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Tag: Ducati
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Ducati Test team returns to track for 3 days of private testing
Misano, 25 June 2020: The Ducati Test Team and Michele Pirro finally returned to the track in Misano after the lockdown, for three days of private testing on the circuit named after Marco Simoncelli, here on Tuesday.
The Ducati Test Team and Michele Pirro completed the third and final day of testing at Misano World Circuit Thursday, finally resuming activities on track after the long suspension caused in recent months by the Corona virus emergency.
After the Sepang Shakedown Test held in the first week of February, the rider of San Giovanni Rotondo was able to return in the saddle of the Ducati Desmosedici GP20 bike on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at the Italian circuit located in Emilia Romagna, where he resumed the final preparations for the 2020 MotoGP season, which will finally kick off on the July 19 at the Spanish circuit of Jerez de la Frontera.
Thanks to the favourable weather conditions during the three days, Pirro was able to complete the testing program scheduled with the team engineers, completing a total of 178 laps, setting good lap times and putting in his fastest lap in 1:33.000 on the final day.
Moreover, the Ducati Test Team was also able to test the safety protocol that will be adopted during the MotoGP events scheduled for this year. Apart from the adoption of individual protection devices, the Italian team has also introduced a communication system between technicians and the rider via microphones and earphones, in order to allow normal conversations in the pit garages, while maintaining the appropriate safe distances.
A team engineer talks to Michele Pirro, test rider, at Misano on Thursday with protective gear. A Ducati image Michele Pirro (Ducati Test Team, #51)
“It was a positive three-day test, which has allowed us to regain some confidence with the bike after the long break of these months. Despite the scorching heat, the track, which was recently resurfaced, was in excellent condition and allowed me to feel comfortable immediately. We were able to set good lap times, which make us confident for the two races scheduled for September. We’ve been working on several electronics components and some aspects that were still pending after the Shakedown Test in Sepang. We are sure that thanks to these three days, the Ducati riders will be able to arrive at the first MotoGP race in Jerez ready to be immediately at the highest level of competitiveness.”
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The 2020 MotoGP season will be a surprise for everybody: Petrucci
Paris, 2 April 2020: While the wait continues for the 2020 MotoGP World Championship to start, the Ducati Team rider revealed in this interview how he is spending the days and what he expects from the new season.
The 2020 MotoGP Season was supposed to begin nearly one month ago in Qatar for the Ducati Team, where just a few weeks earlier they had completed the last MotoGP pre-season test. Unfortunately, at the same time in Europe, the Covid-19 started to spread, stopping not just the sporting world but also whole countries, like Italy, which was one of the worst-affected nations by the virus.
A mandatory isolation period has been introduced by the Italian Government to stop the spread of the virus, and of course, also Danilo Petrucci is respecting the measure in his house in Terni. “For sure spending so much time at home, staying away from our friends is not the ideal situation. But at this time it is the only way that we have to solve this problem together. By staying at home following the instructions that are given us by the Government, we can help each other. The situation is difficult, but it can only improve if we endure it a little bit more”.
File photo of Danilo Petrucci from Ducati. The Ducati rider also explained how he is spending these days at home: “I am trying to use this time to solve some physical issues, like the problem I had at my shoulder last year in Valencia and some that I have in a leg. I am doing some physiotherapy at home, some light training and I am also focusing on my diet”.
Of course, during these days of lockdown, Petrucci doesn’t have the chance to train on a bike, and he declared that what he is missing the most is doing motocross with his teammate Andrea Dovizioso. “I hear Andrea nearly every day, and we text each other a lot. In these days, I miss the most doing motocross with him and training together, also because right now I can’t really ride anything!”
The last time the Ducati riders were able to sit on the Desmosedici GP20 bikes was more than a month ago, during the final winter test that was held in Qatar from 22nd-24th February 2020: “I was delighted with the test at Losail. I think I was one of the few riders that covered the whole distance in the race simulation by completing 22 laps. The bike is an evolution of the previous year, but the big difference now is the tyres. We worked a lot on trying to adjust the bike setup and the riding style”.
Speaking about the future, Petrucci declared his goals for 2020 and his expectations from the championship, now that the new calendar has tightened up towards the end of the season: “This is my second year with the Ducati Team, and I am proud of it. This year I would like to improve my performance compared to last season. In 2019 I got my first win in MotoGP, and I was able to fight for the third position in the standings until there were two races to go. This year I want to fight for that placement during the whole championship. For sure, this season will be a surprise for everybody. We are not used to such an intense programme! The calendar is extremely tight, especially in the last months, so we need to do a good mental and physical preparation and try to rest now because then we won’t have time. Honestly, I can’t wait to face this demanding calendar!”
Watch the whole interview on the Ducati Corse Instagram and Twitter accounts.
