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  • Taylor Gill tops Rally de Portugal; claims back-to-back FIA Junior WRC victories

    Taylor Gill tops Rally de Portugal; claims back-to-back FIA Junior WRC victories

    Taylor Gill kept his cool on Sunday to claim back-to-back FIA Junior WRC victories and draw level with Mille Johansson in the championship standings, topping the leaderboard at Vodafone Rally de Portugal after a measured drive through the final leg.

    Portugal, 18 May 2025: The Australian, co-driven by Daniel Brkíc, maintained a calm and consistent approach throughout Sunday’s six-stage final leg – showing the same composure that had defined his entire week. Starting the day with a 45.5sec advantage, Gill managed his lead perfectly to secure victory by 13.4sec over Johansson.

    Taylor Gill: “What a tough weekend. So long and so demanding — physically and mentally. But yeah, I’m really proud of the job we did. We really came out of the box firing on Friday morning and controlled the rally from there. Big thanks to everyone who gave me this opportunity. Dan did a mega job this weekend, and there are so many people behind the scenes who contributed to this result. I’m just so happy right now.”

    Gill took control of the rally from SS2 onwards, capitalising on an early error from Johansson, who rolled on Friday morning. That incident left the Swede on the back foot for the remainder of the event.
    Despite the setback, Johansson mounted a ferocious comeback – clocking 13 fastest times across the rally. While it wasn’t enough to overhaul Gill, those stage wins proved vital. With bonus points awarded for each stage victory, the pair now sit level on 59 points apiece after round two of five.
    Türkiye’s Kerem Kazaz delivered a breakthrough performance to claim third overall. Contesting just his second Junior WRC round, the 19-year-old impressed in his M-Sport Poland Ford Fiesta Rally3, finishing almost half a minute clear of Thomas Martens.

    Martens, also in his rookie season, gained a position on the Wolf Power Stage by overtaking South African driver Max Smart. Just 4.3sec separated the duo at the finish.

    Estonian driver Joosep Nõgene completed the rally in sixth, while Eamonn Kelly bounced back from a puncture on Friday to win a stage on Sunday and finish seventh. Diego Domínguez damaged his suspension on Friday but battled through to the end in eighth.

    Despite early troubles, Ali Türkkan, Tristan Charpentier and Claire Schönborn all made it to the finish – locking out positions ninth to 11th.

    The FIA Junior WRC season continues next at EKO Acropolis Rally Greece, which takes place from 26 – 29 June.

    Provisional Rally Classification:

    1. Taylor Gill (AUS) – 4:15:07.3;

    2. Mille Johansson (SWE) – +45.5;

    3. Kerem Kazaz (TUR) – +4:11.7;

    4. Thomas Martens (BEL) – +4:40.9;

    5. Max Smart (ZAF) – +4:45.2;

    6. Joosep Nõgene (EST) – +5:53.6;

    7. Eamonn Kelly (IRL) – +10:46.3;

    8. Diego Domínguez (PRY) – +20:10.3;

    9. Ali Türkkan (TUR) – +34:12.5;

    10. Tristan Charpentier (FRA) – +1:24:15.3;

    11. Claire Schönborn (DEU) – +1:50:15.5.


    Stage Winners:

    SS1 SSS Figueira da Foz – Mille Johansson

    SS2 Mortágua 1 – Taylor Gill

    SS3 Lousã 1 – Mille Johansson

    SS4 Góis 1 – Taylor Gill

    SS5 Arganil 1 – Taylor Gill

    SS6 Lousã 2 – Diego Dominguez

    SS7 Góis 2 – Mille Johansson

    SS8 Arganil 2 – Taylor Gill

    SS9 Mortágua 2 – Interrupted

    SS10 Águeda / Sever – Mille Johansson

    SS11 Sever / Albergaria – Mille Johansson

    SS12 Vieira do Minho 1 – Taylor Gill

    SS13 Cabeceiras de Basto 1 – Taylor Gill

    SS14 Amarante 1 – Mille Johansson

    SS15 Vieira do Minho 2 – Mille Johansson

    SS16 Cabeceiras de Basto 2 – Mille Johansson
    SS17 Amarante 2 – Mille Johansson
    SS18 SSS Lousada – Mille Johansson
    SS19 Paredes 1 – Mille Johansson
    SS20 Felgueiras 1 – Eamonn Kelly
    SS21 Fafe 1 – Mille Johansson
    SS22 Paredes 2 – Taylor Gill
    SS23 Felgueiras 2 – Tristan Charpentier
    SS24 Fafe 2 – Mille Johansson

  • Bulega steals it on the line to share the spoils with Razgatlioglu: WorldSBK

    Bulega steals it on the line to share the spoils with Razgatlioglu: WorldSBK

    Most (Czech Republic), 18 May 2025: In front of a weekend attendance of over 55,000 Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) and Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) put on a show for the Czech fans at the Autodrom Most. The title contenders were separated by just 0.027s in Race 2 after a stunning 22 laps of Superbike action.

