MotoGP Dutch GP: Ducati's Francesco Bagnaia Cruises to 4th Season Win as Binder Gets Another Penalty

Francesco Bagnaia beat off Marco Bezzecchi to win the MotoGP Dutch GP, with Aleix Espargaro coming in third. MotoGP Dutch GP in Assen saw pole sitter Marco Bezzecchi fall to third on his VR46 Ducati after a strong start from Brad Binder on his KTM, who then went on to pass Francesco Bagnaia on the second lap. Luca Marini (VR46) finished in fifth. Along with the Pramac Ducatis, Yamaha's Fabio Quartararo fell out of the top ten. Multiple riders were engaged in numerous collisions as Bagnaia seized the lead from Binder in a few of laps. Miller was the first to drop out, then Quartararo dropped out, bringing Zarco down with him. After looking mighty, Vinales was up next. After Oliveira had to pull out due to technical difficulties, Ducati's Enea Bastianini attempted to come back and failed miserably, with smoke billowing from his exhaust. 

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MotoGP Dutch GP: Assen GP Race Result

Binder had to work hard to hold off Aleix Espargaro in the last few laps, but he was able to maintain control of his rear tyre and place third on the road. Remarkably, though, he received a post-race track limitations penalty for again nearly grazing the green paint going out of Stekkenwal, transforming his podium finish into a fourth-place finish, exactly as it happened in the sprint.

The next few laps saw two drivers pull into the pits to end their races: Miguel Oliveira (RNF Aprilia) had been running in the top 10 before he retired (possibly due to his lingering shoulder injury), and Honda replacement Iker Lecuona ran as high as 11th before retiring with what may have been a mechanical issue. Finally, Fabio Di Giannantonio (Gresini Ducati) fell out while vying for a top 10 finish at Strubben, much like Bastianini.

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MotoGP Dutch GP: Marc Marquez Withdraws from Assen GP

Following an exacerbation of injuries acquired in the chaotic German MotoGP a week before, Marc Marquez opted out of the MotoGP Dutch TT at Assen. The Spaniard has now failed to start five of this year's eight grand prix events owing to medical concerns, and this is the second time in as many events that he has opted out of beginning the full-length GP race. Eight-time GP World Champion Marc Marquez came in Assen admitting that he had fractured a rib at the Sachsenring event, where he had fallen five times, the last time in warm-up, forcing him to pull out of the race. Nonetheless, Marquez came back to the track a few days later in the Netherlands, but he struggled the whole weekend and ultimately finished 17th in the Sprint Race.

Two more accidents followed, the second a questionable collision with Enea Bastianini as Marquez tried to tow the Ducati rider but instead hit the rear of it in his distraction. Marquez has decided to have an early start on his six-week summer holiday in an effort to regain full fitness after what is shaping up to be his fourth straight injury-plagued MotoGP season.