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Tag: Maverick Vinales
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Quartararo claims back-to-back pole
Last-minute drama, amazing pace from Independent Teams and some big reveals for race day characterise Saturday at Jerez
Jerez, 25 July 2020: Fabio Quartararo (Petronas Yamaha SRT) has claimed back-to-back pole positions at the Circuito de Jerez-Angel Nieto thanks to a 1:37.007 at the Gran Premio Red Bull de Andalucia, beating Maverick Viñales (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) to the honour as the number 12 had his fastest effort cancelled for exceeding track limits. The last-minute slice of drama makes it three poles in a row at the venue for Quartararo after his rookie heroics in last year’s Spanish GP, and his fourth pole in a row stretching back to Sepang 2019. Completing the top three was an impressive performance from Francesco Bagnaia (Pramac Racing), with the Italian taking his first premier class front row start and doing it as top Ducati to boot.
The session was set up for a duel from the off, and that’s what we got. Quartararo was hitting first and ultimately it all came down to Viñales: the gauntlet was thrown, a 1:37.007, but could the Spaniard hit back? The answer appeared to be yes and it was advantage Viñales, but not long after he crossed the line, the drama hit and the lap suddenly disappeared off the timing screens. Where he had seemed a tenth clear, the Spaniard was pushed down to second and the replay showed why: track limits. A small infraction but a clear one, the pole was handed to ‘El Diablo’.
Behind that, Bagnaia’s impressive pace from last weekend has only been increasing and the Italian made another step forward with a landmark first premier class front row, and less than a tenth off Viñales. He was also a nice little chunk of time clear of mentor of sorts Valentino Rossi (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP), with the ‘Doctor’ bumped down to head the second row.
That second row is nevertheless a big leap forward for the nine-time World Champion after a tougher time out in the Spanish GP at times, and he beat a stunning performance from Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Tech 3) to keep the Portuguese rider in fifth by only a couple of thousandths. It’s Oliveira’s best, however, and he’s top KTM after a slightly tougher Saturday afternoon for the Austria factory than promised. Franco Morbidelli (Petronas Yamaha SRT) completes the second row.
Jack Miller (Pramac Racing) will be looking for revenge against his less experienced teammate Bagnaia from P7, and the Australian having only narrowly missed out on a podium last week so he’ll want a good launch off the line with, which his machinery may help. Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) had another impressive session to join Miller on Row 3, with Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) locking that out in P9. The South African didn’t quite replicate his searing Friday, but he seems one to watch once the lights go out, with serious speed. He has also won from the back at Jerez in Moto3™ – a stat that becomes even more impressive considering no one has ever won from pole in the class…
Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar) leads the Suzuki charge in tenth, with Hamamatsu factory teammate Alex Rins on the superhuman comeback from injury and starting 20th after managing a few more laps on Saturday. 11th went the way of Danilo Petrucci (Ducati Team), with P12 filled by Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) after a heartbreakingly-timed crash in Q2. Rider ok, and ready to light it up again on Sunday as KTM’s pace continues to impress.
Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda Castrol) put in a mammoth effort to go from surgery on a broken scaphoid only a few days ago to almost getting through from Q1, and he’ll start P13, ahead of a difficult day at the office for Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team), who’ll be looking to launch forward. Johann Zarco (Hublot Reale Avintia Racing) starts P15.
That’s it from another scorching Saturday in Jerez, tune in for more action on Sunday with MotoE™ at 10:05 (GMT +2), Moto3™ next, Moto2™ after that… and then another stunning MotoGP™ battle at 14:00.
MotoGP front row:
1 Fabio Quartararo – Petronas Yamaha SRT – Yamaha – 1:37.007
2 Maverick Viñales – Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP – Yamaha – +0.095
3 Francesco Bagnaia – Pramac Racing – Ducati – +0.169 -
Viñales and Rossi fend off KTM on Friday
Monster Energy Yamaha duo go 1-2 on Friday as Binder leads a charge of three KTMs in the top six
Jerez, 24 July 2020: Maverick Viñales and teammate Valentino Rossi made it a Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP 1-2 on Friday in the Gran Premio Red Bull de Andalucia, holding back an incredible charge from Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Brad Binder as the rookie completed the top three in another impressive showing at the Circuito de Jerez-Angel Nieto. Once again it was FP1 laps that decided the combined timesheets for many in the field, and a good few familiar faces need to move forward in FP3 to make it to Q2…
With the weather as scorching as ever in southern Spain and looking unlikely to change overnight, however, there is plenty time for the field to fight back to get into Q2, including Spanish GP winner Fabio Quartararo (Petronas Yamaha SRT) as the Frenchman ended the day outside the top ten once again – just as he did a week ago. It did get a little racy for ‘El Diablo’ in FP2 though, with Viñales tagging onto the back of Quartararo at the beginning of the session and the two heading round in a brief cat and mouse with a number of laps close together… and later in the session, the Frenchman kicked up some dust as he ran afoul of track limits too, although no harm done.
