MotoGP Assen: Bagnaia takes tenth pole with new circuit record

Ducati Lenovo’s Pecco Bagnaia secured his tenth MotoGP pole position with a blistering 1’31.504 lap at the TT Circuit Assen on Saturday afternoon.

Another track record under his belt, the Italian commands Sunday’s grid from defending champion Fabio Quartararo and Prima Pramac’s Jorge Martin with Mooney VR46’s Marco Bezzecchi impressing in fourth. The quartet all under the previous best set by Maverick Viñales in 2021.

MotoGP qualifying began under the threat of rain and with Enea Bastianini suffering a technical issue on the out lap with his Gresini Racing Ducati. The team scrambling to return his second bike to a dry setting while the Italian sprinted up pitlane in full kit.

Red Bull KTM’s Brad Binder set the early pace as Tech3 rookie Remy Gardner and factory teammate Miguel Oliveira sat second and third with Fabio di Giannantonio bettering Franky Morbidelli in the top five.

Second time around and Oliveira took charge over the South African with Suzuki Ecstar’s Joan Mir adrift in the third. Andrea Dovizioso made an appearance in fourth on the WithU Yamaha from Gardner and Alex Marquez as Monster Energy Yamaha’s Morbidelli dipped to seventh.

Bastianini rejoined the action at the halfway stage running tenth, narrowly behind his Gresini teammate Di Giannantonio, as Mir crashed out at turn five on his first hot lap as the second half fired up. The Italian improving to seventh next time around as the rest of the pack peeled out.

Mooney VR46’s Luca Marini advanced to fourth with three minutes on the clock as Stefan Bradl found sixth on the Repsol Honda. Binder topping the times once again, with a 1’32.485, as Diggia captured sixth from the German.

Marini continued his climb to third before setting about another flyer, the