Category: Moto GP

Losail (Qatar), 7 March 2020: Joe Roberts (American Racing) slammed in a stunning 1:58.136 in Moto2™ Q2 at the QNB Grand Prix of Qatar to set a new lap record and earn his maiden Grand Prix pole position, thus giving the USA their first intermediate class and Grand Prix pole in a decade*. The Free Practice pacesetter’s qualifying time was exactly the same as second place Luca Marini’s (Sky Racing Team VR46), however, so he also shares the new lap record, but Roberts’ second best lap was faster  to give him pole. Enea Bastianini (Italtrans Racing Team) impressed to take P3 and complete the first Moto2™ front row of the season.

Under the Losail lights, the Moto2™ pace was electrifying from the off as qualifying began. In Q1 Marcel Schrötter (Liqui Moly Intact GP) went just a thousandth of a second of Roberts’ Friday lap record and at the beginning of Q2, fellow Q1 graduate Jorge Navarro (Beta Tools Speed Up) set a 1:58.396 to really set the scene for a cracking first Moto2™ qualifying of 2020. Tucked in behind teammate Marco Bezzecchi, Marini then went P2 as the Sky Racing Team VR46 duo sat P2 and P3 in the early stages, but it was an ever-changing affair on the timing screens. 

After impressing in Free Practice, Bo Bendsneyder (NTS RW Racing GP) then went just 0.014 off Navarro’s time to launch himself to a provisional front row start, but Roberts – having pitted in the early stages in the session – was setting red sectors. On his opening flyer, lapping by himself, the number 16 went to P3 as 0.051 split the leading trio halfway through the session, although it remained anybody’s guess as to who was going to grab pole.

Marini launched an attack next, the Italian setting a new lap record to go P1 with seven minutes remaining. But Roberts wasn’t done, and the American then flashed across the finish line and set the exact same time as his counterpart – but taking pole, with a quicker second fastest lap.

It still wasn’t over then though, as ‘The Beast’ turned up the wick in the east to propel himself into P3. Bastianini ended up just over a tenth shy of Roberts and Marini to secure his first Moto2™ front row.

Heading Row 2 is Navarro, the Spaniard will be happy with that having come through Q1, with Bendsneyder doing a sterling job on the NTS bike to sit P5 on the grid for Sunday’s race – that’s the Dutchman’s best Moto2™ qualifying result. Despite having suffered two crashes in Free Practice, Remy Gardner (Onexox TKKR SAG Team) kept it rubber side down in qualifying to earn an impressive P6 and complete the second row.

Bezzecchi got his best lap time in on his final lap to start from P7, the Italian leading Jorge Martin (Red Bull KTM Ajo) and Q1 graduate Lorenzo Baldassarri (FlexBox HP 40) on the third row. Xavi Vierge (Petronas Sprinta Racing) stuck in a late flyer to grab a top 10 slot on the Qatar GP grid, putting in a red sector before his laptime started to fade…

It was a day to forget for a couple of key names including Tom Lüthi (Liqui Moly Intact GP) as the Swiss veteran and expected challenger was P18 after a tough qualifying. But he’s nearly within a second and only six tenths split Roberts to 16th place Aron Canet (Aspar Team) in Q2 as we get set for what looks to be a monumentally good opening intermediate class race of the year. Tune in at 18:00 local time (GMT+3) to watch Roberts and co. do battle under the lights.

Qualifying:

1 – Joe Roberts – (American Racing) – Kalex – 1’58.136
2 – Luca Marini – (Sky Racing Team VR46) – Kalex – +0.000
3 – Enea Bastianini – (Italtrans Racing Team) – Kalex – +0.107
4 – Jorge Navarro – (Beta Tools Speed Up) – Speed Up – +0.180
5 – Bo Bendsneyder – (NTS RW Racing GP) – NTS – +0.274

There have been a host of strong performances in testing, but now it’s more than a dress rehearsal – and time to show your hand

Losail (Qatar), 3 March 2020:

After a few days on track at Jerez and then again Qatar, it’s safe to say we have a number of names who look like they’ll be challenging at the front in Moto2™ this year. But testing never tells the whole story as some focus one way and others the other, and the first race of the season has plenty in store.