Rossi had a less dramatic day as the ‘Doctor’ was back near the top of the timesheets from his FP1 time, and remained within a couple of tenths of teammate Viñales in FP2 – something that could bode well after a podium for the latter last week, and given the temperatures in the second session mirror race time more closely. Protégé of sorts Franco Morbidelli (Petronas Yamaha SRT) was a fitting 0.046 off the nine-time World Champion on the combined timesheets too as the number 21 took P4 overall, ending the day as top Independent Team rider.
Then came the rest of the KTM armada, as the top six was a tale of two factories: Yamaha and KTM. Binder’s incredible P3, off the back of race-leading pace shown in the Spanish GP despite his early run off relegating him from the top ten, backs up both the South African’s speed and that of KTM. Teammate Pol Espargaro, despite a tip off, was fifth fastest on Friday and third fastest in FP2 after equalling the Austrian factory’s best dry weather result last week, and Red Bull KTM Tech 3’s Miguel Oliveira extended the impressive showing as he completed the combined top six.
Jack Miller (Pramac Racing) was the top Ducati on Friday as he took seventh, and the Australian had Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) for close company as he took P8. The number 30 also became the first Japanese rider to top a full session since Shinya Nakano in 2006 as he scorched to the top in FP2, slamming in two fast laps for good measure. Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) was ninth quickest, with Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) – Spanish GP podium finisher – completing the top ten overall.
Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar) beat Iker Lecuona (Red Bull KTM Tech 3) to 11th despite a crash for the latter, ahead of Johann Zarco (Hublot Reale Avintia Racing) in P13. The Frenchman was also crasher on Friday with a lowside tip off in FP2, but he also showed some impressive speed in the hot afternoon conditions and ended the second session of the day in second, just a tenth and a half off Nakagami’s FP2-topping 1:37.715. Quartararo was 14th on Day 1, one position ahead of where he finished last week on his way to winning that race, with rookie Alex Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) locking out the fastest fifteen on Friday.
Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) did not ride on Friday, his plan is to return to action on Saturday. Fellow comeback kings Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda Castrol) and Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) did, however, ending the day in P20 and P21 respectively as they evaluate their respective conditions.
Come back for more on Saturday morning as the field head out for FP3 at 9:55 (GMT +2), before qualifying to decide the grid for the Gran Premio Red Bull de Andalucia begins from 14:10.
Top on the Time-sheets on Friday – MotoGP
1 Maverick Viñales – Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP – Yamaha – 1:37.063
2 Valentino Rossi – Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP – Yamaha – +0.142
3 Brad Binder – Red Bull KTM Factory Racing – KTM – +0.307Top Independent Team rider
4 Franco Morbidelli – Petronas Yamaha SRT – Yamaha – +0.353
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Viñales picks up where he left off at Jerez
The Spaniard leads Quartararo once again, but this time it’s Mir and Rins on the chase
Vinales tops Jerez test on Day 1. A MotoGP image Jerez, 25 Nov 2019: Maverick Viñales (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) topped Day 1 of the Jerez Test by quite a margin on Monday, the Spaniard ending the session over seven tenths clear of the next fastest: Fabio Quartararo (Petronas Yamaha SRT). Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar) was third and continued his impressive run on the testing timesheets, pipping teammate Alex Rins as the Hamamatsu factory locked out third and fourth. The day was punctuated by some drizzle and Red Flags, although the majority managed nearly or over 50 laps.
Yamaha have now topped all three days of ‘2020’ so far, once with Quartararo and twice with Viñales. At Jerez, both the former and latter did 68 laps, with Franco Morbidelli (Petronas Yamaha SRT) in fifth adding another 75. Valentino Rossi (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP), meanwhile, did 64 laps and was 14th. He and teammate Viñales had one ‘new’ and one ‘old’ Yamaha in the garage to compare, with Rossi’s 2020 machine fitted with the carbon swingarm but Viñales content without it, working on the engine. Neither Petronas Yamaha SRT rider had the carbon swingarm on Monday, although they had “some new things” to test.
At Suzuki, meanwhile, work continued on the new engine. Mir had the upper hand on the timsheets in third after 56 laps, with teammate Rins putting in 69 in fourth. Test rider Sylvain Guintoli was also on track for the Hamamatsu factory, and he put 63 laps to pip his fellow test riders and end the day in 16th. It wasn’t all engine for Suzuki, but that was the key focus.
Honda were the next factory up, with reigning Champion Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) in sixth despite a crash at Turn 13. It was a slow lowside but in the gravel trap he hit his shoulder, heading to the Medical Centre for a check up. He’d suffered a partially dislocated right shoulder – not the one on which he had surgery this time last year – and did get back out on track but said he slowed up slightly. He had three bikes in the garage. And where Marquez was focusing on 2020 comparisons, Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda Castrol) was more on 2019 machinery on Monday. He was just 0.026 behind Marquez and put in 66 laps.
