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Arjun Maini finishes 4th in a wet race on Sunday: DTM
Styria (Austria), 25 Sept. 2022: Ace Indian driver Arjun Maini excelled in rain and made a dash to the top on slicks gaining places rapidly but had to contend with a fourth place, missing the podium in the DTM races on Sunday.
Freaky weather at the Red Bull Ring showed completely different race days in Styria. Bengaluru’s Arjun Maini, however, showed an impressive race pace with his #36 Mercedes-AMG GT3 in the colours of team-partner PAUL in the first race, when he was turned around by an opponent in the first lap and drove from the last position up to the final 13th position – in the field of 27 GT3 cars.
DTM Spa 2022 Arjun had qualified 7th but had to start 10th due to a penalty from the previous race. He clearly showed tremendous Pace during the entire race as it is extremely difficult to overtake at the Red Bull ring.
The race on Sunday which was completely wet went much better and ultimately Arjun was able to bring the car across the finish line in 4th after an extremely exciting race on a wet Track that was drying towards the end of the race. Arjun Maini again showed his driving quality in the Wet and rewarded himself with 12 valuable championship points for the drivers’ and team standings.
Arjun pitted at the very end of the Pit Window to take a Chance on the Drying conditions and went out on Slick tyres with 15 minutes left to go. While he came out in P3, he fell back to P12 as the tyres were taking time to get heat into them. Towards the last few laps, he was able to recover several positions to make it to his best result this year in DTM. With all the known Brands in 27 cars, DTM is the most Competitive GT3 race driven by Single drivers across Europe.
Arjun Maini in action at the DTM races on Sunday in Styria. Arjun Maini, #36 Mercedes-AMG GT3: “I’m very happy with my race on Sunday. I was finally able to get a result with my pace. I like the Red Bull Ring – and now even a little bit more. It was very challenging today – but it was also a lot of fun to drive in these conditions. I want to Thank my team and Omega Seiki Mobility for making this happen.”
The last weekend of the DTM championship will be held at Hockenheimring between 7th and 9th October and will be Shown in India Live on Eurosports.
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Jaden makes stunning debut in British F4 at Silverstone
London, 27 Sept. 2022: Indian karting star Jaden Pariat secured a podium for Chris Dittmann Racing in the F4 British Championship at Silverstone during the weekend to get the maiden podium for his team in the season.
Jaden’s second-place rookie cup finish represented Chris Dittmann Racing’s first podium position in the F4 British Championship this season. The championship will now have a two-week vacation before returning for the season finale at Brands Hatch on the weekend of October 8 and 9.
Jaden, the first runner-up in the X30 National 2021, joined the squad alongside returnee Jack Sherwood to complete a two-car lineup for the last two rounds of the season. After a wet and gloomy Friday practice session, the sun shone brightly on Saturday, when Jaden competed in his first qualifying session. A red flag was raised at half distance, upsetting the two teenage racers as they sought to achieve their fastest speeds, before returning to green with less than ten minutes remaining. In the end, Jack finished 17th and Jaden finished 19th, making the races a tough struggle but a terrific learning opportunity for the two.
Jack went up four places into 13th on the first lap of race one, before moving into the top 10 as turmoil up ahead forced a number of cars to fall down the order. Jaden had gained two positions on the start after recovering from a stall on the grid, but the race was interrupted by a Safety Car.
When racing resumed, the duo did well to avoid further trouble amongst the front runners, which brought out a second Safety Car, and, as the cars settled back into the race, Jaden made the move on Isaac Barashi to cross the line 11th, with Jack ahead in eighth to score his second top ten finish in just his seventh race in the series. Despite another grid stall, Jaden moved up two positions to 17th on the first lap of race two.
The teenage racer took advantage of other drivers’ errors and flew into 13th place. From then, it was a stunning sprint to the finish line for the 15-year-old, who crossed ninth overall and second among rookies, earning a Rookie Cup podium spot on his first weekend, which was later boosted to seventh overall owing to post-race penalties for other drivers. Unfortunately for Jack, early collision damaged his front wing, requiring him to pit for a replacement. Re-emerging in 19th, the teenager had a tough struggle through the pack, but he managed to keep out of trouble and cross the finish 15th. Race three got off to a dramatic start, with a stopped vehicle on the grid prompting a crash. Jaden swerved onto the grass as an evasive manoeuvre, but recovered well before the Safety Car was deployed to clean debris on the track. On lap five, with the time ticking down, it made its way into the pitlane before returning straight back to reclaim another vehicle.
