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Author: David Bodapati
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Rain-master Jaden Pariat qualifies in superb P5: British F4 Championship
Brands Hatch (England) 6 May 2023: Indian racing talent Jaden R Pariat’s valiant effort in wet conditions got him a superb P5 in the qualifying session of the ROKiT British F4 Championship here on Saturday.
Saturday morning saw a curtailed, wet qualifying session which set the grids for the first and third races of this weekend’s schedule. Jaden put a lap in the bank anticipating more rain and also did a second best lap that put him on P5 for Race 3. The first race of Sunday, Race 2 will see a reverse grid. Each round has three races and after the opener in Donington Park where Jaden secured a podium in Race 2, Saturday’s race was the fourth of the 30-race season. Two more races will be held on Sunday and dry conditions are predicted.
“We had a solid qualifying today, followed by a very eventful race. I took to the track in the midst of a slight drizzle and it was all about banking a lap in-case the rain intensified. Happily my time was good enough for fifth fastest. My second fastest time got me P7 for Race 1. There was a bit more left in the tank and pole was only three tenths up the road, so we were in the mix,” said the 16-year Indian after the qualifying session.
“I got a bit of a wheel-spin off the line on the damp surface and dropped a few places. In trying to make-up places, I made a move into Turn 1 causing me to have contact with another driver, so I lost our front wing and I had to pit,” the Shillong-born Jaden, added.
The karting sensation, who made Bengaluru his home for better part last year, before shifting to England for a full season in the British F4 championship this year narrated how he fought back gaining five places after his pit-stop. “The team did a good job to get me back out and, when the race restarted with five minutes on the clock, I made some decent progress, gaining five places in two laps. Sadly, I ran out of time to gain further places. Let’s see what tomorrow brings,” he concluded.
Jaden finally finished 12th. He will start P13 in Race 2 on Sunday but watch-out for Race 3 where he is expected to fight with the front-runners starting from P5.
For the record, James Higgins (Fortec Motorsport) secured the Omologato Pole Position Award and first position start for both Races 1 and 3, after he set two fastest laps early in the session anticipating the rain to worsen. Teams had hoped the conditions would dry towards the end of the session, however continuing rain saw conditions worsen and a red flag for a stranded car ultimately ended the session early, preventing further challenges.
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After a podium in Round 1, Jaden Pariat raring to go at Brands Hatch: British F4
Kent (England), 5 May 2023: Indian racing talentJaden R Pariat is raring to go in the Round 2 of the ROKiT F4 British Championship following his maiden overall podium in Round 1 this season and is eager to get on to the track again at the Brands Hatch Indy here this week-end.
The 16-year-old started his 2023 campaign off in style at Donington Park, with an impressive overall third place finish in race two, marking the youngster’s first podium appearance with leading team Phinsys by Argenti.
Having raced on the circuit’s Grand Prix layout in last year’s competition, Jaden will be able to feed from previous experience of the former Formula One venue to aid in his efforts on the shorter but equally as technical Indy layout this time out. Jaden will once again race thanks to the support of his amazing sponsors, Lyca Radio, Boba Tree, Ahom and Minerva Virtual Academy, and will carry the logos on his car at Brands Hatch.
Unofficial testing kicks off the weekend on Friday May 5th, before the teenager gets back behind the wheel for qualifying on Saturday May 6th at 10:25 BST (14:55 IST), with race one later that afternoon at 13:40 BST (18:10 IST). Race two is set for 10:25 BST (14:55 IST) on Sunday 7th, and race three at 15:10 BST (19:40 IST), which will be broadcast live on ITV4 or ITVX for UK viewers.Jaden Pariat Jaden Pariat #77
“I’m feeling positive heading to Brands Hatch Indy, it’s the shortest circuit on the calendar, so it’ll be really, really close. The gaps were tiny at Donington Park, and I expect it to be a lot closer this time because of how short the lap is, so qualifying is going to be crucial and we’ll be focusing a lot on performing well for that.