The man who was fastest by the end of testing at Losail International Circuit was Jorge Navarro (Beta Tools Speed Up), and the Spaniard is certainly on that list of those we expect to be fast. With a good number of intermediate class podiums to his name in 2019, Navarro already had some momentum too – and although he’s still looking for that first Moto2™ win, his consistency has been impressive. His teammate Fabio Di Giannantonio was also a pretty consistent performer last year as he found his feet as a rookie as well, and testing showed another step for him so they’ll be coming out swinging.
Speed Up in general were impressively quick in preseason, which now includes the Aspar Team as they make to switch to the chassis, so it could be an interesting battle of the manufacturers. The headlines in the team were stolen by Aron Canet as the rookie Spaniard proved a revelation and was often up inside the top five or six, but Hafizh Syahrin had also started to re-adjust to Moto2™ by the end of testing as the Malaysian moves back into the class. Two more contenders? It seems so.

Jorge Martin (Red Bull TM Ajo), meanwhile, was the fastest Kalex runner overall – and another to switch chassis. The Spaniard was second to Navarro and showed off that momentum he’d been gaining throughout the latter half of 2019 despite the change in machinery; something that bodes well for him. Fellow sophomores Enea Bastianini (Italtrans Racing Team) and Nicolo Bulega (Federal Oil Gresini Moto2) were also inside the top ten after they impressed, and the interesting mix of veterans and newer faces continued in ninth as American Joe Roberts put in a stunner at Losail. Like Martin, he’s switched chassis – can that form continue into the race weekend?

Experience was scattered throughout the timesheets, however, with some fast after time attacks and others we expect to burst out the gates higher up once the flag drops and the talking stops. Remy Gardner (ONEXOX TKKR SAG Team) led the charge in third, Marcel Schrötter (Liqui Moly Intact GP) was fifth, Luca Marini (Sky Racing Team VR46) tenth, Xavi Vierge (Petronas Sprinta Racing) 11th… and the two men who duelled for the win in the desert last year, Lorenzo Baldassarri (Flexbox HP 40) and Tom Lüthi (Liqui Moly Intact GP), were 12th and 13th. With that amount of experience and success all a little further down the timesheets, it seems likely we’ve not seen everyone’s full hand – but now we will.

Moto2™ go racing at Losail International Circuit on Sunday 8th March at 18:00 LT, tune in to see some more pieces of the puzzle revealed in what will doubtless prove another classic encounter.

Qatar Test combined results:

1 – Jorge Navarro – (Beta Tools Speed Up) – Speed Up – 1:58.520 2- Jorge Martin – (Red Bull KTM Ajo) – Kalex – +0.1353 – Remy. Gardner – (ONEXOX TKKR SAG Team) – Kalex – +0.144

4. Fabio Di Giannantonio – (Beta Tools Speed Up) – Speed Up – +0.311
5 – Marcel Schrötter – (Liqui Moly Intact GP) – Kalex – +0.408

The final day of Moto2™ and Moto3™ testing teases plenty ahead of the season opener

Losail (Qatar), 1 March 2020: The final day of the Moto2™ and Moto3™ Test at Losail International Circuit is complete, with Jorge Navarro (Beta Tools Speed Up) going fastest in the intermediate class and the lightweight class ending in a dead heat as both Ai Ogura (Honda Team Asia) and Filip Salač (Rivacold Snipers Team) set the exact same laptime.

In Moto2™, Navarro pulled a tenth and a half clear of Remy Gardner (ONEXOX TKKR SAG Team) as both continued to flex their 2020 pace. Fabio Di Giannantonio (Beta Tools Speed Up) moved up into third as Speed Up chassis impressed once again on Sunday.

Most of the fast laps came late in the day, with the top 16 setting their quickest laps in Session 9. Marcel Schrötter (Liqui Moly Intact GP) was next up behind the top three as he made the most of his time attack, with Enea Bastianini (Italtrans Racing Team) completing the top five to do the same.

Sixth was another impressive performance from rookie superstar Aron Canet (Aspar Team) as the Aspar Team got their hands on the new Speed Up fairing, although teammate Hafizh Syahrin sent it down the road. Luca Marini (Sky Racing Team VR46) was seventh, with Xavi Vierge (Petronas Sprinta Racing), Lorenzo Baldassarri (Flexbox HP 40) and Nicolo Bulega (Federal Oil Gresini Moto2) completing the top ten.

In Moto3™, Ai Ogura, who was fastest in Jerez, ends the test with an identical laptime to Salač, who was fastest on Saturday, as the timesheets tightened up. Tony Arbolino (Rivacold Snipers Team) was third quickest, only 0.024 back, with Tatsuki Suzuki (SIC58 Squadra Corse) completing a top four split by only 0.036.

