in 2016 - as three men that could threaten should it rain this weekend.
With a 34-point lead over Aprillia’s Aleix Espargaro, Quartararo’s drive to win may be fuelled by looking away from the championship to the record books: no rider has won successive races at Assen since the legendary Valentino Rossi did so in 2004 and 2005. The Frenchman is also looking to win his third race in a row - which would set the tone ahead of MotoGP’s summer break.
“What I love about our sport is that the rider still makes the difference even though things are close and rules are changed to make the racing as exciting as possible, but the rider makes the difference at the end of the day and Fabio is exceptional,” Hodgson said. “When you look at the likes of Valentino Rossi, [Giacomo] Agostini, or [Marc] Marquez, he’s a million miles away in terms of their records, but Fabio’s on his way. He’s got everything you need.
“As an ex-racer, he stands out so much for me because of his feel: he hardly ever crashes. He knows where the limit is and can push it, whereas other contenders go over the limit and crash. He’s a special talent.
“His consistency comes from being able to feel where the limit is, so he doesn’t crash as much. Perhaps he’ll take a third or a fourth if he has to, but that’s better than zero points from crashing because he’s pushed too hard.”
Who do you think will win the TT Assen this weekend? Let us know in the comments section.
Perry has backed Quartararo to get it done this weekend, but she is aware of how the occasion, the passionate atmosphere and the history of the TT Assen for creating close racing may come into play. She declared: “Assen is one of those gems in the crown of MotoGP; it's a revered track - I think Fabio [Quartararo] will do it, but it’s MotoGP and you never know.
“We’re going to get an amazing race because riders all went to get good results before the summer break. They’ve got five weeks before they pick up where they left off at the British Grand Prix, so there’s a lot at stake.
“The Dutch fans and those that come to this event really appreciate racing. There's not a big Dutch star in the paddock at the moment - for example, there’s no Max Verstappen leading the championship - but the fans don’t care. They’re an appreciative crowd with an encyclopaedic knowledge of bike racing, and just a genuine passion for all things motorsport.”
Perry excitedly added that as much as MotoGP fans and pundits want to see Alex Rins ride amid his broken wrist injury, her BT Sport colleague Sylvain Guintoli will ride in the Spaniard’s place. She added: “If he rides and gets on the podium, I think we should all get up there with him!”
Assen is a classic circuit heading an exciting weekend of motorcycle racing that reaches deep into the sport’s historic roots after 72 years. The next chapter of its celebrated story will be written this weekend.
BT Sport is the home of MotoGP. Catch all the action from Assen TT live on BT Sport 2 this weekend. For more info go to bt.com/sport/motogp
