TT Circuit Assen

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

The history of Assen began in 1925 on country roads through Rolde, Borger, Schoonloo, and Grolloo, organized by the Motorclub Assen en Omstreken. The following year, a brick- and semi-paved street circuit of 28.57 km hosted its first race at De Haar, where Piet van Wijngaarden won on a 500 cc Norton at an average speed of 91.4 km/h. By 1951, Umberto Masetti set a record of 162.35 km/h on a Gilera, and in 1954, Geoff Duke reached 170.69 km/h. In 1955, the circuit was fundamentally rebuilt using only a third of the original street layout joined with purpose-built sections. A major transformation occurred between 1999 and 2002, costing €23 million, which included a new main grandstand, Race Control tower, and enlarged paddock area from 40 to 60,000 square metres. This era saw the alteration of Veenslang and Ruskenhoek corners and a track shortening from 6.049 km to 6.027 km.

In Their Own Story

The current circuit, measuring 4.555 km with a longest straight of 560 m, was finalized in 2006 after the removal of the northern loop and plans for an amusement park were announced in 2004. The layout features a mix of super fast flat-out sections and slow corners, though traditional banked curves have been modified due to safety concerns since the days when riders could drive much faster on the extremely grippy surface. The finish line has never moved despite all other alterations. In September 2009, a new chicane was announced following an A1GP request, though Superleague Formula replaced them for the 2010-2011 season. Tragically, the venue witnessed fatalities in Yasutomo Nagai's crash during the 1995 Superbike World Championship and Alessio Perilli's accident at the 2004 Superstock European Championship.

Reader's Guide

Visitors to Assen can expect a track that has hosted the Dutch TT since its inception and is part of the World SBK calendar since 1992, barring the 2020 season. The facility includes modern amenities such as 34 newly equipped pit boxes built in 2000, alongside a new media and medical centre. The track surface was resurfaced with new asphalt during the 1999-2002 upgrades, which also moved the Mandeveen and Duikersloot corners back by 10 metres to accommodate larger run-offs. A two-lane tunnel now connects the paddock with the main entrance road and media accreditation centre. The current configuration, shortened to 4.555 km in 2006, balances high-speed flow with safety modifications, maintaining its reputation as a challenging circuit where smooth throttle control is paramount.

Did You Know?

• Piet van Wijngaarden won the first race at Assen in 1926 on a 500 cc Norton with an average speed of 91.4 km/h.
• The circuit was shortened from 6.049 km to 6.027 km during the €23 million upgrade between 1999 and 2002.
• Only one section of the current track remains original: the finish line, which has never moved.
• The main straight was moved approximately 50 m eastwards to accommodate a new two-lane tunnel connecting the paddock.
• Geoff Duke set a record speed of 170.69 km/h on the old street circuit in 1954.