INDIA in F1

Category: Moto GP

Moto GP, the Motorcycle World Championship

  • Mugello welcomes MotoGP back to Tuscany

    Mugello welcomes MotoGP back to Tuscany

    The Pre-Event Press Conference sees Quartararo joined by Bagnaia, Zarco, Miller, Aleix Espargaro and Rossi ahead of track action at the stunning Autodromo Internazionale del Mugello

    Mugello, 27 May 2021: Here we go! The sun is shining, the Championship is close and we’re back at the fabulous Autodromo Internazionale del Mugello. But before it’s time for engines on in Tuscany, it was time to talk shop in the Pre-Event Press Conference, with Championship leader Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) joined by closest challenger and home hero Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team), top Independent Team rider Johann Zarco (Pramac Racing), back-to-back winner Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team), Aprilia Racing Team Gresini’s Aleix Espargaro and, of course, the man who would normally – with fans in the stands – paint the hills yellow: Valentino Rossi (Petronas Yamaha SRT).

    Can anyone beat Ducati on home soil?

    The Bologna bullets have taken the last three victories at Mugello thanks to Danilo Petrucci, Jorge Lorenzo and Andrea Dovizioso, and everyone knows the advantage they’re going to have down the 1.1km home straight. Ducati have proved their package is competitive everywhere this season though, they’ve had at least one rider on the rostrum at all five races this year, so they’re going to be understandably confident on home turf this weekend. However, Quartararo is also relishing Mugello, because it’s not just about superior straight line speed.

    Here are some key quotes:

    Back in the hot seat… by a single point: Fabio Quartararo

    Fabio Quartararo: “I’m expecting a great race, you know when we were in Qatar I was feeling a bit the same because Ducati had won the last three races and actually I’m feeling good on the bike. On the straight we know it’s not a strong point for us but there are many corners here, and the fast corners are where I feel good. I think we need to just start the weekend like a normal weekend, not thinking about the last three wins of Ducati or the big straight here, just go for it, do our pace and see on Sunday. The most important thing is that we have a really great feeling on the bike.”

    Francesco Bagnaia: “It would be great if I could win my first race here but at the moment it’s not my objective. First of all, it’s more important to be constant and then competitive from the start of the weekend. Then, if the win is possible, I will try to achieve it. At the moment I’m just thinking about being competitive like the last race in Le Mans. In the wet conditions I was struggling a lot at the start of the race so we have to understand that this weekend. I want to be competitive from the start like in Portimao, like in Jerez and then we will see. It’s a track that I like, it’s a track where the Ducati is really sweet so I think we have a great opportunity.”

    Johann Zarco: “Having a nice feeling on the Ducati and knowing the Ducati is quite competitive here, I’m hoping to use the advantage of the bike pretty well. The race in Le Mans, the wet conditions helped me to get a nice podium and 20 points in the championship, so pretty happy to be back in the top three and try to stay there, keep gaining points on Fabio to play my game. Ducati’s situation, if we can enjoy, Pecco, Jack and me together and put some pressure on the main opponent which is Fabio on the Yamaha, this would be great for the Championship.” 

    What’s the most demanding part of the track?
    “As we know, we have this long straight where we will have this advantage but with every bike, Turn 8 and 9, with the MotoGP bike you feel a lot of pressure on your body. Because of the track you feel you can always go fastest and faster, but it’s not that easy. But you feel you can do it and you try. It feels like some corners like Portimão, very physically demanding. All these parts, 8, 9 and going into 10 when you can’t see it braking downhill, I think this area is one of the most demanding.  .”

    Can Miller emulate Stoner and get a Ducati hat-trick?

    Miller says, It feels unreal to get the contract signed

    Jack Miller: “If you’re unhappy in my situation I mean, you’ve got something going wrong. I’ve had a pretty phenomenal couple of weeks and it feels unreal to get the contract signed up and not have to worry about that for another eight months or so and just focus on what I enjoy the most, which is riding my motorcycle. Mugello demons? I mean it’s a place I love, as I think everyone else does. Just arriving here in the beautiful landscape of this place, it’s just, you know, we definitely missed it last year. My report card of Mugello is not the most pleasant one, I’ve always been pretty quick here but just haven’t been able to see too many chequered flags. I’ll try to put that right this weekend but we’ll see what happens.”

    Miller looks for his third win in a row… captured at the Thursday Press Meet

    He could become the first Ducati rider to win three in a row since his countryman Casey Stoner in 2008 too…
    “That was basically the time when I started watching racing. I started racing the following year but we all started really watching in 2007. Of course, with an Aussie doing well. I unfortunately missed most of Mick’s era. Seeing an Aussie do well is what turned me on to the sport. I mean I prefer to not even think about the whole three on the trot or anything like that, I’m just happy to be here and be in one piece and try to do a decent weekend. No, I haven’t spoken to Casey recently. To be honest, I’ve been flat out trying to get back to as many people as possible but I’m not really good on my telephone, as most people know. I’m trying my best though.”

    Aleix Espargaro: “I’m pleased, happy with how things are going. It was a shame in Le Mans because I was in sixth and chasing Alex Marquez for fifth place so it would have been very nice points for the championship, but races are like this. We had a small technical problem but now arrive here in Mugello and as Jack said, it’s one of the most difficult, challenging but at the same time fun tracks to ride in the world. We missed this circuit last season so I can’t wait to try the new bike here, we know it’s not going to be easy because the straight is very, very long and this is one of the weak points – top speed. But the bike is going very well on changing direction and stability side, so I can’t wait to try the bike here and I’m very curious as to how we go.”

    The Aprilia rider was also asked about his comments on MotoGP™ Podcast Last On The Brakes, where he said the tougher times even made him consider retiring:
    “It’s difficult to go to the races to fight for the top 15 and not more. Every race giving your best, feeling you’re riding good, working at your maximum level but impossible to finish in the top 10. I’m not saying to win races but at least to finish in the top 10 or top six like we’re doing this year, so it was very frustrating. Every time I arrived home I couldn’t disconnect and I was very angry, I wasn’t enjoying life. Yes I love MotoGP, it’s my passion since I was born but I think life is too short to not be happy and not enjoy what you’re doing. I think I’m able to do a lot more things over than ride MotoGP so yes, I was thinking to change my life but then with the arrival of Massimo, things started to change in Aprilia. By changing things he convinced me, the project grew and I think I took the right decision. Thanks to him the results are arriving, the team and the project is growing so much and we are working very, very hard, the results are there. The new bike is much more competitive, again we aren’t fighting for victories but we’re closer than ever. When you can go to the races and fight for top sixes, the approach and mentality is another story. Now I’m enjoying life and I hope I can bring the project to the next level like we deserve!”

    Valentino Rossi: “This is a special place for all the Italians that are fans of MotoGP because it’s been the home of the Italian Grand Prix for nearly 30 years. Also, it’s a special place. When I arrived yesterday during the night, it’s great you know. The track, the Tuscan hills, all the paddock, so it’s unbelievable. We have to see because in Le Mans it was a bit better. Unfortunately on Sunday the conditions were very difficult for everybody. We will see here what my speed is like during the weekend.

    Rossi is the most successful rider at Mugello – All images by MotoGP

    “We now have a very important period of the championship because we have four races in five weeks. Also, at important racetracks like Mugello, Barcelona and Assen and then without Finland we will have one month off. Everybody will start to think about 2022 during that period, so like I said that the beginning, in that point I will make my decision. But also it’s not only my decision, I have also to speak with the Petronas team and also with Yamaha to understand what their plans are for next year. We will see but for sure now these four races are very important for us to try and find some good results.”

    That’s it from Thursday, tune in for Free Practice and qualifying before MotoGP™ brings the Tuscan hills alive at 14:00 (GMT +2), that is 4pm IST on Sunday.

