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Davies signs off from factory Ducati seat with thrilling Estoril Race 2 victory
Estoril 18 October 2020: The season-ending Race 2 at the Pirelli Estoril Round was full of drama at the Circuito Estoril as Chaz Davies (Aruba.IT Racing – Ducati) claimed victory in his final race for the Aruba.IT Racing – Ducati outfit, taking a commanding win in the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship season finale.
Davies had started the race from fourth place and was instantly in the fight for victory, moving into second place before passing Toprak Razgatlioglu (PATA YAMAHA WorldSBK Official Team) on Lap 2 before pulling away from the Turkish star, who had won two of the three races at Estoril prior to Race 2.
The battle for second came to a premature end when Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) made contact with Razgatlioglu’s Yamaha machine at Turn 3 as he tried to pass the Turkish rider for second place. Rea was able to re-join the race and finished down in 14th place while Razgatlioglu was able to finish in third, after Scott Redding (Aruba.IT Racing – Ducati) managed to overhaul Razgatlioglu for second place; Redding ending the season with a Ducati 1-2 as Aruba.IT Racing – Ducati claimed the Teams’ Championship ahead of KRT. The 1-2 finish for Davies and Redding meant Ducati secured its 950th podium placement in WorldSBK.
Michael van der Mark (PATA YAMAHA WorldSBK Official Team) ended his Yamaha career with a fourth-place finish, having lost out at the start of the race. He finished clear of Alvaro Bautista (Team HRC) in fifth place as Honda secured another top-five finish, five seconds clear of Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Team GOELEVEN).
Rinaldi finished in sixth place after heading a four-way fight with Leon Haslam (Team HRC), Xavi Fores (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) and Federico Caricasulo (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Junior Team) in seventh, eighth and ninth respectively; Fores’ eighth place meaning he was the highest-placed Kawasaki rider and therefore scored enough points for Kawasaki to beat Ducati to the Manufacturers’ Championship by just one point.
Tom Sykes (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) completed the top ten as he finished around 2.5 seconds away from Caricasulo, and finished 1.5 seconds clear of Jonas Folger (Bonovo Action by MGM Racing); Folger finishing in the points despite following Loris Baz (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) off the track when Baz suffered a technical issue.
Irish rider Eugene Laverty (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Official Team) finished in 12th place with Leandro Mercado (Motocorsa Racing) in 13th, Rea in 14th and Matteo Ferrari (Barni Racing Team) in 15th in his second appearance of the season. Eric Granado (MIE Racing HONDA Team) missed out on points by less than a second with teammate Takumi Takahashi just behind Brazilian Granado.
Sheridan Morais (ORELAC Racing VerdNatura) was 18th in his third race on his first appearance of the season, ahead of Loris Cresson (OUTDO Kawasaki TPR) in 19th on his debut WorldSBK weekend. Garrett Gerloff (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Junior Team) crashed out of the race on Lap 3 at Turn 4 when he was running in the podium places; the American having a lowside crash at Turn 4 on the third lap as he looked for this third consecutive podium. Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) also did not retire from the race after he crashed with just a few laps to go.
P1 Chaz Davies (P1 Chaz Davies (Aruba.IT Racing – Ducati)
“It was such a weird couple of hours. I was at on the grid and all my mechanics were in tears, they’ve all written personal messages on the tank. I was like ‘I’ve got to go concentrate right now; I’ve got to pull something out of the bag’ when I’m welling up. Here we are, 21 laps later and top of the podium. Just got to put things to the back of your mind sometimes and just send it. That I did and it paid off. My crew did a great job. Even yesterday I said not to touch my bike, I’ve got a bit in reserve and didn’t ride at my best. I felt like, even with the bike I had yesterday, it was good enough for a little bit better. They improved it again today and it was that one step better. It was such a pleasure to be out there today alone, by myself, for the time being in my last race. What a fairytale ending.”
P2 Scott Redding (P1 Chaz Davies (Aruba.IT Racing – Ducati)
“It was such a weird couple of hours. I was at on the grid and all my mechanics were in tears, they’ve all written personal messages on the tank. I was like ‘I’ve got to go concentrate right now; I’ve got to pull something out of the bag’ when I’m welling up. Here we are, 21 laps later and top of the podium. Just got to put things to the back of your mind sometimes and just send it. That I did and it paid off. My crew did a great job. Even yesterday I said not to touch my bike, I’ve got a bit in reserve and didn’t ride at my best. I felt like, even with the bike I had yesterday, it was good enough for a little bit better. They improved it again today and it was that one step better. It was such a pleasure to be out there today alone, by myself, for the time being in my last race. What a fairytale ending.”
P3 Toprak Razgatlioglu (PATA YAMAHA WorldSBK Official Team)
“In the last race we tried but we didn’t have much grip on the rear, but I am happy with the podium in the last race. I am really happy because my team worked really well. Two wins and one third place, I am happy this weekend and also for the season finish.” Racing – Ducati)
“I think that’s the best way for Chaz, leaving the team with a win. I’m probably happier for him to win that race than me. It was a really nice way for him that race. I really respect that a lot. I pushed a lot at the beginning, but a lot of riders change their front tyres on the grid, I hadn’t used it all weekend so stuck with what I had. I was just struggling a little bit to turn and get grip, the setting was not that great but I stuck with it. I had quite a lot of pain in my leg so I couldn’t really push in the corners. It’s nice to finish on the podium after a strong start, a big crash and then back at the grid, an engine failure. It just goes to show again we don’t give up the fight. I’m happy for Chaz, happy for the team to finish 2020 with a 1-2 at the end of the year.”
# EstorilWorldSBK at Circuito Estoril – Race 2 Top results:
1) Chaz Davies (Aruba.IT Racing – Ducati)
2.) Scott Redding (Aruba.IT Racing – Ducati) +1.951s
3.) Toprak Razgatlioglu (PATA YAMAHA WorldSBK Official Team) +2.556s
4.) Michael van der Mark (PATA YAMAHA WorldSBK Official Team) +10.423s
5.) Alvaro Bautista (Team HRC) +15.473s
6.) Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Team GOELEVEN) +20.277s -
Magic number 8: Rins reigns MotorLand, Mir takes the title lead
Aragon, 18 October 2020: Stalking the Monster Energy Yamaha for a couple of laps, Rins chose his moment at the final corner and took a tight, tight line to sweep up the inside for the lead, neatly done to take over at the front. Just behind, things were getting spicy as Mir had managed a two-for-one past the Petronas Yamahas with a similar move up into third, and Alex Marquez was on a charge.
