The Dutch TT was first organised by the Assen and Omstreken motorcycle club on July 11, 1925, following a relaxation of Dutch laws permitting motorsport racing on public roads. The inaugural races took place on a 28.4 km street circuit in a triangular layout between the towns of Borger, Schoonloo, and Grolloo. From 1926 to 1955, the event moved to a 16.536 km rectangular street circuit routed through De Haar, Hooghalen, Laaghalen, and Laaghalerveen.
In 1955, a new 7.705 km circuit was constructed that still used public roads but more closely resembled a conventional race track. The transition to a fully permanent enclosed circuit was completed in 1992, at which point the venue took on its modern character as a dedicated motorsport facility rather than a public-road course.
The Dutch TT attained world championship status in 1949 when the FIM sanctioned it as part of the inaugural Grand Prix motorcycle racing world championship season. Its inclusion from the very first year of the championship — and its unbroken run on the calendar ever since, with the sole exception of 2020 when the race was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic — makes it the only circuit to have held a motorcycle Grand Prix every year of the world championship's existence.
The event was traditionally held on the last Saturday of June. From 2016 onwards, it moved to Sunday of the last weekend of June, aligning it with the race-day format used at all other MotoGP rounds.
TT Circuit Assen is located near the city of Assen in the province of Drenthe in the northern Netherlands. The circuit has undergone multiple revisions over its history, transitioning from its origins as an open public-road triangle to a permanently enclosed purpose-built facility. The "Cathedral of Speed" nickname reflects the reverence with which Dutch and international fans regard the venue, which regularly attracts crowds exceeding 90,000 spectators — attendance figures of 105,000 were recorded at events between 2016 and 2019.
The race has carried a succession of title sponsors across its decades. Notable naming periods include Lucky Strike (1993–1997), Rizla+ (1998–2000), Gauloises (2001–2005), and Motul (2015–2024). As of 2026 the event is titled the Tissot Grand Prix of the Netherlands. The FIM has confirmed the circuit's place on the calendar until at least 2031.
The Dutch TT's uninterrupted presence on the world championship calendar since 1949 sets it apart from every other Grand Prix venue. Its evolution from a public-road triangle to an internationally respected permanent circuit mirrors the broader development of Grand Prix motorcycle racing itself, and the event's loyal fanbase has made Assen one of the most distinctive stops on the annual MotoGP calendar.