Italian rider Marco Bezzecchi, piloting a Ducati Desmosedici GP22, secured his first pole position of the season at the MotoGP Dutch Grand Prix held on the Assen TT circuit. He clocked a best lap of 1:31.472, coming just 0.032 seconds shy of the 2022 track record set by Francesco Bagnaia aboard a Ducati Desmosedici GP23. Bezzecchi joined a growing list of pole sitters this season, joining Marc Márquez, Alex Márquez, Aleix Espargaró, and Bagnaia in earning the top grid slot prior to this weekend’s session. [Source: MotoGP official timing and results]
As the lights turned green in the premier class, Márquez found himself following two Ducati riders, with Johann Zarco from France ahead of him and Italian rivals Enea Bastianini and another Honda rider in the mix. Bezzecchi watched closely as the session unfolded, with the field stringing out behind Zarco as the laps began to accumulate. The chase for the best time intensified as riders tried to optimize their lines out of the workshop street and into the circuit proper.
During the early phase, Márquez initially found himself behind Zarco, but Franco Morbidelli, on a Yamaha YZR-M1, briefly inserted himself between them, creating a corridor of fast machines. Márquez continued to push, but a longer run through the box kept him in the hunt for a faster sector and a potential move to second place.
After completing three laps, Márquez chose to retreat to his crew for a strategic reset, while Zarco reclaimed the lead with Miguel Oliveira, aboard an Aprilia RS-GP, close behind. The two managed to edge out the Japanese racer Takaaki Nakagami, who was briefly leading before Márquez moved into sixth. The Spaniard then tethered his pace to the wheel of Bezzecchi, deciding against a first attempt to lap quickly and instead preparing for a more aggressive second effort as time limited his opportunities.
An error in braking at Turn 12, similar to a misstep from Bastianini, saw Márquez crash on the approach and slide out of contention. The incident forced him to abandon that effort and refocus on advancing to the next phase of the session. Bastianini, meanwhile, faced a tricky moment in pursuit and chose not to push to the limit, allowing Márquez to close the gap but leaving the door open for others to surge ahead.
In the end, the plan for Márquez, Zarco, and Oliveira was clear: secure a strong result that would offer a route into the upper echelon of the standings. South Africa’s Brad Binder set the early benchmark in the second tier aboard a KTM RC 16, followed by Bezzecchi who quickly returned to the top and then by Jorge Martín of Spain, riding a Ducati Desmosedici GP. Martín’s pace, however, was hampered by a crash in Germany during earlier sessions, necessitating a swift return to his team for repairs.
Bezzecchi continued to blaze a trail in the second tier, nudging ahead of Bagnaia, who is the current world championship leader, and Maverick Viñales of Spain on an Aprilia RS-GP. The field remained tightly packed behind them with only a few tenths separating the frontrunners.
One of the session’s pleasant surprises came from Fabio Quartararo of France, who briefly led with a lap of 1:31.770 before Bezzecchi crossed the line on lap five, setting a new category best of 1:31.472. That solid performance put Bezzecchi at the top by a comfortable margin, with Binder, Luca Marini, and others chasing the podium positions. Bezzecchi’s pace was evident as Marini pushed hard, though a small error at Turn eight cut his lap short and left him third in the pecking order behind Bezzecchi and Bagnaia.
Quartararo completed the fold in fourth, with Binder, Espargaró, Viñales, Zarco, and Alex Márquez all close behind. Martín improved his position on his second bike to finish tenth, while Oliveira and Jack Miller remained in the mix for strong showings in the latter parts of the session. The grid set the stage for an exciting Dutch Grand Prix as the riders prepared to translate qualifying form into race-day pace. [Source: Official session timings and team communications]