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AndrewZh takes stunning Championship victory in a dramatic season finale
The three title contenders delivered the drama in a thrilling finale that went all the way to the final corner of the final race!
AndreqZH wins MotoGP eSport World title on Saturday. A MotoGP image Valencia, 16 Nov 2019: Ducati Team’s AndrewZh is the new MotoGP eSport World Champion thanks to two faultless performances in a thrilling Global Series finale at the #ValenciaGP that went all the way to the final lap of the final race to cap off a vintage season of competition here on Saturday.
The Circuit Ricardo Tormo in Valencia, Spain played host to a star-studded final round, which featured appearances from three MotoGP™ riders, a roster of glitzy prizes and high drama that had all in attendance on the very edge.
In the end just five points covered the first three riders – AndrewZh, Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP’s trastevere73 and Cristianmm17, representing Team Suzuki Ecstar – in the Championship after three action-packed rounds in the Global Series. All three contested the podium places in the final race, with the victory fight going right the way to the final corner.
Before the lights went out for Race 1, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Pol Espargaro took to the stage to offer the finalists tips on how to attack the Phillip Island Circuit, the scene of the first of the evening’s two races. Having dominated the intermediate class outing there in 2012, the Spaniard was better placed than most do so.
Podium celebrations on Saturday. Photo MotoGP From the first lap, trastevere73 heeded Espargaro’s advice, storming into an early lead from pole position ahead of adrianDP26 (Team Suzuki Ecstar). The early exchanges were akin to the recent Australian Grand Prix, with as many as ten riders contesting the leading positions. But reigning champion trastevere73 eventually broke clear, demonstrating his trademark consistency from the first lap to the end to win by 2.033s.
The drama came thick and fast behind. A mistake on the fifth lap demoted AndrewZh from second to fourth. But the Championship’s form man fought back to put maximum pressure on adrianDP26 for second. And the Team Suzuki Ecstar rider would crack, crashing at turn one on the final lap, handing a crucial second to the Ducati Team man with Cristianmm17 close behind in third.
The double points on offer in the final round meant trastevere73 led AndrewZh by just six points going of the final race. Cristianmm17 ensured it was a three-way fight until the end, 21 points back.
Prior to the evening’s second encounter, five-time World Champion Jorge Lorenzo (Repsol Honda Team) was on hand to present the Tissot Pole of Poles Award to AndrewZh after the Italian gamer took the highest number of pole positions in this year’s series. And the celebrity appearances didn’t end there: Danilo Petrucci (Ducati Team) joined commentary duo Matt Dunn and Jack Appleyard for the second race, with the entertaining Italian offering his unique wit and insight to proceedings.
The season finale would prove to be a lights-to-flag triumph for Cristianmm17. Shadowed by AndrewZh and trastevere73 in the early laps, the Team Suzuki Ecstar gamer remained calm in the face of relentless pressure from AndrewZh, who knew second place enough to secure his maiden MotoGP™ eSport crown. A trastevere73 mistake on the seventh lap ultimately decided the contest.
A tearful AndrewZh accepted the brilliant first prize of a rapid BMW M135i xDrive before Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta handed out the silverware in the final podium ceremony. While disappointed on missing the chance to win his third successive eSports title, trastevere73 picked up a new Yamaha YZF-R3 for finishing second overall. Cristianmm17 received a Lenovo Legion™ Y730 high-speed computer as reward for third.
After a brilliant finale, all three contestants will no doubt be back for more in an expanded eSports Championship that returns for a fourth instalment in 2020!
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Dovizioso unleases incredible overtaking move on Marquez at the final corner for another stunner
Andrea Dovizioso stuns Marc Marquez at the last corner in the Austrian GP on Sunday. A MotoGP image Spielberg, 11 August 2019: Do not adjust your set: that was Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) slicing past Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) at the final corner as the Italian turned the tables on the reigning Champion, the hunted turning hunter to keep Ducati’s 100% winning record at the Red Bull Ring intact. After all-out war in Austria, ‘DesmoDovi’ became the first repeat winner since the venue’s return to the calendar in 2016, with the gloves coming off early as a vintage Dovi vs Marquez duel lit up the Red Bull Ring. The Italian has won most of them, but in Spielberg he didn’t play defence. Fabio Quartararo (Petronas Yamaha SRT) completed the podium after another impressive ride from the rookie, equalling Yamaha’s best result at the track.
