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Martin, Bagnaia, Miller: a Ducati armada heads Mir at Valencia
The rookie turns it up to 11 for Bologna as Ducati and Suzuki lock out the top six and Rossi bids farewell from tenth
Valencia, 13 Nov 2021: Jorge Martin (Pramac Racing) put in a stunner at the Gran Premio Motul de la Comunitat Valenciana to take his fourth pole position of the season and Ducati’s first at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo since 2010, his final push enough to depose Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) by just 0.064. It’s an all-Ducati front row with Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) in third, with the factory riders suffering a crash each but once again, Bologna bringing the noise on Saturday afternoon. That’s now 11 poles for the manufacturer this season, and there’s been a Ducati on the front row at every single Grand Prix. They’ve taken 30 front row placements out of 54, to be exact.
Reigning Champion Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) couldn’t move up from P8, with the departing Valentino Rossi (Petronas Yamaha SRT) in tenth for his final dance.
Q1
As ever it went to the wire, but it was 2020 front row starter Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) who topped the session, with Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) heading through alongside.Andrea Dovizioso (Petronas Yamaha SRT) just missed the cut but showed more good progress taking P13 on the grid. Alex Marquez (LCR Honda Castrol) suffered a small crash, and Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) a run off.
Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) ended the session last after a tough day at the office, but behind him even is Pol Espargaro (Repsol Honda Team). After such a strong Friday, the Spaniard had a monster highside in FP3 and headed to hospital for check ups. No major injuries were found, but the team confirmed the number 44 would sit out the rest of Saturday.
Q2
The first true benchmark came from Miller. The Australian put in a 1:30.325 to top the timesheets, with Bagnaia slotting into second and Mir third. Incredibly, Martin then did exactly the same time as Miller, although the Spaniard took over in second as his second best was a little off the Australian’s.As the second runs began though, Bagnaia came out swinging. Already on pole six times this season, the Italian was gunning for glory at a tougher venue. He went faster and then put in a 1:30.000 exactly, showing some serious speed at a venue he’s struggled at in the past.
Still, it wasn’t over. After a low drama tip off for Bagnaia at Turn 2 interrupted laps for some behind the Italian, red sectors appeared once again – this time from Martin. The rookie was flying and just under a hundredth up on Bagnaia into the final sector. Could he hold onto it? Over the line, he could… setting a 1:29.936 to just pip Pecco to pole. Miller was also on a fast one and even further up, but the Australian then crashed out – rider ok – and that was all she wrote. Martin faces down the fight for Rookie of the Year from the best place possible: pole.
The Grid
Martin’s pole is his fourth of the season after a stunning premier class debut, and he heads the grid at the venue where he took his first Grand Prix win in Moto3™. It’s an all-Ducati front row as Bagnaia and Miller line-up alongside for the battle of the Bologna bullets into Turn 1.Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar) may not have taken another front row, but he had another great qualifying. He said after the Algarve GP he wanted to start routinely qualifying on the front two rows, and in the pre-event Press Conference in Valencia the 2020 Champion said he wanted to se if they could replicate the quality qualifying… so that’s mission accomplished in fourth. Alongside the number 36 on Row 2 are Johann Zarco (Pramac Racing), to make it four Ducatis in the top five, with Rins in P6 going from Q1 to make it two Suzukis in the top six.
Binder likewise converted the chance from Q1 into a good grid position, the South African taking P7 to head the third row. He’s joined by reigning Champion Quartararo as the Frenchman had another muted Saturday, out of the top six for the third race in a row.
Ninth went to Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) ahead of one of the best recent qualifying sessions for Rossi in tenth, the ‘Doctor’ also having gone straight through to Q2. Franco Morbidelli (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP), who also went straight through, is P11, with Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) taking P12.
That’s an interesting grid to round out the season. A Ducati front-row lock out, Mir with a lot less work to do on Sunday and Rins too, and of course, a farewell for the ‘Doctor’… Valencia promises much and will likely deliver even more, s tune in for the final race of the season, and of an era, at 14:00 (GMT +1). History guaranteed!
MotoGP Front Row
1 Jorge Martin – Pramac Racing – Ducati – 1’29.936
2 Francesco Bagnaia – Ducati Lenovo Team – Ducati – +0.064
3 Jack Miller – Ducati Lenovo Team – Ducati – +0.389*Independent Team rider
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Valentino Rossi facts, stats and trivia
Valencia, Spain, 14th November, 2021: Thanks to Martin Raines and nick-harris.co.uk, here’s a long list of stats about The Doctor’s phenomenal career in Grand Prix racing.
Thanks to Martin Raines and nick-harris.co.uk, here are a whole host of facts, stats and trivia surrounding Valentino Rossi’s wonderful career.
– Rossi and Phil Read are the only riders to win world titles in the 125, 250 and 500cc classes. (Note: Marc Marquez has won titles in 125cc, Moto2™ and MotoGP™)
– Valentino Rossi is the only rider to have won World Championships in four classes: 125, 250, 500 and MotoGP™.
– Rossi and Giacomo Agostini are the only two riders to have won premier class titles on both two-stoke and four-stroke machinery.
– His win at the 2004 season-opening GP in South Africa made him the first rider to take back-to-back premier class victories on different makes of bike.
– In 2004 he became only the second rider to win back-to-back premier class titles on different makes of machinery. Eddie Lawson was the first, winning on a Yamaha in 1988 and a Honda in 1989.
– He holds the record for successive premier class podiums, scoring 23 successive top-three results from the Portuguese GP in 2002 to the South Africa GP in 2004.
– Rossi had the honour of scoring the 500th victory for Honda when he won the Japanese 500cc GP in April 2001.
– Rossi has won GP races on seven different motorcycles: 125cc Aprilia, 250cc Aprilia, 500cc Honda, 990cc Honda, 990cc Yamaha, 800cc Yamaha and 1000cc Yamaha.
– His eleven wins in 2005 is the highest number of premier class victories in a single season by a Yamaha rider
– He is the only rider to win five or more successive premier class races on a Yamaha.
– He is the only rider in history to have won five or more successive races on two different makes of bike (Yamaha and Honda).
– He is Yamaha’s most successful rider of all time with 56 race victories on their bikes.
– His 89 race victories in the premier class are more than any other rider in the history of Grand Prix racing (second on this list is Giacomo Agostini with 68 premier-class wins).
– He has won 115 GP races across the three classes. Only Giacomo Agostini with 122 wins has stood on the top step of the podium more in Grand Prix racing.
– Valentino Rossi’s third place finish at Jerez in 2020 was the 199th time he has stood on the podium in the premier-class, more than any other rider (second on this list is Jorge Lorenzo with 114 premier-class podiums).
– He has been on the podium 235 times across all classes, which is more than any other rider in the history of Grand Prix racing (second on this list is Giacomo Agostini with 159 Grand Prix podiums).
– The Valencia GP will be Rossi’s 432nd Grand Prix start. This means that he has taken part in 44.4% of all Grand Prix events that have taken place since the world championship series began in 1949. (The rider with second most GP starts is Andrea Dovizioso with 332 by the end of 2021).
– Rossi’s final total of premier class GP starts will be 372 including the race in Valencia; this is more than any other rider (second in the list is Alex Barros with 245 premier class GP starts).
– Rossi has the longest winning career in the premier class of GP racing, with his latest win at the Dutch TT in 2017 coming 16 years 351 days after his first 500cc GP win at Donington in 2000 (the rider with second longest winning career in the premier class is Alex Barros – 11 years 204 days).
– He also has the longest winning GP career across all classes; 20 years 311 days between his first GP victory in the 125cc class at Brno in 1997 and his last GP win at Assen in 2017 (second in this regard is Loris Capirossi with a GP winning career of 17 years 49 days).
– During his career Rossi has competed at 38 different Grand Prix circuits.
– Of these 38 circuits, he has taken at least one GP win at 29 of the circuits. No other rider in the history of motorcycle Grand Prix racing has won at as many different circuits as Rossi.
