Quartararo Finishes Top 12 at 2024 MotoGP Netherlands

Team ENEOS had its hands full during the 2024 TT Assen MotoGP race, as Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP’s Fabio Quartararo rode defensively the first 16 laps to hold his position before shaking off his chasing rival for a more calm second half. Teammate Álex Rins had an unfortunate crash entering Turn 1 on the opening lap, fracturing his right foot and severe bruising on his right wrist, ending his challenge prematurely.

Starting from P12 on the grid, El Diablo completed the opening lap in P13, and despite low grip and pressure from Miguel Oliveira, he upped his pace gradually until Oliveira ran wide with ten laps remaining, giving him some much needed breathing room. He tried to overtake Jack Miller ahead of him but was never able to get close enough to do so, and as Pedro Acosta crashed out on the last lap, the Frenchman finished the Race in P12, 24.057sec from first.

“I hoped to do better, especially in the first laps,” said Quartararo. “But the grip was bad throughout the entire Race, much less than expected, which kept me from pushing. Things felt better the second half but my pace was already too slow.”

Rins had a decent P15 start but experienced difficulty under braking, and an initial wobble cascaded into a big highside in Turn 1. He underwent surgery immediately on his wrist and ankle, and will spend his summer break to focus on recovering before the British GP. Remy Gardner was brought on board to compete in the German GP during his absence.

“The surgery went well, and I hope to be back very soon,” said Rins. “Our motivation to keep working is now higher than ever.”

Following the TT Assen race, Quartararo sits tied for 12th in the overall standings with 39 points; Rins is joint 20th with 8 points. Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP holds ninth in the team championship with 47 points, and Yamaha holds fourth in the manufacturer standings with 43 points.