Top ten for steady Marini in Assen
TT Circuit AssenLuca Marini delivered another diligent ride in a high-pressure Dutch Grand Prix crossing the line in 11th place after a weekend of struggles, before being promoted to tenth due to a post-race penalty for a rider ahead.
Race day in the Netherlands saw all four Honda riders opt for the soft rear tyres as ambient conditions eased after a brutal start to the weekend, with management of the rear key across the 26 laps of the TT Circuit Assen.
Able to make up a handful of places in the opening corners as the usual hustle and bustle of the mid-pack went on, Luca Marini kept himself out of any serious trouble and quickly arrived into the point scoring positions. By lap three, the Honda HRC Castrol rider was looking for a way to get past a trio of Yamaha riders, passing Miller on lap seven and Razgatlioglu by the middle of the race. Pushing until the very end to close the final few tenths to Rins and a top ten finish, Marini was able to take 11th place at the chequered flag and maintain his 11th place in the MotoGP World Championship standings. Post-race, Luca Marini would be moved to tenth position as Brad Binder was awarded a 16-second tyre pressure penalty. This is Marini's seventh top ten on a Sunday in 2026.
After a challenging Sprint, Diogo Moreira was determined to bounce back and fight for the best possible result from 13th on the grid. During the opening lap, the Pro Honda LCR rider made contact with another rider, which tore off the left wing of his bike, compromising its performance and making the race even more challenging. Despite the damage, Moreira remained focused and made the most of the difficult situation, crossing the line in 14th place and adding more valuable championship points to his tally.
Starting from 21st on the grid, Cal Crutchlow faced a demanding race at the TT Circuit Assen. During the opening laps, the Castrol Honda LCR replacement rider noticed that something was not functioning properly on the bike. He returned to the pits, where the team quickly resolved the issue, allowing him to rejoin the race. Remaining focused and maintaining a consistent pace, Crutchlow crossed the line in 16th place.
Unfortunately it was another Sunday to forget for Joan Mir who fell at Turn 10 on the first lap. He avoided any serious injury.
Now a single round, the German GP, awaits before a small summer break in the MotoGP World Championship.
A tough one today, I felt like I had a little bit more pace than the guys ahead of me, but I was stuck there behind them. In Turn 5 on the first lap there were four or five of us who all touched and maybe I lost a little piece of something. Once I got past Miller, I was confident in my pace, but when I arrived with Rins at the end I had to manage the rear so couldn’t really attack. We got some more info on what we need to keep improving which is always a positive. I think the result we achieved was the best possible.
A tough one today, I felt like I had a little bit more pace than the guys ahead of me, but I was stuck there behind them. In Turn 5 on the first lap there were four or five of us who all touched and maybe I lost a little piece of something. Once I got past Miller, I was confident in my pace, but when I arrived with Rins at the end I had to manage the rear so couldn’t really attack. We got some more info on what we need to keep improving which is always a positive. I think the result we achieved was the best possible.
We made a good start, but I had contact with another rider in the first corner. He pushed me wide, and the left wing on my bike was broken. From that moment on, it was really difficult, but I managed to finish the race with what I had. The wings are really important on these bikes, so today we just had to survive the situation. Now we'll get some rest and come back ready for Sachsenring!
We made a good start, but I had contact with another rider in the first corner. He pushed me wide, and the left wing on my bike was broken. From that moment on, it was really difficult, but I managed to finish the race with what I had. The wings are really important on these bikes, so today we just had to survive the situation. Now we'll get some rest and come back ready for Sachsenring!
I had a technical issue from the first lap. I tried to understand it and fix it myself, but I was worried, so I came into the pits. The team managed to fix it, and I was able to rejoin the race. Even with the issue, we kept a good pace, so we're happy to have finished the race. Overall, the most important thing is that we did a solid job.
I had a technical issue from the first lap. I tried to understand it and fix it myself, but I was worried, so I came into the pits. The team managed to fix it, and I was able to rejoin the race. Even with the issue, we kept a good pace, so we're happy to have finished the race. Overall, the most important thing is that we did a solid job.
Yesterday I knew why I crashed, today I don’t really understand it. This happens quite a lot in reality. It’s hard when you don’t know why you crashed but we will do as we have done in the past and move on. We will try again in Germany because the reality is that we are fast and we can be there if these things don’t happen. Not the weekend we wanted but I want to thank the team for always pushing for me at 100%.
Yesterday I knew why I crashed, today I don’t really understand it. This happens quite a lot in reality. It’s hard when you don’t know why you crashed but we will do as we have done in the past and move on. We will try again in Germany because the reality is that we are fast and we can be there if these things don’t happen. Not the weekend we wanted but I want to thank the team for always pushing for me at 100%.
