INDIA in F1

Category: Moto GP

Moto GP, the Motorcycle World Championship

  • Dovizioso begins 2018 campaign with a bang; Marquez 2nd ahead of Rossi

    As night fell in Qatar, Marc Marquez climbed to the second step of the podium at the Losail International Circuit after fighting for victory all the way until the last corner.

    Andrea Dovizioso just edged Marc out at the chequered flag by a mere 0.027” but the reigning World Champion will fly back to Europe tomorrow knowing that he’s shown great pace and scored a brilliant result at a track that is notoriously tough for him and the Repsol Honda Team.

    A group of seven riders, split by just over one second, fought for a podium position for almost the entire race. Dani Pedrosa was among that group, although a poor feeling with the rear tyre forced him to settle for seventh.

    Marc Marquez

    2ND 

    “What a race! I’m really happy with our second place finish because this is one of the tracks on the calendar where we struggle most. After the pre-season test we knew what we could expect. With the hard front tyre I was struggling a bit in the left corners but with the medium I wouldn’t have finished the race. I tried to pass Dovi in the last corner but he beat me. Honestly, I was expecting that, but I had to try the move anyway, to see if there was any way we could make it happen. In the end, Dovi had something more than me and he deserves this win. Even if he was a bit behind at the start, I was waiting for him–I was waiting for the red! I knew his tactic was to push at the end and when he passed Zarco I said to myself, ‘let’s go!’ I followed him and almost went wide, but it was a great race and a great show. The thing I’m most happy about is that, this time, we were able to stay with him on the straight and this is very good.”

  • Sunday guide for the Qatar MotoGP

    MotoGP™
    Johann Zarco (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) takes his third pole position in the MotoGP™ class, beating Jorge Lorenzo’s best lap from 2008. He is now the second French rider overall in the premier class after Christian Sarron (6 pole positions). He is also the first French rider to start a season from pole position since Pierre Monneret in Reims 1954.

    This is the first time there are two independent team riders on the front row since Motegi last year with Johann Zarco (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) ahead of Danilo Petrucci (Alma Pramac Racing).

    In second place on the grid is Marc Márquez (Repsol Honda Team) who won the MotoGP™ race in Qatar in 2014. He was also second on the grid two years ago and eventually crossed the line in third.

    This highest Ducati rider is Danilo Petrucci (Alma Pramac Racing) in third place on the grid, which is his fifth front row start in the MotoGP™ class, to make it three different manufacturers represented on the front row for the third successive time in Losail.

    Heading the second row is Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda CASTROL), his best qualifying result since he was fourth also in Aragon last year.

    As last year in Losail, Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) is in fifth place on the grid.  He has been the first Ducati rider across the line for the last five years at this track.

    Taking the final place on the second row is Alex Rins (Team SUZUKI ECSTAR), which is best qualifying result on what it is his 14th start in the MotoGP™ class.

    Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda Team) starts his 200th MotoGP™ race from seventh on the grid, his worst qualifying result since Australia last season. For the last two years in Qatar, Pedrosa finished in 5th place in Qatar, from 7th place on the grid. He has never won the opening race of the year since moving up to the MotoGP™ class in 2006.

    Second Yamaha rider on the grid, Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) is in eighth place on the grid, which is his worst dry-weather qualifying result since the German Grand Prix last year.

    Heading the third row of the grid is Jorge Lorenzo (Ducati Team) who is the most successful rider on the grid in Qatar with with 6 wins (3 x MotoGP™, 2 x 250cc, 1 x 125cc).

    Maverick Viñales (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP), who won last year in Qatar from pole position, will start from the final place of the fourth row.

    Moto2
    Alex Márquez (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) qualified on pole position for the fourth time in the Moto2™ class, equalling Mika Kallio and Álex Rins.

    Lorenzo Baldassari (Pons HP40) starts from second on the grid which is his best qualifying result in what it will be his 69th Grand Prix start in the Moto2™ class.

    Top rookie last season, Francesco Bagnaia (Sky Racing Team VR46) starts from the front row for the second time in the intermediate category. He will be aiming to become the seventh Italian rider to win in this class.

    Winner of the last three races in 2017, Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Ajo) is the highest non-Kalex rider on the grid. He crossed the line in fourth last year in Losail.

    Romano Fenati (Marinelli Snipers Team) starts from fifth on the grid for his rookie debut, which the best qualifying result for a rookie since Sam Lowes also qualified in fifth back in 2014.

    As in Qatar last year, Danny Kent (Beta Tools – Speed Up Racing) starts from sixth on the grid, equalling his best ever starting place in his Moto2™ career. This is also the best result for Speed Up since Simone Corsi was the fifth-fastest qualifier in Aragon last year.

    Moto3™
    Niccolò Antonelli (SIC58 Squadra Corse) is on pole position for the fifth time on what will be his 103rd Grand Prix start so far. He will be aiming to take his second Moto3™ race win in Losail, his fourth overall to become the most successful rider on the current grid.

    In second place on the grid is Jorge Martin (Del Conca Gresini Moto3), his fourth successive front row start. After Valencia last year, he will be aiming to win his first back-to-back Grand Prix races. He crossed the line in third last year in Losail, his second podium finish at this time.

    The highest placed KTM rider is Gabriel Rodrigo (RBA BOE Skull Rider), who missed that race last year due to collarbone injury sustained after a crash during the first practice session. He will start from the front row for the seventh time of his Grand Prix career and will be looking to become the first Argentinean rider to finish on the podium in the lightweight class since Willy Perez at Spa back in 1986.

