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  • Max Verstappen wins 70th Anniversary GP ahead of Hami

    Max Verstappen wins 70th Anniversary GP ahead of Hami

    Silverstone, 9 August 2020: Max Verstappen took a well-worked 70thAnniversary Grand Prix victory at Silverstone beating Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas. Despite starting from the front row both Mercedes were hampered by significant tyre degradation during the race, while Verstappen, who started fourth, managed his tyres well to steadily pull away in the final third of the race. The Red Bull driver eventually took his ninth career win with 11 seconds in hand over the lead Mercedes of Hamilton. 

    At the start, Verstappen made a good getaway and as Bottas fought off Hamilton to hold the lead, the Dutchman powered past third-place starter Nico Hülkenberg as the field swept through Turn 1. 

    As the opening stint developed Verstappen was able to keep pace with the Mercedes pair but midway through the first phase of the race his race engineer warned that that his tyre temperatures were high and that he should back off. The Dutchman was in no mood to comply and replied that this was his only chance to clear the Mercedes. 

    Bottas made his first stop on lap 14 and a lap later Hamilton made his switch to hard tyres. Verstappen now led the race, had clean air ahead and began to pull away from the Mercedes cars.

    On lap 20 he led Bottas by 13 seconds, with Hamilton third. McLaren’s Carlos Sainz was fourth on starting hard tyres, with Hulkenberg fifth ahead of Stroll. Sainz made his stop for medium tyres on lap 23 and he rejoined in 13thplace. 

    Verstappen made his first pit stop on lap 26 and took on mediums. As he rejoined, Bottas went past and took the lead. The Red Bull driver attacked immediately and the pair went through Brooklands side-by-side. However with more grip, the Dutchman was able to make the move stick and he reclaimed P1. 

    After a short, quick stint on mediums Verstappen arrowed towards the pits for another set of hard tyres on lap 32. He rejoined in P2 behind Hamilton who needed a second pit stop. 

    Hamilton, though, stayed out until then end of lap 41 before making his final stop and after taking a set of new hard tyres he rejoined in fourth place as Verstappen once again took the lead. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, who had only made one stop, was now third, 2.8s behind Bottas and just 1.7s seconds ahead of hard charging Hamilton who was setting fastest laps. 

    On lap 45, Racing Point made the odd decision to pit Nico Hülkenberg from P5 for a third time. The German took on a set of softs tyres and rejoined in P7, 12 seconds behind the second Red Bull of Alex Albon. 

    At the front, with five laps to go, Verstappen led Bottas by 6.8s. Hamilton, though, was closing in, and having dismissed Leclerc he was now third and just two seconds behind his team-mate. 

    Bottas did his best to defend the position but with little life left in his tyres he was forced to brake earlier than Hamilton into Brooklands on lap 52 and the champion swept past to take P2. 

    There was no catching Verstappen, however. And two laps later the Dutchman crossed the line with 11.3 seconds in hand over the lead Mercedes with Bottas a further 7.9s behind in third place. 

    Fourth place went to Leclerc with the Monegasque executing a risky one-stop strategy and behind him Alex finished in a superb fifth place. 

    In the final laps Albon had closed quickly on the Racing Point of Lance Stroll and with a couple of laps remaining chose the run to Copse to make a move. At full speed he pulled out from behind the Canadian and powered past around the outside of the flat out turn to secure fifth place. 

    Stroll was forced to settle for sixth place, with team-mate Hülkenberg in seventh after his mystifying late pit stop for soft tyres. 

    Like Leclerc, Esteban Ocon made a one-stop strategy work to take P8 for Renault ahead of McLaren’s Lando Norris and the final point on offer was taken by AlphaTauri’s Daniil Kvyat. 

    2020 FIA Formula 1 70thAnniversary Grand Prix – Race 
    1 Max Verstappen Red Bull/Honda 52 1:19’41.993 
    2 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 52 1:19’53.319 11.326
    3 Valtteri Bottas Mercedes 52 1:20’01.224 19.231
    4 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 52 1:20’11.282 29.289
    5 Alexander Albon Red Bull/Honda 52 1:20’21.139 39.146
    6 Lance Stroll Racing Point/Mercedes 52 1:20’24.531 42.538
    7 Nico Hülkenberg Racing Point/Mercedes 52 1:20’37.944 55.951
    8 Esteban Ocon Renault 52 1:20’46.766 1’04.773
    9 Lando Norris McLaren/Renault 52 1:20’47.537 1’05.544
    10 Daniil Kvyat AlphaTauri/Honda 52 1:20’51.662 1’09.669
    11 Pierre Gasly AlphaTauri/Honda 52 1:20’52.635 1’10.642
    12 Sebastian Vettel Ferrari 52 1:20’55.363 1’13.370
    13 Carlos Sainz Jr. McLaren/Renault 52 1:20’56.063 1’14.070
    14 Daniel Ricciardo Renault 51 1:19’48.644 1 Lap
    15 Kimi Räikkönen Alfa Romeo/Ferrari 51 1:20’05.037 1 Lap
    16 Romain Grosjean Haas/Ferrari 51 1:20’07.207 1 Lap
    17 Antonio Giovinazzi Alfa Romeo/Ferrari 51 1:20’13.007 1 Lap
    18 George Russell Williams/Mercedes 51 1:20’13.889 1 Lap
    19 Nicholas Latifi Williams/Mercedes 51 1:20’14.496 1 Lap
         Kevin Magnussen Haas/Ferrari 43 1:08’20.363 Retirement

  • Brad Binder takes maiden MotoGP win at Brno

    Brad Binder takes maiden MotoGP win at Brno

    The first win for KTM in the premier class, the first for South Africa and the first for a rookie since 2013, Brad Binder’s scintillating Czech GP ride to victory puts him – and KTM – in the history books

    Brno (Czech Republic), 9 August 2020: Sometimes things come together so perfectly, they can appear easy to the casual observer – like a five-second gap at the front in only your third MotoGP™ race. That reads like an easy ride for Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) as he made history in the Monster Energy Grand Prix České Republiky, and he certainly dominated a field of experience to make it look so. But the blood, sweat and tears that go into winning, and making history, are often not caught on camera. That doesn’t mean they aren’t there.

    For Binder, the path to MotoGP™ victory and the first South African win in the premier class is one that starts in the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup, ascending via the 2016 Moto3™ crown with Red Bull KTM Ajo and a trophy cabinet full of lightweight and intermediate class silverware. For KTM, the journey began full time competition in 2017 as the Austrian factory took on the premier class armed with a mission, a philosophy, and an incredible record of sporting achievement. In their fourth season, a vital first part of that mission is accomplished, their philosophy remains unwavering and victory is a reality.

    Behind the rookie and factory taking victory for the first time in Brno, there were two more firsts after the awesome race day shake up at the Czech adrenaline factory too. Franco Morbidelli (Petronas Yamaha SRT) took second and his first podium in the premier class, with Johann Zarco back on the box in third to give Esponsorama Racing their first MotoGP™ podium… via a spectacularly precise, pitch perfect and full gas Long Lap Penalty.

    Morbidelli was the man fastest out the blocks as the lights went out, picking teammate Fabio Quartararo’s pocket round Turn 1 and bolting into the distance almost immediately as Zarco lost out from pole. Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) also managed to get past the number 5 as he launched from fourth into the top three, before he even struck for second and dispatched Quartararo. The Red Bull KTM Factory Racing duo of Pol Espargaro and Binder made great starts to slot into fourth and fifth too, leaving  Zarco initially down in P6.