– The circuits at which Rossi has had most GP wins are Catalunya and Assen where he has won ten times at each of these two circuits.
– In the premier class Rossi has competed at 29 different circuits.
– He has won in the premier class at 23 of these 29 circuits.
– The circuit where Rossi has had most premier class wins is Assen, with eight.
– The circuit at which Rossi has made most Grand Prix appearances is Jerez, where he has made 27 GP starts across the three classes, including 23 in the premier class.
– During his Grand Prix career Rossi has shared the podium with 55 different riders. The rider he has stood on the podium with most often is Jorge Lorenzo – 53 times.
– In the premier class Rossi has shared the podium with 38 different riders.
– The last time that Rossi shared a podium with a rider older than himself was at the 2008 Czech Grand Prix, that rider being Loris Capirossi.
– With Valencia being Valentino Rossi’s last event it will very likely be the last time that a rider born in the 1970s will start a Grand Prix race.
– There are three riders Rossi has shared a premier class podium with without standing on a higher step: Alex Rins, Fabio Quartararo and Stefan Bradl.
The legendary Valentino Rossi’s Final Race and all other action from MotoGP Gran Premio Motul de la Comunitat Valenciana Main Race will
LIVE on EUROSPORT and EUROSPORT HD from 15:15 Hrs (03:15pm IST) onwards on Sunday, 14th November, 2021. Eurosport channel can now be streamed on the discovery+ app. MogoGP will be live from 5.30pm, watch out for #46Vale -
Abdul Wahid Tanveer wins Overall honours; TVS sweep continues
Mangaluru, 14 Nov 2021: TVS Racing continued to dominate the MRF MoGrip Indian National Racing Championship for two-wheelers as Dakar-prospect Abdul Wahid Tanveer romped home with a stunning overall victory in Round 3 held here on Sunday.
Abdul Tanveer, who made his debut in 2014 for TVS,has been on the rise and the #2 Bengaluru rider clocked 40minutes, 55.728 seconds for the six Special Stages, as he defeated his nearest rival and defending champion Sarath Mohan of Mallapuram by over six seconds. However, Sarath Mohan, a privateer on Husqvarna FE450 won Class 1A with Tanveer taking Class 1 gold astride a TVS Apache RTR. Imran Pasha J, also of TVS Racing came overall third, another 14 seconds behind Mohan, but won Class 4 as well. TVS also made a sweep of the scooter class.
Tanveer, who won his class in his international rally year in Merzouga in 2017 has been preparing for Dakar but COVID19 postponed his dream run. Undaunted, the Mysore rider is pulling all stops to keep his fitness and win the domestic events. Teammate and former champion Nataraj R came second while privateer Gautham Rao R completed the podium pushing out another former champion and TVS giant Rajendra RE.
In the Class IA, Sarath Mohan of Mallapuram, astride a Husqvarna FE 450 beat the Rally of Himalayas winner Aman Prabhakar Pawde on a KTM EXCF 450 while Asad Khan took third on a Suzuki RMX 450Z as all privateers ruled the roost in this top class. Ajion Abraham, Dilip Raj and Prashanth R, all on a Honda CBR Stunner 130cc, won the Class 2 in that order.
Riding a Hero Impulse 150cc, Pavan won Class 3 ahead of Sashi Kumar and Abrar Pasha, all privateers and on similar bikes. Imran Pasha J upset champion Samuel Jacob and Sachin had to be content with a third in Class 4, the TVS Apache RTR category.
Venu Ramesh Kumar, continues to defy age, as the senior most rider once again stood on the second step of the podium. But this time, Sajeesh Reghunathan, also on a KTM Duke 390 beat the Riders’ Representative to take the gold and Sravan Kumar Kuttoor on a KTM ADV 390 claimed the third place.
Mohammed Zaheer won the Bullet Class with another Belgaum rider taking the second also on a Himalayan. Naresh and Devaraj Venkatesh of Tribal Cafe, finished in that order.
TVS Racing once again dominated the Scooter Class and made amends to last round loss of a podium place by sweeping all the top-three places. Syed Asif Ali won the gold while teammates Karthik and Shamim Khan followed him in second and third, all on TVS N Torque. Adnan Ahmed won the non-championship Star of Karnataka award.
Read Ladies Class report won by World Cupper Aishwarya is here.
Class-wise Provisional Results:
Class 1 RANK COMP NO COMPETITOR NAME TEAM VEHICLE CITY SS1 SS2 SS3 SS4 SS5 SS6 TOTAL STAGE TIME LIAISON PENALTY TOTAL RUN TIME 1 2 ABDUL WAHID TANVEER TVS Racing TVS APACHE RTR BENGALURU 10:11.718 04:01.472 09:43.207 03:43.886 09:37.875 03:37.570 00:40:55.728 – 00:40:55.728 2 3 NATARAJ R TVS Racing TVS APACHE RTR BENGALURU 11:00.945 04:26.429 10:36.121 04:02.156 10:18.675 03:54.152 00:44:18.478 – 00:44:18.478 3 4 GOUTHAM RAO R Privateer TVS APACHE RTR 200 BENGALURU 12:51.902 04:13.968 12:07.406 04:11.460 11:53.753 04:07.722 00:49:26.211 – 00:49:26.211 4 1 RAJENDRA R E TVS Racing TVS APACHE RTR HOSUR DNF – – – – – – – – Class 1A RANK COMP NO COMPETITOR NAME TEAM VEHICLE CITY SS1 SS2 SS3 SS4 SS5 SS6 TOTAL STAGE TIME LIAISON PENALTY TOTAL RUN TIME 1 10 SARATH MOHAN Privateer HUSQVARANA FE 450 MALLAPURAM 09:58.656 03:45.433 09:56.316 03:32.097 09:54.031 03:55.472 00:41:02.005 – 00:41:02.005 2 9 AMAN PRABHAKAR PAWDE Privateer KTM EXCF 450 NAGPUR 10:46.445 04:30.375 10:57.597 03:46.031 10:37.277 03:47.277 00:44:25.002 – 00:44:25.002 3 5 ASAD KHAN Privateer SUZUKI RMX 450Z