2022 Dutch MotoGP, TT Circuit Assen – Race Results

* Rookie

Francesco Bagnaia has won the 2022 Dutch MotoGP at Assen, with rookie Marco Bezzecchi celebrating his and the VR46 team’s first premier-class podium and Maverick Vinales a debut rostrum with Aprilia.

Bagnaia’s win was Ducati’s first at Assen since Casey Stoner in 2008.

Meanwhile, a dramatic race for world champion Fabio Quartararo saw the Frenchman fall twice, an early clash with title rival Aleix Espargaro being followed by a nasty highside.

• Assen: New 2022 MotoGP world championship standings

As ever, it was critical for Quartararo to try and lead as soon as possible due to overtaking difficulties on the Yamaha combined with the usual front tyre temperature sensitivity.

But the young Frenchman couldn’t beat pole starter Bagnaia off the line, then ran slightly wide on the exit of turn one, dropping to fourth.

Quartararo quickly repassed Jorge Martin and Aleix Espargaro, but the Aprilia rider retaliated and the order remained Bagnaia, Espargaro and Quartararo during the early stages of the 26-lap race.

Perhaps growing anxious, Quartararo then made an uncharacteristic lunge inside Espargaro into the Turn 5 hairpin but lost the front of his M1 and ed into Espargaro, leaving the Frenchman on the ground and sending the Spaniard through the gravel trap.

Espargaro rejoined in 15th, with Quartararo 24th and last before a pit stop. The incident will be reviewed after the race.

But the drama wasn’t over for Quartararo who then highsided, on the exit of the same Turn 5, at mid-distance.

“4

Quartararo’s clash with Espargaro handed Bagnaia a one-second lead over new nearest rival Marco Bezzecchi, with Martin back up to third, followed by Maverick Vinales, Brad Binder and Jack Miller.

That order remained when rain flags were suddenly raised with ten laps to go!

It was exactly the kind of tricky conditions that Miller has often excelled in and, while Martin faded from the podium fight, the Australian – who had dropped to tenth after serving an early Long Lap penalty – took fourth place from Binder with half-a-dozen laps to go.

Next on Miller’s target list was Vinales, but an attempt to pass into the chicane at the end of the penultimate lap saw the #43 run wide and allow Vinales, runner-up to Quartararo for Yamaha at Assen last season and winner in 2019, to escape.

“5

Team-mate Espargaro put up a brilliant comeback after the Quartararo incident, culminating in a superb double-pass on Brad Binder and Miller into the final chicane to snatch fourth place on the last lap!

Tyre choice favoured the hard rear with Jack Miller (sixth on grid), Johann Zarco (seventh) and Alex Rins (ninth) among eight riders to select the soft.

Most chose the medium front with only Ducati riders Bagnaia, Miller, Enea Bastianini, Fabio di Giannantonio and Luca Marini on the soft front.

Like Miller, Franco Morbidelli also needed to serve a Long Lap penalty, after twice riding slowly on the racing line in Friday practice, but missed the window to do so and was given a second penalty. Then ed. At the same Turn 5 as team-mate Quartararo.

“6

Darryn Binder walked away from a heavy fall, while fellow rookie Raul Fernandez retired in the pits with what appeared to be some kind of physical issue.

The summer break ends with the British Grand Prix at Silverstone on August 5-7.