    Binder was then a man on a mission. The South African cut past teammate Espargaro and then Aleix Espargaro, soon stuck to the rear wheel of Quartararo as Zarco followed suit to strike back against former teammate Pol Espargaro… but that would soon to serve up some drama. Before that though, the number 44 made it through on Lap 6 and immediately set sights on his teammate and Quartararo as the battle for second became a double factory KTM vs Quartararo fight.

    On Lap 9, Binder was through on El Diablo, striking at Turn 3 – a little wide but more than making it stick – and Pol Espargaro was next through. He then also headed wide at Turn 13 and lost the place, but drama was about to unfold at Turn 1 next time around: the KTM of Espargaro was a little wide and the Ducati of Zarco kept it pinned on the inside, leaving both heading for the same piece of tarmac. As the KTM swept back to get the run up through Turn 2, the two made contact and Espargaro was skittled off – earning Zarco a Long Lap Penalty for the incident.

    Despite the heartbreak for one orange bike, there was plenty still to celebrate a little ahead on track. Honing in on Morbidelli and the race lead, Binder wasn’t showing any signs of slowing up, reeling in the Yamaha at speed and soon within striking distance. With nine laps left in Brno, the rookie sensation struck and Binder was in the lead of a MotoGP™ race for the first time. Could he now stay steadfast under pressure? It appeared he more than could, with the KTM immediately starting to bolt into clear air at the front.

    On the same lap, Zarco took his Long Lap Penalty and despite preconceptions, that was a show in itself and one of the most spectacular moments of the race. Inch perfect, rear tyre smoking and absolutely pinned on the right side of the line, the number 5 saw his gap back to Quartararo in fourth evaporate but screamed out of the Long Lap area just ahead of his compatriot, holding third and keeping that first podium with Ducati still very much in sight. 

    Meanwhile Binder raced on, Morbidelli held firm, and the battle at the front became one of nerves. The fight just behind the top two was starting to heat up though, and with Zarco staying ahead of Quartararo it seemed like solid damage limitation for the Championship leader if he held fourth. The double Jerez winner was struggling, however. Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar), Valentino Rossi (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) and Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Tech3) were all starting to hunt him down, with the Suzuki striking first with five laps to go. Nine-time World Champion Rossi soon followed suit on the same lap, and Quartararo quickly found himself lingering down in sixth. With four laps to go, the number 20 also fell victim to Oliveira’s charge and the focus shifted back to Zarco… who now had Alex Rins for very close company.

    Binder – barring a mistake – was a few kilometres from making some very big dreams a very big reality, and Morbidelli looked secure to hit his own milestone too. But Rins was hot on the heels of the Ducati in third and the gap was just 0.6 between the GP19 and GSX-RR with a couple of laps to go; soon down to nothing as Zarco stared down a momentous final lap.

    First to complete that would be Binder, however. The South African made the graft and grind look easy, over four seconds clear after more than four years of tireless work from the Austrian factory to see the RC-16 come home first and Binder etch his name into premier class and KTM folklore. Childhood dreams realised across the board, Morbidelli continued the trend as he brought his Yamaha home second to secure a fantastic maiden MotoGP™ podium, and he moves into P3 in the overall standings.

    In the duel for third, Rins was looking menacing on the final lap but Zarco was holding firm, keeping the the Suzuki man at bay. The Frenchman closed the door and did so brilliantly to secure his first MotoGP™ podium since the 2018 Malaysian GP, making it a huge day for the Avintia team too, who achieve their first MotoGP™ podium to add to pole position gained on Saturday.

    Fourth place for Rins remains remarkable, however, with the number 42 taking some valuable points after suffering a dislocation-fracture to the shoulder at the Spanish GP. Close to the Suzuki man was Rossi, who climbed to P5 from a P10 starting place in another great ride for ‘The Doctor’. Oliveira finished P6 to cement his best premier class finish, having started 13th, but Quartararo won’t be too pleased to have finished 11 seconds from the win in P7. Nevertheless, those are valuable points in the title race as key rivals remained behind the Frenchman on race day.

    Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) finished one second adrift of Quartararo, in P8, and two seconds up the road from Jack Miller (Pramac Racing) after the Australian recovered from a tough start to pip Aleix Espargaro to P9 on the last lap. Miller ended the day just over a second up the road from Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team), but the pair did salvage P9 and P11 from P14 and P18 starting positions.

    Aleix Espargaro’s P10 was his first finish of 2020, important for the Spaniard and team, and Danilo Petrucci (Ducati Team) finished 12th but on the way into a historically good track for Ducati…

    LCR Honda Castrol’s Cal Crutchlow finished 13th as he continues to battle a left scaphoid injury, and nine tenths behind him, Maverick Viñales (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) takes just two points home in P14, losing valuable ground in the Championship and now 17 adrift of Quartararo. Alex Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) took 15th to continue his record of scoring at least a point in his first three MotoGP™ races.

    In other key stories, Iker Lecuona (Red Bull KTM Tech3) lost the front and collected Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar) in the early stages as the duo crashed out of contention.

    That’s it from Brno and a truly history-making race. For Binder, for KTM, for South Africa, and for MotoGP™. The last time a rookie won a race, it was Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team). Before that, it was Jorge Lorenzo, and before that, Dani Pedrosa – legends both. Pedrosa is also a man who shares some of the pay off after KTM’s stunning first win, now in the role of test rider with the factory. What can Binder go on to achieve now? It couldn’t really have been written better, as the tidal wave of glory now carries the paddock south to Styria and the stunning Red Bull Ring, home race for the newest winners on the block.

    Come back for more – and we know you want to – as MotoGP™ revs the hills alive with the sound of horsepower in the Austrian GP next weekend.

    Brad Binder: “It hasn’t sunk it yet. Today was the most incredible day of my lief so far, it’s a day I’ve dreamed of since I was a child, and for it to come true in my third Grand Prix is scary. I honestly can’t believe it. From the day starting in the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup it’s been a consistent grind trying to get here. You know I came through all the classes with Red Bull KTM, and here we are on top. We’ve finally won in MotoGP.”

    MotoGP podium:

    1 Brad Binder – Red Bull KTM Factory Racing – KTM – 41:38.764
    2 Franco Morbidelli – Petronas Yamaha SRT – Yamaha – +5.266
    3 Johann Zarco – Esponsorama Racing – Ducati – +6.470

  • Tsunoda wins as Shwartzman and Schumacher collide: F2

    Tsunoda wins as Shwartzman and Schumacher collide: F2

    Silverstone, 9 August 2020: Yuki Tsunoda benefitted from a sensational late collision between race leaders, and PREMA teammates, Robert Shwartzman and Mick Schumacher, to take his first-ever FIA Formula 2 victory in the Sprint Race at Silverstone.

    The Carlin driver patiently sat behind the PREMA duo for the first 19 laps of the race, steering clear of any drama and putting him in the perfect position to benefit from their coming together. He swept into first with two laps to go, and calmly closed out the victory to become the 25th different F2 winner since the Championship began.

    Schumacher was able to retain second place at the chequered flag, and avoided a penalty as Race Control deemed the collision to be a racing incident.

    Shwartzman suffered damage from their clash and dropped out of the top ten entirely. This promoted Jack Aitken up to third for his second podium of both the weekend, and the season.

    Callum Ilott, who took the Championship lead in the Feature Race on Saturday, managed sixth place to stretch his lead at the top of the table by a further four points.

    AS IT HAPPENED

    Shwartzman was completely unfazed at the race start, getting away cleanly off the line ahead of teammate Schumacher. The German was equally cool when the lights went out and lined up in tow of the Russian.