CHICKMAGALUR 11:23.011 04:11.164 11:12.753 04:00.054 10:48.074 03:54.027 00:45:29.083 – 00:45:29.083 4 8 JATIN JAIN Privateer KTM EXCF 250 NAGPUR 11:47.609 04:09.433 11:48.105 04:04.562 11:17.015 03:57.480 00:47:04.204 – 00:47:04.204 5 6 RAKESH NAGARAJA Privateer KTM EXCF 250 BANGALORE 13:00.613 04:37.371 12:04.226 04:16.148 11:42.281 04:14.539 00:49:55.178 – 00:49:55.178 6 7 PRAVITH PAVITHRAN Privateer KTM EXCF 450 THRISSUR DNF – – – – – – – – Class 2 RANK COMP NO COMPETITOR NAME TEAM VEHICLE CITY SS1 SS2 SS3 SS4 SS5 SS6 TOTAL STAGE TIME LIAISON PENALTY TOTAL RUN TIME 1 14 AJIN ABRAHAM Privateer HONDA CBR STUNNER 130 CC KERALA 12:16.730 05:46.441 12:03.121 04:01.925 11:38.316 03:57.777 00:49:44.310 – 00:49:44.310 2 17 DILIP RAJ Privateer HONDA CBR STUNNER 130 CC CHICKMAGALUR 13:57.636 04:34.554 13:13.273 04:33.996 13:25.222 04:26.480 00:54:11.161 – 00:54:11.161 3 15 PRASHANTH R Privateer HONDA CBR STUNNER 130 CC BENGALURU 13:58.871 04:42.335 13:52.480 04:54.425 13:30.371 04:35.187 00:55:33.669 – 00:55:33.669 4 19 CHALASS K BOSE Privateer HONDA CBR STUNNER 130 CC KOTTAYAM 12:12.558 04:09.226 22:15.210 04:54.757 12:00.195 04:06.230 00:59:38.176 – 00:59:38.176 5 12 RAHUL SHRIYAN Privateer HONDA STUNNER 130 CC MANGALORE 21:59.417 04:44.367 14:46.605 04:30.753 13:47.335 04:33.425 01:04:21.902 – 01:04:21.902 6 16 DURGESH Privateer HONDA CBR STUNNER 130 CC BENGALURU DNF – – – – – – – – 7 11 NITESH G POOJARI Privateer HONDA STUNNER 130 CC MANGALORE 14:56.894 04:28.687 13:02.425 04:14.246 DNF 04:27.152 – – – 8 18 DEEPAK NAIDU Privateer YAMAHA YBX 125 BENGALURU 14:13.190 04:19.880 13:08.730 08:23.113 12:05.175 DNF – – – Class 3 RANK COMP NO COMPETITOR NAME TEAM VEHICLE CITY SS1 SS2 SS3 SS4 SS5 SS6 TOTAL STAGE TIME LIAISON PENALTY TOTAL RUN TIME 1 23 PAVAN B K Privateer HERO IMPULSE 150 BENGALURU 11:24.148 04:01.898 11:07.148 03:49.562 11:14.800 03:52.453 00:45:30.009 – 00:45:30.009 2 22 SASIKUMAR K Privateer HERO IMPULSE 150 COIMBATORE 12:11.527 03:53.929 11:25.839 03:55.652 11:37.539 03:51.878 00:46:56.364 – 00:46:56.364 3 21 ABRAR PASHA Privateer HERO IMPULSE 150 SHIMOGA 12:53.019 03:56.343 12:00.562 03:52.746 12:08.433 04:01.210 00:48:52.313 – 00:48:52.313 4 24 ANOOP MANJAPPA Privateer HERO IMPULSE 150 BENGALURU 13:54.687 04:49.781 15:49.636 04:28.226 13:16.218 04:28.496 00:56:47.044 – 00:56:47.044 Class 4 RANK COMP NO COMPETITOR NAME TEAM VEHICLE CITY SS1 SS2 SS3 SS4 SS5 SS6 TOTAL STAGE TIME LIAISON PENALTY TOTAL RUN TIME 1 27 IMRAN PASHA J TVS Racing TVS APACHE RTR MYSURU 10:07.988 03:53.003 09:56.621 03:41.617 09:54.613 03:42.253 00:41:16.095 – 00:41:16.095 2 26 SAMUEL JACOB TVS Racing TVS APACHE RTR HOSUR 10:25.191 03:45.625 10:15.304 03:38.410 10:03.054 03:33.757 00:41:41.341 – 00:41:41.341 3 28 SACHIN D TVS Racing TVS APACHE RTR HOSUR 11:00.480 03:47.906 10:30.687 03:44.191 10:12.238 03:47.617 00:43:03.119 – 00:43:03.119 4 29 TRINESH V Privateer TVS APACHE HOSKOTE 12:08.812 04:02.011 11:21.968 03:48.289 11:05.972 03:43.363 00:46:10.415 – 00:46:10.415 5 25 ANAND JAYAKRISHNAN J C Privateer HERO XPULSE 200 TRIVANDRUM 13:04.382 04:29.117 12:34.968 04:26.828 12:51.695 04:29.210 00:51:56.200 – 00:51:56.200 Class 5 RANK COMP NO COMPETITOR NAME TEAM VEHICLE CITY SS1 SS2 SS3 SS4 SS5 SS6 TOTAL STAGE TIME LIAISON PENALTY TOTAL RUN TIME 1 30 SAJEESH REGHUNATHAN Privateer KTM DUKE 390 BENGALURU 14:12.757 04:45.207 14:18.949 04:27.500 12:09.425 04:17.394 00:54:11.232 – 00:54:11.232 2 32 VENU RAMESHKUMAR V Privateer KTM DUKE 390 COIMBATORE 15:12.984 04:46.640 13:36.808 05:07.339 13:42.515 04:37.957 00:57:04.243 – 00:57:04.243 3 31 SRAVAN KUMAR KUTTOOR Privateer KTM ADV 390 HYDERABAD 13:30.539 05:08.472 15:55.929 04:51.492 15:07.972 04:51.816 00:59:26.220 – 00:59:26.220 Class 6 RANK COMP NO COMPETITOR NAME TEAM VEHICLE CITY SS1 SS2 SS3 SS4 SS5 SS6 TOTAL STAGE TIME LIAISON PENALTY TOTAL RUN TIME 1 37 MOHAMMED ZAHEER Privateer ROYAL ENFIELD HIMALAYAN 411 CC BENGALURU 12:44.613 04:41.621 12:45.578 04:27.679 11:48.929 04:20.277 00:50:48.697 – 00:50:48.697 2 34 NARESH V S Privateer ROYAL ENFIELD HIMALAYAN 411 CC BENGALURU 12:50.660 04:32.980 12:25.035 04:19.839 12:20.546 04:33.011 00:51:02.071 – 00:51:02.071 3 33 DEVRAJ VENKATESH Privateer ROYAL ENFIELD HIMALAYAN 411 CC BENGALURU 13:26.964 06:01.453 14:13.265 04:35.566 12:36.925 04:15.761 00:55:09.934 – 00:55:09.934 4 36 SHARATH KUMAR Privateer ROYAL ENFIELD HIMALAYAN 411 CC BENGALURU 12:55.699 04:39.710 25:01.429 04:31.277 11:39.265 04:25.449 01:03:12.829 – 01:03:12.829 5 35 ABHIJITH SARKAR Privateer ROYAL ENFIELD HIMALAYAN 411 CC BANGALORE 14:18.722 05:28.804 14:14.847 05:34.253 DNF – – – – Class 7 RANK COMP NO COMPETITOR NAME TEAM VEHICLE CITY SS1 SS2 SS3 SS4 SS5 SS6 TOTAL STAGE TIME LIAISON PENALTY TOTAL RUN TIME 1 38 SYED ASIF ALI TVS Racing TVS N TORQ BENGALURU 12:49.308 04:17.085 12:13.808 04:10.011 12:22.324 04:12.941 00:50:05.477 – 00:50:05.477 2 40 KARTHIK TVS Racing TVS N TORQ BENGALURU 13:19.179 04:31.250 12:26.636 04:13.382 12:06.812 04:03.691 00:50:40.950 – 00:50:40.950 3 41 SHAMIM KHAN TVS Racing TVS N TORQ HOSUR 13:19.082 04:23.835 12:51.464 04:14.757 12:36.476 04:19.781 00:51:45.395 – 00:51:45.395 4 39 SUBRAMANYA T Privateer TVS N TORQ BENGALURU 16:08.207 04:37.117 13:19.578 04:23.843 12:52.921 04:13.238 00:55:34.904 – 00:55:34.904 5 42 ABHIJIT SHETTY Privateer TVS N TORQ BENGALURU DNF – – – – – – – – Class 8 RANK COMP NO COMPETITOR