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Tag: Marc Marquez
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Don’t worry, we will come back to the top: Marc Marquez
Catalunya, 24 Sept 2020: 2020 has been a season like no other for Marc Marquez, the Repsol Honda Team rider forced to watch the action from home after an injury in the first round of the season. While watching the races from home is hard, Marc continues to work and train, pushing to return to the circuit and his Honda RC213V when the time is right. Ahead of his home race at the Catalan GP, Marc shared some of his thoughts on the 2020 season, his physical and mental condition and the performance of the Repsol Honda Team.
Q: Marc, we would like to know how you feel physically and mentally?
“About the physical side, now I am in a good moment. But of course, I am still far from my normal level. It’s true that last week, I started to do some running and cycling. From the cardio side, the legs and the left arm, my condition is quite good. But about the right arm, still I need to make some big steps but now we are starting to do more exercises. I am looking forward to starting to push a little bit more in the gym. But at the moment we must respect the timings and just be patient.
“From the mental side it was hard in the beginning. Because you know, there was nothing to do at home, the days and even the hours were very, very long but now we have a plan a for each day. We do two sessions of physio and then we also train in the gym with my trainer, the left arm, the legs, along with some cardio. So now the mental side is feeling much better, the moment where I suffer the most is during the race weekend because you are watching the race, all the practice sessions from the TV and it is not easy. Aside from this, we can say that I’m happy now. I’m happy because I already feel that we have made some steps forward.”
Q: We saw you last week already training with protection, are you still using it?
“Yeah, we have had some different kinds of protections. In the beginning I had a lot of protection, from the hand to the top of the arm and it was like completely rigid. Then step by step we used this carbon protection that you saw on social media that was from the elbow to the shoulder. And now, in normal life I am not using anything expect for training, especially when I am cycling, still I am using that carbon protection because it fixes the bone and the arm in place a little bit better. Now I am starting to forget about the protections, and I hope that next week we are already able to remove the protection from all the things we do.”
Q: How are you feeling now you are training again?
“I have started cycling and running and I expected it to be much worse because for like four, five weeks I was completely just on the sofa watching TV. But I started running and immediately from the first day I felt good and I started to see improvements, with cycling too. The most difficult thing is the muscle on the right arm but even this is better than I expected. The muscle is still there, it’s working well. The most important thing is that all the movements are ok and now step by step with my physio Carlos, he is living with me in my house, we will start to work hard to improve, following the correct steps in the correct time.”
Q: Did you miss training?
“I missed training, especially the first two weeks but what I’m missing more is being on a motorbike. Now I’m in a situation where I hope to come back soon on a small bike or something like this but at the moment, we have to just respect the process, the timings from the doctors. Now I start to feel ready, but this is when it becomes a little dangerous because when you feel ready, you want more and more but I just have to try to understand what my body is saying.”
Q: Already from running last week, many fans said you were really fast!
“I was surprised because normally my running pace is 3:50 per kilometer and I did a 4/4:10 per kilometer so it was a good pace. The next day I was destroyed! My legs were completely empty but then during the week I ran three times, I went cycling one time and it looks like the base is there. So, from the physical side, I feel ready to come back but about the arm specifically, still not.”
Q: Last race in Misano, it was the first race where the Repsol Honda Team were closer to the front. What did you think about it?
“The Repsol Honda Team is, I think, in a difficult situation. Of course, I feel like I am important there and I feel that we can achieve many good results but when you have a rookie rider on the other side of the garage, and then I was out from the first race, then you can lose the direction a little bit. But now it looks like it’s normal, a rookie has a process and my teammate, that’s also my brother of course, has a good process. But the Tuesday test in Misano was very important because they found something there and then from that point Nakagami and my brother, Alex, did a big step. P6 and P7 overall in the final result, I think is a good result for them. I am looking forward to coming back as soon as possible to help the team but at the moment I am just helping from the outside.”
Q: Do you think he (Alex) already made this step?
“Alex is in the process, one important thing for rookie riders is when they have two races in a row in the same circuit. This helps a lot, the most difficult thing in MotoGP is arriving at a circuit with a MotoGP bike and trying to adjust everything. Alex will arrive in Montmelo at the Catalunya Circuit and he will start the process again. But let’s see if he did a step. To do a step is just to be racing from P8 to P12, this is the first step that he needed to do and then from there it is about trying to learn, see where you can improve and then make another step.”
Q: Do you think it’s harder for a rookie this season because the difference from first to 20th is one second?
“It’s difficult for a rookie, but also for everybody. The times are really close, I mean in one second there are 17 riders, 18 riders and this is something amazing because I think the level in MotoGP is really equal now and this is good for the riders because in the end, the final improvement comes from them. It’s a difficult season for everybody but especially for a rookie it’s difficult because you have many races in a row. It’s strange because when you race one time you go home then the body can understand how to improve, but now everything is happening really fast – too fast for a rookie rider. And we don’t have tests, they had a one-day test in Misano and normally during a season we have four or five days test that help a lot.”
Q: Being at home, have you become Alex’s advisor?
“I try to help Alex and on Thursday when they have the tyre allocation, he sends me the photo and I try to give some advice, maybe this tyre can be the option because last year and all these things. But then we have like a rule, he needs to work with his team, we have to be professional and he is working with his team. If he has a doubt about riding style or something like this, he calls me, but I never call him. He needs to call me because he is in the circuit working with his team and he has Alberto there, who also has a lot of experience, and Emilio. But of course, every day we have two, sometimes three phone calls.”
Q: Honda sent a press release where they said you are two or three months away from the track. Which point are we at now?
“Three months is a lot. When I was with the doctors we tried to understand and to listen to different opinions, different doctors and they said around three months. In the beginning it’s a shock to a rider but now, which moment? Now I am in the moment where I start to feel the big steps with my body. So now every day, every week, I feel something different. The first three weeks were the same because I didn’t feel anything, and I didn’t feel any improvement. But now I start to feel some improvements, we start to work at the gym, I start to train. So, in which moment I don’t know, I know that I am closer to being on a bike, that is the most important. I know that we are in a good way, but I don’t know if I will be on the bike in one month, in two weeks or in two months. I don’t know this; this is something that my body will answer.”
Q: In the meantime, you are watching the races at home, it must be super strange for you?
“It’s the most difficult, to watch races at home is the most difficult thing because you are there watching the practice, watching the races, you would like to be there. Then when you see that it’s so equal, many different winners during a season and you see that they have only 84 points after so many races you become even more motivated to come back. But in the end the timing is the timing. It looks strange that after seven races I am only 84 points behind the leader, and I have zero! It’s a strange season and looks like we don’t have anybody who is making a big difference compared to the others.”