Polesitter Marquez was lightning off the start but so was Dovizioso as the two pre-race favourites headed into Turn 1 already locked together, despite Jack Miller (Pramac Racing) heading in slightly hot and almost clipping the number 4 Ducati ahead of him. But all’s well that ends well and this was just the beginning, with the Italian and Spaniard even making slight contact on the run into Turn 3 at 300km/h. Marquez was on the inside and Dovi on the outside, but the number 93 went in hot and ran wide, the Ducati then also forced to sit up. That let Quartararo sweep through to lead, with Miller and Team Suzuki Ecstar’s Alex Rins then also pouncing on the exit and Marquez having another wobble as he gassed it to try and slot back into the pack.
Dovizioso was behind Marquez after the shuffle, but he was back past into Turn 4 as Quartararo started putting the hammer down in the lead. The Frenchman was 0.5 ahead onto Lap 2, but Dovizioso and Marquez started to make up ground as they recovered from a frantic opening lap. Dovi was soon back up to second, with Miller holding off Marquez – for the time being – and fast-starting Valentino Rossi (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) not far off, ‘The Doctor’ climbing his way up to fifth from P10 in the opening exchanges and initially in the battle for the podium.
Before long, Marquez had dispatched Miller and the top three started to edge away from the number 43, Rossi and Rins. Then on Lap 7, Quartararo was under serious attack: Dovizioso blasted past into the lead, before Marquez shot past the Yamaha moments later. The two were back in front, and the duel was just getting started.
The pin wasn’t yet pulled, however, with the top five remaining within a second and a half before heartbreak struck for Miller as the Australian slid out at Turn 9. Just metres ahead on track, Marquez struck for the lead at the final corner, too, and then the duo started to pull clear. Not by a massive margin each lap, but Quartararo couldn’t match the pace of the Ducati and Honda as another almighty Austrian battle started to take shape.
Marquez threatened to stretch away but the gap didn’t rise above 0.4 seconds, with the number 93 strong in the first half of the lap and Dovizioso the stronger in the second part. The laps ticked by and there was nothing between them, Dovizioso shadowing the reigning Champion. Then, out of nowhere, a move was made with nine to go. Dovizioso powered alongside Marquez, and the number 93 even looked across at the Italian heading into Turn 1. But the Ducati made the pass stick and it was now the 2017 Austrian GP winner in control.
Tensions were bubbling to boiling point for the next five laps, with Marquez trailing Dovi by 0.1, 0.2. The question was not if, but when and where. Then, with three to go, we found out. Turn 7 was the unlikely location as Marquez stuck it underneath Dovizioso to take back the lead, and it settled back into strategic chess until Turn 1 on the penultimate lap as the number 04 went for it. Could he make it stick? Not quite, Dovizioso running wide and Marquez straight back through.
Onto the last lap, there was nothing separating the leaders and again, Dovi went for it at Turn 1 but ran wide, so it was Marquez who led going down into Turn 3. The Italian was close but not close enough around the final lap, and it started to look like the Borgo Panigale factory’s stranglehold on the Red Bull Ring could be under threat. But it was far from over as down to the last sector, with the two glued together once again as the Ducati powered up the hill out of Turn 8. He was close, but no pass came at Turn 9. It was going down to the wire.
Heading into the last corner, the Ducati pulled out from behind the Honda as Dovizioso pulled a Marquez – pushing his machine into the gap and on the verge of creating space rather than using it. It was roles reversed from 2017 as the Italian lunged down the inside, keeping it perfectly pinned to deny Marquez and power towards the line ahead for his second win of the season. With no chance to strike back, Marquez was forced to settle for second.
Behind the duel, Quartararo took the chequered flag in a lonely third to claim his third MotoGP™ rostrum and bank another huge haul of points in his impressive 2019, coming home top rookie, top Independent Team rider and top Yamaha – equalling the Iwata factory’s best result at the track from 2016.
Just behind him, Rossi had been caught by teammate Maverick Viñales and Suzuki rider Rins as the trio battled for fourth, with Rossi ultimately able to pull a tenth or two clear of Viñales as three Yamahas sat in the top five at a tougher track for them. Rins, meanwhile, was only 0.021 off the number 12, the number 42 running it close and only just fended off.
Behind the Yamaha train, Francesco Bagnaia (Pramac Racing) took P7 and a big haul of points after a much more positive weekend, finishing just ahead of fellow rookie Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Tech 3). The Portuguese rider finished as the best KTM on the Austrian factory’s home turf, taking a sensational P8 and some serious scalps.
Danilo Petrucci (Ducati Team) will be disappointed with P9 on a Ducati-friendly circuit, with compatriot Franco Morbidelli (Petronas Yamaha SRT) completing the top 10 ahead of Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) and the second KTM of Johann Zarco (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing).
Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda Castrol), meanwhile, crashed out of contention on Lap 2 at Turn 3, the British rider hitting the back of Tito Rabat’s Reale Avinita Racing Ducati after the Spaniard had to take avoiding action after a problem for Pol Espargaro’s (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) bike.