    Action from  MotoGP Gran Premio d’Italia Oakley Qualifying Race will be LIVE in India on EUROSPORT and EUROSPORT HD from 16:00 Hrs (04:00 pm IST) onwards on Saturday, 29th March 2021. The same will also be live streamed on discovery + app.

  • Can Ducati keep up the momentum at Mugello?

    Can Ducati keep up the momentum at Mugello?

    Home turf beckons for the Italian manufacturer and with Miller on a roll, three Ducatis in the top four and two 1-2s in a row, it’s great reading for Borgo Panigale and a warning for the rest.

    Mugello, 24 May 2021: Would you have predicted this in Qatar? The gossip went into overdrive back in the desert as Ducati didn’t win either of the season openers at one of their “favourite” or most successful tracks, but now the factory can enjoy its elegant silence on the matter even more. Two 1-2s in a row, with Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) on the top step in both and Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) and Johann Zarco (Pramac Racing) taking a second place apiece, make quite a statement. The three are all in the top four in the standings too – something Ducati have never had before – and Bagnaia is only a point off the lead. That would be enough to grab some attention in itself but the next track up, unfortunately for the rest, is also the Autodromo Internazionale del Mugello.

    The Italian venue is a rider and fan favourite for a reason, a stunning enough landmark in itself even before adding the spectacle of one of MotoGP™’s most golden of eras carving its way through the Tuscan hills. Fast, flowing and fast becoming a place synonymous with Ducati glory, yes it’s home turf. But it’s also somewhere Borgo Panigale machinery has won the last three editions and been on the podium since 2015.

    The favourite to keep the roll going must be Miller. With his win in Le Mans in tough conditions, and that despite two Long Lap penalties, he followed up his Jerez stunner in style and it seems safe to say the Australian will now read the stats about Mugello with glee rather than pressure. Miller is a key architect of the momentum behind the manufacturer and the monkey some saw on his back after the first three rounds of the season is nowhere in sight now, whichever way you want to spin it. Can he make it three in a row? Or can his teammate fight back?

    Bagnaia has been impressive in 2021 and led the standings for the first time just before Le Mans, with speed at every venue and few mistakes to go with it. With less premier class experience than Miller, he could have been forgiven for a few too. His French GP was a solid statement of intent, however, as the Italian somehow found himself down in 19th just after the start… then rode back through to fourth in conditions that caught out the very best, and again, like Miller, despite two Long Lap Penalties. If there was a day to lose your head, it was leading the Championship and sinking to the bottom of the top 20 early doors. But he didn’t.

    And what about Zarco? The Frenchman hunted down another podium and moved back up to third overall, so what does he have in the locker? A Pramac win on home turf would be a popular one and the number 5, like Bagnaia, hasn’t yet tasted the top step in the premier class although he’s been close. His teammate this weekend could also be one to watch complicating the lives of a few riders who could find themselves on the cusp of Q2 too as Michele Pirro steps in to replace the injured Jorge Martin. Pirro knows both track and machine, and has impressed aplenty on wildcards.

    All that said, it’s far from a foregone conclusion that Ducati will take their fourth Mugello win in a row. Three in the top four they may have, but it’s Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) back on top – and the Frenchman’s there despite his tough plummet down the order after arm pump in Jerez. He took a well-earned home podium at Le Mans despite coming back from surgery, and before Ducati started to assert their dominance at Mugello it was Yamaha territory. Jorge Lorenzo took the most recent wins but Valentino Rossi (Petronas Yamaha SRT) was on the podium in 2018 and Maverick Viñales (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) the year before that. With a dry, less chaotic weekend hopefully ahead, what can they – and Franco Morbidelli (Petronas Yamaha SRT) – do?

    Dry and less chaotic will likely be a hope for Team Suzuki Ecstar too. A double DNF in France saw reigning Champion Joan Mir fall outside the top five in the standings, and left teammate Alex Rins with an even bigger hill to climb to get back into real contention. The Hamamatsu factory have form at Mugello though, with Rins only two tenths off the podium in 2019 as he hung on to the Marquez-Ducati fight and almost managed to ruin the party for all of them. The Suzuki works well around the majority of the venue and Rins will be out to show that and bounce back, as will Mir – but the reigning Champion also has a fair bit less experience of the track on premier class machinery, with MotoGP™ having not visited Mugello last year.

    Aprilia are another who, like Ducati, will be both optimistic and riding on home turf. The Noale factory have taken a big step forward in 2021 and their bike should prove a good fit for Mugello. It may have been heartbreak at Le Mans but Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) just keeps impressing, and teammate Lorenzo Savadori was a serious threat in the damp. Can he take another step forward, and can Aleix Espargaro pick up where he left off? Aprilia also have Andrea Dovizioso confirmed as doing more testing throughout the season, whose record at Mugello is one of the best in recent years. He’s also already ridden the RS-GP there, although the weather didn’t play ball…

    Mugello, meanwhile, was also a place where Honda really hammered home their top speed gains in 2019 as Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) went toe to toe with the Bologna bullets and was absolutely not left in the dust. Marquez’ win in 2014 at the track is the only non-Ducati win for a rider still on the grid since then too, and his 2019 battle at the front against the factory Ducati duo at the time was a stunner. The French GP saw flag-to-flag master Marquez make an uncharacteristic mistake and crash out, but there were more flashes of his former self as his comeback continues. What can he do?

    LCR Honda Idemitsu’s Takaaki Nakagami and LCR Honda Castrol teammate Alex Marquez both took solid results in France too after a tougher start to the season, and Nakagami equalled his best ever result in Jerez just before that. Alex Marquez won at Mugello in Moto2™ last time he rode there as well, although this is his first taste of it in the premier class. Pol Espargaro (Repsol Honda Team) was also gaining ground in France, so they can’t be counted out of the increasingly tough fight for Q2 and more.

    That also goes for KTM. It’s been a tougher start to the season but Danilo Petrucci (Tech3 KTM Factory Racing) equalled the best result of the Austrian factory’s year so far at Le Mans, and he knows the top step at Mugello, although in red. Teammate Iker Lecuona also impressed in France, so can both start to cut the gap to Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Brad Binder and Miguel Oliveira? There have been flashes of speed from them since Binder’s fifth in Portugal, but it’s not all come together on race day for either since. Binder and Lecuona have also not yet ridden at Mugello in MotoGP™ though, so that could also factor in to the weekend. Can KTM push back towards the bigger points hauls?

    Tuscany is one of the world’s most emblematic destinations, and MotoGP™ is lucky enough to have Mugello nestled right in the middle. The paddock returns to the venue in 2021 looking quite different to the last time we were there, but the track remains the same stunner for man and machine. Make sure to tune in for the Gran Premio d’Italia Oakley on Sunday the 30th of May, with lights out for the premier class at 14:00 (GMT +2).

    MotoGP standings after five rounds:

    1 Fabio Quartararo – Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP – Yamaha – 80
    2 Francesco Bagnaia – Ducati Lenovo Team – Ducati – 79
    3 Johann Zarco* – Pramac Racing – Ducati – 68
    4 Jack Miller – Ducati Lenovo Team – Ducati – 64
    5 Maverick Viñales – Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP – Yamaha – 56
    *Independent Team rider
  • Full GAS! Garcia takes stunning 2nd win at a wet Le Mans

    Full GAS! Garcia takes stunning 2nd win at a wet Le Mans

    The Spaniard takes the glory with a supreme charge to the front, ahead of a first podium for Salač and Rossi as the weather mixes up the field in France

    Le Mans, 16 May 2021: Sergio Garcia (Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team) put in an absolute stunner on race day at the SHARK Grand Prix de France, the Spaniard making his way through to lead early on in difficult conditions and nothing able to stop him from there. It’s his second Grand Prix win, his first for GASGAS and the marque’s first victory since joining Moto3 this season. P2 went to Filip Salač (Rivacold Snipers Team) as the Czech rider proved the only man able to push Garcia to the flag, ultimately forced to settle for second, with front row starter Riccardo Rossi (BOE Owlride) completing the podium for his first career rostrum finish to top off an impressive weekend at Le Mans.