    Schumacher appeared impatient in his desire to take the race lead, attempting an audacious move at Hangar Straight, but it failed to come off and he lost momentum, allowing his teammate to open up a bit of a gap.

    Behind them, Tsunoda had also started well, but it was Aitken who made the strongest start of all, flinging his Campos down the right to make up two places to fourth.

    Louis Delétraz was all over the back of Christian Lundgaard and eventually forced the ART Grand Prix man into a mistake, as he went wide at Copse and allowed the Charouz Racing System driver to snatch fifth. The Dane lost another position to Guanyu Zhou on the following lap, as the UNI-Virtuosi driver made a delightful dive around the outside.

    There was no form of reaction from Lundgaard, whose tyres were sporting visible blisters, and he fell into the clutches of the Championship leader, Ilott. Eventually the pressure proved too much. The Dane locked up several times and then ran wide, allowing the Briton past. It didn’t get any better for the Renault junior, as his left-front tyre then gave way and he was forced to retire.

    Tsunoda had been ticking along nicely in third, building up a 13s gap on fourth placed Aitken. In front of him, Shwartzman and Schumacher had been close throughout the race and eventually came to blows at Turn 6 with just two laps to go – handing Tsunoda the lead.

    Schumacher attempted a move around the outside of the Russian, but the two made contact. Shwartzman, having led the race up until that point, suffered damage to his front wing and plummeted out of the top ten. Schumacher escaped any damage and held on to second behind the Carlin at the chequered flag.

    Aitken benefitted from the chaos to take his second podium in as many races, while Delétraz clinched fourth, ahead of Zhou. Ilott, Dan Ticktum and Nikita Mazepin claimed the final points positions.

    Ilott retains first in the Drivers’ Championship on 106 points, with neither of his main challengers finishing in the points. Lundgaard is second on 87, with Shwartzman third on 85. Mazepin and Delétraz sit fourth and fifth. In the Teams’ Championship, UNI-Virtuosi lead with 167 points, 21 ahead of PREMA Racing. ART Grand Prix are third, ahead of Hitech Grand Prix and Carlin.

    KEY QUOTE – YUKI TSUNODA (CARLIN)

    “I am really happy to take P1 today. Congrats and thanks to Carlin, who did a really great job with the car. It was quite a tough race, and both of the PREMA guys were really fast in the beginning. I could see that they were struggling towards the end, so I saved the tyres as much as possible to prepare.

    “I was a bit lucky for the overtake at Brooklands, but after that, I had a good pace and I am happy to take the first win.”

  • Gunther holds off Frijns to take thrilling win: Formula E

    Gunther holds off Frijns to take thrilling win: Formula E

    Berlin, 8 August 2020: Maximilian Günther pipped Robin Frijns to victory after a stellar drive in round eight of the 2019/20 ABB FIA Formula E Championship here on Saturday.
    The BMW I Andretti star secured his second win of the season by just over a tenth-of-a-second, having chased down pole-sitter Jean-Éric Vergne to pass the DS Techeetah ace with just three laps remaining.

    Günther came under intense late pressure from a hard-charging Frijns but was able to hold off the Envision Virgin Racing driver in a drag race to the line.

    Vergne finished third ahead of team-mate and championship leader António Félix da Costa, who took another step closer to the title after fighting his way through from eighth on the grid.

    Running on the regular circuit configuration at the iconic Tempelhof Airport, having raced the track in reverse last week, Vergne was the class of the field in qualifying and took pole position by nearly half-a-second. 

    And the reigning champion got off to a flying start when the lights went green, pulling out a two-second gap at the front of the field after a single lap.

    Mahindra Racing ace Jérôme D’Ambrosio also enjoyed a lightning getaway, jumping Günther off the line to move into second.

    However, the Belgian struggled to live with Vergne’s early pace. Despite an average launch, Günther wasted no time fighting back and found a way past D’Ambrosio on the second lap with a well-judged move.

    The German soon set about hunting down Vergne and quickly closed the gap at the front before the race was neutralised by the safety car following a collision involving James Callado, Sérgio Sette Câmara and Neel Jani.

    Günther kept the pressure on at the re-start and came close to passing Vergne, only to lose three places after taking ‘ATTACK MODE’.


    This didn’t deter the 23-year-old, who swiftly dispatched the Mercedes-Benz EQ of Stoffel Vandoorne then found his way past Frijns to latch back onto the leader’s tail with some breathtaking driving.


    Günther even briefly found himself at the head of the race after Vergne enabled ‘ATTACK MODE’, but the Frenchman pulled off a cut-back pass to regain the advantage once more.


    The BMW i Andretti star did finally make a move stick with three laps remaining and just about had enough energy in reserve to stave off a late challenge from the rapid Frijns.

    Vergne faded in the final laps but managed to remain ahead of da Costa, who had carefully picked his way through the field with some clinical overtakes – including a brilliant dummy pass on Mahindra’s Alex Lynn.

    Da Costa is now 68 points ahead of his nearest rival Günther – who jumped from ninth to second in the standings after his win – and the Portuguese driver can wrap up the title tomorrow if results go his way.

    André Lotterer brought his TAG Heuer Porsche home in fifth, climbing his way up from seventh on the grid, while Oliver Rowland benefitted from Vandoorne suffering a left-rear puncture to secure sixth for Nissan e.DAMS.

    D’Ambrosio finished seventh ahead of Lucas Di Grassi, with the Audi Sport Abt Schaeffler team leader recovering well from a half-spin following contact, while Panasonic Jaguar Racing’s Mitch Evans was in superb form to secure ninth after starting 19th on the grid and Alexander Sims rounded out the top ten.

    The breathless end to the 2019/20 season continues tomorrow (Sunday, August 9) with round nine of the championship, but can da Costa clinch the crown?

    Maximilian Günther (BMW I Andretti Motorsport)

    “It was important to qualify on the front row, or at least close to the top drivers. The race was very close until the end and we managed it very well. We dropped one place at the beginning, but we kept cool and recovered the position. Robin came from behind and I knew he had more energy. So, I had to be quick to make the move on JEV and it paid off. I’m incredibly happy for the team, myself and everyone to win this home race here in Berlin!”

    Robin Frijns (Envision Virgin Racing)

    “It feels really good to be back on the podium. It’s my first time this season, which has been quite a strange one so far, but we had a good race today. We were really good on energy halfway and also at the end. Guenther and JEV were fighting a lot and when that happens you sit back and see what comes next. I knew I could overtake at the end, so I tried to save as much energy to make it to the finish line. I’m pleased with the result today. The team did a good job and I’m really happy to be back.”

    Jean-Eric Vergne (DS Techeetah)

    “We did good to get a podium finish today. I don’t know what happened, but we need to investigate on the energy management after taking ATTACK MODE, since that made me struggle quite a lot at the end of the race. I was fighting with Max for the lead but when I saw Robin coming, I thought it was useless fighting, as that would have meant losing the podium for me. We still have some work to do ahead of tomorrow to win the race. But it’s good to be back on the podium.”

  • Rea takes commanding Portimao Race 1 victory

    Rea takes commanding Portimao Race 1 victory

    Portimao, 8 August 2020: The weekend racing action started at the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve with thrilling battles on track with Race 1 from MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship. Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) claimed a dominant victory of five seconds to reassert himself in the Championship fight.

    It was the perfect way to bounce back from Rea’s worst race finish in six years when he finished sixth at Jerez in Race 2 by taking a commanding victory from pole position, with no one able to match the Northern Irishman throughout the 20-lap race. He was initially challenged by Toprak Razgatlioglu (PATA YAHAMA WorldSBK Official Team) but a stunning lap time on Lap 4, half a second quicker than Razgatlioglu, meant he pulled out around a second from the Turkish sensation.

