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Author: David Bodapati
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Aravind KP part of Sherco TVS team for Dakar 2018
Bangalore, 31 October 2017: Top Indian rider Aravind KP is nominated along with two others for the Sherco TVS Factory Rally Team for the daunting Dakar Rally. Joan Pedrero from Spain will be leading the squad which also has Adrien Metge from France . The Sherco TVS Factory Rally Team has been performing strongly in all the international rallies and is aiming for a top-10 finish at Dakar 2018.
Dakar 2018 is the 40th edition of the annual International Rally-Raid, and Sherco TVS Factory Rally Team will be participating in the event for the fourth consecutive year. The Rally will be held from January 6, to January 20, 2018. This year, the Rally will cover three countries, beginning in Lima, Peru, and passing through La Paz, Bolivia, before finally culminating in Córdoba, Argentina, after having traversed a total distance of over 9000 km.
This will be the second time that Aravind KP will participate in Dakar Rally. Joan Pedrero will be participating at Dakar Rally for the tenth consecutive time and this will be the 3rdDakar Rally for Adrien Metge.
Vinay Harne, President – New Product Development, TVS Motor Company says, “Our partnership with Sherco for Dakar has been a hugely rewarding experience for our racing team. We have supported Indian riders and engineers in competing in international events and that has resulted in immense learning for both the partners. We wish the Sherco TVS Factory Rally Team the very best.”
The Sherco TVS Factory Rally team participated in 4 international rally-raids this year – Baja Aragon, Merzouga Rally, PanAfrica Rally and 2017 OiLibya Rally of Morocco – with strong finishes in each.
Thomas Teissier, General Manager, Sherco Motorcycles said, “This is the fourth year of our partnership, and with each passing year our preparation for Dakar has become more focused and fierce. We have a strong relationship with TVS Racing, and we have worked together on the existing team structure. We are excited to have Aravind KP in our team again. The preparation has been good so far, and I have full faith in the abilities of our team for Dakar 2018. The preparation in the last two months before the race will be very crucial, and I am sure that the team will perform to the best of their ability.”
Arun Siddharth, Vice President Marketing – Premium Two Wheelers, International Business & TVS Racing, said, “TVS was the first Indian manufacturer to participate at Dakar and this year we have stepped up our participation in, and preparation for, international rally raids. Races such as PanAfrica Rally, Merzouga Rally and OiLibya Rally have helped get more exposure, thus helping us improve our readiness for Dakar.Based on our performance at the other rally-raids this year, we are aiming for a Top 10 finish at the Dakar 2018.”
About TVS Racing: The journey of TVS Racing began 35 years back when Sundaram Clayton Limited (ATVS Group Company) introduced its 50 cc mopeds in the arena of road racing. Since then TVS Racing has been actively participating on and off-road racing events such as road racing, Super-cross and Motocross, Dirt Tracks, Rally etc. TVS Racing is the only factory team in India to have any woman rider as a part of their team. In early 2015, TVSRacing became the first Indian factory team to take part in Dakar Rally, which is the longest and toughest rally in the world. TVS Racing won eleven championships across all forms of two-wheeler motorsport events Supercross, Rallies and Road racing last year.
About Dakar 2018: Dakar is the biggest rally-raid in the world. The rally had attracted more than 4 million spectators on the road in 2017. This is the 40th edition of Dakar. The rally will traverse through Peru, Bolivia and Argentina this year and will cover 15 days of racing. There are more than 500 competitors from 60 countries.
eom/press conference in Bangalore
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Hamilton bags Formula One World Championship; Max Verstappen wins Mexican GP
Hamilton after winning the 4th World F1 Driver’s title at Mexico on Sunday. Image by FIA Lewis Hamilton claimed his fourth FIA Formula One World Drivers’ Championship title with a ninth-placed finish in a Mexican Grand Prix won by Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen.
Mercedes driver Hamilton had to battle from the back of the field after an opening lap collision with title rival Sebastian Vettel dropped both men to the back of the field. Vettel, whose slim title chances rested on securing victory at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, managed to claw his way back to fourth place. However, with Hamilton slowly progressing to ninth place and too big a gap to overhaul to the drivers ahead, the Ferrari driver’s hopes ended after Verstappen, second-placed Valtteri Bottas of Mercedes and third-placed Kimi Räikkönen crossed the line.
When the lights went out at the start, Vettel was pressured by Verstappen off the line and at the end of the long run to Turn 1 the Red Bull driver drew alongside the Ferrari driver and muscled his way past in Turn 2 to take the lead.
