2022 Dutch MotoGP, Assen – Free Practice (2) Results

Key:
^X Rider is X positions higher than FP1.
= Rider is same position as FP1.
˅X Rider is X positions lower than FP1.

* Rookie

Official Assen MotoGP records:
Best lap:
Marc Marquez SPA Honda 1m 33.617s (2015)
Fastest race lap:
Fabio Quartararo FRA Yamaha 1m 32.869s (2021)

Francesco Bagnaia helps put his Sachsenring disaster behind him by leading day one of the Dutch MotoGP at Assen, as improving conditions unleashed much faster lap times in Free Practice 2.

Following a soaking wet morning session, led by Bagnaia’s Ducati team-mate Jack Miller with a 1m 42.589s, a dry line quickly began forming in the afternoon.

Miller’s FP1 best was soon beaten as a result, with Alex Marquez – hotly linked with a switch to Gresini Ducati next season – leading the field until Franco Morbidelli set the first sub-1m 42s lap of the weekend just before the halfway stage.

The Monster Yamaha rider was also the first to make a complete (front and rear) switch from the soft to medium wet tyres, due to the drying track.

Wet Mandalika race winner Miguel Oliveira then took over at the top for KTM, while Luca Marini became the first rider of the weekend to try slick tyres. The young Italian soon proved they were the most effective choice, at least for the brave, vaulting up the order to first place with 17-minutes to go.

While Marini continued improving with every lap, factory Yamaha riders Fabio Quartararo and Franco Morbidelli were among those to follow his lead, although most were in no hurry to fit dry tyres.

“4

That had changed by the final ten minutes, when a pseudo-qualifying attack saw riders chasing a top ten place in case of worse weather on Saturday morning.

Oliveira, Bagnaia, Quartararo, Marco Bezzecchi, Quartararo again and Aleix Espargaro all rotated through P1 in the closing minutes before Bagnaia had the final word with the best lap of the day.

Morning faller Bezzecchi tumbled again in the closing stages of this afternoon.

Weather forecasts predict better conditions on Saturday, although rain is likely to remain a threat throughout the weekend.

“5

Fabio Quartararo starts the Dutch TT at Assen, the final event before the MotoGP summer break, holding a 34-point lead over Aprilia’s Aleix Espargaro and 61-point advantage over Pramac Ducati’s Johann Zarco.

That means, whatever happens on Sunday, the Yamaha star will remain at the head of the world championship table during the holidays, but the young Frenchman would no doubt love to close the opening ‘half’ with a repeat of last year’s Assen victory.

While Quartararo has built up breathing room at the top, the likes of Gresini Ducati’s Enea Bastianini (-72 points) and especially factory Ducati’s Francesco Bagnaia have suffered badly in recent rounds and will be desperate to steady the ship with a podium return in The Netherlands.

A dark horse could be Espargaro’s team-mate Maverick Vinales, who finished second to then team-mate Quartararo (from pole position) at Assen last season and arrives fresh from his best race showing on the RS-GP, until hitting ride height problems in Germany.

Meanwhile, the notorious Assen weather is set to keep riders and teams on their toes throughout the weekend.

Friday 24 June

8am-8.40am – Moto3 Free Practice 1

8.55am-9.40am – MotoGP Free Practice 1

9.55am-10.35am – Moto2 Free Practice 1

12.15pm -12.55pm – Moto3 Free Practice 2

1.10pm-1.55pm – MotoGP Free Practice 2

2.10pm-2.50pm – Moto2 Free Practice 2

Saturday 25 June

8am-8.40am – Moto3 Free Practice 3

8.55am-9.40am – MotoGP Free Practice 3

9.55am-10.35am – Moto2 Free Practice 3

11.35am-11.50am – Moto3 Qualifying 1

12pm-12.15pm – Moto3 Qualifying 2

12.30-1pm – MotoGP Free Practice 4

1.10pm-1.25pm – MotoGP Qualifying 1

1.35pm-1.50pm – MotoGP Qualifying 2

2.10pm-2.25pm – Moto2 Qualifying 1

2.35pm-2.50pm – Moto2 Qualifying 2

Sunday 26 June

8am-8.10am – Moto3 warm-up

8.20am-8.30am – Moto2 warm-up

8.40am-9am – MotoGP warm-up

10am – Moto3 race

11.20am – Moto2 race

1pm – MotoGP race