    Heading the second row of the grid are Ayumu Sasaki (Petronas Sprinta Racing) and Kaito Toba (Honda Team Asia), which is their best ever qualifying result in the Moto3™ class.

    Marco Bezzecchi (PruestelGP) qualified in sixth place on the grid, his best dry-weather qualifying result since he was fifth in Assen last year.

    Jakub Kornfeil (PruestelGP) qualified in 11th, his best qualifying result since he was fourth in Misano back in 2016.

    As last year in Qatar, John McPhee (CIP – Green Power) starts the opening race of the season from 12th on the grid. He eventually crossed the line in second position.

  • Johann Zarco of Monster Yamaha Tech3 smashes lap-record for pole as MotoGP season begins

    Johann Zarco of Monster Yamaha Tech3 smashes lap-record for pole as MotoGP season begins

    Johann Zarco, centre, takes pole for the first GP of the MotoGP season on Saturday. Image by MotoGP

    A lot has changed in the ten years since Jorge Lorenzo set the world alight on his premier class debut, but the Qatar pole lap record hadn’t. Set by the Majorcan in 2008, the Losail lap time remained steadfast in the record books for a decade and was the oldest of its kind until Saturday of the 2018 Qatar GP and a scorcher from Johann Zarco (Monster Yamaha Tech 3). The Frenchman, now heading into his second season, marked his return to the venue at which he first led a premier class race in serious style – uncatchable ahead of Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) to set a 1:53.680. So the reigning Champion starts his title defence from two tenths behind in second, and top Ducati Danilo Petrucci (Alma Pramac Racing) completes the front row and the trio of those who broke the record.

    With strong winds throughout the day and the track temperature cooling as night fell for qualifying, the session revealed another piece in the puzzle of the first race of the year. Behind the top three, Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda Castrol) was next up heading the second row to make it 75% Independent Team riders in the top four, with Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) – the man on provisional pole after the first run – taking the middle of Row 2. But Marquez says the 2017 Championship runner-up has the best race pace – something that will be revealed on Sunday.

    Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar), meanwhile, kept his great pace at Losail rolling for his best ever qualifying position to lock out the second row, after Suzuki mounted the biggest challenge to Ducati on Friday.

    Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda Team) heads up an all-star Row 3 with some serious potential for fireworks, with 17 World Championships crammed into three grid places as the Spaniard heads Movistar Yamaha MotoGP’s Valentino Rossi and Ducati Team’s Jorge Lorenzo. Lorenzo, who suffered some technical trouble in FP4, says he is out of position – and Rossi says the battle at the front could be more than ten riders. And Lorenzo, as well as being the previous pole record holder, is also the most successful rider at Losail across all classes – but Rossi beats him in the premier class with four to Lorenzo’s three wins.

    Jack Miller (Alma Pramac Racing) completed the top ten after moving through Q1, with Andrea Iannone (Team Suzuki Ecstar) two tenths back in P11 to make it more than ten riders within a second of pole. Meanwhile,  2017 polesitter and winner Maverick Viñales (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) lines up in P12 – but also showed incredible consistency on a long run in FP4…

    Valentino Rossi expects to fight it out for the #QatarGP with more than ten riders and Losail always serves up a desert storm. Don’t miss the 2018 season opener, with the lights going out at 19:00 local time (GMT +3) as the battle well and truly commences.

    Qualifying Results
    First Independent Team Rider
    1 – Johann Zarco (FRA) YAMAHA  1’53.680
    —-
    2- Marc Márquez (SPA) HONDA +0.202
    3 – Danilo Petrucci (ITA) DUCATI + 0.207

    Source: MotoGP™  press release

  • Alex Marquez takes pole in the desert: Moto2

    Alex Marquez takes pole in the desert: Moto2

    The Spaniard was unbeatable in the first qualifying session of 2018; looking strong for Sunday

    It’s been a faultless weekend so far for Alex Marquez (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) at the Qatar GP and that continued in qualifying, with the Spaniard setting an unbeatable time that took him to the top of the order midway through the session to stake an early claim on the first win of the year. He will be joined on the front row by a resurgent Lorenzo Baldassarri (Pons HP40), with his countryman Francesco Bagnaia (SKY Racing Team VR46) completing the front row – just over half-a-second adrift of pole.

    Qualifying for the intermediate class was a drama-filled affair as ever, as the floodlights came on and the temperature dropped, creating perfect conditions in the battle for the top spot on the grid.

    Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Miguel Oliveira is in good shape at a circuit where he battled for the podium last year and lines up heading the second row. He’s joined by rookie sensation Romano Fenati (Marinelli Snipers Team) who has shown incredible form on his first weekend, with returning 2015 lightweight class Champion Danny Kent (Beta Tools – Speed Up Racing) taking sixth and equally impressing.

    Jorge Navarro (Federal Oil Gresini Moto2), Mattia Pasini (Italtrans Racing Team) and Sam Lowes (Swiss Innovative Investors) complete the top ten, despite a crash for the Brit during qualifying – rider ok.

    We’re ready to go racing on Sunday in Moto2™ and with 12 riders within a second of each other, it’s set to be very close. Watch the title contenders and key players kick off their campaigns on Sunday from 17:20 local time (GMT +3).

    Moto2™ Qualifying Results
    1 – Álex Márquez (SPA) KALEX 2’00.299
    2 – Lorenzo Baldassarri (ITA) KALEX +0.308
    3 –  Francesco Bagnaia (ITA) KALEX + 0.236

    Source: MotoGP™ 

    Alex Marquez take Moto2 pole at Qatar on Saturday. A MotoGP image.