“We’ve driven at Brands Hatch a few times now, and I think it’s a circuit that could suit us, so hopefully we can achieve a great qualifying result. It’s difficult to predict what could happen or how we’re going to perform, because everyone unleashed their true pace at Donington Park and it showed how competitive the grid is this season, but the team and I will continue to push for good results.
“After my podium at Donington Park last time out I’m definitely striving to get another top three finish under my belt at Brands Hatch. The full focus is on starting the weekend off strong which will hopefully set us up well for another podium.”
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Pragathi Gowda returns from World finals stronger: FIA Rally Star Cup
Pragiarolo (Italy), 5 May 2023: Pragathi Gowda, the Indian rally talent, achieved amazing results in a new vehicle, the Rally Cross Car, which is not available for practice in India. Nevertheless, the Bengaluru lass surprised the motorsports aficionados in India last year by winning the Continental competition for women and booked a seat in the World Finals.
Pragathi Gowda went down fighting on a TN5 Cross Car, after giving a tough fight to the other three woman finalists, at the finals at the Maggiora Offroad Arena here on Thursday (May 4). Pragathi was not used to these cars and entered one for the first time in the trials at Chennai. However, she went early to Italy to train and acclimatise for few days. The finals which were supposed to be held in Peru were postponed twice.
The Rally Star Cup (RSC), (not to be confused with the Rally Star Cup, a class which used to be held in the Indian National Rally Championship) is new initiative launched by FIA, the Federation that governs Motorsports around the globe, for rally drivers aged between 17 and 26 years to provide them a road to World Rally Championship. Aspiring talented drivers for different continents come through a ladder and are given a chance to fast-track their entry into the Junior WRC as FIA provides free training before selecting the final winners.
India’s Pragathi Gowda who was took a stunning victory in the Asia Pacific continental selection trials at Chennai’s Madras International Circuit defeating Australian driver, played her heart out and displayed a strong run to reach the finals. After giving a tough fight to the three other finalists Gowda bowed out with dignity and came back stronger. “It was a great learning experience. Winning or losing is secondary. The Rally Star Cup provided me a chance to give my best. The best thing is coming up with such a great programme and to build young talent. That’s something good for the future. And I really enjoyed it.”
It was Peruvian driver Annia Cilloniz, 24, who finally won a place for the training. The other finalists along with Paragathi Gowda are Maja Hallén Fellenius (Sweden) and, Kristie Ellis (South Africa)., to compete for the inagural title and a place in the FIA Rally Star Training Season starting later this month.
On a TN5 Cross Car, built and prepared by Hyundai WRC driver Thierry Neuville’s LifeLive organisation, the drivers took on a 4.7-kilometre mixed-surface stage, which consisted of five laps and run three times.
The stage performances, along with the results of physical and reflex tests, were carefully evaluated by the Jury, led by FIA Deputy President for Sport Robert Reid. Following a Jury interview, Annia Cilloniz, 24, was announced as the winner of the FIA Rally Star Women’s Final. Pragathi Gowda, is said to be the reserve driver, in case the Peruvian is unable to attend.
As well as winning the coveted accolade, Cilloniz secures a place in the FIA Rally Star Training Season, which consists of an intensive Training Camp in Sardinia from May 21 to June 1, followed by six rallies in a Ford Fiesta Rally3 run by M-Sport Poland on Pirelli tyres.
The competition schedule begins with the gravel-based Rally San Marino from June 16 to 17 and if Cilloniz completes the FIA Rally Star Training Season as one of the four best performing drivers, then she will win a dream drive in the 2024 FIA Junior WRC Championship, a further life-changing opportunity.
Other male continental winners Jose “Abito” Caparo (Peru), Max Smart (South Africa), Taylor Gill (Australia), Romet Jurgenson (Estonia) and Abdullah Al Tawqi (Oman) already made it to the FIA Rally Star Training. The first training session begins in Sardinia from May 24.