Rookie Alex Marquez (Repsol Honda Team), meanwhile, was out in HRC and Repsol colours, and he seemed to take a step forward. The number 73 was 17th and did 70 laps, saying he found Jerez a bigger step on a MotoGP™ bike – but also an easier one.
KTM were the fourth fastest factory on Monday with Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), the number 44 slotting in behind Marquez and Crutchlow on the timesheets. He did 56 laps and although he took a tumble – rider ok. He had three bikes in the garage, one ‘old’ and two ‘new’, although he spent his time out on the new. He did 56 laps and was within a tenth of Crutchlow. Rookie teammate Brad Binder, meanwhile, remained on 2019 machinery and did 67 laps. Red Bull KTM Tech 3 rookie Iker Lecuona had a huge crash on Monday, but rider ok, and he did 38 laps. Test rider Dani Pedrosa was absent due to illness.
Ducati’s onslaught on the timesheets was led by Danilo Petrucci (Ducati Team), back n action after missing some of Valencia due to shoulder pain, who narrowly headed teammate Andrea Dovizioso as they took P9 and P10. The former did 48 laps and the latter 45. Dovizioso had the new, bigger ‘salad box’ and work continued on what the duo had worked on at Valencia. Jack Miller (Pramac Racing) was only 0.018 off ‘Dovi’ in 11th. Test rider Michele Pirro had a technical issue and that caused a Red Flag, and a sensor was spotted on top of the tail unit on his machine.
Aprilia Racing Team Gresini were 12th and 13th, and nothing big was seen from the Noale factory although both Aleix Espargaro and Andrea Iannone had the swingarm with a hole in it fitted. Espargaro did 53 laps and Iannone 49. Test rider Bradley Smith had the ‘solid’ version of the swingarm and did 67 laps.
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Viñales fastest to turn the tables on Day 2: Testing
The Spaniard leads Quartararo and Morbidelli on Wednesday as the Valencia test wraps up
Maverick Vinales tops the final day, the Day 2 of season-ending testing to begin 2020 at Valencia on Wednesday. A MotoGP image Valencia, 20 Nov 2019: Maverick Viñales (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) topped Day 2 of the Valencia test and it was once again a Yamaha 1-2-3, with the trio at the top within three tenths. Viñales was the only rider in the 1:29s – true of Fabio Quartararo (Petronas Yamaha SRT) at the weekend – and the number 12 narrowly beat the Frenchman’s pole time on Wednesday. Quartararo was 0.164 in arrears, with Franco Morbidelli (Petronas Yamaha SRT) within 0.265 of the top. Honda’s Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda Castrol) was the only other man within half a second…
Viñales fastest was set on the ‘new’ bike – with a different chassis and new engine – and the Spaniard put in 67 laps on the final day of testing, topping the timesheets with his 56th. Teammate Valentino Rossi was once again ninth, and ‘The Doctor’ did 68 laps on Wednesday. He was within 0.968 of the top and suffered a mechanical problem in the afternoon, but got back out.
Quartararo and Morbidelli, meanwhile, didn’t say much about what they were working on – “some small things” and the Frenchman said it was more a day of riding than testing as yet. For a man only just starting his second season, the 64 laps were doubtlessly useful, however, and Morbidelli added another 52 to the team’s count.
For Crutchlow it was a mammoth day of work. The Brit headed out on the ‘2020’ bike, suffered a crash but managed to prove Yamaha’s closest competitor on the timesheets and improve his laptime from the weekend after 73 laps. Speaking of the number 73, Alex Marquez, on the other side of the LCR Honda garage, was the only man to do more laps. The rookie did 79 on his second day as an HRC MotoGP™ rider, shaving six tenths off his time from Tuesday.
Reigning Champion Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) made some more Honda headlines, however. The number 93 rode around with his brother AND premiered the aero seen on Crutchlow yesterday, with the all-black Honda breaking cover bearing a 93 in the afternoon, and he ended the day in seventh after 71 laps. He also suffered a failed getaway earlier in the day, and his teammate for the test – in the garage at least – also suffered an issue on Wednesday as Stefan Bradl ground to a halt. Nevertheless the German was able to complete 53 laps by the end of play.
Team Suzuki Ecstar were fifth and sixth on Wednesday. The new engine previously having been put through its paces by test rider Sylvain Guintoli was a big focus for the Hamamatsu factory as they look for a step forward in terms of outright speed, and Joan Mir was the quickest Suzuki on Day 2. He put in a 1:30.427 and did 61 laps, but teammate Alex Rins was just 0.076 off and did 47 laps. They plan to continue testing the engine at Jerez.
