That was a typically ‘Assen’ weekend: unpredictable weather and unpredictable racing. Just what the armchair fan wants. You have to admire the hardy souls that braved the weather at Assen this weekend, however. It was really wet on Friday, cold on Saturday and both on Sunday.

I am not sure how the fans managed to follow the action in Sunday’s wet/dry race, but after half a dozen laps I was bamboozled. It took me at least four laps to work out that Jonathan Rea was leading…..I think. I had to find a big screen trackside just to confirm it.

It was indeed another double win for Rea, who stretched his lead in the Championship again and brought ominous signs for his competitors. I learned on Sunday night that the team had tried some new engine strategies this weekend and he feels they made progress that will give him more confidence. With five wins out of eight races and a 45 point lead in the standings I am not sure how much more confidence he needs. The weather on Sunday did bring an element of chance into the race and he acknowledged that his stars aligned with his tyre change, and choice. The fact remains, however, that he is pulling clear again with another of his favourite tracks, at Imola, coming up next.

I was trying to think back to last year and this weekend seemed a bit early to be talking about rider transfers, however, given the speculation that has been rife in MotoGP recently maybe WorldSBK is a little late to the party. Maybe the old puzzle is still being played out as in the last 10 years: ‘once Valentino sorts out his contract everything and everyone else falls into place.’ In any case the speculation has started already, partly prompted by news in Speedweek that Kawasaki are expected to continue their agreement with the Catalan Provec Racing outfit to race in the Superbike Championship for at least another two, possibly three years. I heard speculation that Tom Sykes may look to move but Kawasaki appear keen to retain both Sykes and Rea. As the Swiss magazine eloquently reported, Davide Giugliano is ‘hovering over the ejector seat’ and for Sykes a Ducati ride would be the only option where he will have full factory backing to the same level as his current team.

A senior member of Honda Europe staff told me a few years ago that May was usually the month where things start to be discussed seriously since the manufacturers have all set budgets for the coming fiscal year and that will be transferred into the following season’s race teams. So expect more speculation in Imola.

Talking of Honda, they have clearly made progress with the CBR1000RR. This weekend it was great to see Nicky Hayden matching Michael van der Mark for pace and taking a podium in Saturday. As is the common way these days, they are finally coming to terms with the electronics package they have for the bike. The system and updates that had trickled through from Japan apparently were designed in such a way that the traction control system couldn’t recognize between rear wheel slip and the deformation of the Pirelli tyres.

The Pirelli’s have a notably soft sidewall construction. I am often amazed that the deformation of the tyre is evidently clear in some of the pictures I take but this is just a characteristic of their product. When the tyre was squashing down the TC on the Honda detected that as rear wheel slip and was strangling the throttle output. I don’t know if it as a result of ongoing development or the wealth of experience former MotoGP Champion Hayden and his crew have brought to the team but something seems to be working.

The next race at Imola should indeed be interesting. It is Ducati’s back yard; Rea has won the last four races there, but two were on the Honda. Before that Sykes did a double on the way to his Championship win. Throw all that into the mix and the signs point towards a close battle between the top three teams. I am looking forward to the fireworks.

Photo by Graeme Brown/GeeBee Images