This time around Akrapovič-supported racers didn’t make it to the podium in the MotoGP class, but racers in the smaller classes were more successful.

The Iveco TT Assen race, the seventh round of the Moto2, Moto3, and MotoGP world championship, took place in the Netherlands. Among the racers using exhausts sporting the red scorpion, Ben Spies (Yamaha) delivered the best performance in the MotoGP class. With a fourth-place finish, he achieved his best result this year. After an unfortunate incident with another racer, Jorge Lorenzo had to drop out and now has the same number of points in the overall standings as last year’s world champion Casey Stoner. Spies holds tenth place overall.

The Moto2 class, in which racers ride 600 cc four-stroke machines, offered more success and also excitement. After a close battle and passing in the last lap, Marc Márquez (Suter) came in ahead of Andrea Iannone (Speed up) and Scott Redding (Kalex). All three ride bikes equipped with Akrapovič exhaust systems. Márquez and Iannone hold the first and second place overall.

The triumphant Marc Márquez commented after the race: “It was a difficult race, but a nice one. I had some problems at the start because some issues that weren’t there in practice came up and I was unable to find the right pace. That was perhaps my strength ahead of today. When I saw (Andrea) Iannone getting away I tried to keep calm because I knew that tires would be crucial at the end of the race. There were some beautiful final laps in the battle with Iannone, and I would’ve liked to have had Pol Espargaró there with us in what would’ve been a very tight fight. In any case, I’m happy with how things went and with our work.”

Two racers supported by the Slovenian premium exhaust system manufacturer also stood on the podium in the smallest class, Moto3: Sandro Cortese was second and Danny Kent was third (both members of the Red Bull KTM Ajo team). Cortese is better placed in the overall standings: he’s in second, seven points behind the leading Viñales.

The eighth round is already scheduled for next weekend, 8 July, at the Sachsenring in Germany.

Photo: Yamaha Racing, Gold and Goose