Rins, Viñales, Mir… the trio at the front remained pretty close together as the cat-and-mouse race began, with Marquez the man making serious gains. As the number 73 arrived on the scene, Mir seemingly decided enough was enough, slicing through on Viñales at the final corner. To compound Viñales’ chagrin, Marquez then made a stunner of a late dive past the Yamaha into Turn 1 too…
Up ahead, Rins remained ahead but it was far from becoming a runaway win. As the laps ticked down, the number 42 retained the close company from teammate Mir and Alex Marquez, but the next move wouldn’t threaten for the lead. With six to go, and again at the final corner, the number 73 Repsol Honda swooped past Mir to take over in second, Alex Marquez on for his second second place in a row. Or was he?
Once past, the Honda was closing. And not in thousandths or hundredths, but really reeling Rins in. Alex Marquez was over three tenths faster with four laps remaining, and looked seriously primed for a shot at the win. But Rins was holding station, and then a major warning came Marquez’ way at the final corner with two laps and a corner to go. The number 73 was out the seat as he squeezed on the gas and lot some ground, but he gathered it back up and set his sights back on the Suzuki.
Rins had a three tenth lead with two to go, and coming onto the last lap, it remained at 0.3 seconds. Marquez had to try and get close enough to get into the slipstream down the back straight, but Rins got his GSX-RR hooked up nicely and the Honda man wasn’t close enough to try his inside sweeping move. Despite the pressure, Rins made no mistakes. rising over the brow of the hill and making it to the line with two tenths in hand. The eighth winner in eight races and eighth of the season, back on the top step for the first time in over a year – and Marquez, despite losing out on the win, back on the podium for the second time in a week.
Mir had to keep an eye out for Viñales on the final couple of laps, and Morbidelli had Nakagami for company in the battle for the top five. In the end, Mir came out on top in the fight for third but again, by only a couple of tenths, but it’s enough to see him take the title lead as Quartararo plummeted through the field. Viñales also made a big gain in points given that, coming home off the podium but the second Championship challenger over the line.
Nakagami kept up his 100% top 10 finish record in 2020 with a superb P5, the Honda rider managing to beat Morbidelli on the last lap for the honour of top Independent Team rider too. That’s the number 30’s second top five of the season.. and he’s only 29 points off Mir!
After a difficult weekend, Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) salvaged P7 on race day to sit closer to the top of the Championship than he did before the lights went out, top Borgo Panigale machine on Sunday and still in the hunt. Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda Castrol), after a tough start, was able to climb back up to P8. The two Ducatis of Jack Miller (Pramac Racing) and Johann Zarco (Esponsorama Racing) completed the top 10, not what either would have been expecting heading into the weekend.
Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) led teammate Pol Espargaro across the line as the Austrian factory suffered a difficult Sunday taking P11 and P12, with Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) finishing just under a second from his younger brother in P13. Iker Lecuona (Red Bull KTM Tech 3) grabbed P14 to finish ahead of the final point scorer – Danilo Petrucci (Ducati Team).So where was Quartararo? The former points leader, after struggling with front tyre pressure, went from off the podium to fringes of the top ten to end up outside the points in P18. After a heroic pole position taken despite his big FP3 crash, the Frenchman had one of his toughest Sundays yet in the premier class… but he’ll be fired up to try and hit back next week. Mir now leads on 121 as Quartararo remains on 115, with Viñales third with 109. Dovizioso has 106, still very much in touch…
That’s all Bibendum wrote at the Gran Premio Michelin® de Aragon, with another huge swing in momentum in the title fight. Whose way will it go next week? Find out in less than seven days as MotoGP™ get back on track for the Gran Premio Liqui Moly de Teruel on Friday.
Alex Rins: “Incredible! Unbelievable! Sincerely, at the start I was so calm, and I was thinking ‘hmm maybe that’s a bad thing!’ I made a really good start, the first laps were really good, then when I was behind Maverick I was thinking, ‘Alex, you have a bit more so try to go, but slowly because otherwise you’ll ruin the rear tyre!’ I tried to manage the distance to the guys behind and it’s amazing. This is for all the fans that normally come here from the towns around here, and for all this amazing team, and my family, friends, girlfriend. Everybody! This is for you guys!”
MotoGP Top results: 1 Alex Rins –Team Suzuki Ecstar – Suzuki 41:54.391
2 Alex Marquez – Repsol Honda Team – Honda – +0.263
3 Joan Mir –Team Suzuki Ecstar – Suzuki +2.644
Top Independent Team rider
5 Takaaki Nakagami – LCR Honda Idemitsu – Honda +4.570 -
Jeffrey Buis bolts to brilliance as WorldSSP300 Champion
Estoril, 17 October 2020: With four wins and eight podium places, Jeffrey Buis (MTM Kawasaki MOTOPORT) becomes the 2020 WorldSSP300 Champion at the Circuito Estoril, securing his status as the first Dutch World Champion of the FIM Supersport 300 World Championship. After a tough, long battle with fellow countryman and teammate Scott Deroue, it’d be the youthful exuberance of Buis who’d prevail over the experienced Deroue, a fascinating dynamic between the Dutch duo.
The Meppel-born rider clinched the title after riding under the pressure of some of the biggest names on the category; with Scott Deroue (MTM Kawasaki MOTOPORT), Bahattin Sofuoglu (Biblion Motoxracing Yamaha WorldSSP300), Unai Orradre (Yamaha MS Racing), Ana Carrasco (Kawasaki Provec WorldSSP300) and Tom Booth-Amos (RT Motorsports by SKM – Kawasaki) amongst others. Buis, in just his second season, refused to be supressed by the stars and achieved impressive results through the season, taking Championship lead from the Prosecco DOC Aragon Round onwards.
After starting his racing career in various European Championships, Buis started his WorldSSP300 campaign back in 2019 with the MTM Racing Team. He ended his first season in 14th place after scoring 25 points. He remained with the same team for the 2020 season; the partnership reaching its apogee when he claimed his first Championship in Portugal.
The WorldSSP300 action started at the Circuito de Jerez – Ángel Nieto as Buis made a quiet start to his 2020 campaign with a lowly 30th place in Race 1 and a 13th in Race 2. However, he bounced back a week later at the Portimao, where he claimed his first podium of 2020 in Race 1; only missing out on the win by 0.057s. He continued to show strong pace in Race 2 with fourth place; leaving Portimao in sixth place in the Championship Standings, 31-point behind leader Deroue.