    , Moto2™ 

  • Marquez blasts below the 1:30 bracket at Buriram: MotoGP test

    Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) celebrated his 25th birthday in style at the #ThaiTest, leaving it late to set the first ever sub-1:30 laptime of Buriram quite a way through a mammoth 90+ lap workload for the six-time World Champion. That took the top spot back from teammate Dani Pedrosa, who ended the day second fastest and a tenth and a half down after having led for the majority of the latter stages of the session. Third was another stunning lap from Jack Miller (Alma Pramac Racing), who was 0.058 off Pedrosa as he continues his run of top performance in 2018.

    One of the big headlines on Saturday was once again aero. Part of Marquez’ 94 laps in the incredible heat of Thailand was spent on an aero package, with the number 93, teammate Pedrosa and HRC test rider Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda Castrol) – Friday’s fastest – all having tried updates across the Sepang and Thai tests. Behind the lockout for the Repsol squad at the top, Crutchlow was the third quickest Honda and was eighth, but quicker than his Friday lap. The Brit concentrated on test duty rather than a time attack.

    Miller, meanwhile, continued to show how he’s settled into life on the Ducati GP17. By the end of action, a late run from the Australian saw him shoot ahead of teammate Danilo Petrucci – who is on a GP18 and on Ducati test duty, and who ended the day in P6 after hovering further up earlier in the day.

    Fourth and fifth were locked out by Yamaha – on Saturday, Maverick Viñales (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) led Johann Zarco (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) after Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) had been the quicker rider on Friday. Viñales’ best was a 1:30.274, with Zarco just 0.086 behind. Viñales had a more difficult morning before making a big step in the afternoon – aiming to confirm it on Day 3.

    Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar), after going second quickest on the first day of the test, was seventh on Day 2 and again top Hamamatsu machine. Starting 2018 healthy after injury problems last year, the Spanish sophomore did around half a century of laps and tried new aero from Suzuki, with the factory fielding the fairing they’d previously had as well as longer and shorter version of a new package. Both Rins and teammate Andrea Iannone, who ended the day in eleventh but only three tenths back on Rins, tried the updates – and both crashed, but with no consequences.

    The Ducati Team, meanwhile, moved on with the program. They have three aero fairings at Buriram as well as a chassis update and continued working on them. On Day 2 Andrea Dovizioso was ninth and teammate Jorge Lorenzo tenth. ‘DesmoDovi’ was just 0.004 off Crutchlow ahead of him and two tenths ahead of Lorenzo, with the Italian putting in over 70 laps and the Spaniard more than 50.

    Two more Independent Team riders on Ducatis took P12 and P13, with Reale Avinta Racing’s Tito Rabat ahead of Alvaro Bautista (Angel Nieto Team) by only 0.028. Both were ahead of Valentino Rossi, who ended the second day in fourteenth.

    Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) completed the top fifteen on Saturday, fastest rookie once again and the last man in the 1:30 bracket. He had a three tenth advantage over key rival Franco Morbidelli (EG 0,0 Marc VDS), with the reigning Moto2™ World Champion doing a best of 1:31.185. His teammate Tom Lüthi did a 1:31.994, with the Sepang test having been his first time on the bike – and he ended the day just ahead of Hafizh Syahrin (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) and Xavier Simeon (Reale Avintia Racing).

    Syahrin, on a MotoGP™ machine for only the second day ever, was impressive once again on Saturday. The Malaysian rider was only 0.004 seconds off fellow rookie Lüthi and was ahead of Simeon by the end of the action.

    Bradley Smith (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) was the fastest KTM on Day 2, in P16 and only 1.144 off the front in order good showing of progress for the Austrian factory. With teammate Pol Espargaro absent due to injury, test rider Mika Kallio was the second representative for the Red Bull-backed team – and the Finn did the most laps of anyone, only a handful off a full 100. Smith says the squad found some good solutions to some issues they encountered in Malaysia – and after trying some things with the front suspension on Saturday, the front of the bike will be the focus on Sunday.

    Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) had a positive first day and ended Day 2 a tiny margin off Smith ahead of him, just 0.017 off the Brit. Noale factory teammate Scott Redding, who ended Friday just behind Espargaro after some technical issues affecting his running, was a little further back on Day 2 as he continues to adapt to the RS-GP.

    Sunday is a slightly different schedule for the #ThaiTest as the action gets underway half an hour earlier at 9:00 local time (GMT +7), and also ends an hour earlier at 17:00.

    Fastest on Saturday:
    1- Marc Marquez (Honda) – 1:29.969
    2 – Dani Pedrosa (Honda) – +0.158
    3- Jack Miller (Ducati) – +0.216