    Sergio Garcia: “I feel very good! Because this victory was a very difficult victory, the track conditions were changing during the whole race but I kept focused and concentrating to win the race and I think this is the target! The track was really drying. I’m very happy with my ride, I pushed very hard to the limit. And this victory is for my team and my family.”

    Andrea Migno (Rivacold Snipers Team) took the holeshot from pole, but after a few corners of shuffle it was Niccolo Antonelli (Avintia Esponsorama Moto3) in the lead. Not long after though, the dream was over early as the Italian crashed out, soon followed by Tatsuki Suzuki (SIC58 Squadra Corse) and Jeremy Alcoba (Indonsesian Racing Gresini Moto3). Then it was drama time for Jaume Masia (Red Bull KTM Ajo), and the biggest earthquake then came for his teammate Pedro Acosta. Up from outside the top 20 on the grid, the Spaniard then overcooked it and went down, but he was up quickly as he slotted back in pretty much where he started in P21.

    Ahead of the drama, two riders had emerged in the early lead: Garcia and Salač. With three seconds in hand back to Rossi in his own little bit of clear air, it wasn’t plain sailing but the two pounded on. After a couple of wobbles, Garcia started to make his own gap too…

    Rossi was being chased by Ayumu Sasaki (Red Bull KTM Tech3) and John McPhee (Petronas Sprinta Racing), with a big group then fighting for sixth – and Acosta back in that. More drama hit not long after for one of the Spaniard’s key points rivals too, as Darryn Binder (Petronas Sprinta Racing) tumbled out from the front of the freight train fighting for sixth. The South African rejoined but right at the back, and with quite a gap. That left rookies Adrian Fernandez (Sterilgarda Max Racing Team) and Xavier Artigas (Leopard Racing) heading that group… the two up from the very back of the grid after an incredible charge through the chaos.

    Meanwhile at the front, with 10 to go Garcia overcooked it at Turn 8 and headed wide, the Spaniard carefully getting straight back onto the racing line but Salač able to slice through to lead. It didn’t last long though, Garcia gathering it back up and soon taking over again – once again, pulling out a gap. 

    It would stretch and then Salač would pull it back, but by the last lap the Spaniard had 1.9 in hand and just one more tour of Le Mans to the top step. And he kept it calm in style to take his second ever Grand Prix win and the first Moto3™ win for GASGAS, a true masterclass from early doors to the flag. Salač impressed for second and his first podium, with Rossi setting the fastest lap on his last lap to stay out of the clutches of McPhee.

    The Scot put in a late charge as he got past Sasaki and started to reel in the podium, but had to settle for fourth in the end. After a run of bad luck though, that’s the Scotsman’s first points of the season. Sasaki continued his run of fast consistency in 2021 to come home fifth.

    Fernandez took his best ever result with a stunning charge to sixth, coming home top rookie just ahead of fellow debutant Artigas. The two came from the very back to cross the line almost neck and neck. Next up was another rookie: Acosta. The Championship leader sliced back into the fight for the top ten after his early crash, and took eighth and eight points – a good recovery, and enough to extend his points lead given the drama around him.

    Romano Fenati (Sterilgarda Max Racing Team) lost out late on to Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Tech3) as the Turk pipped him to ninth, with polesitter Migno fading back to 11th, but still some solid points. CarXpert PrüstelGP’s Ryusei Yamanaka and Jason Dupasquier took P12 and P13, respectively, with rookies Izan Guevara (Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team) and Andi Izdihar (Honda Team Asia) completing the points, the Indonesian despite a six-place grid penalty.

    After a dramatic damp Sunday at Le Mans then, Acosta remains in the lead and even extends it after his recovery to P8. Now though it’s Garcia closest on the chase in an expensive day in the standings for many… what will Mugello bring? We’ll find out in two weeks.

    Moto3 Podium:

    1 Sergio Garcia – Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team – GASGAS – 42:21.172
    2 Filip Salač – Rivacold Snipers Team – Honda – +2.349
    3 Riccardo Rossi – BOE Owlride – KTM  – +5.589

  • Raul Fernandez on fire to take 2nd Moto2 victory

    Raul Fernandez on fire to take 2nd Moto2 victory

    A Red Bull KTM Ajo 1-2, Bezzecchi in third and a dramatic crash out for Lowes sees Le Mans mix up the standings

    Le Mans, 16 May 2021: Raul Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo) just continues to impress in the intermediate class, with the Spanish rookie taking a second Moto2 win in by-now signature style at the front. Teammate Remy Gardner (Red Bull KTM Ajo) kept him honest in the latter stages for another consistent top finish, with Marco Bezzecchi (Sky Racing Team VR46) completing the podium to continue his rostrum run. Sam Lowes (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) crashed out in an early DNF.

    Raul Fernandez: “It was a really difficult race, especially the second sector was wet, the front tyre was too cool at the start and I waited four or five laps behind Marco. When I thought the tyre was warmer I pushed a bit more, overtook Marco and pushed like in FP2, and it was really good. In the end I could do a good race and I’m really happy. It’s amazing to win again and in difficult conditions. I like this track a lot I remember I got second in the Junior World Championship here in 2018. Incredible, I want to thank my team as they keep me calm in difficult moments and that’s the most important.”

    With no rain falling since Moto2 Warm Up, the circuit had a clear dry line after the Moto3 race. That meant everyone was starting on slicks, and it was Bezzecchi who pounced into the lead from the start as Raul Fernandez managed to cement P2, the field safely negotiating Turns 3 and 4 on Lap 1. There was contact between Gardner and Xavi Vierge (Petronas Sprinta Racing), but disaster was avoided. Not for Aron Canet (Inde Aspar Team) though, who was making early progress before the Spaniard went down hard at Turn 9 on the opening lap, rider ok.

    Lap 2 saw Augusto Fernandez (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) crash out of the top three as Raul Fernandez bridged the early gap that Bezzecchi had pulled on the field. World Championship leader Gardner and then-nearest challenger Lowes were P9 and P8 respectively, with the top three – Bezzecchi, Raul Fernandez and Joe Roberts (Italtrans Racing Team) – enjoying a second lead over the gaggle of riders from P4 to P11.

    Lap 4 then witnessed three riders all go off the road at Turn 8 – including Lowes. Up the inside of Vierge, Lowes tucked the front as both went down, with Lorenzo Baldassarri (MV Agusta Forward Racing) running wide just ahead of the duo. Unable to get going again, Lowes’ French GP was over. Then, running P2, Roberts was down at Turn 9 after running in too hot on the brakes and clipping Bezzecchi. meanwhile, Raul Fernandez picked up the baton and took over at the front after a dramatic opening handful of laps in the Moto2™ race.

    Bo Bendsneyder (Pertamina Mandalika SAG Team) was occupying P3 with Gardner now up to 4th, but he had hard-charging rookie Tony Arbolino (Liqui Moly Intact GP) on his tail. More drama hit just behind too, as Hector Garzo (Flexbox HP40) crashed out from P6 at Turn 11 with a little helping hand from Fabio Di Giannantonio (Federal Oil Gresini Moto2), the Italian handed a Long Lap penalty. Which he took quickly but overcooked so had to do a second.

    At the front though, Raul Fernandez was edging his lead up to a second over Bezzecchi, the latter slowly falling into the grasps of the Bendsneyder, Gardner and Arbolino squabble. The leading quintet were six seconds ahead of sixth place Marcel Schrötter (Liqui Moly Intact GP), the German entangled in a fight with rookies Cameron Beaubier (American Racing), Ai Ogura (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) and his teammate Somkiat Chantra (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia), up from well down on the grid.

