|  | Having barely had time to catch their collective breath after Jorge Lorenzo's brilliant MotoGP win at Silverstone in the UK yesterday, the Fiat Yamaha Team arrives at Assen in the Netherlands today to set-up for the Dutch TT, which celebrates its 80th Anniversary this weekend. As tradition dictates the race is always held on the last Saturday in June, after which the paddock heads directly to Barcelona for the third race in this punishing triple-header.
Once again the team will be missing Valentino Rossi, with the Italian now entering his third week of recuperation at home in Italy following his accident at Mugello. Lorenzo however is doing a superb job of steering the ship single-handedly and he now holds a 37-point lead in the championship over Andrea Dovizioso. Three wins and two second places from just five races is impressive even when compared to Rossi's soaring standards and the imperious way in which the young Mallorcan won on Sunday is proof that he is running at the top of his game as the season heats up. The 23-year-old finished a strong second to his team-mate at Assen last year and has two 250cc and one 125cc wins there to his name as well, claiming it as one of his favourite tracks.
Assen has long been thought of as a somewhat magical track in the minds of Grand Prix racers and it remains a popular destination today, despite undergoing some drastic alterations a few years ago. It is still one of the most physically demanding circuits on the calendar and, with its constant twists and turns, is also one of the most technical. It was originally based around the public roads and the camber changes in some places still reflect that. These, added to the high-speed chicanes, traditionally favour the nimble Yamaha M1. The 80th Anniversary of TT racing at the track is the 62nd time it has formed a part of the Grand Prix World Championship and it remains the only track on the calendar that has held a race every year since the Championship's inception. |
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