Held since the inaugural 1949 World Championship calendar, the Dutch TT is the only survivor of the original racing schedule. This time, excitement struck the Dutch MotoGP race from the very first corner.
In an effort to rapidly attack from his 8th position on the grid, Alvaro Bautista gambles on a late-braking dive into the very first corner of lap one. In too hot, the San Carlo Honda Gresini rider knocks into Factory Yamaha's championship leader Jorge Lorenzo, taking both of them out of the race. Races are made or broken
Races are made or broken at lap one, turn one. Challenged by a tricky 'concertina effect,' the risk takers often remind themselves that in order to finish first, they must first finish. Up ahead, with Lorenzo taken out of contention, the Assen TT is starting to look like a race that's Factory Honda's to lose. Dani Pedrosa rode away from the pack with Casey Stoner close in tow.
Passing Pedrosa with ten laps to go, the 1-2 on the podium had stabilized. However, the racing fans still had their heart in their mouths as Tech 3 Yamaha Andrea Dovizioso relentlessly battled Factory Yamaha rider Ben Spies. At the very last lap, Dovi set himself well for a final banzai maneuver. "Scoring a podium for us feels like a victory," said a jubilant Dovizioso. "I have never had a very good feeling at this track but with the Yamaha YZR-M1, I felt much more comfortable."
As for the American factory rider, front grip compromised his pace from the very beginning. Ben says, "I was able to ride around it. About seven or eight laps from the end, I was pushing to get away when a chunk came out of the tire and then a second; I couldn't do anything about it."
In the end, Casey pulled a whopping 4.965 second lead to win his third race of the year, tying him for the top of the standings following Lorenzo's retirement. Dani Pedrosa and Andrea Dovizioso fill the remaining podiums. Ben Spies settles for 4th, Bautista's Gresini teammate Cal Crutchlow finishes 5th, Ducati rider Nicky Hayden 6th, and Hector Barbera, Randy De Puniet, Michele Pirro, and Mattia Pasini round out the top 10 finishers.
Fifth early on, racing great Valentino Rossi had to make a rare pitstop for a new rear tire, dropping him back to 13th.
Speaking to the press after the race, an angry Lorenzo criticized Bautista for the costly mistake. "I think it's a complete disaster; the move he did was a disaster for the decision that race direction is taking is even more sad. Every time it does not penalize riders so they can learn in the future. Starting the next race in last position is not enough to learn from."