    Raul Fernandez was keeping his advantage around the one second mark, with Bezzecchi pulling nearly a second clear of the trio behind him. On Lap 14, the race leader set a 1:36.993 to stretch his lead to 1.2s over Bezzecchi. However, a lap later it was back down to below a second as Fernandez’s teammate Gardner poached third off Bendsneyder at Turn 11 – the Aussie then 2.2s behind the race leader. A lap later, Arbolino then slipped past Bendsneyder too.

    Now in clean air, the Gardner charge was on. A fastest lap of the race came in from the Red Bull KTM Ajo rider but it was only narrowly quicker than Bezzecchi ahead of him, the gap separating the top three set at 1.7s with seven to go. Bezzecchi then made a mistake at Turn 8, running wide onto the green, allowing Gardner to stroll through into P2. With the bit between his teeth, Gardner started to reel in teammate Fernandez by four tenths on Lap 20 of 25, setting up a very intriguing final five laps between two title contenders.

    Undeterred though, Raul Fernandez was holding his nerve. As he clocked another lap and headed onto Lap 23, the Spaniard set his fastest lap of the race and his lead was now 1.8s. And with one lap remaining in France, it went up another tenth. No mistakes were made from the rookie sensation on the final lap, and Fernandez crossed the line to win his second race of 2021. Gardner made it a Red Bull KTM Ajo 1-2 as a single point splits Gardner and Raul Fernandez in the overall standings, and Bezzecchi pockets his second podium in a row with a solid P3 ride.

    Arbolino landed his best Moto2™ result with a fantastic P4 at Le Mans, just ahead of an impressive ride from Bendsneyder as the Dutch rider earns his best result of the season, the same can be said for sixth place Schrötter. Ogura cements another top 10 in P7 as three rookies finish inside the top 10, Di Giannantonio took P8 after his two Long Laps, a solid salvage job.

    Veteran Simone Corsi (MV Agusta Forward Racing) produced his best ride of the season to finish P9, with Jorge Navarro (MB Conveyors Speed Up) completing the top 10. Somkiat Chantra, Nicolo Bulega (Federal Oil Gresini Moto2), Marcos Ramirez (American Racing), reigning Moto3™ World Champion Albert Arenas (Inde Aspar Team) and Hafizh Syahrin (NTW RW Racing GP) are the remaining point scorers.

    Beaubier crashed out of sixth place at Turn 3 in the latter stages, Tom Lüthi (Pertamina Mandalika SAG Team) was another rider to crash out of the points.

    And so it’s another day that belongs to Red Bull KTM Ajo, as Gardner and Raul Fernandez now sit P1 and P2 in the World Championship. Lowes loses crucial ground as Bezzecchi keeps tabs on his title rivals, with the latter’s home race at Mugello now next up. Tune in for more in a fortnight.

    Moto2 podium:

    1 Raul Fernandez – Red Bull KTM Ajo – Kalex – 40:46.101
    2 Remy Gardner– Red Bull KTM Ajo – Kalex – +1.490
    3 Marco Bezzecchi – Sky Racing Team VR46 – Kalex – +4.599

  • Jack Miller wins at Le Mans for back-to-back victories

    Jack Miller wins at Le Mans for back-to-back victories

    Le Mans (France), 16 May, 2021: If you like your Sunday afternoons to be packed with pulsating drama and unrelenting action, then it doesn’t get any better than the 2021 SHARK Helmets Grand Prix de France. In a rare flag-to-flag race, Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) – despite two long-lap penalties – became the first Australian since Casey Stoner in 2012 to win back-to-back races in the premier class to lead home a double French podium at Le Mans. Johann Zarco (Pramac Racing) and Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) sprayed the bubbly on the famous rostrum in an unforgettable MotoGP encounter.

    Jack Miller: “Winning two races in a row is a dream for me, especially after such a difficult race where I even had to take a double long lap and ended up in the gravel. So to be able to get this result is really extraordinary! The race was really long and tough mentally. I tried to keep my concentration and kept telling myself to stay calm. In this way, I managed the tyres well and saved them until the end, managing the advantage over Johann, who was getting very close towards the end. It was really a fantastic victory!”

    Ahead of lights out for the premier class race, the race was declared dry. No rain had fallen since Warm Up and after the Moto3 and Moto2 races, Le Mans was dry. There were some looming dark clouds in the surrounding area though and tensions were understandably palpable on the grid. The entire field had selected the soft-soft slick Michelins to begin the race on, with some forecasts suggesting there might be some rain on the way – drama was on the way.

    It was dry for the time being though and as expected, Miller propelled his Ducati off the line excellently and grabbed the holeshot from third on the grid, with both Viñales and Quartararo holding firm to stay inside the top three as Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) had two bites of the cherry for P4 against Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu). First Turn 7, then Turn 8.

    On Lap 1, coming out of Turn 10, Pol Espargaro (Repsol Honda Team) then had a huge moment. The Spaniard stayed on but it gave Valentino Rossi (Petronas Yamaha SRT) and his teammate Franco Morbidelli a sniff. Trying to overtake at the inside of Turn 11, the door was closed on Morbidelli and the Italian ran wide, before crashing in the gravel. It caused Rossi and Pol Espargaro to lose places too, with Morbidelli able to re-join.

    It was a frantic start. At the front, Miller, Quartararo and Viñales were your top three with fast-starting Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) and Marc Marquez inside the top five, as the rain started falling. It was light to begin with and Quartararo made a phenomenal two-in-one move on Viñales and Miller at Turn 3, but the rain then started to fall a lot heavier. On Lap 5, the heavens properly opened and it was time for the field to come into pitlane for their second bikes.

    Miller ran wide at Turn 11 as the riders struggled to finish the lap on the asphalt. Slick tyres and heavy rain don’t mix, and the reigning World Champion Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar) found that out. Mir crashed on Lap 5 when the rain started bucketing down, as more drama followed in pitlane. Both Miller and teammate Bagnaia were handed two long-lap penalties for speeding in pitlane, Quartararo pulled into Viñales’ box slot by accident, with Marc Marquez emerging as the race leader.

    Jack Miller celebrates on the podium – Ducati Lenova Team image

    Rins was second as the riders re-entered the track, but at Turn 4, the Spaniard was down. This left Marc Marquez and Quartararo clear of Miller at the front, but the eight-time World Champion was then down at the final corner. Unrelenting drama at Le Mans, Marc Marquez squandered his lead but the 93 did manage to get back on track. Now, Quartararo was the race leader again but Miller was rapidly closing in. As we know, the Australian had two long laps to take, he did so on Laps 9 and 10, before immediately closing the gap to Quartararo.

    On Lap 12, Quartararo dived through the long-lap penalty lane but still came out in P2, his advantage over third place Nakagami was 12 seconds. Miller was in the groove and had a four second lead over Quartararo, as Zarco grabbed P3 from Nakagami at Turn 3. The Frenchman then started to close down compatriot Quartararo at a high rate of knots, nearly two seconds a lap, as dry lines started to appear. There was no rain falling, could we actually see the riders come into pitlane for another bike swap?

    Marc Marquez crashed at Turn 6, his second of the race, and he was out on Lap 18. One thing to note: Miller and Quartararo had one soft Michelin rain tyre on, Zarco was on the mediums. The mediums would last longer in these drying conditions as the wet tyres started to overheat, and we saw Miller kick his right leg out on the front straight – was he signalling to get the dry bike ready? We didn’t know for now, but what we could see was Zarco reeling in Quartararo, the gap now 2.5s with seven to go.

    Astonishingly, the sun was now shining in France. Zarco was once again 1.8s quicker than Quartararo, as Alex Marquez (LCR Honda Castrol) and Danilo Petrucci (Tech3 KTM Factory Racing) got the better of Nakagami for P4 and P5 respectively. Bagnaia then overtook the Japanese rider with six to go, and further up the road, Zarco blasted past Quartararo on the home straight to take P2, seven seconds behind Miller. In turn, Quartararo had 12 seconds in his pocket to Alex Marquez.

