After six years of absence, the drivers of the British Superbike championship have settled in Assen again. Today the training sessions were, the motor spectacle is really starting this weekend.
“It’s like you’re returning to your trusted chair,” laughs Stuart Higgs. He is the boss of the British motor spectacle. “It’s great to be reunited. We’re home again.”
In 2012, the prestigious British road race championship came to Assen for the first time. For all sorts of reasons, this suddenly came to an end in 2019. “We had a small problem called Covid and then came the Brexit. I don’t know which problem was worse for us. But that’s why we had to take a step back,” explains Higgs.
That step back mainly had to do with finances. “It turned out to be difficult for the smaller teams to come to Assen,” explains TT circuit director Mark van Aalderen. “Moreover, it is not only the costs for the crossing and the stay, but also the paper lump that comes with the Brexit. Fortunately, the organization now has a buffer to accommodate those costs.”
The championship is normally held in Great Britain, but now everything is shipped to Assen for one racing weekend. Despite that major operation, the drivers are happy to talk about it.
For Scott Rescue, the last winner of 2019 in Assen, the TT Circuit is even its favorite. “There is so much history here. It is an iconic circuit. Compared to other circuits, the fastest turns are here.”
Although it is still early in the morning, one motorcycle enthusiast drives up the parking lot of the TT Circuit after the other. They all come to watch the training. “This is a wonderful sport, very different from the MotoGP,” says a fan. “At least here is really racing. Without aids such as traction control and that kind of resources.”
Van Aalderen shares that opinion. “This is motorsport as Motorsport is meant. With your ticket you can get close to the pit boxes and in the pit lane.” Higgs adds: “Here we have no high fences and extreme security. We want children to be able to take a picture with their favorite driver. That’s how motorsport must be: accessible to everyone.”
It is striking that many Britons have traveled after the engine circus. “We got pictures of boats full of British, I think there are about ten thousand in Assen. They are probably now in the pub or here in the stands,” laughs Van Aalderen.
The organization hopes that 25,000 people will come to the event this weekend. If that number is achieved, the perspective for a longer cooperation offers. “It’s not all yet certain, we are still negotiating with Higgs,” Van Aalderen explains. “But if this weekend is a success, I think they will be there again next year.”