NAME TEAM VEHICLE CITY SS1 SS2 SS3 SS4 SS5 SS6 TOTAL STAGE TIME LIAISON PENALTY TOTAL RUN TIME 1 43 AISHWARYA PISSAY M Privateer TVS APACHE RTR BENGALURU 12:26.617 04:55.621 12:19.554 04:19.296 12:10.363 04:27.398 00:50:38.849 – 00:50:38.849 2 45 TANIKA SHANBHAG Privateer HERO XPULSE 200 BENGALURU 12:45.160 04:17.281 13:07.707 04:18.601 12:46.234 04:17.199 00:51:32.182 – 00:51:32.182 3 48 ANAM HASHIM Privateer HERO HONDA KARIZMA 223 PUNE 18:14.074 05:47.933 17:15.953 05:42.937 16:40.710 05:26.113 01:09:07.720 – 01:09:07.720 4 47 APOORVA B Privateer HERO IMPULSE 200 MANGALORE 21:05.773 05:32.093 18:31.214 05:17.285 17:37.468 05:07.605 01:13:11.438 – 01:13:11.438 5 46 SNEHA CC Privateer HERO XPULSE 200 THRISSUR 25:04.250 05:32.566 19:32.511 05:19.089 16:47.210 05:17.097 01:17:32.723 – 01:17:32.723 6 44 SUSHMITHA V Privateer TVS APACHE RTR BENGALURU 22:55.480 07:49.667 25:57.230 06:02.550 23:49.714 06:15.679 01:32:50.320 – 01:32:50.320 STAR OF KARNATAKA RANK COMP NO COMPETITOR NAME TEAM VEHICLE CITY SS1 SS2 SS3 SS4 SS5 SS6 TOTAL STAGE TIME LIAISON PENALTY TOTAL RUN TIME 1 52 ADNAN AHMED Privateer HERO XPULSE 200 MANGALORE 11:10.753 03:55.839 10:44.988 03:48.480 10:40.156 03:44.937 00:44:05.153 – 00:44:05.153 2 57 FRANCIS P V Privateer HERO IMPULSE 150 CHICKMAGALUR 13:01.347 03:59.753 12:04.097 04:04.023 11:49.035 03:54.968 00:48:53.223 – 00:48:53.223 3 50 BHARATH P Privateer HERO XPULSE 200 BANGALORE 13:17.718 04:33.273 12:37.632 04:48.742 12:45.031 04:36.437 00:52:38.833 – 00:52:38.833 4 56 NADEEM AHAMED Privateer HERO IMPULSE 150 MYSURU 14:35.292 05:50.257 13:25.593 04:18.453 12:30.242 04:14.035 00:54:53.872 – 00:54:53.872 5 58 MOHAMMAD IBRAHIM BAWA Privateer HERO IMPULSE 150 MANGALORE 14:56.503 04:35.867 13:43.628 05:16.445 14:54.886 04:36.679 00:58:04.008 – 00:58:04.008 6 55 SARATH P S Privateer HERO XPULSE 200 BENGALURU 27:37.867 06:34.105 22:47.976 07:45.777 18:08.687 06:24.839 01:29:19.251 – 01:29:19.251 7 51 AKSHAY RAJSHEKAR URS Privateer HERO XPULSE 200 MANGALORE 12:37.839 06:40.890 DNF – – – – – – 8 54 NAGA CHAITHANYA M G Privateer HERO XPULSE 200 BENGALURU 14:25.167 05:34.707 DNF – – – – – – 9 53 MOHAMMED ISRAR Privateer HERO IMPULSE 150 MYSURU 13:44.906 04:41.593 12:48.714 DNF – – – – – OVERALL PROVISIONAL/FINAL RESULTS
RANK COMP NO COMPETITOR NAME TEAM VEHICLE CLASS CITY SS1 SS2 SS3 SS4 SS5 SS6 TOTAL STAGE TIME LIAISON PENALTY TOTAL RUN TIME 1 2 ABDUL WAHID TANVEER TVS Racing TVS APACHE RTR Class 1 BENGALURU 10:11.718 04:01.472 09:43.207 03:43.886 09:37.875 03:37.570 00:40:55.728 – 00:40:55.728 2 10 SARATH MOHAN Privateer HUSQVARANA FE 450 Class 1A MALLAPURAM 09:58.656 03:45.433 09:56.316 03:32.097 09:54.031 03:55.472 00:41:02.005 – 00:41:02.005 3 27 IMRAN PASHA J TVS Racing TVS APACHE RTR Class 4 MYSURU 10:07.988 03:53.003 09:56.621 03:41.617 09:54.613 03:42.253 00:41:16.095 – 00:41:16.095 4 26 SAMUEL JACOB TVS Racing TVS APACHE RTR Class 4 HOSUR 10:25.191 03:45.625 10:15.304 03:38.410 10:03.054 03:33.757 00:41:41.341 – 00:41:41.341 5 28 SACHIN D TVS Racing TVS APACHE RTR Class 4 HOSUR 11:00.480 03:47.906 10:30.687 03:44.191 10:12.238 03:47.617 00:43:03.119 – 00:43:03.119 6 52 ADNAN AHMED Privateer HERO XPULSE 200 STAR OF KARNATAKA MANGALORE 11:10.753 03:55.839 10:44.988 03:48.480 10:40.156 03:44.937 00:44:05.153 – 00:44:05.153 7 3 NATARAJ R TVS Racing TVS APACHE RTR Class 1 BENGALURU 11:00.945 04:26.429 10:36.121 04:02.156 10:18.675 03:54.152 00:44:18.478 – 00:44:18.478 8 9 AMAN PRABHAKAR PAWDE Privateer KTM EXCF 450 Class 1A NAGPUR 10:46.445 04:30.375 10:57.597 03:46.031 10:37.277 03:47.277 00:44:25.002 – 00:44:25.002 9 5 ASAD KHAN Privateer SUZUKI RMX 450Z Class 1A CHICKMAGALUR 11:23.011 04:11.164 11:12.753 04:00.054 10:48.074 03:54.027 00:45:29.083 – 00:45:29.083 10 23 PAVAN B K Privateer HERO IMPULSE 150 Class 3 BENGALURU 11:24.148 04:01.898 11:07.148 03:49.562 11:14.800 03:52.453 00:45:30.009 – 00:45:30.009 11 29 TRINESH V Privateer TVS APACHE Class 4 HOSKOTE 12:08.812 04:02.011 11:21.968 03:48.289 11:05.972 03:43.363 00:46:10.415 – 00:46:10.415 12 22 SASIKUMAR K Privateer HERO IMPULSE 150 Class 3 COIMBATORE 12:11.527 03:53.929 11:25.839 03:55.652 11:37.539 03:51.878 00:46:56.364 – 00:46:56.364 13 8 JATIN JAIN Privateer KTM EXCF 250 Class 1A NAGPUR 11:47.609 04:09.433 11:48.105 04:04.562 11:17.015 03:57.480 00:47:04.204 – 00:47:04.204 14 21 ABRAR PASHA Privateer HERO IMPULSE 150 Class 3 SHIMOGA 12:53.019 03:56.343 12:00.562 03:52.746 12:08.433 04:01.210 00:48:52.313 – 00:48:52.313 15 57 FRANCIS P V Privateer HERO IMPULSE 150 STAR OF KARNATAKA CHICKMAGALUR 13:01.347 03:59.753 12:04.097 04:04.023 11:49.035 03:54.968 00:48:53.223 – 00:48:53.223 16 4 GOUTHAM RAO R Privateer TVS APACHE RTR 200 Class 1 BENGALURU 12:51.902 04:13.968 12:07.406 04:11.460 11:53.753 04:07.722 00:49:26.211 – 00:49:26.211 17 14 AJIN ABRAHAM Privateer HONDA CBR STUNNER 130 CC Class 2 KERALA 12:16.730 05:46.441 12:03.121 04:01.925 11:38.316 03:57.777 00:49:44.310 – 00:49:44.310 18 6 RAKESH NAGARAJA Privateer KTM EXCF 250 Class 1A BANGALORE 13:00.613 04:37.371 12:04.226 04:16.148 11:42.281 04:14.539 00:49:55.178 – 00:49:55.178 19 38 SYED ASIF ALI TVS Racing TVS N TORQ Class 7 BENGALURU 12:49.308 04:17.085 12:13.808 04:10.011 12:22.324 04:12.941 00:50:05.477 – 00:50:05.477 20 43 AISHWARYA PISSAY M Privateer TVS APACHE RTR Class 8 BENGALURU 12:26.617 04:55.621 12:19.554 04:19.296 12:10.363 04:27.398 