The PETRONAS MIE Racing Honda Team is eager to get back to work this weekend with the third round of the 2023 Superbike World Championship about to play out at the TT Circuit Assen in The Netherlands.

Malaysian rider Hafizh Syahrin competed aboard the Honda already last season and finishing inside the points zone is the goal for the upcoming weekend, as he strives to continue the points-scoring trend seen in both Australia and Indonesia. Rookie Eric Granado continues his apprenticeship in the WorldSBK category but does have prior knowledge of the Assen circuit, having raced there last season while competing in the MotoE series. The Brazilian will be looking to improve on his performance during the season’s opening rounds.

The TT Circuit Assen has been a regular fixture on the WorldSBK calendar since 1992. Sometimes referred to as the ‘cathedral’ of motorcycle racing, this prestigious track always draws a passionate crowd. Located in the Drenthe province of The Netherlands, it has hosted motorcycle race events ever since the 1950s. Measuring 4.542 km in length, the track features eighteen turns (twelve right-handers and six left).

Hafizh Syahrin

“I’m looking forward to round 3 in Assen. We tested at Barcelona a few weeks ago, so I hope the bike and I can acclimatise to the track quite quickly. I’d like to improve my feeling with the bike at these first European rounds. The Assen track is very fast and not easy, so the aim will be to work well right from Friday so that we’re in good shape for the qualifying and races.”

Eric Granado

“I’m happy to return to Assen as I know it a lot better than the Australian and Indonesian circuits we’ve competed at so far. This doesn’t mean it will be easy of course but at least I won’t have to learn a brand-new track and can focus more on the bike. We’ve recently completed a positive test where we identified a good direction in terms of the setting. There are still areas in which we have to improve of course but we are working well as a team and will continue to strive to do more and be increasingly fast.”

Championship Standings

Track Information

Country: The Netherlands
Name: TT Circuit Assen
Length: 4.542 km

Pole position: left

Turns: 6 left, 11 right
Race distance: 21 laps/95.382 km

LAP RECORDS: Best lap – Bautista (Ducati) 1’33.620 (2022). Superpole – Razgatlioglu (Yamaha) 1’32.934 (2022).

2022 RESULTS:

Race 1 – 1. Rea (Kawasaki); 2. Bautista (Ducati); 3. Razgatlioglu (Yamaha)

Superpole race – 1. Rea (Kawasaki); 2. Razgatlioglu (Yamaha); 3. Bautista (Ducati)

Race 2 – 1. Bautista (Ducati); 2. Locatelli (Yamaha); 3. Lecuona (Honda)