There was minor contact between them as they went through, with Vettel losing part of his front wing. More damage was to come for the German, however, as Hamilton went around the outside to steal second.
In Turn 3 the left side of Vettel’s front wing collided with the rear right of Hamilton’s car. The result was a puncture for the Mercedes man and substantial front wing damage for Vettel. Both limped to the pits for repairs and rejoined at the back of the field.
At the front, Verstappen began to build a lead and by lap 14 he found himself 5.5 seconds clear of Valtteri Bottas who had inherited second after the Vettel/Hamilton incident. Esteban Ocon was third, the Force India driver having bypassed Kimi Räikkönen in the opening lap.
Carlos Sainz was the first to make a scheduled stop, the Renault driver pitting on lap two to take on soft tyres, with which he’d try to reach the flag.
Red Bull Racing’s Daniel Ricciardo was the next into the pit lane on lap five, but for the Australian it was a complete stop. After taking a grid drop in the morning for an engine change, Ricciardo rose from his P16 starting position to P7. But his race was then ended by a suspected turbo failure.
At the back, Vettel was marching through the order and by lap 25 he was up to 11th place behind McLaren’s Fernando Alonso. Hamilton, though, was struggling, and after being lapped by race leader Verstappen the Briton complained that he couldn’t get near Sainz up ahead in P18.
Hulkenberg was the next to exit the race. On lap 25 the German being told to stop the car, as it was unsafe. With a suspected ERS issue, Hulkenberg was told to exit down the nosecone and jump off.
On lap 32 Brendon Hartley pulled over at the side of the track with flames licking at the engine cover of his Toro Rosso. The halt, close to the side of the track, resulted in the Virtual Safety Car being deployed and that resulted in a flurry of pit stops, with Verstappen diving in from the lead to take on supersofts.
Behind him Räikkönen profited most, the Finn leapfrogging Ocon to claim third place. Behind them William’s Lance Stroll was now firth ahead of Force India’s Sergio Perez and Haas’ Kevin Magnussen.
Magnussen’s hold on the place would be shortlived. Vettel had taken on ultrasoft tyres during his pit stop and he soon began setting fastest laps. He quickly reeled in the Dane and passed him with ease to claim seventh place.
There were however, 16 seconds to make up to the next target, Perez. Vettel closed quickly, to 7.5s by lap 45 but with the German needing second place to keep his championship hopes alive if Hamilton finished outside the points, and with almost 54 seconds to make up to second-placed Bottas it looked like the German’s title challenge was done.
Hamilton, though, was making his own steady progress and on lap 46 he passed Sauber’s Marcus Ericsson for 12th place and began to close the 7.1-second gap to Vandoorne.
On lap 50, Vettel lunged down the inside into Turn 4 to pass Perez and looked to close the 3.3s gap to Lance Stroll and on lap 54 he eased dismissed the Canadian to take fifth place. Hamilton, meanwhile, had passed Vandoorne under DRS into Turn One to claim P11 and his team were advising him that at the pace he was going he was forecast to finish in P8.
Hamilton began to make that forecast come true by powering past Williams’ Felipe Massa on lap 57 to claim 10th place and a points finish. Up ahead Vettel passed Ocon to grab fourth but with 24 seconds to make up to get to third placed Räikkönen and a further 26 second gap to close to Bottas the German was fighting a losing battle. Told of the gaps he sighed “oh, mamma mia.”
Sainz, meanwhile, retired from the race, meaning that four of the six Renault-powered cars in the race had exited by lap 62. Just leader Verstappen and 13th-placed Gasly remained.
At the front the Dutch driver was in complete command, however, and not experiencing any mechanical concerns. With an 18s gap to Bottas it might have been expected that he would throttle back and control matters but Verstappen wanted more and on lap 64 he set a race record for the circuit with a lap of 1:18.892 and then widened the gap to over 20 seconds by the chequered flag.
Behind him Bottas held second ahead of Räikkönen, while Vettel’s brave charge ended in fourth place. Esteban Ocon scored his second fifth-placed finish of the year, while Lance Stroll delivered a good result for Williams with sixth place.
Sergio Pérez was seventh in front his home crowd ahead of Haas’ Kevin Magnussen, while Lewis Hamilton finished ninth, enough to earn the Briton his fourth drivers’ title. The final point on offer went to McLaren’s Fernando Alonso.