When racing began again, there were fewer than eight minutes left, and both Jack and Jaden got away strongly on the restart, moving up to 12th and 15th position, respectively. Further contact ahead brought out the third Safety Car of the race, but with barely one minute remaining, the race was called off. Jaden’s second place rookie cup finish marked the first podium appearance for Chris Dittmann Racing in the F4 British Championship this season, rewarding the team’s continued hard work and dedication. There is now a two week break before the championship returns.
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MotoGP: Miller dominant in Japanese GP win as Bagnaia crashes out
Jack Miller dominated after climbing up the order to win MotoGP Japanese GP from Brad Binder and Jorge Martin.
Even before the start of MotoGP race in Japanese GP at Twin Ring Motegi, Aleix Espargaro pitted after the formation lap due to alarm bells on his #1 bike as he switched to the spare bike to join the grid at the back in dry conditions after rain on Saturday.
It was a clean start from pole for Honda’s Marc Marquez but KTM’s Brad Binder took the lead and was followed by Pramac Ducati’s Jorge Martin as the third leader of MotoGP Japanese GP, with Ducati’s Jack Miller climbing up to third.
Marquez was fourth from KTM’s Miguel Oliveira, with Aprilia’s Maverick Vinales in sixth from Pramac’s Johann Zarco, VR46 Ducati’s Luca Marini, Yamaha’s Fabio Quartararo and Honda’s Pol Espargaro in the Top 10, with Ducati’s Francesco Bagnaia in 12th.
At the front, it didn’t take long for Miller to pass Binder and Martin to lead the MotoGP Japanese GP. There was a brush with Martin while passing him, but it was enough to lead, as Oliveira passed Marquez and Binder to slot himself into third.
Vinales steadied in sixth from Zarco but there was a battle between Marini and Quartararo for eighth. The Frenchman passed the Italian to be eighth, but he came back on him to retake the place, with Espargaro holding of Bagnaia and Gresini Ducati’s Enea Bastianini.
The latter were fighting off each other for track position, but Bastianini eventually got the better of Bagnaia to be 10th after Zarco dropped to 14th. It was a clean MotoGP race mostly with the first retirement being Honda wildcard Tetsuta Nagashima after his crash.
At the front, Miller started to stretch his lead with Martin a steady second. Binder re-passed Oliveira for third with Marquez in fifth as Vinales fended off the charge from Marini in the battle for sixth. Quartararo was eighth as Batianini was ninth after passing both Espargaro and Bagnaia, who had VR6’s Marco Bezzecchi on his tail.
After Nagashima’s retirement, the other wildcard entrant Takuya Tsuda retired as well after his Suzuki bike caught a massive fire. RNF Yamaha’s Darryn Binder was the third retirement after having a minor crash going into left-hand corner.
The fourth one followed after Alex Rins’ retirement due to mechanical problems with his Suzuki. While Miller led the way comfortably, Martin came under pressure from Binder in the fight for second. Likewise, Oliveira came under pressure from Marquez behind.
Marini passed Vinales for sixth, as Quartararo was eighth from Bastianini who came under pressure from Bagnaia. In fact, the Ducati rider made the move on his future MotoGP teammate to take ninth, as Bezzecchi was 11th from Zarco and Espargaro.
LCR Honda’s Alex Marquez was 14th from Yamaha’s Franco Mobidelli in the Top 15, with Espargaro climbing back up to 17th being close to points. While Miller took a dominant MotoGP win in Japanese GP, teammate Bagnaia crashed out on the final lap.
He was trying a move on Quartararo on the inside at the left-hand corner, but slipped to not only crash but lose valuable championship points. The podium places saw Binder take second from Martin on the penultimate lap, with Marquez ending a good fourth.
Oliveira was fifth after fending off a late charge from Marini with Vinales in seventh from Quartararo, Bastianini, Bezzecchi, Zarco, Espargaro, Morbidelli and RNF’s Cal Crutchlow in the Top 15 points finishes, with Espargaro ending up 16th.
Gresini’s Fabio di Giannantonio was 17th from Tech 3 KTM pair of Raul Fernandez and Remy Gardner, with LCR’s Takaaki Nakagami managing to see the chequered flag in 20th.