KTM stole a few headlines on Day 2. For their speed – Pol Espargaro’s (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) impressive showing and that of Red Bull KTM Tech 3’s Iker Lecuona – and they had the new kids on the block, Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) and Lecuona, taking some tips from the veterans. But there were also a few crashes, with each of the three racers all going down. Espargaro first, Lecuona later and Binder even later in the day. Espargaro’s crash, however, led to his fastest lap as he was then forced to switch bike to another new chassis – and found immediate positives. He was eighth and did 46 laps, Pedrosa 14th after 48 laps and Lecuona just 0.045 off the three-time World Champion by the end of play. Binder did 66 laps on Day 2.
The Ducati Team’s Andrea Dovizioso, meanwhile, was focused on gathering more information on what they tested on Day 1, one big thing of note being a new chassis. Some sensors were spotted on the rear of the Borgo Panigale machine too on Wednesday, and the ‘salad box’ was back. Danilo Petrucci, however, was not back. The Italian remained sidelined by his bothersome shoulder, although Michele Pirro was once again on track to put the laps in – 40 of them – and Jack Miller (Pramac Racing) was all action stations too. The Aussie explained he’d been doing back to back comparisons with the first version of the 2020 machines because the number 09 was ruled out. Miller was fastest Ducati in 10th, just ahead of Dovizioso. Tito Rabat (Reale Avintia Racing) was 12th, ahead of Pirro.
For Aprilia, it was another day of track action working with their 2019 machines. Aleix Espargaro was 16th after 43 laps, Aprilia Racing Team Gresini teammate Andrea Iannone in 19th. Espargaro crashed at the final corner, and Iannone ran on at Turn 1 with the RS-GP then catching alight – rider ok. Test rider Bradley Smith was also on track and did another 32 laps to add to the information-gathering tally.
That’s it from Valencia and the first test of 2020 – with Jerez up next as a two-day test takes place on Monday and Tuesday. Who will reign there? Will we see more engines, chassis updates, more aero and even more tech on show? And can Yamaha keep their dominion so far?
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Double trouble: Quartararo takes top honours on Day 1; MotoGP final round
Frenchman fastest in FP1 and FP2, with Viñales the closest man on the chase
Quartararo in action on Friday. A MotoGP image Valencia, 15 Nov 2019: FP1 pacesetter Fabio Quartararo (Petronas Yamaha SRT) made it double trouble for his rivals on Friday at the Gran Premio Motul de la Comunitat Valenciana, topping the timesheets again in the afternoon for dominion on Day 1. He has a tenth and a half in hand over fellow Yamaha rider Maverick Viñales (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP), with World Champion Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) placing P3 so far.
After a chillier start, conditions were slightly warmer in the afternoon and allowed some riders to head out and post their best times of the day early in FP2, one of whom was Marquez as he sat on top of the standings in the opening exchanges. He and Viñales had got the better of Quartararo’s FP1 time fairly early on and leapfrogged the Rookie of the Year on the combined times, with Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar) putting in some impressive laps to claw his way up to P2 overall with around 10 minutes left to play as well. But the clock was ticking down and that meant a shuffle on the way.
Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda Castrol) moved himself into the top 10, Jack Miller (Pramac Racing) and Franco Morbidelli (Petronas Yamaha SRT) took P2 and P3 on the combined times respectively and at this stage, FP1 leader Quartararo hadn’t improved. So it was instead Viñales who first displaced Marquez from P1, but the Frenchman was on a charge and made his first gains to get up into second and then go top with an even better effort.
That sees him top so far from Sepang winner Viñales and Champion Marquez, with Miller in fourth at the end of the day despite a crash – and the Australian was second in FP1. Morbidelli takes P5, ahead of Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar). The two-time premier class race winner got the better of rookie teammate Mir in the end, but not by much as the number 36 ends Friday in seventh.
Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) impressed in P8, with late times from Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) and Johann Zarco (LCR Honda Idemitsu) seeing them grab a top 10 place in ninth and tenth respectively. Zarco’s temporary teammate Crutchlow was the man to lose out as he ended the day in 11th.
He’ll be a big name hoping to improve in FP3, and perhaps the biggest name has the same task ahead of him on Saturday: after crashing in FP1 at Turn 4, Valentino Rossi (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) was unfortunately in the gravel again in FP2. This time it was the fast right-hand Turn 10 that caught ‘The Doctor’ out and thankfully the nine-time World Champion was ok, but the same couldn’t be said for his YZR-M1. He was 14th and will be aiming to leapfrog Michele Pirro (Ducati Team), Danilo Petrucci (Ducati Team) and Crutchlow as a minimum before qualifying…
Jorge Lorenzo (Repsol Honda Team) ended his final Friday in the sport in 16th, but just 0.012 off Francesco Bagnaia (Pramac Racing) ahead of him. What will Saturday bring? The final fight for automatic entry into Q2 begins at 9:55 (GMT +1) local time, before qualifying starts at 14:10. Will Quartararo keep his dominion on Day 2? Tune in to find out.
