Zarco fights hard in challenging Assen Sprint
TT Circuit AssenCASTROL Honda LCR rider Johann Zarco finishes 11th in Saturday’s Sprint at Assen.
Starting from the fourth row of the grid, Frenchman Johann Zarco finished 11th in today’s Sprint Race at the TT Circuit Assen after battling hard against his rivals.
Zarco made a strong start, gaining positions in the opening moments and putting himself in contention for a top-9 finish.
However, he struggled in the high-speed corners, which cost him time and ultimately prevented him from scoring points.
Despite this, the rider reported feeling more comfortable on the bike and noticed some positive steps compared to Friday, an interesting sign heading into Sunday’s main race.
Somkiat Chantra finishes the Sprint in Assen
IDEMITSU Honda LCR rider Somkiat Chantra crossed the line in 19th place in Saturday’s Sprint at the TT Circuit Assen.
Starting from the 22nd spot on the grid, Chantra faced a comeback Sprint, aiming to gain ground and extract key takeaways.
The Thai rider reported feeling better and more comfortable on the bike, which helped build confidence at the fast and technical Dutch track.
Tyre choice is expected to play a crucial role in tomorrow’s Grand Prix, and both Chantra and the crew are fully committed to making the most of the available data and improving performance.
I'm happy because in the Sprint I had a good start, and this is positive. I overtook riders since the beginning, and that means we've made progress. I gained positions, was able to fight, and gave my best. I wanted to stay with the top 10, but it was hard; we need to better understand our limits. For tomorrow, with many laps on the tyre and good traction control, I could have an advantage. We’ll stay focused and probably go with the medium rear. We'll see, it's going to be another tough fight.
I'm happy because in the Sprint I had a good start, and this is positive. I overtook riders since the beginning, and that means we've made progress. I gained positions, was able to fight, and gave my best. I wanted to stay with the top 10, but it was hard; we need to better understand our limits. For tomorrow, with many laps on the tyre and good traction control, I could have an advantage. We’ll stay focused and probably go with the medium rear. We'll see, it's going to be another tough fight.
It was my first Sprint in Assen. I did my best to follow my rivals, especially Aleix Espargaro, who has a lot of experience and is also an HRC test rider, because I wanted to learn from his lines and riding style. Lap by lap, I picked up small details that helped me improve. It was a tough race, but I felt some progress. We’ll keep pushing to do better tomorrow!
It was my first Sprint in Assen. I did my best to follow my rivals, especially Aleix Espargaro, who has a lot of experience and is also an HRC test rider, because I wanted to learn from his lines and riding style. Lap by lap, I picked up small details that helped me improve. It was a tough race, but I felt some progress. We’ll keep pushing to do better tomorrow!