DNF: Bagnaia, Rins, Binder, Tsuda, Nagashima
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MotoGP: Marquez secures Japanese GP as title rivals suffer
Marc Marquez took MotoGP pole upon his return in Japanese GP in wet conditions with Johann Zarco second and Brad Binder third.
Q1:
The first part of MotoGP qualifying in Japanese GP at Twin Ring Motegi was delayed due to track conditions after wet weather situation. The FP3 session was cancelled with the organisers focusing on qualifying rather than the practice session.
The track was quite wet still at the time of the first part in qualifying as LCR Honda’s Takaaki Nakagami had a minor crash early in the session. He managed to continue on, with RNF Yamaha’s Darryn Binder crashing out later but he continued on as well.
With no pit stops due to the weather conditions, the Pramac Ducati pair led the way from mid-way in the session. It was Johann Zarco who with a 1m55.300s lap made it into Q2 from teammate Jorge Martin as VR46’s Ducati’s Marco Bezzecchi missed out in third.
He is to start from 13th from Yamaha’s Franco Morbidelli, as MotoGP title contender Enea Bastianini did not have a good run to be 15th. The Italian had a late crash which further hurt his chances, with teammate Fabio di Giannantonio in 16th.
LCR’s Alex Marquez was 17th from Suzuki’s Alex Rins from Honda wildcard Tetsuta Nagashima who did well to be inside Top 20, where Tech 3 KTM’s Remy Gardner was 20th. Suzuki wildcard Takuya Tsuda also did well to be 21st.
He was followed by Tech 3’s Raul Fernandez, whose session also ended with a crash. RNF’s Cal Crutchlow was 23rd from teammate Binder as LCR’s Nakagami was 25th.
Q2:
The second part in MotoGP qualifying in Japanese GP saw Honda’s Marc Marquz set the pace in wet conditions with no stops in between for the riders. Ducati’s Francesco Bagnaia had a wild moment on one of his laps as KTM’s Miguel Oliveira had a crash.
He continued on, as Marquez continued to set the pace. The Spaniard eventually took MotoGP pole upon his return in Japanese GP with a 1m55.214s lap with Pramac’s Zarco doing well in Q2 after topping Q1 to be second from KTM’s Brad Binder.
The South African snatched the front row from Aprilia’s Maverick Vinales after a late lap, with Martin also doing well to be fifth from Q2. Aprilia’s Aleix Espargaro was sixth – the lead rider among the MotoGP title contenders – with Ducati’s Jack Miller in seventh.
KTM’s Oliveira ending eighth from Yamaha’s Fabio Quartararo, who only managed ninth as his MotoGP title rival Bagnaia was 12th behind VR46’s Luca Marini and Honda’s Pol Espargaro in 10th and 11th.
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Ruhaan Alva selected for Ferrari Driver Academy trials
Bengaluru, 23 Sept. 2022: Bengaluru teenager Ruhaan Alva has been chosen to participate in the 2022 Ferrari Driver Academy (FDA) selection programme at the Sepang International Circuit, Malaysia, from September 26 to 28.
The 16-year old from Bengaluru, who is supported by JK Tyre, is the only Indian racer to be chosen for the Asia Pacific and Oceania regional selection programme which will be attended by 24 drivers from seven countries – Australia, New Zealand, India, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia and Japan – in the 14-17 years age group.
Ruhaan, a multiple National karting champion, said: “I am really excited to have been selected for the Ferrari Driver Academy selection programme. While it is a big step forward for me while pursuing my dream, it will be a very challenging three days in Malaysia, but I will give it my best shot.”
File photo of Ruhaan Alva The 24 aspirants were selected from a pool of more than 60 applicants. The chosen drivers will be evaluated on their driving, fitness and media skills during the three-day programme at the Sepang International Circuit.
At the end of the three-day session, possibly two drivers may be selected to attend the FDA’s Scouting World Finals in Maranello, Italy, where they will compete with drivers from other regions in a bid for a potential place in the FDA for 2023.
All drivers will have one day in the Formula 4 cars where they will be trained and assessed for their racing skills. On the day that the drivers are not in the car, the drivers will be trained and assessed by the media team, as well as the fitness and training coach. Only the top six applicants selected by representatives of Ferrari and Motorsport Australia will proceed to the third day, September 28.
On the third day, these six drivers will be assessed all day by Ferrari and Motorsport Australia personnel in a series of tests. The driver or drivers to attend the FDA World Finals in Italy will be selected from this final six.