Q: What do you think about this season? Seven races to go, it’s still completely open!
“It’s strange, it’s strange because it looks like nobody wants to win! Nobody wants to be at the top, I mean is difficult to understand but if you are a rider you can understand it a little bit. One thing is to be a rider that if you win, it will be fantastic and if you win it will be something incredible but when you are the rider that needs to win then something changes and you have many more doubts because you don’t know if you should attack, if you should defend. You know when you are the rider that is coming from second place, third place, fourth place and you have something in front of you, you have nothing to lose, you just attack and then you ride with more confidence because you don’t have anything to lose but when you are at the top and you have to win, this is when the doubts start to be in your mind, in your body and it becomes more difficult.”
Q: Because not only two riders are in the fight, many factories and also satellite bikes, it’s complexly open this year.
“Yeah, I mean it’s good for MotoGP and I think for the show that now a satellite team has an official bike so that means that the bike can win many races. This is something good because then a satellite team can have a good goal for a season, a good goal for a race, they are fighting there. For sponsors, for all these things it is much better.”
Q: You mentioned in an interview with DAZN in Austria that your favourites would be Dovi and Quartararo – is that still the same?
“It’s difficult to say, but it’s true that in Austria I said Quartararo or Dovizioso but, honestly speaking, I expected more from them. Especially from Quartararo, I expect much more because he won the first two races with an incredible level and now, I don’t know what is going on. He struggles a lot, even in one of his strongest points: Qualifying practice. But then Dovizioso is consistent, he is there but he needs more speed if he wants to win the title and we see that Viñales is there, Mir is there, I mean we have eight, nine riders within 25 points so it will be interesting to see the end of the season. And yeah, we will try to experience the show from the inside!”
Q: Home race in Barcelona this week, will you be at home biting your nails?
“Now MotoGP will race just one hour from my home. And yeah, it will be strange, but you know, it’s a strange situation. It’s the first time that I have this experience in my career, it’s true that in the career of an athlete in any sport, if you spend 15 years riding at the limit then one year, you have this possibility. We will try to come back as soon as possible; the motivation still is there.”
Q: From 2013 you have won six titles, now is a hard moment for Honda. Many people are using this bad luck to attack and say the bike isn’t easy and the strategy is wrong. What do you think?
“I have a lot of time now and I read many things but, in the end, if you take the last ten years, Honda has had a perfect strategy. Why? Because it is the team that won more titles, more team titles and more Constructor Championships. I think Honda is doing a great job during all these years. Every manufacturer is struggling for one year, but it’s like this sometimes. We are looking forward to improving the situation for next year because I feel part of Honda and I feel that it is part of my responsibility to be there to bring Honda to the top. And we will come back, but for me the strategy of Honda in the end, means you can suffer one year but you need to take the last ten years, and the last ten years Honda has achieved more than the other manufacturers.”
Q: Does a MotoGP bike need to be an easy bike like people say?
“I mean of course a MotoGP bike is a MotoGP bike. I mean every MotoGP bike has a different character and then the riders must adapt to the bike. Honda has this philosophy for many many years in the 500cc and MotoGP classes. For example, when I speak with Doohan, with Criville, the philosophy was the same. Honda have a good bike, but you need to be 100% fit, you need to push the bike a lot but then when you get the feeling with the bike, you can be really fast. Then when I read ‘no the bike is made only for Marquez style and blah blah’, it’s not like this. I mean we have three official bikes on track, last year it was me, Lorenzo and Crutchlow and all the riders have the same comments. It’s another thing if one rider is faster or slower. But I am the first one that wants a faster bike and an easier one, it will be easier for me as well. But is not like this, it’s a competitive bike and in the last race for example they finished P6 with Nakagami and P7 with a rookie rider, Alex. So, it is a good bike, it has potential but if you want to understand the bike, you have to crash many times, but you will understand it.”
Q: About the last race, a new circuit, Portimao – what do you think about this track?
“Portimao will be interesting to finish the season. I hope to be there, I hope to race there with MotoGP because I tested there with a Moto2 bike in 2012 – a long time ago but I remember the circuit and it was very nice. Many ups and downs, following the natural layout of the land, it was really nice, and it was very fun to race there. I hope I will be able try to be there and to finish the season in a good way.”
Q: Finally, a message to all the fans?
“I just want to say thanks, especially to all the Repsol Honda Team and also to all the fans. I received many, many great messages. I read many, many questions: ‘when will you come back?’ I don’t know, I don’t know when I will come back. I hope to comeback as soon as possible. I feel that it is sooner rather than later, so this is something good also. Let’s see but thanks for continuing to support me, supporting Honda and don’t worry, we will come back to the top.”
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Marc Marquez undergoes second surgery
Barcelona, 3 August 2020: Marc Marquez underwent a second operation on Monday after the titanium plate used to fix his right humerus was found to have suffered damage due to stress accumulation. Dr Xavier Mir and his team at the Hospital Universitari Dexeus successfully replaced the titanium plate and Marc Marquez will now stay in the hospital for 48 hours before being discharged, a Repsol Honda release send late on Monday night.
Dr. Xavier Mir said: “Marc Marquez underwent surgery 13 days ago and today he returned to the operating room. The first operation was successful, what was not expected was that the plate was insufficient. An accumulation of stress in the operated area has caused the plate to suffer some damage, so today the titanium plate has been removed and replaced by a new fixation. The rider has not felt pain during this period. He has always followed the medical advice given and the feeling from his body. Unfortunately, an over stress has caused this issue. Now we have to wait 48 hours to understand the recovery time.”
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Marc Marquez withdraws from Andalucia GP: A Repsol Honda view
Jerez, 25 July 2020: The Repsol Honda Team forged ahead in Andalucia, the incredible efforts of Marc and Alex Marquez and their teams unfortunately unrewarded as Alex aims for a spirited comeback on Sunday.
All eyes were on the Repsol Honda Team garage as the second day of the Gran Premio Red Bull de Andalucía began, Marc Marquez making an incredible return to the circuit just four days after surgery on a broken right humerus. The Repsol Honda Team continued their work as normal, building on the data and learning of the last race and adapting as the conditions developed.
For Marc Marquez the day was about adapting and understanding the situation, each lap giving himself and his team more information about how his body was reacting to the demands of a MotoGP machine. Marc alongside HRC and the Repsol Honda Team elected to end his participation in the Andalucia GP after Free Practice 4 to avoid any further risks. This is the first Grand Prix Marc has missed since the 2011 Valencia GP while riding in the Moto2 class. His aim is to now return for the Czech GP on August 09.