It was almost a mock qualifying session to end the test, with many of the riders’ fastest laptimes set late on – but wind catching a few out, including Andrea Migno (Sky Racing Team VR46). But there was no big drama, and the stage is now set for the season opener.

Behind the incredibly tight top four, John McPhee (Petronas Sprinta Racing) took P5 as the veteran Scot once again showed good pace, with Albert Arenas (Aspar Team) and Raul Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo) next up – and Arenas once again fastest KTM, with the same man on his tail. Dennis Foggia (Leopard Racing) was eighth quickest, ahead of compatriot Celestino Vietti (Sky Racing Team VR46). 

Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Tech 3) once again completed the top ten and was the fastest rookie.

Losail (Qatar), 28 Feb 2020: Jorge Navarro (Speed Up Racing) topped Day 1 of Moto2™ testing in the desert at Losail International Circuit, with the Spaniard putting in a 1:59.168 to pull two tenths clear of Xavi Vierge (Petronas Sprinta Racing). Enea Bastianini (Italtrans Racing Team) locked out the top three just 0.021 further back, with American Joe Roberts a similar gap behind in fourth after an impressive showing for the American Racing Team rider. Gabriel Rodrigo (Kömmerling Gresini Moto3’s) reigned in Moto3™, the veteran pulling clear of the field.

For the lightweight and intermediate classes, the test is in pure daylight as they race earlier than MotoGP™, with track time alternating between Moto3™ and Moto2™ sessions. And Navarro flew the flag for experience in Moto2™, as did Tom Lüthi (Liqui Moly Intact GP) in Jerez as the veterans start to show their colours. Vierge is another expected to be strong, with Bastianini the sophomore on point as the second test begins.

Tetsuta Nagashima (Red Bull KTM Ajo) completed the top five, with another impressive 2019 rookie for close company: teammate Jorge Martin. Remy Gardner (ONEXOX TKKR SAG Team), another expected to challenge in 2020, was seventh.

Marcel Schrötter (Liqui Moly Intact GP), Luca Marini (Sky Racing Team VR46) and Nicolo Bulega (Federal Oil Gresini Moto2) completed the top ten, pushing out Jerez’s impressive rookie Aron Canet (Aspar Team) just behind in an interesting mix of pacesetters.

In Moto3™, Gabriel Rodrigo was fastest, with the Argentinean in the driving seat and enjoying a gap of over three tenths at the top. Albert Arenas (Aspar Team) was next up and once again the fastest KTM, with Jerez’s fastest man, Ai Ogura (Honda Team Asia), rounding out the top three as he showed some impressive pace once again.

Rodrigo, who left Jerez early on Day 3 already satisfied with his programme, set a 2:05.593 in session three to top the timesheets in Qatar, a whopping 0.350 clear of Arenas. Ogura, whilst also fast, was the first man outside the half second bracket.

Fourth place on Day 1 went the way of John McPhee (Petronas Sprinta Racing), who was also near the top in Jerez, as experienced runners crowd out Ogura in the top five. That top five was completed by Tatsuki Suzuki (SIC58 Squadra Corse).

Tony Arbolino (Rivacold Snipers Team) was sixth as he moved back up the timesheets into the top ten after some lower key showings last time out, with impressive rookie Jeremy Alcoba (Kömmerling Gresini Moto3) slotting into seventh. Filip Salač (Rivacold Snipers Team), Jaume Masia (Leopard Racing) and Niccolo Antonelli (SIC58 Squadra Corse) locked out the fastest ten on Day 1.

Losail (Qatar), 24 Feb 2020: If there’s one thing 2020 preseason has taught us to expect, it’s some serious speed from Yamaha and Suzuki. At the close of testing before the first race weekend of the year that remained entirely true, with Maverick Viñales (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) getting into the 1:53s with a 1:53.858 to head the pile. And Franco Morbidelli (Petronas Yamaha SRT) wasn’t too far behind, just 0.033 in arrears, with Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) in third a couple of tenths back. Fourth? Fabio Quartararo (Petronas Yamaha SRT), as the inline-fours came out on top.