2017 Mexican Grand Prix – Race
1 Max Verstappen Red Bull TAG 1:36’26.550
2 Valtteri Bottas Mercedes Mercedes 19.678
3 Kimi Raikkonen Ferrari Ferrari 54.007
4 Sebastian Vettel Ferrari Ferrari 70.078
5 Esteban Ocon Force India Mercedes 1 lap
6 Lance Stroll Williams Mercedes 1 lap
7 Sergio Perez Force India Mercedes 1 lap
8 Kevin Magnussen Haas Ferrari 1 lap
9 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes Mercedes 1 lap
10 Fernando Alonso McLaren Honda 1 lap
11 Felipe Massa Williams Mercedes 1 lap
12 Stoffel Vandoorne McLaren Honda 1 lap
13 Pierre Gasly Toro Rosso Renault 1 lap
14 Pascal Wehrlein Sauber Ferrari 2 laps
15 Romain Grosjean Haas Ferrari 2 laps
Carlos Sainz Renault Renault
Marcus Ericsson Sauber Ferrari
Brendon Hartley Toro Rosso Renault
Nico Hulkenberg Renault Renault
Daniel Ricciardo Red Bull TAG.eom/FIA press release
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Andrea Dovizioso keeps calm and wins under intense pressure to keep MotoGP title race open
Sepang: It was a must win in many ways for Ducati Team’s Andrea Dovizioso as the paddock arrived at Sepang International Circuit, and the Italian kept calm under intense pressure to secure his sixth win of the season – and take the Championship fight down to the wire. Slicing through the rain to catch and pass teammate Jorge Lorenzo, Dovizioso was seven tenths clear of the Majorcan at the flag in a 1-2 for Ducati – and key rival Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) crossed the line in fourth. Johann Zarco (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) completed the podium after a stunning start, wrapping up the title of top Independent Team rider.
It was Marquez who took an incredible initial holeshot from the third row, but the reigning Champion headed wide along with Lorenzo – allowing Zarco to slice through into the lead. Once there, the Frenchman lit it up to escape into the distance, and Lorenzo moved through to chase the Tech 3 rider down. Marquez slotted into third, with Dovizioso initially the man to lose out – but the Italian soon began to move through.
Zarco’s lead began to diminish, Dovizioso passed Marquez, and then both Ducatis were able to pass the Frenchman. It seemed Marquez would have the pace to take third from Zarco, but the reigning Champion couldn’t make up the ground. At the front, Lorenzo was holding firm as the two red machines streaked away – but the number 99 then suffered a moment at Turn 15 with a foot off the footpeg. ‘DesmoDovi’ saw his chance to strike, then facing down some nervous laps as the end of the race neared. Lorenzo brought it back to seven tenths over the line, with Zarco back on the rostrum in third.
Marquez was eight seconds further back in fourth, with polesitter and teammate Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda Team) completing the top five after a more promising showing in the wet for the former winner at the venue in similar conditions. Danilo Petrucci (Octo Pramac Racing) put in a superstar performance in the wet as he was forced to start from the back after a technical problem with his number one bike, and moved up to take sixth over the line – a gain of over 15 places.
Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) was close to his compatriot by the end of the race to take seventh and only four tenths back, ahead of a more lonely finish for EG 0,0 Marc VDS rider Jack Miller into P8. Maverick Viñales (Team Suzuki Ecstar) had a tough race for ninth, with Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM Factory) giving KTM another consecutive top ten finish after another impressive race.
Alvaro Bautista (Pull&Bear Aspar Team) took P11, with the points scorers completed by Bradley Smith (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), Scott Redding (Octo Pramac Racing), Hector Barbera (Reale Avintia Racing) and Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda.)
It’s now truly everything or nothing for the two title challengers, and the Championship comes back to Europe for the final showdown at Valencia. Marquez leads by 21 points, so it’s a long shot for ‘DesmoDovi’…but never, ever say never.
MotoGP Race Results
1 – Andrea Dovizioso (ITA – Ducati) 44’51.497
2 – Jorge Lorenzo (SPA – Ducati) + 0.7431st Independent Team Rider:
3 – Johann Zarco (FRA – Yamaha) +9.738eom/MotoGP release
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Pedrosa takes surprise pole ahead of Zarco; Dovi to fight from p3 ahead of Rossi
Sepang: The fickle weather of Sepang did not appear but the trademark heat, nevertheless, at its best making it difficult for the drivers and fans alike.Repsol Honda Team’s Dani Pedrosa, known as the most-successful MotoGP driver, who never won a title, excelled in these hot conditions with a stunning late lap after an incredible qualifying shootout at Sepang International Circuit, with the front row split by only 0.024 seconds and the Little Samurai coming out on top.
