Assen GP Race Preview
Netherlands – 28th June 2014
Circuit: Assen
Circuit Length: 4.542 m
Moto2 Records
Fastest Lap: 2012 Marc MARQUEZ (SPA) Chassis: Suter; Time: 1’37.133; Speed: 168.3 km/h
Circuit Record: 2012 MARQUEZ (SPA) Chassis: Suter; Time: 1’38.391; Speed: 166.1 km/h
Best Pole: 2012 Marc MARQUEZ (SPA) Chassis: Suter; Time: 1’37.133; Speed: 168.3 km/h
Top Speed: 2013 Marcel SCHROTTER (GER) Chassis: Kalex; Speed: 261.3 km/h
Round eight of the Moto2 Championship will take place at the esteemed TT Circuit Assen, located in The Netherlands.
Built in 1955 and having hosted the Motorcycle World Championship every year since its creation, the Dutch venue is renowned for its energetic and entertaining atmosphere, attracting hundreds of thousands of motorsport enthusiasts every year.
Popular with both the spectators and riders the 4.542 m track combines six left corners and twelve right corners of which the Moto2 class will race 24 laps.
#5 Johann Zarco: “Last year in Assen I was within the top five throughout the weekend and could have challenged for a podium, but I missed it and ended up finishing in sixth. I hope that this year I will not be disappointed like this. However I must not think about the race now.
First I must work – see how the weather will be, make sure I’m good in every condition and also be clever, because when you are in the right mind-set then you ride fast and you can have a good result.
“It’s a nice track and I enjoy riding at Assen but I still have some difficult points. Maybe now that I’m feeling better than last year I will be able to fix it but we will see. If we trust in our abilities we can do well.”
#2 Josh Herrin: “After our results in Barcelona I really hope that our luck continues into Assen.
“The more time I have on the bike it just helps me even more and now I have a better knowledge about how it acts. In Barcelona I got to work on a couple of things that we’ve been trying to fix with my riding style and I think I improved, so hopefully going into Assen we’ll be closer right from the start so we don’t have to work so hard to catch up for the rest of the weekend.
“My aim is to get up to speed quickly and to do laps by myself in practice instead of trying to find a tow. Of course in qualifying it’s a different story because you want to get the best possible lap time, but throughout the rest of the weekend I want to just try and work by myself and get a good set-up from the start.”
Johan Stigefelt – Team Manager: “Assen is really nice track with a lot of flowing areas where it is important to maintain good corner speed. There are basically only two hard braking points, into the first and last corners. Technically it’s not so difficult but momentum and a good flow is important for a quick lap time.
“For Johann we are coming from Barcelona with a good result and I hope we can maintain this by staying within the top five in Assen. I hope that our Friday qualifying will go well as it’s so important to start the race from a good grid position.
“For Josh, Assen is another new track to learn so we will approach this as we did in Barcelona. Josh is staying in Europe now so it’s better for him adapting to the time difference and as he has shown at the previous two rounds that he is capable of getting to grips with the new tracks a lot quicker.
“We will continue to work hard and push to achieve the best that we can and I hope that in Assen we will build on our result from Barcelona and keep the momentum going.”