    Razgatlioglu finished a comfortable second, five seconds behind Rea but almost two seconds clear of his PATA Yamaha teammate Michael van der Mark as Yamaha secured two spots on the podium; showing impressive pace in both Tissot Superpole and Race 1 to cement their status as front runners in WorldSBK.

    Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) finished in fourth place after starting the race in third, having battled his way back through the field in an epic battle with Loris Baz (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha), Scott Redding (Aruba.IT Racing – Ducati) and, initially, van der Mark. While van der Mark was able to escape after passing Baz and Lowes at Turn 2 on Turn 10, the rest continued their epic battle. Van der Mark also dramatically lost pace when he had a false neutral on his bike, losing around six tenths before fighting back for a podium.

    Redding had initially made his way from eighth to fight for a podium but lost pace in the later stages in the race, as he fell back to Lowes on Lap 15 before Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Team GOELEVEN) passed him on Lap 18 at Turn 1 before Baz followed him through at Turn 3. It meant Rinaldi finished fifth, continuing his impressive recent pace, ahead of Baz as the two Independent riders claimed a top-six finish. Redding finished in seventh place, just holding off the challenge from Tom Sykes (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team); Sykes claiming a top 10 finish after starting fourth.

    Alvaro Bautista (Team HRC) finished in ninth place after showing some late-race pace to apply the pressure to Sykes and Redding, but the Spanish rider was unable to gain enough. Eugene Laverty (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) claimed a top 10 finish as BMW scored a top 10 finish with both riders. Chaz Davies (Aruba.IT Racing – Ducati) finished in 11th place, holding off the challenge from Leon Haslam (Team HRC) by one-tenth as they crossed the line.

    Xavi Fores (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) finishing in 13th place onboard his Kawasaki, holding off a late-race challenge from Garrett Gerloff (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Junior Team); the pair having a drag race to the line with Spanish rider Fores holding on by just 0.042s. Gerloff’s teammate, Federico Caricasulo, claimed the final point paying position in the race with 15th.

    Sandro Cortese (OUTDO Kawasaki TPR) was the only rider who crashed during the race, as he fell on the last lap at Turn 11, but Cortese is conscious following the accident. The German was transferred to Faro hospital following the incident where he will undergo surgery to stabilize a fractured vertebra, with Cortese currently showing no signs of neurological impairment. He also suffered from a fracture of the right tibial bone.
    P1 Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK)
    “It was a fantastic race; I want to thank my team because they gave me a great bike. I felt good from Lap 1. We’ve been working all day yesterday with our rhythm to understand all the tyres available to us. I want to thank them because we made a good decision together. I set my rhythm at the start and managed the race in a good way. It was my first proper long race win of the season and I want to dedicate it to all the fans who aren’t here, especially everybody from back home, normally Portugal is full of my fans but I see your messages on Facebook and Instagram and it really gives me a lot of power after last week so this one is for you.”

    P2 Toprak Razgatlioglu (PATA YAMAHA WorldSBK Official Team)
    “We tried for a win today, but it wasn’t possible as Jonny was so fast. I tried for a good position, I followed Jonny for maybe four or five laps but after that, he went. I started sliding too much, so finished in the second position. I’m happy and tomorrow we try a different setup for a better position.”

    P3 Michael van der Mark (PATA YAMAHA WorldSBK Official Team)
    “I’m really happy with this podium. If I look back at the race, I was really comfortable with the bike. My bike went in neutral, so I went off track, and I had some moments at Turn 9 so it wasn’t easy. I’m happy to get back on the podium, and it’s great to have Toprak on the podium as well. I think we just need to make some small changes on the bike for tomorrow, especially when it’s warm, but I’m happy with this podium and it feels great to see some fans around the track again.”
    #PRTWorldSBK at Autódromo Internacional do Algarve – Race 1.
     
    1. Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK)
    2. Toprak Razgatlioglu (PATA YAMAHA WorldSBK Team) +5.142
    3. Michael van der Mark (PATA YAMAHA WorldSBK Team) +7.029
    4. Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) +9.851
    5. Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Team GOELEVEN) +10.705
    6. Loris Baz (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) +12.226
  • Callum Ilott takes a facile win, snatches F2 lead

    Callum Ilott takes a facile win, snatches F2 lead

    Silverstone, 8 August 2020: UNI-Virtuosi’s Callum Ilott put the frustrations of Round 4 behind him to control the Formula 2 Feature Race from start to finish, and emphatically snatch the Championship lead from his fellow Ferrari junior Robert Shwartzman on home soil at Silverstone.

    The Briton’s day got off to a flyer as he thundered off the line when the lights went out, but arguably, the key to his victory was tyre management. Ilott finished nearly 9s ahead of Christian Lundgaard, whose visibly degraded Pirellis prevented him from mounting any form of serious assault on P1.

    The top three remained unchanged from Qualifying, as Jack Aitken secured his first podium of the season at his home race in third.

    Shwartzman managed to make up three places from 11th, but it wasn’t enough to retain his grip on the Drivers’ Championship. The PREMA racer will have an opportunity to make up some ground in the title race from reverse grid pole in the Sprint Race tomorrow.

    AS IT HAPPENED

    Last weekend, Ilott had stalled from second ahead of the formation lap, but there was no sign of something similar from pole in Round 5. The UNI-Virtuosi racer enjoyed a dream getaway from first, peeling away from the pack cleanly into the first corner.

    The Briton’s cause was helped by compatriot Dan Ticktum, who stole the attention of front row starter Lundgaard, darting down the right from fourth and ahead of the Dane for P2.

    All of Ticktum’s hard work was undone four laps later, as he skidded off the road at Chapel to allow Lundgaard back past, and then went wide at Stowe to allow Aitken ahead too.

    Mick Schumacher had vaulted off the line himself and watched gleefully as Ticktum fell into his clutches. The German went side-by-side with the DAMS driver into Turns 3 and 4, and eventually edged past in a protracted, but hard-fought move. Nikita Mazepin immediately followed the PREMA through, to drop Ticktum to sixth.

    The majority of those who started on the softs changed on Lap 7, including Lundgaard from P2, but Ilott opted to wait and switch to the hard Pirellis a lap later.

    His decision proved well-founded, as he maintained his position ahead of Lundgaard on his return from the pitlane, top of the drivers on the option-prime strategy. This handed Schumacher the lead ahead of Mazepin, both on the alternate strategy.

    Ilott was wary of putting too much pressure on the hard tyres on their maiden laps, but did manage to fight past Artem Markelov for P9 and put some breathing space between himself and Lundgaard.

    The Briton got the tyres up to temperature and felt comfortable enough to fling himself ahead of Giuliano Alesi and Roy Nissany too. Lundgaard was already sporting visible blisters on his front left and complained to his team on the radio that the hard tyres were struggling as he got stuck behind Alesi, in a train with Aitken and Delétraz.

    Schumacher pitted from first on Lap 21 and returned in P12 behind Ticktum. The German took a couple of laps to warm up his tyres, but once he had, wasted no time in reclaiming the position from the DAMS driver.

    Mazepin went in for his change on Lap 22 and returned the race lead to Ilott, who had made the most of the traffic between him and Lundgaard to build up a mega 8s advantage.

    When the Russian returned, he slotted into P8 behind Schumacher, but was revelling in his decision to pit later than the German and used the fresher rubber to fire ahead of both Schumacher, and Yuki Tsunoda, for fifth. He’d follow this up with a last gasp dash past Delétraz on the final lap.