    Race 2 Highlights

    • Starting from pole position Razgatlioglu ceded the lead to Bulega who led for the first 11 laps. When the BMW took the lead at Turn 17 he was immediately attacked by Bulega into Turn 1 who proved his mettle and led for another lap before Razgatlioglu tried an unorthodox move at Turn 2
       
    • During the final laps of the race Razgatlioglu was under intense pressure from Bulega. The Italian rider was unable to attack until the very last moment. On Lap 22 he accelerated out of Turn 21 better than his rival and won the drag race to the line. It was Bulega’s eighth win of the season
       
    • Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) spent the first two third of the race behind Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) and then held his rival at bay for the second time today as they finished in third and fourth positions
       
    • Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) and Axel Bassani (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team) rounded out the top six after a race long battle that was settled in the Australian’s favour
       
    • Having started from fifth on the grid Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) was caught out by an incident with Jonathan Rea. The Yamaha rider was given a double long lap penalty for causing the crash that also saw Xavi Vierge (Honda HRC) removed from contention. Rea would go on to finish 13th

    Championship Highlights

    • Bulega leads the championship by 31 points having conceded just three points to Razgatlioglu over the course of the round
    • A hat-trick of podiums vaulted Petrucci to third in the standings. The Italian is five points ahead of Bautista
    • Ducati lead the standings by 58 points from BMW

    P1 – Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati)
    “It’s been a really up-and-down weekend. On Friday, I had a huge crash, and now we’ve finished with a victory in Race 2. It’s been an incredible weekend. We never gave up and the team improved the bike a lot throughout the weekend. The bike felt much better today and I was able to ride how I like to. I’m really happy, especially because this circuit isn’t one that suits my riding style. To get the win here after such a tough start means a lot. Now I hope to repeat this performance at Misano.”

    P2 – Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team)
    “At the beginning of the race, I was just following Nicolo. When I felt ready, I passed him and tried to do my rhythm. In the final laps, I had too much spin. It was bad on the exit of the last corner. I was losing a lot on the straight, especially compared to the Ducati. I gave more than 100% in all the races this weekend. I’m a bit angry because the bike started to cut power and I lost the win at the last corner. Still, we did a good job, so thanks to my team and all the fans.”

    P3 – Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team)
    “I really wanted to be on the podium again but it was tough because Sam was really fast. We had the same pace, but I told myself, ‘I want that podium.’ He made one small mistake and I was there to take advantage. Congratulations to him, and also to Nicolò and Toprak, because they’re doing an incredible job. I’m really happy with the work my crew is doing. It’s been a weekend of third place finishes for me but we’re in the fight, and I’m very happy.”

    Race 2 Results

    1. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati)
    2. Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) +0.027s
    3. Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) +16.276s
    4. Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) 16.452s
    5. Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) +20.703s
    6. Axel Bassani (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team) +21.774s
    Fastest lap: Toprak Razgatlioglu (BMW) – 1’30.379s

    Championship standings

    1. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) 252 points
    2. Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) 221
    3. Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) 146
    4. Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) 141
    5. Andrea Locatelli (Pata Maxus Yamaha) 127
    6. Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) 102

  • Max Verstappen takes fourth win at Imola; Oscar Piastri finishes P3 behind Norris to keep title lead

    Max Verstappen takes fourth win at Imola; Oscar Piastri finishes P3 behind Norris to keep title lead

    Imola (Italy), 18 May 2025: Max Verstappen took a superb fourth straight win in Imola, overtaking Oscar Piastri with a brilliant move at the start to take the lead and then controlling the race from the front despite a Safety Car narrowing the gap at the front. Second place went to Lando Norris who used fresher tyres to pass McLaren team-mate Piastri in the closing stages of the race. 

    When the lights went out, Piastri made the best getaway, and it looked like the Australian would comfortably hold his advantage. But as they went into Tamburello, the McLaren driver braked slightly early, Verstappen held his line on the outside and in a super move he squeezed past the McLaren to steal the lead. 

    Behind them, Mercedes’ George Russell held third ahead of Norris and Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso. Meanwhile, at the edge of the top 10, Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc was pressuring Alpine’s Pierre Gasly and when the Frenchman went wide under braking, Leclerc swept through to move into the points. 

    At the front, Verstappen began to build a gap and by lap 10 the Red Bull driver was almost two seconds clear of Piastri. Behind them Russell was coming under heavy pressure from Norris, and on lap 11, the McLaren driver barged past in the Villeneuve chicane. 

    Russell then took the decision to shed his starting Mediums and moved to the Hard tyre. Leclerc also made the switch and when Williams Carlos Sainz also pitted, it seemed to push McLaren into action and on lap 14, they brough Piastri in for the undercut. However, the Australian had a slow stop and rejoined in in P12. Verstappen chose to stay out, however, and on lap 15 he had 10 seconds in hand over Norris who also held firm. 

    Piastri began to claw his way back through the field and lap 21 the Australian was up to P8. However, he was now 33s behind Verstappen, who was looking more and more comfortable on his starting Mediums. 

    Norris made his stop for Hards on lap 29, but seconds later Haas’ Esteban Ocon pulled over and halted at the side of the track just after Tosa. The VSC was deployed and that sparked a rush towards the pit lane. Verstappen took on Hards and when the order shook out, he led Norris by 20 seconds, with Williams’ Alex Albon in third place. Meanwhile, Piastri, who made a second stop under the caution, was in fourth ahead of Racing Bulls’ Isack Hadjar and Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli. 

    On lap 46, however, Antonelli suddenly slowed and like Ocon he ground to a halt just after Tosa. This time the physical Safety Car was deployed and with his lead erased, Verstappen pitted for another set of Hard tyres. Norris mirrored the move, but Piastri stayed out, rising to second place, ahead of his team-mate. Leclerc also stayed out and took fourth ahead of Albon and Russell. 

