Strong start at WSSP level

The WSSP round in Assen marked a special opportunity for Dirk Geiger, who competed as a wildcard entry in the Supersport class on the Yamaha R9 with Team APRECO. From the beginning of the weekend, Geiger showed strong pace and quickly adapted to the level of competition. He finished Free Practice in P12 with a lap time of 1:37.972, underlining the positive start into the weekend.

Crash affects qualifying performance

The promising start was interrupted by a crash during the practice sessions, which required the team to rebuild the bike ahead of qualifying. Despite the effort, Geiger was unable to fully regain his earlier pace in Superpole and secured P17 on the grid with a 1:37.559.

“After the crash, it was not easy to get everything back together for qualifying,” Geiger explained.

Consistent speed in warm-up sessions

In the warm-up sessions, Geiger once again demonstrated his potential. He finished both sessions in P6, setting lap times of 1:37.713 and 1:37.487. These results confirmed that the overall pace was there, even if it did not fully translate into qualifying.

Difficult race start in Race 1

Shortly before the start of Race 1, Geiger was forced to leave the grid due to a minor technical issue and had to start from the back of the field. This significantly affected the race outcome, as he had to fight his way through the field from the last position. He eventually finished Race 1 in P20, setting a best lap of 1:37.853.

Mixed conditions and early end to Race 2

Race 2 took place under difficult conditions, as light rain began shortly before the start. Despite this, the entire grid remained on slick tyres, making the opening laps particularly challenging. Geiger approached the start of the race cautiously under the mixed conditions, before building more confidence and improving his pace as the race progressed.

However, the race was brought to an early end due to a red flag with six laps remaining, limiting further opportunities to make up positions. He finished the race in P19, with a best lap of 1:38.446.

Positive takeaways despite challenges

Despite the setbacks, the weekend provided important insights for Dirk Geiger. The strong pace in practice and warm-up sessions highlighted the potential, while the races underlined how small factors can influence the outcome at this level.

Focus on continued development

The Assen weekend represents another important step in Geiger’s development with the Yamaha R9. The experience gained at WSSP level will directly support the ongoing EURO MOTO season.