The Assen circuit is an integral part of motorcycle Grand Prix history as it is the oldest on the calendar. MotoGP has visited the venue every year since 1949 (except in 2020 due to the pandemic), the year the championship was created. Located in the north of the Netherlands, near the North Sea beaches, it stretches over 4.542 km and features 18 corners (12 right-handers, 6 left-handers). It is nicknamed the “Cathedral of Speed” not for the top speeds reached (just over 310 km/h compared to over 360 km/h at Mugello), but for its succession of high-speed corners that place significant stress on the tires. In these conditions, MotoGP riders need tires they can fully trust, with consistent performance and predictable feedback at every moment. That's the mindset Michelin Motorsport teams adopted when carefully selecting the compounds to be offered this weekend, also taking into account the unpredictable weather common in this region even at this time of year.
"It's possible we'll experience temperatures here that are half what we had at Mugello a few days ago — and rain as well!", explains Piero Taramasso, Michelin Two-Wheel Motorsport Manager." "And since the track includes fast corners where grip is standard, our partners need tires that deliver solid thermal behavior as well as stability. Last year, based on data from previous seasons (up to 2020, when the asphalt was last resurfaced), we made the front Hard compound slightly stiffer. Based on what we observed in 2024, we've decided to maintain the same three front compounds with the same specifications, and likewise to reuse the same compounds and constructions for the rear. This package is very coherent, and we know it will offer precise handling in corner combinations — and therefore in mass transfers — as well as consistent performance across all riding conditions."
To meet the challenges of the Motul Grand Prix of the Netherlands, Michelin will provide its partners with three symmetrical front tire options (Soft, Medium, Hard), and two asymmetrical rear compounds (Soft and Medium). Given the greater number of right-hand corners, the rear tires will be reinforced on the right shoulder.
In case of rain, Michelin will supply its MICHELIN Power Rain range in Soft and Medium compounds for both front and rear, with the same profile as the MICHELIN Power Slick range.
Records to beat
All records were set in 2024, surpassing benchmarks from either 2023 or 2022.
The absolute lap record (1’30.540) is held by Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team).The Italian rider also holds the fastest race lap, clocked at 1’31.866.
The reference durations for the Tissot Sprint and Grand Prix, which improved significantly in 2024 (by 11 seconds and 18 seconds respectively compared to 2023), are 19’58.090 and 40’07.214.
Rounds 3 and 4 of the FIM MotoE™ World Championship
After two opening rounds at Le Mans last May, the FIM MotoE World Championship will offer spectators at the Assen circuit two electric motorcycle races. Michelin is the exclusive tire supplier for this highly technical category, offering a range with a record rate of renewable and recycled materials: 58% for the front tire and 56% for the rear. Like the rear tire, the front features for the first time the ephemeral "Race to Vision" tread design, a visual signature symbolizing Michelin's commitment to more sustainable mobility. These technological advances, developed in MotoE, are progressively filtering through to all Michelin Motorsport activities and, more broadly, to Michelin's consumer tire ranges.
Weekend schedule
The Motul Grand Prix of the Netherlands will start on Friday, June 27 at 8:30 a.m. with the first MotoE free practice session. That will be followed by the MotoGP session (10:45 – 11:30), then two more: MotoE (12:35 – 12:50) and MotoGP (15:00 – 16:00). In the premier class, this session determines which ten riders qualify directly for the second stage of qualifying (Q2). The two MotoE qualifying sessions will follow between 17:00 and 17:30.
On Saturday, after a final free practice session (10:10 – 10:40), MotoGP Q1 will give two more riders the chance to join Q2, which will determine the weekend's starting grid. This will be followed by the first MotoE race (7 laps, starting at 12:15), then the MotoGP Tissot Sprint (13 laps), scheduled to start at 15:00. The second MotoE race will close the day (start at 16:10, 7 laps).
On Sunday, the Grand Prix is scheduled for 26 laps, starting at 14:00.
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