Pedrosa, the pole record holder, put in a number of quick laps towards the end and stole it on his
Dani Pedrosa freeze at C7 on a hot Sepang day on Saturday. Image by Srinivasa Krishnan. final attempt to take his eleventh front row and fourth pole at the venue. Johann Zarco (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) was second, top Independent Team rider and top Yamaha, ahead of the first of the title challengers: Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team).
Dovizioso was only 0.024 seconds off pole and was the man provisionally set to take it until the final few seconds, but the Italian holds the cards after key rival and points leader Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) had a more difficult session and will line up seventh – on the third row. Marquez crashed on his first flier, taking a tumble at Turn 15 but able to get the bike going and head down pitlane, and was unable to threaten once back out on track. It’s only the second time ever in the premier class the reigning Champion has failed to qualify in the top six.
The second row is headed by Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) after the first man into the 1:59s on Saturday morning was able to get the better of teammate Maverick Viñales, with the Spaniard just 0.040 off the veteran Italian and lining up in fifth. Jorge Lorenzo (Ducati Team) completes an all-star second row, again within a tenth of the man ahead of him.
Behind Marquez is Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) – the first of the Q2 graduates – who just beat teammate Andrea Iannone, with Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda) completing the top ten after a crash.
Jack Miller (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) lines up P11, with Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) in twelfth and once again keeping the Austrian manufacturer in Q2 as their impressive form continues. Danilo Petrucci (Octo Pramac Racing) and teammate Scott Redding line up in thirteenth and fourteenth, with Alvaro Bautista (Pull&Bear Aspar Team) rounding out the fastest fifteen.
Now it’s race day – with Dovizioso ready for a last stand off the front row, and Marquez looking to pick his way through from seventh as he faces his first chance at the crown.
MotoGP Qualifying Results
1 – Dani Pedrosa (SPA – Honda) 1’59.2121st Independent Team Rider:
2 – Johann Zarco (FRA – Yamaha) +0.0173 – Andrea Dovizioso (ITA – Ducati) +0.02
eom/with inputs from the press release
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Andrea Dovizioso, the MotoGP title challenger, tops timesheets in Sepang wet&dry
Dovi tops FP session in rain and shine on Friday. Photo by MotoGP Sepang: Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) was fastest in FP1 at the Shell Malaysia Motorcycle Grand Prix, heading to the top late in FP1 in the dry – and the Championship contender backed it up in a wet FP2 to again head the timesheets. Key rival Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team), who goes into the weekend 33 points clear of the Italian, was fifth in FP1 in the dry and therefore overall – and second to Dovizioso in the wet. The reigning Champion had a number of moments on Day 1, but didn’t suffer a crash.
Second overall after a last dash in FP1 was Alvaro Bautista (Pull&Bear Aspar Team), followed by Rookie of the Year Johann Zarco (Monster Yamaha Tech 3). Zarco suffered a crash in the afternoon, but the Frenchman was soon on his feet. Maverick Viñales (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) was fourth, ahead of Marquez.
Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda) took sixth in the dry, ahead of an impressive first day for Karel Abraham (Pull&Bear Aspar Team) and Hector Barbera (Reale Avintia Racing). Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda Team) took ninth after an early problem that significantly dented track time for the Little Samurai, ahead of Jorge Lorenzo (Ducati Team) completing the top ten. Lorenzo was third in the wet in the afternoon, the same half second off Marquez as Marquez was off Dovizioso at the top.
Danilo Petrucci (Octo Pramac Racing) was eleventh ahead of compatriot Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP), with Andrea Iannone (Team Suzuki Ecstar), Jack Miller (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) and Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) locking out the fastest fifteen.
It was a notable first day for Michael van der Mark as he rode a MotoGP™ bike for the first time, putting the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 machine in P19 in both sessions. In the dry, the 2014 World Supersport Champion was only 2.8 seconds off Dovizioso at the top of the timesheets in FP1.
As direct entry to Q2 is decided in FP3, Valentino Rossi will be the big name praying for the skies to remain dry on Saturday morning – before qualifying begins from 14:10 local time (GMT +8).
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Jehan Daruvala for FIA F3 World Cup at Macau on Nov 19
This year’s FIA F3 World Cup will be fought out exclusively by the cream of young drivers seeking to make a name for themselves in world motor sport. Touted as the future F1 driver from India, Jehan Daruvala is the only driver from India who made it to the Macau event.. Along with four other Carlin teammates, he will be behind the wheels of a Dallara Volkswagen.
Eight of the top ten drivers from the 2017 FIA Formula 3 European Championship will all take to the track in Macau, as well as five of the seven rookies who contested their first year of F3 competition in the world’s premier series.
This of course means that newly-crowned FIA F3 champion Lando Norris will once again be facing his main rivals going up against the likes of Joel Eriksson, Maximilian Gunther and Callum Ilott.
