Barely a week after the Brno showdown, MotoGP roars back to life at one of its most beloved venues. This weekend, the Dutch GP sends the grid to the historic TT Circuit Assen. For the Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team, it marks a fourth straight race week of the season.
VR46 Dutch GP Hopes Rest on Di Giannantonio’s Form
Fabio Di Giannantonio arrives in the Netherlands brimming with belief. He sits third in the world standings on 157 points, trailing leader Marco Bezzecchi by 23. Moreover, another podium would tighten his grip on the title fight and confirm his place among the front-runners.
Assen holds happy memories for the Roman rider. He grabbed a Moto3 runner-up spot here back in 2016. Last year, he also came agonisingly close to a Sprint podium. Still, a fourth place in Brno left him hungry for much more.
The team itself knows this circuit well. In fact, VR46 claimed its first MotoGP podium at Assen in 2022. The following year, the squad added a Sprint victory at the same track. As a result, the Tavullia outfit travels north with genuine reason for optimism.
Morbidelli Chasing Progress at Assen
Franco Morbidelli, meanwhile, faces a tougher climb. The Italian sits 14th on 43 points, yet he refuses to lose motivation. Assen has rewarded him before, with a Moto2 win in 2017 and a podium in 2016.
Di Giannantonio expects to carry over the setup gains found in Brno. He feels confident, however he insists fourth place simply will not do. Morbidelli echoes that fighting spirit, vowing to keep searching for answers despite a difficult spell.
Action starts Friday with free practice, then qualifying follows on Saturday at 10:50 local time. The Sprint launches at 15:00, while Sunday’s race goes green at 14:00. Therefore the stage is set for VR46 to turn potential into a long-awaited return to the rostrum.