The 2019 Austrian GP will live long in the memory after another breathtaking Dovizioso vs Marquez battle, and it’s the Italians who emerge victorious again. Can they repeat the feat in Silverstone next time out? Two weeks will tell us.
Andrea Dovizioso: “I think this is my best victory, for many reasons…we didn’t have Marc’s speed, we had to make a good strategy, we had to fight aggressively in the first few laps and the last four…and we’re struggling a lot to fight for the Championship so this gives us a lot of energy for the future. And the work in the practice paid off in the race because at the end I had more grip, giving me the possibility to fight until the last corner.
“To win in this battle at the last corner in the opposite way to normal is so exciting, so nice…and when you have your friends there after the first corner, seeing them go crazy, screaming, it’s so nice!”
MotoGP Top-3 results:
1 – Andrea Dovizioso (ITA – Ducati) 39’34.771
2 – Marc Marquez (SPA – Honda) +0.213
3 – Fabio Quartararo* (FRA – Yamaha) +6.117*Independent Team rider
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Dovi tops the Termas shuffle as 21 riders finish Friday within a second: MotoGP in Argentina
An incredibly tight field sees Ducati, Yamaha and Honda end the day within 0.165 Championship leader Andrea Dovizioso (Mission Winnow Ducati) leads an incredibly tight MotoGP field at the end of play on Friday at the Gran Premio Motul de la República Argentina, topping a manic shuffle to the timesheets at the end of FP2 as riders pushed to make it into that all-important provisional Q2 graduation zone. And Dovizioso may have ended the day on top once the action was over, but the gap back to P2 was tiny as the Italian was just 0.009 ahead of Independent Team rider Jack Miller (Pramac Racing). It only seemed the get closer from there.
The rain mildly threatening overhead ultimately never came to fruition but the seven minute push for a laptime on fresh rubber made for a spectacular end to the day. Third went to Maverick Viñales (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) as he headed an incredibly close trio, with LCR Honda Castrol’s Cal Crutchlow just 0.001 off the Spaniard and superstar rookie Fabio Quartararo (Petronas Yamaha SRT) once again showing some stunning pace to complete the top five. The gap between 2018 Argentina GP winner Crutchlow and the newcomer? Just 0.011.
Just under a tenth was the next gap and that was back to veteran Valentino Rossi (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP), the 2015 winner at the venue, before another infinitesimal 0.010 split him from Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar). FP1 leader Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team), who also set the pace throughout much of the second Free Practice session too, was deposed down to P8 by the last minute dash. Sophomores Franco Morbidelli (Petronas Yamaha SRT) and Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) rounded out a top ten split by less than half a second.
So who’s at risk of missing out on Q2 should the rain come down on Saturday morning? Aprilia Racing Team Gresini’s Andrea Iannone and Aleix Espargaro only just missed out in P11 and P12 respectively, ahead of a somewhat out of position Danilo Petrucci (Mission Winnow Ducati), who crashed in the morning. Rookie duo Francesco Bagnaia (Pramac Racing) and Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar) lurk close by, too.
Jorge Lorenzo (Repsol Honda Team), meanwhile, had a tough first day as he comes back from injuries sustained to his ribs in Qatar and the scaphoid broken in pre-season. He was P21 on Day 1 and the final man covered by less than a second on an extremely competitive Friday – nevertheless quite a feat in terms of pace as he fights back to fitness and adapts to his new machine.
Another stunning tight set of timesheets sets us up for a barnstormer of a Saturday in South America, with FP3, FP4 and qualifying to come. Will anyone be able to break into the top ten in the third Free Practice session? They’ll be praying for the weather to hold out when the premier class head out on track at 10:50 local time (GMT-3), before qualifying starts at 15:05.
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Ducati presents Mission Winnow Team 2019: MotoGP
From Left: Andrea Dovizioso, Claudio Domenicali, Luigi Dall’Igna, Danilo Petrucci. on Jan 18. A Ducati image Neuchâtel (Switzerland), 18 Jan 2019: The Mission Winnow Ducati team, which will compete in the 2019 MotoGP World Championship, was presented today at the iconic Cube, Philip Morris International’s Research and Development centre in the lakeside Swiss town. Riders Andrea Dovizioso and Danilo Petrucci unveiled the brand-new Desmosedici GP19 machine – in its captivating red livery – in front of an audience of international media, guests, sponsors and partners. Everything is now ready for an exciting new season, with the first of 19 races scheduled for March 10 in Qatar. In two weeks’ time, Dovizioso and Petrucci will resume testing action with the Desmosedici GP19 at Sepang (Malaysia).
