Ogura wins Dutch TT as Aprilia sweeps podium, Bezzecchi crashes and loses championship lead
Ai Ogura led a historic Aprilia 1-2-3 at the Dutch TT, while championship leader Marco Bezzecchi crashed on lap 3 and Jorge Martin inherited the points lead with third place.
Sprint dominance for Trackhouse
The Assen weekend began with an Aprilia show of force. Jorge Martin took pole position, just 11 thousandths ahead of Ai Ogura, with Marco Bezzecchi third and Raul Fernandez fourth. In Saturday's sprint race, however, it was the Trackhouse duo of Fernandez and Ogura who delivered a one-two, Fernandez claiming his second sprint win of the season after Mugello. Fabio Di Giannantonio on the VR46 Ducati completed the podium, while Bezzecchi finished fourth and Martin fifth, allowing the Italian to add a single point to his championship lead.
I rode well, we had a great set-up. Winning is never a given because we compete against the fastest riders in the world. It's a fantastic result and above all the first double for the team.
In a weekend that seemed dominated by Aprilia, we are trying to minimize damage. The goal was to start well and stay ahead.
Sunday's race: early drama
Martin made a clean start from pole and led into the first corner. Behind him, a fierce fight erupted between the Trackhouse teammates and Marc Marquez, who briefly grabbed second before Fernandez reclaimed the position. The race's first turning point came on lap 3. Bezzecchi, the world championship leader, was battling Marquez for third when he suffered a violent high-speed crash, tumbling through the gravel and being taken to the medical centre. His Aprilia was destroyed and his race was over.
A championship reshuffle
With Bezzecchi out, the title picture shifted immediately. Martin, who had dropped to fifth in the sprint, now had a clear path to the points lead. By lap 5 the order was Martin, Fernandez and Ogura. The leader pushed hard and opened a gap of eight tenths by lap 10, but Fernandez gradually reeled him in. Meanwhile, Francesco Bagnaia overtook Marquez but soon after was forced to retire with a technical problem, joining Pedro Acosta and Toprak Razgatlioglu on the sidelines.
The Aprilia sweep
With nine laps remaining, the two Trackhouse bikes swarmed past a struggling Martin. Fernandez took the lead, Ogura tucked in behind, and the pair began to pull away. At seven laps to go, Ogura attacked his teammate and made the move stick. The Japanese rider, a future factory Yamaha rider, built a margin of almost two seconds by the flag. He crossed the line first, securing his maiden MotoGP victory. Fernandez held second, and Martin hung on for third, completing an all-Aprilia rostrum.
- Jorge Martin leads from pole; behind him, Fernandez and Marquez scrap for second.
- Lap 3: Marco Bezzecchi crashes out while battling Marquez for third; taken to medical centre.
- Lap 5: Martin, Fernandez and Ogura run 1-2-3; Bagnaia later overtakes Marc Marquez.
- Mid-race: Bagnaia, Acosta and Razgatlioglu retire with mechanical issues.
- Nine laps to go: Fernandez and Ogura overtake Martin, who drops to third.
- Seven laps to go: Ogura passes teammate Fernandez and builds a lead of nearly 2 seconds.
- Finish: Ogura wins, Fernandez second, Martin third; Aprilia sweep.
Championship aftermath
Di Giannantonio took fourth after a late scrap with Marc Marquez, who finished sixth behind his brother Alex. The retirements of Bezzecchi and Bagnaia mean Jorge Martin now leads the world championship, while Aprilia strengthens its constructors' position. For Trackhouse, the weekend delivered a first double win and a first grand prix victory, cementing their status as a serious force in MotoGP.
