28.06.2026
MotoGP 2026 - Round 10 of 22, TT Circuit Assen, The Netherlands – Race
MotoGP edged closer to the midway point of the 2026 campaign with the popular Grand Prix of The Netherlands and Red Bull KTM Tech3 left the TT Circuit Assen satisfied with an energized charge to 6th place by Enea Bastianini. There was also top ten points for Brad Binder who came home 9th under warm Dutch skies and with almost 194,000 people.
Highlights and key moments from race day at Assen:
- Enea Bastianini takes part in a thrilling battle for 4th position with passes, penalties and high-action. The Italian secured P6 for his best result of the season
- Brad Binder rallies from 14th on the grid to make his way to 9th and ensured two KTM RC16s in the top ten but was later demoted to 11th for tire pressure
- Maverick Viñales crosses the line in 12th but was sanctioned by one position to 13th for tire pressure while Pedro Acosta retires with a right arm issue
- Moto3™ fightback by Red Bull KTM Tech3’s Valentin Perrone who runs to 4th position at Assen
The TT Circuit Assen, the historic home of MotoGP (the only venue on the current calendar to have hosted a round of the inaugural FIM motorcycle racing world championship in 1949) provided a humid and sweaty tenth Grand Prix of 2026. The flat and fast 16 kinks and curves of the 4.5km layout were the usual demanding and technical test and were attacked by Pedro Acosta, Enea Bastianini, Brad Binder and Maverick Viñales from P8, P11, P14 and P19 on the start grid. The grip level had altered slightly after overnight storms on Saturday but the races were held in the dry.
The 26-lap Grand Prix distance got underway with Acosta sliding into the battle for the top five. Bastianini also made progress and all four KTM RC16 runners were vying for GP points. Pedro had to pull out of the running before mid-distance with a right arm issue. Bastianini glided into contention with three other riders in the pursuit of P4. The interchanges between the quartet were fast, close and intense and Bestia took 7th at the finale; later upgraded to 6th with Marc Marquez’s track limits penalization.
In the group behind, Brad stayed the course for only his third top ten ranking of the season (later adjusted to 11th) while Maverick persisted from the rear of the pack with his weak left shoulder and took 12th, finalized after an investigation to 13th.
After back-to-back events in Czechia and The Netherlands, MotoGP breaks for one week before heading to the swirling Sachsenring for the German Grand Prix from July 10-12.
Enea Bastianini, 6th and 12 in the championship: “Best result of the year and I am happy because we fought for something good today and were closer to the podium than we have been. My feeling with the medium tire was not the best and I was losing a bit out of the fast corners, maybe with my style the soft would have been the better option but we’ll never know!”
Brad Binder, 11th and 13th in the championship: “Quite positive after a super-hard weekend. We made steps forward because we were going up the order each session but we started too far away though. The guys made the bike better today. So, hats-off to them. I felt more comfortable and I could push harder. I just need more speed and we’ll see how we manage Sachsenring.”
Maverick Viñales, 13th and 22nd in the championship: “Not so bad. Very tough because I felt some pain from the shoulder from yesterday but I’ve improved my riding condition and the arm felt good all race. I was losing some time in certain sections but in others I was the same as the best KTM. It’s a matter of working hard.”
Pedro Acosta, DNF and 7th in the championship: “I lost feeling in three fingers on the right hand. In some tracks it is worse than others but I was suffering from the morning. I knew my level today but wanted to see. Today was not a disaster but I think the top six was possible today. I had some locking and it was better to stop. On Tuesday we’ll have surgery for carpal tunnel syndrome.”
Aki Ajo, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team Manager: “A shame that Pedro could not finish the race today with his hand problem but the positive thing was that we were improving here day by day. Pedro’s performance was really good and he was fighting near the front with the guys. What was important as well today was the great fightback by Enea. Positive for Brad as well and the top ten is always a good result. I think we turned the page and ended the weekend in a good way.”
