Why all Honda riders went against the grain at Assen MotoGP

Assen MotoGP saw Honda riders go against the grain with their tyre choice, and Luca Marini explained why the alternative strategy became their only realistic option. For the 26-lap race, almost the entire grid selected a medium-compound rear tyre, but the four Honda riders, along with the Marquez brothers, chose the soft rear. Marini finished 11th at the chequered flag, behind both factory Yamahas, while Marc and Alex Marquez were both in the top six. He said an incident at turn five left him stuck behind Jack Miller and led to over-stressing the rear tyre while trying to recover early. Later, he described difficulty overtaking, including when he reached Alex Rins, and said the bike could not generate enough grip with the medium rear, causing it to slide excessively. With the soft tyre, he shifted to managing and conserving for survival through the final stages, noting that the rear tyre ultimately ran out before he could pass.