After a bittersweet Grand Prix of Catalunya – with Danilo Petrucci (third) on the podium for the third consecutive time and Andrea Dovizioso involved in a crash that forced him to retire – the Ducati Team is ready to resume action at Assen (Netherlands) for the eighth round of the 2019 MotoGP World Championship, the Dutch Grand Prix at the historic Assen TT Circuit. The track is among the most iconic on the calendar and has repeatedly hosted epic races, which earned it the nickname of “The University of Two Wheels.” Let’s discover 10 key data about the next round:
– This weekend, Assen will host the World Championship for the 72nd time. It is the only track that has been featured on the calendar since 1949, the year the World Championship was established.
– The first editions of the Dutch Grand Prix were held on public streets, then in 1955 the track also known as the Dutch TT was built. Due to its challenging and varied layout, the circuit also became known as “The Cathedral” and “The University of Two Wheels.”
– In 2006, the track was largely renovated: the lenghth – originally 7.705 metres – was reduced to 4,555 metres by modifying and eliminating most of the original first section, from the first corner to the current turn 4.
– The Dutch Grand Prix was traditionally held on Saturday, but in 2016 it was moved to Sunday like all the other races on calendar.
– The last chicane is one of the most iconic parts of the track and often turned out to be decisive towards the final results, not without controversy. Riders enter it at a speed of approximately 260 km/h and slow down to 126 km/h covering about 160 metres in 3.8 seconds.
– Ducati conquered the victory in MotoGP at Assen in 2008 with Casey Stoner.
– Ducati holds the top-speed record at Assen – 319.8 km/h – posted with Andrea Iannone in 2015.
– Andrea Dovizioso finished second at Assen in 2014, his best result to date with Ducati on the Dutch track. The Italian rider stood on the podium in three more occasions at the Dutch TT, as he finished third in 2006, 2011 and 2012.
– Dovizioso took pole position at the Dutch Grand Prix in 2016, which was the third time a Ducati started from the top of the grid at Assen after 2003 (Capirossi) and 2008 (Stoner).
– Danilo Petrucci stepped on the podium at Assen in 2017, when he finished the race in second position, just 63 thousandths of a second behind the winner Valentino Rossi after a long duel among fellow countrymen.
