WorldSBK Dutch round – what to expect from the World Superbikes at TT Assen Circuit

After three rounds of the 2018 World Superbike season only 18 points separate the top three, and for the first time in the history each of the top three have two wins each. Defending champion Jonathan Rea leads going into the Dutch round at the iconic TT Circuit Assen, he currently has a 12 point advantage over last season's runner up Chaz Davies. Marco Melandri, Davies’s team mate, is current third, six points adrift of his factory Ducati team mate.

Rea has won seven consecutive races at the circuit, 11 overall.  His current winning streak goes back to the second race of 2014, Rea’s last season with Honda before his move to the Factory Kawasaki team with who he has won three consecutive titles.  Between them Rea and his team mate Tom Sykes have started from pole in every one of the last six race weekends, a run going back to 2012. Should Rea be able to secure victory in both races it will take him to 58 career wins, one short of the record held by Carl Fogarty. He is also in sight of the record for most wins at Assen, a record again held by Fogarty with 12 victories around the Dutch circuit. Rea is currently one behind with 11.

Kawasaki may have been the dominant force at Assen in recent years but Ducati hold the record for most podiums at the circuit with 72. A total only bettered again by Ducati at Misano. The Italian manufacturer however hasn't won at the circuit in eleven races, their worst sequence at the circuit.

Xavi Fores is the surprise package of the season so far. The Spanish rider is currently fourth in the championship and is the top satellite rider. The top six is completed by the Yamaha pairing of Michael van der Mark and  Alex Lowes. Van der Mark will have home crowd advantage behind him and will be hoping to emulate his supersport victory on home soil from 2014.

1 Jonathan Rea 114 Kawasaki

2 Chaz Davies 102 Ducati

3 Marco Melandri 96 Ducati

4 Xavi Fores 76 Ducati

5 Alex Lowes 70 Yamaha

6 Michael van der Mark 67 Yamaha

World Supersport has had three different winners from the three races to date, with defending champion Lucas Mahias currently enjoying a four point gap over second-placed Sandro Cortese, who in turn has a four point advantage over Randy Krummenacher. Federico Caricasulo is fourth, only one point behind Krummenacher.

British rider Luke Stapleford riding for Triumph currently sits in a credible fifth position and his the only none four cylinder machine in the top 8.

Last years race was won by Kenan Sofuoglu, who has so far this season been absent through injury. Paddock gossip suggests the Turkish rider will imminently announce his retirement.

1 Lucas Mahias 58 Yamaha

2 Sandro Cortese 54 Yamaha

3 Randy Krummenacher 50 Yamaha

4 Federico Caricasulo 49 Yamaha

5 Luke Stapleford 27 Triumph

6 Jules Cluzel 25 Yamaha