The fourth round of the World Superbike Championship is scheduled for April 12 to 14 on TT Assen Circuit. The circuit was inaugurated in 1925 and at the time was about 28.4 km (17.6 miles) long. It was shortened to 7.7 km (4.8 miles) in 1955, then it underwent numerous modifications resulting in its current length of 4,542 meter (2.822 miles). The circuit has hosted World Superbike Championship without interruption since 1992.
Three months prior, it was the stage for Mick Doohan's fall during qualifying laps for the 500cc class. It became impossible for him to use his war-torn right leg, so the Australian used the thumb brake master cylinder designed by Brembo engineers to return to the starting grid. TT Assen Circuit stands out for its 18 corners, two thirds of which are to the right, and very short straightaways: the longest straightaway measures just 487 meters (1,598 feet) and the one at the starting line isn't more than 300 meters (984 feet).
As you can imagine, this is a very drivable track that doesn't require demanding braking. This characteristic combined with the track's geographic location provide optimal conditions for cooling the steel discs. According to the Brembo technicians, who work closely with 15 World Superbike Championship riders, TT Assen Circuit is only slightly demanding on the brakes. On a scale of 1 to 5, it earned a 1 on the difficulty index, which is exactly what Phillip Island scored.
