Honda still fast in Assen

It was already known that Honda is still fast in one lap, despite their evident problems this season, especially as the tire drops and due to excessive sliding at the entrance of the corners. But it is surprising to see the doublet achieved by Dani Pedrosa and Marc Márquez on the first day of MotoGP in Assen. In fact, the reigning champion said on Wednesday that, if it was dry, it would be very difficult to beat the Yamahas. For the moment, the rain has given a break on the first day of testing and there are the two Repsol Honda riders at the top of the time table, and not with anecdotal times, because even the fourth classified, Andrea Iannone, has been able to go below the pole of 2012 (Stoner with 1:33.713), which was the fastest lap seen so far in the Netherlands with a MotoGP.

The threat of rain is constant throughout the three days of the grand prix and, just in case it rains tomorrow, they have already ridden very fast in search of a place among the top ten to avoid going through the purgatory of Q1 on the eve of the race. Currently, those mentioned Pedrosa and Márquez, along with Valentino Rossi, Iannone, Cal Crutchlow, Jorge Lorenzo, Andrea Dovizioso, Aleix Espargaró, Danilo Petrucci and Maverick Viñales have direct access to Q2. Out of that top ten for now, Pol Espargaró (11th) and Bradley Smith (13th) are always candidates.

Rossi's third place is very remarkable, confirming that his first position in the morning was not a coincidence. The leader wants to stop Lorenzo's streak of four consecutive victories and knows that he needs to qualify on the front row or at most on the second. For now, he is well ahead of Lorenzo, to whom we will have to ask what happened for him to start only sixth, 0.291 behind the best time of the day, set by a Pedrosa in clear improvement.

RESULTS

1. Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda) 1:33.450

2. Marc Márquez (Repsol Honda) 1:33.589

3. Valentino Rossi (Ita/Yamaha) 1:33.652

4. Andrea Iannone (Ita/Ducati) 1:33.699

5. Cal Crutchlow (GBr/LCR Honda) 1:33.734

6. Jorge Lorenzo (Yamaha) 1:33.741

7. Andrea Dovizioso (Ita/Ducati) 1:33.844

8. Aleix Espargaró (Suzuki) 1:33.857

9. Danilo Petrucci (Ita/Ducati) 1:34.133

10. Maverick Viñales (Suzuki) 1:34.232

11. Pol Espargaró (Yamaha) 1:34.321

12. Yonny Hernández (Col/Ducati) 1:34.406

19. Álvaro Bautista (Aprilia) 1:35.489

20. Héctor Barberá (Ducati) 1:35.538