Three of the top four runners in the 2017 All-Japan Formula 3 Championship will also contest the event in the form of Sho Tsuboi, Alex Palou and Ritomo Miyata.
While last year’s inaugural World Cup was weighted towards more experienced competitors, with Antonio Felix Da Costa winning his second Macau GP in five years from Felix Rosenqvist who was making a bid to become the first person to win three Macau GP’s in succession, this year it is guaranteed that a new winner will take to the top step of the podium.
2016’s front-running drivers have moved on to race in the FIA Formula E Championship, although Rosenqvist will debut in the FIA GT World Cup at the Guia circuit.
While none of the drivers on this year’s grid have won at Macau, many have some experience driving the challenging Guia Circuit. Ilott, fifth in the 2016 FIA F3 World Cup and fourth in this year’s European F3 Championship knows Macau well. His form in 2016 following Da Costa into second in the qualifying race and battling for an early lead in the final marked him as one of the fastest of the young guns at the circuit.
Likewise Eriksson, second to Norris in the European championship with seven wins and thirteen podiums, will surely be one to watch.
Norris also knows the undulating Macau circuit, although arguably not as comprehensively as Ilott or Eriksson. Norris first raced at Macau in the inaugural FIA F3 World Cup in 2016 when he finished 11th, after qualifying in the top ten on debut and testing the track limits when his nose cone was torn off in a qualifying race incident.
The demanding Macau circuit with its bumpy surface, high speed main straight and 19 wall-enclosed corners is a constant challenge for both rookies and veteran drivers alike.
This year nine of the FIA F3 World Cup contestants will be new to the track.
The most prominent will be Mick Schumacher, son of seven time World F1 champion Michael, twelfth outright and third in the Rookie Championship of the FIA F3 European title.
His father won the Macau GP in 1990 in spectacular fashion from Mika Hakkinen.
Other key drivers to look out for will be:
Sergio Sette Camara: Third in 2016 FIA F3 World Cup. Set the lap record around the Guia circuit in 2015 – a 2:10.186
Kenta Yamashita: 2016 All-Japan F3 Champion. Impressed in the first FIA F3 World Cup finishing 4th. Currently racing in Super GT and Super Formula in Japan
FIA Director of Single-Seater Championships, Charlie Whiting, said: “It’s very exciting to see so many young stars contesting the second FIA F3 World Cup. This is exactly what the event is all about – bringing together the top talents from the top F3 series around the world for an end-of-season showdown on this incredible circuit. Macau always resets the form book, and it’s sure to be an intense and unpredictable battle for a new driver to be crowned FIA F3 World Cup winner.”eom/FIA press release
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I need to fight and I will fight: Marc Marquez at Sepang press meet
Championship leader Marc Marquez at the Thursday press conference in Sepang. Photo by Srinivasa Krishnan for INDIAinF1.com Ahead of the Shell Malaysia Motorcycle Grand Prix, the pre-event Press Conference brought Championship leader Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team), rival Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team), Johann Zarco (Monster Yamaha Tech 3), Franco Morbidelli (EG 0,0 Marc VDS), Valentino Rossi and teammate Maverick Viñales (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) together to talk about the weekend ahead – with both the MotoGP™ and Moto2™ titles in play for the first time.
First to speak was Marquez, as he arrives 33 points ahead of Dovizioso and has his first shot at the title: “One of the main targets is try to finish, and try to be on the same level with the same mentality but obviously you feel a little bit different and it’s a special weekend. But on the other hand, I have the same motivation and mentality and I’ll try to push in the practices to the maximum to prepare the race, and we’ll see how we can fight and finish on Sunday. A lot of riders are fast here, and we did a lot of laps here during the preseason test so it will be a tough weekend. Here in the past I’ve had some ups and downs, it’s not one of my best tracks. We will see where we can arrive this weekend. But I have a good advantage, there are two races remaining, and we’ll try to be on a good level and think about the Championship. But if I need to fight, I will fight.”
Andrea Dovizioso similarly had some fighting talk, saying he’ll try everything to try and keep the title open: “After a bad result at Phillip Island, I went to Langkawi for three days, and I enjoyed the weather and the beach to be ready for this weekend. We know it’s difficult but the Championship is open and we’ll try everything. We have to be ready in all conditions. Last year it was an amazing victory and battle with Valentino and Iannone. I have good memories and I really enjoy riding this track. In the past in the dry we’ve never been very competitive, but I expect it will be different this year. We’ll try and get the best result, and then we’ll see what happens with Marc and the other riders. Before we approached the weekend looking to win the race, and we won’t change that.”