At Yamaha, the Day 3 timesheets made for good reading and even more so overall, as Quartararo was third fastest in the combined standings. Viñales has looked like the man with the threatening race pace with Quartararo extremely close to him, Morbidelli has been consistently quick and Valentino Rossi (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) seems happy and fast despite not being quite as far up the order (P12 overall). The ‘Doctor’ rarely is before race day, however…

It wasn’t all perfect reading for the Iwata marque though. Quartararo suffered a technical issue on Sunday and on Monday, and Rossi crashed on Day 3 – rider ok. Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Team Director Massimo Meregalli was pleased with the progress made with improved grip and on acceleration, saying the 2020 package “is very competitive.”

Quartararo said his race simulation on Day 3 was very pleasing, pretty much every lap was in the 1:54s and the Frenchman didn’t go for a proper time attack – the 20-year-old going as far as saying “there’s margin for more”. That bodes very well for the 2019 Rookie of the Year.

The main job for Team Suzuki Ecstar, meanwhile, was to continue comparing the standard and new chassis, nothing radically new was on the GSX-RRs of Rins and Joan Mir as they focused on the finer details: adjustments in setup and gathering data for the race. Mir was sixth on Day 3 and the combined timesheets. Along with Yamaha, Suzuki look arguably in the best shape ahead of the Qatar GP with both the Sepang and Qatar Tests proving very good for the Hamamatsu factory. Rins confirmed he is “so happy” with the work done over the three days at Losail International Circuit – and Mir echoed his thoughts too.

Breaking the domination in the top five was a job for Jack Miller (Pramac Racing) on Day 3. The Australian was the top Ducati in fifth, 0.247 off the top, and said he completed a couple of time attacks and two longer runs. The number 43 is “quietly confident” heading into the opening weekend of the season, and clocked the fastest-ever top speed at Losail, a ridiculous 355 km/h…

In the Bologna factory camp, Danilo Petrucci (Ducati Team) was sporting new front aero on one of his bikes, while his other GP20 had the older aero fitted. The Italian said he was pleased with his 22-lap race simulation on Day 3, but the one-lap pace still needs work ahead of the Grand Prix. Teammate Andrea Dovizioso was still trying the new swingarm.

Ducati Team Manager Davide Tardozzi said the engine is working very well but corner speed – especially on maximum lean angle at the apex – still needs work. In addition, Tardozzi said they are experiencing some issues adapting to Michelin’s new rear tyre. After finishing P6 on Day 2, Johann Zarco (Reale Avintia Racing) didn’t improve his time as the Frenchman finished P14 overall, two places ahead of Petrucci, with Dovizioso – who was happy with his long run pace – P10 and Francesco Bagnaia (Pramac Racing) P11. Tito Rabat (Reale Avintia Racing) was just 0.040 off Petrucci’s time.

It was a busy and intriguing day for reigning Champions Honda as Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) started with three bikes in his garage, one of those being Takaaki Nakagami’s (LCR Honda Idemitsu) 2019 RC213V. Marquez was seventh overall, Nakagami less than a tenth off. 

Nakagami’s teammate Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda Castrol) completed 70 laps as HRC went in search of finding improvements on the final day in Qatar, with the Japanese giants testing things “from two or three years ago” according to Repsol Honda Team Manager Alberto Puig. Crutchlow said he was happy with his pace, but over one or two laps the number 35 is struggling with stopping the bike and grip with the new tyre.

Premier class rookie Alex Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) completed another 47 laps as the Spaniard admitted it was a difficult test for himself and the team, but the reigning Moto2™ World Champion was reasonably confident that he has a decent pace for the race weekend.

One of the riders of the test based on timesheets alone has to be Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rookie Brad Binder, however. The South African slammed in a mighty impressive 1:54.283 on Day 3 to leave him ninth on the combined and Day 3 times, just 0.425 from Viñales’ pacesetting lap. As his teammate Pol Espargaro explained earlier in the test, KTM didn’t have anything new to try on Day 3 as they don’t want to start getting lost. Working for the race was the Austrian factory’s objective as it seems their initial 2020 base is pretty much sorted, however there was a slight blip for Espargaro on the final day as he crashed unhurt at Turn 2. Over in the Red Bull KTM Tech 3 camp, Miguel Oliveira and premier class rookie Iker Lecuona finished P19 and P20, but the gaps were only 1.150 and 1.443 respectively.

