Ducati Lenovo Team’s Francesco Bagnaia is back in the MotoGP championship title battle after a chaotic Motul TT Assen. World Championship leader Fabio Quartararo (Monster energy Yamaha MotoGP) clashed with Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) on Lap 5 and crashed again later in the race. It left Pecco to take a much-needed victory, with fellow Italian Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) claiming a career-best second place and Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) clinching third.
Espargaro rose to fourth chasing from as low as 15th, a charge he completed with a double-move on Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) and Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing). Heading into the summer break, Quartararo’s Championship lead over the Aprilia pilot has been cut to 21 points, with Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing) third at 58 points off the pace, and Bagnaia back up to fourth at just eight points further back.
Binder would take fifth, ahead of Miller, Martin, and Mir, who had shed bodywork in contact with Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) as they lined up on the grid, before a hit with Luca Marini (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) once the race had actually started. Oliveira finished ninth, ahead of Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar), Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing MotoGP), Nakagami, Zarco, Fabio Di Giannantonio (Gresini Racing MotoGP), and Alex Marquez (LCR Honda Castrol) in the final points position.
Raul Fernandez (Tech3 KTM Factory Racing) retired with arm pump, while Franco Morbidelli (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) and Darryn Binder (WithU Yamaha RNF MotoGP Team) made it three YZR-M1 riders who crashed out of the contest.
The MotoGP paddock now has the summer break to catch its breath before Round 12, the Monster Energy British Grand Prix, takes place at the Silverstone Circuit on 5-7 August
MotoGP Race Top 10:
1. Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team)
2. Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) +0.444
3. Maverick Vinales (Aprilia Racing) +1,209
4. Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) +2,585
5. Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) +2,721
6. Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) +3,045
7. Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) +4,340
8.Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar) +8,185
9.Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) +8,325
10. Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) +8,596