MotoGP: Friday’s Fastest:
1 – Fabio Quartararo* (FRA – Yamaha) 1’30.735
2 – Maverick Viñales (SPA – Yamaha) +0.148
3 – Marc Marquez (SPA – Honda) +0.239
4 – Jack Miller* (AUS – Ducati) +0.265
5 – Franco Morbidelli* (ITA – Yamaha) +0.464*Independent Team rider
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Valencia Press Conference: the MotoGP season finale and goodbye Lorenzo
Riders gear up for the final round and share some words on a great rival set to retire
Riders pose after the Thursday press conference in Valencia. A MotoGP image Valencia, 14 Nov 2019: After 18 rounds of incredible racing in 2019, it’s time for the Circuit Ricardo Tormo to host the season finale. The pre-event Press Conference for the Gran Premio Motul de la Comunitat Valenciana saw reigning Champion Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) joined by Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team), Maverick Viñales (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP), Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar), Valentino Rossi (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) and Franco Morbidelli (Petronas Yamaha SRT) to talk shop – and share a few words on rival Jorge Lorenzo (Repsol Honda Team), who announced his retirement earlier in the day.
Marquez was first to speak. “Malaysia was not the best weekend for us but in the end we achieved a good result in the race which is the most important thing, we finished in second. At Valencia we will see, it’s time to finish the season in a good way, work hard next week for 2020, and there’s the team Championship where we’ll fight against Andrea and Danilo, and apart from that just try to enjoy it, the last race weekend and a home GP. Last weekend in my hometown in Cervera was amazing with my brother too, and I’ll just try to enjoy this, no pressure.”
Next up was Dovizioso, who also spoke of 2020… “We really would like to finish the season in a good way, we’ve confirmed a strong second overall, it’s not the Championship but we have to be happy with it. For sure we’ll have something to try at the test, and for sure we have to improve our situation if we want to fight with Marc so we’ll be focused on that.”
Then, Sepang winner Viñales talked through his recent form and geared up for Valencia. “I am really happy about the end of the season because somehow I felt we’ve grown a lot, especially with the team, and also with the bike and that was the most important; that was the objective of the last races: trying to going up and up with the bike, and it’s what we did. So, we arrive here in Valencia with the same mentality. I will go for everything. I will try to push myself and the bike at the maximum and then we will see, but I will give my maximum as always.”
Rins was next on the mic, and he’s facing down Viñales for third overall. “We have really good memories here in Valencia, last year in the rain but also in my first year I finished fourth here. So let’s see what happens, for sure I’ll try to fight, I don’t want to be focused on the final position overall, the important thing is that we’re getting information and experience for next year, so let’s see what happens. I’ll try and start tomorrow at 100%.”
Rossi’s mammoth career rolls on…can he take another podium at Valencia? After the Spaniard, the ‘Doctor’. Rossi has had ups and downs at Valencia, but he definitely arrives on the up after an incredible battle with Dovizioso for the podium in Malaysia. He missed out, but it was close… “We arrive from a good weekend in Sepang, so we have to try and continue like this. Valencia is completely different: the track, the temperature and the conditions are the opposite. It will be interesting to understand our speed and try and be competitive all weekend – and be strong on Sunday.”
Finally, we had chance to hear from Franco Morbidelli after he came home top Independent at Sepang. And it’s his first race on the Yamaha at Valencia. “In Japan and Malaysia I thought we had the speed to fight for the podium and we really don’t know why but in the race I struggled, I started to struggle a lot generally with lack of speed. So here in Valencia will be another important occasion to have good practices and try and have a good weekend until the race – and then try and maintain the practice speed on Sunday.”
Sunday sees the curtain go up for the final premier class race of the season at 14:00 (GMT +1) local time, with the Team Championship, third overall and top Independent Team rider still up for grabs – alongside another 25 points and a goodbye from Jorge Lorenzo. Don’t miss it.
Riders on Lorenzo: rival, and idol? Marquez: “It was a surprise, even for his teammate. In the team, we didn’t know and it was a surprise. Especially the way he worked in the box – then the results can be better or worse – but the way that he worked was exactly the same as his first day in Honda. Just an hour ago I was with him in his truck to say congrats, obviously for his career but especially the way to take the decision. This is something that means a lot – how is Jorge? Because he is a real champion. The moment he feels he can’t be in the top places he decided to stop. A strong character on and off the track, and yeah, a real champion. I want to say congrats to him and wish him the best for the future.”
Dovizioso: “Jorge was my rival because I met him in the European Championship in 2001 and every year we changed class at the same moment, so we’ve always been rivals. He’s won a lot of races and championships, is I think he can just be happy about his career. Unfortunately this is the sport and sometimes it’s difficult to continue to be in that level, I think he had some crashes in the last two years, and it affected his mind, but I think what he did in the world championship is something huge.”
Viñales: “To win the Championship five times is not easy. He’s a great rider, a great talent. He showed every race that he was always at the top in each category, and that’s the most important. I think if he feels that now is the moment, it’s about himself, and I wish him the best luck for the rest of the life.”
