Red Bull KTM team hunting for speed after seventh row qualification result at Assen QUALIFYING 8th Rd. MotoGP 2018, TT Circuit Assen (NED) MotoGP The kinks and curves of the historic layout in the north of the Netherlands – now 70 years as part of the grand prix series – again reverberated to the howl of MotoGP but for Red Bull KTM the DutchGP meant just a second visit to the iconic circuit.   Pol Espargaro gave much encouragement on the KTM RC16 with the 10th best lap in FP3 and stayed close to the top of the leaderboard with 13th in FP4 and just before entry into QP1 where the Spaniard took 21st; just unable to replicate the same pace with a softer rear tyre.  While Bradley Smith – a rider who first competed at Assen back in 2006 – concentrated on optimum set-up for the RC16 and will sit just one position ahead of his teammate for Sunday’s 26 lap sprint. Both riders were less than 1.5 seconds from Marc Marquez Pole Position effort.   Smith: “We made another good step today and found another half a second and almost managed a 1min 33. We did our job and we are improving. We made some good lap-times but everybody’s level just keeps getting higher. The overall result might look like a bad day but we are only 1.3 from first so it is our ‘normal’ gap. It will be a long race tomorrow, and a physical one in these temperatures and with the tyre ‘drop’. We have to focus, be smooth and fast and bring home some points.”   Espargaro: “FP3 and FP4 was really good and consistent with a good rhythm but in QP1 it was windy and I just struggled to get grip and acceleration. I used the soft tyre and I could not get anything special from it or turn through the long corners we have here in Assen. So I was suffering a lot and I think we need to try a harder compound on the rear; in FP4 I had a good feel with used hard rear. We need a good start tomorrow to overtake a few guys and then set our rhythm, which is pretty good.”   Sebastian Risse (Technical Director MotoGP): “Overall we had some bright moments today. P11 in FP3 was a great thing and also a bad thing at the same time! We struggled here after having a good test and having brought some new things to Assen. I think we have been focussing on improving the bike and that means we have missed some of the fine-tuning necessary at the races. The work is for the benefit (long term) of the project but at the moment, looking at the results, it hurts. I hope we can turn things around tomorrow and looking at race pace I think the situation is a bit different. It is very tight, everybody is pushing but anything is possible. It might not be our highlight of the season here but we’ll do what we can and then look towards the next race.”   Moto2 & Moto3   Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Miguel Oliveira registered 17th place in Moto2 Qualifying Practice, leaving the top KTM Moto2 runner to be Swiss Innovative Investors’ Sam Lowes with 6th position. In Moto3 SKY Racing Team VR46’s Nicolo Bulega will start from the front row after capturing the 3rd best lap-time on the KTM RC250 GP in the first QP session of the day. Oliveira: "It was a qualifying session similar to that of the last few GPs. In Free Practice we are very close to the fastest times and top positions, whilst in QP others improve and we stay in exactly the same place as in practice, either with new or used tyres. However, as always our race pace is good and we know that in normal conditions we are up there. Tomorrow I will have to win back many positions and try not to get into trouble on the first few laps, in order to be able to progress. It's a shame about the results of recent QPs, because the team are trying everything and we are working very hard, but it is not easy to find a solution. We'll see how the race goes tomorrow, because here at Assen it's hard to overtake. If a group forms then I hope I can be up there." Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup Turkish 14-year-old Can Öncü grabbed a dominant lights-to-flag win from Pole Position to extend his lead in the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup to 24 points. His twin brother Deniz led a five man KTM RC250 RB battle in hot pursuit but just lost a podium place coming out of the last chicane, passed by Xavi Artigas and Ryusei Yamanaka. C. Öncü: “Yes I am happy, it was a great race, I made the best start ever, it was amazing. On about lap three I made a small mistake and I was sure that the others were catching me, I kept hearing noise and I was sure that they were coming but I guess it was my own bike talking to me. I wasn't watching my board I was just riding but towards the end I looked and my father told me I had a two second lead so I knew I just had to control that. I am very happy for the win and very happy that my brother had a good race, I think that tomorrow he can do even better.”   Races: July 1, 2018 – Moto3 11:00 | Moto2 12:20 | MotoGP 14:00 | Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup 15:30 CET Results Qualifying MotoGP TT Circuit Assen 2018  1. Marc Marquez (ESP), Honda, 1:32.791 min 2. Cal Crutchlow (GBR), Honda, +0.041 sec 3. Valentino Rossi (ITA), Yamaha, +0.059 4. Andrea Dovizioso (ITA), Ducati, +0.079 5. Alex Rins (ESP), Suzuki, +0.142 KTM 20. Bradley Smith (GBR), KTM, +1.358 21. Pol Espargaro (ESP), KTM, +1.477 Results Qualifying Moto2 TT Circuit Assen 2018  1. Francesco Bagnaia (ITA), Kalex, 1:37:608 min 2. Marcel Schrötter (GER), Kalex, +0.073 sec 3. Luca Marini (ITA), Kalex, +0.081 4. Alex Marquez (ESP), Kalex, +0.109 5. Xavi Vierge (ESP), Kalex, +0.160 KTM 6. Sam Lowes (GBR), KTM, +0.179 17. Miguel Oliveira (POR), KTM, +0.620 22. Brad Binder (RSA), KTM, +0.997 Results Qualifying Moto3 TT Circuit Assen 2018  1. Jorge Martin (ESP), Honda, 1:42.039 min 2. Enea Bastianini (ITA), Honda, +0.310 sec 3. Nicolo Bulega (ITA), KTM, +0.406 4. Aron Canet (ESP), Honda, +0.523 5. Lorenzo Dalla Porta (ESP), Honda, +0.555 KTM 6. John McPhee (GBR), KTM, +0.556 8. Marco Bezzecchi (ITA), KTM, +0.725 9. Marcos Ramirez (ESP), KTM, +0.772 10. Gabriel Rodrigo (ESP), KTM, +0.894 23. Darryn Binder (RSA), KTM, +1.423 Results Race 1 Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup TT Circuit Assen 2018 All rider on KTM RC250 RB bikes 1. Can Öncü (TUR), 28:28.007 min (16 laps) 2. Xavier Artigas (ESP), +2.162 sec  3. Ryusei Yamanaka (JAP), +2.255 4. Deniz Öncü (TUR), +2.274 5. Filip Salač (CZE), +2.817 Standings Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup 2018 after 4 of 12 races 1. C. Öncü, 95 2. Carlos Tatay (ESP), 66 3. D. Öncü, 52 4. Salač, 46 5. Yamanaka, 44 >> LINK MOTOGP PICTURES KTM MEDIA LIBRRAY >> LINK MOTO2 PICTURES KTM MEDIA LIBRARY >> LINK MOTO3 PICTURES KTM MEDIA LIBRARY PHILIPP GRÜNBERGER PR MANAGER MOTOGP philipp.gruenberger@ktm.com 0043 664 6217921 www.motogp.com www.ktm.com | media.ktm.com  Facebook | YouTube | Twitter | Instagram