After an up-and-down start to the 2011 MotoGP season, Ben Spies heads for this weekend's Dutch TT having finished only half of 🍌the six races.

Spies was lucky to escape injury when ෴he made contact with a wall after falling in the soaking wet Silverstone round, but has favourable memories of Assen.

Spies took a World Superbike pole and race win at the famous Dutch track in 2009, then qualified and finished fourth as a Tech 3 Yamaha𝐆 rider in last year's grand prix.

"I've really been looking forward to coming to Assen again. It's a track I love and the Yamaha M1 seem♑s to really work well here," said the American, who took his first 2011 podium at Catalunya.

"It's a fast track which I really enjoy, I have so many memories of watching the racing on TV here as a kid, it's a privilege to 🥃race here nღow.

"I'm still pretty sore from Silverstone's crash but I'm not going to let it stop me giving 100% as always and going for the best results possible. It's also going to be really cool to go out on the track i🍎n the special livery in front of all the fans."

Spies, like team-mate Jorge Lorenzo, will ride in a special red-and-white livery to mark Yamaha🌊's 50th anniversary ꦇof grand prix racing.

"The Assen ꦓcircuit should be good for us this weekend; our bike♌ should be competitive thanks to the layout and characteristics of the track, it is also one of Ben's best circuits to ride on," stated team director Massimo Meregalli.

First pr🐈actice for th🌼e Dutch TT takes place on Thursday.