The numbers speak for themselves. If Assen remains the most prestigious school in the world championship, Pecco Bagnaia, the first rider after Mick Doohan to win three times in a row at the Dutch GP, proves that he is “the” master, with style and without arrogance. The number one of the Red team drives with the tactical and competitive intelligence, the refinement and superiority of Giacomo Agostini and takes full spoils: he is first in FP1, first in FP2, first in FP3, first in Q2, first in the Sprint with fastest lap , first in the race with a record-fast lap (1’31.866 on the 12th lap).
understanding
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There is perfect synergy between Pecco and the 2024 Rossa: fifth race won, or rather dominated, out of 8 in 2024. Twenty-three victories in the last 54 races. Bagnaia reaches Casey Stoner as the most successful rider with Ducati in MotoGP and, more importantly, catches up with Martin in the general standings, still in the lead with just 10 points of advantage over the Italian: 190 points Pecco, 200 Jorge. The superiority shown by Bagnaia at Assen, especially in the long race on Sunday, with 22 laps in the low 1’22s (last two laps 1’33.045 and 1’33.646 compared to 1’33.376 and 1’34.379 by Martin who, despite choosing the medium tyre on the front, never managed, not even at the start, to stay ahead: only Bastianini – still extraordinary in the final show – Marquez, super Di Giannantonio in the final brawl were faster: all under 1’33), speaks for itself and says a lot about the values on the field, even making high-quality races apparently soporific. This is demonstrated by the times on pace and on the fastest lap: 1st Bagnaia 1’31”866 (12); 2nd Martin 1’31”919 (12); 3rd Di Giannantonio 1’32”099 (5); 4. Bastianini 1’32”160 (15); 5. M. Marquez 1’32”184 (10); 6. Vinales 1’32”231 (10); 7. Acosta 1’32”253 (11); 8. Binder 1’32”344 (10); 9. A. Marquez 1’32”541 (11); 10. Miller 1’32”702 (11).
podium
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Hats off to Bagnaia and the other two riders on the podium, Martin and Bastianini. Good, very good for Diggia and Marc Marquez who, beyond the final result, demonstrates his value: with Pecco’s 2023 Ducati he turns 2 tenths faster, he is the fastest of the riders aboard the 2023 Ducatis even if this involves risks , mistakes and even falls. The leap of the 2024 Ducatis compared to 2023 is demonstrated by the comparison of times: Pole position: Bezzecchi 1’31”472 / Bagnaia 1’30”540; fastest lap in the race: Martin (13) 1’33”065 / Bagnaia (12) 1’31”866; total sprint duration: Bezzecchi 20’09”174 / Bagnaia 19’58”090; total race duration: Bagnaia 40’37”640 / Bagnaia 40’07”214.
superiority
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Therefore, Assen confirms the clear superiority of the Ducati GP24, in the first three places with Bagnaia, Martin, Bastianini, bikes that lap almost a second faster than in 2023, both in qualifying and in the race. The new bike from Borgo Panigale turns much better especially when the rider releases the brakes after braking and is faster in acceleration. More generally, the dominance of the Borgo Panigale cars remains: 5 Ducatis in the top 5 places, 7 Ducatis in the top 10 bikes. Then 2 Aprilias and 1 Ktm, the latter all with soft rear tyres, with only Pedro Acosta capable of making the cars from the Mattighofen company competitive, but still ending up on the ground, because he was always at the limit and beyond the limit. Yamaha and Honda, zero and no riders aboard the Japanese bikes in the top ten: Quartararo 12th, Zarco 13th, Nakagami 16th, Marini 17th with a final delay of 1 minute and 11 seconds. Rins and Mir retired. Yamaha, some signs of revival can be glimpsed. Honda looks forward but the RC213V doesn’t take off, in fact it seems to be going backwards.
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penalty
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Three hours after the end of the race, Marc Marquez was given a 16-second penalty for irregular tire pressure, dropping from fourth to tenth place. Having to stay in the slipstream to maintain pressure is questionable to say the least. Abnormal and convoluted rules that have previously penalized other riders (Quartararo, Rins, Miller, Diggia, Fernandez): but if those are the rules accepted by the Teams, they must be applied and respected. Period.
