The challenge for the 2010 MotoGP World Championship title moves forward this weekend with the TIM TT Assen arriving only one week after the excitement of Silverstone, where a win for Jorge Lorenzo gives the Spaniard a 37 point lead in the Championship standings.

Lorenzo will be focussing again on battling his rivals even further this weekend in the Netherlands, however the Fiat Yamaha racer was adamant that he would be taking Saturday's event like any other.

"I arrive here after a great victory, but my approach will not change as a result," says Lorenzo during the pre-event press conference. “I have had three wins here in the past, one in 125 and two in 250, so I can say that this is one of my strongest tracks."

Lorenzo took time to check the changes to the Ruskenhoek corner, the only modifications to the circuit since he finished second in the MotoGP event last season.

"I went out on the scooter to have a look at Ruskenhoek, which is certainly a lot faster than it was before. Having seen the modified corner on television during the superbike race here I had some concerns about the changes but, now I've seen it up close, the corner looks fine."

Andrea Dovizioso is in fine form currently after having taken four podium finishes in five events, his second position at Silverstone last time put the Italian forward up to second in the Championship rankings. The Repsol Honda racer will be looking for victory and claim his first win of the 2010 season this weekend, he will need to close the gap on Lorenzo in points.

"The second place in Silverstone was good for motivation, both for myself and the team," states Dovizioso. "At the beginning of the season we were fast, but now we're also consistent enough to run at the front regularly. Lorenzo and the Yamaha are really strong, but we've made big steps and we're confident we can push to catch him. Now we just need to fight!"

Ben Spies has been a revelation in his debut MotoGP year, with fresh tracks creating no issues for the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 racer. Spies claimed his first podium finish in Silverstone, however was fast to play down his opportunities of a repeat performance this weekend at Assen, even though has raced here previously.

"It's good to come to a track I've been to before, and one that I like," says Spies. "I think the bike will be good here, but I know it will be tough to fight for a podium again this weekend. Maybe people will expect me to be on the podium every weekend now, but I'm more realistic because I know just how hard Silverstone was."

Ducati Marlboro's Casey Stoner has endured a difficult beginning to the year, but has moved up in the standings to eighth spot, after battling back from a shocking start to eventually take fifth position at Silverstone. Unlike his opponents, Stoner didn't check the changes to the Ruskenhoek corner, however the Aussie did comment on its recent changes.

"Racing here now doesn't have the same kick as it did when we raced on the old circuit, of which there are only a few parts left. I've struggled at Ruskenhoek for the last three seasons, so it's nice that they've changed my bogey corner for this year!"

Álvaro Bautista is also another competitor who has not begun well this year, he suffered a shoulder injury in a motocross smash prior to the Le Mans round. The former 125cc World Champion is now arriving to full fitness again and looking forward to progressing in his debut year in MotoGP.

"In Mugello I was riding like someone on the street, because the injury meant I couldn't ride the way I wanted to,” explains the Rizla Suzuki rookie. “At Silverstone the injury was better and it was only at the end of the race that I started to feel pain and struggled to turn the bike. This weekend I don't know, but I think that for my home race in Barcelona it's possible the shoulder will be back to 100% again."