The Championship then went over to MotorLand Aragon for two consecutive weekends. It was the breakthrough weekend for Buis’ Championship charge as he won both Race 1 and 2. In Race 1, he showed how competitive he is, imposing a 6.870s gap over 2018 Champion Ana Carrasco, whilst Race 2 saw his tenacious, irrepressible racing ability with a thrilling final corner pass around the outside of his rivals on the last lap. Thanks to his two wins, he took the lead of the Championship by two points. Now in the Teruel Round, Buis conceded victory to Bahattin Sofuoglu in Race 1 but reacted by taking Race 2 victory; his third victory at the track in 2020. After these solid results, he sported a 12-point lead over Deroue heading to Barcelona.
During the first ever Catalan Round, Buis achieved a fifth place in a wet-but-drying Race 1 and composed himself to take third place in Race 2. He left the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya as the Championship leader, standing 16 points ahead of Deroue after the WorldSSP300 veteran failed to capitalise on Buis’ slight dip in results. He arrived at the Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours with his first chance to clinch the title in Race 2.
He started his French campaign with a win to establish his domination, whilst Deroue finished in second. In Race 2, he managed a second place, finishing ahead of Deroue who was only fourth, meaning that the chase for the Championship went to Estoril. Buis left France with a 28 points advantage over Deroue; having the opportunity to claim the crown in Estoril; simply beating Deroue in Race 1 was enough for him to become the first Dutch Champion in WorldSSP300. Buis started Race 1 of the Pirelli Estoril Round in 19th position, putting in an incredible recovery to sixth position. By finishing ahead of teammate Deroue, he becomes the 2020 WorldSSP300 Champion, confirming his splendid 2020 campaign.
In 2021, Jeffrey Buis will look forward to improving on his brilliant 2020 season and cementing himself as a name to watch out for in the not-too-distant future.
Jeffrey Buis (MTM Kawasaki MOTOPORT): “The season has been great. At the beginning of the season I didn’t expect to be World Champion but the team worked very hard. I had a podium at Portimao and after that my goal was podiums but in Aragon we won three out of four races. At the beginning of today’s race there were a lot of riders around me so I needed to make a good plan but in the final laps there were less riders. I was able to overtake them and win the title.”
WorldSSP300 Race 1 at Circuito Estoril
1.) Mika Perez (Prodina Ircos Team WorldSSP300)
2.) Koen Meuffels (MTM Kawasaki MOTOPORT) +0.013s
3.) Tom Booth-Amos (RT Motorsports by SKM – Kawasaki) +0.055s
4.) Bruno Ieraci (Kawasaki GP Project) +0.234s -
Perfect 10: Quartararo snatches pole from Viñales by half a tenth
The Frenchman bounces back from an FP3 crash to take pole at MotorLand, with Viñales denied by 0.046 and Crutchlow back on the front row for the first time since Austin 2019
Aragon, 17 October 2020: Despite an FP3 crash leaving him riding through the pain barrier, Championship leader Fabio Quartararo (Petronas Yamaha SRT) managed to snatch pole position from Maverick Viñales (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) at the Gran Premio Michelin® de Aragon, the Frenchman pipping the Spaniard by just 0.046 for his tenth MotoGP™ pole. Yamaha led the way on Saturday once again, but Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda Castrol) took third and only two tenths off the top, with the Brit back on the front row for the first time since Austin 2019.
Q1 started with enough drama already; not a single Ducati having made it through automatically by virtue of combined practice times. So it was going to be tight, and Ducati Team’s Andrea Dovizioso and Danilo Petrucci were running in tandem – Dovizioso ahead –for much of the session. Petrucci took to the top first and last, with Jack Miller (Pramac Racing) then ruining the Ducati Team party as the Aussie moved up to second. And that was it – Dovizioso was out, 13th on the grid and exceedingly unhappy about it.
As Q2 got underway, Franco Morbidelli (Petronas Yamaha SRT) was the first to set a laptime but that was immediately beaten by Miller, a 1:47.657 coming in from the Australian to go top of the pile in the early stages. Quartararo slotted into P2 early doors before Morbidelli then snatched P2 back – and almost went top. Just 0.002 separated the number 21 from Miller, but there were plenty of red sectors lighting up the timing screens. Quartararo was one cause, shooting up to provisional pole, and following the Yamaha on track, Miller also improved. He stayed P2, but it was just a tenth splitting the pair.
Morbidelli then made it a Petronas 1-2 again, and again with less than a tenth in it, as Viñales slotted into P4 after the first set of flying laps. Crutchlow was in fifth, with Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) sitting on the outside of the provisional second row. But that was all going to change as the riders slotted in fresh rubber, ready for their second runs…
First up was Viñales, lapping alone, and he was 0.021 under Quartararo’s time in Sector 3. It only got better from there as he then leapfrogged his fellow Yamaha to take provisional pole by 0.171, taking over at the top. Crutchlow then crossed the line and moved up to P3 to shove Morbidelli down to head the second row, but the Italian was on a great lap and only 0.020 off in Sector 3. However, he then lost time down the back straight and despite setting a personal best time, the number 21 stayed P4. Viñales was then setting an almost identical lap time to his current P1 best, and the number 12 came across the line to go every so slightly quicker – but it was ultimately just 0.003 gained.
However, Quartararo had one more lap. The Frenchman was just through his first sector and up, and he kept it as he headed through Sector 2 0.073 faster than Viñales. Could he hold onto it? It was the latter half of the lap where Quartararo really gained time. Heading onto the almost 1km long back straight, the title chase leader was over a tenth and a half under Viñales’ best and despite losing over a tenth in the final split, the number 20 just kept it together to take pole by 0.046 seconds after yet another phenomenal final flying lap.
In terms of the front two rows, that was all she wrote so it’s a Yamaha 1-2 as Quartararo digs deep to claim Saturday honours, but Viñales has every chance of fighting for victory from second. Crutchlow makes a welcome return to the front row as the British rider finds form despite still nursing his arm injury, the LCR Honda man finishing 0.229 adrift of pole. Morbidelli was just 0.012 shy of the front row but it was a good day for the Italian and Yamaha on a circuit that hasn’t necessarily suited the YZR-M1’s characteristics in the past… ominous signs for race day?
