Inde GasGas Aspar’s Jake Dixon claimed his second Moto2 podium of the season at the Assen TT Circuit on Sunday.

Having launched from pole for the Dutch Grand Prix, Dixon struggled in the early stages of the 24-lap race. Falling as far down as fifth at the halfway stage, he bided his time before coming strong in the second half as the grip with his Kalex machine improved. A late-race battle with teammate Albert Arenas saw him down to fourth with three to go before the Spaniard crashed out and the podium was back in his grasp.

“The beginning of the race I was really struggling and honestly, it just bring back memories of Sachsenring and going backwards and not recovering the grip,” Dixon said of his Sunday efforts.
“But I just think it was down to struggling a little bit at the beginning when the bike’s got the full fuel tank.

"I don't know if the bike's just not working in the correct way at the beginning and not allowing me to ride the way I need to and stressing the tyres a bit too much. But then finally when the tank starts to come a bit lighter, I'm able to put the bike a lot more in the way that I need to, prepare the exit a lot more and the grip come good at the end.

“Honestly, today, the team give me the bike to be able to win the race. I just got a little bit beaten up and the strategy obviously didn't pay off because I had to keep recovering because I kept getting bombed in certain areas. So yeah, the bike was good enough but I just didn't quite piece everything together.

“It's a bit frustrating, but again, after a couple of tough races and losing the podium in Barcelona as well. This one actually feels pretty good to be honest with the five week break ahead.

“We've been good all year,” he continued on his 2022 season. “We've been strong in qualifying and we've been in the position and leading races at times, and obviously crashed out of them. So this first half of the season, I've taken many, many positives, many learning experiences and the one thing I've really learned is the way how to bounce back from disappointment.

“I feel like every time I get knocked down, I keep getting back up and I think this is the key to being successful.

“Going now into Silverstone with the podium, obviously I want to try to do the best job I can possibly do. Going into there and try and send it for the fans.

“Obviously, now I've started to change a little bit more,” Dixon said of his GasGas machine. “Because the boys are so fast I have to start to try to have something because the same setting doesn't always work. It has done up until now but we started changing a bit the last couple of weekends because the speed hasn't quite been there and this weekend I've actually really struggled. So yes, we've had to search a little bit.

“There's still some work to do at the beginning of the race because I'm still struggling a lot. Losing a bit too much time to the front and having to make too much time back up at the end.

"So yeah, there's still work to be done, but I feel like I'm just still coming into form. I'm understanding myself a lot more on how to get the best out of the Moto2 bike. I'm still young in the series and the World Championships, obviously only my fourth year. So yeah, I'm obviously looking forward to the rest of the season and I've got a great team around me and like I say, ready to send it!”