    The Safety Car peeled off track at the end of lap 53 and Verstappen controlled the restart well to hold his lead. Behind him the McLarens squabbled for second place, and they settled the battle with Norris, on fresher tyres, muscling his way past his team-mate to take second place, Verstappen was too far ahead and after 63 laps the Dutchman crossed the line to take his fourth straight Imola win and to Red Bull’s 400th race in F1. 

    With Norris and Piastri taking the remaining podium places, fourth place went to Lewis Hamilton. The Ferrari driver made the most of new tyres after the Safety Car and passed both Albon and team-mate Leclerc to grab 10 points. Albon took fifth, passing Leclerc, who had stuck with old tyres during the SC. The Monegasque driver was left with sixth place ahead of Russell, Sainz and Hadjar, while Yuki Tsunoda took 10thplace and the final point after a pit lane start. 

    2025 FIA Formula 1 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix – Race 
    1 Max Verstappen Red Bull/Honda RBPT 63 1:31’33.199 
    2 Lando Norris McLaren/Mercedes 63 1:31’39.308 6.109
    3 Oscar Piastri McLaren/Mercedes 63 1:31’46.155 12.956
    4 Lewis Hamilton Ferrari 63 1:31’47.555 14.356
    5 Alexander Albon Williams/Mercedes 63 1:31’51.144 17.945
    6 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 63 1:31’53.973 20.774
    7 George Russell Mercedes 63 1:31’55.233 22.034
    8 Carlos Sainz Williams/Mercedes 63 1:31’56.097 22.898
    9 Isack Hadjar Racing Bulls/Honda RBPT 63 1:31’56.785 23.586
    10 Yuki Tsunoda Red Bull/Honda RBPT 63 1:31’59.645 26.446
    11 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin/Mercedes 63 1:32’00.449 27.250
    12 Nico Hülkenberg Sauber/Ferrari 63 1:32’03.495 30.296
    13 Pierre Gasly Alpine/Renault 63 1:32’04.623 31.424
    14 Liam Lawson Racing Bulls/Honda RBPT 63 1:32’05.710 32.511
    15 Lance Stroll Aston Martin/Mercedes 63 1:32’06.192 32.993
    16 Franco Colapinto Alpine/Renault 63 1:32’06.610 33.411
    17 Oliver Bearman Haas/Ferrari 63 1:32’07.007 33.808
    18 Gabriel Bortoleto Sauber/Ferrari 63 1:32’11.771 38.572
         Kimi Antonelli Mercedes 44 1:01’29.744 Retirement
         Esteban Ocon Haas/Ferrari 27 37’42.335 Retirement

  • Gill poised towards second straight FIA Junior WRC victory

    Gill poised towards second straight FIA Junior WRC victory

    Taylor Gill is poised to make it two-from-two in this year’s FIA Junior WRC, heading into the final day of Vodafone Rally de Portugal with a commanding advantage at the top of the M-Sport Poland Ford Fiesta Rally3 leaderboard.
    Porto district (Portugal), 18 May 2025: The Australian talent, already a winner at Rally Sweden, picked up right where he left off — blitzing Saturday morning’s opening stages to stretch his lead to 1min 26sec. But Gill wasn’t just fast — he was smart, too. Knowing when to push and when to protect the car, he eased off during the rockier second pass, managing his margin with composure well beyond his years.

    Championship leader Mille Johansson, who rolled on Friday, mounted a determined fightback to keep the pressure on. The Swede won five consecutive stages in the afternoon to trim Gill’s advantage to 45.5sec, but with just six stages and 72 kilometres of action left, the odds remain in Gill’s favour.

    Gill first stormed to fame in the Rally Star cup at Chennai winning the Asia Pacific championship and earned a free drive in the selections for the WRC Junior shot. And he did it. Gill has no connections to India and is not related to Gaurav Gill, a multiple INRC and Asia Pacific Rally Champion.

    Kerem Kazaz maintained third overall, over a minute behind Johansson but with a solid cushion of 1min 5.9sec over Max Smart in fourth. Smart climbed the order from sixth, gaining ground as Thomas Martens slipped to fifth and Ali Türkkan retired with a broken propshaft.

    Joosep Nõgene and Eamonn Kelly ended the day sixth and seventh respectively, with Diego Domínguez eighth following a frustrating Friday. Tristan Charpentier restarted and immediately showed pace, clocking several top-three stage times, while Claire Schönborn also returned and logged valuable mileage on her maiden gravel rally at world level.

    Adding further weight to his performance, Gill also leads the WRC3 category outright heading into Sunday. 