    Five to go. Ducati Lenovo Team Manager Davide Tardozzi was on pit wall to tell Miller that Zarco was hunting him. The track was dry now, but with four laps to go, there wasn’t time to come into pitlane, head back out and use the slick tyre advantage – not for the leaders anyway. Miller was doing a cracking effort though, his lead was staying above the five second mark as Bagnaia climbed his way to P4.

    Three to go. Miller’s lead was 4.9s, Zarco was holding Quartararo at bay by nearly seven seconds, with Bagnaia eight seconds off the final podium place in fourth. Heading onto Lap 26 of 27, the gap was down to 4.3s between the leading duo, Bagnaia was cutting the gap to Quartararo by nearly two seconds a lap.

    LAST LAP AT LE MANS! It was Miller’s to lose, his advantage was still above the four second mark to Zarco. Quartararo’s gap to Pecco was 3.4s, so he too should comfortably – relatively speaking – hold onto a rostrum finish. No mistakes were made from the race leading Australian and after banishing the early season demons in Jerez, Miller now sits just 16 points away from the title lead.

    Zarco returns to the podium after a trickier couple of races in Portugal and Spain, he and Quartararo make it two Frenchman on the podium at the French GP – not bad from the latter who underwent arm pump surgery after the Spanish GP. Bagnaia’s fourth was a very, very good result after his two long lap penalties and a P16 start. He may have lost his World Championship lead, but only by a point.

    Petrucci has endured a tough start to life as a KTM rider, but the 2020 Le Mans race winner delivered by far his best ride of the season to finish P5. LCR Honda’s Alex Marquez also grabs his best result of the season at a circuit he scored a podium at last year, the double World Champion led teammate Nakagami over the line. Pol Espargaro equals his best finish of the campaign in P8, with Iker Lecuona (Tech3 KTM Factory Racing) snatching P9 off Viñales on the last lap to land a morale-boosting P9. Viñales had to settle for P10 at the chequered flag, a relatively disappointing result after leading the race in the early stages.

    The Morbidelli incident cost Rossi valuable time in the early stages and The Doctor wasn’t able to make up ground when the rain fell, it’s P11 for the nine-time World Champion at Le Mans. Luca Marini (SKY VR46 Avintia) was 10 seconds behind his half brother in P12, the Italian comfortably beat 13th place Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing). Reigning Moto2 World Champion Enea Bastianini (Avintia Esponsorama) and Tito Rabat (Pramac Racing) were the final point scorers, Morbidelli managed to finish the race but was a lonely P16.

    Both Aleix Espargaro and Aprilia Racing Team Gresini teammate Lorenzo Savadori suffered mechanical issues on Sunday afternoon, Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) joined the Suzukis and Marc Marquez in crashing out.

    That was another absolutely breathtaking MotoGP race, our first flag-to-flag in four years. An unbelievable afternoon in northern France sees the top four in the title race sit just 16 points apart, it’s Quartararo leading the way from Bagnaia, Zarco and Miller. Next up: the spectacular Mugello.

    MotoGP Top 10:

    1. Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team)

    2. Johann Zarco (Pramac Racing) + 3.970

    3. Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) + 14.468

    4. Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) + 16.172

    4. Danilo Petrucci (Tech 3 KTM Factory Racing) + 21.430

    5. Alex Marquez (LCR Honda Castrol) + 23.509

    7. Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) + 30.164

    8. Pol Espargaro (Repsol Honda Team) + 35.221

    9. Iker Lecuona (Tech 3 KTM Factory Racing) + 40.432

    10. Maverick Viñales (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) + 40.577

    All the action from MotoGP will continue on EUROSPORT and EUROSPORT HD with the Gran Premio d’Italia Oakley. The qualifying race is on Saturday, 29th May and the main race is on Sunday, 30th May 2021. The same will also be live streamed on discovery + app.

  • Flying Frenchmen: Zarco and Quartararo reign Day 1

    Flying Frenchmen: Zarco and Quartararo reign Day 1

    Le Mans, 14 May 2021: After Day 1 at Le Mans, it’s the home heroes on top! Johann Zarco (Pramac Racing) topped the SHARK Grand Prix de France timesheets on Friday with some close company from compatriot Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP), and the two Frenchmen were split by just 0.095. Maverick Viñales (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) made it two Iwata marque machines in the top three, 0.389 back, with Pol Espargaro (Repsol Honda Team) denied the honour by just 0.001.

    FP1 started wet but ended dry, ish, at least for Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team). The Aussie put in slicks and pulled out a whopping 1.481 seconds on the rest of the field by the flag, with Zarco leading the resistance in second ahead of reigning MotoGP™ World Champion Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar). Mir was the first to stop in the damp session, however, as he suffered a technical problem at Turn 8. Two more riders crashed towards the end, first Alex Marquez (LCR Honda Castrol) and then Viñales, riders ok.

    By FP2, a few hours of mostly dry skies and no real extra rain saw the track start out dry and remain so. With the forecast looking decidedly damp for Saturday morning, it was even more important to get a provisional place in Q2 on Friday and predictably, that created a flurry of afternoon action as everyone rushed to set a lap and then better it.

    Home hero Quartararo was untouchable in the opening stages, however. Everyone was slamming in lap after lap on soft or medium rears but after 15 minutes, Quartararo’s 1:32.120 was 0.591s better than second place Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu). The notorious Turn 3 caught out Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) and World Championship leader Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) in the first 15 minutes too, both riders ok, before Espargaro – on his second bike – then slid into the gravel at Turn 3 again.

    Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team), ninth in the early stages, then had an off-track excursion at Turn 8. It was clear the riders were pushing as Turn 3 then saw Quartararo slide into the gravel too, rider also ok, before Jack Miller – just after going P6 – tucked the front of his GP21 at Turn 7 as well.

    With just over 10 minutes to go, Quartararo was still leading the way by over half a second from Nakagami, with Team Suzuki Ecstar’s Alex Rins in P3. Viñales made a move though, the Spaniard up to P2 and cutting his teammate’s advantage to 0.428s. Franco Morbidelli (Petronas Yamaha SRT) then shot into P3, before Pol Espargaro took over in second to slash Quartararo’s lead to just 0.017s. Miller wasn’t fazed by his crash and got back nearer the front into fourth, and as Turn 3 claimed its latest victim in Rins – rider ok – Marc Marquez improved to move from outside the top 10 into sixth. That shoved Championship leader Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) outside the provisional Q2 places, soon to be confirmed alongside Joan Mir as the reigning Champion crashed at Turn 8 whilst in P12, his FP2 efforts over.

    Meanwhile Quartararo rode on at the top, bouncing back quickly to set the first 1:31 of the weekend and lay down the gauntlet. Would he be beaten? Zarco soon made it a French 1-2 as he homed in and cut the gap, before the number 5 then pounced past Quartararo by just 0.095s to take over at the top and seal the deal.

    That makes it a dream start to the weekend for French fans as Zarco leads Quartararo, with Viñales bagging a healthy P3 on Day 1. Pol Espargaro had a great afternoon at the office to pick up fourth and only a thousandth off the top three, with Franco Morbidelli completing the top five as the Petronas Yamaha SRT man continues to pull it out the bag.

    Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) was the quickest KTM on Day 1, the Portuguese rider impressing once again to take sixth after a solid day’s work. Miller salvaged an important P7 after his tumble, just ahead of Marc Marquez in eighth.

    Ninth position, meanwhile, sees the return of nine-time World Champion Valentino Rossi (Petronas Yamaha SRT) to the Friday top ten. Just 0.037 off Marquez, the Doctor currently stands to move through and will be joined by the man in tenth: Nakagami.

    So who’s missing? More key names than can make it through should FP3 turn wet. Championship leader Bagnaia is down in P12, just behind Rins and just ahead of Mir. There are only two more places available in Q2, so there will likely be a few prayers from that trio hoping it doesn’t rain on Saturday morning.

