Image: Supplied.

Ducati Lenovo Team’s Francesco Bagnaia earned a much-needed MotoGP victory at Assen as Fabio Quartararo collided with title-rival Aleix Espargaro, while Augusto Fernandez and Ayumu Sasaki stood on the top step in Moto2 and Moto3 respectively.

The threat of rain loomed as the premier class started the 11th round of the 2022 MotoGP World Championship, and it was Bagnaia who took the lead and didn’t look back on route to win number three of the season.

Drama ensued behind the Ducati rider, however, as Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) attempted to make a move past Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team) on lap five, tucking the front at turn five and colliding with the Spaniard, forcing him off the track and back to P15.

MotoGP rookie Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) took advantage to move into second, closing in on Bagnaia in the closing stages when sprinkles of rain started to fall. The Italian missed the victory by just 0.444s as he scored his first podium in the premier class with P2.

Completing the rostrum was Maverick Vinales – who scored his first podium with Aprilia Racing – as a double-overtake by Aleix Espargaro on Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) and Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) capped off a remarkable comeback.

The number 41 finished fourth, ahead of Binder and Miller – who completed a long lap penalty for being deemed to have impeded Vinales in qualifying.

Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) crossed the line seventh, notably dropping back once the sprinkles of rain commenced. Team Suzuki Ecstar’s Joan Mir, Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) and Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) completed the top 10.

Notably, Quartararo crashed again after pitting following the incident with Espargaro and limped away from turn five after a nasty high side. Australia’s Remy Gardner (Tech3 KTM Factory Racing) finished P19.

Following a dramatic Dutch TT, Quartararo leads Espargaro by 21 points in the MotoGP World Championship standings. Johann Zarco – who was 13th at Assen – is third, 58 points from the lead.

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Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo) made it back-to-back victories in Moto2, taking a 0.660s victory ahead of Idemitsu Honda Team Asia’s Ai Ogura who charged back from P16 after a near-crash in the early stages.

Polesetter Jake Dixon (Inde GasGas Aspar Team) completed the top three, ahead of championship leader Celestino Vietti (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) and home-hero Bo Bendsneyder (Pertamina Mandalika SAG Team).

Fernandez’s win draws him level on points with Vietti in the Moto2 World Championship standings, as Ogura is third just one point behind.

In Moto3, Sasaki claimed a breakthrough world championship win, emerging victorious in what was ultimately a dramatic last lap.

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Izan Guevara (GasGas Aspar Team) continued his strong run to finish second, ahead of teammate Sergio Garcia who completed the podium.

Notably, Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Jaume Masia was taken out of front-running contention on the last lap by David Munoz (BOE Motorsports), as Joel Kelso (CIP Green Power) was also brought down in a separate incident which caused him to fracture his right foot and ankle.

As the season enters its second half, Garcia leads the Moto3 World Championship standings by thee points ahead of Guevara, as Dennis Foggia – who crashed out of the race at Assen – is third, a further 64 points back.

Detailed results