The Moto2 World Championship hits the TT Circuit Assen for the eighth round of the season, with Miguel Oliveira just a point off the lead of the overall standings. Brad Binder will look to get on the podium in the Netherlands for the first time.

The Moto2 class takes on one of the most legendary tracks on the calendar, Assen, this weekend. A part of the Motorcycle World Championship since 1949, the venue is known as the ‘Cathedral’ of motorcycle racing, and the trip to the Netherlands is always a special occasion. Miguel Oliveira and Brad Binder hope to provide a great result for Red Bull KTM Ajo this time around.

Oliveira made a great comeback in Barcelona, finishing the race in second position, and the Portuguese is now just one point off the series leader. Oliveira will look for his third consecutive podium, after rostrums at Mugello and Barcelona, at a circuit where he has previously won. Victorious in Moto3 for Red Bull KTM Ajo in 2015 at the Dutch track, he also holds a podium from 2014 and was on pole in 2013, all in Moto3. In the intermediate class, last year’s Dutch GP was the first time he had fought for the win with a KTM -a bike new to the grid in 2017.

Binder also enjoyed a good weekend in Catalonia. The South African rider equalled his best grid result and claimed another valuable sixth place a fortnight ago, and will look to take a step forward at Assen following a consistent run of results. He is targetting a podium at a track where his previous best result is a seventh place in 2015.

The eighth Moto2 race of 2018, which will be held over 24 laps, will start on Sunday, July 1st at 12:20pm local time.

Circuit information – TT Circuit Assen
Length: 4.542 m. / 2,822 miles
Width: 14 metres
Left corners: 6
Right corners: 12
Longest straight: 487 m. / 0,303 miles
Constructed: 1955
Modified: 2012

44 MIGUEL OLIVEIRA
“We had two very positive results at Mugello and Barcelona, which allowed us to get closer to the lead in the overall standings, but it is still very early days and we have to take things race by race. The idea is to continue in the same way this weekend, although there is an important point to improve, which is qualifying. We can’t start from so far back on Sundays because it is a risk that we can ill afford to take. We must improve our work on Fridays and Saturdays to come into Sundays as prepared as possible. Assen is much narrower and very flowing compared to the most recent tracks that we’ve been at, but last year went really well for us there on our first time with the KTM. It was there that we fought for the victory for the first time, but in the end we were at the back of the lead group. I hope I can get back on the podium and take as many points as possible for the overall standings.”

41 BRAD BINDER
“I’ve really enjoyed this last week preparing for round eight of the season. I’ve ridden a bike two days as well, so I’m in top shape. In recent races we’ve suffered from the same issue, which doesn’t allow us to turn our good work over a weekend into a result better than sixth. We’ve finished a lot of races in that position! The main aim this week is to put that issue behind us in order to improve our results, making Assen a turning point for the season. I want to fight for places as high up as possible.”