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Indian karter Jaden Pariat to debut in British F4
London, 22 Sept. 2023: The 15-year-old from Shillong, in Meghalaya, graduates into Britain’s FIA Formula 4 series after a karting career that included the Meco FMSCI X30 National championship, in which he became the first Indian rookie to score a podium on debut.
He finished as runner-up in the series the following year, whilst also separately contesting the MRF Challenge FLGB 1300 and JK Tyre Championship.
Having tested extensively in MRF 1600 AND F2000 cars earlier in 2022, plus some initial mileage in the Tatuus T-421, Pariat has now chosen Tewkesbury-based Chris Dittmann Racing for his ROKiT British F4 debut, starting this weekend at Silverstone (23-25 September).
“I got into motorsport two years ago, and I was mainly influenced by my dad, Atikur, who is a national champion in rallying,” explains Pariat. “We’ve been having fun with cars together since I was a kid, and my original goal was to become a rally driver because of him, but since my dad has already experienced that, I thought I should try something new.
“I started with karting and since then have become vice champion in the Meco FMSCI X30 National Karting Championship, and then moved onto a series called FLGB 1300, which is similar to Formula Ford here, where I became vice champion too after winning on my debut.
“This year I did some testing in MRF 1600 and F2000, before deciding to try something new overseas. To progress, you need to learn from people who are better than you, so that’s why I’m here. I’m learning a lot and I’ve been pretty happy with where we are now. The testing has helped prepared me a little better for British F4. There is still lots to learn, but physically, I’m not facing any difficulties.
“I definitely have big goals, so hopefully we can achieve some good results. I have high expectations for myself, but ultimately this is a learning experience and something we can use to help us build a solid basis for the future.”
CDR have an established track record of driver development, making them the perfect fit for Pariat at a crucial stage in his career. Team Principal Chris Dittmann welcomed the team’s latest protégé to the fold, and has been impressed with his testing outings to-date.
“We’ve been speaking to Jaden for about a month, through a contact of ours in India,” says Dittmann. “He’s very keen to get some mileage in the new F4 car, and with the opportunity there for the last two rounds of the season, it was a great time for him to come and learn in the right environment.
“We’ve been fortunate to get a few test days with Jaden already in the last few weeks and we’ve been pretty impressed. The chemistry has been there from the outset, and we’ve been working together well, so now we’re just looking forward to the last few rounds to see what we can do.
“There’s been a lot of preparation on the simulator before each test date which has been key to fine tune things before going out on track. He’ll be coming into the championship on the back foot compared to most of the drivers, but he’s up for the challenge.”
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Dorna begins work towards future MotoGP Grand Prix in India
New Delhi, 21 Sept. 2022: Dorna Sports, the Promoters of MotoGP, announced that work has begun on a possible future Indian Grand Prix, with the target of bringing the FIM MotoGP World Championship to the Indian sub-continent in the near future.
Fairstreet Sports said that the ‘Grand Prix of Bharat,’ the first-ever Indian MotoGP will soon be held at the Buddh International Circuit (BIC) in Noida, near here.
Noida- based Fairstreet Sports Private Limited today announced that a 7-year agreement has been put in place to host the MotoGP in India. Fairstreet expressed hope that India’s first-ever Moto GP Grand Prix is likely to be held in 2023. However, since the provisional calendar for 2023 is already announced by Dorna, the first Indian GP is likely to be held only in 2024, provided the circuit homologation is completed in time.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed for seven years between Fairstreet Sports and Dorna. The latter is actively working with other State Governments to promote motorcycling culture in India and collectively work to promote, nurture and groom international level MotoGP riders in India. As per Industry Experts and economic analysts a significant boost to trade, tourism and employment is expected with an estimated 50K jobs direct and indirect and up to 5K jobs for the race weekend itself. MotoGP, also has plans to introduce MotoE into the Indian racing scenario.
L to R Honourable Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Yogi Aditya Nath, CEO Dorna Carmelo Ezpeleta, Industrial Development Export & Investment Promotion & NRI Minister Nand Gopal Gupta ( “Nandi”). Photo Fairstreet Sports Dorna Sports CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta has recently visited India to meet with authorities and potential event promoter Fairstreet Sports and also attended a Press Conference and a curtain-raiser event in New Delhi region on Wednesday. The visit began at the spectacular Buddh International Circuit, right outside New Delhi, which would be the target venue to host the possible MotoGP event.