    Classification after SS18 (Saturday)

    Taylor Gill (AUS) – 3:22:12.8
    Mille Johansson (SWE) – +45.5
    Kerem Kazaz (TUR) – +3:09.1
    Max Smart (ZAF) – +4:15.0
    Thomas Martens (BEL) – +4:35.3
    Joosep Nõgene (EST) – +5:22.9
    Eamonn Kelly (IRL) – +6:51.6
    Diego Domínguez (PRY) – +18:54.2
    Ali Türkkan (TUR) – +33:19.1
    Tristan Charpentier (FRA) – +1:24:32.5
    Claire Schönborn (DEU) – +1:46:51.0


    Stage Winners:

    SS1 SSS Figueira da Foz – Mille JOHANSSON
    SS2 Mortágua 1 – Taylor GILL
    SS3 Lousã 1 – Mille JOHANSSON
    SS4 Góis 1 – Taylor GILL
    SS5 Arganil 1 – Taylor GILL
    SS6 Lousã 2 – Diego DOMÍNGUEZ
    SS7 Góis 2 – Mille JOHANSSON
    SS8 Arganil 2 – Taylor GILL
    SS9 Mortágua 2 – Mille JOHANSSON
    SS10 Águeda / Sever – Mille JOHANSSON
    SS11 Sever / Albergaria – Mille JOHANSSON
    SS12 Vieira do Minho 1 – TAYLOR GILL
    SS13 Cabeceiras de Basto 1 – TAYLOR GILL
    SS14 Amarante 1 – Mille JOHANSSON
    SS15 Vieira do Minho 2 – Mille JOHANSSON
    SS16 Cabeceiras de Basto 2 – Mille JOHANSSON
    SS17 Amarante 2 – Mille JOHANSSON
    SS18 SSS Lousada – Mille JOHANSSON
  • Oscar Piastri grabs pole ahead of Verstappen and Russell: Italian Grand Prix

    Oscar Piastri grabs pole ahead of Verstappen and Russell: Italian Grand Prix

    Imola (Italy), 17 May 2025: McLaren’s Oscar Piastri grabbed pole position for the 2025 FIA Formula 1 Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix just 0.034s ahead of Max Verstappen and Mercedes’ George Russell at the end of a lengthy qualifying session at Imola that was twice halted by red flags. 

    At the start of qualifying, Williams’ Alex Albon set the early pace with a time of 1:16.164 and the Thai driver was one of the few to get a time on the board before the first red flag was shown. 

    At the start of his opening flying lap, Yuki Tsunoda took too much kerb on the left side of the Villeneuve chicane and after bottoming out he spun off at high speed. His car skipped through the gravel trap, became momentarily airborne and then flipped above the barrier and hit the catch-fencing. Despite the huge amount of damage, the Red Bull Racing driver was unhurt and able to climb out of the car. 

    After a 14-minute halt to recover the Japanese driver’s cars and repair the barriers, the session resumed, and Verstappen quickly took top spot with a lap of 1:15.175. Piastri slotted into P2, three tenths of a second behind the champion. 

    In the final runs, Verstappen elected to stay in the garage as his rivals headed out, but in the end, few were able to complete their laps, as with the red flags were soon thrown for a second time. The returning Franco Colapinto put a wheel into the dirt on the exit of Tamburello and he too spun off into barriers. The Argentinian was able to climb out of his wrecked car, but the crash meant that several drivers were denied the chance to climb out of the drop zone. Liam Lawson exited in P16 followed by Sauber’s Nico Hülkenberg, the Haas pair of Esteban Ocon and Oliver Bearman and the unfortunate Tsunoda. 

    After a 26-minute delay, Piastri who set the pace in the opening runs of Q2. The Australian crossed the line in 1:15.241, two hundredths of a second clear of McLaren team-mate Lando Norris, with Verstappen in third place, 0.159s off top spot and 0.151 ahead of the fourth-placed Mercedes George Russell. 

    Verstappen and both McLaren drivers opted to head out for the final runs on used tyres. That left the way open for Williams’ Carlos Sainz to claim top spot at the end of the session with a lap of 1:15.198. Piastri took P2 ahead of Norris and Russell and Verstappen went through in fifth place.

    Behind the Dutchman, Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll, who each had a set of Medium tyres in reserve, used the yellow-banded C5 to claim sixth and seventh respectively. Their climb up the order, as well as good final flyers from Alpine’s Pierre Gasly, Racing Bulls’ Isack Hadjar and Williams’ Albon behind them, meant that both Ferrari cars were sensationally dumped out of qualifying, with Charles Leclerc out in P11 and Lewis Hamilton in P12. Also ruled out at the end were local favourite Kimi Antonelli of Mercedes in P13, followed by Sauber’s Gabriel Bortoleto and Colapinto. 

    At the start of Q3 it was Verstappen who took provisional pole. Norris was the first of the main contenders across the line and the Briton stopped the clock at 1:14.962. Piastri was next and with a purple middle sector he demoted his team-mate by 1500ths of a second. Verstappen then posted the fastest first sector to beat both with a lap of 1:14.772 setting an intriguing flurry of final flyers.

    Piastri was first out for the final runs and the Australian set a tough marker with a lap of 1:14.670. Verstappen was again quick in the first sector, but the champion wasn’t able to duplicate the pace in the middle sector and in the end Piastri claimed pole by 0.034s. 

    Behind the top two, Russell jumped to P3 in the final moments, while Norris was forced to settle for the rear of row two. Alonso, astonishingly, claimed fifth on a set of used Medium tyres, while the Williams pair of Sainz and Albon qualified in sixth and seventh ahead of Stroll, also on Mediums, Hadjar and Gasly. 