    MotoGP Buriram Test 2018

    Session 2 as of 17/02/2018

    PDF AnalysisPDF Classification

    Pos Rider Team Fastest lap Lead. Gap Prev. Gap Laps Last lap
    1 MARQUEZ, Marc Repsol Honda Team 1:29.969 91 / 97
    2 PEDROSA, Dani Repsol Honda Team 1:30.127 0.158 0.158 39 / 71
    3 MILLER, Jack Alma Pramac Racing 1:30.185 0.216 0.058 64 / 69
    4 VIÑALES, Maverick Movistar Yamaha MotoGP 1:30.274 0.305 0.089 84 / 90
    5 ZARCO, Johann Monster Yamaha Tech 3 1:30.360 0.391 0.086 53 / 60
    6 PETRUCCI, Danilo Alma Pramac Racing 1:30.367 0.398 0.007 31 / 75
    7 RINS, Alex Team SUZUKI ECSTAR 1:30.446 0.477 0.079 55 / 56
    8 CRUTCHLOW, Cal LCR Honda CASTROL 1:30.490 0.521 0.044 75 / 85
    9 DOVIZIOSO, Andrea Ducati Team 1:30.494 0.525 0.004 26 / 78
    10 LORENZO, Jorge Ducati Team 1:30.729 0.760 0.235 22 / 57
    11 IANNONE, Andrea Team SUZUKI ECSTAR 1:30.775 0.806 0.046 27 / 76
    12 RABAT, Tito Reale Avintia Racing 1:30.855 0.886 0.080 65 / 69
    13 BAUTISTA, Alvaro Ángel Nieto Team 1:30.883 0.914 0.028 83 / 89
    14 ROSSI, Valentino Movistar Yamaha MotoGP 1:30.888 0.919 0.005 22 / 65
    15 NAKAGAMI, Takaaki LCR Honda IDEMITSU 1:30.901 0.932 0.013 78 / 83
    16 SMITH, Bradley Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 1:31.113 1.144 0.212 38 / 79
    17 ESPARGARO, Aleix Aprilia Racing Team Gresini 1:31.130 1.161 0.017 18 / 65
    18 MORBIDELLI, Franco EG 0,0 Marc VDS 1:31.185 1.216 0.055 47 / 68
    19 KALLIO, Mika Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 1:31.598 1.629 0.413 95 / 99
    20 REDDING, Scott Aprilia Racing Team Gresini 1:31.637 1.668 0.039 20 / 67
    21 ABRAHAM, Karel Ángel Nieto Team 1:31.661 1.692 0.024 68 / 72
    22 LUTHI, Thomas EG 0,0 Marc VDS 1:31.994 2.025 0.333 36 / 71
    23 SYAHRIN, Hafizh Monster Yamaha Tech 3 1:31.998 2.029 0.004 37 / 49
    24 SIMEON, Xavier Reale Avintia Racing 1:32.267 2.298 0.269 55 / 60

    Session 1 – 16/02/2018

    PDF AnalysisPDF Classification

    Pos Rider Team Fastest lap Lead. Gap Prev. Gap Laps Last lap
    1 CRUTCHLOW, Cal LCR Honda CASTROL 1:30.797 57 / 70
    2 RINS, Alex Team SUZUKI ECSTAR 1:30.809 0.012 0.012 66 / 70
    3 MARQUEZ, Marc Repsol Honda Team 1:30.912 0.115 0.103 30 / 78
    4 DOVIZIOSO, Andrea Ducati Team 1:30.945 0.148 0.033 30 / 60
    5 PEDROSA, Dani Repsol Honda Team 1:30.960 0.163 0.015 70 / 75
    6 PETRUCCI, Danilo Alma Pramac Racing 1:31.003 0.206 0.043 70 / 74
    7 MILLER, Jack Alma Pramac Racing 1:31.044 0.247 0.041 78 / 83
    8 ROSSI, Valentino Movistar Yamaha MotoGP 1:31.189 0.392 0.145 68 / 74
    9 IANNONE, Andrea Team SUZUKI ECSTAR 1:31.235 0.438 0.046 70 / 78
    10 LORENZO, Jorge Ducati Team 1:31.246 0.449 0.011 60 / 64
    11 VIÑALES, Maverick Movistar Yamaha MotoGP 1:31.294 0.497 0.048 67 / 70
    12 ZARCO, Johann Monster Yamaha Tech 3 1:31.305 0.508 0.011 35 / 67
    13 RABAT, Tito Reale Avintia Racing 1:31.523 0.726 0.218 70 / 85
    14 BAUTISTA, Alvaro Ángel Nieto Team 1:31.525 0.728 0.002 76 / 84
    15 ESPARGARO, Aleix Aprilia Racing Team Gresini 1:31.662 0.865 0.137 57 / 62
    16 REDDING, Scott Aprilia Racing Team Gresini 1:31.685 0.888 0.023 55 / 59
    17 NAKAGAMI, Takaaki LCR Honda IDEMITSU 1:31.692 0.895 0.007 55 / 87
    18 ABRAHAM, Karel Ángel Nieto Team 1:31.698 0.901 0.006 75 / 82
    19 MORBIDELLI, Franco EG 0,0 Marc VDS 1:31.729 0.932 0.031 67 / 72
    20 SMITH, Bradley Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 1:31.741 0.944 0.012 58 / 67
    21 LUTHI, Thomas EG 0,0 Marc VDS 1:32.716 1.919 0.975 73 / 79
    22 SIMEON, Xavier Reale Avintia Racing 1:32.720 1.923 0.004 47 / 50
    23 KALLIO, Mika Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 1:32.749 1.952 0.029 21 / 48
    24 SYAHRIN, Hafizh Monster Yamaha Tech 3 1:33.165 2.368 0.416 63 / 70
  • Buriram awaits as MotoGP testing heads for Thailand and the newest venue on the calendar

    Buriram awaits as MotoGP testing heads for Thailand and the newest venue on the calendar

    New country, new culture, new challenge…but the same incredible riders ready to take on the track. It’s time for Chang International Circuit in Buriram to debut in MotoGP™, with a three-day test giving the grid their first taste of the venue ahead of the first ever PTT Thailand Grand Prix in October.

    So where is Buriram? About five hours from Bangkok, in the north east of the country. The 4.6km track, built in 2014, has so far only challenged WorldSBK to its five right-and seven left-handers. That means it’s a total reset from Sepang – where Jorge Lorenzo (Ducati Team) was fastest, putting in the quickest ever laptime around the track – and there’s a new whole new set of records to be established.Ducati have begun 2018 very satisfied with their progress over the winter. Both Lorenzo and 2017 runner up teammate Andrea Dovizioso have good things to say about the GP18 and Team Manager Davide Tardozzi hinted at Sepang that there could be much more to see at Buriram, too. The Borgo Panigale factory were the pioneers of winglets and then aero-fairings in recent history – could there be another innovation ready to come out of hibernation at Sepang?