With a two-horse race for the crown now, the pressure is off for Viñales. And after a big step forward at Phillip Island, the rider from Roses is confident ahead of Sepang – and could complicate matters at the front. “I enjoyed Phillip Island a lot. I didn’t expect to be on the podium because I lost some seconds when I had contact with Iannone but I pushed to the limit. But we recovered the feeling, especially with the front tyre, and that’s important for Sepang. Let’s see what we can do this weekend but I’m convinced we can do another great job. This is a track I really like, I’ve always been fast with good results, and also it’s good for Yamaha. And I feel good in the tough conditions. We were struggling all year in the wet and then in 20 minutes we found the key! Here there should be some rain so it will be good to prove we’ve made that step.”
A lot of the riders talked about the Australian GP and the incredible battle, and that included Rossi. The most successful rider at the venue with six wins, the Italian says he very much likes the track – but it’s the hardest weekend of the year: “It was a great pleasure to fight in that race at Phillip Island, it was very fun. And it was an important result, especially for me after injury, and for the team. We arrive here in good shape but here it’s completely different. I like this track a lot, I was on a 250 when we rode here for the first time and it’s a great pleasure to ride on a MotoGP bike. But It’s like the bad weather has followed us everywhere all season! We’ll try to be competitive in all conditions. In the wet this year I’m not as strong as last year, but we hope to be strong. This is the most demanding race of the season because it’s very hot.”
Johann Zarco, meanwhile, thinks the Australian GP marked an important step forward – and knows he arrives back in Malaysia with a lot more experience compared to testing: “When I watched Phillip Island, seeing all those overtakes…I’m happy I was part of them, fighting at the top level – and I’m happy with the weekend we had, we had a good improvement that I hope we can have here too. If I can find the same feeling, I would like to be part of the fight for the podium or even for victory. I keep some hope of being back here on Sunday! Being fast at Phillip Island was a special emotion, but here is a bit different because we tested here. And I can feel the experience I’ve gained from February to October.”
After Marquez and Dovizioso held court to begin the Press Conference, Franco Morbidelli was the final contributor in the first round of questions. Not quite with the same advantage as Marquez, it is still 29 points – and gives him a high chance of taking the title this weekend. Calm and collected as always, the Italian says he’ll try and keep it business as usual: “I will try to face this weekend as I usually do. I know it’s going to be hard and it won’t be a usual GP but I’ll try to stay calm, do my job and set up the bike to be as fast as possible. I really like Sepang, especially with the new surfaces with less bumps. It’s really nice to ride around here. Hopefully it will be dry or completely wet, I prefer clear conditions. In Australia both KTMs were really fast, I tried to get more points and battle with Binder but couldn’t beat him at the end. But third was good for the Championship.”
The Championship, in both MotoGP™ and Moto2™, is sure to remain the talk of the weekend. Now track action begins on Friday morning, before everything is on the line on Sunday.
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Can Ducati’s Dovizioso spoil Marquez party at Sepang…. MotoGP on its penultimate leg
Ducati rider, Andrea Dovizioso won’t go down without a fight, despite the low-down of the previous round and the reigning world champion, Marc Marquez, will have a fight on his hand when MotoGP returns to Sepang in Malaysia for the next Sunday’s penultimate round.“You need to be more stupid than them, more aggressive than them,” said the 38-year old multi champion who is a sporting legend on his own winning and fighting with elite younger riders with the aplomb the once brought him podiums galore. While Valentino Rossi, the nine-time World Champion was quipping with his delightful quotes, Marquez said: Amazing, amazing…. it was an amazing fight! That is what we need for the MotoGP to enthuse and enlighten the fans. “During the race, I was just waiting, waiting, waiting…” he said of the apparent chance to overtake the leader for a victory. But he will be waiting for just one more round, as patiently to clinch the issue.
But the waiting games, the dogfights and the seat-edged battles are thrilling the fans and bringing more people to the event.
At the Phillip Island race last Sunday, in 0ne of the most stunning dogfights of the modern era, it was reigning Champion and table topper Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) who emerged triumphant from the melee after breaking away from Johann Zarco (Monster Yamaha Tech 3), Andrea Iannone (Team Suzuki Ecstar), Valentino Rossi and Maverick Viñales (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) to take a well-deserved victory. And it was a tough day out for title rival Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team), as he suffered an early run off and was forced to fight back from P20; making it to thirteenth…. once has to see that if those three points will matter in the end, only if he can come back at Sepang and take the title fight to the last round in Valencia. He just needs to reduce the gap to 24 points, which means, he needs to get 9 points more than Marquez and bingo… the battle will pr0long.
