WorldSBK round 3 at Assen beckons for the Honda HRC team
The 2025 Superbike World Championship continues this weekend at the TT Circuit Assen in The Netherlands, a track at which the Honda HRC team is confident it can do well.
This third world championship round comes less than two weeks since round 2, held at the Algarve Circuit in Portugal. Lecuona lined up for his first races of the 2025 season, having been forced to sit out the Australian season-opener due to injury. Considering his physical condition, which was still less than ideal in Portugal, the Spaniard was able to compete and improve step by step over the weekend, completing all three races in the points, with a best finish of eighth in Race 2. A fully fit Vierge was able to put in a very consistent performance across the weekend and score a strong fifth in SBK Race1.
Attention now turns to the Dutch round, the historic Assen circuit a regular fixture on the SBK calendar. The 2024 edition brought mixed weather conditions and mixed results for the Honda HRC team. While Vierge scored a tenth-place finish in both the weekend’s full-length SBK races, Lecuona was unfortunately sidelined from the races after crashing and injuring himself during a wet FP3. Assen, however, also holds positive memories for Lecuona, as it was the scene of his first SBK podium in 2022 (Race 2). Both Iker and Xavi are therefore looking to build on their respective results in Portugal, a round that both riders considered positive for several reasons.
Often referred to as the “Cathedral of Speed”, the TT Circuit Assen measures 4.542 km and comprises eighteen turns, the layout of which poses a technical challenge. Today’s circuit has been in operation since 1955, but the original Assen track dates back to 1925 and used to date the Dutch TT races. Located in The Netherlands’ Drenthe province, the circuit often sees changeable weather, another factor for the Honda HRC team to consider heading into the weekend.
Weekend schedule (CET):
Friday
10.20 – 11.05 – SBK Free Practice 1
15.00 – 15.45 – SBK Free Practice 2
Saturday
9.00 – 9.20 – SBK Free Practice 3
11.00 – 11.15 – Superpole
14.00 – SBK Race 1
Sunday
9.00 – 9.10 – SBK Warm-up
11.00 – Superpole race
14.00 – SBK Race 2
Xavi Vierge 97
“We come into the Assen weekend off the back of a positive round in Portimão, as although Race 2 ended with a crash, we were able to make solid progress together with the team throughout the weekend. This gives us a good boost of confidence and we approach the next round with a positive mindset. Assen is a track that I really enjoy riding – it’s quite different from the circuits we visited for the first two rounds, but it has its own distinctive character and often offers up unpredictable weather conditions. Together with the team, we’ll keep working hard and will continue to pay particular attention to the electronics side of things, an area where I believe we still have room for growth.”
Iker Lecuona 7
“It felt really good to be back in action in Portimão, and I’m now happy to head to Assen for the next round. I’ll approach the weekend with the same mindset, focusing on trying to work calmly and constructively, whatever the situation may bring, and aiming to improve step by step. I like the Assen track – we’ve been on the podium there in the past, but we also faced some challenges last year. Friday will give us a clear idea of where we stand and how I’m feeling on the bike, and we won’t be focusing on the classification at that stage, just on working in the right way to achieve the best possible result on the race days.”
Location Information
“The Cathedral” of motorcycle racing as it is known colloquially, the TT Circuit Assen has been hosting WorldSBK races since 1992, and celebrated its 25thanniversary as a Superbike venue in 2016. TT Circuit Assen
| Pole Position | Left |
| Length | 4.542 Km |
| Corners | 18 |
| Right Corners | 12 |
| Left Corners | 6 |
Records
| Pole Record | 1'32.596 (176,586 Km/h) S.Lowes (Ducati V4R, 2025) |
| Race Record | 1'33.581 (174,728 Km/h) N. Bulega (Ducati V4R, 2025 RC1) |
| All Time Record | 1'32.596 (176,586 Km/h) S.Lowes (Ducati V4R, 2025) |
| 2025 Race 1 Winner | N. Bulega (Ducati V4R) |
| 2025 Superpole Race Winner | T.Razgatlioglu (BMW M 1000 RR) |
| 2025 Race 2 Winner | A. Locatelli (Yamaha YZF R1) |
