Cathedral of speed or university of the bike, these are the names that history has attributed to Assen. Yes, because tradition dictates that only the great champions win in Holland and Francesco Bagnaia confirms the rule with a memorable weekend. The Lenovo Ducati team rider was unbeatable and after winning the sprint race on Saturday, he put together a masterly performance in the GP on Sunday. The victory with a wide margin over Martin, who is also very strong, seems to be just a prelude to what we will experience in this hot summer of races, but for now let’s see in our usual report cards, who rises and who falls among the protagonists of the premier class in one of the most exciting events of the year.
I top 3
Francesco Bagnaia: 10 + – it was undoubtedly the best, the one who, after having already given a hard time in the short race, breaks every balance by winning a Dutch Grand Prix with clear superiority. Nothing sensational or humiliating for his direct rival Jorge Martin, but when clearly in the lead, the rider of the official Ducati team left no room for any hope of recovery. Only the great champions win in Assen.
Jorge Martin: 8 – to have come second he did so over the others with the same authority as the first. The good thing is that a driver leaving a teamfrom the Ducati projects, of a team coming out of the Ducati orbit, plays the world championship to the end and continues to build his ranking with fast laps and excellent performances. Bagnaia seems unbeatable and if it is for him, it is for everyone. But in racing you never know, the championship is still long and the Spaniard is right to always believe, anything can happen!
Fabio DiGiannantonio: 7 the smallest of the chasing group, those of the real race. The smallest not in age, but in firepower. And yet he gave everything he had, once again earning the spotlight and finishing a race in fourth place after Marquez’s demotion. While those in front were going off to do a championship of their own, the real fight was done by Di Giannantonio among monsters. Great!
The hero of the day
Enea Bastianini: 7.5 – Starting from far away, on a track like Assen he could only do one thing, reassemble by managing his motorcycle-tyre package. He did it, but without much fanfare and found himself in the ideal position to be part of the all-Ducati podium. An honor collected with a beautiful final sprint against the usual punisher Marc Marquez. His performance is that of a veteran and anthology.
I flop 3
Pedro Acosta: 5.5 – He had done everything right, squeezing his Gas Gas and racing as always with a knife between his teeth. Even the contact during the race with Marquez could have been appreciable and for once it seemed to have reversed the roles between the two. Unfortunately, Acosta paid dearly for his impetuosity and perhaps also for having really burned his tires, with a crash on the last lap. His distinct performance has too negative a balance to get a passing grade.
Maverick Vinales: 5.5 – The ups and downs that characterize Viñales’ path in MotoGP have now also become the trend of the individual race. With the possibility of getting on the podium, he was unable to stop the ferocity of his opponents and Marquez, who put him in line at the last braking point. We saw Maverick give up before he should have and it is not possible to know if he was lacking in rubber or competitive nastiness, but the fact is that he did not hit a podium that for most of the race seemed more than within his reach, even if with the penalty inflicted on Marquez he regained a position.
Marc Marquez: 5,5 – one wonders how he manages to perform so well with a 2023 configuration bike, but just watching him run is enough to give you the answer. Too bad that for the tire pressure he received a 16-second penalty, enough to demote him to tenth position. The truth is that at the finish he was fourth. In the past, people joked about the fourth place, the wooden medal, but the real disappointment is the unexciting performance given that as soon as someone named Acosta dared to do a Marquez, the eight-time champion fell for it hook, line and sinker. It’s an episode, but added to the irregularity of the tires, we don’t get to 6. Too bad.
