Last year‘s downpour at the TT Circuit Assen spoiled Valentino Rossi‘s challenge for the win, leaving the nine-time World Champion determined to make amends here this weekend.
The Italian rider is planning to make a strong comeback at the Dutch track, which he particularly likes, and he‘s got the results to back up his ambitions.
The Doctor holds a very impressive record at the track that is often referred to as "the cathedral" of motorcycling, having claimed seven wins in the premier class on Dutch soil in 2002, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2013 and 2015, as well as victories in the 250cc (1998) and 125cc class (1997).
He aims to add another top step finish to his résumé this weekend to close the 28-point gap to his teammate and move up from fifth place in the championship standings.
“I‘m happy to go to Assen, especially after the two days of testing we did in Barcelona following such a bad race,” he said. “During the test we have tried some interesting solutions and now I want to try them at another track to see if we‘re going in the right direction. The Netherlands is always a great weekend, because the Assen circuit is very nice. I hope to be competitive in Assen because I would like to make it a good race.”
The TT Assen Circuit was especially built for the Dutch GP in 1949 and has staged a round of the Motorcycle World Championship every year since. The current Assen track measures 4.5km and is a favourite amongst riders thanks to its rapid change in directions, attractive mixture of high-speed and low-speed corners (six left and twelve right), and the enthusiasm of the thousands of fans drawn to this prestigious event.
