2021 Dutch MotoGP, Assen - Free Practice (1) Results

Free Practice (1) results from the Dutch MotoGP at Assen, round 9 of the 2021 world championship.
Maverick Vinales, German MotoGP, 19 June 2021
Maverick Vinales, German MotoGP, 19 June 2021
© Gold and Goose

Just days after his worst ever MotoGP result, Vinales begins the 2021 Assen event on top of the timesheets during FP1.

The Yamaha rider arrived in The Netherlands 'very upset' after finishing last at Sachsenring and claimed he would 'copy' team-mate Quartararo's set-up this weekend after a lack of answers from Yamaha.

Pol Espargaro, who also plans to try and use his Honda team-mate Marc Marquez's settings following the Sachsenring win, likewise made an appearance at the top on his way to second place.

Both Marquez and Espargaro have a new chassis to try on one of their RC213Vs this weekend. Marquez using the frame on his final run, when he set the ninth fastest time but also ran off track at the final chicane.

Garrett Gerloff is replacing the injured Franco Morbidelli at Petronas Yamaha, alongside Rossi. The American, currently sixth (one podium) in this year's World Superbike championship for GRT Yamaha, previously took part in (wet) Friday practice at last year's Valencia MotoGP while Rossi was awaiting a PCR result.

With Rossi due to announce his racing future during the summer break, could this weekend effectively be an 'audition' for Gerloff?

The 25-year-old began the weekend with a sizeable fall during the middle stages of FP1, but returned on his spare bike and was able to finish within half-a-second of fellow Assen MotoGP rookie Marini.

Assen is returning to the MotoGP calendar for the first time since 2019, having been absent from last year's Covid-reduced line-up. It has been resurfaced since MotoGP's last visit.

Dutch MotoGP, Assen - Free Practice (1) Results
PosRiderNatTeamTime/DiffLapMax
1Maverick ViñalesSPAMonster Yamaha (YZR-M1)1'33.072s22/23304k
2Pol EspargaroSPARepsol Honda (RC213V)+0.111s20/21309k
3Alex RinsSPASuzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR)+0.429s18/21305k
4Fabio QuartararoFRAMonster Yamaha (YZR-M1)+0.561s18/19300k
5Johann ZarcoFRAPramac Ducati (GP21)+0.815s19/19308k
6Danilo PetrucciITAKTM Tech3 (RC16)+0.867s18/20301k
7Aleix EspargaroSPAAprilia Gresini (RS-GP)+0.921s19/19308k
8Takaaki NakagamiJPNLCR Honda (RC213V)+0.932s19/21310k
9Marc MarquezSPARepsol Honda (RC213V)+0.976s20/21308k
10Lorenzo SavadoriITAAprilia Gresini (RS-GP)*+1.026s16/19303k
11Jack MillerAUSDucati Team (GP21)+1.173s21/21308k
12Francesco BagnaiaITADucati Team (GP21)+1.193s22/23308k
13Joan MirSPASuzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR)+1.227s12/19304k
14Miguel OliveiraPORRed Bull KTM (RC16)+1.350s20/21308k
15Valentino RossiITAPetronas Yamaha (YZR-M1)+1.359s22/22303k
16Brad BinderRSARed Bull KTM (RC16)+1.419s20/21307k
17Iker LecuonaSPAKTM Tech3 (RC16)+1.438s19/20307k
18Alex MarquezSPALCR Honda (RC213V)+1.844s20/22308k
19Enea BastianiniITAAvintia Ducati (GP19)*+2.181s20/20304k
20Jorge MartinSPAPramac Ducati (GP21)*+2.220s17/19308k
21Luca MariniITASky VR46 Avintia Ducati (GP19)*+2.434s18/20304k
22Garrett GerloffUSAPetronas Yamaha (YZR-M1)+2.889s14/15297k

* Rookie
Official Assen MotoGP records:
Best lap:
Fabio Quartararo FRA Yamaha 1m 32.017s (2019)
Fastest race lap:
Marc Marquez SPA Honda 1m 33.617s (2015)

By Peter McLaren
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