On Day 3, Aprilia Racing Technical Director Romano Albesiano confirmed their sole purpose to MotoGP reporter, that it was to decide on the engine spec they’ll use for the season. At the end of play, Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) finished P13 on the timesheets, just over half a second off Viñales, with test rider Bradley Smith completing a further 55 laps on Monday as Aprilia continue to gather crucial data on their brand new RS-GP. Espargaro said he showed a strong pace on race simulation, lapping in mid-1:54s for plenty of laps was good news for the number 41. A busy test for both riders means Aprilia have a lot of analysing to do before the Qatar GP…

So that’s it for 2020 preseason testing. In simple terms, Yamaha and Suzuki have emerged as early Qatar GP favourites, with Honda seeming to have plenty of work to do ahead of Round 1. However, a Grand Prix weekend is a different kettle of fish and we will find out on judgement day – Sunday 8th March – as to how competitive each rider and team really are. The top 18 were split by less than a second, so let’s bring on Friday 6th March when the 2020 MotoGP™ World Championship will get underway!

Reigning champion Marc Marquez, who finished overall 7th in timesheets said: “After the first two days I was a little worried in all honesty as we were struggling to understand how to improve where we needed to. But today we have made a big breakthrough and now we understand what we need to do, I’m really pleased with what we have done. I was able to be really consistent and I was happy with my rhythm. I have to say a big thank you to Honda, the engineers and my mechanics because they have worked a lot this test and the results are showing for us. We have a direction to follow when we return here for the race.”

The Australian breaks the lap record on Day 1 and the Spaniard picks up where he left off

Jerez, 19 Feb 2020:

2020 is up and running in Moto2™ and Moto3™ and it was Remy Gardner (Onexox TKKR SAG Team) who ended Day 1 at the Official Jerez Test as the man to beat in the intermediate class, with Sergio Garcia (Estrella Galicia 0,0) taking the honour in the lightweight class. There were pleasant conditions for the riders at the Circuito de Jerez-Angel Nieto as the first of three days testing began on Wednesday, with each class able to maximise their track time. In Moto2™, Gardner set his scorching 1:40.848 in the final session of the day to top the timesheets, with an impressive Enea Bastianini (Italtrans Racing Team) slotting into second but 0.269 down. Perennial title challenger Tom Lüthi (Liqui Moly Intact GP) was the only other rider to get within half a second of Gardner, taking P3. Behind the quickest trio came reigning FIM CEV Moto2™ European Champion Edgar Pons (Federal Oil Gresini Moto2) to make it a Kalex top four lockout, the Spaniard sitting 0.587 off Gardner. After an impressive private test, rookie Aron Canet (Aspar Team) began the Official Test in fine form too as the Spaniard finished P5 on Day 1 with a 1:41.439 – the top Speed Up and rookie. Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Tetsuta Nagashima, who gets on the team’s new Kalex chassis with previous experience, was fifth, ahead of an impressive first run out for MV Agusta Forward Racing’s Simone Corsi, with the Italian veteran less than half a tenth off Nagashima, in P7. The second-fastest Speed Up on Day 1 was 2019 Jerez podium finisher Jorge Navarro (Speed Up Racing) in P8, with Xavi Vierge (Petronas Sprinta Racing) splitting Navarro from his teammate Fabio Di Giannantonio, who was tenth. Navarro is also the man whose pole lap from 2019 is the lap record time Gardner beat on Day 1, so there’s likely plenty to come from the field yet. But it was nevertheless a competitive start to the season for the intermediate class, with under two seconds splitting the top 25 riders. In Moto3™, it was Sergio Garcia who picked up where he left off in 2019. The Valencia GP winner topped the timesheets on Wednesday, although it wasn’t by much – with Petronas Sprinta Racing’s John McPhee just 0.060 in arrears. Ai Ogura (Honda Team Asia) impressed to complete the top three, another tenth and a half back. 2019 Jerez winner Niccolo Antonelli (SIC58 Squadra Corse) was fourth fastest overall, although he was just 0.011 ahead of Gabriel Rodrigo (Kömmerling Gresini Moto3), the man who broke the lap record in private testing last week. Tatsuki Suzuki (SIC58 Squadra Corse) took P6, ahead of Jaume Masia (Leopard Racing) in seventh as the Spaniard seems to have quickly settled into life on the Honda. The top KTM rider on Day 1 was Albert Arenas (Aspar Team) just behind Masia, with Filip Salač (Rivacold Snipers Team) in P9 after a noteworthy day on the timesheets for the Czech rider. Noteworthy was also apt for the man in tenth: Romano Fenati (Sterilgarda Max Racing Team). The veteran Italian was fastest Husqvarna on Wednesday as the marque return to Moto3™ competition, making it all three manufacturers in the top ten as 2020 begins.