    Little else changed on the final lap, as Ilott calmly claimed his second win of the season ahead of Lundgaard. The Dane managed to cling onto second ahead of Aitken, who scored his first podium of 2020. Mazepin ran home fourth, ahead of Delétraz, Tsunoda, Schumacher and Shwartzman. Guanyu Zhou and Felipe Drugovich completed the top ten.

    Ilott moves into first place in the Drivers’ Championship for the first time since Round 2, on 102 points. Lundgaard also makes up a place to second, 15 points behind the UNI-Virtuosi racer. Shwartzman drops to third on 85, ahead of Mazepin and Ticktum.

    In the Teams’ Championship, UNI-Virtuosi strengthen their lead at the top on 157 points, ahead of PREMA on 132 and ART Grand Prix on 121. Hitech Grand Prix are fourth, ahead of Carlin.

    KEY QUOTE – CALLUM ILOTT (UNI-VIRTUOSI)

    “It is great to come away with the win. It was quite a long race, I have to say, but I did everything right and I got the start right.

    “I had to extend the first stint because of where we are in the pitlane, otherwise I probably would have missed out on a couple seconds, because I’d have had to let some cars by. It worked out well in the end and I extended the gap a little bit to Christian.

    “From there, I just kept it going and kept it on track. It wasn’t easy, the wind was in a different direction to how it has been this week and how it had been last week, which made it very twitchy through the high-speed sections.

    “I feel really good to get the win. I should have done it last week, but it couldn’t have gone any better this week. I’m really happy, and a great job from the team.”

  • Bottas takes pole ahead of Hamilton; Hulkenberg P3

    Bottas takes pole ahead of Hamilton; Hulkenberg P3

    Mercedes’ Valtteri Bottas beat Lewis Hamilton to take pole position for Formula 1:s 70th Anniversary Grand Prix, as Nico Hulkenberg took to third for Racing Point in his just his second weekend back in the sport. 

    Hamilton led the way ahead of the final runs of Q1, with the Briton setting the pace with a lap of 1:26.818, set on soft tyres. That left him just under two tenths of a second ahead of team-mate Valtteri Bottas, with Red Bull’s Max Verstappen in third thanks to a lap of 1:27.154. 

    The Dutch driver’s team-mate, Alex Albon, was finding thew going tougher though and after a mistake on his opening run he went into the final runs in P16, in the drop zone ahead of Haas’ Kevin Magnussen, the Alfa Romeos of Kimi Räikkönen and the Williams of Nicholas Latifi. 

    However, on his final flying lap the Red Bull driver he set a good time of 1:27.153 to rise to P3, 0.001s ahead of fourth-placed Verstappen. At the top of the order, Bottas took over in P1 ahead of Hamilton with a lap of 1:26.738. 

    Further back, AlphaTauri’s Dany Kvyat had his final lap deleted for exceeding track limits and that put him 15thin the closing moments. And when Renault’s Esteban Ocon improved to P8 with his final lap, Kvyat was eliminated in P16 ahead of Haas’ Kevin Magnussen, Williams’ Nicholas Latifi and the Alfa Romeos of Antonio Giovinazzi and Kimi Räikkönen. 

    In Q2 most drivers went out on medium tyres, except Williams’ George Russell, who stuck with softs, and Verstappen who chose the more radical option of hard compound Pirellis. 

    Bottas set the pace with a lap of 1:25.785 ahead of Hamilton and Renault’s Daniel Ricciardo who was enjoying a good session. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc was fourth and Verstappen slotted into fifth place. 

    At the end of the middle segment 11th-placed Ocon exited the session along with Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel, McLaren’s Carlos Sainz, Haas’ Romain Grosjean and Williams driver Russell. Ocon was later hit with a three-place grid penalty for impeding Russell in Q1. 

    In the final runs of Q3, Hamilton set the early pace with a time of 1:25.284 with Bottas second ahead of Ricciardo and Hulkenberg. Verstappen and Albon on mediums, took P5 and P6 respectively ahead of Leclerc, Stroll, Gasly and Norris. 

    Hamilton made an improvement in the final run, finding around six hundredths of a second. But Bottas was able to find more and he took pole position with a lap of 1:25.514. 

    Behind the Mercedes pair it might have been expected that Verstappen, now on soft tyres, would take third and though he improved by 0.256s to a time of 1:26.176 it wasn’t good enough to beat surprise package Hulkenberg who went just under a tenth quicker to claim third place in just his second weekend in the Racing Point. 

    Behind the top four Ricciardo took fifth place ahead of the second Racing Point of Stroll. Pierre Gasly scored an excellent seventh place for AlphaTauri with Leclerc eighth for Ferrari. Alex took ninth place with a time of 1:26.669 and he’ll start alongside 10th-placed Lando Norris. 

    2020 FIA Formula 1 70thAnniversary Grand Prix – Qualifying 
    1 Valtteri Bottas Mercedes 1:25.154 6 249.049
    2 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1:25.217 0.063 6 248.865
    3 Nico Hülkenberg Racing Point/Mercedes 1:26.082 0.928 6 246.365
    4 Max Verstappen Red Bull/Honda 1:26.176 1.022 6 246.096
    5 Daniel Ricciardo Renault 1:26.297 1.143 6 245.751
    6 Lance Stroll Racing Point/Mercedes 1:26.428 1.274 6 245.378
    7 Pierre Gasly AlphaTauri/Honda 1:26.534 1.380 6 245.078
    8 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 1:26.614 1.460 6 244.851
    9 Alexander Albon Red Bull/Honda 1:26.669 1.515 6 244.696
    10 Lando Norris McLaren/Renault 1:26.778 1.624 6 244.389
    11 Esteban Ocon Renault 1:27.011 1.226 6 243.734
    12 Sebastian Vettel Ferrari 1:27.078 1.293 6 243.547
    13 Carlos Sainz McLaren/Renault 1:27.083 1.298 6 243.533
    14 Romain Grosjean Haas/Ferrari 1:27.254 1.469 7 243.055
    15 George Russell Williams/Mercedes 1:27.455 1.670 3 242.497
    16 Daniil Kvyat AlphaTauri/Honda 1:27.882 1.144 6 241.319
    17 Kevin Magnussen Haas/Ferrari 1:28.236 1.498 9 240.350
    18 Nicholas Latifi Williams/Mercedes 1:28.430 1.692 6 239.823
    19 Antonio Giovinazzi Alfa Romeo/Ferrari 1:28.433 1.695 6 239.815
    20 Kimi Räikkönen Alfa Romeo/Ferrari 1:28.493 1.755 6 239.652

  • I will keep the car where it deserves to be: Nico Hulkenberg

    I will keep the car where it deserves to be: Nico Hulkenberg

    DRIVERS

    1 – Valtteri BOTTAS (Mercedes)

    2 – Lewis HAMILTON (Mercedes)

    3 – Nico HÜLKENBERG (Racing Point)

    TRACK INTERVIEWS

    (Conducted by Paul Di Resta) 

    Q: Valtteri, that was a pretty epic lap – right at the end. I was watching the sectors all the way through and you nipped it right in the last sector. What does that feel like?

    Valtteri BOTTAS: Yeah, it feels good. I just love qualifyings and especially when it goes well it’s a good feeling. Really nice to get everything out of myself and out of the car. I thin set-up-wise we made good steps from last weekend and that’s why I think the qualifying performance from me was better today then last weekend. Really pleased with that and proud to drive this amazing car, it’s so quick.

    Q: It’s been a pretty good week – new contract from Mercedes to continue on from after the difficult race you had last week. How has that changes you mentally? Do you think you have come out of stronger because you’ve got that stability and the championship goes on?  

