MotoGP manufacturers are calling for a budget cap in the premier class, expressing fears over Honda’s financial supremacy as the Japanese giants look to return to their past glory ahead of the 2027 regulations reset. The grid is divided between reformists including KTM, Aprilia and Ducati pushing for spending limits, and traditionalists led by Honda who have no incentive to restrict their financial firepower.

WorldSBK title leader Nicolo Bulega has confirmed he is in talks with several teams in pursuit of his MotoGP dream for 2027, but says nothing will move until the big names are officially confirmed. The Italian told reporters at Assen that the doors are not closed and he has options on several fronts, adding that he experiences stress only when he has no options at all.

TNT Sports pundit Neil Hodgson says Marc Marquez has a rare ability to win over the garage around him, comparing his people skills to Valentino Rossi. Hodgson described Marquez as a genuine team player who can manipulate his working environment in his favour. The former WorldSBK champion has been watching Marquez closely in 2026, noting the reigning world champion rarely shows his true emotions, making his frustrated post race reactions all the more telling.

Marc Marquez says he no longer knows what his 100 percent feels like after years of injuries. The seven time world champion explained that every time you open up your body through injury, your ceiling drops, whether by three percent, ten percent or twenty percent. Marquez insists it is not age that makes things more difficult, it is the injuries piling up one after another.

Pedro Acosta admits top speed is no longer KTM’s strongest point in MotoGP, acknowledging the RC16 has lost straight line performance compared to last year. KTM technical director Sebastian Risse confirmed the manufacturer deliberately sacrificed top speed to improve cornering and tyre management. Maverick Vinales and Brad Binder echoed the concern, with Vinales saying it now feels harder to overtake on the straight than it did in 2025.

Nicolo Bulega’s Assen weekend was built on dominance. He set a new outright lap record of 1m32.144s in Superpole, took his fourth consecutive pole, then won Race 1 after passing Lecuona three times in mixed weather. Sunday brought a Superpole Race win and Race 2 victory to complete the hat-trick. Thirteen consecutive wins now. The championship lead grows with every passing weekend.

Nicolo Bulega won Race 2 at Assen to reach 13 consecutive WorldSBK victories, equalling Toprak Razgatlioglu’s all-time record. The Aruba.it Ducati rider completed a perfect Assen hat-trick, winning all three races at the Cathedral of Speed. Last year two DNFs here cost him the title. In 2026 he has exorcised those demons completely. Bulega now shares the record books with the man who denied him the 2025 crown.

Nicolo Bulega made it 11 straight WorldSBK wins at Assen, fighting back against teammate Iker Lecuona three times to win a dramatic rain-hit Race 1. Lecuona led when conditions turned wet but Bulega repassed with three laps to go, winning by 1.6 seconds. Sam Lowes took third. Bulega leads the championship by 61 points over Lecuona.

Ducati recalled swingarms from some of its customer WorldSBK teams at Assen over what were described as critical issues. The recall affected satellite Panigale V4 R squads during the Dutch Round weekend. The factory Aruba.it machines of Nicolo Bulega and Iker Lecuona were unaffected, with Bulega going on to win Race 1. The issue added significant behind the scenes drama to an already chaotic weekend.