Dutch TT braces for extreme heat, but no code red for now

On Friday, a maximum temperature of 38 degrees is expected in and around the TT Circuit. Saturday will also remain exceptionally hot, well above thirty degrees. For Sunday, however, cooling is forecast, with a chance of showers and thunderstorms as well.

On Thursday, the KNMI issued a code red for a large part of the Netherlands due to the extreme heat. For Drenthe, code orange applies for now. The TT organization is taking into account that the situation may still change. Should code red be enacted for the Assen region after all, it will be assessed whether additional measures are needed. At this moment, however, the program is continuing exactly as planned.

The TT Circuit had already announced extra measures earlier this week. Visitors are allowed to bring their own water, as long as the bottles are not made of glass. Additional water stations have been set up across the grounds, mist showers will be placed behind the main grandstand, and visitors can use sunscreen free of charge. Extra supplies of cold water and non-alcoholic beer have also been stocked. For the thousands of volunteers, extra water bottles and sunscreen are being provided, and they are receiving additional instructions to work safely under the expected conditions.

Joan Mir’s eyes widen when GPblog confronts him with the weather forecast for Friday and Saturday. "38 degrees?" the Honda rider responds in surprise when he hears what temperatures are expected. "When I think about the physical load, I always look at my own training. Then I think about how hard I push on the bike and then about the people who don’t cycle. If I need to worry, then the others much more so," he adds with a laugh.

For the riders, it’s not only the outside temperature that’s a challenge. Mir points out that the heat from the bike itself makes the conditions even tougher. "It will probably be tough for me, but maybe even tougher for other riders. If they can handle it, then I can too. That’s how I look at it. But it will definitely be hard. We’re all going to suffer. And it’s not just the temperature outside. You also have the heat from the bike. Outside it’s 38 degrees, but on the bike about 100 degrees comes up."

Franco Morbidelli also expects a difficult weekend, though he is mainly looking at Sunday’s forecast. "it is a challenge for sure," says the Italian. "If it's going to be half and half, that's the main issue. That's the main monster for a rider, to ride on track with half and half conditions and anyway having to perform, having to maybe make a time attack in those conditions can be very tricky.

In theory, the high temperatures can also affect the bikes’ grip, although Morbidelli is cautious about drawing firm conclusions. "In theory the hotter the condition is, the less grip you have. But for example Barcelona was a really weak track on a grip point of view, but I performed well there." said Morbidelli.

Cal Crutchlow, who is once again replacing the injured Johann Zarco at LCR Honda in Assen, also expects a tough weekend. Still, the Brit is less concerned about the heat than about his own physical condition after his long absence from MotoGP. "It’s going to be warm, and Sunday looks a bit dodgy doesn't ot?" says Crutchlow. When he is told that the chance of rain is probably lower than expected, he reacts dismayed. "You've just disheartened me now. I was hoping for a flag-to-flag. I was going to stay out on the slicks." He joked.

Ultimately, the Brit sees the conditions as the same for everyone, and his biggest challenge lies elsewhere. "It’s the same for everyone. You just have to keep riding. My biggest problem is really bike fitness. It's really not anything other than that. I’m still a bit rusty,” he explains. “The other guys have probably already done 9,000 kilometers on a MotoGP bike this year. I'm probably at 800. Plus with the time I've had off before. It just takes time."