After graduating from Q1, Miller claims a solid P5 to fly the Ducati flag in Aragon, the Australian fuming after his FP3 time – that was good enough for the top 10 – got chalked off due to Yellow Flag infringements, but amends made in the afternoon. Championship contender Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar), meanwhile, will line-up in his best grid position since the Styrian GP. Suzuki’s strength doesn’t usually show on a Saturday afternoon compared to race day, so the signs are good for Mir and the Mayorcan should be one to watch on Sunday.
Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) set his personal best time on his final flying lap, and the Japanese rider ended up less than a tenth off Mir’s time to spearhead Petrucci and Aleix Espargaro on Row 3. The latter, younger brother Pol Espargaro and Repsol Honda Team’s Alex Marquez had a bit of an incident in Q2 as the Aprilia, Honda and KTM all ended up sandwiched together at the final corner.
Team Suzuki Ecstar’s Alex Rins completes the top 10 on home turf, with Alex Marquez cementing his best MotoGP™ qualifying result in P11, and after heading through to Q2 for the first time. After the incident earlier in the session and a little damage to his KTM, Pol Espargaro had to settle for P12.
That’s it for Saturday as a dramatic MotoGP™ qualifying day draws to a close in Aragon. Medical centre to pole position for Quartararo is a heroic effort, but how will he fare in the race? Dovizioso has plenty of work to do to stay in the title race as the Italian launches from P13 – and his main competitors are all inside the top six. Another phenomenal battle awaits at MotorLand Aragon, with the premier class action coming your way at the later time of 15:00 (GMT+2).MotoGP™ front row 1 Fabio Quartararo* – Petronas Yamaha SRT – Yamaha – 1:47.076
2 Maverick Viñales – Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP – Yamaha – +0.046
3 Cal Crutchlow* – LCR Honda Castrol – Honda – +0.229
*Independent Team ridersFabio Quartararo: “Honestly as soon as I had the crash I thought ‘can I ride in the afternoon?’. Now it’s not too bad but when I crashed I felt quite bad, I stood up and felt something wrong. But I’m so happy because it was a tough morning, yesterday I crashed and this morning again, and I always take a bit of time to be back. FP4 wasn’t so bad, and qualifying was good, my laptime is great. I could have done better because the lap wasn’t perfect but I can be happy because we’re on pole position and the goal was to be on the front row today.” -
Quartararo vs Mir continues at MotorLand
Pre-Event Press Conference kicks off the Gran Premio Michelin® de Aragon, Rossi to miss the race weekend
Aragon, 14 October 2020: Ahead of the Gran Premio Michelin® de Aragon, Fabio Quartararo (Petronas Yamaha SRT) was joined by the man still just behind him, Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar), as well as Le Mans podium finisher and home hero Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), French GP winner Danilo Petrucci (Ducati Team), first time rostrum finisher Alex Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) and Moto3™ Championship leader Albert Arenas (Solunion Aspar Team Moto3), newly signed up for Moto2™ next year, to talk about the race weekend ahead.
Here are the key quotes from those present, with Quartararo up first and most starting by debriefing a little Le Mans…
FABIO QUARTARARO: “The Saturday was really good because we had great pace in FP3 and FP4, even in qualifying we went one second quicker than in FP3 but unfortunately it started raining just before the start. I was a little nervous because in FP1 I didn’t feel great with the bike, we went on track with a totally different bike than in FP1 without trying any settings. So we kind of made a bet, it was great. We struggled to warm up the rear tyre to have great confidence but in general we didn’t have a bad race in these conditions. For our first race we learned a lot, the team and me, to where we can improve on the bike. I’m quite happy about the race, of course I wanted the dry conditions but in the end in a Championship, you have these kind of conditions so I can be happy about my race.
“I expect better here than last year because I think we have great potential. In this crazy year, anything can happen. I feel confident, I’m feeling great on the bike, feeling strong so I will do the best I can to be as fast as possible to make the best results in these two weekends at Aragon.”
JOAN MIR: “It was not the best weekend that we could have hoped for but in the end, it wasn’t so bad. Honestly, during the weekend I never had a good feeling with the bike. I was never competitive enough. Then on Sunday the first laps I was not able to steer the bike, it was really difficult, but then I got a good pace and was able to catch many riders in front and it was the first lesson in wet conditions so I think we passed the test because of the pace, but the position was not the best one. It was funny to be fighting on the last laps with Fabio and Maverick, but you know, it was a GP we can forget. We passed Le Mans and now we start again.
“I think that it can be a good weekend for us here. This track, I remember last year we were quite competitive during the weekend, we just missed the first laps of the race we had some problems, but I feel great and this could be a good track for us also, let’s see. This year you never know till the first day, but I feel it can be a great weekend.”
POL ESPARGARO: “It’s been a good weekend last weekend, Le Mans always brings good results to me in the lower categories and in MotoGP in past years so it was pretty crazy, but we took precious points from that race. We come to Aragon where in the past I have also been quite good, I performed well in 125 and won in Moto2 as well and in MotoGP, also not so bad. But in the last two years I suffered injuries here and I could race. But it’s a racetrack that I like to race, especially when the grandstands are full when they come to support the Spanish riders. I really enjoy riding here, I’m looking forward to jumping back on the bike after the results Le Mans. As the weather changes so much with the cold temperatures and the wind is quite strong, let’s see how we can adapt with the tyres first and then see our performance during the weekend.
“This year has been unpredictable for all of us, but KTM even more. Our previous years were not as good as this year for sure and we are ding results that we don’t expect. We understand why they’re coming but not 100% because this year the tyres are changing a lot and also the conditions of the track. So, we are trying to manage where the level of our bike is because it’s performing much better than what we expect. Hopefully this weekend will be one of the weekends where we fight for something great, but we need to wait, especially with the front tyre performance. With the cold conditions, I think we can play with the medium tyre which is amazing for us and we can take profit but if we need to play with the soft one, maybe we will miss some performance on the front and not take full profit from our bike. Let’s see how the weekend starts, I really hope for a good weekend, if we do a good result here and in the second Aragon then why not fight for something interesting at the end of the year.”
DANILO PETRUCCI: “Last Sunday’s result was a big relief for me. After one year without finishing in the Top 5 it was very nice to win again especially at a track that I like. I always like Le Mans but this year I started to feel better in Barcelona with the bike. The only test we did in Misano, we tried some different things with the bike and some things worked and we were able to improve our set up. For sure I was not happy when I saw the rain on the grid because I could fight for the podium in dry conditions because I felt really good but I said ok it is the same for everyone and then for sure the track was very different, but I think the experience I have in MotoGP made a big difference. Yeah, I can just continue like this with this good feeling and get another good result before the end of my adventure with Ducati but yeah really nice to get this feeling again.