Thereafter, the delegation also travelled to Lucknow, the capital of Uttar Pradesh, the region in which the circuit is located, to meet with Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Industrial Development Minister Nand Gopal “Nandi”.
Finally the visit ended with a presentation in New Delhi to local media and representatives of the motorcycling industry, which showcased the great expectation the country has for MotoGP.
Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta: “India is a huge country and market, and an especially important one for the two-wheeled industry and MotoGP as a sport. The Championship has a huge fan base there and being able to hold a MotoGP event in India would be both an incredible spectacle for our fans at the same time as allowing us to continue to grow the sport in the region, which is hugely important for our all our partners and the manufacturers in particular given the hundreds of millions of two-wheeled vehicles on its roads. We would love to be able to see this project through and bring these incredible MotoGP bikes to race in front of the Indian fans.
“At MotoGP we are committed to our fans and aim to make the sport accessible to all, regardless of where they are, who they are or their economic status. Motorcycles are an incredible tool for transportation and in many areas of the world they drive society, providing economic mobility and powering families around the world. Racing in India would be a reflection of our commitment to open the doors to the sport as widely as we can, and would be and an important achievement for the Championship.”
Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur, during the meeting with Fairstreet Sports team, added: “It’s a historical day for the sporting and automobile industry and a befitting tribute to the Azadai Ka Amrit Maha Utsav celebrations, marking India’s befitting arrival in the global platform of motorsport. India could potentially be one of MotoGP’s biggest markets in terms of viewership as well as revenue.
“MotoGP is a critical asset thanks to the viewer loyalty that the sport enjoys and the competitive nature it embodies, already reaching nearly half a billion homes around the world. Dorna Sports, the sole commercial and television rights holder, produces the world feed television coverage of each Grand Prix throughout the season, from acquisition to distribution, as part of a 360 degree event management philosophy.”
Yogi Adityanath, Chief Minister, Uttar Pradesh: “It is a matter of great pride for Uttar Pradesh to host such a globally prestigious mega sports event. Not only will the event boost the hospitality and tourism sectors, but it will also put UP on the global platform. Our government will provide all the necessary support to make this event a huge success.”
Nand Gopal “Nandi”, Cabinet Minister, Government of Uttar Pradesh for Industrial Development, Export Promotion, NRI, Investment Promotion, said, “The event will not only be a boon to motorcycle racing fans but also provide a major impetus to the economy by generating an influx of foreign investments and ushering in advancement in the personal transportation industry which would transcend into global investments and a preferred destination for OEM’s in the state of Uttar Pradesh.”
Pushkar Nath, COO, Fairstreet Sports, said, “Motorcycling as a sport is greatly admired in India. By bringing the world’s most prestigious motorcycle racing event here, we hope to boost its fan base further and encourage more young bikers to take up the sport. As the world collectively rebounds from the coronavirus pandemic, the sporting event is also expected to re-energize India’s sports tourism.”
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17 points. 3 riders. Let’s go! MotoGP arrives in Japan
The fight for the Championship arrives in Japan for the second round of the triple-header!
Motegi (Japan), 20 Sept. 2022: The headlines overflowed at MotorLand Aragon, and now the paddock packs up and heads east for the Motul Grand Prix of Japan with three riders split by 17 points and everything to play for. Not since 2019 has MotoGP been able to race here, which in some ways now seems like a different era. Three years on, the immediate memory that comes back bodes well for the luckless duo from Aragon: Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) vs Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP).
Quartararo now has only ten points in hand at the top of the table, but it was through no fault of his own and he’ll be more eager than ever to push to extend it again. He also arrives knowing that his last performance at Motegi, vs Marquez, was one of those that cemented his growing legend. So will that experience count? With action beginning on Friday afternoon, he will be hoping it helps him hit the ground running – as will Yamaha as they race on home turf for the first time in a few seasons.
Elsewhere at the Iwata marque there remains plenty to talk about. Cal Crutchlow (WithU Yamaha RNF MotoGP™) was the first Yamaha home after that bad luck for Quartararo, and the Brit has therefore contributed Constructors’ points already – no mean feat as El Diablo was the scorer until Sunday. Crutchlow has plenty experience at the venue too. For Franco Morbidelli (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™), meanwhile, that was bad news – and he needs to find his way back into the form that’s seen him win races.