    For Honda, they have their own aero-fairing to investigate further but spent the first test focused largely elsewhere and on the engine, with reigning Champion Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) and teammate Dani Pedrosa joined by HRC test rider Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda Castrol) on testing duty. There were a lot of positive reports at Sepang, and Pedrosa and Crutchlow made their presences routinely felt at the sharp end of the timesheets. Marquez ended Sepang a little lower down, but wasn’t concentrating on a time attack…

    Yamaha, meanwhile, will be hoping to use the heat of Buriram and the possible lower grip levels to their advantage. After two very positive first days testing at Sepang for both Maverick Viñales and Valentino Rossi, Day 3 was a little more difficult for the Iwata marque. As well as refining their new bike and attempting to fully eradicate any trace of low grip woes, Yamaha also had an aero fairing on track at Sepang and there were positive reports – will we see the same again, or another iteration of the idea?

    Team Suzuki Ecstar were also contributors to aero-watch – but more of the headlines were stolen by Alex Rins, who begins his second season fully fit and has shown some impressive pace. But it’s good reading for teammate Andrea Iannone, too – with the Hamamatsu factory looking like they’ve averted the mistakes of preseason last year and are ready to get back in the hunt nearer the front.

    Red Bull KTM Factory Racing were another with aero innovations in the first test and showed an incredible step forward as they begin their sophomore season. Despite Pol Espargaro sitting out Day 3 after a hard crash, the 2013 Moto2™ Champion was more than a second quicker than in 2017, and teammate Bradley Smith eight tenths further forward. At Buriram, there’s no 2017 marker against which to measure their ever-impressive progress – but there’s also no advantage for anyone else. Sadly, however, Espargaro will sit out the test in Thailand due to injury.

    In the Independent Team ranks, Monster Yamaha Tech 3 rider Johann Zarco remains locked into refining what he will run this season – and there will be a new face on the other side of the Tech 3 garage. Hafizh Syahrin will be testing at Buriram, with a view to taking on the seat vacated by Jonas Folger. The Malaysian rider, who has a number of podium finishes in Moto2™, has been consistently fast in the intermediate class and now becomes the first from his nation to take on MotoGP™. He’ll feel the pressure, but for the ‘Pescao’, the most important thing to show will be consistent progress.

    There are other four rookies already having tested their new steeds – reigning Moto2™ Champion Franco Morbidelli and teammate Tom Lüthi at EG 0,0 Marc VDS, Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemistu) and Xavier Simeon (Reale Avinta Racing). Nakagami had the upper hand at Sepang and the Japanese rider has so far been the benchmark – but his fellow debutants will be pushing hard to hit back.

    Progress is also the buzzword for riders who have changed teams for 2018, too. Jack Miller (Alma Pramac Racing) has been a stunner so far as he takes to life on a Ducati and already seems on the pace with teammate Danilo Petrucci. Tito Rabat (Reale Avintia Racing) is another who seems happy in his new home. Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini), meanwhile, remains making progress at Aprilia, with searching for more power the name of the game over winter.

    Preparations for 2018 are now at full speed. So who will stake an early claim on Buriram? Find out from the 16th February for the first ever three days of MotoGP™ action in Thailand, from 9:30 to 17:30 local time (GMT +7). And on Friday and Saturday, the final fifteen minutes of the session are reserved for practice starts.

    Then, as always, there’s After the Flag rounding up all the action after the…flag!

    eom/MotoGP release

  • Jorge Lorenzo sets fastest two-wheeled circuit lap at Sepang: MotoGP first test ends

    Jorge Lorenzo sets fastest two-wheeled circuit lap at Sepang: MotoGP first test ends

    Jorge Lorenzo of Ducati tops on the third day of the first MotoGP Test at Sepang on Tuesday. Photo by Srinivasa Krishnan

    MotoGP riders complete first preseason session feeling optimistic about the year ahead
    The Ducati GP18 has made a sensational start to the MotoGP preseason with Jorge Lorenzo guiding it to the fastest ever two-wheeled lap of Sepang today in a time of 1’58.830. The Spaniard moved ahead of early pacesetter Dani Pedrosa, who was fastest on the opening day but second fastest today, with Cal Crutchlow, Andrea Dovizioso and Jack Miller completing the top five as four manufacturers featured within the top ten. Testing for the premier class continues from 16-18 February at the Buriram circuit in Thailand, which will host a round of the MotoGP World Championship for the first time in October this year, according to a Angel Nieto Team MotoGP release.
    The Repsol Honda Team adds that it concluded a positive first test of 2018 in Malaysia, with Dani Pedrosa second-fastest with a best lap time of 1’59.009” and reigning World Champion Marc Marquez just over 3 tenths of a second behind him in seventh place, with a best lap of 1’59.382”.
    Third Day’s Report:

    Jorge Lorenzo (Ducati Team) decimated the competition on the third and final day of the #SepangTest, setting the fastest ever lap around the Malaysian venue with a 1:58.830. His closest challenger was Repsol Honda Team’s Dani Pedrosa – the fastest man on Day 1 of the test – who was just over a tenth and a half behind his compatriot. The number 26 is also the holder of the pole lap record. Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda Castrol) took P3, only half a tenth behind the RC213V of Pedrosa ahead of him.

    It was a day without the rain that had affected Sunday and Monday’s action, and Lorenzo put in 48 laps overall, topping the timesheets on Lap 21. The Spaniard had also crashed earlier, but then went out and set his best effort. The 1:58.830 lap will not count as the official record due it having been set outside a race weekend, but it is the quickest recorded lap on two wheels. The previous best belonged to Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) and was set during testing in 2015. Lorenzo said there were marked improvements in the GP18 when compared to last year’s machine.

    Pedrosa did 58 laps and similarly set his quickest lap early, on Lap 9. Only 0.009 away from breaking into the 1:58 bracket, the ‘Little Samurai’ was the quickest Honda of the test. He was working with one bike in the garage sporting Honda’s new aero fairing and one without, whereas teammate Marc Marquez opted to go aero-fairing free on Day 3, saying the innovation needs bigger setup changes to be evaluated. The reigning Champion ended the third day in seventh and got through a long workload of 75 laps; his best a 1:59.382 after opting to forego a timeattack lap.

    Behind Crutchlow in third – the Brit another who did a lot of laps, completing 65 – was the second Ducati Team rider of Andrea Dovizioso. ‘DesmoDovi’, like teammate Lorenzo, took a tumble but escaped unscathed. The Italian ended the day just over a tenth off the top three, and completed 51 laps. Just behind him was another impressive performance for another Borgo Panigale machine; that of Alma Pramac Racing’s Jack Miller. Switching from Honda, the Australian proved his adaptation once again with a 1:59.346 as his best after 36 laps – completing the top five despite proving the first crasher of the day.

    Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) was the rider who broke the Ducati and Honda stranglehold on the timesheets first, going sixth quickest but only 0.002 off Miller and the top five. Rins, who struggled with injury in 2017, has had a rapid start to his sophomore season and put in another half century of laps at Sepang. Teammate Andrea Iannone, after suffering a number of technical issues in testing so far, was twelfth fastest but managed an increased 62 laps for the Hamamatsu factory as they aim to reset after a more difficult 2017.

    The top Yamaha was nine-time World Champion Valentino Rossi, with the ‘Doctor’ slotting into eighth and one of the late improvers. A 1:59.449 on Lap 52 of 54 saw him just pip Monster Yamaha Tech 3’s Johann Zarco in the last few minutes of track action, after the number 46 had been second fastest on Day 2. Teammate Maverick Viñales – fastest on Monday – was P18 on the third and final day, but is within the top six overall with his previous best. Both Yamaha riders had their new aero-packages on track, and Independent Team rider Zarco also tried the fairing on Tuesday.

    Danilo Petrucci (Alma Pramac Racing) made it both Pramac machines in the top ten on Day 3 as he ended Tuesday 0.017 seconds off Zarco. ‘Petrux’ was also the fourth Independent Team rider within that quickest ten, and just pipped fellow Independent Ducati rider Tito Rabat (Reale Avintia Racing) to the honour. Rabat was a crasher on Day 3, but was unhurt. He did 35 laps and was just 0.019 off Petrucci in an incredibly tight midfield on the timesheets. The next quickest Independent Team Ducati was Angel Nieto Team’s Alvaro Bautista, who was P15.

    Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) led the charge for the Noale factory in P13, and put in his quickest lap on his final exit – the last rider in the 1:59s on Day 3. One of Aprilia’s key focuses has been increasing their horsepower and reconfirming their work over the winter with Espargaro and Scott Redding. Redding continued his adaptation with another 56 laps in the bank.

    Meanwhile, at Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, it was test rider Mika Kallio leading the way on the timesheets for the Austrian factory. They debuted a new aero package, and Kallio did a best of 2:00.464. Bradley Smith did a 2:00.969, with Pol Espargaro sitting Tuesday out following his big crash on Monday. The Spaniard has no fractures but the crash, at Turn 4, was a fast one.

    Of the four rookies, it was Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) who was the quickest once again on Day 3. The Japanese rider was fourteenth quickest overall with a 2:00.71, tantalisingly close to the 1:59 bracket. Reigning Moto2™ Champion Franco Morbidelli was around half a second off that and second fastest of the new riders in the field – but the number 21 was 0.021 ahead of Viñales for an impressive scalp. Xavier Simeon (Reale Avintia Racing) was a further three tenths back, with Tom Lüthi (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) the final rookie on the timesheets. It is, however, the Swiss rider’s first test on his new machine, having been sidelined for Valencia due to injury. He crashed at Turn 4 in a slow incident, but picked the bike up and continued.

    That’s a wrap on the first action of the year, but MotoGP™ will be back before you know it – getting a first taste of Buriram in Thailand ahead of the 2018 debut of the Thailand GP. The test there begins on the 16th February.