    2025 FIA Formula 1 Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix – Qualifying 
    1 Oscar Piastri McLaren/Mercedes 1’14.670 – –
    2 Max Verstappen Red Bull/Honda RBPT 1’14.704 0.034 0.046
    3 George Russell Mercedes 1’14.807 0.137 0.183
    4 Lando Norris McLaren/Mercedes 1’14.962 0.292 0.391
    5 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin/Mercedes 1’15.431 0.761 1.019
    6 Carlos Sainz Williams/Mercedes 1’15.432 0.762 1.020
    7 Alexander Albon Williams/Mercedes 1’15.473 0.803 1.075
    8 Lance Stroll Aston Martin/Mercedes 1’15.581 0.911 1.220
    9 Isack Hadjar Racing Bulls/Honda RBPT 1’15.746 1.076 1.441
    10 Pierre Gasly Alpine/Renault 1’15.787 1.117 1.496
    11 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 1’15.604 0.934 1.251
    12 Lewis Hamilton Ferrari 1’15.765 1.095 1.466
    13 Kimi Antonelli Mercedes 1’15.772 1.102 1.476
    14 Gabriel Bortoleto Sauber/Ferrari 1’16.260 1.590 2.129
    15 Franco Colapinto Alpine/Renault – – –
    16 Liam Lawson Racing Bulls/Honda RBPT 1’16.379 1.709 2.289
    17 Nico Hülkenberg Sauber/Ferrari 1’16.518 1.848 2.475
    18 Esteban Ocon Haas/Ferrari 1’16.613 1.943 2.602
    19 Oliver Bearman Haas/Ferrari 1’16.918 2.248 3.011
    20 Yuki Tsunoda Red Bull/Honda RBPT – – –

  • Toprak Razgatlioglu dominates at Autodrom Most: WorldSBK

    Toprak Razgatlioglu dominates at Autodrom Most: WorldSBK

    Most (Czech Republic), 17 May 2025: On a windy day at the Autodrom Most Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) claimed his fifth win of the season. The Turkish rider clawed five points back in the title chase against Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati).

    Race 1 Highlights

    • Starting from the middle of the front row Bulega claimed the lead on the opening lap and held Razgatlioglu at bay for the first four laps. Having attacked into Turn 1 the BMW rider then led for the remainder of the race
    • Razgatlioglu had to wait until half distance, lap 11 of 22, to open a gap of over a second and from that point onwards he controlled the gap to Bulega
    • Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) started third and rode a strong, consistent race to finish in the same position with a comfortable margin in hand to the riders behind
    • Alex Lowes (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team) finished in fourth position after a race long battle with Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team). He was beaten to the line by Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) who made a last lap move into Turn 1 to take fifth position
    • Bautista started the race from the fourth row of the grid. He dropped to 16th position at one point following a first lap tangle that left Andrea Locatelli (Pata Maxus Yamaha) and Michael van der Mark (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) out of the race. The double World Champion made steady progress throughout to salvage his fifth place finish
    • Iker Lecuona continued his strong form of late with a seventh place finish for Honda HRC.

    P1 – Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team)
    “This was a very important victory because we started the weekend really strong. I’ve really missed this feeling. The wind was very strong today so at the beginning of the race I was trying to adapt my riding style but once I found my rhythm I had a fast pace. This win means a lot. We’ve improved the bike a lot but we still need more. We have two more races tomorrow and I hope we can win again.”

    P2 – Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati)
    “I tried to fight at the beginning. But when Toprak overtook me, I could understand after just a few corners that he had something extra today. I’m happy because second place is a very good result, especially after yesterday’s crash. It wasn’t easy to finish the race so I have to be happy and proud of what we achieved, both myself and the team.”

    P3 – Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team)
    “I tried to follow my strategy and hold onto third position because Nicolo and Toprak were a bit faster. They weren’t much faster but I was taking risks to stay with them. When I saw the gap behind me was increasing I decided to manage my pace. It wasn’t easy—this track has so many direction changes, and my back and arms were really suffering. This is a great podium for my team. I’m so happy, we’re working really well together, and this result is well deserved. Let’s see what we can do tomorrow.”

    Race 1 Results

    1. Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team)
    2. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +6.015s
    3. Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) +10.230s
    4. Alex Lowes (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team) +14.814s
    5. Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +15.520s
    6. Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) +16.053s
    Fastest lap: Toprak Razgatlioglu (BMW) – 1’31.109s – new lap record

    Tissot Superpole Results

    1. Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) 1’30.397s
    2. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +0.033s
    3. Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) +0.239s.

  • Harith Noah all set to make a return at the South African Safari Rally

    Harith Noah all set to make a return at the South African Safari Rally

    Sun City, South Africa,  17 May 2025: Dakar star and celebrated motorsports rider Harith Noah is set to take part in the third round of the FIM World Rally Raid Championship (W2RC) 2025, the inaugural South African Safari Rally, here from May 18 to 24. This is his first competitive return to rally raid events after an injury-led exit at the Dakar Rally, earlier this January. Noah registered for the Rally Raid World Championship for the first time but logged no points in the first round due to his exit and the injury kept him out for the next round at Abu Dhabi.

    Noah, part of the Sherco TVS Rally Factory, had a crash during Prologue at Dakar 2025. He fractured his wrist forced him to go for immediate surgery. Now, just four months later, he’s looking forward to tackling the unforgiving South African landscape and getting back in the mix for his 2025 campaign, and can still salvage a decent position with two more rounds to go.