Miroslaw Zielinski, PMI President Science and Innovation, welcomed the audience: “Mission Winnow is about driving change by constantly searching for better ways of doing things. Ducati is one of the most inspiring and resilient brands in MotoGP, with a 70-year history in racing. The team’s determination to do better every race, to think unconventionally and to continuously push the boundaries of technology perfectly exemplify Mission Winnow.”
Claudio Domenicali, Ducati Motor Holding CEO, added: “Racing has always been part of Ducati’s DNA. The solutions and expertise gathered on track represent an asset that is directly tied to our product line, and the MotoGP project is crucial for us to produce models that are more performing, exciting and safe to ride for all our passionate fans. Looking back at the results achieved in 2018 on track, we can be proud because our Desmosedici GP proved to be one of the most competitive bikes, but we cannot settle and we want to make another, decisive step forward. I believe our know-how and the spirit that characterizes the people of Ducati Corse are an extra value compared with our rivals. I want to take this occasion to thank all the partners that are supporting us in this new challenge in MotoGP – including Audi Sport, which starting from this season will be main sponsor – and to send my best wishes to the whole Mission Winnow Ducati team for an unforgettable season.”
Luigi Dall’Igna, Ducati Corse General Manager: “2018 was another important season for us in MotoGP, one that saw us grow and improve again – both from a technical and a sporting point of view – for the fourth consecutive season. We were very competitive even on tracks that have traditionally been more difficult for us, and we achieved more victories and podiums overall compared with 2017. However, our direct competitors have also improved. We must do better and improve more than what we have done in recent years, bringing new ideas and evolutions to cover all the possible areas. With Andrea and Danilo, we’re confident we have the right team to optimize the resources for the development of the bike. Our goals must be ambitious, as always, and we want to bring the MotoGP title back to Borgo Panigale.”
Andrea Dovizioso (#04, Mission Winnow Ducati): “2018 was a very positive year for me. We started with a victory and, even if we had some ups and downs, the difficulties pushed us to look in new directions and half-way through the season we made a big step forward. I’m very happy with the work done with the team, we fought for the win basically throughout the second half of the championship and I think we’ll make more improvements in the next tests to begin the season in the best possible way. The expectations are high, I have a great feeling with both the bike and my crew, and we can count on more experience. I’m happy to have Danilo alongside me in the garage, we know each other well and I believe we can fight on track but also work together to develop the package.”
Danilo Petrucci (#9, Mission Winnow Ducati): “Last season was very important for me, my best ever in terms of points scored. Even if I barely missed my goal to finish first among independent riders, I still finished 2018 on an undoubtedly positive note. Racing with the factory colours makes me really proud and I can’t wait to get started: I have a great feeling with my new crew, and the technical level is higher than ever. As for me, I know where I can still improve and I changed my conditioning program to make sure I’ll be in my best shape ever come the first race. I’m very happy to pair with Andrea: not only is he a phenomenal rider, but also a wonderful person. We’ve known each other for a long time, and we started to train together with one goal: to both have a really strong season.”
The Mission Winnow Ducati team will soon leave for Malaysia where, on February 6-9 at Sepang, the first collective pre-season tests will unfold.
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Lorenzo takes pole; it is a first Ducati 1-2 since 2006: MotoGP
Lorenzo takes pole at Silverstone on Saturday, 25 Aug 2018. A Ducati team image Silverstone, 25 Aug 2018: It was a dramatic day at the GoPro British Grand Prix and after weather affected several sessions, the schedule for Sunday has been changed due to the forecast. The MotoGP race will begin at the earlier time of 11:30 (GMT +1), with Moto3 now planned for 13:00 but Moto2 remaining at 14:30.
On Saturday as the grid headed out for a delayed Q2, however, it was Jorge Lorenzo (Ducati Team) who secured a sensational second pole position of the season at Silverstone, with teammate Andrea Dovizioso earning his third consecutive front row start in second on a track split between wet patches and a dry line elsewhere. That makes it a first Ducati 1-2 since 2006, with the two Bologna bullets joined on the front row by Johann Zarco (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) as the Frenchman returned to his early season qualifying form to impress.The start of the second qualifying session was delayed following an incident involving several riders in FP4, including Tito Rabat (Reale Avintia Racing), who was taken to hospital nearby and will take no further part in the weekend. Once the green flags flew once again, the stage was set for a very close showdown for pole.
After graduating from Q1, Bradley Smith (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) was the early pace-setter, before Jack Miller (Alma Pramac Racing) led Dovizioso and Pramac teammate Danilo Petrucci over the line to give the Desmosedicis a provisional front row lock out. But that was just the start of the constant chopping and changing for pole, with home hero Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda Castrol), Zarco and Dovizioso then setting the fastest times of the session in tandem.
