Racing @ Assen

The first Dutch TT was held on Saturday 11 July 1925 on a 28.4 km triangular street circuit between the villages of Borger, Schoonloo and Grolloo, won by Dutch rider Piet van Wijngaarden at an average speed of 91.4 km/h. From 1926 to 1955 the race moved to a 16.536 km rectangular street circuit through De Haar, Hooghalen, Laaghalen and Laaghalerveen, before a new 7.705 km circuit (still partly on public roads) was created in 1955. The track only became a fully enclosed permanent circuit in 1992, and was shortened first to 6.027 km, then to its current 4.555 km layout in 2006 when the northern loop was removed and the first sector rebuilt for improved safety and modern paddock facilities. The Dutch TT attained world championship status in 1949 as part of the inaugural Grand Prix motorcycle racing world championship season — making Assen the only venue to have hosted a round in every season of MotoGP history (with 2020 the lone exception, cancelled due to COVID-19). The 100th edition of the Dutch TT in 2025 drew a record crowd of over 200,000 fans and was voted "Best Grand Prix of 2025" by paddock insiders. Famous landmarks of the modern circuit include the Geert Timmer Chicane (named after the former racer and TT Committee member, and the scene of countless last-lap overtakes just before the finish line), the long left-handed Ramshoek, the kink-filled Veenslang section between Strubben and Stekkenwal (relocated 50 m east in 2002 to make room for a larger paddock), and the high-speed sweepers that make Assen one of the most flowing and rider-friendly circuits in world racing. Uniquely on the MotoGP calendar, the Dutch TT was run on a Saturday from 1949 until 2015 — a tradition originally tied to the local church's position next to the old circuit. Since 2016 the race has run on the last Sunday of June, in line with the rest of the calendar. Assen is also a regular fixture of the Superbike World Championship and the FIM Endurance World Championship, and remains by far the busiest motorcycle trackday venue in the Netherlands. Giacomo Agostini holds the all-time record with 14 Grand Prix wins at Assen across the 350cc and 500cc classes.