Can Rins fight back against Viñales for third? Rins: “Yeah for sure when I started to watch the races on TV, he was my reference. I was pushing a lot for him. For me he is an idol, he won many races. He has a very big talent. I feel good to fight with him, not a lot of races, but to share a track with him.”
Rossi: “I think that he is for sure one of the most important MotoGP riders in the modern era. I think that we lose a very important part of our sport. He’s a great champion, he impressed me a lot of times for his speed and concentration. From when he arrived in MotoGP, he was always from the first moment very strong, from 2008, so more than ten years. We were teammates for a long time, a lot of years together we shared the same box and I think he’s, personally, one of the greatest rivals of my career. We did some of the best races together, that I remember in my history, so it’s a great shame that he finished but he’s good, he’s okay, and I wish him a lot of luck for the future.
Morbidelli: “Yes, I remember the first time…I remember where I was when I first realized about Jorge Lorenzo, which was Rio, which he won and then he stopped because he finished his fuel, he stopped in a very particular place. I remember very, very clearly because it gave me a nice feeling, so I remember very clearly where I was and what I was feeling. He had an amazing career, he had amazing results with a really particular style. I mean, he has his own style – riding style and also outside of the track. So, he’s definitely one of the biggest riders according to me in history. So, yeah, a pity because he stops, but if he’s happy with this decision then everybody should be happy.”
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Sepang MotoGP gallery from Srinivasa Krishnan
Sepang: The Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Team are celebrating their second victory of the season on Sunday, as Maverick Viñales returned to the top step of the podium with a flawless race at the Sepang International Circuit. Andrea Dovizioso of Ducati was third and Valentino Rossi, showing solid pace in the Malaysia Motorcycle Grand Prix put up a fight for third place and crossed the line in fourth.
Here are some more photos from popular motorsports photographer Srinivasa Krishnan from Sepang to INDIAinF1:
Maverick Vinales with the winner’s trophy on Sunday. Photos by Srinivasa Krishnan
A MotoGP file photo of Andrea Dovizioso of Ducati.
File photo of reigning MotoGP champion Mir at Sepang in 2019. A MotoGP image -
Maverick Viñales outpaces Marquez to rule Sepang
The number 12 keeps cool to turn the tables on Marquez as Dovizioso fights off Rossi for the podium
Maverick Vinales with the winner’s trophy on Sunday. Photos by Srinivasa Krishnan Sepang, 3 Nov 2019: Maverick Viñales (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) put in a formidable performance at the Shell Malaysia Motorcycle Grand Prix to destroy the opposition, picking up his second win of the 2019 season in emphatic style. The Spaniard raced clear of a recovering second-place Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team), with Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) fending off Valentino Rossi (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) for P3.
It was Jack Miller (Pramac Racing) who somehow shot up for the holeshot from the second row, the Aussie bravely heading round the outside to take the lead from front row starter Franco Morbidelli (Petronas Yamaha SRT) as his teammate – and polesitter – Fabio Quartararo lost out. Marquez and Dovizioso, meanwhile, had made lightning starts to move through from P11 and P10 respectively, already well up in the fight at the front. At the very front though, Viñales was already stalking his prey.
It didn’t take long for the number 12 to strike, snatching the lead from Miller at Turn 11 as Marquez passed Morbidelli for P4. A frantic first lap wasn’t over yet though, as Dovizioso then battled Miller for P2 at Turn 14 and Turn 15 and both headed wide – allowing Marquez to pounce. He sat Miller up, but the Australian shot back past heading into Turn 1. That was only good news for Viñales, with the Spaniard already six tenths clear at the front.
Like Australia, Marquez said, he knew he had to try and get in behind the Yamaha to stay with him and it didn’t take too long for him to finally dispatch Miller. Reeling Viñales in, however, looked like a serious mountain to climb this time around, with the gap well over a second. A tenth here and a tenth there got chipped away, but the number 12 machine in the lead had a healthy gap – and wasn’t for slowing down.
It seemed, then, that the fight behind Marquez was going to remain the fight for third. Dovizioso grabbed it from Miller on Lap 4 and Rossi was threatening too, with ‘The Doctor’ finally dispatching Miller not too long after – and the Australian suffering an almighty moment as he hung on to his Ducati.
Shortly after that, things got even more heated between Miller and Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) at the final corner as Rins went for the inside and the two made contact. A front bit of fairing flew off the Suzuki and both stayed up, but they were forced to watch the fight for third between Dovizioso and Rossi start to peel off into the distance.
Even further into that distance, the timing screens signalled Viñales had broken his rivals. A second and a half became nearly three as a mistake became the only hurdle between him and the win, with Marquez equally safe in second. And a mistake never came from either, with Viñales pitch perfect to take his – and Yamaha’s – second win of the season and bounce back from Australia in incredible style. Marquez took second and gained an impressive nine places on the way after his Q2 crash.
