SBK Assen: Locatelli and Yamaha off the pace, Montella tops warm-up

Andrea Locatelli resurfaces from the lower ranks, but sixth place in Race 1 of Superbike at Assen feels more like a consolation prize than a resurrection. Yamaha still isn’t there, and the gap to Ducati remains huge. Even on this track, traditionally favorable to the R1 and the rider.

On the Drenthe plain, just a year ago, Andrea Locatelli celebrated what is for now his only World Championship victory. The win in Race 2 was helped by Nicolò Bulega’s retirement after his Ducati gave up, but in any case the Yamaha was right there, lurking. Twelve months later, the Panigale V4 R has run like clockwork—not only the one of the championship leader but also those of Lecuona, Sam Lowes, and Alvaro Bautista, who dealt a red four of a kind. Loca lost over seventeen seconds in twenty-one laps. Sixth place, the best result in this terrible start to the season, has a bittersweet taste.

“The final result is fairly positive, but it’s not enough because the gap to the front is quite large,” admits Andrea Locatelli, who started from the third row. “We have to be realistic and look ahead, keep working hard and raise our level every time we get on track and try to improve. Riding in the rain was tough. The result is good, but not perfect, let’s put it that way.”

On a single lap at Assen, Yamaha seems to have made noticeable progress compared to the previous rounds at Phillip Island and Portimão. Xavi Vierge managed to qualify on the second row (fifth fastest), but in the race the Spaniard also paid the price, finishing only tenth. “The front tire on the right side got really chewed up, and when the group caught me at the end I wasn’t in a position to defend myself,” was the analysis from the former Honda rider. It’s hard to tell whether the improvement is due to the YZF-R1’s better suitability to Assen’s fast, flat corners, or if the team and riders are finding solutions. Alongside Andrea Locatelli this year is Giulio Nata (in the opening photo), a former MotoGP engineer who in recent years was at Ducati alongside Alvaro Bautista. The contribution of such an experienced crew chief could have been the chance for Loca’s definitive step forward. Instead, for now the results aren’t there, despite Yamaha operating under super concessions—that is, they’re allowed to introduce non-homologated engine and chassis components.

Meanwhile, at the end of the ten-minute warm-up, Yari Montella set the fastest time ahead of Nicolò Bulega and Sam Lowes: any way you slice it, it’s still Ducati singing in glory. Danilo Petrucci is 13th, and in today’s two races he’ll try to capitalize on BMW’s potential after the controversial starting penalty that torpedoed his first attempt. Read here the outburst from the Umbrian rider. The Thai Somkiat Chantra is out due to Saturday’s injury: Honda HRC will field only Jonathan Rea.