It was a day of contrasts for Alex Marquez who continued to improve each time he left the pits on his Repsol Honda RC213V in FP3 and FP4. The day started with a solid Free Practice 3 session, making another step towards the top ten before an impressive run in Free Practice 4 where the rookie consistently ran inside the top ten. Unfortunately, this progress would go unrewarded in a difficult Q1 session which ended with a fall at Turn 5. Alex will start from 21st on the grid.
Takaaki Nakagami continued to shine aboard the LCR Honda RC213V as the Japanese ace topped FP4 and qualified eighth.
The second race in the 2020 MotoGP World Championship will begin at 14:00 Local Time, the Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto once again set to host a thrilling 25-lap premier-class spectacle.
Marc Marquez said: “It was a very positive FP4 and I was feeling very good with used tyres but then I struggled more on new tyres. I made a lot of mistakes during Qualifying and I’m not able to really make the most of the initial grip, this is certainly something I have to work on because qualifying in MotoGP is so important. Even so, our race pace is looking better, and I am pleased with this. I also had a small crash, my arm is OK after some initial pain because the crash was quite fast, but it will be fine for tomorrow and the plan is to go forward tomorrow.”
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Marc Marquez declared fit to ride in Jerez
The reigning Champion has been given the go-ahead to take part in the Gran Premio Red Bull de Andalucia
Jerez, 23 July 2020: Two days after undergoing surgery on a fractured humerus, reigning MotoGP World Champion Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) has been declared fit to ride at this weekend’s Gran Premio Red Bull de Andalucia after passing a medical check-in at Jerez.
Marquez broke his humerus in a crash during the Spanish GP and returned to Barcelona on Monday. He then underwent surgery on Tuesday, performed by MotoGP Traumatology specialist Dr Xavier Mir, and returned to the Circuito de Jerez-Angel Nieto on Thursday morning.
The number 93 was passed fit to ride alongside fellow competitors Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda Castrol) and Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar), who also sustained injuries during the Spanish GP race weekend. Crutchlow suffered a broken scaphoid and Rins a dislocated shoulder – as well as a small fracture – and all three have been given the go ahead to take part in the Gran Premio Red Bull de Andalucia.
MotoGP Medical Director Dr Angel Charte: “As you all know, Marc Marquez had a crash where he suffered an injury, which was a diaphyseal fracture to the humerus. He underwent a surgical intervention where they plate it and 48 hours later, as is stated in the medical regulations, he has the right to request a medical evaluation to participate in the next race. Today he came to the medical examination unit, where they tried all of the movements that involve this kind of injury and it turns out he’s able to do them perfectly. There were no signs of pain or mechanical inability of his right arm, and therefore the exhaustive medical examination, although it seems strange to us, has been positive. It proves the rider is perfectly ready to race. At what percentage, that can’t be told, but he fulfils the rigorous medical protocol for this type of injury.
“Crutchlow had another crash and fractured his left scaphoid. A nail was placed in the fragment that was fractured and he has undergone the medical check-up which we do for this kind of injury, as each injury has its own protocol for examination. He’s okay and can race perfectly. In the case of Alex Rins, exactly the same. He had a scapolumeral subluxation of the left shoulder with a small fracture to part of the humerus’ head. This morning he underwent a nuclear magnetic resonance scan and the edema which was a result of the contusion has gone down ostensibly, and so we did the examination that have to do, and the rider is fit.”
Marquez is expected to be back on track on Saturday.
“Everyone is fast here”: we’re back in the ring for Round 2
The Pre-Event Press Conference gears us up for this weekend’s Gran Premio Red Bull de Andalucia – with plenty of talking points.
The pre-event Press Conference gave a good few more talking points on Thursday ahead of the Gran Premio Red Bull de Andalucia too. Joining Spanish GP race winner Fabio Quartararo (Petronas Yamaha SRT) were his fellow podium finishers Maverick Viñales (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) and Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team), as well as fourth-placed Jack Miller (Pramac Racing), and Moto3™ Championship leader Albert Arenas (Solunion Aspar Team Moto3). Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda Castrol) and Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) joined the stage too, talking to the media ahead of their returns from injury this weekend.
MotoGP press conference on Thursday. A MotoGP image Quartararo spoke first, the Frenchman still riding high on the feeling from Sunday’s race.
“It was an amazing feeling. I didn’t really feel the pressure of winning my first race but as soon as I won I felt like I’d taken some pressure off me. This is really positive but in the end the first thing that I did after the photos and everything was to have a briefing with my team to try to improve even more, try to find some small details to make even more of a difference and we’ll try to do our best again this weekend!”
“It was quite physical at the end with the hot conditions. In the end it was more than seven months since we had a race in Valencia, and the first one is always tougher. So the second one we should be getting a bit more used to it but, as you said, it will be tough again.”
And what about his fellow riders returning to the fray so soon? And Marquez’ comeback?
“It’s not only about Marc; Alex and Cal are back. Cal also had surgery two days ago, so it’s quite amazing when you’re a rider, you want to come back as soon as possible. Surely they’ll give their maximum with the pain they have and I’m happy for them to be back on track.”
Next to speak was Maverick Viñales, who was first asked about his tyre choice on Sunday…
“It looks like I need to work on the hard! But anyway it’s a totally different race. We needed to focus on the start of the race to be with Marc, somehow we made a good strategy and even if I struggled a lot we took 20 points, which is really good for us. For sure this weekend we have another race in Jerez to try understand the bike. I’m really excited, the feeling is the same as the first race, I feel ready, the atmosphere inside the team is fantastic and I cant wait for us to start!
“Here in Jerez most of the riders have a lot of experience, all the manufactures have many laps and we came from a test. Everyone is fast here. That’s why it was important to start in the first places, pushing and trying to make a gap at the beginning because in the last laps there are many riders that can go fast. There are many manufactures that can win the race but still we need to improve and be ready for this second race.”
One of those many manufacturers hoping to take to the top step is Ducati. Dovizioso, who took his first premier class podium at Jerez last weekend, was next to talk.
“It was really hard last weekend, especially in the race. I was struggling and I couldn’t write the way I wanted. It was very physical for me. From the beginning to the end. To finish on the podium was very important for the championship, being in Jerez. I’m happy to be here again because after four days you’re able to work on some details, after you do the race, and that is the best way to work on the bike. We analysed a lot of things, we have a lot of ideas, let’s see if that will work because it’s what we need; to make a step on our speed, so let’s focus on that.
“About the future, nothing’s changed. Now we’re focused on racing because after that good result on Sunday, we have to keep the position we did on Sunday. It will be very hard because a lot of riders were really fast behind me, so we have to make a step. That’s the point and after that we can think about strategy and all the other stuff, but I’m really interested to try a new setup tomorrow.”