All the six finalists will then each contest six rallies in a Ford Fiesta Rally3 run by M-Sport Poland with the best four performers earning a fully-funded drive in the 2024 FIA Junior WRC. The competition schedule begins with the gravel-based Rally San Marino on June 16 and 17. Later in 2025, the top three then will get a chance for a second Junior WRC season and if one of the FIA Rally Star Team members wins the title, they will secure a WRC2 campaign for 2026.
RevvHard are dynamic youngsters who are trying to accelerate the growth of Indian Motorsports using social media as a weapon to come up to speed. Here’s what they said on Instagram about Pragathi Gowda.
“Pragathi Gowda’s impressive 2nd place finish in the FIA Rally Star competition is a truly inspiring achievement, especially considering the fact that she is a woman in a male-dominated sport. Her success serves as a powerful message of empowerment and motivation for other women who are interested in pursuing careers in motorsports.
Pragathi’s accomplishment is a huge boost for the promotion of motorsports in India, as it helps to break down barriers and promote diversity in the sport. It showcases that with hard work, dedication, and passion, anyone can achieve their goals, regardless of their gender.
Overall, Pragathi Gowda’s achievement in the FIA Rally Star competition is a great source of inspiration and encouragement for all women who aspire to make their mark in the world of motorsports.” RevvHard on Insta!
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Geoffrey Emmanuel set for FIM World JuniorGP debut
Estoril (Portugal), 2 May 2023: A landmark will be scripted this weekend at the Circuit de Estoril in Portugal when Chennai-born 18-year old Geoffrey Emmanuel becomes the first Indian to participate in the FIM World JuniorGP World Championship. The opening round of this Moto3 feeder series, organised by Dorna Sports, is scheduled for May 5-7.
Geoffrey, son of Emmanuel Jebaraj, winner of seven National titles, is representing team Cuna De Campeones that has produced the likes of 2020 World champion Joan Mir besides Jorge Martin and Pedro Acosta among many top-notch riders.
FIM JuniorGP World Championship, comprising seven rounds, is a junior class race event that runs under FIM Moto3 regulations and acts as a Moto3 World Championship feeder class. It is considered to be among the most competitive junior championships in the World.
Recent image of Geoggrey Emmanuel at Valencia. INDIAinF1 photo As part of the preparations, Geoffrey, who is sponsored by Fairstreet Sports, Vidiem, Vamcy Merla, a businessman from Andhra Pradesh Kalyani Group, and Gusto Racing, shifted to Valencia, Spain, last year, and participated in the Hawkers European Talent Cup, a one-make championship by Honda.
“The European Talent Cup was a steep learning curve for me, given the very competitive environment and racing on new circuits. But overall, it did a lot of good for my confidence. I now look forward to the World JuniorGP season which is a big step forward for me as I chase my MotoGP dream,” said Geoffrey.
Earlier this year, Geoffrey tested in Estoril and Valencia, riding the 2018 KTM RC 250GP bike, to prepare for the World JuniorGP season.
Meanwhile, Geoffrey’s younger brother, 17-year old Johann Reeves Emmanuel, is taking part in the FIM JuniorGP European Talent Cup that will be run on the same weekend as the World JuniorGP.
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10-time National champ Hemanth Muddappa begins 2023 in style with a double
Chennai, 30 April 2023: Reigning National champion in his class, Hemanth Muddappa, displayed his masterclass once again to begin his 2023 campaign in style as he bagged a double in the opening round of the MMSC fmsci Indian National Motorcycle Drag Championship 2023 powered by Vamci Merla at the Madras International Circuit (MIC) here on Sunday.
The Mantra Racing rider, a 10-time Indian National Drag Champion is the defending champion in the 1051 to 1650cc Superbikes class. Today, he claimed the honours as the ‘Fastest Rider’ of the day. On way to victory in the Four-stroke 1051 to 1650cc Super Sport class he defeated Sidharth Parmar of Mumbai with a handsome margin and then set the quickest time of Round 1, as he went on to win the Blue Ribbon event, the four-stroke Unrestricted class beating Mohammad Riyaz of Hyderabad by three-tenths of a second, a big boost for his 2023 season.