The fight for third, try as he might, would not go the way of Rossi. Rins had closed in to make matters even closer, and every advance ‘The Doctor’ made on the Ducati was repelled as the Suzuki also started to threaten. Dovizioso, as ever, was a demon on the brakes and the nine-time World Champion just couldn’t make a move stick, although a few lunges at it made for a great battle between the two Italians. ‘DesmoDovi’ took it by a few tenths over the line, with Rossi forced to settle for fourth and Rins completing the top five.
Miller, meanwhile, slipped back into the clutches of the Petronas Yamaha SRT duo and Johann Zarco (LCR Honda Idemitsu). Morbidelli came out on top in that fight for sixth and he was top Independent Team rider in the race on the team’s home turf, and that combined with Quartararo’s tougher day at the office in seventh nevertheless means Petronas Yamaha SRT are Independent Team Champions too. Miller took P8, and Zarco, sadly, didn’t finish.
The Frenchman showed a big step forward in his second race weekend on a Honda, but it ended early after a pass from Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar) went awry, crashing Zarco out of the top ten. Mir would get a Long Lap Penalty for the incident, and that dropped him back below Danilo Petrucci (Ducati Team), who took ninth.
Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) battled through to take P11, ahead of a close duel between Francesco Bagnaia (Pramac Racing) and Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) that went in favour of the Italian. Jorge Lorenzo (Repsol Honda Team) beat Mika Kallio (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) to 14th as the two completed the points.
And so we leave Sepang and the flyaways with a new man on top after a run of dominant performances from Marquez. Viñales couldn’t be stopped in Malaysia, will the same be said at Valencia? Find out in two weeks as the paddock flies back to Europe for the season finale and we decide the team Champions and the top Independent Team rider of the year…
Maverick Viñales: “Honestly I have to say this is one of the times in life I’ve been the happiest. After the Australia crash I felt I won the race, because I attacked in my head…but then actually crashed. It was a bit of a disaster but we arrived here with everything clear, the bike was on a great level all weekend from FP1 since the first laps so we pushed, pushed and pushed and made a gap, which was important. I then tried to control the race which wasn’t easy; especially mentally it was very tough, but I have to congratulate the team because all weekend they did an awesome job.”
Top-2 Results:
1 – Maverick Viñales (SPA – Yamaha) 40’14.632
2 – Marc Marquez (SPA – Honda) +3.059
3 – Andrea Dovizioso (ITA – Ducati) +5.611Top Independent Team rider:
6 – Franco Morbidelli (ITA – Yamaha) +9.993 -
Fabio Quartararo claims stunning home pole for Petronas Yamaha SRT
Marquez crashes out after shadowing the Frenchman in Q2, Yamaha lock out the front row
Fabio Quartararo celebrates his pole posing to the onboard camera on Saturday. Photos by Srinivasa Krishnan Sepang, 2 Nov 2019: Fabio Quartararo took a sensational home GP pole position for Petronas Yamaha SRT in a hugely dramatic Q2 at the Shell Malaysia Motorcycle Grand Prix; a stunning 1:58.303 meaning he saw off fellow Yamaha riders Maverick Viñales (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) and Franco Morbidelli (Petronas Yamaha SRT) in the fight for the top. Repsol Honda Team’s Marc Marquez crashed out from following the Frenchman, and he’ll start P11.
A frantic session started with Marquez backing out of his first flying lap, and soon after the 2019 World Champion was locked on to Quartararo. The rookie kept his head down on his first lap to take provisional pole, however, before Valentino Rossi (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) then took over at the summit in Q2.
Quartararo remained unfazed though, firing in a stunner as Marquez quickly lost touch. The Hondas of Marquez and Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda Castrol) were unable to do anything about the flying Frenchman, but Viñales was the next to take up the challenge and he managed to edge him out by just 0.087.
And then came the drama. As Quartararo headed out for his second run, Marquez rumbled out of pitlane right next to the Yamaha and shadowed him around Sepang, intent on remaining latched onto the rear of the fastest man on Friday. But would Quartararo ruin his next lap in order to not drag the World Champion round? The answer was no, and as the number 20 fired his Yamaha out of the final corner and down the straight, it was go time.
Despatching Danilo Petrucci (Ducati Team) to latch back onto Quartararo, Marquez made Turn 1 in hot pursuit before it all went wrong soon after. Pushing to stay with the rookie, the reigning Champion then suddenly suffered a highside and tumbled off in to the gravel at Turn 2 as Quartararo continued his final charge.
At the time of the crash, Marquez was fifth. As the red and yellow sectors lit up the timing screens for the rest, that started to look in doubt. And sure enough, it would all shuffle again. Quartararo was pulling out the tenths; 0.2 under halfway around the lap, 0.3 under at the third split…but would he hold on? A slight twitch at the final corner threatened to spoil a phenomenal lap but, although losing time, Quartararo took the chequered flag to take an immense fifth pole of 2019 and his sixth consecutive front row start.
