The Dutch GP qualifying session at the TT Circuit Assen was a showdown between the Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP riders. The fight for pole was between Maverick Vinales and Fabio Quartararo, with the former winning the shoot-out by just 0.071s. This is Vinales’ 13th pole position in the premier class, equalling Loris Capirossi and Sete Gibernau.

Since 2011, the winner of the MotoGP race at the Dutch TT has alternated between a Yamaha and a Honda rider (odd year for Yamaha, even year for Honda). In 2019, Maverick Vinales won the race riding a Yamaha. What will happen in 2021?

Quartararo has qualified in second for his 30th front row start in the premier class, on what is his 42nd race in MotoGP, almost 71.4% success rate. This is the second Yamaha factory rider 1-2 in qualifying so far this year, along with Le Mans. And, the Frenchman believes Sunday’s fight for victory will be between the two factory Yamaha men.

Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) will start from the front row of the grid. The factory Ducati man says he’ll have to use all of the horsepower beneath him in the early laps to stop the blue boys on Sunday. Similarly, Jack Miller will start from the third row.

Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) has qualified fourth for his best qualifying result since he was third in Valencia last year. He will be aiming to stand on the podium for the first time in the premier class. On his two previous visits in MotoGP to Assen, he’s failed to score any points.

After passing through Q1 for the first time of the season, Johann Zarco (Pramac Racing) has qualified in fifth place which is only the fourth time he failed to start from the front row so far this year. However, he has always started from the front two rows this year.

Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) has qualified in ninth place, which is the eighth time so far this year he starts from the front three rows of the grid. He will be aiming to give Aprilia their first top-five finish since the introduction of MotoGP in 2002.

Valentino Rossi (Petronas Yamaha SRT), who’s won 10 Dutch TTs, has qualified in 12th place for his best result since he was 11th in Barcelona. Similarly, Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) failed to get into Q2 for the fourth time (along with Italy 2015, Spain 2021 and Catalunya 2021) and qualified 20th, his worst qualifying result in MotoGP.

MotoGP