    Day 1 belongs to the home heroes, but what will Day 2 bring? The ever-important FP3 stint will come your way at 09:55 local time (GMT+2), before qualifying begins from 14:10.

    MotoGP top-5 on Friday:

    1 Johann Zarco – Pramac Racing – Ducati – 1:31.747
    2 Fabio Quartararo – Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP – Yamaha – +0.095
    3 Maverick Viñales – Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP – Yamaha – +0.389
    4 Pol Espargaro – Repsol Honda Team – Honda – +0.390
    5 Franco Morbidelli* – Petronas Yamaha SRT – Yamaha –+0.532
    *Independent Team rider

  • Forecasts suggest a wet MotoGP weekend in Le Mans

    Forecasts suggest a wet MotoGP weekend in Le Mans

    Le Mans, France, 14 May, 2021 :  There have been eight races since we were treated to the last MotoGP wet encounter on a Sunday, but at the world-famous Le Mans, it looks incredibly likely that we’ll be seeing a weekend drenched with rain. It’s something that isn’t fazing the riders though, and in the SHARK Grand Prix de France pre-event Press Conference, title chase leader Francesco Bagnaia was joined by Ducati Lenovo Team teammate and Jerez winner Jack Miller, home heroes Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) and Johann Zarco (Pramac Racing), Franco Morbidelli (Petronas Yamaha SRT) and Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) to share their thoughts on the weekend.

    A lot of the talk has been about the weather forecasts for the three days in northern France. Rain looks set to play a leading role in the proceedings, but the good news for the riders is that – unlike last year’s French GP – there should be plenty of wet weather running before Sunday’s race. World Championship leader Bagnaia heads into Round 5 as the man to beat, and the Italian lands in France in a buoyant mood having claimed three podiums in four races so far in 2021.

    “Yeah I’m the leader for just 10 days so I don’t know. It’s good, it’s nice but we have only done four races, it’s too soon to think about it. We just thinking race by race, this is a track that I like. I’ve had three podiums here, one in Moto3 and a victory and second in Moto2 and it’s a track that suits our bike very well,” began Pecco, who knows that last year’s wet weather winner was Danilo Petrucci, riding a factory Ducati. Bagnaia explains that he hasn’t got much experience riding in adverse conditions, but acknowledges his package works well in the rain. 

    “I’m prepared to ride here but we need to see the weather forecast, because it looks like it will be rain and in the wet I’ve done just six races, I think, in all categories in MotoGP, so let’s wait. Last year I struggled in the second part of the race, after 12/13 laps because at the start I started well but I was behind, then I recovered positions to 8th, 9th and then they came back. In the wet our bike is very strong, but it’s not easy with these tyres because they give you a lot of grip and it’s not easy to manage.”

    Inspired by his emotional victory in Jerez, Miller is ready to attack a circuit he’s got a “love-hate” relationship with. As we know, the Australian is fond of tricky conditions and was going well in last year’s race before his Ducati packed in, and confirms he and the team are prepared to fight at the front in all conditions.

    “Yeah, I think it’s a whole mix of everything you know, relief, but also it makes you more eager for the next one. At the end of the day, bike racers, we’re always looking for what’s next and what we can try to do more, you know, we always want more so for sure just looking at coming here and trying to do a strong weekend like we did in Spain,” said Miller, explaining how it’s been since winning his first race in factory red.

    “I mean it’s been a pretty calm week to be honest, I’ve just stuck to what we’ve been doing the last few and just been training and doing what I can. Thankfully there was some decent weather in Spain and Andorra over the week and I was able to get out on the bicycle but doesn’t look like we will have much of that this weekend, so no, I think we’re prepared for all conditions that are coming this weekend. I’ve been known to be pretty good in the wet so if that comes it comes, I feel like I’ve got a score to settle with Le Mans, you know after last year.

    “I have a kind of love-hate relationship with France, with Le Mans especially. I’ve had a win here and in Moto3, I nearly died here at Turn 1, and then last year I did feel like I died as well, when the bike cut out with like seven to go. I think we’ve got a good package as the boys said.” 

    Former World Championship leader Quartararo could have had so much more in Jerez, however, arm pump had other ideas. Despite the disappointment in Andalucia, the Frenchman is in high spirits ahead of his home Grand Prix and confirms he doesn’t think he’ll struggle on the bike despite recent surgery.

    “Yeah it was, yeah. Pretty frustrating during the race and you have the pace to do it, but you don’t have power,” started Quartararo, chatting about the events that happened on Sunday in Jerez. “Every single lap you have more difficulties to brake until the moment you just have normal power. There was still more than 10 laps remaining.

    “The first moment was losing the opportunity to win, but then it was just tyring to finish the race in the points. So it was the right time to have a second surgery on the arm. I’m feeling great, the scar is stretching a little bit. I cant wait for tomorrow to ride. I’m feeling great and I don’t think there will be any issues while riding.”

    No issues while riding? That’s music to the ears of all his fans cheering him on this weekend. The spanner in the works for Quartararo and his competitors is the weather though, but factory Yamaha star is buzzing to try his YZR-M1 in the wet conditions, as it will be a good comparison to see if he’s quick in all conditions – not just when it’s dry.

    “Yes, I’m really looking forward to testing the bike in the wet. Last year was a little bit strange because the really wet conditions we only really had it on the Sunday, also FP1, but yeah. I’m feeling great in the dry conditions in every single track so I’m excited to test it in the wet, I hope it’s working as, you know, two years ago I was always feeling really good with the bike. I think this feeling is going to be well, a great opportunity to ride in the wet, not just in one session but for all the weekend. And yeah, just want to take as much experience as I can and to do my best.”

    Fellow Frenchman Zarco is also hoping for a dream home Grand Prix weekend, and knows that this track suits his Ducati well. “Yeah, true that in Jerez I got few points, and it was good enough for me, but with the high potential of the Ducati, and the victory of Jack, the second place of Pecco in Jerez, the leadership of Pecco, it really gives high motivation also to do a great result here in France,” commented Zarco.

    “As Pecco says the tracks fits the bike well here, or better than Jerez. In Jerez, the pace was interesting of the Ducati, so I’m pretty happy to have this package with me. We don’t have the fans, we are used to almost, and it’s on some side sad, because less funny things around the track but to stay focused and almost get the weekend as a normal weekend, that’s pretty good so for the work and for the target to be on podium, it can help.”

    All eyes will be looking towards the skies on Friday morning for MotoGP™ FP1 in France. If the forecasts are to be believed, it’s going to be the first of many sessions at Le Mans for the riders to get to grips with the wet conditions. It should be a fascinatingly unpredictable spectacle, wet or dry, for Round 5 of the season. Who’s ready for it? Everyone.

    Action from MotoGP SHARK Grand Prix de France Qualifying Race will be LIVE on EUROSPORT and EUROSPORT HD from 16:00 Hrs (04:00 pm IST) onwards on Saturday, 15 May 2021. The same will be live streamed on discovery + app.

  • Bagnaia, Quartararo, Zarco, Miller, Morbidelli gear up for Le Mans

    Bagnaia, Quartararo, Zarco, Miller, Morbidelli gear up for Le Mans

    Le Mans, 13 May 2021: It’s that time of week again: pre-event Press Conference time! Ahead of the SHARK Grand Prix de France, new Championship leader Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) was joined by home heroes Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) and Johann Zarco (Pramac Racing), as well as Jerez winner Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team), Franco Morbidelli (Petronas Yamaha SRT) and Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) to look back at Jerez and forward to what could be a mixed weekend of weather at Le Mans…

    Here are some key quotes:

    Francesco Bagnaia: “I’m the leader for just 10 days so I don’t know. It’s good, it’s nice but we have only done four races so it’s too soon to think about it. We just thinking race by race, this is a track that I like. I did three podiums here, one in Moto3 and a victory and second in Moto2 and it’s a track that suits our bike very well. I’m prepared to ride here but we need to see the weather forecast, because it looks like it will be rain and in the wet I’ve done just six races, I think, in all categories in MotoGP, so let’s wait. Last year I struggled in the second part of the race, after 12/13 laps because at the start I started well but I was behind, then I recovered positions to 8th, 9th and then they came back. In the wet our bike is very strong, but it’s not easy with these tyres because they give you a lot of grip and it’s not easy to manage.