“When you touch rock bottom, it teaches you lessons that reaching mountain-tops never will,” was how the fitness freak explained his exploits today. Last year, he set out his focus on three titles but was able to win the Championship in only one class, which may have disappointed the Indian record holder, but nevertheless Muddappa got his 10th National title in 2022.
The second of the four rounds will be organised by Madras Motor Sports Club (MMSC) at the MIC on July 1 and 2.
Provisional Results: (4stroke National Championship classes on Sunday)
4s 361 to 550cc Super Sport Indian: 1. Shah Rukh Khan, Mumbai (Mantra Racing) 11.891; 2. Mohammad Fazil, Bengaluru, 12.066; 3. Jason D Souza, Mumbai (Mantra Racing) 12.122.
4s 551 to 851cc Super Sport: 1. Mohammad Riyaz, Hyderabad, 8.461; 2. Sidharth Parmar, Mumbai, 8.611; 3. Hemanth Muddappa, Bengaluru (Mantra Racing) 8.772.
4s 1051 to 1650cc Super Sport: 1. Hemanth Muddappa, Bengaluru (Mantra Racing) 7.689; 2. Sidharth Parmar, Mumbai, 8.097; 3. Mohammad Riyaz, Hyderabad, 8.382.
4s Unrestricted: 1. Hemanth Muddappa, Bengaluru (Mantra Racing) 7.616; 2. Mohammad Riyaz, Hyderabad, 7.915; 3. Sidharth Parmar, Mumbai, 8.024.
PS. All privateers, if team name is not mentioned.
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Photo feast: MMSC fmsci Drag National 2023 Round 1 at MIC
Photo Gallery. IndianMotorsports.in Commissioned photos from Srinivasa Krishnan, photojournalist and Karan Ravi photographer. Videos by Sathya M.
[Best_Wordpress_Gallery id=”24″ gal_title=”Drag National 2023 Ro1″] -
Kush Maini misses podium: Baku F2 race; Daruvala 14th
Baku, 29 April 2023: Kush Maini, the Indian racing star, a rookie in the F2, finished just outside the podium taking fourth place in the FIA Formula 2 Sprint here on Saturday.
Meanwhile, the other Indian veteran in F2, Jehan Daruvala, who was running third at one point after starting from P5 ended up 14th in the Sprint race.
Oliver Bearman demonstrated that to finish first in Baku – first, you have to finish, as the British rookie claimed his first Formula 2 victory in a dramatic Sprint Race.
Off the back of his maiden pole position, he lined up 9th on the grid and carved his way through the field to snatch the win from Prema Racingteammate Frederik Vesti.
A late restart with only three laps to go brought drama, as race leader Dennis Hauger and second-placed Victor Martins crashed out. The PREMA pair were there to pick up the pieces as the race concluded behind the third and final Safety Car. Hitech Pulse-Eight’s Jak Crawford also kept himself out of trouble to take his second podium in third.
AS IT HAPPENED
As the five lights went out, Victor Martins attempted to split the front-row starters, Richard Verschoor and Zane Maloney. However, there was no room for the ART Grand Prix driver as he banged wheels with Maloney.
Reverse pole-sitter Verschoor didn’t hold the lead for long. Contact with the wall at Turn 1 left the Van Amersfoort Racing driver with damage and forced his early retirement. Maloney momentarily assumed the front of the field, but the contact with Martins had caused a right rear puncture. Hauger capitalised to seize the lead from sixth on the grid.
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Sergio Perez wins Azerbaijan Sprint ahead of Verstappen
Baku, 29 April 2023: Sergio Pérez took the first Sprint win of his career with a controlled drive to victory in Baku that saw him pass Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc midway through the race in the Sprint race ahead of the FIA Formula 1 Championship here on Sunday .
Third place in the 17-lap race went to Max Verstappen. The championship leader dropped to fourth at the start after being hit by George Russell but later passed the Mercedes drive to take the P3 medal.