00:50:38.849 – 00:50:38.849 21 40 KARTHIK TVS Racing TVS N TORQ Class 7 BENGALURU 13:19.179 04:31.250 12:26.636 04:13.382 12:06.812 04:03.691 00:50:40.950 – 00:50:40.950 22 37 MOHAMMED ZAHEER Privateer ROYAL ENFIELD HIMALAYAN 411 CC Class 6 BENGALURU 12:44.613 04:41.621 12:45.578 04:27.679 11:48.929 04:20.277 00:50:48.697 – 00:50:48.697 23 34 NARESH V S Privateer ROYAL ENFIELD HIMALAYAN 411 CC Class 6 BENGALURU 12:50.660 04:32.980 12:25.035 04:19.839 12:20.546 04:33.011 00:51:02.071 – 00:51:02.071 24 45 TANIKA SHANBHAG Privateer HERO XPULSE 200 Class 8 BENGALURU 12:45.160 04:17.281 13:07.707 04:18.601 12:46.234 04:17.199 00:51:32.182 – 00:51:32.182 25 41 SHAMIM KHAN TVS Racing TVS N TORQ Class 7 HOSUR 13:19.082 04:23.835 12:51.464 04:14.757 12:36.476 04:19.781 00:51:45.395 – 00:51:45.395 26 25 ANAND JAYAKRISHNAN J C Privateer HERO XPULSE 200 Class 4 TRIVANDRUM 13:04.382 04:29.117 12:34.968 04:26.828 12:51.695 04:29.210 00:51:56.200 – 00:51:56.200 27 50 BHARATH P Privateer HERO XPULSE 200 STAR OF KARNATAKA BANGALORE 13:17.718 04:33.273 12:37.632 04:48.742 12:45.031 04:36.437 00:52:38.833 – 00:52:38.833 28 17 DILIP RAJ Privateer HONDA CBR STUNNER 130 CC Class 2 CHICKMAGALUR 13:57.636 04:34.554 13:13.273 04:33.996 13:25.222 04:26.480 00:54:11.161 – 00:54:11.161 29 30 SAJEESH REGHUNATHAN Privateer KTM DUKE 390 Class 5 BENGALURU 14:12.757 04:45.207 14:18.949 04:27.500 12:09.425 04:17.394 00:54:11.232 – 00:54:11.232 30 56 NADEEM AHAMED Privateer HERO IMPULSE 150 STAR OF KARNATAKA MYSURU 14:35.292 05:50.257 13:25.593 04:18.453 12:30.242 04:14.035 00:54:53.872 – 00:54:53.872 31 33 DEVRAJ VENKATESH Privateer ROYAL ENFIELD HIMALAYAN 411 CC Class 6 BANGALORE 13:26.964 06:01.453 14:13.265 04:35.566 12:36.925 04:15.761 00:55:09.934 – 00:55:09.934 32 15 PRASHANTH R Privateer HONDA CBR STUNNER 130 CC Class 2 BENGALURU 13:58.871 04:42.335 13:52.480 04:54.425 13:30.371 04:35.187 00:55:33.669 – 00:55:33.669 33 39 SUBRAMANYA T Privateer TVS N TORQ Class 7 BENGALURU 16:08.207 04:37.117 13:19.578 04:23.843 12:52.921 04:13.238 00:55:34.904 – 00:55:34.904 34 24 ANOOP MANJAPPA Privateer HERO IMPULSE 150 Class 3 BENGALURU 13:54.687 04:49.781 15:49.636 04:28.226 13:16.218 04:28.496 00:56:47.044 – 00:56:47.044 35 32 VENU RAMESHKUMAR V Privateer KTM DUKE 390 Class 5 COIMBATORE 15:12.984 04:46.640 13:36.808 05:07.339 13:42.515 04:37.957 00:57:04.243 – 00:57:04.243 36 58 MOHAMMAD IBRAHIM BAWA Privateer HERO IMPULSE 150 STAR OF KARNATAKA MANGALORE 14:56.503 04:35.867 13:43.628 05:16.445 14:54.886 04:36.679 00:58:04.008 – 00:58:04.008 37 31 SRAVAN KUMAR KUTTOOR Privateer KTM ADV 390 Class 5 HYDERABAD 13:30.539 05:08.472 15:55.929 04:51.492 15:07.972 04:51.816 00:59:26.220 – 00:59:26.220 38 19 CHALASS K BOSE Privateer HONDA CBR STUNNER 130 CC Class 2 KOTTAYAM 12:12.558 04:09.226 22:15.210 04:54.757 12:00.195 04:06.230 00:59:38.176 – 00:59:38.176 39 36 SHARATH KUMAR Privateer ROYAL ENFIELD HIMALAYAN 411 CC Class 6 BENGALURU 12:55.699 04:39.710 25:01.429 04:31.277 11:39.265 04:25.449 01:03:12.829 – 01:03:12.829 40 12 RAHUL SHRIYAN Privateer HONDA STUNNER 130 CC Class 2 MANGALORE 21:59.417 04:44.367 14:46.605 04:30.753 13:47.335 04:33.425 01:04:21.902 – 01:04:21.902 41 48 ANAM HASHIM Privateer HERO HONDA KARIZMA 223 Class 8 PUNE 18:14.074 05:47.933 17:15.953 05:42.937 16:40.710 05:26.113 01:09:07.720 – 01:09:07.720 42 47 APOORVA B Privateer HERO IMPULSE 200 Class 8 MANGALORE 21:05.773 05:32.093 18:31.214 05:17.285 17:37.468 05:07.605 01:13:11.438 – 01:13:11.438 43 46 SNEHA CC Privateer HERO XPULSE 200 Class 8 THRISSUR 25:04.250 05:32.566 19:32.511 05:19.089 16:47.210 05:17.097 01:17:32.723 – 01:17:32.723 44 55 SARATH P S Privateer HERO XPULSE 200 STAR OF KARNATAKA BENGALURU 27:37.867 06:34.105 22:47.976 07:45.777 18:08.687 06:24.839 01:29:19.251 – 01:29:19.251 45 44 SUSHMITHA V Privateer TVS APACHE RTR Class 8 BENGALURU 22:55.480 07:49.667 25:57.230 06:02.550 23:49.714 06:15.679 01:32:50.320 – 01:32:50.320 46 11 NITESH G POOJARI Privateer HONDA STUNNER 130 CC Class 2 MANGALORE 14:56.894 04:28.687 13:02.425 04:14.246 DNF 04:27.152 – – – 47 42 ABHIJIT SHETTY Privateer TVS N TORQ Class 7 BENGALURU DNF – – – – – – – – 48 16 DURGESH Privateer HONDA CBR STUNNER 130 CC Class 2 BENGALURU DNF – – – – – – – – 49 1 RAJENDRA R E TVS Racing TVS APACHE RTR Class 1 HOSUR DNF – – – – – – – – 50 7 PRAVITH PAVITHRAN Privateer KTM EXCF 450 Class 1A THRISSUR DNF – – – – – – – – 51 51 AKSHAY RAJSHEKAR URS Privateer HERO XPULSE 200 STAR OF KARNATAKA MANGALORE 12:37.839 06:40.890 DNF – – – – – – 52 54 NAGA CHAITHANYA M G Privateer HERO XPULSE 200 STAR OF KARNATAKA BENGALURU 14:25.167 05:34.707 DNF – – – – – – 53 53 MOHAMMED ISRAR Privateer HERO IMPULSE 150 STAR OF KARNATAKA MYSURU 13:44.906 04:41.593 12:48.714 DNF – – – – – 54 35 ABHIJITH SARKAR Privateer ROYAL ENFIELD HIMALAYAN 411 CC Class 6 BANGALORE 14:18.722 05:28.804 14:14.847 05:34.253 DNF – – – – 55 18 DEEPAK NAIDU Privateer YAMAHA YBX 125 Class 2 BENGALURU 14:13.190 04:19.880 13:08.730 08:23.113 12:05.175 DNF – – -
Athira Murali, the Kerala vlogger, dreams about McLaren GT4 races in UK
By Bodapati David
Bengaluru, 14 Nov 2021: Athira Murali, a Malayalam Vlogger and a National rally driver is looking forward to speed in Touring cars as well, a big road-racing event. She is selected for the India trials to race in ‘Formula Woman’ that will be held in Vadodara from Nov 22 to 24.
