Source: Supplied.

Ducati Team’s Andrea Iannone was fastest on the opening day of the MotoGP World Championship’s Dutch TT at Assen, topping both sessions in what was a tight start to the race weekend.

Rain held off for Free Practice 2 at the Motul TT Assen for the premier class, the track’s condition continuing to improve after an afternoon of sun. Top times had been in the mid 1m34s during Free Practice 1, Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) the first rider to drop into the 1m33s early in the second session.

Several riders arrived in Assen with new parts, both the Movistar Yamaha MotoGP riders running a new frame on one of their bikes while Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda) used a larger set of wings on his Honda, Marquez also using them later in the session.

With rain predicted for Saturday morning, many riders pushed for a fast final lap and added even more excitement to the session. Just as he did in FP1, Iannone flew around the 4.5km TT Circuit Assen to set a fastest time of 1m33.591s, 0.8s quicker than he was in the morning session. Due to his penalty in Barcelona the Italian will have to start from last, but if he can keep his pace up a top finish isn’t out of the question.

Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) made it an all-Italian top two ending 0.004s back on his compatriot. Assen is one of Rossi’s best tracks on the calendar with ‘The Doctor’ having taken seven premier class wins there, two coming since returning to Yamaha in 2013.

During the press conference before the weekend Rossi highlighted the importance of finding a good direction with the Michelin tyres from the start of the weekend, a goal he has seemingly accomplished.

A 1m33.724s saw Marquez complete the top three, three different manufacturers in the top three. He too made significant improvements over his pace in Free Practice 1, where he ended down in 11th place. Despite debuting several new parts during the Barcelona test, Marquez’s RC213V is almost identical to the one he raced in Barcelona, aside from the new winglets.

Working the Suzuki GSX-RR around Assen proved to be a physically demanding task for Maverick Viñales (Team Suzuki Ecstar), his front wheel rarely on the ground. Even so the impressive youngster set a 1m33.892 to end fourth. Jorge Lorenzo (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) completed the top five and was the last rider to drop into the 1m33s.

Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team), Danilo Petrucci (Octo Pramac Yakhnich), Aleix Espargaro (Team Suzuki Ecstar), Pol Espargaro (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) and Scott Redding (Octo Pramac Yakhnich) all gained themselves provisional access to Q2 by ending in the top 10.

Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda Team) once again missed out as he finished 11th. Alvaro Bautista (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) had a fall with 37 minutes left on the clock, coming off at turn three. Turn three also saw Hector Barbera (Avintia Racing) lose the front, the Spaniard slow to his feet but able to walk away.

Team Estrella Galicia Marc VDS 0,0’s Australian rider Jack Miller knocked one second off his best time in the afternoon’s FP2, with a 1m35.008s placing him 16th on the combined leaderboard.

Riders in the Moto2 World Championship were fortunate enough to have both their sessions held under relatively clear skies on Friday at the Motul TT Assen. This gave the riders a full day to work on the setup of their machines, the Moto2 riders seeing some of the smallest improvements in times between the two sessions.

Tom Luthi (Garage Plus Interwetten) ended as the fastest rider of the day, the lone rider able to drop into the 1m37s, leading Takaaki Nakagami (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) and Sam Lowes (Federal Oil Gresini Moto2). Australian Remy Gardner (Tasca Racing Scuderia) ended the day in 22nd position.

After a rain hit first practice, riders in the Moto3 World Championship were ready for a productive 40 minutes during Free Practice 2. Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing Moto3) set a 1m45.331s to lead the first session, but the time was bested almost immediately with improved conditions blessing the Dutch track.

Jorge Navarro (Estrella Galicia 0,0) may be out of the Motul TT Assen due to a broke leg but the Estrella Galicia 0,0 colours were still flying high as Aron Canet (Estrella Galicia 0,0) topped Free Practice 2. The rookie set a 1m43.031s on his final lap to steal top spot in the session.

Since winning in Qatar Niccolo Antonelli (Ongetta-Rivacold) has been unable to return to the podium, crashes ruining a number of promising races. But the Italian has continued his season undeterred, working diligently to return to the front. A 1m43.144s saw him lead the session until the final seconds when Canet pushed him down to second.

Nicolo Bulega (SKY Racing Team VR46) made it two rookies in the top three with a 1m43.202. The Italian recently announced he will remain with SKY Racing Team VR46 for a further two years and is showing exactly why he earned the contract. Only 0.171s split the top three, the Moto3 class as tight as ever.