Assen Clashes Collection: The Last Chance

Geert Timer Assen is the most famous corner in Assen Circuit. t is a chicane and very possible to overtaking there. Because of it's position that put in last corner, make this corner very important until final time in the race.


1984: Randy Mamola v Raymond Roche

Randy Mamola #3 tried to take back his position from Roche #11

Last lap coming, and Mamola still lead the race just less than 1 second ahead Roche. No overtook until the final corner. Roche tried his last chance from inside line and it passed through Mamola, but Mamola made great move in the second part of the corner running outside and get more speed for passing Roche and defended his position for win.

1991: Kevin Schwant v Wayney Rainey

Wayney Rainey run off into grass.

Rainey lead Schawnt almost 1 second in the last lap. Looked like Rainey would win the race after Schwant could'nt get closer into the leader. Surprissingly Rainey made mistake by getting very wide until out of track and must slowing his speed passed grasses and lose many time made Schawnt could pass him through when the finish line had been in front of his face. Schwant won the race from Rainey because his efford that never gave up.

2002: Carlos Checa v Tohru Ukawa *battle for 3rd

Failed manuver from Ukawa bring him and Checa out of the track.

Ukawa got closer into Checa and he could tail Checa in the final lap in battle for 3rd. Until the final corner Ukawa made a manuver to take Checa from the inside in his last chance to get final place in the podium, but he could'nt make it through and getting wide, touch Checa make both of them must run of the track. Checa cut and pass the gravel, while Ukawa pass the green wet grass that brougt him self crashed down.
Checa won this battle by finish third, and Ukawa who crashed finally finished at 5 place.

2006: Nicky Hayden v Colin Edwards

Colin Edwars lose his only chance to win the motogp race in front of finish line

The battle between Nicky Hayden and Colin Edward reached until the final lap. Hayden made wobble in some last corner before the finish line. Edward put Hayden in the second place in next corner (4 corner before finish line). Coming into final corner Hayden tried to take back his position from the outside of Edward but he could not make it true and bring him into the gravel, while Edward also tried to keep his position coming wide in the chicane and bit out of the track in green area. It was bring him to the disaster because he began to cornering to left when he was still in the run off area, he got slip and bounced from his bike while his bike still run into the barrier.
Finally Hayden won the Assen 2006 race after he could pass the gravel area into the finish line and Edward finished 13th by pushed his bike after his crashed

2015: Valentino Rossi v Marc Marquez

Rossi run in the gravel after contact with Marquez

Assen 2015 ended by dramatic action between Rossi and Marquez. The long battle with some overtake, not much, went into the final lap. Coming into the final corner it is Marquez las chance to overtake the doctor and won the race. Marquez tried to pass Rossi in final lap final corner. Rossi brake very hard to defend his position. Marquez and Rossi side by side into the GT Assen but Rossi still few centimeter in front of Marquez and it cause a contact that made both of them came wide. Rossi was pushed in to the gravel, but he opened the throthtle before arrived in gravel area then launched quicker than Marquez that run wide in the chicane. Marquez looked fed up of Rossi's action, but race directors said it was clear because an accident (contact) before.

Drama Tikungan Terakhir Jerez

Tikungan terakhir sirkuit Jerez adalah tikungan chicane yang sangat memungkinkan untuk melakukan overtaking jika terjadi duel. Sehingga bila ada duel hingga lap terakhir tikungan ini akan jadi penentunya.

2013: Marquez vs Lorenzo

Dani Pedrosa melenggang di depan menuju kemenangan sementara kamera tertuju pada Marc Marquez dan Jorge Lorenzo. Marc terus menempel Jorge pada putaran terakhir balapan di Sirkuit Jerez 2013. Tak ada overtaking hingga satu tikungan tersisa.
Melihat celah terbuka pada sisi dalam dengan beraninya si rookie ini masuk ke sisi dalam untuk melewati kompatriotnya itu.

