That is why they call it ‘The Cathedral’, the Mecca of motorcycle racing. Tradition dictates that the races take place on the last Saturday in June and the order of races has also been changed, with the 250cc riders kicking off the action from 12.15h, followed by MotoGP and 125cc.

Assen celebrates its 75th anniversary this season, a celebration that coincides with a special Grand Prix for the Telefónica Movistar Honda MotoGP team. Sete Gibernau will make his 150^th GP appearance on Saturday, during which time he has racked up 29 podiums, including nine victories, thirteen second places and seven thirds – as well as nine poles and seven fastest laps.

The MotoGP World Championship runner-up knows all about winning at ‘The Cathedral’. He did it in 2003 on the Honda and led the race for 18 laps last season before conceding victory in a clash with Valentino Rossi just metres from the end. His team-mate Marco Melandri joined the two protagonists of the 2004 race on the podium and is hoping to continue his excellent start to the year after taking three podiums and three fourth place finishes from the opening six rounds. 

Dani Pedrosa and Marco Melandri both came of age at Assen, where they each scored the first victory of their respective careers in the 125cc category. Marco did it in 1998 and Dani in 2002, when the Italian returned to the top step in the quarter-litre class.

Pedrosa will try and continue his winning streak this Saturday after clocking up three in a row for the first time in his career in the last round at Catalunya. His 27-point advantage over Casey Stoner is a good cushion for the double World Champion as he arrives at a circuit that suits his smooth riding style. Last season he set the circuit record on his way to the second step of the podium.

RIDER QUOTES

SETE GIBERNAU:
“I would like to have tested on the day after the Catalunya GP in order to compare a couple of things but the rain ruined the test and we will have to do it on Thursday morning in the first free practice session. At Catalunya we were back at an optimum level and that is where I want to be at Assen. Last year I collided with Valentino just a few metres from the end but I’m not going there with intentions of revenge against anybody – just concentrating as well as possible on the job. It will be important to get there and start lapping on race tyres in order to prepare for the Grand Prix as well as possible. Assen is a very technical circuit and you need a perfect set-up in order to be competitive. I hope the weather allows us to work and find a good setting whether it is for the wet or the dry.”

MARCO MELANDRI:
“At Catalunya we were able to return to the podium after missing out at Mugello, where I think I had one of the best races of my career. Three podiums and three fourth places show that we are doing a great job so far this season and my objective is to keep making progress from race to race. Up to now we have been consistent, we’re constantly growing, so now is the time to take the next step forward – I’d like to be up there with the front two. I know it is a difficult step and I don’t want to get ahead of myself but I feel more and more comfortable every time. Hopefully it can be this weekend at Assen, one of my favourite circuits, where I scored my first victory in the World Championship.”

DANI PEDROSA:
“The races in Holland are always tough because the weather is very changeable and it’s never easy to find a good race setting for the dry or the wet. It is a technical circuit with the highest average speed in the championship, although it will always be a very special Grand Prix for me because I won my first race at Assen in 2002 on the 125. Fans from all over Europe gather in Holland and the Spanish always make themselves heard, which I like. Apart from that, it’s a bit of a strange weekend because of the fact that we race on a Saturday.”

HIROSHI AOYAMA:
“I missed out on a good chance to make the podium at Catalunya so hopefully I can make up for that to myself and the team by fighting for it again at Assen. It’s a very difficult circuit where you have to have a lot of references. It’s also important to get a good grid position here because it is the longest circuit on the calendar and the race can become never-ending if you are riding alone. I think I can stick with the group and fight it out until the end.”

THE VENUE

DUTCH TT

Circuit: TT Circuit Assen.
Grand Prix: Gauloises Dutch TT
Inauguration: 1955
Latest modification: 2002
Length: 6,027 m.
Width: 10m.
Right corners: 14
Left corners: 9
Main straight: 970 m. 
 

MOVISTAR RIDERS’ RESULTS AT ASSEN

THE CIRCUIT ACCORDING TO:

SETE GIBERNAU

Charismatic
“This is considered to be the “Cathedral” of motorcycle racing and it is one of the quickest and most technical circuits. Concentration at all times is crucial because the speed is always very high and any mistake is paid for dearly. The weather is also an important factor, with very sudden changes. Grip levels are always really good in wet and in dry.”

MARCO MELANDRI

Passion
“It’s one of my favourite circuits; it’s fast and complete and I think they’ve made a couple of modifications for this season. It’s one of the most demanding circuits in the world for a MotoGP bike because there isn’t a single point where you can stand the bike up. The only section I don’t like is the one they modified to make it slower. Because of the characteristics of the track you have to ride smoothly and be quick in the changes of direction. The fans in Holland know about bikes and you can feel that in the atmosphere. The circuit is full of fans all six kilometres round and it’s exciting to race there.”

DANI PEDROSA

Very technical
“They call it ‘The Cathedral’ for a reason. It’s a very technical circuit where it is very difficult to get any references because it is so flat. Average speed is very high, which makes it a little dangerous, but apart from that it is one of the nicest tracks on the calendar and the riders enjoy racing there because it is so demanding.”

HIROSHI AOYAMA

Madness
“You could go crazy here. This is a really difficult circuit for me and the weather is quite unstable in Holland. It’s a long and technical circuit with continuous direction changes. Along with Mugello and Catalunya, Assen is one of the most difficult tracks on the calendar for me.

2005 SEASON SO FAR FOR THE MOVISTAR RIDERS

LAP RECORDS:

MOTOGP
Circuit record: 2’00”973 Valentino Rossi (Honda, 2002)
Pole 2004: 1’58“758 Valentino Rossi (Yamaha)
Podium 2004:  1. Valentino Rossi (Yamaha), 2. Sete Gibernau (Honda), 3. Marco Melandri (Yamaha)

250cc
Circuit record: 2’03”469 Dani Pedrosa (Honda 2004)
Pole 2004: 2’03”668 Sebastian Porto (Aprilia)
Podium 2004: 1. Sebastián Porto (Aprilia), 2. Dani Pedrosa (Honda), 3. Toni Elías (Honda)

125cc
Circuit record: 2’10”123 Jorge Lorenzo (Derbi, 2004)
Pole 2004: 2’18“592 Casey Stoner (KTM)
Podium 2004: 1. Jorge Lorenzo (Derbi), 2. Roberto Locatelli (Aprilia), 3. Casey Stoner (KTM)

SATURDAY TIMETABLE
12.15h. 250cc race (18 laps, 108.486km)
14.00h. MotoGP race (19 laps, 114.513km)
15.30h. 125cc race (17 laps, 102.459km)