Now Marquez is 33 points clear as we touch down in the melting pot of Sepang. Searing heat, humidity, uncertain weather and a challenging and technical track make for a mammoth weekend on which the crown will first be in play, and there’s one thing squarely on Dovizioso’s side despite the pendulum having swung the other way: the Italian won there last season.
Then, it was his first win since 2009. Now, it’s the first of six in a year – and a tough weekend at Phillip Island does little to diminish the Italian’s claim to the crown. Dovizioso won’t go down without a fight, and this is his final stand.
The standings may be a two horse race for the title, but the race itself will surely not be. Rossi and Viñales were back on the podium at Phillip Island in style, and both will be aiming for the top once again. The rider from Tavullia has won at Sepang more times than anyone. Zarco – who won the Moto2 crown there in 2016 – is another who fought it out on the Island, and another who will be fired up to do it again. Likewise Andrea Iannone, as he looks to keep the momentum going after two top six finishes in two races – and some stunning moves in Australia.
Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda Team) could be a dark horse for the win. Pedrosa is the next most successful rider at the venue after Rossi, and has taken five wins – three of which have been in MotoGP™. Wet or dry, Pedrosa has reigned. He also equals Rossi’s pole position count – four – and has the pole record: a searing 1’59.053 lap of the venue in 2015.
Jorge Lorenzo (Ducati Team) is the race lap record holder and will want to bounce back after Phillip Island, Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) continues making huge progress and Red Bull KTM Factory Racing likewise – with another triumph at Phillip Island as they took two top ten finishes and had both bikes in Q2.
Independent Team riders Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda) and Danilo Petrucci (Octo Pramac Racing) will be back chasing Zarco for the honour of being the first in that fight, and there will be a new name on the grid: Michael van der Mark.
Originally called up to replace Rossi at Aragon, the Dutch WorldSBK rider will instead make his debut at Sepang replacing the absent Jonas Folger at Monster Yamaha Tech 3. The 2017 Suzuka 8H winner and former WorldSSP winner at Sepang races with no pressure, ready to get his first taste of the premier class.
33 points separate the title contenders, two races remain and Sepang will bring it to boiling point: will Marquez hold his nerve, or can Dovizioso strike back? Action begins on Friday as the field prepare for battle.
MotoGP World Championship Classification
1 – Marc Márquez (SPA – Honda) 269 points
2 – Andrea Dovizioso (ITA – Ducati) 236 points
3 – Maverick Viñales (SPA – Yamaha) 219 points
5 – Valentino Rossi (ITA – Yamaha) 188 points
5 – Dani Pedrosa (SPA – Honda) 174 points -
Hamilton does a `Lightening Bolt’ celebration on the podium: 2 sporting legends meet
Hamilton and Usain Bolt at Austin on Sunday 22oct2017 Photo by Wolfgang Wilhelm for Mercedes AMG Petronas Austin: Two sporting legends met on the podium as 8-time Olympic gold medallist Usain Bolt interviewed three-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, who did a `Bolt’ on the top-step, after receiving the trophy from former American president Bill Clinton.
Earlier, Hamilton let out his now familiar, `wohoo’ as he took the chequered flag and helped the Mercedes AMG Petronas team win their fourth World constructors’ title.
Hamilton extended his lead at the top to 66 points over Sebastian Vettel of Ferrari and will clinch his fourth world title next Sunday in Mexico if he can finish at least fifth or above, irrespective of where Vettel would finish.
Just before doing the famous `lightening bolt’ jig
Usain Bolt teaches Hamilton how to do his famous jig on the Austin podium on Sunday. Photo Steve Etherington, Mercedes AMG Petronas together, Lewis was in playful mood, pouring champagne behind Bolt’s back while the latter was talking to third-placed Kimi Raikkonen, who found a last-minute podium after Max Verstappen was handed over a five-second penalty for taking undue advantage after going wide before overtaking Kimi in a splendid last-lap manouvre. Before the race started, Hamilton took Bolt for spin across the track in the green Mercedes (in photo). After the hot lap, Hamilton also entertained the crowd with some donuts and the spectators loved it.
“A really humbling experience… it is the greatest feeling in the world,” was how Hamilton reacted after praising the Circuit of the Americas as his favourite. It is his fourth victory in a row at Austin and the ninth in the season as he moves closer towards his fourth F1 Drivers World Championship. “I had a lot of fun trying to get closer (to Vettel) and overtaking. Today the wind changed 180 degrees and it made the track so special to drive; the car felt amazing going through the Esses. We have three more races left this season – and that’s three I want to win,” quipped Hamilton after the race.