Lorenzo yang tak berpikir akan disusul tetap melaju seperti biasa, sehingga keduanya bersenggolan. Marc berhasil melewati Jorge yang harus terpental keluar lintasan. Marc akhirnya unggul atas Jorge dengan menempati posisi kedua sementara Jorge finis ketiga.

Drama berlanjut karena ternyata Jorge marah besar setelah senggolan dan tidak mau disalami oleh Marc seusai balapan...

2005: Rossi vs Gibernau

Memasuki putaran terakhir Rossi masih memimpin balapan dengan dibuntuti oleh Gibernau.

Drama dimulai ketika keduanya tiba di tikungan ke-6 alias tikungan Dry Sac. Rossi yang melebar membuatnya mampu dilibas oleh Gibernau. Sejak itu Gibernau mengambil alih pimpinan balapan dibuntuti Rossi. Rossi yang tak rela posisinya direbut memberikan perlawanan serius.

Ia menyusul Gibernau pada tikungan ke-11, namun upayanya belum berhasil karena hampir membuatnya terjatuh dan sempat melebar, sehingga Gibernau mampu kembali berada di posisi pertama.

Keluar dari tikungan ke-12 Rossi sempat berusaha mau mengambil jalur sebelah kanan, namun nampaknya akan sia-sia karena tingga menyisakan satu tikungan lagi dan merupakan tikungan ke kiri. Sehingga ia segera berusaha berada di sebelah kiri.Begitu tiba di tikungan terakhir Rossi memaksa masuk ke sisi dalam Gibernau hingga sempat menurunkan kakinya.

Akibatnya Rossi menutup jalur Gibernau dan keduanya saling bersenggolan. Rossi yang belum selesai mengerem dan belum cukup stabil harus tetap menegakkan motornya sembari dipepet Gibernau dari sisi luar hingga Gibernau yang berusaha tetap bertahan di samping Rossi harus terseret keluar lintasan. Begitu Gibernau tidak lagi menempel dan terhempas menuju gravel Rossi langsung menuntaskan tikungan terakhir menuju garis finis guna menjadi juara. Sementara Gibernau walau sempat terhempas di gravel namun tetap dapat finis di posisi kedua.




1996: Doohan vs Criville

Inilah drama terbesar kali ini. Berstatus sebagai tuan rumah Alex Criville mendapat keuntungan tersendiri ketika berlaga di sirkuit Jerez tahun 1996. Ia pun berhasil mendominasi jalannya balapan hingga memasuki lap-lap terakhir, dimana Mick Doohan mulai mendekat dan mengancam posisinya. Memasuki putaran terakhir Criville masih memimpin balapan dibuntuti oleh Doohan.

Criville mungkin saja dapat mempertahankan posisinya dan memenangkan balapan hingga drama langka tersaji di tikungan 9. Dimana para penonton pendukung tuan rumah turun dari tribun menuju ke race track, mulai dari gravel, hingga kerb yang merupakan batas antara lintasan aspal dengan run off area. Penonton yang turun ke lintasan membawa atribut spanyol nampaknya ingin memberi semangat kepada jagoan mereka Alex Criville.

Yang terjadi justru sebaliknya, sejak melewati kerumunan penonton yang turun ke jalan Doohan justru dapat merapatkan jaraknya dengan Criville.
Hingga tiba di tikungan terakhir Criville yang lengah dengan memberikan ruang untuk Doohan menyusul harus rela dilewati oleh Doohan dari sisi dalam.

Tersusul di tikungan terkhir ternyata menyebabkan Criville membuat kesalahan yang berakibat pada terpentalnya ia dari motornya.

Akhirnya Doohan finis pertama sementara Criville gagal menyelesaikan lomba yang hanya menyisakan lintasan lurus menuju garis finis.
Kemenangan melayang, podium tak didapat, poin tak diraih, garis finis pun tak dilewati. Penonton pun kecewa.
Ini pelajaran bagi para penonton agar jangan mengganggu jalannya balapan.