“We found a good balance on the bike and I think it will work here too, but first we have to understand the conditions of the track and especially if the tyres are well good for us or we have to understand which is the best tyre for us because Aragon has always been tricky with the weather conditions because it can be very cold in the morning and hot in the afternoon but I think this year we will see a lot of cold. Hopefully the weather will stop tomorrow because we always suffer a bit with the wind, but I think the important thing is to have a good approach and finally I have the good feeling coming into races and riding the bike and for sure I’m feeling happier than before.”
ALEX MARQUEZ: “In the end it’s a good result for us, really important for sure. In the end it’s wet ok but it’s difficult for everyone and you need to adapt. I felt great on the bike so I took the opportunity and I did my best during all the laps because it wasn’t easy but in the end it’s a wet podium, so it doesn’t mean nothing important for me. It’s true that from Misano 2 we have a better feeling, so this podium gives more motivation to keep working and it’s so important for the team. But you know, we are coming in a better way and also in the warm up I was quite fast and consistent so I was happy for that. this gives us more motivation to keep working and keep improving day by day. This is a track that the Honda has gone well at in the past, it’s a track that I like so I will try to make two GPs in a good way and improve day by day.
“Qualifying we are still struggling quite a lot. I think it’s the key because on Sunday the pace isn’t bad, but we are losing a lot of time in the first laps compared to the leader. We need to keep improving and keep working, in Le Mans it’s true that in quali I did a step but then I missed the second run because I wasn’t able to improve. But we are coming, we are in a good way to keep working and improving from now until the end of the season.
ALBERT ARENAS: “After some difficult races after some bad luck and mistakes, I could be competitive again and get some points in France just before three races in a row was really good and now, we are so motivated. The feeling was good all weekend, wet and dry, we came here with a lot of power and motivation.
“I’m really happy to finally move on to Moto2, I think it came at the best moment, I feel ready, I was eager to jump to Moto2 because I spent many years in Moto3 but now the time has arrived, and I feel 100% ready. To continue with the Aspar team really good for me, I know them, they know me, it’s amazing. Now I can focus 100% on the Championship as one objective is done and now, we are going. For the second one
That’s all she wrote on Thursday in Aragon! Tune in for FP1 at 9:55 (GMT +2) on Friday, and remember we’re back to ‘normal’ as the lights go out for the race at 14:00 (GMT +2).
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Valentino Rossi test COVID positive; will miss next GP
Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd. and Yamaha Motor Racing Srl regret to announce that Valentino Rossi will be unable to attend this weekend‘s Gran Premio de Aragón.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
– On Sunday 11th October, Rossi left the Le Mans circuit and travelled back to his home in Tavullia, Italy.
– On Tuesday 13th October, Rossi underwent the usual PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) test, which is compulsory for those who visit their homes in between races. The result was available the next day and it was negative.
– On Wednesday 14th October, Rossi was feeling fully fit and he trained at home without any symptoms or inconveniences.
– On Thursday 15th October, he woke up in the morning and felt a bit sore. He had a slight fever and immediately called a doctor. The doctor conducted two tests:
1. A ’quick PCR test‘, that again came back with a negative test result.
2. A standard PCR test, of which the result arrived on Thursday 15th October, at 16:00 local time. Unfortunately this result was positive.– During Rossi‘s stay at his home from Sunday night (11th October) to today (15th October), he has NOT been in contact with any person that is currently present at the Gran Premio de Aragón, including VR46 Academy riders, VR46 staff, Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP team members etc.
– Rossi’s condition will be closely monitored by the medical staff in Tavullia.
– The situation will be reviewed every day with a view to Rossi’s participation at the upcoming MotoGP race events.
“Unfortunately, this morning I woke up and I was not feeling good. My bones were sore and I had a slight fever, so I immediately called the doctor who tested me twice. The ’quick PCR test‘ result was negative, just like the test I underwent on Tuesday. But the second one, of which the result was sent to me at 16:00 this afternoon, was unfortunately positive. I am so disappointed that I will have to miss the race at Aragon. I’d like to be optimistic and confident, but I expect the second round in Aragon to be a ’no go‘ for me as well… I am sad and angry because I did my best to respect the protocol and although the test I had on Tuesday was negative, I self-isolated since my arrival from Le Mans. Anyway, this is the way it is, and I can’t do anything to change the situation. I will now follow the medical advice, and I just hope I will be feeling well soon,” said Valentino Rossi.
Lin Jarvis, Managing Director, Yamaha Motor Racing, said: “This is very bad news for Valentino and very bad news for the Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP team and for all MotoGP fans around the world. First and foremost we hope Valentino will not suffer too much in the coming days and will recover fully in the shortest time possible.
It comes as a second blow for our MotoGP operations having faced the absence of Project Leader Sumi-san and five YMC engineers at the Le Mans race after one member tested positive – despite being fortunately totally asymptomatic.
These two incidents remind us that no matter how careful you are, the risk is always present – as we see with the rising numbers of infections in Europe at this time.
We have checked with the Italian health authorities and we have been advised that any member of our team that was in contact with Valentino up until Monday is excluded from direct risk.
Nevertheless, we will be even more attentive from now on to minimise the chance for any future issues.” -
Poleman Bottas retires with a rare engine issue for Mercedes
Lewis Hamilton took a record-equalling 91st career victory, putting him on par with Michael Schumacher as Max Verstappen finished second and Daniel Ricciardo achieved his and Renault’s first podium of the season at F1 returned to the classic Nurburgring track.
London, 12 Oct 2020: Valtteri Bottas took pole position, out qualifying Lewis Hamilton for the first time in 5 races as Mercedes locked out the front row. Max Verstappen started P3 and Red Bull teammate Alex Albon lined up in P5, split by the Ferrari of Charles Leclerc in P4. Renault’s Daniel Ricciardo in P6 & Esteban Ocon in P7. McLaren too started with both cars in the top 10, Lando Norris in P8 and Carlos Sainz in P10. Sandwiched between them was Racing Points’s Sergio Perez in P9. His ‘new’ teammate, super-sub Nico Hulkenberg qualified in P20 as he filled in for an unwell Lance Stroll. Sebastian Vettel lined up in P11 ahead of the two AlphaTauri’s of Pierre Gasly in 12th and Daniil Kvyat in 13th. Antonio Giovinazzi made it to Q2 for the first time this season as he started in P14, 5 places ahead of his veteran teammate Kimi Raikkonen. Raikkonen breaking the record of most starts by a driver in F1. Haas’ and Williams lined up in a two-by-two formation with Kevin Magnussen P15, Romain Grosjean P16, George Russell P17 and Nicholas Latifi P18.