    “I think that all three of us Ducati riders will be hoping that in every track it will be good. It’s difficult to predict a race in the wet, we have to wait until Sunday to see if we can be as competitive as Jerez. But I think our bike can be very suited to all the tracks, now we can ride it in a different way and different styles and it works very well, so I think we can be very strong this year.”

    Fabio Quartararo: “It was pretty frustrating during the race and you have the pace to do it, but you don’t have the power. Every single lap you have more difficulties to brake until the moment you just have normal power. There was still more than 10 laps remaining. The first moment was losing the opportunity to win, but then it was just trying to finish the race in the points. So it was the right time to have a second surgery on the arm. I’m feeling great, the scar is stretching a little bit. I can’t wait for tomorrow to ride. I’m feeling great and I don’t think there will be any issues while riding.

    “I’m really looking forward to testing the bike in the wet. Last year was a little bit strange because the really wet conditions, we only really had it on the Sunday, also FP1, but yeah. I’m feeling great in the dry conditions in every single track so I’m excited to test it in the wet, I hope it’s working as, you know, two years ago I was always feeling really good with the bike. I think this feeling is going to be well, a great opportunity to ride in the wet, not just in one session but for all the weekend. And yeah, just want to take as much experience as I can and to do my best.”

    Johann Zarco: “In Jerez I got a few points, and it was good enough for me, but with the high potential of the Ducati, and the victory of Jack, the second place of Pecco in Jerez, the leadership of Pecco, it really gives high motivation also to do a great result here in France. As Pecco says the tracks fit the bike well here, or better than Jerez. In Jerez, the pace was interesting of the Ducati, so I’m pretty happy to have this package with me. We don’t have the fans, we are used to almost, and it’s on some side sad, because less funny things around the track but to stay focused and almost get the weekend as a normal weekend, that’s pretty good so for the work and for the target to be on podium, it can help.

    “I think it would be nice to share a podium if we have the possibility, all three together. Anyway from the beginning of the season we could see that we could be at the top of the race, but the beginning was I could stay in front and then it was Pecco and Jack, and we still did not share it all together and that would be just awesome for Ducati and good for us also because as we can see we have, I think good spirit together, and this gives good motivation so just cross fingers to get it.”

    Jack Miller: “It’s a whole mix of everything you know, relief, but also it makes you more eager for the next one. At the end of the day, bike racers we’re always looking for what’s next and what we can try to do more, you know, we always want more so for sure just looking at coming here and trying to do a strong weekend like we did in Spain. I mean it’s been a pretty calm week to be honest, I’ve just stuck to what we’ve been doing the last few and just been training and doing what I can. Thankfully there was some decent weather in Spain and Andorra over the week and I was able to get out on the bicycle but doesn’t look like we will have much of that this weekend! I think we’re prepared for all conditions that are coming this weekend. I’ve been known to be pretty good in the wet so if that comes it comes, I feel like I’ve got a score to settle with Le Mans, you know after last year.

    “You know I have a kind of love-hate relationship with France, with Le Mans especially. I’ve had a win here in Moto3™, but I nearly died here at Turn 1, and then last year I did feel like I died as well, when the bike cut out with like seven to go! I think we’ve got a good package as the boys said, we’ve all been there or thereabout, I think whether it comes in Le Mans, I think it would be better in Mugello, but I think we have a good chance of locking out the podium!”

    Morbidelli spoke next, first on his emotional reaction to his podium in Jerez.

    Franco Morbidelli: “First of all because it’s a MotoGP podium. And then because of what we’re going through. That podium had a different taste for sure, it felt great. I burst after the chequered flag, I think it’s because of a really big emotion gathering, and after a good result everything comes out.

    “My expectations were already reassessed from Qatar 1 and 2. I immediately realised that I needed to step it up again if I wanted to remain in a similar position to last year. That’s what I’m trying to do and that’s what we did in Portimao and Jerez. So I hope to keep on doing that and keep on working at the best with my crew, to enjoy racing, be the best I can and try to improve whenever I can.”

    Takaaki Nakagami: “From the Qatar test, we were not with the best performance and we struggled in Qatar, Race 1 and Race 2, and also in Portimão, the big crash on Friday and you know, we couldn’t find the solution. On Sunday in Portimão, from the last position, we were able to finish in top ten. This is a really important result for us, and after that, I started to think about, you know, I can find a solution for not the best of the best, but you know maybe we can fight for the top five or top six again. Then in Jerez, from Friday, we found the pace and had a good race so I’m pretty happy you know, to get really close to the podium, you know, P4 which is a really great result for us and I’m looking forward to this weekend too.”

    This is also the first time in some time there have been five riders giving feedback to HRC…
    “You know one more rider will be good, you know, there will be more data and good to help develop the bike easily, more comments and, you know, for HRC, I think also for us, for the riders, it is really good to understand you know, not lose the way. We try to pick up positive comments for all of the riders and you know it helps a lot to develop, and now looks like we found a way and pretty comfortable on the new bikes.”

    That’s a wrap on Thursday, tune in for Free Practice and qualifying before the lights go out for the race at 14:00 (GMT +2)

  • Viñales and Rins fastest as MotoGP heads out for more track time at Jerez

    Viñales and Rins fastest as MotoGP heads out for more track time at Jerez

    The duo pull clear at the top of the timesheets as Mir slots into third and Honda steal some headlines

    Jerez, 3 May 2021: The post-race test at the Circuito de Jerez-Angel Nieto came to a close on Monday with Maverick Viñales on top with a 1:36.879, the Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP rider putting in a characteristically busy day at the office as he did 101 laps. Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) was second just 0.034 back, with Joan Mir making it two Suzukis in the top three although the reigning Champion was four tenths off Viñales as the duo on top pulled clear.

    Yamaha were represented by Viñales, Franco Morbidelli (Petronas Yamaha SRT) and Valentino Rossi ((Petronas Yamaha SRT) as Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) sat the test out following his arm pump troubles on Sunday. Still, it was a busy day. Adding to Viñales’ full century at the top of the timesheets, in which the number 12 went a few tenths quicker than qualifying, Morbidelli did 67 laps and was P9; Rossi 73 laps for P12.

    Morbidelli focused especially on braking and hopes improvements made will help in Le Mans. Both he and teammate Rossi also had a few new parts to try from Yamaha, including a front fender and swingarm.

    Rins led the Suzuki charge and despite finishing the test just after lunchtime, the Spaniard put in 59 laps. Once again, he was testing the “possible” 2022 engine that he, teammate Mir and test rider Sylvain Guintoli tested in Qatar. He also worked on improving on used tyres, impressed with the pace as it was a step up on the weekend. He headed to Barcelona for a check up on his shoulder in the afternoon. Mir did 64 laps.

    Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) was the top Honda in the test as he was on race day, both times in fourth. He did 71 laps. Five different aero packages were seen at Honda between him, eight-time World Champion Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team), Pol Espargaro (Repsol Honda Team) and LCR Honda Castrol’s Alex Marquez, which gained a few glances up and down pitlane.

    Nakagami tried aero, but then mainly focused on setup. He said he was more consistent and really comfortable, looking forward to Le Mans, and that the 2020 chassis is working well. He also warned against seeing that change back as something signifying the new chassis was negative. Teammate Alex Marquez also felt he made improvements on Monday, and did 75 laps to end the day in P15. That was just ahead of Marc Marquez as the eight-time World Champion only did seven laps, feeling some after effects of his crashes during the weekend.