“Formula Woman UK has tied up with AutoGuru India to give women drivers in the country an opportunity to win McLaren driving seats next year and help them make a career in motorsport.”
“The two-day event, to be held at Erda’s Speedway in Vadodara, will see women drivers being assessed on five parameters — driving, go-karting, physical fitness, media, and written test. Three winners from India will progress to the UK leg where they will compete with 47 other women from across 28 participating countries,” according to Socialnews.xyz
Formula Woman, which was officially known as the Privilege Insurance Formula Woman Championship, is a female-only one-make racing series started in 2004 in the UK. It was inspired by the lack of female drivers in other series and was created, amongst other reasons, to boost the female audience of the sport. After an absence of 17 years, in March 2021 it was announced that The New Televised Formula Woman Competition prize will offer the finalists the opportunity to race a McLaren GT4 Race car in The British GT Cup Championship
INRC – Rally debut
Earlier, on 31st January this year, Athira Murali, 27, made her debut in the FMSCI motorsports rally Nationals at Coimbatore in INRC4 category for the delayed 2020 season third round of the Indian National Rally Championship for cars. The Kerala girl from Pampady, Kottayam district, exhibited rich driving skills to clock good timings and beat many male counterparts at the Windmill farms of Kethanoor.
Inspired and supported by her father, VN Muraleedharan, she fell in love with cars and took up the sport at a late stage but made an impressive debut and looks forward to continue her passion. Sponsored by JK Tyre for this season, the popular Malayalam vlogger is looking forward to the 2021 Rally calendar, which was announced last week. She is preparing for Round 1, a high-speed tarmac rally that will suit her style, in Visakhapatnam (Vizag), Andhra Pradesh, on the beaches of Bay of Bengal from Dec 17 to 19.
But before that she will be looking to take part and follow a dream of getting into McLaren GT4 races in UK. The India selection trials will be held at Vadodara from November 21 to 24.
Athira Murali is also a URF and India book of Records holder and a journalist with Kaumudy, with her popular weekly Automobile show aired on Tuesday at 8pm prime time in Malayalam. The ever-smiling Vblogger in Malayalam, commands a following of one lakh on YouTube, 25,000 on Instagram and more than 1.5 lakh followers on Facebook. Follow your dreams like her, on YouTube @AthiraMuraliOfficial.
You can contact Athira Murali from Kottayam, Kerala at athiramuraliwheelzflyer@gmail.com
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Bottas takes pole ahead of Max with a Sprint win: Hami 5th
Sao Paulo, 14 Nov 2021: Valtteri Bottas will start Formula 1’s São Paulo Grand Prix from pole position after beating championship leader Max Verstappen in the Sprint to define the grid for tomorrow’s race. Meanwhile, following his disqualification from qualifying, Lewis Hamilton recovered fifth place thanks an aggressive drive from the back of the grid.
At the start, Bottas’s soft tyres gave him the better start and he passed P1 starter Verstappen as the pair went into Turn 1. Further back, Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz, also starting on soift tyres, had made a similarly quick start and he quickly passed Red Bull’s Sergio Pérez and put prtessue on Verstappen as the field went through the Senna S.
Sainz then slotted into Verstappen’s slipstream on the long run to Turn 4 and passed the Dutch driver on the inside, a move that forced the Red Bull driver wide.
Verstappen then began to rattle off fastest laps and by lap five he was back ahead of Sainz and was eating into a two-second gap to Bottas.
Meanwhile, at the rear of the field, Hamilton picked up five places on the opening lap and he soon began to scythe through the slower midfield cars and on lap tow he rose to 14th. He then used DRS on the pit straight to move past AlphaTauri’s Yuki Tsunoda, Alfa Romeo’s Antonio Giovinazzi and Alpine’s Fernando Alonso to reach the edge of the top 10 by the start of lap nine.
He was briefly bottled up behind McLaren’s Daniel Ricciardo but at the the end of lap 12, he closed in the final corners and again powered past on the start-finish straight. He then swiftly moved past Aston Martin’s Sebastian Vettel, Alpine’s Esteban Ocon AlphaTauri’s Pierre Gasly and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc to sit in sixth place as the race head towards it final few laps. Hamilton made one final move, past McLaren’s Lando Norris, at the start of the final lap to claim a superb fifth place behind Pérez.
At the front Verstappen closed the gap to Bottas and slipped within DRS range in the second half of the race. But the Finn was managing his soft tyres well and he was able to stabilise the gap to the Red Bull driver who was suffering on his mediums in the Mercedes’ wake.
It was a similar tale for Verstappen’s team-mate Pérez. The Mexican was unable to find a way past soft tyre-shod Sainz and though he spent the bulk of the race within DRS range, the Ferrari driver defended well to take P3 at the flag.
With Hamilton fifth ahead of Norris the top 10 was completed by Leclerc, Gasly, Ocon and Vettel. Hamilton will start 10th for Sunday’s grand prix as a result of his grid penalty for taking a new internal combustion engine for this event.
2021 FIA Formula 1 São Paulo Grand Prix – Sprint Qualifying
1 Valtteri Bottas Mercedes 24 29’09.559
2 Max Verstappen Red Bull/Honda 24 29’10.729 1.170
3 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 24 29’28.282 18.723
4 Sergio Pérez Red Bull/Honda 24 29’29.346 19.787
5 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 24 29’30.431 20.872
6 Lando Norris McLaren/Mercedes 24 29’32.117 22.558
7 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 24 29’34.615 25.056
8 Pierre Gasly AlphaTauri/Honda 24 29’43.717 34.158
9 Esteban Ocon Alpine/Renault 24 29’44.191 34.632
10 Sebastian Vettel Aston Martin/Mercedes 24 29’44.426 34.867
11 Daniel Ricciardo McLaren/Mercedes 24 29’45.428 35.869
12 Fernando Alonso Alpine/Renault 24 29’46.137 36.578
13 Antonio Giovinazzi Alfa Romeo/Ferrari 24 29’51.439 41.880
14 Lance Stroll Aston Martin/Mercedes 24 29’53.596 44.037
15 Yuki Tsunoda AlphaTauri/Honda 24 29’55.709 46.150
16 Nicholas Latifi Williams/Mercedes 24 29’56.319 46.760
17 George Russell Williams/Mercedes 24 29’57.298 47.739
18 Kimi Räikkönen Alfa Romeo/Ferrari 24 29’59.573 50.014
19 Mick Schumacher Haas/Ferrari 24 30’11.239 1:01.680
20 Nikita Mazepin Haas/Ferrari 24 30’17.033 1:07.474 -
Hamilton tops Friday times: Penultimate Grand Prix
Sao Paulo, 12 Nov 2021: Lewis Hamilton set the fastest lap of the opening practice session for this weekend’s FIA Formula One World Championship São Paulo Grand Prix, beating championship leader Max Verstappen by almost four tenths of a second. Sergio Pérez was third, just under a tenth of behind Red Bull team-mate Max Verstappen.
With a Sprint Qualifying format in place this weekend, first practice represented teams’ only opportunity to find a way forward on set-up for qualifying and as a result the session was busy throughout.
Bottas was the first of the likely front runners to show and a medium-tyre 1:12.666s put him on top before he was nudged aside by Pérez’s 1m11.774s, also set on medium compound Pirelli tyres. Verstappen then moved ahead on a 1:11.484s eventually working his way down to a time of 1m10.189s as the opening 10 minutes came to a close.
There was then a brief lull in track action, with Hamilton being one of the few to put in extended running on medium tyres.