Grand Prix of The Netherlands photographs can be found HERE
Results MotoGP Grand Prix of The Netherlands
1. Ai Ogura (JPN) Aprilia 40:21.905
2. Raul Fernandez (ESP) Aprilia +2.004
3. Jorge Martin (ESP) Aprilia +3.512
6. Enea Bastianini (ITA) Red Bull KTM Tech3 +10.388
11. Brad Binder (RSA) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing +19.383
13.Maverick Viñales (ESP) Red Bull KTM Tech3 +36.755
DNF. Pedro Acosta (ESP) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing
World Championship standings MotoGP
1. Jorge Martin (ESP) Aprilia, 193 points
2. Marco Bezzecchi (ITA) Aprilia, 186 points
3. Fabio Di Giannantonio (ITA) Ducati, 177
7. Pedro Acosta (ESP) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 133
12. Enea Bastianini (ITA) Red Bull KTM Tech3, 69
13. Brad Binder (RSA) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 60
22. Maverick Viñales (ESP) Red Bull KTM Tech3, 10
KTM GP Academy
Moto3 pushed an 8-rider group together for the podium places. The race rushed at an impressive pace for 20 laps and with Red Bull KTM Ajo pairing Brian Uriarte and Alvaro Carpe pushing into contention from the first and the third rows of the grid. Red Bull KTM Tech3 duo Rico Salmela and Valentin Perrone had to make some serious moves in the first laps from P17 and P19.
It was Perrone who powered into the leading pack. The Argentine hunted 3rd position, just adrift of the tussle for the win, and had Salmela for company even though the rookie needed to apply a six-second time penalty at the flag. Perrone ended the race just 0.1 of a second from a trophy in 4th position. Salmela’s excellent charge saw him 5th at the line but then he classified 11th due to the time penalty. Uriarte ran off track on the second lap and was mid-pack. He finished a decent 6th. Carpe crashed at slow speed in Turn 5 on the second lap and although he was able to rejoin the fray he retired with three laps to go.
Carpe and Uriarte hold 2nd and 4th in the championship table as Red Bull KTM Ajo lead the Teams competition and KTM front the Manufacturers standings.
Moto2 drew special attention from the crowd for local hope Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Collin Veijer. The Dutchman started from P15 on the grid with teammate Jose Antonio Rueda in P21. The race rounded Assen for 22 laps and Veijer, nursing a weak shoulder, kept consistent on the edge of the top ten and finished 9th. Rueda completed the distance with 17th.
The eighth race of the 2026 Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup took place Sunday morning. Carlos Cano won the seventh outing of the season on Saturday afternoon and the Spaniard was one of a large pack chasing the checkered flag at Assen for the fourth date of seven in the championship. Beñat Fernandez made the difference in the drag to the line with half a second splitting the top six riders. The Spaniard leads the standings by 42 points. The Rookies are next in action in two weeks’ time at Sachsenring for the German Grand Prix.
Results Moto3 Grand Prix of The Netherlands
1. Maximo Quiles (ESP) CFMOTO Aspar Team 33:51.801
2. David Almansa (ESP) KTM +0.513
3. Marco Morelli (ARG) CFMOTO Aspar Team +2.433
4. Valentin Perrone (ARG) Red Bull KTM Tech3 +2.551
6. Brian Uriarte (ESP) Red Bull KTM Ajo +4.438
11. Rico Salmela (FIN) Red Bull KTM Tech3 +8.885
DNF. Alvaro Carpe (ESP) Red Bull KTM Ajo
World Championship standings Moto3
1. Maximo Quiles (ESP) CFMOTO Aspar Team, 211 points
2. Alvaro Carpe (ESP) Red Bull KTM Ajo, 121
3. David Almansa (ESP), KTM, 109
4. Brian Uriarte (ESP) Red Bull KTM Ajo, 102
5. Marco Morelli (ARG) CFMOTO Aspar Team, 102
8. Valentin Perrone (ARG) Red Bull KTM Tech3, 79
14. Rico Salmela (FIN) Red Bull KTM Tech3, 40
Results Moto2 Grand Prix of The Netherlands
1. David Alonso (COL) CFMOTO Aspar Team 35:33.175
2. Manuel Gonzalez (ESP) +0.024
3. Senna Agius (AUS) +0.234
6. Daniel Holgado (ESP) CFMOTO Aspar Team +7.374
9. Collin Veijer (NED) Red Bull KTM Ajo +12.177
17. Jose Antonio Rueda (ESP) Red Bull KTM Ajo +21.411
World Championship standings Moto2
1. Manuel Gonzalez (ESP) 185.5 points
2. Izan Guevara (ESP) 128
3. Senna Agius (AUS) 123
4. David Alonso (COL) CFMOTO Aspar Team, 116
6. Daniel Holgado (ESP) CFMOTO Aspar Team, 95
10. Collin Veijer (NED) Red Bull KTM Ajo, 48.5
17. Jose Antonio Rueda (ESP) Red Bull KTM Ajo, 19
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