Not long after it was a case of deja vu for Miller as the Australian took the gamble to head out on slicks, just like he did in Argentina when it paid off for pole. This time, however, the cards – or the clock – didn’t deal him the same hand and at the front it remained a wet tyre dominated game as Lorenzo made his move to go provisional pole by 0.159, just pipping teammate Dovizioso. Ultimately that was all she wrote, and the two Ducatis stayed P1 and P2 as the chequered flag came out. There was a late change to who would join them on the front row though, with Zarco knocking Crutchlow out of third on his final lap – meaning the Brit starts P4 at his home GP.
For Championship leader Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team), meanwhile, it was a tricky session. Managing to salvage P5 on his final lap – 0.928 behind the Ducati duo – the reigning Champion and former winner at the venue will be gunning for a good start from Row 2. Petrucci eventually claimed sixth to join the Hondas of Crutchlow and Marquez on the second row.
Andrea Iannone (Team Suzuki Ecstar) spearheads the third row for Sunday’s showdown, ahead of a stunning showing from Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Q1 graduate Smith. The Brit took the Austrian factory’s best qualifying of the season in P8, just ahead of the gambling Miller. Smith’s fellow Q1 graduate Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) rounds out the top ten.
After such a strong start to the weekend, Q2 didn’t go the way Maverick Viñales (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) and teammate Valentino Rossi would have envisioned. The Spaniard will start P11, with Rossi just behind after missing out on a final flying lap by a fraction of a second. It’s 12th for the ‘Doctor’, but he’ll have memories of his Austrian ride through the field fresh in his mind as he aims for a repeat.
The shake-up on the grid sets us up for a classic on Sunday, with former winners at the venue scattered over the first few rows and everything to play for. What will the weather bring? Find out when the lights go out at 11:30 local time (GMT +1) for the GoPro British Grand Prix.
MotoGP™ Qualifying Results
1 – Jorge Lorenzo (SPA) DUCATI 2’10.155
2 – Andrea Dovizioso (ITA) DUCATI +0.159
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First Independent Team Rider:
3 – Johann Zarco (FRA) YAMAHA +0.284 -
Dovizioso wins a thriller: A Michelin’s view as it battles the heat
Dovizioso wins at Brno. on Sunday. A Michelin image Brno (Czech Republic) 5 Aug 2018: Michelin faced excessive track temperatures all weekend at Brno during round 10 of the MotoGP™ World Championship before a cooling of the surface today saw the Monster Energy Grand Prix České Republiky produce another exciting race with Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) taking a stunning victory.
This weekend saw asphalt temperatures rise to above 50°C – which is the highest it has been for MotoGP at the 5,403m Brno circuit this century – and the MICHELIN Power Slick tyres had to contend with this as well as the complexities of this technically demanding circuit. With its heavy-braking downhill sections and hard acceleration zones, all of which were magnified with the extreme heat, the riders and teams worked unstintingly with their respective Michelin Technicians to get the optimum performance for their respective machines in preparation for the race.
Today saw a drop in temperature as the clouds cooled things down and the track thermometer read just 38°C and this change caused many teams to rethink their plans and alter the choice of tyres as the race approached. When the lights went out to signal the start of today’s main event, the front medium and hard compounds and the rear soft and hard versions were all that were favoured by the 25 riders that lined up on the grid for the 21-lap race.
Dovizioso was on pole, but he was beaten to the first corner by Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP), before the Ducati man regained the lead to head the field at the end of Lap 1 The initial stages of the race were a guarded affair as no rider wanted to show their hand and chose to preserve their Michelin tyres for the long race ahead. As the laps ticked by lap-times improved and a battle started to form at the front. Dovizioso and Rossi were joined by Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda), Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda) and Jorge Lorenzo (Ducati Team). These five swapped places numerous times as the race drew to a close, with some impressive overtaking as the top riders in the world put their faith in the performance of the rubber and pushed their Michelin tyres to the limit. The latter part of the race gave the 84,678 fans at trackside, and the millions more watching on TV around the globe, huge excitement as Dovizioso, Lorenzo and Marquez fought for the podium positions. As the flag dropped Dovizioso took victory on his Ducati, Lorenzo followed him home with Marquez third, as this trio also set the three fastest laps of the race on the last circulation, demonstrating the durability of the MICHELIN Power Slicks over such a demanding race. Rossi finished in fourth, with Crutchlow taking fifth and the position of First Independent Rider. Danilo Petrucci (Alma Pramac Racing) was sixth, with Johann Zarco (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) securing the seventh place. Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda) was eighth, Alvaro Bautista (Angel Nieto Team) on his 150th MotoGP start taking ninth and Alex Rins (Team SUZUKI ECSTAR) rounding out the top-ten.
Michelin will now remain at Brno for a one-day official test, before travelling straight to the Red Bull Ring at Spielberg in Austria for round 11 of the championship, which will be held next Sunday.
Andrea Dovizioso – Ducati Team:
“The front worked really well and I’m very happy with its performance today, especially on this track where there are a lot of bumps and it is normally very difficult. We are very focused on the rear because on our bike we are always trying to preserve the tyres for the end of the race. Overall this weekend it has been very good as we had an advantage with our bike with acceleration, so we always have a chance to fight right until the end. We are still trying to adapt the bike to the tyres and get the very best performance and that is something we will continue to work on.”
Piero Taramasso – Michelin Motorsport Two-Wheel Manager:
“This has been a real complex weekend for us. We did not anticipate the extreme track temperatures we would face and the working range that the tyres would have to contend with. Due to how we have progressed during our three seasons in MotoGP the operating windows are now much larger and this was highlighted as every rear compound was a raceable option today. The durability of the tyres was a very important issue, but we knew that the tyres could withstand the 21 tough laps around here no matter what the temperature and that was proved as Jorge, Marc and Andrea set the three fastest laps respectively on the very last lap. This has been a very positive weekend for Michelin and we will now stay for the test where we have a new tyre to evaluate, before we head to Austria and another tough examination at a very unique track.”
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Marquez edges Petrucci by just 0.025 to take pole: MotoGP Round 9
Independent team rider and Friday’s second-fastest Petrucci was denied his first pole on Saturday. A MotoGP image After the first runs in the session, it was Maverick Viñales (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) on the provisional pole as the Spaniard was the first to break Marquez’ previous pole lap record from 2015, before the first charge on the second exit saw Lorenzo threaten that – with Petrucci in close pursuit. Over the line, the two took over at the top, with Petrucci just ahead, as Marquez began his third run – later crediting the two-stop strategy as a key to his ninth pole at the venue.
On that last dash with the clock counting down, the number 93 was just off in the first sector, put in a personal best second sector and then a red third one – meaning he was up on the previous best overall. But it was mere hundredths and it went right down to the wire, with a solid final sector seeing Marquez just maintain the advantage and pip Petrucci by the tiniest of margins. That means it’s exactly the top two from last season, except then, it was over a tenth and a half, and this year it’s half a tenth covering the front row.
Viñales wasn’t able to improve and stayed fourth, Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) moved up to fifth after coming from Q1 and Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) found some more pace on Saturday to complete the superstar-studded second row – with every one of them keen to get the launch of their lives and move forward at lights out. With Lorenzo ahead of them on the front row, that could be a task. The front row riders share 11 titles between them – but so do the second.
On the third row, the former podium finisher at the venue Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda Castrol) took P7, ahead of practice pacesetter Andrea Iannone (Team Suzuki Ecstar) and the on-form Alvaro Bautista (Angel Nieto Team), with Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda Team) rounding out the top ten. The number 26 has an impeccable record at the track – it’s the venue at which he’s had the most success, along with Valencia – and could be one to watch when the lights go out.
Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) starts P11 and Q1 graduate Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) starts P12, with Johann Zarco (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) hot on their heels in thirteenth. Jack Miller (Alma Pramac Racing) and Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) complete the top fifteen on the grid after Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini), who just missed out on a place in Q2, received a six-place grid penalty for the race following ‘irresponsible riding’ in FP3; now starting P19.
Think you know what’s going to happen in the German GP? You might be the only one…From 14:00 (GMT +2) the grid will be back out to race and see who will take the momentum into the summer break.
MotoGP™ Qualifying Results
1 – Marc Marquez (SPA) HONDA 1’20.270
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First Independent Team Rider:
2 – Danilo Petrucci (ITA) DUCATI +0.025
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3 – Jorge Lorenzo (SPA) DUCATI +0.057 -
Rossi stunner for pole at Mugello; Lorenzo, Vinales lock front row
Valentino Rossi, who grabbed his 65th pole position. Photo: Movistar Yamaha MotoGP Mugello, 02 June 2018: Frenetic, electric, high-octane, tense and down to the absolute wire: that was qualifying for the Gran Premio d’Italia Oakley. And as the yellow haze clears, it’s Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) who will be starting from pole, the ‘Doctor’ putting in an electric 1:46.203 lap to take to the top and master the stunning Autodromo del Mugello once again. Sometimes, there really is no place like home.
Starting alongside the number 46 is the other man with a comparable winning record at the track – Jorge Lorenzo (Ducati Team); also the rider whose 65 career poles Rossi equals, with the two now equal second of all time. And that stat was on a knife edge, with the number 99 only 0.035 off pole.
Jorge Lorenzo. Photo: Ducati Lorenzo has also taken the holeshot in both Jerez and Le Mans, but it won’t just be Rossi he’s fighting into San Donato once the lights go out at Mugello – the Ducati rider splits the Yamahas, with Q1 graduate Maverick Viñales (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) completing the front row after an impressive Q2.