Cold temperatures and no running on Friday due to fog cover, tyre wear and strategies were unpredictable. Pirelli predicted the one stop from soft to medium tyres as the fastest strategy.
Hamilton got a great start and pulled alongside pole sitter Bottas. Bottas was able to maintain his lead coming into turn 2 as Hamilton settled for P2. Behind Leclerc still maintained P4 but Albon lost out to Ricciardo. As the pack settled , Bottas had a 1.5s lead over Hamilton with Verstappen another 1.5s behind.
By lap 8 Albon pitted for medium tyres as he badly flat spotted his starting set of tyres. Ricciardo overtook Leclerc on lap 9, using his superior pace of the Renault car against the Ferrari. Dark clouds also started to appear on the horizon with few droplets making their way onto the track. Leclerc flat spotted his tyres and had to pit on lap 11, meanwhile, his teammate Vettel spun during breaking at turn 1 as he tried to avoid Giovinazzi.
Hamilton was 1.2s behind Bottas. Bottas made a decisive mistake on lap 13, locking right-front tyre and going wide into turn 1, allowing Hamilton to take the lead. By lap 14 Hamilton already had 2s lead over Bottas as he was forced to pit for medium tyres due to flat spotting his tyre into turn 1. Bottas emerged in P4 behind Ricciardo but quickly overtook him to settle into P3.
Lewis Hamilton, right, pats Valtteri Bottas for taking the pole in the 2020 Eifel Grand Prix, Saturday – LAT Images for Mercedes Lap 15 saw Russell get punted off by Raikkonen which resulted in a puncture for the Englishman. He was unable to make it to the pits and eventually retired. This saw a VSC come out, giving a faster pit stop to the cars who were yet to pit. This played well in the hands of Hamilton and Verstappen as Bottas had already pitted. Ricciardo pitted too, coming out behind Norris, Perez, Sainz and Ocon.
Unfortunately, Bottas’s bad luck continued as in lap 19 he reported a power loss and had to retire the car, the first retirement for Mercedes in 2020. Ocon retired on lap 23 due to a hydraulic failure and Alex Albon retired on lap 25, again a power unit problem. Meanwhile, Norris too reported a loss of power in his McLaren but continued on. After Norris, Perez and Sainz pitted, Ricciardo was running comfortably in P3.
By lap 40 Hamilton had a lead of around 10s over Verstappen. Ricciardo was running in P3 as he was being caught quickly by Perez in his fresher tyres. Sainz had made his way to P5 and Norris was in P6 still struggling to overcome the power loss..
Norris’s car shut down on lap 45, bringing out the safety car as the top 6 cars pitted for soft tyres. Everyone struggled to keep temperatures behind the safety car. Hamilton and Verstappen seen complaining about the pace of the safety car on radio. Safety car ended on lap 50 as Hamilton made a quick getaway. Verstappen struggled for grip as Ricciardo challenged him for P2. Behind Hulkenberg after starting last, had made his way up to P8 and was challenging Leclerc for P7, who was overtaken by Gasly for P6.
At the chequered flag, Hamilton won the 91st race of his career and equalled Schumacher. Verstappen finished P2 and Ricciardo got a well deserved podium in P3- his first since Monaco 2018. Perez finished in P4, Sainz in P5 and Gasly in P6, another good drive after starting outside of the points. Leclerc managed to hold off Hulkenberg for P7. Hulkenberg was driver of the day as without any practice he managed to get points in P8. Haas’s Grosjean got his first points of the season in P9 and Giovinazzi completed the top 10. Vettel finished where he started in P11 ahead of ex-teammate Raikkonen in P12 . Magnussen finished P13, Latifi in P14 and Kvyat in P15.
Mercedes looked under threat from Red Bull during qualifying and interestingly all other teams closed up to Mercedes compared to their average gap in season. It maybe because there was no Friday running, therefore, Mercedes could not find the set up sweet spot and struggled a bit with tyres. They still managed to get a front row lockout and were never really challenged for the victory in the race. Hamilton yet again rewrote history by equalling Schumacher’s tally of wins. Red Bull looked to have made gains as they brought new front wing endplates which has improved the balance of the car. It may be an anomaly, but they were closer to Mercedes than they have been in previous races. Ferrari brought new barge boards and floor which has improved the performance of the car, especially in the hands of Leclerc as he qualified P4. Race pace still remains to be poor as both Leclerc and Vettel fell backwards during the Grand Prix.
Renault have been on the rise since the Belgian GP, this time resulting in a well deserved podium for Ricciardo. He has finished in the top 5 in the last 5 races which shows Renault has made gains in both qualifying and race pace. They may even be ahead of McLaren in terms of car performance, remains to be seen for the last third of the season. McLaren were unable to find the setup sweet spot- similar to Mercedes, therefore, had poor a qualifying. Race was much better as both Norris and Sainz were able to hold on to their positions without being challenged. Racing Point have made gains, especially since Mugello GP when they introduced an extensive side pod bodywork update. They seem to be on par with Renault during the race.
AlphaTauri are now 13 points behind Ferrari as the battle for 6th place in the constructors heats up. Their qualifying performances are not to behold but they always manage to get one of their cars in the points, this time Gasly in P6. Their race pace has been their strong pony this year and could overtake Ferrari if this trend continues. Alfa Romeo has looked like a much improved car since Mugello as Giovinazzi got into Q2 and finished in the points. Haas too seem to have solved their balance issues for this race, though, remains to be seen if this is the case for rest of the season. Williams has shown encouraging race pace and Russell thought he could have achieved points had he not been taken out by Raikkonen. This upward trajectory of Williams may soon enough see them on par or even ahead of Haas and Alfa Romeo.
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Akbar Ebrahim elected as FMSCI president again; Farooq Ahmed new VP
Chennai, 12 October 2020: Former racer and ex-FMSCI president Akbar Ebrahim was unanimously elected as the president of the Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India (FMSCI) at the Annual General Meeting of held 2020 via Video Conference. Farooq Ahmed of Chikmagalur Motor Sports Club will be the new Vice-President replacing Shivu Shivappa for a term of two years.