Viñales and Morbidelli make it a Yamaha front row lockout in Malaysia in second and third, with a Ducati, Honda and Yamaha making up the second row: Jack Miller (Pramac Racing), Crutchlow and Valentino Rossi (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP). Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) spearheads Row 3 in P7 ahead of Petrucci, with LCR Honda Idemitsu’s Johann Zarco having a sterling ride in Q2 to grab his best dry qualifying of the year in P9 – the second best Honda on the grid.
Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) took P10 in the end and pipped the man he’s fought for the title for the last three years to the honour, with Marquez’ crash proving even more costly than it initially seemed and the number 93 down in P11 in his worst qualifying since Mugello 2015. Francesco Bagnaia (Pramac Racing) took P12 to start alongside him.
Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar), Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) and Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) complete the top fifteen.
The Shell Malaysia Motorcycle Grand Prix was already set up to impress, but a tale of two halves for Marquez and a few of his biggest rivals mean Sunday is really poised for a showdown. Who can take the heat? Find out at 15:00 (GMT +8) as the lights go out for the premier class.
MotoGP Qualifying top-three:
1 – Fabio Quartararo* (FRA – Yamaha) 1’58.303
2 – Maverick Viñales (SPA – Yamaha) +0.103
3 – Franco Morbidelli* (ITA – Yamaha) +0.129*Independent Team rider
Here are some more photos from popular motorsports photographer Srinivasa Krishnan from Sepang to INDIAinF1:
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Fabio Quartararo eclipses the field on another record-breaking Friday
The Frenchman leads a Petronas Yamaha SRT 1-2, breaking the lap record not once, but twice
Fabio Quartararo sets the best lap with a record to boost in practice. Photos by Srinivasa Krishnan from Sepang Sepang, 1 Nov 2019: Breaking the lap record seems a good way to start your team’s home Grand Prix, so doing it once in FP1 and again in FP2 makes it an even better Friday for Petronas Yamaha SRT’s Fabio Quartararo at the Shell Malaysia Motorcycle Grand Prix. The Frenchman was over half a second clear, but it was teammate Franco Morbidelli who was closest to him by the end of play, making it double delight for the team. Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) rounded out the top three.
Day 1 was dry but it’s a mix of FP1 and FP2 times at the top, although Quartararo’s best lap in FP1 would still have been enough to take to the top. In the afternoon he unleashed even more pace to stretch his advantage, however, smashing Dani Pedrosa’s former lap record even further. Morbidelli was nevertheless impressive in second, his lap from FP1, and all Yamahas were at the front as Maverick Viñales (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) and Valentino Rossi locked out the top five – the former from a lap in the morning and the latter, afternoon.
Marc Marquez at Sepang on Friday. That makes Dovizioso the only non-Iwata marque machine in the mix after the opening day’s action, with reigning Champion Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) the next closest but a couple of tenths off Rossi. He was sixth on Friday, his FP1 time his best, and began that very session with a trademark save on the edge. There was also an interesting extra spotted on his machine: a second lever on the left handlebar. What was it? A rear brake lever, although the number 93 says it’ll go back in the box for now as it isn’t ready to race.
Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) put Suzuki in seventh, his laptime from FP1, ahead of Quartararo’s closest rival for the title of top Independent Team rider in 2019: Jack Miller (Pramac Racing). An impressive showing from Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) put the Noale factory in ninth, with Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda Castrol) rounding out what could prove a pivotal top ten.
Number 63 Francesco Bagnaia (Pramac Racing) just missed the cut by a seemingly grudge-bearing margin of just 0.063 as he was 11th, just ahead of fellow rookie Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar). Danilo Petrucci (Ducati Team) had a tougher day in P13, with Johann Zarco (LCR Honda Idemitsu) and Karel Abraham (Reale Avintia Racing) rounding out the fastest fifteen on Friday, with Frenchman despite a slow lowside.
The likes of Petrucci, Mir and Bagnaia will have their eyes to the skies on Saturday as once again the forecast looks set to close in and throw a spanner in the works of improving laptimes in FP3, and then there’s qualifying itself from 15:05 (GMT +8). Can Quartararo keep the momentum on Saturday? Will the likes of Marquez – out solely for speed – strike back? Stay tuned.
Friday’s MotoGP top results:
1 – Fabio Quartararo* (FRA – Yamaha) 1’58.576
2 – Franco Morbidelli* (ITA – Yamaha) +0.534
3 – Andrea Dovizioso (ITA – Ducati) +0.630
4 – Maverick Viñales (SPA – Yamaha) +0.642
5 – Valentino Rossi (ITA – Yamaha) +0.708*Independent Team rider
Here are some more photos from popular motorsports photographer Srinivasa Krishnan from Sepang to INDIAinF1:
