Dutch Moto3: Alcoba attacks Assen for pole position, Acosta absent

Jeremy Alcoba sat in behind Dennis Foggia to add a huge final slipstream advantage to his already fast lap to set a new circuit record and take his first ever pole position ahead of the Moto3 Dutch TT Grand Prix at Assen.

Qualifying for round nine of the championship was once again decided in the final moments of the second session, with Alcoba tucking his Indonesian Racing Gresini in behind fellow Honda rider Foggia, with even a late wobble from the Italian ahead not enough to slow the Spaniard. 

The number 52 finished the session with a new lap record of 1m41.194s, celebrating his first ever pole by pointing at his wrist, happy to gain a watch for his efforts.

Romano Fenati had been leading the way following a superb solo lap just moments earlier while the mad final dash out of the pits took place for most of the field. The Sterilgarda Max Racing Team rider still claimed a front row start, just 0.212s slower on his own.

The Italian is already at a disadvantage ahead of race day - both he and his Husqvarna team-mate Adrian Fernandez (21st) have been handed a double long lap penalty for their argumentative altercation in Friday practice.

Foggia, who was gesticulating that Alcoba owed him for the pole with a money hand signal on the practice start, did enough to claim third for Leopard Racing.

The Gaviota GasGas riders made the most of their track time, both running on their own schedule and on their own, Sergio Garcia was the better of the pair, topping the timesheets briefly on his way to fourth. Rookie Izan Guevara came through Q1 for 13th.

Kaito Toba was the top KTM in fifth for CIP Green Power.

Gabriel Rodrigo went wide to keep upright after his recent series of falls to fill sixth for Gresini.

Niccolo Antonelli took pole last time the paddock visited Assen back in 2019, but was seventh on his return to ‘The Cathedral’ with Avintia Esponsorama.

Darryn Binder battled hard against his bike, surviving an unscheduled wheelie in the final chicane with eight minutes remaining to finish his day in eighth, the best of the Petronas riders.

Xavier Artigas continued to make improvements after moving up to Q2 for Leopard to set the ninth best time, with Jaume Masia finding the opposite, not able to find anything extra in the closing stages left him to drop to tenth for Red Bull KTM Ajo.

Petronas Sprinta's John McPhee was eleventh, ahead of Tatsuki Suzuki who had been the fastest man heading into qualifying for SIC58 Squadra Corse following his speedy FP2 lap.

Elia Bartolini returns as a replacement rider again, replacing Carlos Tatay at Avintia Esponsorama. With three races and two points finishes under his belt the Italian moved directly to Q2 with the sixth best time and went on to secure 16th on the grid.

Joel Kelso also completes back-to-back appearances to sit in for Max Kofler at CIP Green Power. The Australian was shuffled out of the Q2 progression places right at the end of the session, which leaves him 19th.

Championship leader and winner at the Sachsenring, Pedro Acosta, was part of a huge crash in FP3, circulating at speed after taking the chequered flag, his preparation for Q2 had been a trip to the hospital along with Riccardo Rossi and Stefano Nepa, for further checks. 

Race direction revealed during Q1 that the Red Bull KTM rider had been declared unfit to take part, with the impact on his body from the crash enough to remove his visor, the teenager was later diagnosed with an upper back injury.

Nepa, the only rider of the four on a live lap at the time of the accident, and Riccardo Rossi did not make it back from the local hospital before the start of the Q1 session.

Last weekend’s polesitter, Filip Salac, parted ways with the Rivacold Snipers team between races. The Czech rider will return with the Pruestel GP team from Austria onwards.

Alberto Surra, last seen in action at the Italian race, is back to take Salac’s old seat for the rest of the season. Tipped violently over the front of his bike between the handlebars, he became the third rider in Q1 with no time to their name.

Ayumu Sasaki remains absent for more recuperation following his concussion diagnosis.

It is not just Fenati and Fernandez with a penalty already announced before the race - Ryusei Yamanaka, already in the wars following Acosta’s late FP3 crash, will be taking the long lap penalty for his part in the biggest accident at the last round. The CarXpert Pruestel GP rider will start 22nd.

Red Bull KTM’s wildcard Takuma Matsuyama (23rd) will also be taking a tour of the long lap after riding slowly in FP1 and blocking Izan Guevara’s path.