Akbar Ebrahim The FMSCI is the National Governing body of Motor Sports in India. It is a member of the World Governing body of Motor Sports the FIA the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile and the FIM the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme.
The FMSCI has more than 50 affiliated units across the country with more than 1200 registered athletes but unlike other federations, only the council members elect the office-members as per the FMSCI Constitution. The council consists of 10 members who are: 1) Akbar Ebrahim, Meco Motor Sports Pvt. Ltd., Chennai 2) Bharat Vivek Chandhok, Madras Motor Sports Club, Chennai 3) Farokh Commissariat, Indian Automotive Racing Club Ltd., Mumbai 4) Farooq Ahmed, Motor Sports Club of Chikmagalur, Chikmagalur 5) Prithiviraj J., Coimbatore Auto Sports Club, Coimbatore, Member of The Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India (FMSCI) 6) Raj Kapoor, Northern Motorsports, Noida 7) Sanjay Sharma, Performance Cars Racing Trust, Delhi 8) Shivu Shivappa, Karnataka Motor Sports Club, Bengaluru 9) Ms Sita Raina, Calcutta Motor Sports Club, Kolkata 10) Tamal Ghosal, Just Sportz Management Pvt. Ltd., Kolkata.Farooq Ahmed file photo, addressing media in front of a Coffee Day Cafe in Chikmagalur in 2018. An FB image courtesy @motorsportsclubofckm Akbar Ebrahim said: “I would like to thank the General Body Members, Outgoing President & Vice President, Current councillors and New councillors of the FMSCI for their unanimous support in mandating me as the President for another term in office. I would also like to congratulate Mr Farooq Ahmed on his election as Vice President which was unanimous and with no contest.”
“Going forward, it is, without doubt, going to be a very challenging and tough year given the unprecedented pandemic situation the whole world is facing. I am sure that the FMSCI will collectively rise to the occasion and manage the situation to the best of its ability. I am also sure that in the coming days, weeks and months, the sport will start to flourish and bring back the smiles on each and every one of us who are passionate about the sport,” Ebrahim added.
`The outgoing President J Prithviral said: `I place on record my gratitude and thanks to the entire Motorsport fraternity for the support during my tenure as President. Motorsport was also affected because of Covid- 19, things are looking brighter now and trust we will be in top gear soon.” -
Hemanth Muddappa smashes National Drag record
Chennai, 10 October 2020: Defending champion Hemanth Muddappa of Mantra Racing, astride a Suzuki Hayabusa broke the National Drag Record, setting a new mark of 7.783 seconds beating his own record over the 302- metre MMRT Drag Strip. The Madras Motor Sports Club kick-started the domestic 2020 motorsport season by successfully conducting the first round of the MMSC Fmsci Indian National Motorcycle Drag Racing Championship in a secure bio-bubble environment at the MMRT circuit here on Sunday.
The 30-year Bengaluru-based Coorgi, a three time National champion, touched a top speed of 222.49 kmph despite the third fastest reaction time of 1.658 sec at the start, to began the season on a winning note. He broke his own National record of 7.976 which he set in the round two last year on 6 October and equalled in the Championship winning last round in December. The bike was tuned by Sharan Pratap of Mantra Racing, Bengaluru. Muddappa won the National championship consecutively in 2017, 2018 and 2019.
While Mudappa expectedly topped the time charts, clocking a blistering time for the sprint in the Super Sport 4-stroke Above 1051cc class, he could only come second in the 851 to 1050cc class as Mohammed Riyaz of Hyderabad won the dash. Rulex Rockers Racing team’s Bharatraj and Mohammed Rafiq notched a double apiece in their respective categories. Defending champion Nivetha Jessica won the girls category on Saturday.
“I have been eagerly waiting to get back on track and am keeping myself fit. I was confident of clocking the best time, but beating the track record again is a bonus. I look forward to a consistent season to retain my National title,” said the Coorgi, who is primarily into civil contracts and also a partner in a leading sports nutrition brand, `1up Nutrition India’. He is based in Bengaluru.
Sporting activity came to a grinding halt in March and since then it was seven months that the Indian motorsports saw no activity. But with the revised calendar announced by the Federation, MMSC Indian National Drag Championship hosted the first Nationals to kick-start the motorsports calendar with a `new normal’, what with all the guidelines to tackle Corona Virus.
Managing some 116 entries besides a host of officials, volunteers and employees, the MMSC went to great lengths to strictly implement Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) and protocols as mandated by Government guidelines designed to contain the Covid-19 pandemic. In view of the restrictions, no spectator or guest was permitted entry to the venue, while each competitor was allowed only one helper or mechanic, and the races were spread over two days (Saturday and Sunday) so as to limit the size of the congregation to under 100.
MMSC Vice-President Vicky Chandhok said: “Following weeks of preparations and working on the SOPs as dictated by the government guidelines, it was great to go racing again after a break of seven months. Though we had to make do without a sponsor, we spared no expense to create a secure bio-bubble at the track. Of course, as per sporting regulations, we had a fully-equipped Medical team to deal with any emergency.
“As much as the sport mattered to us, we gave top priority to health of all involved in the event. The strict protocols, followed by all at the venue, involved temperature checks, frequent hand sanitization and physical distancing. We also restricted entry to only essential persons, besides competitors.”
The results: 4-Stroke Super Sport:
Champion in the Above 1051cc class Hemant Muddappa (centre) flanked by second-placed Hafizulla Khan (left) and third-placed Harish Naik. An MMSC image Above 1051cc: 1. Hemant Mudappa (Mantra Racing, Bengaluru) (07.783secs); 2. Hafizulla Khan (Bengaluru) (08.374); 3. Harish Naik (Bengaluru) (08.721).
851-1050cc: 1. Mohammed Riyaz (Hyderabad) (07.922); 2. Hemant Mudappa (08.162); 3. Sugan Prasad (Bengaluru) (08.382).
361-550cc: 1. Aiyaz (Bengaluru) (12.256); 2. Anand R (Speed Up Racing, Chennai) (12.350); 3. Karthik Mateti (Telangana) (12.518).
226-360cc: 1. J Bharatraj (Rulex Rockers Racing, Chennai) (12.805); 2. Vivek Pillai (Team Alisha Abdullah, Chennai) (13.104); 3. P Yogeswaran (Rulex Rockers Racing, Chennai) (13.137).