    Pol Espargaro focused on aero, electronics and ergonomics, things he says seem fairly small but when a rider is adapting to a bike, can make a big difference. He says he’ll remain on the same chassis, as he thinks there remains a good margin of improvement. The number 44 was spotted riding at least three different HRC bikes during the test though – his standard, one with different aero and a completely carbon coloured bike.

    At Ducati, most recent race winner Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) was straight back to work on Monday as he and World Championship-leading teammate Francesco Bagnaia completed a combined total of 84 laps, one day after securing the Bologna factory’s first 1-2 since Brno 2018. Bagnaia was tenth, Miller in P18.

    Zarco was the fastest Ducati in fifth

    Zarco was the fastest Borgo Panigale machine, however, putting in 75 laps. The Frenchman said he was focusing a lot on suspension rather than new parts, looking for a way to get the full potential of the new bike. Stand-in teammate Tito Rabat also tested on Monday, P20 after 65 laps. Rookie Luca Marini (Sky VR46 Avintia) moved up into eighth after 66 laps after a good day’s work, with Enea Bastianini (Avintia Esponsorama) in P13 after 54 laps.

    Pitlane reporter Simon Crafar reported new chassis to try for Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Miguel Oliveira and Brad Binder, but the two said the key focus was about the tyres. Oliveira said he was trying to make changes to make the bike work better on the softer front without compromising their existing positives. He found an improvement in pace and was pretty positive. Binder repeated Oliveira’s words that the focus was on making the softer tyre work, purposefully staying away from using the harder front that normally suits them better. He said they found something that seemed to make life a little easier and ended the day in P11 after 66 laps. Oliveira was top KTM in P7 after 72 laps.

    Danilo Petrucci in the Tech3 KTM Factory Racing ranks was seen sporting a different tank/seat area, the Italian seemingly trying some ergonomics to improve his feeling on the RC16. He was P19 after 63 laps, teammate Iker Lecuona 64 in P16.

    Aprilia Racing Team Gresini’s Aleix Espargaro had a tougher day at the office following his closest ever finish to the MotoGP™ winner, crashing early and then calling an early end to his test not long after, feeling under the weather after the incident although not sustaining any injuries. He ultimately did 12 laps and was P14. Lorenzo Savadori did 54 laps, however, and completed the timesheets.

    That’s it from Jerez. It’s now next stop Le Mans, with the SHARK Grand Prix de France now less than two weeks away

  • Di Giannantonio disappears for dominant first win: Moto2

    Di Giannantonio disappears for dominant first win: Moto2

    Jerez, 2 May 2021: Fabio Di Giannantonio (Federal Oil Gresini Moto2) has come close before, but the Italian is finally an intermediate class race winner after a Moto2 masterclass at the Gran Premio Red Bull de España, the fourth round of the Moto2 World Championship here on Sunday.

    Getting a near perfect start from the front row, the Italian then pulled away for glory and left his rivals battling for best of the rest. Marco Bezzecchi (Sky Racing Team VR46) won that fight as the Italian took his first rostrum of the season in second, with Sam Lowes (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) taking a solid third to get back on the box.

    Fabio Di Giannantonio: “I feel amazing, honestly it feels amazing to come back to first spot and take my first victory in moto2, I sweated a lot to get this victory in the last two years and now it came… wow. Amazing! The race was amazing and I made a fantastic start which I didn’t expect because always at the start I’m not so good, but I made a fantastic start and when I was there I just said, ‘ok do your rhythm and lines, enjoy the bike… 41.5/6 was coming quite easily so in the end just an amazing result, what can I say, just a big smile.!”

    Di Giannantonio took the holeshot from the middle of the front row of the grid, squeezing ahead of poleman Remy Gardner (Red Bull KTM Ajo) on the brakes. Bezzecchi held third place on the first lap but then very nearly found himself in the Turn 6 gravel trap when he got it out of shape under braking, the Italian somehow missing Gardner’s rear wheel but running well wide to allow both Augusto Fernandez (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) and Raul Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo) through.

    It didn’t take long for remarkable rookie Raul Fernandez to move into the podium places too with a smooth move on the Elf Marc VDS Racing Team’s Fernandez into Turn 1. The number 25 then quickly closed on to the rear wheel of teammate Gardner, before disaster struck behind for Augusto Fernandez he crashed out at Turn 6. He was joined there by Nicolo Bulega (Federal Oil Gresini Moto2) as the front of the Italian’s Kalex washed way in a very similar crash.  

    At the front, Diggia’s lead had stretched out to 1.5 seconds as he laid down both searing pace and consistency, so attention switched to the fight for second and third, with Gardner having managed to get his nose in front of Raul Fernandez. Behind the pair of Ajo riders, Lowes was pushed back to fifth as Bezzecchi came steamrolling through. The Brit got himself back in front of the Italian but, into Turn 1, the Sky Racing Team VR46 man pulled off a carbon copy move to take fourth once more.

    Raul Fernandez then pulled off a brave overtake on teammate Gardner to retake second, all the while Di Giannantonio was streaking further clear; 3 seconds his lead with 15 laps of Jerez left. It went from bad to worse for polesitter Gardner as Bezzecchi pounced on the Australian’s apparent struggles, nudging him down a further place to fourth. The Italian was on a charge as he looked to make amends after his early error running wide.

    A mistake then came from Raul Fernandez as a serious bobble at the final corner forced him off line and gave a chance that Bezzecchi wasn’t going to turn down. The Italian moved through to second and got his head down in the closing stages as Gardner and Lowes started piling the pressure on Raul Fernandez in the fight for the final place on the podium. Only a handful of laps were left, and both Di Giannantonio and Bezzechi seemed comfortably clear in first and second.

    A mistake from Gardner into Turn 6, whilst trying to find a way through on teammate Fernandez, then saw Lowes slice through and into fourth. Onto the penultimate lap and the fight for third was really heating up. Lowes elbowed Fernandez out of the way into Turn 2 as the number 25 started dropping back, sending the Spaniard wide and allowing Gardner to pounce too. The Australian was trying to apply some pressure to Lowes too but the Brit’s late-race pace was untouchable and third was his.

    Di Giannantonio pulled a huge stand-up wheelie over the line to celebrate a maiden Moto2™ victory in style, with Bezzecchi and Lowes joining him on the Jerez podium. Gardner took fourth ahead of Fernandez in fifth, with the title standings taking a significant shuffle as a result. Heading to Le Mans in a fortnight, it’s still Gardner that leads the way but Lowes now sits only three points adrift, with Fernandez a further three back in third.

    Petronas Sprinta Racing’s Xavi Vierge was pushed all the way by Ai Ogura (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) for sixth place, with the Spaniard holding on by just over a tenth of a second to the best the Japanese rider to ten valuable points. Italtrans Racing Team’s Joe Roberts took the chequered flag in eighth, ahead of Inde Aspar Team’s Aron Canet in ninth. The fight for the final place inside the top ten was settled on the final lap when Cameron Beaubier (American Racing) crashed out whilst trying to find a way through on Marcel Schrötter (Liqui Moly Intact GP), meaning the German took tenth.

    Marcos Ramirez (American Racing), Jorge Navarro (Lightech Speed Up), Stefano Manzi (Flexbox HP40), Lorenzo Baldassarri (MV Agusta Forward Racing) and Bo Bendsneyder (Pertamina Mandalika SAG Team) completed the points. Albert Arenas (Inde Aspar Team), Somkiat Chantra (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia), Hector Garzo (Flexbox HP40) and Simone Corse (MV Agusta Forward Racing) all crashed out.

    That’s a wrap on the Spanish GP. Next stop Le Mans in two weeks, with the Championship remaining close as ever ahead of another classic venue.

    Moto2 Podium:

    1 Fabio Di Giannantonio – Federal Oil Gresini Moto2 – Kalex – 39:07.396
    2 Marco Bezzecchi – Sky Racing Team VR46 – Kalex – +1.722
    3 Sam Lowes – Elf Marc VDS Racing Team – Kalex – +2.229