    VB: Well, of course mentally, when you’re starting from the pole, you can only aim to win the race and obviously the starting point is good. I think the race pace is good. The first job is to get a good start off the line, as I had last weekend, and go from there. But the mentality is to try to win it.

    Q: Lewis, it was a pretty close battle with Valtteri. Obviously he just nipped it at the end. Your first lap was very good and your second just improved. What can you say about it? 

    Lewis HAMILTON: I wasn’t that great! Valtteri did a good job and deserved the pole I guess; for me it just wasn’t a perfect last lap.

    Q: Obviously ahead tomorrow. It was difficult to do a one-stop last week, do you feel it’s going to be harder tomorrow with the softer compounds or do you think because you’ve that experience you can manage it differently?

    LH: I don’t think many people will be managing with a softer… I was already managing last weekend and the tyre didn’t make it to the end. It’s highly unlikely I think many people will do a one-stop tomorrow.

    Q: Nico, it’s been some kind of course in the last 10 days but quite a special feeling to be standing there. Only second grand prix in, only drafted in at the last minute – tell us?

    Nico HÜLKENBERG: Yeah, crazy last week, or seven or eight days or whatever it is now. Obviously last week a big high to come back and then the low on Sunday, so very extreme. This weekend I felt much better in the car, much more prepared. Quali was still tricky. In Q2 I made life hard for myself a but and I was scared that I had damaged the car and then Q3, was just head down, full beans, whatever I had. I’m a bit surprised to be honest to stand here but obviously big smile on my face but obviously a lot of respect for the race tomorrow.

    Q: You’ve got a difficult day tomorrow. Obviously fitness is going to a key thing, because preparing for a race is always a hard thing. You didn’t get a chance last week. What can you expect?

    NH: Yeah, that’s definitely going to hurt tomorrow, not having last week’s experience, not having gone through motions there with the start and everything, because it’s still new with this car. But we’ll do what we can. I’ll try to learn fast and to keep the car where it deserves to be.

    Q: And from a marketing point of view, that’s put you back on the list to speak some teams for next year?

    NH: Well, it’s only Saturday. It’s always Sunday that always matters the most, but it’s one of those nice little highlights but you know it’s no time to cheer yet, because tomorrow is the big day.

    PRESS CONFERENCE

    Q: Valtteri, great lap at the end, just six one hundredths of a second faster than your team-mate. Where did you find the time on that final lap? 

    VB: Thanks. Very good feeling to be on pole. I love the qualifying and especially here in Silverstone. It’s pretty good fun. The feeling was from the practice sessions that the medium could be even faster than the soft tyre so that’s why in Q2, when we had both compounds, I knew that there would be still good opportunities to improve on the second run and yeah, the first run was OK, but I knew there was a bit missing and I could find more. There was no one key place, it was just about getting a nice clean lap and putting sectors together. It was a good lap, no doubt, so good feeling.

    Q: And looking ahead to tomorrow’s race, can you give us any thoughts on strategy?

    VB: To be honest I think one stop could be quite difficult here with the compounds we have here this weekend. So I think things are going to be a bit different than last weekend in terms of strategy. I’m sure the guys will be looking at all the options overnight and obviously myself the expectation tomorrow, there’s nothing more than to win the race when you start from pole.

    Q: Lewis, coming to you, this is the 67th front-row lockout for Mercedes, but the roles are reversed from last weekend between you and Valtteri. How was your car at the end of the session?

    LH: It was good. Valtteri did a fantastic job today; he was just too quick for me. The first lap in qualifying was fairly decent and the last one wasn’t spectacular. Ultimately he did a better job, so I’m happy though for the team to have a 1-2 and to see another great result for Racing Point.

    Q: Let’s move on to Racing Point. What a statement of intent from you, Nico. Tell us how good that lap was at the end and also how much more comfortable you feel in the team and in the car from last week.

    NH: Yeah, much more. Obviously last weekend was really extreme – Formula 1 comeback within 10 hours, just getting back in the paddock without any preparation 10 minutes before a session was challenging to say the least. But good fun at the same time. But this week I had all these days to digest the feelings of the car and I felt much better prepared  for this weekend and he lap in quali was good. In Q2 I made life a bit hard myself, going off in the first run. In Q3 I didn’t think much. I was just giving it everything, trying to squeeze everything out of the car and the tyres and myself, which is also a challenge this weekend and yeah, quite happy to be here.

    Q: What were you expectations coming in?

    NH: This weekend?

    Q: This session? Did you think P3 was on?

    NH: No, I didn’t. I think we always had good one-lap pace this weekend. I was pretty confident we could make it into the top 10. To be third, couldn’t really expect that and didn’t really expect that to be honest. Of course a bit of a surprise but for today a nice one to take.

    VIDEO CONFERENCE

    Q: (Christian Menath – motorsport-magazin.com) Question for Nico. First of all, congratulations. As you’ve mentioned, you’re much better prepared this weekend but something that’s still missing is a race simulation – a proper race simulation – because you didn’t have it last weekend. How were your long runs yesterday? Do you still have to learn the tyres or do you already know them from last year? And also, the Racing Point didn’t look like the best car on race pace the whole season so far – but could the softer tyre choice help you because you have to do two stops?

    NH: The long runs yesterday were quite good. I felt comfortable in the car and, I think, better than last week. I think the team found some good things and made some improvements there in terms of race pace, so that should hopefully help. Tyres is the least of my worries because I think they’re still pretty similar to the last few years and kind of know what to expect – but everything else is obviously going to be new and kind of the first time, so that side is obviously more exciting and a bit more difficult.

    Q: (Scott Mitchell – The Race) Question to the two Mercedes drivers. Last weekend when Red Bull were so far off the pace, they admitted they didn’t have an answer to the way you were able to step it up through the weekend. Can you just talk a little bit about the progress you are able to make through qualifying. Do you have extra engine modes you can go to in Q2 and Q3 or is it just natural evolution in the track and yourselves?

    VB: I think, of course from last weekend to this week we’ve been just really working on everything that we can improve with the car, and also for us, me and Lewis, driving-wise, we’ve been trying to find more. I think we’ve been able to in terms of set-up and – at least for me, driving-wise – find a bit more. The same process goes throughout the weekend. So I think we’ve been able to go in the right direction from the beginning of this weekend until the qualifying and in the qualifying session, obviously car set-up-wise there’s not much you can do. There’s obviously tyre temperatures that we are run-by-run learning more and then we tried to nail it in Q3 when it comes to out-laps and all that. And the same with the engine. We know that with the quick car we have, we don’t necessarily have to use the highest engine modes in Q1 and, of course, if we can save the engine, we save it and yeah, obviously towards the end of the quali, we are going to be running the full power, so for sure there is a lap-time difference as well but I think also us drivers, we’re learning throughout the session and the tyre and out-lap performance is pretty important and that improved a lot during the qualifying as well.

    Lewis?

    LH: I haven’t got anything to add. I think Valtteri answered it pretty well.

    Q: (Luke Smith – Autosport) Question to Nico, congratulations on a brilliant result. A lot of fans out there are very excited about you returning this weekend and perhaps breaking that long-awaited podium drought. How special, remarkable, crazy would it be if were to do that tomorrow and finally get that monkey off your back and get a podium?

    NH: Yeah, I knew this was going to come up now, obviously. To be honest, it’s very challenging and difficult circumstances but I know I have a fast car beneath me. So it’s just trying to make sure to do everything right. Obviously it’s starting lap one. It’s going to be also new for me but I think I’ll just try to get it right with all the experience that I have and then we’ll race. Obviously a couple of races behind the other guys but I still remember what it feels like. Just try not to think too much, keep my head down and have a good race tomorrow.