Soon after the halfway mark though the field began to emerge for qualifying simulations on soft tyres and Verstappen lowered the benchmark to 1:09.417 with a lap that included a purple second sector. Pérez slotted into P2, just 0.075s adrift of his team-mate. Bottas then took to the track and he took third place with a lap of 1:09.867s, 0.450s adrift of Verstappen.
Hamilton finally ventured out on the softs with a quarter of an hour left and initially finished 0.351s behind Verstappen with a lap of 1:09.768s. But the Briton went for another run on the same set of softs and over the course of two further attempts he stole top spot from Verstappen with a lap of 1:09.050s.
The Duhctman didn’t respond and so took second place, 0.367s behind Hamilton. Pérez ran late in the session but he finished third ahead of Bottas, who was over half a second off his team-mate’s pace.
AlphaTauri’s Pierre Gasly took fifth ahead of the Ferrari cars of Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc, while Esteban Ocon was eighth ahead of Alpine teammate Alonso, the pair setting the best times on the medium tyres, and Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll completed the top 10 order.
2021 FIA Formula 1 São Paulo Grand Prix – Free Practice 1
1 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1:09.050 31 224.654
2 Max Verstappen Red Bull/Honda 1:09.417 0.367 22 223.466
3 Sergio Pérez Red Bull/Honda 1:09.492 0.442 28 223.225
4 Valtteri Bottas Mercedes 1:09.567 0.517 30 222.985
5 Pierre Gasly AlphaTauri/Honda 1:09.880 0.830 32 221.986
6 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 1:10.124 1.074 31 221.213
7 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 1:10.142 1.092 32 221.157
8 Esteban Ocon Alpine/Renault 1:10.145 1.095 27 221.147
9 Fernando Alonso Alpine/Renault 1:10.201 1.151 26 220.971
10 Lance Stroll Aston Martin/Mercedes 1:10.352 1.302 27 220.496
11 Yuki Tsunoda AlphaTauri/Honda 1:10.374 1.324 33 220.427
12 Sebastian Vettel Aston Martin/Mercedes 1:10.413 1.363 28 220.305
13 Kimi Räikkönen Alfa Romeo/Ferrari 1:10.443 1.393 31 220.212
14 Antonio Giovinazzi Alfa Romeo/Ferrari 1:10.587 1.537 31 219.762
15 Lando Norris McLaren/Mercedes 1:10.610 1.560 27 219.691
16 Mick Schumacher Haas/Ferrari 1:10.885 1.835 27 218.838
17 Nicholas Latifi Williams/Mercedes 1:10.902 1.852 23 218.786
18 George Russell Williams/Mercedes 1:10.938 1.888 24 218.675
19 Daniel Ricciardo McLaren/Mercedes 1:10.990 1.940 25 218.515
20 Nikita Mazepin Haas/Ferrari 1:11.342 2.292 28 217.437 -
Miller, Pol Espargaro, Bagnaia: Ducati vs Honda on Day 1
Just 0.068 covers the top three after a rainy morning gives way to a sunny afternoon in Valencia
Valencia, 12 Nov 202`1: It was a close Day 1 at the Gran Premio Motul de la Comunitat Valenciana, with Ducati vs Honda at the top and Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) taking final honours by the end of play. FP1 was wet before the sun came out in the afternoon and created a frenetic mini-qualifying session, leaving Miller, Pol Espargaro (Repsol Honda Team) in second and Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) in third covered by just 0.068.
FP1
Valencian Iker Lecuona (Tech3 KTM Factory Racing) started the day on top as he impressed in the wet. The Spaniard’s 1.40.569 was good enough to beat second place Miller – who was a late crasher at Turn 1 – by 0.155s, while Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) completed the top three.Unexpected rain started to fall just before the premier class’ opening session, handing the riders some tricky conditions to deal with on Friday morning. Danilo Petrucci’s (Tech3 KTM Factory Racing) final MotoGP™ weekend got off to a painful start as the Italian suffered a nasty off-throttle highside at Turn 4, but thankfully Petrux was able to walk away from the crash.
Bagnaia tucked the front at Turn 2 soon after – rider ok, as was Luca Marini (Sky Avintia VR46) as he also took a tumble.
The rain did stop and conditions improved towards the end of the session, which saw plenty of riders improve their times. Johann Zarco (Pramac Racing) and Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar) rounded out a top five split by 0.374s, and less than a second covered the top 12.
FP2
With the track dry enough for slicks, FP2 was all action from the get-go. And just like 2021 rival Bagnaia did in the morning, World Champion Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) tucked the front at Turn 2 – rider ok. It was Bagnaia who led the way in the early stages of FP2, but Franco Morbidelli (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) moved the goalposts with just over 20 minutes remaining, a 1:31.832 the new benchmark.Heading into the ever-exciting final 10 minutes, Morbidelli led Miller by 0.071s, with Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) and fellow HRC rider Pol Espargaro going well in the top four. New rubber than came out for many as attentions turned to the top 10 and a provisional place in Q2.
Immediately, the standings changed. Miller went top with a 1:31.409, with Andrea Dovizioso (Petronas Yamaha SRT) launching to P2. The timing screens were changing constantly though and it was a proper mini qualifying session in Valencia – Miller, Pol Espargaro and Bagnaia all exchanged P1.
Pol Espargaro then crashed on his final lap at Turn 6, rider ok, with Miller’s penultimate lap handing the Australian P1 to prove the final decider.
As well as Quartararo and Pol Espargaro, Enea Bastianini (Avintia Esponsorama) and Lecuona also took tumbles.
Combined timesheets
With rain in the morning it’s FP2 times that make the combined timesheets. You could split the top trio of Miller, Pol and Pecco with a tyre blanket, but then there’s a bit of a gap to Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) in fourth. The Spaniard is 0.409s down on P1, while Jorge Martin (Pramac Racing) rounded out the top five – also 0.4s shy.Nakagami had a solid opening day in P6, the Japanese rider just ahead of 2020 World Champion Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar) in seventh and Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) in eighth. Dovizioso slipped to P9 by the time FP2 had ended but a top 10 is a fantastic Friday result for the Italian as he cotninues to adapt to the 2019 M1. Johann Zarco (Pramac Racing) occupies P10 ahead of Saturday’s action.
That starts at 9:55 (GMT +1), before the final qualifying of the season from 14:10. Pecco has six poles so far and Quartararo five… will that change in the season finale? With Quartararo down in P11 after Friday, the Frenchman will be looking to bounce back strong in the morning…
1 Jack Miller – Ducati Lenovo Team – Ducati – 1’30.927
2 Pol Espargaro – Repsol Honda Team – Honda – +0.012
3 Francesco Bagnaia – Ducati Lenovo Team – Ducati – +0.068
4 Alex Rins – Team Suzuki Ecstar – Suzuki – +0.409
5 Jorge Martin* – Pramac Racing – Ducati – +0.469*Independent Team rider
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The VR46 farewell Press Conference; Thank You Valentino Rossi
The nine-time World Champion speaks to the press and enjoys a special surprise on Thursday
Valencia (Spain), 12 Nov 2021: The end of an era is nigh and ahead of the Gran Premio Motul de la Comunitat Valenciana, nine-time World Champion Valentino Rossi (Petronas Yamaha SRT) sat down for a farewell Press Conference before he bows out. 26 seasons and one final Thursday sit down later, here are some key quotes!
How is he feeling?
Valentino Rossi: “It’s a particular season especially in the second part after I said it’s my last one. The last race is… I want to try and make it normal but it’s not possible. It’s a great emotion, and already from today to see all the bikes together, all the riders from MotoGP here all together is a great feeling. We’ll see! I’ll try to give the maximum during the weekend, I hope we can have good weather, especially for Sunday, and we’ll see!”How was it seeing all his title-winning bikes together?
