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The Pirelli Dutch Round at the TT Circuit Assen in the Netherlands played host to round three of the 2023 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship and as usual, there were plenty of stories to get our teeth into from the Sunday afternoon debriefs. From rivals talking about tactics, a Champion’s future in doubt and a famous MotoGP™ chicane showdown replica, here are Assen’s hot headlines.

Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati): “I said after the third round, I’ll take my decision... personal life is becoming more special, more important"

With his future not decided, we can expect an announcement about Alvaro Bautista’s plans soon: “Before the season started, I said after the third round, I’ll take a decision. I’ll have one and a half weeks at home with my daughters and I’ll ask them what their opinion is. My daughters start to get older and they realise that daddy is out, travelling, not at home, so it’s not easy. I’m really happy with my performance and my professional life, but now the personal life is becoming more special and more important. I’ll try to take a decision for me, my family and the team as soon as possible.”

Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK): ”I push so hard but don’t get what I want”

Andrea Locatelli mounted the Assen podium for the third year running but stated it’s getting harder: “It’s a good track for me as it flows, but this year for me was more difficult than last year and the first year. In 2021, I had an incredible rhythm here and I was fighting for the podium in the Superpole Race. It’s not easy in Superbike and I think that the track conditions were a little bit different with respect to 2021. Every weekend, every year, something is different. Sometimes I find some difficulties with the bike, and I am fighting a lot with it, and in the past, it was easier to get a podium. Now, I have more confidence and I push so hard but don’t get what I want. This is a bit difficult, but I think I can show my talent and, in each weekend, we’re consistent and I don’t make mistakes.”

Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK): “I asked Jonny “why didn’t you attack?”, then I can join the game”

2021 World Champion Toprak Razgatlioglu was talking tactics in his debrief after another battle with his fellow ‘titanic trio’ members: “After the Superpole Race, I asked Jonny “why didn’t you attack?” because if he attacks, then I can join the game. I am also riding on the limit, if he tries to attack then maybe we are fighting for the win. But he didn’t try and in Race 2, I said ‘enough’, because I’m just following these riders; I didn’t wait for the first lap for the tyres, I just attacked and after a few laps, he passed me again. I tried my best in the race and at the beginning, I’m pushing 200%. Everyone is doing their best, but it wasn’t good for Jonny with a crash in Race 2; he’s on the limit like me.”

Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK): “It was in his interest that I disturbed Alvaro’s rhythm… we need a major update”

Responding to Razgatlioglu’s ‘lack of attack’ comment, Jonathan Rea stated it wasn’t possible: “Of course it was in his interest that I disturbed Alvaro’s rhythm but it’s impossible! Barring barging into him, there was no way passed. Recovering from Turn 5… you can see on TV what myself and Toprak are doing but we only get there, and then it’s the same thing. Alvaro’s doing a great job and he’s got a great tool, so to pass someone like that when you’re already on your limit, holding your breath, biting the screen, it’s too much risk and you’ve got to think about putting yourself at risk.”

Answering to what Kawasaki can do besides a big update, Rea was clear there’s just one option: “We need a major update, it’s clear. I am positive because I am doing my best, but do you want me to tell you positive as in fight for a win and make it interesting? No. I can’t; it’s too far. Their advantage is too much. Kawasaki need to work, a lot, but I’m positive that I’m doing a good job, and so is Alex. We’re showing that we’re making progress but it’s not enough, we need a big step. Alvaro’s doing a fantastic job at managing the race; when you don’t have to be 100%, you’re not consuming tyre, energy – he can say what he likes, he’s sitting in the middle of the seat, his body language… he’s riding in harmony, it’s effortless. When you’re over your head, you consume a lot, mostly tyre. So, when you have a dip, he doesn’t. They’re doing fantastically well; we need to step up.”

Taking their tactical talk to conquering Bautista to Instagram stories, Rea and Razgatlioglu both praised each other and joked about their intense fight to get back to winning ways. Rea posted the video of the two talking in Parc Ferme with a caption saying “You are the best! Big respect!” to Toprak, whereas the Turkish star responded by reposting Rea’s story, saying: “It’s a pleasure to share this though challenge with you, legend. We gave our 100%!”

Axel Bassani (Motocorsa Racing): “I tried to copy Rossi and Marquez, but I’m not Valentino!”

Always laughing and looking on the bright side, Axel Bassani once again stole the show, lighting up the media debriefs with a famous MotoGP™ chicane showdown: “We arrived at the last chicane, touched and I went straight. I tried to copy Valentino Rossi and Marc Marquez, but I’m not Valentino! The penalty is correct; I tried to stay ahead of Dominique, but he was better than me in the final three laps. In the next race, we’ll try and stay in front. I’m not happy as I tried to stay with Locatelli to fight for the podium, but it was really difficult; Yamaha at this track are really fast. One Ducati was really fast, with Alvaro, but the other Ducatis were struggling a bit. Two top five results at this circuit is good for us. Sixth in the Superpole Race is good as it's not really my race! We are really near to the podium, but we need to understand what we need to get there, and we’ll try to find a solution.”

Dominique Aegerter (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team): “It was a clean move, this is 1-1!”

Talking about his battle with Bassani in Race 2, Aegerter joked how a previous fight in the Superpole Race had now levelled things up: “It was a clean move. He didn’t close too much to be honest but for sure I tried to ride on the perfect line to keep the pace. He had a great bike in the first part of the race but in the last five laps of the race, he’s much slower but to overtake, it’s still not easy! This morning, I passed him in one corner but then he got me back, so I think this is 1-1 now!”

Michael Ruben Rinaldi: “I’m not scared that in Barcelona or Misano, I won’t be there… I’ll be back”

A disastrous weekend for Michael Ruben Rinaldi, who detailed his woes: “This weekend has been the toughest. The problem technically was that in the braking zone, I did the same thing as before but the bike answers differently. The first thing I did was ask the team to check the bike as there’s something wrong. They didn’t find anything, so we started working like normal. Already in FP1, we wanted to make a change that helped me in the Barcelona test already, but we didn’t have time. The plan for FP2 was try a modification for the setting to find what I need. On the opening lap, I had a technical issue so I couldn’t try it. Then FP3 was wet. In Superpole, we don’t have time and you’re pushing 120%. So, the first time that we tried the solution was in Race 1. The problem was that it wasn’t the solution and I raced with the same problem, so Race 1 was my FP2.

“We tried something new for Sunday, and we improved a little bit, and I’m happy that we stayed calm, focused and how we worked. We can’t always pretend that in Free Practice we can improve the bike. This weekend, I couldn’t ride the bike, I improved during the weekend. My time of Race 2 was enough for top five in Race 1. It’s something that is unlucky and that we were slow to find a solution, but we didn’t find a solution. I’m m not scared that in Barcelona or Misano, I won’t be there. I’m just worried that if we’re unlucky, we’re not ready to face it. My bike and team are strong; I’ll be back.”

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