The man Dovizioso just beat to the podium on Sunday, Jack Miller, took to the mic just after, and he echoed how difficult that first time out had been – and revealed what he’ll be working on.
“Yeah, the race was as to be expected. Like the boys said, seven months off we all knew it was going to be tough. Struggles with feeling on the hand, I think it was more to do with position on the handlebar. Here is a lot of right-hand corners where you’re hanging out the side. I lost a bit of motion in my wrist towards the end of the race, I wasn’t able to be as smooth and I let a few blokes past. I mean, the beauty as they said is to be back here again, take two. My body was a bit stiff on Monday but had a few days to recover and try to work on what we struggled on last weekend, which seemed to be the last sector, and try again on Sunday.
“Ducati haven’t been that strong here in the past, I haven’t, all things honest. But things felt good in the test on Wednesday, we immediately felt a good connection. The GP20 is working really well, it’s down to my style to sort out the last sector, which was the biggest issue, if we can do that I think we can challenge. The boys up here who followed me for a few laps will tell you I was pretty much a roadblock through that second to last corner. So hopefully we can sort that out and it will be all systems go.”
Next we heard from Crutchlow, who missed the race last time out and is coming back from surgery to fix a broken scaphoid performed just two days ago. The Brit started with a debrief before looking ahead to this weekend.
“It’s always strange watching a race in your motorhome. I enjoyed it. Congratulations to Fabio, he rode great to have his first race win in MotoGP. I obviously crashed in the morning Warm Up, and it seems that everyone that crashed and went in the gravel quite fast broke bones; me, Marc and Alex. It seems that with the depth of the gravel we were tumbling quite a lot. At the time I went for CT scans on my head because I had quite a lot of bruising on my face and forehead, so I went for CT scans, they were clear and I was quite keen to race, but the doctors at the circuit took the decision that I wasn’t able to race, they wanted to wait 8 hours for the bruising to go down, which meant I couldn’t race. Then, as the painkillers wore off in the day, my wrist started to hurt.
“I didn’t feel it at the time and I felt it was a big problem. We had it examined here with an x-ray then with a CT scan back at the hospital again which confirmed I had a broken scaphoid, so I flew back to Barcelona and Dr Mir performed the operation on Tuesday to put a screw in to the scaphoid, which I believes makes it the strongest now because I can ride with it. It seems not too bad now. Let’s see how it is and if I can ride with it tomorrow. It won’t be easy to ride injured but the professionals that we are, riding injured – with Alex and Marc – we all know the decision taken either by ourselves with the medical team if we’ll be able to cope riding the bike. You don’t know until you get on the bike. We’ve all passed the fitness test but riding these bikes is a different story. I’ll see how it goes and I look forward to getting on the bike in the morning.
“Everywhere will be difficult. The scaphoid, as we know, is one of the worst bones in the body to break, especially if you’re trying to ride one of these bikes around Jerez. It’s really finicky and in such a small space, so it’ll be really painful in the braking zones for sure. I’ll let you know tomorrow evening!”
Next up was Alex Rins, another coming back from injury, after he dislocated his shoulder and suffered a small fracture in the Spanish GP.
“I’m so happy to be here. Saturday was a really bad crash, it’s a crash you don’t want to have. I lost the front at Turn 11 very early. To avoid Jack I tried to save the front tyre and I entered so fast into the gravel, and as Cal said the gravel here is so deep. I lost the rear, I jumped from the bike and I touched the gravel with the shoulder and it immediately came out, I broke a small piece too. Anyway I tried to recover all I can with the physiotherapist at the track. I decided to stay here to try and recover, to see my team and my bike, and to watch the race from our box – for sure it was strange. We passed the exam but let’s see tomorrow on the bike, I’m not at 100% and will feel pain but this is racing. For sure if I feel a lot of pain and I’m not secure to ride, I will stop!
“Especially after FP4, we did a very good lap time and race pace. After the crash I said let’s prepare the bike because I will race but the next day I was in bed with a lot of pain. Watching the race, it was unbelievable. Congrats to these guys because they did a great race with extreme conditions. If I could be there with my pace? We don’t know for sure. Let’s see….”
Finally, the man unbeaten so far in Moto3™ took to the stage. Albert Arenas has 50 points from 50 so far and is on quite a roll, so can anyone beat him this weekend?
“I was really happy after the victory because after four months you ride here with some expectations… ‘can I ride as fast as in Qatar? Let’s see what happens… you’re the leader and you have to manage this’. We did a great job day by day and I feel the same feeling as Qatar and we did a good job with the team. Finishing the race first, again, was incredible.
“Now I feel more experience and confidence but that was building from the last years, especially last year I had an injury at the beginning and I couldn’t have the season that I liked but I learned a lot from those races and that situation and now I am who I am because of that situation. I want to take advantage of all this that I’ve learned, keep learning, keep growing and one day be with these guys.”
Arenas and Moto3™ head out for FP1 at 9:00 (GMT +2) on Friday, before MotoGP™ gear up from 9:55. What will the future bring for those on the comeback? How will they fare once the green light goes on at the end of pitlane? We’ll find out soon…
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Quartararo scorches to maiden MotoGP win amid drama
The Frenchman takes a sublime victory ahead of Viñales and Dovizioso, with the reigning Champion crashing out and breaking his humerus.
Jerez, 19 July 2020: MotoGP is back. In a day of drama, thrills and spills, Fabio Quartararo of Petronas Yamaha SRT team, claimed his first MotoGP victory, and France’s first since 1999, in a truly-stunning and dramatic Gran Premio Red Bull de España, putting an Independent Team Yamaha on the top step for the first time in MotoGP and taking the Petronas Yamaha SRT team’s first win. The Frenchman capitalised on a Lap-5 mistake from race leader Marc Marquez, of Repsol Honda Team, as he suffered a run-off, and Quartararo didn’t look back, pulling the pin to stamp some authority on Round 1 for the premier class.
We witnessed a stunning comeback from the number 93 after his mistake, with the reigning World Champion unleashing unbelievable pace mid-race – but he then suffered a huge crash at Turn 4 with four laps remaining, breaking his right arm (humerus) and soon heading for surgery. Maverick Viñales (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) put in an impressive performance to bank 20 points and take second in the wake of the drama, with Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) completing the podium after a late lunge on Jack Miller (Pramac Racing).
Viñales got a storming launch from the middle of the front row and grabbed the holeshot into Turn 1, with Miller getting his Ducati off the line like a rocket to initially go P2. The Australian was wide though which let Marquez come through into second after a fairly average getaway, with polesitter Quartararo slotting into P3 at Turn 2 as he then got the better of Miller.