    Q: (Alex Kalinauckas – Autosport) Question to both Mercedes drivers please. Could you explain the thinking behind the run plan in Q3. Was it a case of going out, getting a banker lap on the Softs and then switching, both of you, to the Mediums or did the team allow you individually to chose what to do – and what was the reason behind the switch in the middle of that session? Thank you.

    LH: I think we decided as a team. We both, Valtteri and I, agreed that the Medium tyre was better, so that’s why we saved it for the end.

    Valtteri, anything to add?

    VB: Yeah, like I said, we saw in practice that there’s not much in it. When it came down to the decisions, we decided the Medium was most likely going to be the faster. That’s why we saved it to the end, because normally at the end of the session the track is the fastest, so wanted to maximise everything.

    Q: (Edd Straw – The Race) Question for Valtteri please. Can you just run through a little bit the process of what you went through since last week to find the car improvements? Roughly, what have you done, what characteristics have you dialled in or dialled out that have allowed you to do this today?

    VB: Of course I can’t go too much into set-up details but we’ve been able to improve the car set-up, I think, for me. I think I had a slight deficit last weekend in qualifying, just in terms of the direction I went during last weekend. I don’t think it was a bad race car but I hope now it’s optimised for both. Always between the races we analyse everything from the race weekend set-up, from my driving in qualifying and in the race and I try to be better. At least today I managed to do some things better than I did last weekend. It is a pretty standard process, to be honest. I don’t want to go into details of the set-up, just I feel better in qualifying today than a week ago.

    Valtteri, have you been on the simulator this week back at the factory?

    VB: Yes, I have.

    Q: (Scott Mitchell – The Race) Nico, on the mental and physical challenges of coming back into F1 over the last eight days; mentally, how different have you found it going into these weekends, I guess with less pressure a fulltime driver because maybe expectations are a little bit lower? And physically, how did you feel last week and yesterday on the longer runs, and how do you expect your neck to hold up tomorrow?

    NH: Yeah, I think you’re quite right. Obviously I’m just here as a temporary guest so naturally expectations are a bit different and I’m just going with the flow, especially last week, obviously, you couldn’t expect too much. But emotionally, obviously, the high coming back on Friday and then Sunday the big low not being able to make it to the race and now, back here, so yeah, it’s been a pretty wild week in a positive way. Physically, yeah, it’s been tough, these G-forces. These cars are brutally fast and the change of direction and the peak G is pretty impressive. No gym in the world and no training can really prepare you for that so… I definitely feel it. I’m going to get biggest tape that I have on tomorrow but I think I will survive somehow.

    Q: (Giles Richards – The Guardian) Nico, after all the criticism Racing Point have had over the last few days and the punishment they’ve received, does this result for you feel like vindication for the team and the car they built, and the fact that they are still allowed to continue to race it?

    NH: Well, that’s one side I have not totally kept up with and it’s not really my cup of tea or my problem at the moment. Obviously that’s team management that are dealing with that so I don’t really have anything to say about that.

    Q: (Alex Kalinauckas – Autosport) A question, again, back to the Mercedes drivers: Max Verstappen will be starting the race from fourth place on the hard tyre; how is that compound in terms of the base? Is it a better race tyre and if so, does that give him an advantage over you guys earlier in the race?

    VB: Yes, the hard this weekend is obviously the same tyre as the medium last weekend. I think it’s a good race tyre. For sure, it can go longer than the compound everyone else is pretty much starting on in the top ten, so obviously there is a small deficit at the race start itself but then it’s a bit more robust, less overheating, more durable. I think everyone learned quite a lot about that tyre already last weekend. I think we have two new sets of hards.

    Q: Were you tempted to try and get through on the hard?

    VB: Not really, no. That was not in – at least, didn’t come into my ears in the discussions. I hope we made the right choice. Obviously we managed to get the front row, so that’s always good.

    Q: Lewis, what’s your take on the hard tyre, Max being on the hard tyre tomorrow?

    LH: I think it could be good. Gives a bit of a difference, it will make it more interesting. We’re not doing it this weekend, last weekend. It will be interesting.

    Q: (Christian Menath – Motorsport-magazin.com) Nico, do you think you have a realistic chance to keep Max behind you tomorrow?

    NH: Whilst I would like to say yes, obviously that’s going to be very tough and challenging given all the circumstances but you never know. I feel the car is decent and this weekend it’s just – since last week – finding my feet with the car but I’m much more connected with it. But I think it’s very tough to answer and obviously speculative but for me it’s not really about that, it’s about getting a good race in and hopefully taking some points home for the team.

    Q: Can we get your thoughts about Max being on the hard tyre at the start?

    NH: Yeah, I think the harder compounds, they have been performing pretty well here so we will definitely, I think… not a bad option for him, I feel. It could play out well for him at the end of the day if he doesn’t miss the train.

    Q: (Edd Straw – The Race) Lewis, you’ve spoken a few times in the past at the frustration when sometimes other drivers can learn from your tricks and your data etc and in more recent times you’ve spoken how that keeps driving you to continue, but it seems this is a case were obviously Valtteri’s been able to put the effort in, do his homework, learn from everything he did and you did last weekend and find more gains, whereas you’re probably closer to the – last weekend, obviously you were closer to the ultimate ceiling. Although Valtteri’s done a great job, is there a little bit of you that’s thinking it’s part of the… your advantage being eroded by that whole process and the fact that you can’t keep some of that to yourself in competition?

    LH: No. At the end of the day, we driver, we go out and we continue to push. I was in the sim too, although we weren’t particularly working on this race but no, I improved this weekend also so Valtteri just did a better job right at the end. I don’t feel any way about it. Still got a long race tomorrow and I will bring everything I can to try and beat this guy.

    Ends

  • Zarco takes a stunning pole position to lead French 1-2 in Czechia

    Zarco takes a stunning pole position to lead French 1-2 in Czechia

    Many expected Brno may bring a shake up, but few could have expected the stunning and unpredictable qualifying sessions at the Monster Energy Grand Prix České republiky. It’s Johann Zarco (Esponsorama Racing) who will start from pole as the Frenchman pulled an incredible three tenths clear in Q2, with Fabio Quartararo (Petronas Yamaha SRT) crashing out on his final lap and forced to settle for second. Franco Morbidelli (Petronas Yamaha SRT) completes the front row just eight thousandths off his teammate, with some serious headlines further down the field too…

    2018 winner and last year’s second place finisher, Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) starts 18th after his worst ever premier class qualifying. KTM are the only factory team with both riders on the first three rows. Repsol Honda are the two last bikes on the grid with Stefan Bradl and Alex Marquez. Jack Miller (Pramac Racing) didn’t make it out of Q1. Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) makes it another Independent Team 1-2-3-4, as it was on Friday, as he equalled Aprilia’s best qualifying in MotoGP™…

    It began in Q1 as we saw a host of big names from the front in Jerez fighting it out to even move through, setting the scene for the next shake up of the day. There was some late drama on the timing screens too as on the last lap for many, it looked like it would be a one shot wonder from Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) sending him through first, to be closely followed by Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu)… but then the Japanese rider’s lap disappeared. Cancelled for exceeding track limits at Turn 12, that left him out the graduation zone and boosted Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) into second. No one could better the South African’s effort, and he moved through alongside Rins. Leaving Dovizioso, Miller, Nakagami and Friday’s third fastest man, Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Tech 3), out the fight for the top 12.