When the lights went out at the start, Leclerc got away well from the front of the grid to take the lead. Pérez matched the Ferrari drive off the line and tucked in behind, but Verstappen was slow to start and he was quickly put under pressure by Russell. Verstappen had the upper hand in Turn 1 but Russell was more aggressive at the next corner. He locked up on cold tyres, however, and collided with the Red Bull, gouging a hole in the sidepod of Versatppen’s RB19. The Dutchman had to give way to the Briton as they headed onto the straight towards Turn 3.
Moments later the Virtual Safety Car was deployed when AlphaTauri’s Yuki Tsunoda hit the wall in Turn 14 and with debris on the track the physical Safety Car was released at the end of lap three.
The SC left the track at the end of lap five. Leclerc managed the restart well ahead of Pérez but it was Verstappen who reacted best to Leclerc’s acceleration and he ambushed Russell just after they crossed the start-finish line. The Dutchman dived down the inside of the Mercedes and powered past the Mercedes into Turn 1.
Behind them, Carlos Sainz also reacted well and he muscled past Lewis Hamilton under braking into Turn 1 to take P5. Hamilton, forced wide, also surrendered position to the opportunistic Fernando Alonso who tucked in behind Sainz and stole P6.
On lap 8, with DRS back in play after the resumption, Pérez closed up to Leclerc and as they roared along the long straight toward Turn 1 he swept past the Ferrari to take the lead.
Two laps later, Leclerc lost the DRS boost of being within a second of Pérez and Verstappen tried to close in. The Ferrari driver responded, though, and he briefly pushed his way back into DRS of the race leader as Verstappen drifted out of range of Leclerc.
Pérez was now in firm control and on lap 14 he stretched his lead to 1.3 seconds and from there sailed serenely on to take a superbly managed first Sprint win.
Verstappen managed to close up to within a second of Leclerc on the penultimate lap but the Ferrari driver was wily enough to harvest energy in the right places and was able to keep restrict the Dutchman to third at the flag.
Behind the top three, Russell took fourth place ahead of Sainz and Alonso and Hamilton and the final point on offer went to Lance Stroll in the second Aston Martin.
2023 FIA Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix – Sprint
1 Sergio Pérez Red Bull/Honda RBPT 17 –
2 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 17 4.463
3 Max Verstappen Red Bull/Honda RBPT 17 5.065
4 George Russell Mercedes 17 8.532
5 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 17 10.388
6 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin/Mercedes 17 11.613
7 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 17 16.503
8 Lance Stroll Aston Martin/Mercedes 17 18.417
9 Alexander Albon Williams/Mercedes 17 21.757
10 Oscar Piastri McLaren/Mercedes 17 22.851
11 Kevin Magnussen Haas/Ferrari 17 27.990
12 Zhou Guanyu Alfa Romeo/Ferrari 17 34.602
13 Pierre Gasly Alpine/Renault 17 36.918
14 Nyck de Vries AlphaTauri/Honda RBPT 17 41.626
27 Nico Hülkenberg Haas/Ferrari 17 48.587
16 Valtteri Bottas Alfa Romeo/Ferrari 17 49.917
17 Lando Norris McLaren/Mercedes 17 51.104
18 Esteban Ocon Alpine/Renault 17 1’00.621
Yuki Tsunoda AlphaTauri/Honda RBPT 2 – Retirement
Logan Sargeant Williams/Mercedes 0 – Withdrawn -
Abdul Shaikh starts title defence in style; adds one more win; Jagathishree tops
Irungattukottai (Chennai), 29 April 2023: Champion rider Abdul Shaikh began with a bang scoring a double in the first round of the MMSC fmsci Indian National Motorcycle Drag Racing Championship 2023 at the Madras International Circuit here on Saturday.
In the Girls’ section, Jagathishree sprang a surprise winning the 4Stroke up to 165cc Novice class with ease and grace.
The Drag Nationals are powered by Vamsi Merla, a businessman from Andhra Pradesh and successor to well-known philanthropist and businessman Later Merla Chandrasekhar Rao of the Kalyani group.