However, the Desmosedici grunt saw Miller get up the inside of Quartararo down into the Dani Pedrosa corner, as Viñales got out the seat around Turn 8 in an early scare for the number 12. Francesco Bagnaia (Pramac Racing) was then past Quartararo on Lap 2 as the Frenchman initially fell back, but he was back through at the final corner on that lap as Marquez and Viñales went toe-to-toe at Turn 4, before Marquez managed to make the move stick at Dani Pedrosa corner. Was this the break?
Lap 5 would prove a game-changer and say no. Going through Turn 4, we witnessed something we’ve seen so many times before – a miraculous save from the reigning Champion. Somehow, the number 93 picked his HRC machine up from an almost certain crash and managed to keep it upright through the gravel, coming back on the track in 16th. A huge moment, but it was far from race over for Marc Marquez. Far, far from it…
At the front, Viñales was leading for a couple of laps, but Quartararo had got the better of Miller and was soon right on the tailpipes of the number 12 Yamaha. A mistake at Pedrosa corner was then followed by another one heading intoLorenzo corner on Lap 9 after the pace had slowed into the 1:39s, and as Viñales went wide, Quartararo and Miller were through. Slightly further back, however, attentions we starting to turn to Marc Marquez.
In just five laps, Marquez had managed to get himself from P16 to P10 and was lapping around a second quicker than most of the leading group. Lap 12 saw Marquez set a 1:38.3 – the fastest lap of the race – that was a good 0.4 faster than Quartararo, and even more than the riders in the podium hunt. Lap 13 soon passed and doing the passing was Marquez. He’d got the better of Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Tech3) and a struggling Valentino Rossi (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) to move up into P8, and a podium finish seemed well within his grasp. At the Lap 15 stage, Quartararo’s lead snuck past the two-second mark for the first time, but the shark music was playing as the cameras started to show an orange missile quickly making its way towards the back of the fight for the podium places.
With 10 to go, Marquez was a second quicker than third place Viñales, and the reigning Champion getting back into a podium position now seemed a formality rather than a possibility. With eight laps to go, Marquez was just two seconds away from the podium as he hunted and passed Franco Morbidelli (Petronas Yamaha SRT), Bagnaia, Dovizioso… suddenly, Marquez had Miller and Viñales right in front of him.
Quartararo was over five seconds clear, but all eyes were on Marquez vs Miller. Six laps to go, Turn 13 was Marquez’ chosen passing place on Miller but the Australian bit straight back at Turn 1. A man on a mission, Marquez was straight back up the inside at Turn 2 and made the move stick. Now, Viñales was next on the list – and he would prove the rider right behind Marquez when the eight-time Champion ran off track at Turn 4.
Coming across the line with four laps remaining, Marquez was plotting his move into P2. However, there was about to be another twist – and a vast one at that. Coming out of Turn 3, Marquez was launched off his RC213V in a vicious way. Tumbling heavily through the gravel, the reigning Champion was taken to the medical centre – and has a broken right humerus.
Back at the front, Quartararo crossed the line to take an incredible maiden MotoGP™ victory, making some history and converting some searing premier class pace into a winner’s trophy. Viñales was able to grind out a P2 despite struggling with his front tyre from “lap seven or eight”, and the battle for the final podium spot went down to the final lap. With two to go, Dovizioso made his move on Miller at Turn 6 to hold P3, with Morbidelli then almost crashing after colliding with Miller on the inside of the corner. This allowed Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) through in P5 – the Spaniard in the fight all race – but Morbidelli would eventually get the better of Espargaro at the last corner, on the last lap. Viñales took P2 from Dovizioso, with Miller leading Morbidelli and Espargaro over the line. P2-P6 were covered by just 2.3 seconds.
Bagnaia couldn’t keep up the pace in the latter stages as the Italian slipped out of contention and finished P7, with Oliveira placing P8 – his equal best result in the premier class. Danilo Petrucci (Ducati Team) crossed the line ninth, with Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) closing out the top 10.
There were only 15 finishers in a brutal MotoGP™ race in Jerez. Johann Zarco (Reale Avintia Racing), Alex Marquez (Repsol Honda Team), Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) – who recovered from an incident in the opening stages to sometimes sit as the fastest man on track – Tito Rabat (Reale Avintia Racing) and Aprilia Racing Team Gresini’s Bradley Smith completing the points. Rossi suffered an issue and was out of the race with seven to go, with Iker Lecuona (Red Bull KTM Tech3), Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) and Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar) also not finishing.
There aren’t enough superlatives to describe what we just witnessed in the MotoGP™ class as 2020 kicks off in style, but with some serious drama on the side. Tune in again next weekend for the Gran Premio Red Bull de Andalucia!
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Marc Marquez to undergo surgery on broken right arm
Jerez, 19 July 2020: A fall at Turn 3 while fighting for the podium has resulted in a broken right humerus for the reigning World Champion, who will travel to Barcelona for surgery.
After mounting an incredible comeback in the Spanish GP, Marc Marquez suffered a high side at Turn 3 and came down heavily on his right arm. As a result, the eight-time World Champion has suffered a transverse diaphyseal fracture to his right humerus. MotoGP medical staff have confirmed there is no other serious head or thoracic trauma but will remain under observation for 12 hours.
Marquez will travel to the Hospital Universitari Dexeus in Barcelona on Monday, July 20 and is aiming to be operated on by Dr Xavier Mir and his team on Tuesday, July 21st.
Recovery time is as yet unknown, the Repsol Honda Team will provide an update after the operation.
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Marquez, Viñales and Crutchlow split by less than a tenth on Friday
Jerez, 17 July 2020: After setting the fastest time in the cooler FP1 conditions at the Gran Premio Red Bull de España, Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) takes the opening Friday honours of 2020 as he remained fastest by the end of play – but it was far from an easy return to the top for the reigning Champion. Maverick Viñales (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) was just 0.024 in arrears, and after having topped the last couple of tests, with Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda Castrol) completing the top three less than a tenth off the top.
FP1 saw the action get underway as an eager Bradley Smith (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) roared out of pitlane as the first MotoGP™ bike out in an official race weekend session this year, and the morning session was the one that would count most on the timesheets for most of the grid. Fabio Quartararo (Petronas Yamaha SRT) had to sit out the first 20 minutes of the session though, with the Frenchman given a penalty for training on “illegal” machinery – ie outside the regs – but by the end though the time attacks were underway full force, and it was Marquez who came out on top. With Viñales and Crutchlow so close, and Quartararo not yet having had the same running, the Jaws music need not start quite yet for the reigning Champion though.
