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# Why Marquez is ‘proud’ of his worst-ever Assen MotoGP result
- URL: https://www.the-race.com/motogp/why-marquez-is-proud-of-his-worst-ever-assen-motogp-result/
- Published: 2021-06-29T07:14:06.000Z
- Updated: 2023-09-16T16:24:20.000Z
- Description: MotoGP’s 2021 Dutch TT on Sunday was the first time Marc Marquez has missed the podium at Assen since 2009, yet the performance left him “impressed” and “proud” – and said as much about him and Honda as his Sachsenring win
- Author: Valentin Khorounzhiy
- Tags: MotoGP, #image-center-center

Despite posting his worst-ever Dutch TT result as a MotoGP rider, Marc Marquez was left “impressed” and “proud” of his performance in the 2021 edition of the Assen event.

Assen has never been one of Marquez’s trademark circuits – not a track like the Sachsenring or Austin where he’s notoriously unbeatable – but the six-time MotoGP champion has always brought home a good haul of points from the Netherlands. His seventh-place finish on Sunday snapped a streak of consecutive podiums at Assen that dated back to 125cc in 2009.

[Jun 29 : Why Vinales is ditching Yamaha for Aprilia](https://www.spreaker.com/episode/45492198?ref=the-race.com) 

But Marquez’s continued recovery from his 2020 season-destroying right arm fracture, coupled with a massive highside in Friday practice that left him with major pain in his right foot, meant the shock was lessened when he qualified a career-worst 20th at the circuit on Saturday after another crash.

![Marc Marquez Honda MotoGP](https://storage.googleapis.com/the-race-com.appspot.com/1/2021/06/921395-1024x683.jpg)

Taking seventh after a late battle with Francesco Bagnaia (who finished ahead) and Aleix Espargaro (who finished behind) meant the podium streak had ended, but also marked Marquez’s biggest in-race progression in his MotoGP career – which up to now has provided precious few opportunities to gain 13 places in a race.

It was also his fastest-ever race at Assen, with an average speed 173.9km/h that improved on his previous best by over 1km/h.

“I was impressed by my performance during the race, and I’m proud, because it’s the first race on a right-corner circuit that I finished more or less in a good way,” said Marquez, who had actually moved up to 11th as early as the opening lap of the race.

“Of course I had arm pump, of course I was struggling more, but also this track is really demanding for physical condition, and I was able to \[finish seventh\].”

![Marc Marquez MotoGP Honda](https://storage.googleapis.com/the-race-com.appspot.com/1/2021/06/922144-1024x683.jpg)

Assen, with its official count of 12 right-hand corners to six left-handers, came in sharp contrast to the left-hander-dominated Sachsenring the week prior, when Marquez claimed the first win of his comeback.

The right-side limitations – with the arm and previously-dislocated but also the hit to the right foot from Friday’s crash – meant the Dutch TT left Marquez “destroyed”.

“The bike today had the performance to finish in the podium,” he acknowledged. “This is something also that makes me happy.”

###### Marquez at Assen in MotoGP

| **Year** | **Grid** | **Result** | **Race time** | **Gap to winner**    |
| -------- | -------- | ---------- | ------------- | -------------------- |
| 2013     | 2nd      | 2nd        | 41m27.372s    | 2.170s (Rossi)       |
| 2014     | 2nd      | 1st        | 43m29.954s    |                      |
| 2015     | 3rd      | 2nd        | 40m55.279s    | 1.242s (Rossi)       |
| 2016     | 4th      | 2nd        | 22m18.438s\*  | 1.991s (Miller)      |
| 2017     | 2nd      | 3rd        | 41m46.350s    | 5.201s (Rossi)       |
| 2018     | 1st      | 1st        | 41m13.863s    |                      |
| 2019     | 4th      | 1st        | 41m00.269s    | 4.854s (Vinales)     |
| 2021     | 20th     | 7th        | 40m45.141s    | 10.110s (Quartararo) |

**\* 12-lap time instead of 26, race red-flagged and restarted**

Having blamed his Friday shunt on the shortcomings of the electronic set-up, Marquez demanded that [Honda introduce an urgent fix](https://www.the-race.com/motogp/marquez-demands-more-safe-honda-after-huge-assen-crash/) – but then spent the rest of the weekend praising his employer for a swift response.

And he believes the action Honda took assisted him in his Dutch TT charge.

![Marc Marquez MotoGP Honda](https://storage.googleapis.com/the-race-com.appspot.com/1/2021/06/rd9_assen_marc_2021-02094-1024x683.jpg)

“The racing team here on the racetrack, they had like a phone call, conference with Japan, and with the electronics \[specialists\] in Japan, also the electronics \[specialists\] from the test team, and they found a few parameters that were maybe not in the correct way.

“And the fact that here we had a new asphalt, you know, the grip is higher and maybe sometimes the TC \[traction control\] is too far. And it’s what happened on Friday.

“They changed a few parameters that worked in a better way and I felt much more confidence.

![Marc Marquez MotoGP Honda](https://storage.googleapis.com/the-race-com.appspot.com/1/2021/06/rd9_assen_marc_2021-01130-1024x683.jpg)

“It’s true that especially with the used tyre I started to ride in a very good way.

“And during the race I felt like in the first part I was OK, riding well but not comfortable, but then in the second part of the race I did an improvement on the exit of the corners and it was because of that change, on the electronic side.”