Meanwhile, all the three drivers on the podium wore pink caps in solidarity with breast cancer victims, supporting the Susan Komen charity.
After Mexico next Sunday, the F1 bandwagon moves to Brazil and to the last GP in Abu Dhabi.
eom/disclaimer: The commentary is based on telecast and team releases and the writer did not travel to Austin.
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Leopard Racing’s Joan Mir is the 2017 Moto3 World Champion; wins Phillip Island Grand Prix
Joan Mir wins the Moto3 World Championship with two rounds to spare at Phillip Island on Sunday. A MotoGP photo After an incredible year, the Majorcan takes the crown at Phillip Island
Leopard Racing’s Joan Mir is the 2017 Moto3™ World Champion, taking the crown at Phillip Island after a stunning year that his seen him take nine wins so far. Mir, from Majorca, began in the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup and was runner up in 2014 behind Jorge Martin, before moving up to the FIM CEV Repsol Moto3™ Junior World Championship for 2015.
Fourth in the standings that season as he competed with the Leopard Racing junior programme, Mir was on the podium in each of the races he finished with the exception of being crashed out in Valencia – ending the year only 36 points off Nicolo Bulega’s title-winning tally.
At the same time, the Leopard Racing team called Mir up for duty in the World Championship as an injury replacement for Hiroki Ono in Australia. Qualifying in fifteenth and then fighting for sixth in close company with teammate Danny Kent – who would go on to take the crown – the Majorcan crashed out but had already made an impression.
Mir then readied himself to line up full time for the first time in 2016. Hitting the ground running, the Spaniard’s first win was a stunning performance from pole in Austria – an impressive feat followed by two further podiums in Misano and Valencia. Mir was fifth overall, and took the title of Rookie of the Year.
At the beginning of 2017, the Majorcan’s Leopard Racing team switched from KTM to Honda machinery, and Mir took the victory in the season opener in Qatar and the second race of the season in Argentina. Texas was his worst result in the first half of the year when he came eighth, but Mir bounced back on home turf at Jerez to take third, only a tenth off the win – and was quickly back on the top step at Le Mans.
He won again at the Catalan GP before stringing together wins at Sachsenring, Brno and Austria. Silverstone was a more difficult race and he lost some ground to key rival Aron Canet, before a calm ride in the rain to second at Misano. Aragon saw him back on top, setting him up perfectly with his first chance at the title at Motegi. In torrential conditions, the tale took a twist as key rival Romano Fenati took the win – and Mir didn’t score, coming home in P17. But at Phillip Island it was a different story, as the Majorcan took his ninth win of the year and his tenth overall to equal Fenati on all-time wins – and take the 2017 crown in style.
BiographyDate of birth: 1st September 1997
Place of birth: Palma de Majorca, Spain
First GP: Phillip Island 2015, Moto3™
First pole position: Red Bull Ring 2016, Moto3™
First podium: Red Bull Ring 2016, Moto3™
First victory: Red Bull Ring 2016, Moto3™
Starts: 35
Victories: 10
Podiums: 14
Pole positions : 1
Fastest laps: 5
Titles: Moto3™ (2017)World Championship career2015: FIM CEV Repsol Moto3™ Junior World Championship — KTM, 4th
2015: Moto3™ World Championship — Honda, 1 race
2016: Moto3™ World Championship — KTM, 5th, 18 starts, 144 points
2017: Moto3™ World Championship — World Champion — Honda, 16 starts, 296 points.SOME FACTS ABOUT JOAN MIRJoan Mir has won nine races so far this season, becoming the first to do so since the introduction of the Moto3™ class back in 2012 and the first in the lightweight category since Marc Márquez in 2010.
Mir has won ten Moto3™ races in his career so far, equaling Romano Fenati at the top of the table of most wins in the class.
Mir took the lead of the Championship when he won the first race of the year at Losail and has remained at the head of the standings throughout the rest of the season.
Mir belongs to the list of nine riders who have led more than 100 laps since the introduction of the Moto3™ class in 2012.
Mir clinched the title without a pole position. This is the fourth time it has happened in the lightweight category after Emilio Alzamora (1999), Loris Capirossi (1990) and Ángel Nieto (1984) – since 1974 when full pole positions were recorded.
This is the third successive year that a rider who comes from the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup has won the world title, after Danny Kent (2015) and Brad Binder (2016).
Mir is the second Moto3™ rider, after Alex Márquez (2014), to have clinched the title after his rookie year.
ends/MotoGP press release