In the afternoon it was Franco Morbidelli (Petronas Yamaha SRT) who proved the man to beat in FP2, but the times were a good eight tenths slower in a sweltering afternoon at the Circuito de Jerez-Angel Nieto. Quartararo was second in the more “race similar” conditions, and the only man to improve, with rookie Brad Binder putting in a stunner to put his Red Bull KTM Factory Racing machine inside the top three in the session and only a tenth off the top. FP2 also saw the first two race weekend crashes of the season: Marc Marquez and rookie teammate Alex Marquez (Repsol Honda Team), with both lowsiding out (separately) and unhurt.
Overall though, it’s Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) who takes fourth as the veteran Italian really cranked up the pace after a more anonymous day on the Wednesday test timesheets, looking strong despite being on the way back from a collarbone injury, with Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar) turning the tables on more experienced teammate Alex Rins to complete the top five. Rins was seventh, just behind Jack Miller (Pramac Racing) as the Aussie stuck it in sixth.
Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) took eighth in an impressive first day, and he led a trio of KTMs in the top ten overall on Friday. Rookie Iker Lecuona (Red Bull KTM Tech 3) put in an awesome performance to end up only 0.002 off the more experienced Espargaro and take ninth, with the aforementioned Brad Binder, as well as ending FP2 in third, doing an impressive enough job with his FP1 time to take tenth overall.
Johann Zarco (Reale Avintia Racing) was P11 after a solid day, ahead of Morbidelli on the combined timesheets, with Valentino Rossi (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) next up in P13 on Friday. The ‘Doctor’ seemed to have a tougher time of it on Day 1, but remains the most recent winner for Yamaha at the track (from pole, in 2016) so he’ll be looking for more on Saturday. Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) was fourteenth, with Quartararo ending the day in fifteenth and surely heading for a bounce back on Saturday.
Saturday begins at 9:55 (GMT +2) for MotoGP™ with FP3, which also welcomes in the riders’ last chance to move directly into Q2. With temperatures expected to be a little cooler in the morning, there could well be a big chance to improve – and the likes of Rossi and Quartararo will be top of the list for a time attack late in the session. Qualifying then begins at 14:10.
MotoGP – Top-3 fastest times on Friday: 1 Marc Marquez – Repsol Honda Team – Honda – 1:37.350
2 Maverick Viñales – Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP – Yamaha – +0.024
3 Cal Crutchlow – LCR Honda Castrol – Honda – +0.088.Marini makes it double trouble for his rivals in Jerez
The Italian tops both sessions on Friday – but the timesheets are tight as everThe second Moto2™ Friday of the 2020 season belonged to Luca Marini (Sky Racing Team VR46) at the Gran Premio Red Bull de España, the Italian topping the timesheets in FP1 and FP2 to lay down the gauntlet for his rivals. Thanks to his FP1 time, Jorge Navarro (HDR Heidrun Speed Up) sits P2 as the Spaniard splits the Sky Racing Team VR46 duo inside the top three, with Marco Bezzecchi third.
Much like it was in the MotoGP™ class, it was clear from the early stages that the Moto2™ riders were going to struggle to better their FP1 times that were set in cooler track temperatures of the morning. Ground temperatures were well into the 50s for the intermediate class, but Marini looked as comfortable as he did in the morning session. Both he and teammate Bezzecchi looked strong in both sessions on Friday, and they worked in tandem for a brief period in FP2. It wasn’t quite such a straightforward afternoon for the man second overall as Navarro’s bike suffered some sort of issue and the Spaniard had to pull to the side of the track down the back straight, a slight disruption to his FP2 running. Nevertheless, Navarro was able to get back out and finish P6 in the session itself.
Championship leader Tetsuta Nagashima (Red Bull KTM Ajo) was another man to look comfortable across Friday’s action as he finished the day fourth, with Marcel Schrötter (Liqui Moly Intact GP) completing the top five. Previous Jerez winner Sam Lowes (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) was sixth as he rejoins the field after injury, ahead of Jorge Martin (Red Bull KTM Ajo). Fabio Di Giannantonio (HDR Heidrun Speed Up) took P8, with American rider Joe Roberts back in action to put his Tennor American Racing machine in ninth. Hafizh Syahrin (Inde Aspar Team Moto2) was P10 to make it three Speed Ups in the top ten.
Tom Lüthi (Liqui Moly Intact GP) was 11th despite a crash, with two-time Jerez winner Lorenzo Baldassarri (Flexbox HP 40) just behind him. Enea Bastianini (Italtrans Racing Team) and Somkiat Chantra (Honda Team Asia) lock out the fastest fourteen who are currently on for provisional Q2 entry.
After FP3 on Saturday morning, tune in for qualifying from from 15:10 (GMT +2) as the intermediate class prepare to decide a grid for the first time in a good while.
Moto2 Fastest on Friday:
1 Luca Marini – Sky Racing Team VR46 – Kalex 1:41.410
2 Jorge Navarro – HDR Heidrun Speed Up – Speed Up +0.048
3 Marco Bezzecchi– Sky Racing Team VR46 – Kalex – +0.315 -
#RacingAhead: MotoGP action to begin at Jerez
After months of anticipation, the ‘if’ became ‘when’. But now the biggest question is who’s ready… and who’s not
Jerez, 14 July 2020: Since the flag flew to mark the end of the 2019 MotoGP season, it seems in some ways like an eternity has passed, or like our world has been stuck in a tiny infinity. Off-season, preseason, training, team changing, gearing up and settling in – it had all been done and the stage was set for the throttles of the MotoGP field to twist in their first spectacular of the season. And then, they just didn’t. In some ways, it feels like the Qatar Test was yesterday, and in others, it feels like it might have happened in an alternate reality, aeons ago. This weekend though, we’re BACK.
The Gran Premio Red Bull de España will see the Circuito de Jerez-Angel Nieto host our return to competition, with the question of when we would race again now replaced by a million more. Back in March, it was Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) in the spotlight as we wondered if the reigning Champion would be ready to go at 100% after shoulder surgery, but now eyes turn to key rival Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) after he injured his collarbone in training only a few weeks ago. Will he be ready? Can he afford to not be? Will Fabio Quartararo (Petronas Yamaha SRT) be straight back at the top of the timesheets? What can Valentino Rossi (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) do? Will Team Suzuki Ecstar’s Alex Rins and Joan Mir turn up with the same searing pace they threatened in testing? Does Maverick Viñales (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) still have that target on his back from some ominous timesheets in preseason?
A one-day test at Jerez on Wednesday – for all classes – will give us some snippets and glimpses ahead of the race weekend, but these are the questions, and more, for which we will only truly start to get answers on Sunday. And there really are more! Have Honda got more up their sleeve than we saw in testing? Will Jack Miller (Pramac Racing) come out swinging, flush with his new 2021 seat at the factory Ducati team? Or will Danilo Petrucci (Ducati Team) make it his mission to leave the squad on a high? Can Franco Morbidelli (Petronas Yamaha SRT) convert raw pace into a first premier class podium this year, and right after his renewal with the team for 2021? And what about Johann Zarco (Reale Avintia Racing)? Can the Frenchman get up to speed on his new machinery and overhaul teammate Tito Rabat?
Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda Castrol), meanwhile, will be aiming to strike early in the fight for top Independent Team rider against the likes of Petronas Yamaha SRT, so can he push to get back up the timesheets after some seemingly tougher testing? It looks like it could be his last season with the team, too. Will Francesco Bagnaia (Pramac Racing) be able to pull out the stops in his sophomore season and challenge the likes of Quartararo, Miller and Crutchlow? Will KTM turn up the wick and Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) and Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Tech 3) make their experience pay? Espargaro is now confirmed as off to Honda next season, so 2020 is his last chance to add more results to his tally with KTM. How will the new Aprilia fare after the encouraging signs in preseason – and this time in the hands of Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) and his teammate, replacement rider Bradley Smith?
All that is without even mentioning the new faces on the grid, too! Who will take the first spoils in the fight for Rookie of the Year? In 2020 it’s Alex Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) vs Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) vs Iker Lecuona (Red Bull KTM Tech 3), with plenty on the line for each of them – and Marquez and Binder especially with some nice Jerez races on their past CVs. Marquez is also set to only race this season in Repsol Honda colours for now as well, after it was announced he has signed for HRC to race with LCR next season… so there’s that added incentive to boot.
Catch your breath, buckle up and get ready to find out. We will look different on track, but we’ll race just the same; race for the thrill and love of the fight, race for the adrenaline and the competition. Race for the points and the trophies, race to show what we’ve got as contract negotiations continue and questions hang in the air. Race to feel the air scything past us on track and the freedom of the bike beneath us, race to push the limits of technology and traction. Race for the people who have waited so patiently, the people we inspire and the people who inspire us. Race to create another chapter in a more than 70-year history, and race to push towards a future that had seemed on pause. Race for those who have cared for us and helped us, race for those who have been struck by the maelstrom of 2020 more than many. Race for those who support us and always have, race for the fans who can’t be with us trackside just yet. Race for you, and each other, racing together; ahead. For the sheer love of the sport, because MotoGP™ is racing… and MotoGP™ is back.
The stage is the Circuito de Jerez-Angel Nieto, and we cannot wait to see you. The curtain call is Friday the 17th of July, with race day set for Sunday the 19th.
Moto2 reset, reload and get ready to race
The season opener was a stunner… so what’s in store in Round 2? In March, Tetsuta Nagashima (Red Bull KTM Ajo) took an incredibly popular win under the floodlights of Qatar, and he arrives into Round 2 at the Circuito de Jerez-Angel Nieto as the Championship leader. Now, he needs to find that momentum all over again – as do his rivals on the Moto2™ grid – after a long break that has doubtlessly been a mental and physical challenge for everyone. Can Nagashima pick up where he left off?
A very different track, searing temperatures and the shuffled pack of unknowns arising from the particular circumstances in 2020 say it’ll be a bigger challenge that most normally face after having taken the first win of the year. Nagashima’s teammate Jorge Martin will be one of the first hoping to hit back – and on home turf – as will the likes of Luca Marini (Sky Racing Team VR46) and Augusto Fernandez (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) after their Qatar went awry. Remy Gardner (ONEXOX TKKR SAG Team), Tom Lüthi (Liqui Moly Intact GP), his teammate Marcel Schrötter and Jorge Navarro (HDR Heidrun Speed Up) will have their eyes on the prize too, and Sam Lowes (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) will also be back in the mix. That mix made for pretty stiff competition even despite the drama in the desert that unfolded, too.
Joe Roberts (Tennor American Racing) put together an awesome weekend at Losail to come out swinging, only narrowly missing out on his first podium – and from pole – and the American will be raring to get back and track to show his form in the very different conditions of Andalucia. Enea Bastianini (Italtrans Racing Team), meanwhile, also put in a stunner and took third, and the Italian was a standout performer in qualifying to boot. Aron Canet (Inde Aspar Team Moto2) shone with an amazing debut in the intermediate class and can’t be forgotten either, especially racing on home turf. But then there’s Lorenzo Baldassarri (Flexbox HP 40)…
The Italian took a second place to open his account in 2020, but Baldassarri also happens to be the man who won in Jerez both last year and the year before. Can he do it again as we prepare to blast out of hibernation and go racing again? Only time will tell…
After a day of testing on Wednesday, tune in for the Gran Premio Red Bull de España from the 17th to the 19th of July to see who comes out swinging in Round 2.
Moto2 Championship Standings:
1 Tetsuta Nagashima – Red Bull KTM Ajo – Kalex – 25
2 Lorenzo Baldassarri – Flexbox HP 40 – Kalex – 20
3 Enea Bastianini – Italtrans Racing Team – Kalex – 16
4 Joe Roberts – Tennor American Racing – Kalex – 13
5 Remy Gardner – ONEXOX TKKR SAG Team – Kalex – 11Moto3 gear up for more mayhem and miracles
The Circuito de Jerez-Angel Nieto beckons. Who’s going to come out swinging in the lightweight class?
If there’s one thing we can probably say for sure ahead of the Gran Premio Red Bull de España, it’s that the Moto3™ class will be far from rusty. Always walking the line between madness and genius, the lightweight class know how to put on a show and that will be no different as we get back on track – finally – for Round 2. From the floodlights of Losail we head to the baking summer of southern Spain, and as luck, or skill, would have it, it’s a Spaniard who arrives at the top of the pile.
Albert Arenas (Gaviota Aspar Team Moto3) is most definitely a veteran now, and his ride in Qatar stamped some early authority on the title fight as he took his third win in style. On home turf he’ll be keen to keep his advantage, but the cast of home heroes is a big one to contend with – from the more experienced likes of Jaume Masia (Leopard Racing) to the younger guns like Sergio Garcia (Estrella Galicia 0,0) and Jeremy Alcoba (Kömmerling Gresini Moto3), all of whom will be fired up.