    Sepang Day 3

    Pos. Rider Num Nation Team Time/Gap
    1 LORENZO Jorge 99 SPA Ducati Team 1:58.830
    2 PEDROSA Dani 26 SPA Repsol Honda Team 0.179
    3 CRUTCHLOW Cal 35 GBR LCR Honda 0.222
    4 DOVIZIOSO Andrea 4 ITA Ducati Team 0.339
    5 MILLER Jack 43 AUS Alma Pramac Racing 0.516
    6 RINS Alex 42 SPA Team Suzuki Ecstar 0.518
    7 MARQUEZ Marc 93 SPA Repsol Honda Team 0.552
    8 ROSSI Valentino 46 ITA Movistar Yamaha MotoGP 0.619
    9 ZARCO Johann 5 FRA Monster Yamaha Tech 3 0.681
    10 PETRUCCI Danilo 9 ITA Alma Pramac Racing 0.698
    11 RABAT Tito 53 SPA Reale Avintia Racing 0.717
    12 IANNONE Andrea 29 ITA Team Suzuki Ecstar 0.785
    13 ESPARGARO Aleix 41 SPA Aprilia Racing Team Gresini 1.132
    14 NAKAGAMI Takaaki 30 JPN LCR Honda 1.241
    15 BAUTISTA Alvaro 19 SPA Angel Nieto Team 1.375
    16 KALLIO Mika 36 FIN KTM Test Team 1.634
    17 MORBIDELLI Franco 21 ITA EG 0,0 Marc VDS 1.696
    18 VINALES Maverick 25 SPA Movistar Yamaha MotoGP 1.717
    19 ABRAHAM Karel 17 CZE Angel Nieto Team 1.744
    20 SIMEON Xavier 10 BEL Reale Avintia Racing 1.954
    21 REDDING Scott 45 GBR Aprilia Racing Team Gresini

     
  • Movistar Yamaha’s Maverick Vinales fastest on Day 2: MotoGP first official test of 2018

    Movistar Yamaha’s Maverick Vinales fastest on Day 2: MotoGP first official test of 2018

    Movistar Yamaha rider Maverick Vinales who was fastest on the second day in action at the first MotoGP test at Sepang on Monday. Photo by Srinivasa Krishnan

    Sepang, 29 Jan 2018: The Movistar Yamaha MotoGP Team were back on track today to continue work at the first official IRTA test of the 2018 season, held at the Sepang International Circuit. Maverick Viñales and Valentino Rossi again worked diligently to improve their 2018 YZR-M1s, and the results echoed the positive rider feedback. They finished the second day in first and second place respectively.

    Similar to yesterday morning, the MotoGP riders waited for the track to dry before they ventured out just before 12 o‘clock local track time.

    Viñales had a busy schedule again. His strategy remained the same as for Day 1: put in a lot of laps to work on tyre wear. He initially headed out on the same bike as yesterday to get a feel for the conditions, before he gave the new fairing a try. Throughout the second day of testing the Spaniard noticed an improvement in the consistency of his lap times. He put his YZR-M1 to the test during the final stages of the eight-hour session and posted a 1‘59.355s on lap 66/68 for top billing, with a 0.035s margin.

    Trying to make up for lost time due to the overnight rain, Rossi also made strides in the afternoon. He only needed about half an hours‘ time to drop a 1‘59.766s, set on lap 12, to take over at the top of the timesheets. Back into the rhythm, he proceeded work on his bike‘s setting as well as the tyre wear. He spent a long time in second place on the provisional timesheets, until the pace quickened at the end of the day. The Doctor joined in on the action and briefly went top with a 1‘59.390s attempt on lap 38/39, before his teammate pushed him to second place.

    Today‘s efforts see Viñales and Rossi also hold first and second place respectively in the combined day 1-2 standings, leaving them in a positive mindset to complete the testing schedule on Tuesday.

    As many as twelve riders broke the two-minute barrier, with Cal Crutchlow, Jorge Lorenzo and Jack Miller completing the top five of the day.

    After more than two months of waiting, Movistar Yamaha MotoGP’s Valentino Rossi and Viñales began the first of three 2018 pre-season Official IRTA tests on Sunday. The riders got the first feel for their 2018 bikes in both wet and dry conditions at the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia. They finished in 6th and 13th place respectively on the first day’s session time sheets.

    Sunday’s report

    After a long winter wait, the Team were back on track on Sunday for the first Official Test. The first of the three-day pre-season days in Malaysia gave riders Valentino Rossi and Maverick Viñales a chance to get to know their new YZR-M1s and to start working on a number of test items.

    The rain on Sunday morning had Rossi venture out on track, keen on working on the wet setting of his bike and confirming the findings the team made in the Valencia and Sepang tests they held back in November. Heading out with a new 2018 pre-season helmet, he ended the morning stint in 12th place.

    As his afternoon session got underway, a dry track was waiting for the Italian, who took this opportunity with both hands. With three hours remaining, he put his 2018 bike to the test and set a provisional fastest time of 2’00.799s. As his teammate and various competitors started to pick up their pace towards the end of the session, the pack got reshuffled. Rossi responded by reclaiming first place on lap 44/50, and retired to the pit early. A flurry of activity in the last 15 minutes saw him end up in sixth position with a 2‘00.233s, 0.806s from first.

    Viñales was also eager to get going aboard his YZR-M1 this morning, to do a race simulation and start working on the electronics and engine specifications together with his teammate. The Spaniard came prepared with a special Sepang Test helmet too, with a design inspired by the famous artist Salvador Dali, and held fourth place at the end of his morning runs.

    The 23-year-old looked comfortable out on track in the afternoon and he continued to put in lap after lap. As the pace of the field started to pick up in the drier conditions, he temporarily took over top billing from Rossi, clocking an impressive 2‘00.758s. The competition got more and more heated towards the end of the day, but Viñales stuck to his testing schedule. He dropped a 2‘00.714s on lap 55/72, which ultimately earned him 13th place, 1.287s from the

  • Dovi second in the MotoGP official test Day 1; Lorenzo third

    Dovi second in the MotoGP official test Day 1; Lorenzo third

    Dovi on Sunday. A Ducati image
    Day 1 of official MotoGP testing concludes at Sepang with Dovizioso second and Lorenzo third on their Desmosedici GP18 bikes
    The first day of official testing at the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia, taking place from today until 30 January, concluded a couple of hours ago.

