Marc Marquez admitted he is in safe mode at Assen after a subdued sixth place finish in Saturday’s MotoGP Sprint, having said on Friday he dislikes the circuit due to its risk level. He crossed the line seventh before being promoted to sixth when Bagnaia was penalised for exceeding track limits. He now trails Bezzecchi by 42 points after cutting the gap from 102 over the previous four races.
Marc Marquez had his worst qualifying result of 2026 with seventh place at Assen. The eight time champion could not match the flying Aprilias despite strong practice form. Jorge Martin took pole ahead of an all Aprilia top four. Marquez will need a strong start in the Sprint to limit damage in the championship battle against Bezzecchi and Martin.
Aprilia achieved a rare top four qualifying lockout at Assen with Jorge Martin on pole. The factory bikes and satellite machines showed unmatched one lap pace at the Cathedral of Speed. Martin looked sharp on his return to the front row while championship leader Marco Bezzecchi lines up third. Ducati riders struggled to match the Aprilia speed with Marc Marquez starting seventh.
Jorge Martin grabbed pole position at Assen in a dominant Aprilia showing. The Spaniard fired in a stunning lap to claim his first pole in nearly two years ahead of strong teammate displays. Aprilia locked out the top four spots in qualifying at the Cathedral of Speed. Martin will lead the pack into the Sprint later today.
Brad Binder expects to know more about his MotoGP future during next month’s summer break. The South African is currently 13th in the championship and appears to have lost his factory seat to a new Alex Marquez and Fabio Di Giannantonio lineup, joining Rins, Miller and Morbidelli as winners facing uncertain futures. Tech3 KTM has yet to finalise its 2027 lineup. WorldSBK remains the obvious alternative if MotoGP runs out of room.
MotoGP will ban holeshot devices starting at the Dutch Grand Prix in Assen. Riders and teams reacted to the sudden rule change aimed at safety and fairness. Some expect starts to slow by up to 30 kilometres per hour while others worry about added risks in poor conditions.
Marc Marquez signed on with Ducati Lenovo Team for 2027 and 2028. The move locks the eight time champion into the factory squad as they build around him with Acosta arriving. Marquez said he feels ready for the new challenge and trusts the project.
Ducati confirmed Francesco Bagnaia will exit the factory team at the end of 2026. The two time champion signed a four year deal with Aprilia Racing and will partner Marco Bezzecchi in an all Italian lineup. Bagnaia called it a new chapter after years of success with Ducati.
Ducati confirmed Pedro Acosta will team up with Marc Marquez in the factory squad from 2027. The Spaniard leaves KTM after strong 2026 performances to ride the Desmosedici alongside the eight time champion. This creates one of the most feared lineups in recent years as Ducati reshapes its future.
Maverick Vinales says KTM will be solely responsible if he leaves MotoGP at the end of 2026. The Tech3 rider found out KTM’s plans from the press, not the team itself, with nobody sitting him down to explain how things would play out. KTM also excluded him from Monday’s Brno 850cc Pirelli test, instead sending Acosta, Pol Espargaro and Dani Pedrosa, while holding an option on him through June that limits his options elsewhere.