So, Honda. After the dust settled at MotorLand, we were left with even more questions about Marquez as the number 93 failed to make it out of Q1 due to yellow flags, and then failed to make it far into the race with that bad luck. Where would he have finished? There remain some cards close to the Repsol Honda rider’s chest and home turf for the factory is an interesting place to have to play them. As a true veteran now, Marquez knows the track better than everyone on the grid – so what can we expect? And can Pol Espargaro move forward on the other side of the garage?
Alex Marquez (LCR Honda Castrol), meanwhile, Motegi has always been a good track and the number 73 has multiple wins in the smaller classes. But he’s also riding it for the first time in MotoGP™, as are many on the grid, so it will be an interesting one. There is also plenty on the line for Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) as he even races a race to fitness. Getting caught up in that early race crash has left him with an injured hand and he’ll need to pass a medical – but he also has some serious experience at Motegi. What can he do on home turf? There will be home representation too for Tetsuta Nagashima as he wildcards with HRC, and Takuya Tsuda will be replacing Joan Mir at Team Suzuki Ecstar as they face a bittersweet final weekend on home turf and Alex Rins looks to add another podium.
Meanwhile, Ducati march on. After the duel at Misano, Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) and Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) did it again at MotorLand for another spectacular finish, and this time with Bastianini on top. But Motegi could be a different story as the ‘Beast’ rides the track for the first time in MotoGP™, and Bagnaia has only one outing in the premier class under his belt at the venue. That’s also true of Quartararo, but the two had very different races. How will that ten-point gap look this Sunday?
Elsewhere at the Borgo Panigale factory there are plenty of talking points as well. Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) has solid experience of Motegi, and Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing) too but not with Ducati. Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) will be heading in to taste the track for the first time in the premier class, as will Luca Marini (Mooney VR46 Racing Team). With so much having changed since 2019, will that prove a sort of reset? Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) will hope it will as he looks to move forward again too, although the rookie continues impressing.
That phrase applies to Aprilia Racing and Aleix Espargaro even more. After a longer stint off the podium and watching that gap grow, MotorLand saw a return to the rostrum and after a weekend of ups and downs, too. That seems a statement of intent from the number 41 as he pulled it out the bag when needed on race day, and he’s back to within 17 points of those ahead. Will the lesser experience for everyone on the grid also play into their hands? The RS-GP is a newer bike, and Motegi leaves everyone in need of data on the machinery they return with. Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) will also hope so, although the number 12 was caught up in avoiding that early race incident, he’ll most definitely want more from Japan after his recent podium pace took a dip.
KTM will be interesting to watch, too. Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) put in a stunner at Aragon to come home fourth, and he held third for much of the race. That’s their best result since teammate Miguel Oliveira won in Indonesia, and they’ll want to back it up. Oliveira has ridden Motegi in the premier class and Binder hasn’t, but there could be some opportunity on the horizon again as returning to the track for the first time since 2019 promises a shuffle. Can the Mattighofen factory fight for the podium again?
Quartararo, Bagnaia and Aleix Espargaro are now split by just 17 points, Marquez remains a somewhat unknown quantity, and we’re heading onto home turf for Yamaha, Honda and Suzuki. There’s plenty at stake in the Motul Grand Prix of Japan, so make sure you don’t miss it as we go racing at 15:00 (GMT +9) local time on Sunday!
MotoGP Championship – Top 5
1 Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) – Yamaha – 211
2 Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) – Ducati – 201
3 Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) – Aprilia – 194
4 Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) – Ducati – 163
5 Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) – Ducati – 134 -
FIA reveals provisional 2023 F1 calendar with 24 races
The FIA has released a 24-race provisional calendar for 2023 F1 season which starts in Bahrain and ends in Abu Dhabi.
A record breaking 24-race provisional calendar for 2023 F1 season has been released by the FIA after an approval from World Motor Sport Council. The season will kick-off early on March 5 with the Bahrain GP, while end on November 26 with the Abu Dhabi GP.
The opener won’t be a back-to-back with Saudi Arabian GP which will take place on March 19, alongwith Australian GP on April 2. The Chinese GP is to return on April 16 as the Azerbaijan GP is brought forward to April 30 date.
The Miami GP is once again in May on 7th, with the Emilia Romagna GP on May 21 followed by Monaco GP on May 28. The Spanish GP has been moved to a June 4 date with the Canadian GP on June 18, followed by the Austrian GP on July 2.
