Dutch GP
- Jul 2
- 4 min read
Dutch GP | Assen
ASSEN, THE CATHEDRAL OF MOTORCYCLE RACING
The final weekend of June means only one thing for motorcycle racing fans: Assen and the Dutch Grand Prix.
The Dutch TT is the only event that has been part of the World Championship calendar since its inauguration in 1949, with the sole exception being the COVID-affected 2020 season. Over its 77-year history, the circuit has evolved dramatically—from a layout made up of public roads to the purpose-built racing venue we know today.
Situated near the North Sea, Assen is famous for its unpredictable weather. This year was no exception. Friday and Saturday were marked by scorching temperatures before a violent storm with winds approaching 100 km/h swept across the circuit on Saturday evening. By Sunday morning, clear skies had returned, but track conditions had changed completely.
As always, "The Cathedral" attracted an enormous crowd, with nearly 110,000 spectators filling the grandstands and close to 200,000 fans attending throughout the weekend.
Alongside our regular Kabuto riders—Joan Mir in MotoGP, Collin Veijer, and guest rider Milan Pawelec in Moto2, and Valentín Perrone and Jesús Ríos in Moto3—Archie McDonald also represented Kabuto in the Harley-Davidson Bagger World Cup.
For Dutch star Collin Veijer, Assen is the most important race of the season. Racing at home brought tremendous support but also an intense schedule of media and promotional activities.
MotoGP
It was a weekend to forget for Joan Mir, who unfortunately failed to finish either race after crashes in both the Sprint and Sunday's Grand Prix.
Sprint Race: DNF
Grand Prix: DNF
Championship: P18 – 26 pts
Saturday
"I got off to a good start, even without the front device, and I think we can improve further. I tried to take a wider line to make some passes, but I ended up too wide in the first sector and lost the front. It's a real shame because I think we could have fought for a good result. The positive thing is that I walked away without injuries."
Sunday
"Yesterday I understood why I crashed; today I really don't. It's difficult when you don't know the reason, but we'll keep working and come back stronger in Germany. We have the speed to be competitive if we can avoid these situations. It wasn't the weekend we wanted, but I want to thank the team for giving everything."
Moto2
The pressure of competing at his home Grand Prix, combined with numerous off-track commitments, appeared to affect Collin Veijer's performance. Despite showing good pace at times, he was unable to fight at the front and gradually lost positions during the race.
Race: P9
Championship: P10 – 48.5 pts
"I'm not completely happy with today's result, but we made good progress throughout the weekend and during the race itself. I'm proud of the entire team. We still have room to improve physically and mentally, and now I'll use the short break to continue recovering my shoulder and come back stronger in Germany."
Making his second World Championship appearance, Polish rider Milan Pawelec continued to gain valuable experience.
Race: P23
"I'm not happy because I don't like finishing in this position. I need to be faster, and now I understand better what level is required in the World Championship. Racing at Brno and now at the legendary Assen has been an incredible experience."
Moto3
After several difficult rounds, both Kabuto Moto3 riders returned to fighting at the front.
Valentín Perrone produced one of the rides of the day, climbing from 19th on the grid to finish just shy of the podium in fourth place. Meanwhile, Jesús Ríos delivered another remarkable comeback, moving from 21st to fifth.
Race: P4
Championship: P8 – 79 pts
"It was a tough weekend with some bad luck in qualifying, but we knew we had the pace. Starting from P19, I pushed hard from the beginning and really enjoyed the race. A small mistake cost us the chance to fight for the podium, but the bike felt fantastic again and we showed that we can be competitive."
Jesús Ríos
Race: P5
Championship: P18 – 35 pts
"It was a very good race considering we started from P21. I really enjoyed passing riders one after another. The Honda worked very well at Assen, and something we tested before the race also helped. We took another small step forward and showed again that we can fight at the front."
Harley-Davidson Bagger World Cup
Saturday Race: P4
Sunday Race: P5
Championship: P3 – 97 pts
Saturday
"I made a mistake halfway through the race, but I still managed to fight for podium. I'm learning every weekend and making progress against these experienced riders. Thank you to everyone for the support, especially my family back home."
Sunday
"Today wasn't as good as yesterday. Fifth place isn't what I came here for, but racing at a legendary circuit like Assen is an experience I'll never forget."
After another memorable weekend at "The Cathedral of Motorcycle Racing," the championship now takes a short break before returning in two weeks' time at the legendary Sachsenring for the German Grand Prix.
