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- Jun 28, 2021
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MotoGP’s long-awaited return to the legendary Assen TT circuit was nothing short of enticing, thanks to some controversial comments, silly rumours, and an engrossing race. Here are the winners and losers from Round 9 of the 2021 MotoGP world championship:
Winners:
Fabio Quartararo
Another demolition job by the Frenchman! It was indeed a perfect weekend for Fabio Quartararo as he won the Dutch GP, extending his points advantage. It wasn’t all smooth, though.
In the opening laps, factory Ducati’s Francesco Bagnaia led the race and tried to keep Quartararo at bay. It was only after some desperate lunges and failed attempts that the factory Yamaha rider got his crucial break. However, once he found his rhythm, there was no stopping. With consistent performances like this, Fabio surely seems the favourite for the world championship.
Maverick Vinales
It’s safe to say Vinales was the most talked about person in the paddock this weekend. Having started the weekend with some crude statements about the factory Yamaha team, Vinales topped all free practices (barring FP4) and even took pole, smashing the lap record too. However, the Spaniard struggled in the starting laps, thanks to an average launch off the line. He took his time to make up positions, finally finishing second place.
Even though this is a welcome podium return for Vinales, all eyes are on the rumours surrounding his shocking move to Aprilia for 2022, possibly after cutting his Yamaha contract short. Is this the right move for Vinales at this point in his career? Only time will tell!
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Joan Mir
Amongst the factory Yamaha riders on the podium was the reigning world champion, Joan Mir, finishing in third place. He took third in typical Suzuki fashion -- after qualifying way down the row and then showing rapid pace in the race. Mir was initially stuck behind Johann Zarco for a while before launching an attack on the Pramac Ducati man, ultimately finishing in the third position.
Marc Marquez
While it wasn’t another victory or podium for the recovering factory Honda man, he was easily one of the finest performers for the Dutch GP. Why?
You see, after a dismal qualifying, the Spaniard started the race from the 20th place, his worst qualifying ever in MotoGP. But that didn’t bother him too much. As soon as the lights went out, Marquez sliced through the field and was almost in the top ten after the first lap. Later, he battled with Pecco Bagnaia, Aleix Espargaro, and Taka Nakagami, ultimately finishing seventh.
Performances like these are proof that the five-time world champion still has a lot of speed left in him, and it’s not too long before we find him on the top step yet again.
Losers:
Taka Nakagami
After showing good pace all weekend, the LCR Honda rider finished the race at a disappointing ninth. It was an impressive first half of the race for Taka as he fought for the podium places and looked comfortable there. We think that in doing so, he used too much of his tyres, which led to him tumbling down the positions.
Nevertheless, Nakagami’s first podium doesn’t seem too far since he’s been showing an upward trend in the last few races.
Alex Rins
It was another race to forget for Alex Rins, who looked fast in all practice sessions but finished just out of the top ten -- in eleventh. It wasn’t through his own fault, though.
The Spanish rider, who started well and fought for the top five in the first few laps, was the victim of Johann Zarco’s hard but fair overtake that forced him off the track. It seems the factory Suzuki rider lacks luck more than speed, and we hope his kismet favours him in the second half of the championship.
Factory Ducati
It wasn’t an ideal weekend for the factory Ducati team with Francesco Bagnaia finishing sixth after starting from the front row and Jack Miller suffering a DNF due to mechanical issues, denting his championship prospects. This was made worse by Johann Zarco, who aboard the same spec bike, finished fourth, outperforming the factory team.
With the first half of the championship now wrapped up, the paddock heads for a summer break. Last year, the second half of the championship was the decisive factor, with Quartararo struggling with consistency. Will we see a twist in the tale this time as well? We certainly hope so!
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