    Come Q2, it was was Maverick Viñales (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) who crossed the line first with a 1:56.6, with teammate Valentino Rossi pretty much matching the Spaniard’s time to slot into P2, pipping Morbidelli. Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Pol Espargaro then blitzed the lot of them to go provisional P1 with a 1:56.1 as the Austrian factory continued to shine, but the KTM wouldn’t stay at the summit long as Quartararo hit next to set the first 1:55 of the weekend – a 1:55.990. He didn’t know it at the time, but that would remain his quickest effort.

    Aleix Espargaro was giving the Championship leader some attention too, and the Spaniard had Quartararo a couple of bike lengths ahead, made the most of it and improved despite the Frenchman not quite managing to do so. Viñales then took a provisional front row before Rins went P6 on his opening fast lap, but a gaggle of riders were all setting red first sector times just ahead of the Suzuki. Morbidelli, Rossi, Binder and Zarco were all in close proximity, with the latter going faster than everyone. Halfway round, Morbidelli – spearheading the group – was under his teammates’ time by two tenths, but it was the Frenchman at the back of the group who had a stunning three tenths in his pocket. Would he hold onto it?

    He would. Zarco flew to the top of the pile for an incredible provisional pole position, with Pol Espargaro going P2 with a stunning lap for the Spaniard as well. The number 44’s joy was shorter lived, however, as the KTM rider had set it when passing yellow flags for a crash for Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda Castrol) at Turn 9. There was one man left to try and overcome Zarco’s incredible laptime, with Quartararo the last man over the line for his final push and only seconds to spare.

    The number 20 was on a personal best lap but still down on Zarco by over a tenth half way round, needing to find something in the final quarter of the lap. He pushed and kept pushing but this time too far, sliding into the gravel at Turn 13 and kissing goodbye to a fifth pole in a row – rider ok and Zarco left to his stunning pole position for the Czech GP.

    ‘El Diablo’ is still starting second ahead of Morbidelli, with Aleix Espargaro heading up Row 2. Maverick Viñales is fifth and the first factory rider on the grid, with Pol Espargaro taking P6 and a second row start despite the heartbreak of seeing his earlier, faster lap cancelled.

    Brad Binder impressed as ever with a P7 in Q2, the South African ensuring KTM are the only factory with both factory team riders on the first three rows. The rookie is joined on that third row by Danilo Petrucci (Ducati Team), a direct entrant to Q2, and a quiet but solid day’s work from Team Suzuki Ecstar’s Joan Mir in P9.

    Rossi completes the top ten and lost out to Mir by only 0.003, although ‘The Doctor’ got the better of Alex Rins by half a tenth as the number 42 Suzuki took eleventh. Crutchlow, despite his heroics to move through on Saturday, was left in P12 after his crash. Oliveira, Miller and Rabat complete the fastest fifteen.

    That’s it from a shaken, stirred and stunning Saturday of action at Brno. Can Dovizioso and Miller make their way through the field? What can Zarco do on Sunday? Will Quartararo make it three-in-a-row? With less race day drama, what can KTM achieve? And who has the race pace to go the distance?  Find out on Sunday at 14:00 (GMT +2) as the premier class go racing at the Automotodrom Brno.
    MotoGP: Top-3
    1 Johann Zarco* – Esponsorama Racing – Ducati – 1:55.687
    2 Fabio Quartararo* – Petronas Yamaha SRT – Yamaha – +0.303
    3 Franco Morbidelli* – Petronas Yamaha SRT – Yamaha – +0.311
    *Independent Team riders
    Johann Zarco: “I still cannot believe that I’m on pole and I did it, it’s just fantastic. I  was feeling good on Friday and Saturday on the new tyre, I was able to do a pretty fast first lap and that was already positive to go straight to Q2. Because I’m on the way back, learning many things. I need to improve because the others improved a lot in the last two years. But in qualifying, on the first tyre I wasn’t that fast and I was a bit worried because it was warm, sliding more than the morning, but I was keeping calm. I was following a group in front of me and that way I could control my lap. And then I w s surprised at this super good laptime. So let’s take the good from now and see tomorrow with a good start if we can stay with the top guys at the beginning, this will be really important to have a good race.”
  • Razgatlioglu tops opening day of WorldSBK

    Razgatlioglu tops opening day of WorldSBK

    Portimao, 7 August 2020: MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship action continued into the afternoon at the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve with Toprak Razgatlioglu (PATA YAMAHA WorldSBK Official Team) setting the pace for the day; his time from the opening practice session, the fastest of the day by around four-tenths of a second ahead of the Motul Portuguese Round.

    Razgatlioglu’s time of 1’42.103 set in Free Practice 1 was enough to set the pace for the day as he topped the day’s running, ahead of Loris Baz (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha). Baz was able to top Free Practice 2 as the top Independent rider; his time of 1’42.522 being four tenths off Razgatlioglu’s time from the morning. Razgatlioglu’s teammate, Michael van der Mark, ended the day sixth fastest overall.

    Third fastest was reigning Champion Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) as he made it two manufacturers in the top three, Rea missing out on second place for the day by just 0.045s to French rider Baz. Rea’s Kawasaki teammate, Alex Lowes, finished in eighth place overall, the first rider to have a fastest time not in the 1’42s bracket.

    Michael Ruben Rinaldi’s impressive form continued as he finished fourth for the day, following on from his fourth-place finish at Jerez. The Italian rider was just 0.017s away from matching the time of five-time Champion Rea; Rinaldi continuing to show his rapid pace by being classified as the fastest Ducati rider. Scott Redding (ARUBA.IT Racing – Ducati) was the lead factory Ducati rider in fifth place, with his teammate, Chaz Davies, ending the day in 12th.

    In seventh was Tom Sykes (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) as he lapped around six tenths slower than Razgatlioglu’s pace setting time. He was around four tenths quicker than Eugene Laverty (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) as the duo continue to battle it out for the one remaining BMW seat for 2021.

    Alvaro Bautista (Team HRC) was the lead Honda rider on Friday as he finished the day in ninth place, around one tenth ahead of teammate Leon Haslam. Bautista had a crash at Turn 5 during Free Practice 2 but he was able to remount his Honda and continue lapping the Portimao circuit as Free Practice 2 continued.

    Garrett Gerloff (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Junior Team) was 12th overall for the day aboard his Yamaha YZF R1 with him and teammate Federico Caricasulo completing the most laps of anyone for the day – with American rider Gerloff completing 42 and Caricasulo 45. The pair were separated by Sandro Cortese (OUTDO Kawasaki TPR), Leandro ‘Tati’ Mercado (Motocorsa Racing) and Xavi Fores (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing).

    Maximilian Scheib (ORELAC Racing VerdNatura) finished the day in 18th place onboard his Kawasaki ZX-10RR, finishing around 0.030s faster than Marco Melandri (Barni Racing Team) as the Italian continued his WorldSBK comeback. Sylvain Barrier (Brixx Performance) was 20th in the combined classification, ahead of Takumi Takahashi (MIE Racing Althea Honda Team), wildcard Christophe Ponsson (Nuova M2 Racing) and Lorenzo Gabellini (MIE Racing Althea Honda Team).

    #PRTWorldSBK at Autódromo Internacional do Algarve – Friday.

    1. Toprak Razgatlioglu (PATA YAMAHA WorldSBK Official Team)
    2. Loris Baz (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) +0.405
    3. Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) +0.440
    4. Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Team GOELEVEN) +0.457
    5. Scott Redding (Aruba.IT Racing – Ducati) +0.550
    6. Michael van der Mark (PATA YAMAHA WorldSBK Official Team) +0.619