In terms of the Championship though, Arenas likely already has an eye on the man he beat to the top step in Qatar – John McPhee (Petronas Sprinta Racing). And McPhee likely likewise. The Brit is another veteran who knows how to win and will be aiming for the top – but will also, like Arenas, know consistency is king. Especially in a season that already looks so different…
So who else could they be fighting? As it’s Moto3™, probably most of the field. But based on Qatar – and previous form – Ai Ogura (Honda Team Asia) should be one to watch. The Japanese rider gained traction in a big way throughout much of 2019 and began his sophomore season on the rostrum. Veterans and SIC58 Squadra Corse teammates Tatsuki Suzuki and Niccolo Antonelli will also be aiming high – and Antonelli’s emotional win at the venue last year was a stunner. Gabriel Rodrigo (Kömmerling Gresini Moto3), meanwhile, will want in, and the Rivacold Snipers Team of Filip Salac – who shone in Qatar – and Tony Arbolino – expected to challenge for the crown – can’t be overlooked. Rookie Raul Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo) also impressed in Qatar, so there’s no shortage of names likely to be fighting it out in the freight train.
There really is nothing in the world like Moto3™, so make sure you tune in for the test on Wednesday and the race weekend proper, from the 17th to the 19th of July at Jerez.
Moto3 Championship Standings:
1 Albert Arenas – Gaviota Aspar Team Moto3 – KTM – 25
2 John McPhee – Petronas Sprinta Racing – Honda – 20
3 Ai Ogura – Honda Team Asia – Honda – 16
4 Jaume Masia – Leopard Racing – Honda – 13
5 Tatsuki Suzuki – SIC58 Squadra Corse – Honda – 11 -
Dorna Sports’ eSport projects thrive as Virtual GP announced
A look through the numbers as MotoGP Virtual Race 2 makes more record-breaking history and a first-ever Virtual Grand Prix is announced.
Paris, 23 April 2020: After the incredible success of MotoGP™’s first ever Virtual Race, a second event was announced and Virtual Race 2 was broadcast on Sunday the 12th of April. From Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) and Fabio Quartararo (Petronas Yamaha SRT) to Danilo Petrucci (Ducati Team) and Valentino Rossi (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP), the line-up was star studded and the race action packed as the grid took on the Red Bull Ring in Austria.
Feedback on the Virtual Races from the MotoGP™ community, fans, partners and more has only continued to grow. 29 broadcast partners showed the second event, with titans of sports broadcasting beaming the race to audiences around the world. Partners such as Sky Italy, Canal+ in France, DAZN (in Spain, Italy and DACHS), BT Sport in the UK, ServusTV in Austria and Germany, Viasat in Sweden and many more showed the event in Europe, whilst the Americas received coverage thanks to the likes of NBC in the USA and Fox Brazil and ESPN in Latin America. Fans further east could enjoy coverage from partners including Motorsport TV Russia, Eurosport India and Fox Asia, with those Down Under covered by Fox Australia and TEN. SuperSport also broadcast the event in Africa, meaning the second MotoGP™ Virtual Race once again reached every inhabited continent on Earth – as did the first!
Reach and engagement were also impressive across social media and online, with a marked increase across the board. 520 pieces of digital content were created around the event – including the full broadcast – for a total of 75 million impressions as teams, riders and MotoGP™ got involved. That’s an increase of 25% on the first Virtual Race, with video views also increasing from 13 million to 14 million and the live second race itself gaining views to hit 3.2 million. Once again, more than 2.5 million interactions were made with content related to Virtual Race 2 as well, with fans finding plenty to talk about! In total, that all adds up to a grand total of 8.5 million minutes of Virtual Race 2 content that were viewed – an increase of over a fifth.
There’s not too long to wait to see more showstopping action, either. On Sunday the 3rd of May – the original date for the Spanish GP – another world first will be broadcast: the Red Bull Virtual Grand Prix of Spain. The event is to show solidarity with and in aid of the Official Charity of MotoGP™, Two Wheels for Life, supporting their efforts in the fight against Covid-19. It will begin at 15:00 (GMT +2) and will see all three Grand Prix classes – MotoGP™, Moto2™ and Moto3™ – compete in a unique three-race online event.
A screen shot of the MotoGP Virtual Race 2 recently. A MotoGP image. Premier class teams can field one rider each, with the exception of the Repsol Honda Team, who can enter two as reigning MotoGP™ Champions. In Moto2™ and Moto3™, ten riders can enter in each category, with the right of entry given in Championship order following the QNB Grand Prix of Qatar. Who will it be? All will be revealed as the event approaches…
Catch up on anything you missed from the first and second editions, including plenty of behind-the-scenes content, and then stay tuned at motogp.com, esport.motogp.com and across social media for more as the Red Bull Virtual Grand Prix of Spain gets closer and closer and more details are unveiled.
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MotoGP class scrutineering carried out remotely
Manufacturers supply sample engines and digital drawings of their aero-body in order to complete homologation
Paris, 23 March 2020: There are a number of questions that the ongoing coronavirus outbreak and subsequent delay in competition raises for the MotoGP™ World Championship, and one of those is the technical homologation. In the MotoGP™ class, the engine must be the same specification for the whole season – the only exemptions being for factories qualifying for concessions – and each rider also has the limit of two aero-body versions per season and per rider that they are allowed to homologate.
Normally, the engine specification for the season is homologated on the Thursday of the first Grand Prix, as is the first of the two aero-fairings. Due to the cancellation of the MotoGP™ class at Losail, that wasn’t possible for every factory. However, the QNB Grand Prix of Qatar remains the official starting point of the season and the point at which the rules for homologation begin being enforced.
MotoGP File photo: Marc Marquez in action in 2019 at Phillip Island. Like every year, the 2020 engine specifications (except KTM and Aprilia machines as they qualify for concessions) must remain the same during the whole season and each rider has to homologate the first aero-fairing.
The FIM, IRTA, MSMA and Dorna all agree that for reasons of equality and fairness the homologation must therefore be carried out remotely and digitally as soon as possible.
Under normal circumstances, factories have two options. Either they can supply a list of sample engine parts to the organisation, providing a means of comparison with engines used throughout the season to verify no changes have been made, or they can supply digital drawings. Normally, each factory chooses to supply either a full sample engine or a sample for all the parts that the engine contains.
This means that if a manufacturer has riders using different engine specifications, like for example an Independent Team rider using an engine design from a past season, they must supply every sample.
Honda are the exception, as they were the only manufacturer that did supply all their sample engine parts at Qatar. The rest of the factories were not able to do so this year due to the extenuating circumstances, and have instead sent their sample engines to the organisation, which must match those in the machines at the first 2020 event.
Digital drawings of each rider’s first aero-body must also be supplied and these must likewise be homologated if they are within the technical restrictions provided in the rulebook.
The FIM, IRTA, MSMA and Dorna make every effort to focus on simplicity for both the manufacturers and the enforcement of the rules. MotoGP™ has never considered a shutdown period in which all factories must cease any and all development for a set period of time, at any time of year, primarily due to the difficulty of policing such a regulation.
Development on any other part of the machine not subject to homologation may therefore continue, as is the case during any season.