VR46: “I have the bikes at home except the Hondas, I have the Aprilias and Yamahas, the Yamahas are in my house. The 2004 model is in my bedroom. Every morning what I wake up I see the bike, but all together like this is a great emotion. It’s a long long way if you look at the first one it’s a really long time ago. And if you consider that after the last one there was another ten years… it’s a long time and a great emotion.”Announcing retirement vs actually retiring…
VR46: “From Austria when I said it, I had a lot of great messages and support from all the other riders, now, and from the past. All my rivals, this is very good. It was great. I always imagined this Press Conference, and here in Valencia… a special place and the opposite for me, a not special place at the same time. It’s strange, a strange feeling but I’ll try to act normal because normally Valencia is a good moment for everyone, it means holidays start after a long season, and everyone is ready to stay at home a bit… but you always think that from Monday, it will be different. Another life. I’ve tried to not think a lot in this way, because I’ll also continue to race, with cars as a driver in this case. But I’ll try to enjoy it because for sure life when you’re not a MotoGP rider anymore will change.”Now it’s time to get back out on track, so all that remains is…. GO!
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Col. Kulbir Singh Chauhan recalls eighties’ Himalayan
New Delhi, 12 Nov 2021: One of Col (Retd) Kulbir Singh Chauhan’s most vivid memories of the great Nazir Hoosein revolves around a stage of the Himalayan Rally in 1989. Col Chauhan, a four-time winner of the Himalayan Rally was, along with co-driver Col (Retd) SS Sekhon, a part of the most competitive Indian team on the circuit at the time.
“The leg started from Lansdowne towards Mussoorie. I was perhaps the fifth car to flag off, and say after about 30 kilometres, I saw the cars ahead of me, driven by international rallyists, turning back,” he reminisces. “I didn’t really understand why that was happening, and with a true fauji mentality, went on anyway. There was a village, with some crowd and then I reached the checkpoint, where the time controller told me my time and asked me to move ahead. I refused because it felt unsportsmanlike. I’d seen drivers ahead of me turn back, and it played on my mind.”
Within a few hours an announcement cancelling the leg came through. The cars turning back had been scared by the crowds gathered at the village. Col Chauhan ended up being the only car that had braved through, even if he had refused to cross through the line and, technically, finish the stage. “Much later, when Mr. Hoosein met me, he admonished me, saying if I’d crossed the line, I’d have been the overall winner,” Col Chauhan says, “But in the same breath he also commended my sportsmanship, and in that moment, I truly understood what a great man he was — a true rallyist who understood competition but also understood motorsport ”
As the 100-car cavalcade of participants at the Nazir Hoosein Memorial Drive drove through Jalori Pass yesterday, Col Chauhan watched their progress with keen interest, regularly checking up with some friends who were taking part. Jalori offered them the best views of the Himalayas yet, with the Dhauladhar range spreading to the west and the Great Himalayas stretching off to the east, right into Tibet.
But despite the beauty that surrounds the pass, for most travellers the real joy is in driving through it — a test of mental fortitude and skill. A single, narrow, curving road is all there is and as you approach the pass, the climb gets steeper every 100m, making even the smallest mistakes cataclysmic — for the car and those inside.
“In my opinion, there were faster stages at the time in the Himalayan Rally. What made Jalori different was that you needed to have power to climb it efficiently, which few Indian cars did, at the time,” Col Chauhan says. “If you had guts, you could do it. It is a test of your endurance more than anything else.”
The fleet of cars participating in the NH Memorial Drive reached Manali, via Auth and Kulu to take in a well-deserved break from hard mountain driving over the past few days. The drivers will proceed to Koksar, via the Atal Tunnel, before being allowed a free run to Rohtang and return to Manali, for the final day of the Drive.
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Valentino Rossi, the legendry Italian on his last leg
Valencia (Spain), 12 Nov 2021: Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past few days, you’ll be acutely aware that a certain Valentino Rossi (Petronas Yamaha SRT) is calling it a day. The legendary Italian will say his final goodbye to an adoring audience at the Gran Premio Motul de la Comunitat Valenciana and naturally, he was the name on everybody’s lips at the pre-event Press Conference on Thursday evening.
Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team), Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team), Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar), Alex Marquez (LCR Honda Castrol) and Danilo Petrucci (Tech3 KTM Factory Racing) were in attendance, and they were all keen to pay tribute to an icon of the sport.
“I remember growing up watching that yellow bike winning everywhere, and the way he celebrated victories, I remember that. I watched him and thought, this guy is my idol! It’s been a pleasure to ride with him,” Joan Mir said leading the platitudes.
The Mallorcan’s sentiment was echoed, Quartararo admitting that Rossi inspired the Frenchman as a child while VR46 Academy graduate Bagnaia believes he is lucky just to have raced alongside his mentor. As for Alex Marquez, younger brother of Rossi’s famed Honda rival Marc, he couldn’t help but congratulate the Doctor on an incredible career despite actively rooting against him when growing up.
“I remember the battles with Jorge Lorenzo and Dani Pedrosa. I’m a Pedrosa fan and was always pushing for Dani! I remember the battles in Catalunya when I was a kid. It was an honour to share the track with a legend.”
The LCR Honda rider went on to mention that, inevitably, the end always arrives but life will go on. Speaking about Rossi, but it was also relevant for another Italian who sitting just a couple of seats away as Danilo Petrucci will hang up the MotoGP™ leathers after the action in Valencia.
Petrux is set to take on new challenges further afield in 2022 with the Dakar Rally set to be the focus of his attention after ten seasons of premier class racing, which included two MotoGP™ victories and eight further podium finishes. It’s been a hell of a journey for the Italian, and one he has been incredibly thankful for.
“Ten years ago, nobody knew me, but it’s been a long way to go and I really had a lot of fun. Since last year I started struggling and that made me think. Thanks to KTM I have a new opportunity. Here (in MotoGP™) I found some problems with my weight and my size. I’m proud to have fought against some special riders.”
Before either Rossi or Petrucci can bow out from the show, they still have one last dance to do. Circuito de Ricardo Tormo sets the stage for the season finale, with a strong performance to end 2021 on a high the general consensus among riders.
World Champion Quartararo won’t break the 300 point barrier this season after a fall last time out, and is keen to make amends in Valencia, targeting a return to the front row after missing out in consecutive Grand Prix.
“To be honest, qualifying has been the key, not for pole position, but to be on the front row 14 times, I think. It helps a lot for the race when you start P3, P2, P1, it’s totally different. I struggled a lot in Portugal when I started in P7. Of course, it is something, the last races I haven’t been great, but I want to focus on that during this race.”
Indeed qualifying seems to be the name of the game for Joan Mir also, with the Suzuki rider keen to show his Portimao performance wasn’t a flash in the pan and that the GSX-RR can become a front row regular.
“I’ll be glad to know if the bike works well on this track. Hopefully yes, and we can enjoy the weekend, and this is the key in the end. In Portimao, we started from FP1 with a good base with the bike, I was able to be competitive and then session by session I was more competitive and feeling better with the bike. That’s what we’ll try find here, that feeling with the bike and then improve session by session. It will be important to understand the qualifying in Portimao was only in Portimao, or if we can do it in different places.”
For Miller and Marquez, it’s about continuing the good work from the Algarve GP, but Bagnaia is out to snap a streak of poor Valencia form. The Italian has only once recorded a top 10 finish, back in his rookie Moto2™ year and is aiming to change that record while in red hot form.
“I never did a podium or finished a race here. I’d like to continue this work we are doing, that is being a great job. I’d like to do a weekend like the one in Portimao. I’d like to be very competitive here at a track where last year was a disaster. Even in the second race and in 2019, when I had a highside. Yes, I’d like to be competitive and fast.”
The MotoGP™ season closer returns to its traditional home in Valencia for the first time since 2019, and it promises to be as thrilling on the track as it will be emotional off of it.
Action from MotoGP Gran Premio Motul de la Comunitat Valenciana Qualifying Race will be
LIVE on EUROSPORT and EUROSPORT HD from 17:00 Hrs (05:00 pmIST) onwards on Saturday, 13th November, 2021. Eurosport channel can now be streamed on the discovery+ app.
