Ogura clinches maiden MotoGP victory as Bezzecchi crashes in Assen
For the first time since 2004, a Japanese rider stands on the top step of a MotoGP podium in a drama-filled Dutch GP.
Makoto Tamada, 2004 Japanese Grand Prix. 22 years ago, MotoGP witnessed its most recent Japanese winner… until today. A rapidly rising star from the land of the rising sun stood tallest at the Cathedral of Speed in 2026, as Ai Ogura (SuperFile Trackhouse MotoGP Team) clinched a maiden MotoGP victory in a highly dramatic Tissot Grand Prix of the Netherlands. Raul Fernandez came home second to see SuperFile Trackhouse celebrate a double 1-2 in Assen, as a P3 for Jorge Martin (Aprilia Racing) sees the #89 climb to the summit of the World Championship after teammate Marco Bezzecchi suffers an early DNF following a rapid Turn 15 crash, rider ok.
THE OPENING EXCHANGES
From pole, Martin didn’t hold onto the lead into Turn 1 after Ogura’s fast start from the middle of the front row, but on the cut back out of the opening corner, Martin powered back past the lead the Grand Prix. Ogura and Fernandez were P2 and P3, as Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team) passed Bezzecchi on Lap 1.
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A royal rumble battle was unfolding on Lap 2, with Martin enjoying some free space in the lead of the Grand Prix. It was Trackhouse vs Trackhouse for P2 at the first corner, and as the duo battled, through came Marc Marquez in the intense battle for P2. Ogura was the one to lose out though, the Japanese rider was shuffled down to P5, behind Fernandez, Marc Marquez and Bezzecchi, before huge drama unfolded at the end of Lap 2.
Bezzecchi, through the ferociously fast Turn 15 of Ramshoek, lost the front while sat behind Marc Marquez. No chance of saving it. The Italian was down the road in a big way, and while the main point was that Bez was relatively alright after a huge off, it was a third Sunday in a row where the pre-race championship leader would score zero points. Disaster for Bez and Aprilia.
FERNANDEZ CHASES, FIGHTING UNFOLDS
Back on track, Fernandez was reeling in Martin at a rapid rate of knots. Marc Marquez was holding P3 for the time being, but Ogura was swarming. The Japanese rider needed to get past the reigning World Champion as soon as possible, and Ogura did what he needed to do. But the Sprint silver medallist had over two seconds to make up to teammate Fernandez and leader Martin.
While Ogura got the better of Marc Marquez, we then strapped in for Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) vs Marc Marquez, with Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) enjoying a VIP ticket to the show in P6. A handful of lunges, then re-overtakes from the 2027 factory Ducati teammates were a treat for the eyes, but it was a scrap that saw third place Ogura quickly scamper to a three-second lead over the trio. And it also meant that Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team), Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP), and Enea Bastianini (Red Bull KTM Tech3) were joining the P4 party.
Right, where were we in the fight at the front? Fernandez was sitting 0.3s behind Martin, with Ogura galloping towards the two other riders on circuit who are in the Aprilia stable. The deficit by Lap 12 of 26 was cut to 1.2s, as attention then returned to the fight further back.
ACOSTA AND PECCO DNF
Acosta, keeping tabs on the Ducati Lenovo duo, suddenly ran wide at Turn 1 and began to cruise. Was it a physical problem, or was it another technical problem? We’d find out soon enough, but before we did, Pecco then encountered a technical problem on his Desmosedici to see the Italian roll into pit lane. Two big hitters out of the top six.
In Acosta’s case, serious right-hand discomfort caused the #37 to pull in and retire from the Grand Prix. Pre-German GP surgery looks like it’s scheduled for the Spanish star.
Then, a small dose of drama was thrown in the direction of Ogura. Around Turn 3, the rear ride height device was clearly stuck in its position and having just set the fastest lap of the Grand Prix to get right on the rear wheel of the top two, Ogura lost crucial ground again. Thankfully, for Ogura anyway, the #79 managed to release the ride height device, and a lap later, the battle for P1 lit up the Cathedral.
AN ALL-APRILIA SCRAP FOR THE WIN AS DIGGIA VS MM93 IGNITES
Fernandez pounced on Lap 17 at the Geert Timmer chicane to demote Martin to P2, and then on the anchors into Turn 1, Ogura followed his teammate through on the #89.
Biding his time, it was Lap 20 before Ogura decided to strike on teammate Fernandez. Turn 9, up the inside, clean as you like, job done. And straight away, Ogura began to stretch his legs. The gap at the start of Lap 22 was 0.9s, as Marc Marquez and Di Giannantonio went head-to-head at the Geert Timmer chicane.
On the first occasion, Di Giannantonio lunged underneath the #93 in what was a copy and paste from Marc Marquez vs Diggia’s boss, Valentino Rossi, in 2015. Both were wide, Marc Marquez over the gravel, Di Giannantonio across the blue and shortcutting, and it was a move that saw the Italian eventually get handed a Long Lap penalty for not losing sufficient time when shortcutting the final chicane.
Once Diggia completed his Long Lap penalty, he dropped right in behind Marc Marquez again, with the superb Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) now in P4.
Another Marc Marquez vs Di Giannantonio head-to-head at the chicane on the penultimate lap, anyone? Go on then. This time, the Italian kept it on the asphalt to make an aggressive but cleaner move, and on the final lap, Di Giannantonio carved past Alex Marquez to grab P4.
While there was plenty to get stuck into in that battle, the headlines were at the front. After narrowly missing out on a debut win in Brno, Ogura only had to wait seven days longer to stand on the top step for the first time in MotoGP. An extraordinary performance at the Cathedral. Japan’s rising star has arrived in the top class of motorcycle racing, and it’s a win that sees Ogura sit just 25 points off the championship lead.
A lead that is now held by Martin after his P3, as Sprint winner Fernandez comes home in P2 to deliver Trackhouse a dream double 1-2 in Assen. What a weekend for the American outfit. And apart from Bezzecchi’s Sunday DNF, a weekend where Aprilia showed real speed and authority.
YOUR ASSEN POINT SCORERS
As mentioned, Diggia battled hard to take the chequered flag in P4, with Alex Marquez putting in a heroic effort to round out the top five. After his Barcelona crash, and then his big Friday crash here in Assen, that’s an incredible ride from the #73.
Marc Marquez ended the Grand Prix in P6, but a post-race penalty for exceeding track limits on the final lap saw the reigning World Champion drop one position, meaning Bastianini was promoted to P6. For the #93, with the Sachsenring up next, picking up a P6 in the Sprint and a P7 in the Grand Prix, plus sitting 40 points back while in ‘eco’ mode, isn’t a terrible weekend at the office.
Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) got everything and more out of the Yamaha this weekend in Assen, the Frenchman was a commendable P8 ahead of Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) and Alex Rins (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP).
Luca Marini (Honda HRC Castrol) was 11th, Jack Miller (Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP) earned some points in P12, as Maverick Viñales (Red Bull KTM Tech3), Diogo Moreira (Pro Honda LCR) and wildcard Augusto Fernandez (Yamaha Factory Racing) close out the points at the Dutch GP.
Wow. What a day. One that feels very significant in the championship chase. A weekend off now beckons before we head to Marc Marquez territory: the Sachsenring. The last Grand Prix before the summer break, and one where it’s Martin arriving as the championship frontrunner. Seven points split the 2024 World Champion and Bezzecchi, with the chasing pack swarming. See you there.
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