    “After Dakar, I needed time to recover from the injury, but everything went well and I’m back to full fitness now. This is my first race since the crash, so there are definitely some nerves, which is normal. But the South African Safari Rally is a new challenge for everyone, the route is unfamiliar territory across the board. The key is to stay calm, get used to the bike again, and take it one kilometre at a time,” said Harith Noah.

    South African Safari Rally brings the W2RC to South Africa for the very first time, promising a groundbreaking addition to the championship and offering one of the most challenging, scenic, and diverse rally routes yet. With extreme terrains and rapidly changing climates, the Safari Rally is poised to become a standout fixture on the W2RC calendar.

    The 2025 W2RC season features five rounds across three continents, pushing riders through a wide spectrum of terrains and conditions. The year kicked off with the legendary Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia, followed by the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge. Now, the championship heads into uncharted territory with the debut of the South African Safari Rally. The final two rounds will take riders to Portugal for the BP Ultimate Rally Raid in September, before culminating with the iconic Rallye du Maroc in October.

  • Top riders including Tixier, Moss and Taylor register again for ISRL Season 2

    Top riders including Tixier, Moss and Taylor register again for ISRL Season 2

    Pune, 14 May 2025: Top riders of the first season including former World Jordi Tixier, Matt Moss, Reid Taylor, Thanarat Penjan, Ben Hallgren and Thomas Ramette and many other champions are back for the Season 2 of the Indian Supercross Racing League (ISRL), the world’s first-ever franchise-based Supercross championship as a record 89 registrations were entered in just the first three weeks.

    This remarkable early response outpaces last season’s registration timeline, where the league received 85 registrations after 3 months. The swift re-registration of established riders, including international superstars and Indian talent augurs well for Indian motorsports.

    The global appeal of ISRL continues to grow, with registrations pouring in from across the Americas, Europe, Asia, and Australia. Among the star athletes returning for Season 2 are Matt Moss, Jordi Tixier, Reid Taylor, Thanarat Penjan, Ben Hallgren and Thomas Ramette. They will be joined by three major international names: Alexander Fedortsov (USA), the 2025 ‘AMA SMX Next’ National Champion, Adrien Escoffier (France), a leading contender in the FIM World Supercross Championship, and Luke Clout (Australia), and 2024 P6 World Supercross Championship. India’s own top performers- Rugved Barguje, Ikshan Shanbhag, and Sarthak Chavan, who impressed in the previous season, will also be back in action. This blend of world-class international athletes and exceptional home-grown talent sets the stage for an exhilarating second season.

    Eeshan Lokhande, Co-Founder, Indian Supercross Racing League, said, “The overwhelming response we’ve seen in just the first three weeks of Season 2 registrations highlights ISRL’s growing stature in the global motorsport arena. The swift return of all our top athletes from Season 1, along with a surge of new entries, is a powerful testament to the success and influence of our debut season. It’s a strong validation that fuels our team’s passion to take Season 2 to new heights to deliver a world-class experience for both riders and fans. We remain committed to pushing boundaries and further cementing ISRL’s status as a premier global Supercross destination.”

    Top Line from Left :- Lane Shaw – Diva Ismayana – Zidane Alnesa – Alexander Fedortsov
    2nd Line from Left :- Enzo Polias – Ben Prasit Hallgren – Reid Taylor – Brendan Sipple – Caleb Goullet
    3rd Line from Left :- Ikshan Shanbhag – Rugved Barguje – Lorenzo Camporese – Thanarat Penjan – Luke Clout – Athison Ruadero
    Bottom Line from Left :- Boris Maillard – Thomas Ramette – Maxime Desprey – Matt Moss – Jordi Tixier – Escoffier Adrien – Joan Cros. INDIAinF1.com image

    Matt Moss – “Yeah so the first season, obviously really good. I’m genuinely happy\ with how it all went. Traveling over was definitely a cultural shock at first, but in the best way possible. The people were amazing, the hospitality was top-notch, and above all, the racing was excellent. I’m looking forward to Season 2 and seeing what new additions and changes it brings. It’s exciting to see even more interest this time around, with riders coming in from the USA, France, and even more from Australia. I think the competition is going to step up—guys like Jordi and others will definitely keep us on our toes. I’m really looking forward to that and can’t wait for Season 2 to kick off.”

    Rugved Barguje – Riding on a proper Supercross track in India felt like a dream come true. I was thrilled to compete in the Asia Mix category, but unfortunately, I was dealing with a thumb injury. Still, the adrenaline rush kept me going throughout the races. Now, with Season 2 approaching, I’m fully recovered and in a much better shape to ride. This time, my goal is clear- to secure a podium finish.”

    Jordi Tixier – “Season 1 of ISRL truly exceeded my expectations, it was an outstanding experience. I genuinely enjoyed the people, the track, and the incredible energy of the fans. What stood out to me most was how passionate and dedicated the founders and team ISRL are to the sport. You could see their efforts reflected in every race, constantly evolving, improving, and listening to rider feedback. The growth from the first race in Pune to the final round in Bangalore was impressive. It’s clear they’re not just organizing an event, but building something special for the future of Supercross.”

    Brendan Sipple – “I feel blessed to have been a part of Season 1. The tracks were amazing, the racing was intense, and the fans brought unmatched energy—it was just an all-round unforgettable experience journey. The teams and the overall organization were top-notch. The people behind the scenes worked tirelessly to ensure us, as riders, had everything we needed. They made sure the tracks were dialed in and that the entire event reflected the best of Supercross motorsport history. I’m really looking forward to coming back for Season 2. I’m excited to see what’s in store, to race in new cities, and to represent teams that are passionate about growing Supercross in India. It’s amazing to witness the sport gaining momentum here, and I can’t wait to be part of it again.”

