27.06.2026
MotoGP 2026 - Round 10 of 22, TT Circuit Assen – Qualification and Sprint
A MotoGP Sprint double points score for Red Bull KTM at a scorching TT Circuit Assen for the tenth round of 2026. The European heatwave continued with high temperatures across the weekend but Enea Bastianini and Pedro Acosta sizzled through to 8th and 9th positions with the KTM RC16 on Saturday afternoon.
Highlights and key moments from TT Circuit Assen:
- Enea Bastianini gains places from P11 on the grid to fight in the group pushing for the top five in the Sprint at Assen, eventually taking P8
- Pedro Acosta recovers superbly from an early race error to cut through the field from P15 to snare the final Sprint point in P9
- Brad Binder and Maverick Viñales classify with P14 and P16 after the 13-lap chase
- Moto3™ front row for Red Bull KTM Ajo Brian Uriarte for the second Grand Prix in a row as Alvaro Carpe also shows strong competitiveness on the KTM RC4
MotoGP moved from one fast and flowing circuit to another prime racecourse this week. After the inviting climes of Brno in Czechia, the championship entered the sharp curves of the TT Circuit Assen; the hallowed Dutch venue, situated in the northern Drenth region of The Netherlands.
Times were tight in Free Practice on Friday with 20 riders divided by less than a second. In the afternoon Pedro Acosta and Enea Bastianini found lap-times good enough for Q2 directly, leaving Maverick Viñales and Brad Binder to face Q1. Q2 on Saturday morning saw 1st to 11th split by 0.7 of a second and Acosta managed P8 and Bastianini P11 as Binder and Viñales ranked P15 and P19.
The MotoGP Sprint presented an alternative challenge for the riders as they now must acclimatize to starts without the customary ‘holeshot’ devices. Pedro got away well at the launch of the 13-lap race but ran wide on the 2nd lap and dropped to 15th. From that point the Spaniard burned rubber to surge back inside the top ten. Meanwhile Enea made his presence felt in a scrap with three other riders for the final spot in the top five. The Italian probed for a way past Marc Marquez but finished half a second behind the world champion at the line for 8th. Brad and Maverick tried to control their traction and potential. Brad was initially near the top ten but ended up 14th as Maverick labored in the fast changes of direction due to the lack of strength in his shoulder. He passed the flag in 16th.
The Grand Prix will feature 26 circulations of TT Circuit Assen from 14.00 CEST on Sunday.
Enea Bastianini, 11th in qualification, 8th in the Sprint: “My pace was good during the race. When I was alone I could brake hard and recover ground. I was competitive, even if I was missing a bit of acceleration. It was too risky to make more overtakes. Normally I can find the chance…but not today. I enjoyed the first part of the race but the second was tougher because I had to wait and see if there were any mistakes from the others in front…but they did not happen. I hope to improve in that area for tomorrow.”
Pedro Acosta, 8th in qualification, 9th in the Sprint: “Difficult to battle today with the laps we made. We weren’t quite prepared for the Sprint and it’s easy to make a mistake with the second bike and I ran wide in Turn 7. It was important to push and finish the Sprint to get all the information possible. We have to check everything and try to improve. Tomorrow is another day.”
Brad Binder, 15th in qualification, 14th in the Sprint: “Difficult day and a frustrating weekend so far. I need two-three tenths more to move forwards. I had a lot of shaking and not much edge grip. It meant I was too slow. I hope the guys can do something for tomorrow with the balance so I can feel a bit more and have less shaking.”
Maverick Viñales, 19th in qualification, 16th in the Sprint: “The race went from less-to-more and I felt much better in the last five laps. I had better flow and better feeling and decent lap-times by the end of the race. I think tomorrow could be even better. When the tire drops, I feel better and I’m not sure why I’m suffering with the new tire at the moment. We need to build up from here. I am missing a lot of lap-time because of the physical condition, so I need to work in other areas right now.”
Aki Ajo, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team Manager: “Two riders in the top ten in the Sprint today but the target is higher. Not an easy day – or for anybody here in these hot conditions – but adaptation is the key and we need to do that for tomorrow’s long race. Fortunately, the issues we had with Pedro earlier in the day we were able to solve for the Sprint.”
Grand Prix of The Netherlands photographs can be found HERE
Results Qualifying MotoGP Grand Prix of The Netherlands
1. Jorge Martin (ESP) Aprilia 1:30.812
2. Ai Ogura (JPN) Aprilia +0.011
3. Marco Bezzecchi (ITA) Aprilia +0.033
8. Pedro Acosta (ESP) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing +0.412
11. Enea Bastianini (ITA) Red Bull KTM Tech3 +0.792
15. Brad Binder (RSA) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 1:31.922 (Q1)
19. Maverick Viñales (ESP) Red Bull KTM Tech3 1:32.790 (Q1)
Results MotoGP Sprint Grand Prix of The Netherlands
1. Raul Fernandez (ESP) Aprilia 20.05.310
2. Ai Ogura (JPN) Aprilia +0.362
3. Fabio Di Giannantonio (ITA) Ducati +1.131
8. Enea Bastianini (ITA) Red Bull KTM Tech3 +5.237
9. Pedro Acosta (ESP) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing +9.598
14. Brad Binder (RSA) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing +13.414
16. Maverick Viñales (ESP) Red Bull KTM Tech3 +15.286
KTM GP Academy
Moto3 laid the first rubber at TT Circuit Assen as the KTM RC4s flew up to pace. Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Alvaro Carpe led the times for Free Practice on Friday. Come Saturday and the dive through the Q1 and Q2 sessions it was Carpe’s teammate, Brian Uriarte, who found the more efficient lap. The rookie grabbed P3 on the time sheets to fill the last slot on the front row. Carpe filled P8, less than three tenths of a second behind his countryman. Red Bull KTM Tech3’s Rico Salmela qualified P17 and Valentin Perrone qualified in P19.
Moto2 shone a light on Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Collin Veijer as the Dutchman approached his home Grand Prix determined to return to podium contention. Veijer hovered around the top ten in practice and then was just half a second from Pole in Q2 to place his machine into 15th position on the grid. Jose Antonio Rueda, who has been increasing his speed to become a consistent threat to the Moto2 top ten, was 21st fastest.
Assen opened the fourth round of seven for the 2026 Red Bull Rookies Cup and therefore races 7 and 8 of the campaign. The first outing took place on Saturday afternoon and was typically tight: Carlos Cano won by a slender 0.065 from championship leader Beñat Fernandez and Kristian Daniel.
Results Qualifying Moto3 Grand Prix of The Netherlands
1. Maximo Quiles (ESP), CFMOTO Aspar Team 1:40.130
2. Joel Kelso (AUS), Honda 2:04.069 +0.025
3. Brian Uriarte (ESP), Red Bull KTM Ajo +0.300
4. Marco Morelli (ARG) CFMOTO Aspar Team +0.324
8. Alvaro Carpe (ESP), Red Bull KTM Ajo +0.590
17. Rico Salmela (FIN), Red Bull KTM Tech3 +1.037
19. Valentin Perrone (ARG) Red Bull KTM Tech3 1:41.156 (Q1)
Results Qualifying Moto2 Grand Prix of The Netherlands
1. David Alonso (COL) CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team 1:35.236
2. Alberto Ferrandez (ESP) +0.171
3. Izan Guevara (ESP) +0.190
5. Daniel Holgado (ESP) CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team +0.209
15. Collin Veijer (NED) Red Bull KTM Ajo +0.595
21. Jose Antonio Rueda (ESP) Red Bull KTM Ajo 1:36.249
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