    The track conditions, which were damp due to the rain that fell overnight until the early afternoon, significantly reduced the useful track time for the MotoGP riders.

    Andrea Dovizioso and Jorge Lorenzo were in any case able to get the best out of the afternoon to carry out back-to-back tests between the 2018 and 2017 versions of the Desmosedici GP.

    Towards the end of the session both factory Ducati riders fitted a soft rear tyre on their GP18 machines to set their quickest times.

    Andrea Dovizioso ended the day in second place with a best lap of 1’59.770 while Jorge Lorenzo was right behind in third with a time of 1’59.802.

    Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team #04) – 1’59.770 (35 laps)
    “I’m very satisfied with the first day of testing and the feeling with the Desmosedici GP18: the new bike gives me some good sensations, especially when I come off the brakes and turn it into the corner. It’s still too early to give a definitive opinion, but I’m happy with how we have begun this test. Let’s hope that the weather in the next couple of days allows us to carry out the work schedule and the back-to-back tests we have planned.”

    Jorge Lorenzo (Ducati Team #99) – 1’59.802 (38 laps)
    “The feeling with the new bike was good right from the start and the first test of 2018 began positively. The GP18 is much closer to my riding style and it turns better on the gas in mid-corner. We set a really great time on what is the first day of testing on a particular circuit like Sepang, and to see four Ducatis in the top 5 is another positive sign for sure. I have the feeling we are on the right path, even though of course we still have to improve several aspects.”

    eom
  • Dani Pedrosa tops the standings on day 1 in Sepang, Marc Marquez 7th: MotoGP first test

    Dani Pedrosa tops the standings on day 1 in Sepang, Marc Marquez 7th: MotoGP first test

    Dani Pedrosa, the fastest at the MotoGP Sepang-first test at on Sunday.. Image by Srinivasa Krishnan for INDIAinF1.com 28Jan2018

    Dani Pedrosa set the fastest time of the opening day of the Sepang test, with a mark of 1’59.427” on his 55th lap (out of 56), while Marc Marquez ended seventh overall with a best time of 2’00.290” on his 50th lap (out of 51).

    In typical Malaysian fashion, the morning dawned under heavy rain, so the asphalt was still wet when the track opened at 10 a.m.

    Marquez made one run on wet tyres, Pedrosa a few more, but both riders really began working on development of the RC213V after lunchtime, by which time the track had properly dried. They completed a few laps on the 2017 bike and then went out on the prototype 2018 machines, which were using different engine specifications.

    Dani Pedrosa

    1ST  1:59.427 (56 LAPS)

    “Of course it’s good to start the testing with the fastest time, so we’re happy with that. We had some rain in the morning and therefore the chance to do a few laps on rain tyres, and we felt good from the beginning. In the afternoon, when the track dried, the asphalt kept improving lap by lap, and that was positive for the many changes we had to try. We have three bikes here, and they have the same setup but different engines. Basically, we worked on the engine package, trying to collect as much information as possible and to get a feeling with each different specification; that’s one of the main areas we have as a target for this test. There are still points we need to work on in order to understand more. We also need more laps on used tyres, as we didn’t get any long runs in today. Of course we’re still in the early stages but so far the feeling is good.”

    Reigning World champion

    Marc Marquez finished 7th.

    7TH  2:00.290 (51 LAPS)

    “I think today was a busy day for everybody because when you get back on your bike after the winter, you need to find the rhythm again and get used to riding at a demanding track—especially here. That said, I’m quite happy with how we started because we were working on three different bikes with different engines, one from last year and two with different specifications, and therefore it was quite an intense day. We had to adjust many, many things, which is quite normal, but so far it seems the new engine is better. Of course we have two more days to improve the setup and keep working on the engine, electronics, aerodynamics, and so on. It was just the first day and the feeling and rhythm were positive already!”

    Sepang Day 1

    Pos. Rider Num Nation Team Time/Gap
    1 PEDROSA Dani 26 SPA Repsol Honda Team 1:59.427
    2 DOVIZIOSO Andrea 4 ITA Ducati Team 0.343
    3 LORENZO Jorge 99 SPA Ducati Team 0.375
    4 PETRUCCI Danilo 9 ITA Alma Pramac Racing 0.696
    5 MILLER Jack 43 AUS Alma Pramac Racing 0.751
    6 ROSSI Valentino 46 ITA Movistar Yamaha MotoGP 0.806
    7 MARQUEZ Marc 93 SPA Repsol Honda Team 0.863
    8 ZARCO Johann 5 FRA Monster Yamaha Tech 3 0.994
    9 CRUTCHLOW Cal 35 GBR LCR Honda Castrol 1.095
    10 ESPARGARO Pol 44 SPA Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 1.141
    11 RINS Alex 42 SPA Team Suzuki Ecstar 1.200
    12 NAKAGAMI Takaaki 30 JPN LCR Honda Idemitsu 1.237
    13 VINALES Maverick 25 SPA Movistar Yamaha MotoGP 1.287
    14 ESPARGARO Aleix 41 SPA Aprilia Racing Team Gresini 1.439
    15 RABAT Tito 53 SPA Reale Avintia Racing 1.485
    16 IANNONE Andrea 29 ITA Team Suzuki Ecstar 1.600
    17 SMITH Bradley 38 GBR Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 1.672
    18 MORBIDELLI Franco 21 ITA EG 0,0 Marc VDS 1.734
    19 BAUTISTA Alvaro 19 SPA Angel Nieto Team 2.301
    20 GUINTOLI Sylvain 50 FRA Suzuki Test Team 2.437
    21 REDDING Scott 45 GBR Aprilia Racing Team Gresini