    The ISRL is set to return bigger and bolder, with Salman Khan joining as the official brand ambassador, boosting its visibility and appeal among mainstream audiences. Season 2 will run from October to December 2025, featuring multiple rounds across Indian cities and three racing categories: 450cc international, 250cc international, and 250cc India-Asia mix. Rider registration is open, with the mega auction coming soon. In partnership with FMSCI, the league continues to transform Supercross racing in India and gain momentum globally.

  • Zarco emerges victorious in history-making French GP; 1st Frenchman to win since 1954

    Zarco emerges victorious in history-making French GP; 1st Frenchman to win since 1954

    For the first time since 1954, a French MotoGP rider wins on home turf in an unbelievably dramatic Grand Prix at Le Mans
    Le Mans, 11 May 2025: Flippin’ phenomenal. A day Johann Zarco, LCR Honda Castrol and a record-breaking Michelin Grand Prix of France crowd will never forget. For the first time since 1954, 71 years ago, a French MotoGP rider wins on home turf after a wet tyre gamble from Zarco sees the #5 beat second place Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team) by nearly 20 seconds. The #93 gains important points in the title chase as both Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) and Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) fail to score points on a hugely dramatic Sunday afternoon, which saw Fermin Aldeguer (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) claim a debut MotoGP rostrum.

    A RED-FLAGGED START AS RAIN FALLS
    Tensions were at an all-time high in the lead up to lights out as light rain scattered the Le Mans circuit in the build up. Heading onto the warm up lap, with everyone on Michelin’s slick tyres, it was then abundantly clear that was the wrong tyre to be on. Polesitter Quartararo was nearly down at Turn 3 and at the end of the warm up lap, unsurprisingly, every rider peeled into pit lane and that brought out the red flags due to an excessive number of riders at pit lane exit as we then set ourselves for a quick restart procedure at the French GP. The Grand Prix was also reduced by one lap to 26, with a wet race declared – that meant riders could come in and change their bikes at any moment once we got underway.

    And there was more drama at the end of the sighting lap. More than half the grid, including Quartararo, Alex Marquez and Marc Marquez, were in while Bagnaia stayed on the grid.

    LIGHTS OUT AND IMMEDIATE DRAMA
    Eventually we were lights out and underway and as he was in the Sprint, Bagnaia was down at Turn 3 on Lap 1! Meanwhile, Quartararo led from Marc Marquez and Alex Marquez, Aldeguer was fourth as Bagnaia made it back to pit lane to jump onto his dry weather bike. The Italian was miles behind but having pitted at the end of the sighting lap, over half the grid had double Long Lap penalties to take. 

    Quartararo, having led by over a second, was the first of the front runners to dive into the Long Lap loop. Alex Marquez, Aldeguer – who had passed Marc Marquez – and Maverick Viñales (Red Bull KTM Tech3) were the next to come in, but Marc Marquez didn’t. This happened after Bagnaia had been lapped – a disaster for Pecco, who then came in for dry tyres. A decision that would prove costly again soon after. 

    HOME HEARTBREAK TO ELATION: QUARTARARO CRASHES, ZARCO LEADS
    Then, heartbreak. Quartararo was down at the final corner and so was Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) right behind the Frenchman. Gutting for the 100,000+ crowd, but back on circuit, Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) and Viñales were back in the pit lane to switch back onto wet tyres.

    Where to look? Marc and Alex were next to come in and that left Aldeguer leading the Grand Prix by over 12 seconds, but now, the rookie was clearly on the wrong tyre – and sure enough, the #54 came in on the next lap.

    Right, where were we? Well, to the delight of the French faithful, Zarco led the French Grand Prix! The #5 had stuck it out on the wet weather tyres and he was leading by seven seconds over Miguel Oliveira (Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP), the Portuguese rider had done the same as Zarco, with Marc Marquez and Alex Marquez pressing Oliveira on Lap 9 of 26.

    HOW THE FRENCH GP WAS WON
    The brothers passed a struggling Oliveira with ease and with 17 laps to go, the gap between leader Zarco and the Marquez duo was 8.5s. That grew to nine seconds with 15 laps to go, then it was 9.3s as Zarco churned out low 1:46s, with Marquez near enough matching the home hero. Alex Marquez was losing touch on the #93, but the #73 had a six second buffer to fourth place Acosta.

    With 11 laps to go, Zarco was marching towards an astonishing home Grand Prix victory. The gap had risen to 11.5s, then it was 12.4s as Zarco lapped at least a second quicker than anyone else on track. That trend continued as the advantage rose to over 14 seconds with seven laps as we witnessed two crashes – first Oliveria was down at the final corner, then Alex Marquez crashed at Turn 3. Luckily the former Championship leader remounted, and such were the gaps between a lot of riders, the Spanish GP winner re-joined the Grand Prix in P6. That off promoted Acosta to P3.

    Having got back into the race, Alex Marquez was in the gravel again and unfortunately that was his French GP done. But Gresini’s podium hopes weren’t over because Aldeguer was catching Acosta at a rapid rate of knots. With two laps left, the rookie was right on the back of Acosta and at the front, Zarco’s lead was 19 seconds. The Frenchman simply had to nurse his Honda to the chequered flag.