Organised and promoted by Madras Motor Sports Club, the Drag Nationals are run on a dedicated quarter-mile strip for most of the classes except the feature races where the distance is reduced to 303 metres to provide for a longer run-off space.
Abdul Shaik, on his winning run in the Super Sport up to 130cc class. The 29-year-old Bengalurean Abdul Shaikh topped in the 2-Stroke 131-165cc and up to 130cc categories. He is the defending champion in the up to 130cc class and is looking for two titles this year. “I am so happy today. It was a hectic day and I am tired. It really took some time to get into the groove as both the tyre temperature and track temperature fell after the short spell of rain. The rain is welcome but adjusting to weather challenges has its own pitfalls. I am glad, I did well in my class and also got enough points in the next class ie 131 to 165cc category.”
Jagathishree, beat many stars to win the first round of the Drag Nationals at Madras International Circuit on Saturday. Photos by Srinivasa Krishnan Jagathishree of One Racing team from Chennai emerged winner in the Girls’ class beating a host of experienced riders in Ryhana Bee, Soundari Sindy, and defending champion Lani Zena Fernandes, who did not attend the podium ceremony due to a family emergency. Lani came second followed by Sindy, as she is popularly known at the circuit. Sindy lost the National title in the last round last year after a powerful run in the first three rounds. Today, her third place is enough to bag crucial points and both Lani Zena, Sindy, and the fourth-placed Czimhy will be in contention for the championship in the four-round Nationals.
But Saturday was Jagathishree’s. With a display of immense control and despite a slow reaction time (which has no impact on the final time due to the 3-second window), she pelted the fastest time both in the practice run and the final run. Riding a bike tuned by Dilli Babu for Team One Racing run by Mohamed Hanif, who is also her coach, she is here to stay. “The wet conditions presented a challenge but I was confident and we did clinch the first victory,’’ said a happy Jagathishree.
Another local rider Saravanan E claimed the honours in the 4-Stroke Up to 165cc Super Sport Indian category as he clocked 14.346 seconds beating Mohammed Fazil of Bengaluru by a fraction of a second. Fazil clocked 14.360. Madhan Kumar R, also of Chennai timed 14.562 to take the final spot on the podium.
Saravanan E claimed the honours in the 4-Stroke Up to 165cc Super Sport Indian category. The day’s proceedings were delayed by about two hours due to heavy showers but the promoters, Madras Motor Sports Club, stepped up to the challenge and completed the day’s scheduled programme by putting off any category races to the next day.
The event concludes on Sunday and will see the “big boys” on their superbikes competing for the honours with practice runs in the morning followed by the final runs in the afternoon.
The first round saw lukewarm response with only about 100 entries all the 2022 National champions except a couple, on hand to defend their titles. Reigning Bharatraj who did not take part today is expected to join in Round 2.
The results (Provisional):
4-Stroke Up to 165cc (Super Sport Indian): 1. Bike #79 Saravanan E (Chennai) (14.346secs); 2. #82 Mohammed Fazil (Bengaluru) (14.360); 3. #84 Madhan Kumar R (Chennai) (14.562).
Girls (4-Stroke Up to 165cc, Novice): 1. #2 Jagathishree (Chennai, One Racing) (16.515); 2. #9 Lani Zena Fernandez (Puducherry, RACR Castrol Ultimate 1) (16.965); 3. #13 Soundari Sindy A (Chennai, AS Motorsports) (16.992).
2-Stroke 131-165cc (Super Sport): 1. #47 Abdul Shaikh (Bengaluru) (13.072); 2. #39 Shashi Kiran (Bengaluru) (13.425); 3. #38 Manoj Kumar (Chennai) (13.515).
2-Stroke Up to 130 (Super Sport): 1. #24 Abdul Shaikh (Bengaluru) (13.468); 2. #20 Mohamed Rafiq (Bengaluru) (13.505); 3. #23 Mohammed Arfath (Bengaluru) (13.800).
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Pure gold! Binder vs Miller vs Bagnaia lights up the Tissot Sprint in Spain
KTM put on a true showstopper as Bagnaia picks a late race pocket to complete his Saturday turnaround.