Up to 165cc: 1. Bharatraj J (Rulex Rockers Racing, Chennai) (14.580); 2. PM Soorya (Rulex Rockers Racing, Chennai) (14.656); 3. Anand R (Speed Up Racing, Chennai) (15.039).
Saturday: Novice (Girls, Stock up to 165cc): 1. Nivetha Jessica (Chennai) (16.512); 2. Ann Jennifer (Chennai) (16.642); 3. Alisha Abdullah (Chennai) (16.781).
2-Stroke Super Sport 131-165cc: 1. Mohammed Rafiq (12.843); 2. Manoj Kumar S (13.228); 3. Mohammed Touheed (13.253).
Up to 130cc: 1. Mohammed Rafiq (13.381); 2. R Madhan Kumar (13.584); 3. Mohammed Touheed (13.954).
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Hamilton equals Schumi’s record with 91st win
Lewis Hamilton took his 91st career victory with a dominant drive to the flag in the Eifel Grand Prix that puts him level with Michael Schumacher on Formula 1’s list of all-time winners. In cold and tricky conditions at the Nurburgring the Briton passed team-mate and early race leader Valtteri on lap 12 and thereafter drove faultlessly to finish ahead of Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and Renault’s Daniel Ricciardo who scored the French marque’s first podium finish since 2011.
When the lights went out at the start, Verstappen held his starting place but when pole position man and early race leader Valtteri Bottas dropped out of the race with a technical issue Verstappen climbed to second place behind Hamilton and thereafter drove a composed race to the flag.
It was a more painful day for Alex Albon, however, with the Thai driver forced out of the race after 23 laps by stone damage to a radiator.
At the race start Hamilton made a better getaway than team-mate Bottas but as the pair headed into Turn 1, the Finn tried to hang on around the outside, a move that sent both Mercedes cars wide. Verstappen closed in but Hamilton and Bottas were swiftly back on track, with Bottas somehow squeezing through Turn 2 ahead of his team-mate.
Behind them Alex made a sluggish start from P5 on the grid and as he went into Turn 2 he was passed by Renault’s Daniel Ricciardo. The Thai driver tried to fight back but locked up into Turn 3 and lost ground to the Australian who quickly began to chase down Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc.
The race settled briefly, but on lap 12, under pressure from Hamilton Bottas locked up and went wide into Turn 1 and the championship leader seized the chance to power past his team-mate and take the lead. Bottas then pitted and took on a new set of medium tyres.
Within moments of the lead changing hands, the complexion of the race changed again. George Russell was involved in a collision with Kimi Raikkonen when the Alfa Romeo driver braked too late into Turn 1 and lost and bounced the Williams off track.
Russell tried to limp back to the pit lane but the damage was too great and he was forced to stop at the side of the track. The brought out the VSC and during the caution Hamilton and Verstappen pitted, with both taking on medium compound tyres.
At the front Hamilton was now firmly in control of the race and at two-thirds distance the Mercedes driver was a little over nine seconds ahead of Verstappen who was now a massive one minute ahead of Ricciardo
However, what seemed like a foregone conclusion was briefly spiced up on lap 43 when Lando Norris pulled over at the side of the track, his McLaren finally succumbing to electrical issues that had plagued it for most of the race.
The Safety Car was deployed and that sparked a rush to the pitlane. Both Hamilton and Verstappen took on soft tyres under the SC, with Ricciardo also pitting for the red-banded rubber.
When the SC left the track, Hamilton held his lead but Verstappen, who had suffered a small lock-up in the final corners, was almost mugged by Ricciardo as they went into Turn 1. The Dutch driver recovered, however, and swiftly slammed the door on his former team-mate to reating second place. Ricciardo held third ahead of Pérez and Sainz but behind them Pierre Gasly completed a brave move past Leclerc to claim sixth place.
And there the order settled. After dismissing Ricciardo’s re-start challenge, Verstappen steadily opened a gap to Ricciardo, as ahead Hamilton eked out a small margin back to the Red Bull driver.
The only tussle remaining was the one for fastest lap. On lap 58 Hamilton powered to a purple time of 1:28.145, but as if to prove the point that the Bulls had closed in over the weekend, Verstappen found an extra reserve of pace on the final lap of the race to edge the Mercedes driver by six thousandths of a second.
Behind the top two, Ricciardo took his first podium finish since his win with Red Bull Racing in Monaco 2018, while Sergio Pérez took fourth for Racing Point. Fifth place went to McLaren’s Carlos Sainz, with the Spaniard finishing just ahead of Gasly and Leclerc. Racing Point supersub Hulkenberg finished in an impressive eight place after starting 20th and the final two points places went to Haas’s Romain Grosjean and Alfa Romeo’s Antonio Giovinazzi.
2020 FIA Formula 1 Eifel Grand Prix – Race
1 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 60 1:35’49.641
2 Max Verstappen Red Bull/Honda 60 1:35’54.111 4.470
3 Daniel Ricciardo Renault 60 1:36’04.254 14.613
4 Sergio Pérez Racing Point/Mercedes 60 1:36’05.711 16.070
5 Carlos Sainz McLaren/Renault 60 1:36’11.546 21.905
6 Pierre Gasly AlphaTauri/Honda 60 1:36’12.407 22.766
7 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 60 1:36’20.455 30.814
8 Nico Hülkenberg Racing Point/Mercedes 60 1:36’22.237 32.596
9 Romain Grosjean Haas/Ferrari 60 1:36’28.722 39.081
10 Antonio Giovinazzi Alfa Romeo/Ferrari 60 1:36’29.676 40.035
11 Sebastian Vettel Ferrari 60 1:36’30.451 40.810
12 Kimi Räikkönen Alfa Romeo/Ferrari 60 1:36’31.117 41.476
13 Kevin Magnussen Haas/Ferrari 60 1:36’39.226 49.585
14 Nicholas Latifi Williams/Mercedes 60 1:36’44.090 54.449
15 Daniil Kvyat AlphaTauri/Honda 60 1:36’45.229 55.588
Lando Norris McLaren/Renault 42 1:06’15.551 Power Unit
Alexander Albon Red Bull/Honda 23 36’51.535 Power Unit
Esteban Ocon Renault 22 35’10.341 Hydraulics
Valtteri Bottas Mercedes 18 28’59.777 Power Unit
George Russell Williams/Mercedes 12 19’37.453 Collision