It will be back-to-back with British GP on July 9, as Hungarian GP falls on July 23 with the Belgian GP taking place before the summer break on July 30. The F1 circus will return from the break with the Dutch GP on August 27, followed by Italian GP on September 3.
They will then move on for the Singapore GP on September 17, with the Japanese GP on September 24. The returning Qatar GP is on October 8, while the US GP is on October 22 being clubbed with the Mexico GP on October 29.
The Brazilian GP is also part of the trio on November 5, with the new-for Las Vegas GP on November 18 followed by the finale on November 26 with the Abu Dhabi GP. “The presence of 24 races on the 2023 FIA Formula One World Championship calendar is further evidence of the growth and appeal of the sport on a global scale,” said FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem.
“The addition of new venues and the retention of traditional events underlines the FIA’s sound stewardship of the sport. I am delighted that we will be able to take Formula 1’s new era of exciting racing, created by the FIA’s 2022 Regulations, to a broader fan base in 2023. In framing the 2023 F1 calendar, WMSC Members have also been mindful of the timing of the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans.”
Here’s the FIA F1 calendar for 2023:
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MotoGP: Bastianini beats Bagnaia on last lap to win Aragon GP
Enea Bastianini passed Francesco Bagnaia on the final lap to win MotoGP race in Aragon GP, as Aleix Espargaro was third.
Pole-sitter Francesco Bagnaia made a good start on his Ducati to lead the MotoGP Aragon GP as KTM’s Brad Binder made up places to be second from the other Ducati of Jack Miller and Gresini Ducati’s Enea Bastianini in the Top 4 positions.
Aprilia’s Aleix Espargaro was steady in fifth from fast-starter Pramac Ducati’s Jorge Martin with teammate Johann Zarco behind him in seventh. The other KTM of Miguel Oliveira was eighth from VR46 Ducati pair of Luca Marini and Marco Bezzecchi.
Up ahead, MotoGP points leader had the worst start when he crashed out halfway into the first lap. A moment from Honda’s Marc Marquez on the exit of right-hander caught out Yamaha’s Fabio Quartararo, whose bike fell on him after a highside.
Quartararo retired immediately as Marquez struggled to hold on with damage on the rear of his Honda. He collected LCR Honda’s Takaaki Nakagami in the process where other MotoGP riders had to avoid the Japanese rider, with Pol Espargaro almost crashing out too.
Both Nakagami and Marquez retired as Bagnaia continued to lead the MotoGP Aragon GP. Behind him, Bastianini was the rider on charge after he passed both Miller and Binder to move up to second, with the Australian losing out to Espargaro too.
He was down to fifth from a steady Martin, Zarco, Oliveira and Marini, as Bezzecchi dropped to 11th from LCR’s Alex Marquez in 10th. RNF Yamaha’s Cal Crutchlow was 12th from Suzuki’s Alex Rins, Tech 3 KTM’s Remy Gardner and Honda’s Espargaro in the Top 15.
Up front, Bastianini started to pressure Bagnaia and passed him at Turn 1 to lead MotoGP Aragon GP. However, he went wide at Turn 12 allowing the Italian to retake the lead, with Binder and Espargaro then closing in on the Gresini rider in the fight for second.
It started to settle down at the front with Bagnaia leading well from Bastianini, but the latter started to trouble him a bit towards the end of the grand prix. The latter eventually made it stick on the final at Turn 7 after laps of putting pressure.
He took the inside line to lead and eventually win the MotoGP race in Aragon GP as Bagnaia had to settle for second by 0.042s and now 10 points behind Quartararo. Espargaro gained in on the Frenchman after passing Binder with few laps to go in third.
Binder fended off Miller to retain fourth, with Martin in sixth from Marini who passed both Oliveira and Zarco in a solid charge. The Frenchman was eighth from Rins who climbed up the order too, with Bezzecchi rounding out the Top 10.
Oliveira fell to 11th from Marquez, as Aprilia’s Maverick Vinales was 13th from Crutchlow and Espargaro in the Top 15 points position. Tech 3’s Gardner ended up outside points in 16th from Yamaha’s Franco Morbidelli, RNF’s Darryn Binder, Gresini’s Fabio di Giannantonio and Tech 3’s Raul Fernandez.
With only five races remaining, Ducati clinched the MotoGP constructors’ championship in Aragon GP, which is their third in a row.
DNF: Marquez, Nakagami, Quartararo.
