Originally built for the Dutch TT in 1954, the circuit van Drenthe in Assen (in the north part of the Netherlands) used to be by far the longest track on the World SBK calendar and featured 6 km of rapid changes in direction. But modernisation work was completed last season, most notably on the famous North Loop, which has become a sort of arena where the crowd have a unique opportunity to follow the race. The length of the track has been shortened, from 5,997 metres in 2005 to roughly 4,750 metres today. Surrounded by grass banks, the circuit provides excellent viewing for the tens of thousands of spectators who attend the World SBK round every year.