The home hero who had led the way for much of the weekend so far, was the man to just miss out on the front row, with Andrea Iannone (Team Suzuki Ecstar) taking P4 and just shuffled out in the incredible hot lap shootout. He’s just ahead of top Independent Team rider Danilo Petrucci (Alma Pramac Racing), a podium finisher at the venue last year, with reigning Champion Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) down in sixth.
One on attempt, Marquez had been almost half a second up by halfway round the lap, but it wasn’t to be. Losing time, the Championship leader wasn’t able to put it all together and push himself up the order – despite an impressive save around the final corner in classic self-named style. He’s in good company, however, with key rival and 2017 Mugello winner Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) in seventh and less than a tenth off.
Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda Castrol) and Johann Zarco (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) make for two more riders looking for more on Sunday as they start eighth and ninth, with the top ten completed by Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) as he competes at the venue for the first time in the premier class, having sat out the Italian GP due to injury in his rookie year.
Maverick Vinales. Photo: Movistar Yamaha MotoGP Second Q1 graduate Jack Miller (Alma Pramac Racing) will be gunning for his ninth consecutive top ten result from P11 on the grid, with top rookie Franco Morbidelli (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) in P12 after his first automatic graduation to Q2 at his home race. In contrasting fortunes, it’s been a tough weekend so far for former Mugello winner Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda Team), who’s not yet back to fully fit and will be starting the Italian GP in P20. So that’s it – the 46 flags are flying high on Saturday. Will it be the same on Sunday? With such pedigree both at the front and looking to move forward, the battle between the veterans, the hard chargers and the fresh challengers is going to light up Mugello once again.
Moto2: Home turf pole for Pasini at Mugello
Last year’s race winner Mattia Pasini (Italtrans Racing Team) carried his Saturday morning form into qualifying as the Italian shot to pole position for his home race at the Gran Premio d’Italia Oakley. Marcel Schroetter (Italtrans Racing Team) was second fastest in the afternoon, a slender 0.030 behind Pasini’s 1:51.575 after a career-best finish at Le Mans, with Alex Marquez (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) rounding out the front row of the grid in third, just 0.067 back from pole.
Championship leader Francesco Bagnaia (SKY Racing Team VR46) had a quiet session, sitting in the garage for a prolonged period midway through – he’ll launch for P4 in tomorrow’s race as he aims to grab a home victory. He leads fellow-Italian Simone Corsi (Tasca Racing Scuderia Moto2), who starts from P5 in Sunday’s race on his 250th Grand Prix start – a fantastic milestone for Corsi, who’ll be aiming for a podium finish tomorrow.
Moto3: Martin grabs pole as Suzuki, Sasaki impress
Jorge Martin. Photo: Jorgemartin88.net Jorge Martin (Del Conca Gresini Moto3) kept his awesome record in qualifying at the Gran Premio d’Italia Oakley, taking provisional pole and then bettering that on his final run to end the session 0.190 ahead of the field. That field was headed by two equally impressive performers: Tatsuki Suzuki (SIC58 Squadra Corse) and Ayumu Sasaki (Petronas Sprinta Racing), who locked out the front row for Japan. It’s the first front row start for both and with no Italians on the front row, Suzuki flies the flag for the home nation with the SIC58 Squadra Corse outfit. And, after getting tangled in a crash earlier in the day, Sasaki’s ride through the pain barrier – despite still suffering with an injury to his leg sustained in Le Mans – made for an incredible performance for the former Asia Talent Cup and Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup Champion.
Aron Canet (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) was also in close company, just 0.014 further back heading up the second row – with first Italian, Championship leader Marco Bezzecchi (Redox PrüstelGP) – 0.017 in arrears to complete the top five.
Fabio Di Giannantonio (Del Conca Gresini Moto3) and Niccolo Antonelli (SIC58 Squadra Corse) took P6 and P7 respectively on home turf as the gaps remained incredibly tight, ahead of Adam Norrodin (Petronas Sprinta Racing) and Marcos Ramirez (Bester Capital Dubai). From second to ninth is covered by just over two tenths – an incredible preview of what’s to come on race day at the venue that saw 21 riders fight for the win last season.
Kaito Toba (Honda Team Asia) took tenth as the third former Asia Talent Cup rider in the top ten – and he’s just ahead of compatriot and top rookie Kazuki Masaki (RBA BOE Skull Rider), the reigning Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup Champion and another former Asia Talent Cup competitor in an impressive day for the graduates of the Road to MotoGP™ programme.
The stage is set for a showdown at Mugello, with the times incredibly tight and some big names looking to slice through from further back – including Enea Bastianini (Leopard Racing) in P14 and last year’s winner Andrea Migno (Angel Nieto Team) in P15.