    Aldeguer did get Acosta but it was all eyes on the #5. One lap left Johann! And he brought it home. The roof was raised at Le Mans because for the first time since 1954, a French MotoGP rider clinched victory on home turf. Unbelievable. What a moment for Zarco, LCR Honda and the record-breaking French GP crowd. 

    Marc Marquez crossed the line 19.9s away from Zarco to collect a massive 20 points, with Aldeguer backing up his Saturday bronze medal with a debut MotoGP podium. What a weekend for the rookie.

    YOUR FRENCH GP POINTS SCORERS
    Acosta had to settle for P4 after he couldn’t live with Aldeguer’s late race pace, as Viñales handed KTM a double top five in France. Honda HRC Test Team’s Takaaki Nakagami took a magnificent P6 in his first wildcard ride for the Japanese factory, as Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse MotoGP Team) picked up his season best Sunday result in P7.

    Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team), Lorenzo Savadori (Aprilia Racing) and Ai Ogura (Trackhouse MotoGP Team) rounded out the top 10, with Luca Marini (Honda HRC Castrol), Alex Rins (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP), Enea Bastianini (Red Bull KTM Tech3), Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing) and Franco Morbidelli (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) closed out the points, with Bagnaia acting as the final finisher in P16.

    Just… wow. Johann Zarco is a winner at home in MotoGP. A Sunday that will go down in history for more reasons than one. Le Mans, you were simply incredible. Again.

    Silverstone, you’re up.
  • Marc Marquez makes it six Sprint wins after battling Quartararo on Saturday

    Marc Marquez makes it six Sprint wins after battling Quartararo on Saturday

    The Frenchman is overhauled by the #93, then the #73… and then Aldeguer as the rookie makes his first rostrum visit in France.

    Le Mans, 10 May 2025: Pure emotion, adrenaline and excitement, the 2025 Michelin® Grand Prix of France still has the Grand Prix race to entertain but Saturday’s stunning on-track action left plenty of goosebumps. Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) vs Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team), the fight we wanted to see, the fight we got. The #93 came out on top to become the first rider with six consecutive Sprint wins but the stat itself isn’t the entire story as BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP celebrate a double Saturday podium with Alex Marquez and rookie Fermin Aldeguer coming through to complete the rostrum.

    OPENING STAGES: Quartararo pulls the pin for the home crowd

    Grabbing the holeshot, Marc Marquez got to the fast Turn 2 first but ran wide, allowing home star and polesitter Quartararo to hit the front and launch away in the early stages. It was an early exit for Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team), as the rider P3 in the standings crashed at Turn 3 on Lap 2, despite a great start up from P6 to P4. Elsewhere, a miserable start for Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing), who ran off into the gravel; he was able to rejoin the action but way out of points contention.

    As Lap 4 ended, there was another crasher, this time Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) at Turn 9; he remounted but entered the pits. Meanwhile, at the start of Lap 6, it was Quartararo still ahead, but Marquez made his first attempt to try and lead the Sprint. He attacked at Turn 3 but ran wide, allowing ‘El Diablo’ to get back through on the cutback. However, he wasn’t as fortunate at Turn 8, with Marc able to squeeze down the inside and not allow any retaliation from the Frenchman.

    MORE BATTLES: Alex Marquez and Aldeguer come to the fore

    At the start of Lap 8 and now heading towards the final third, there was no way for Quartararo to resist the #73 of Alex Marquez, who blasted by on the way up to Turn 2. Now the #20’s attention was moving towards Alex Marquez’s teammate Aldeguer, once again having a sensational weekend in his rookie season. He found a way ahead for P3 at Turn 3 but not willing to relinquish a top three at home, Quartararo struck back at Turn 6 with contact between the two. Not backing down, the #54 responded with equal if not more brutal force, shoving Quartararo back to fourth at Turn 7.

    THE FINAL MOMENTS: Acosta in late drama as Marc makes his mark

    There was a last lap battle between the KTM duo of Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) and Maverick Viñales (Red Bull KTM Tech 3) over P5, with the #12 attacking ‘El Tiburon’ into Turn 3 but unable to make it work. Then, the unthinkable on the final lap at Turn 13, as Acosta fell all of his own accord, denying himself of a first top five in the Sprints this season.

    Out front, it was dreamland for Marc, who became the first rider to win six consecutive Sprints, retaking the Championship lead from his brother by two points, with Alex taking second as the brothers once again locked out the top two places. In third, a mighty first Sprint rostrum for Aldeguer, who was one of the fastest riders in the closing stages, so keep an eye out for him in the Grand Prix. Quartararo was a determined fourth, whilst Viñales completed the top five courtesy of Acosta’s last fall.

    Sixth place gave another reason for the home crowd to cheer as Johann Zarco (CASTROL Honda LCR) came through from P11, pipping Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team), who likewise climbed the order from P17 to P7. Alex Rins (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) grabbed his first Sprint points since COTA in 2023. The last point went to Joan Mir (Honda HRC Castrol), denying Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse MotoGP Team) who rounded out the top ten. Find full results HERE!

    After a showdown to remember in the Tissot Sprint, the stage is set for another stunner at Le Mans. Will we get fireworks? And we will get rain? We’ll find out at 2pm local time (UTC+2).