There’s racing, and there’s racing. MotoGP is in the business of the latter, and the Tissot Sprint at Jerez was another sublime showdown as 2023 continues to deliver. The same can be said of Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) as the South African went toe-to-toe with teammate Jack Miller over the slightly shortened 11-lap dash, just able to edge clear on the final lap to his second Sprint win in four. Miller certainly made it a Thriller at the front, but the Australian was ultimately pipped to second by reigning Champion Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) on the final lap, heading ever-so-slightly wide and Pecco needing no second invitation.
The first start saw a crash bring out the red flag as Championship leader Marco Bezzecchi was caught out by an incident between Franco Morbidelli (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) and Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP), with Augusto Fernandez (GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3) also unable to avoid it. The riders were all ok and able to head back for the restart, but damaged bikes needed moving. Morbidelli was also then given a Long Lap for the contact, to be served on Sunday.
LIGHTS OUT = ELBOWS OUT
Ready to race? You bet. The KTMs attacked straight away on take two, with Binder grabbing the lead from Miller and both Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) and Bagnaia also slicing past polesitter Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing). Martin then went for Miller, but it wasn’t long before the Aussie struck back, and the squabble offered Bagnaia his first pickpocketing opportunity of the afternoon as he slotted into third: Binder, Miller, Bagnaia, and Martin were locked together.Drama hit then for Alex Marquez as hit the gravel trap, and just one lap later and disaster struck for another Spaniard as Aleix Espargaro crashed out of a point-scoring position for the 3rd time in 2023. The polesitter was out of it, and both will try and reset it for Sunday.
Miller took to the front with eight to go, however, and the duel was on. The KTMs still began to pull away from the two Ducatis though, and by four laps to go the gap was half a second. Meanwhile, Martin was riding all over the rear wheel of Bagnaia’s factory Ducati, as the reigning Champion seemed to struggle to hold onto the leading duo. Martin was desperate to find a way past the Italian as the number #1 was proving a tricky hurdle.
Miller and Binder were ragged perfection in the lead though, sliding their way around the Jerez circuit in a two-man show for a few laps. Binder looked ready to pounce, but Miller held him off, the two blasted round in tandem, and then the South African tried it once, denied, but twice, absolutely not shy. It looked like a lot to ask as the number 33 machine squirreled and headed in a little deep, but on the exit, Binder sealed the deal, back into the lead with a lap and a half to go.
From there, Binder had it pinned. There was no catching the South African this time, and instead, the duel was now for a second. The Ducatis had gained ground and Bagnaia lined up a move on Miller into the Pedrosa corner, with the Australian trying to resist on the brakes but overshooting it, giving the reigning Champion an opportunity he wouldn’t turn down.
Miller gathered it back up to avoid another duel with earlier sparring partner Martin, and the Australian didn’t quite get that win or make it a 1-2, but he definitely still stormed Jerez. Bagnaia’s second is an impressive turnaround from where his Saturday started in Q1 too.
DUELS, DUELS, DUELS
Fifth was also an incredibly close finish. Miguel Oliveira (CryptoDATA RNF MotoGP™ Team) and Dani Pedrosa (Red Bull KTM Racing Team) also had viewers glued to their screens as the Portuguese rider fended off the MotoGP™ Legend for 5th place… just.Just 1.5 seconds further back Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) had his hands full trying to defend his 7th place from Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing Ducati), but the Spaniard came out on top in that scrap leaving the Frenchman to settle for P8. The Mooney VR46 Racing riders were involved in an intense fight for the final point-scoring position in the Sprint too, in the end, it was Bezzecchi who won the battle against Luca Marini to bag 9th place. Bezzecchi is now only three points clear of Pecco in the title fight…
After an incredible day of action at the Gran Premio MotoGP Guru by Gryfyn de España, MotoGP fans now have the opportunity to digest all of Saturday’s action before it all kicks off again on Sunday. If Saturday is anything to go by, you do not want to miss any on Sunday’s billing as the race gets underway at 15:00 local time (GMT +2)!
