INDIA in F1

Tag: MotoGP

  • Desmo Dovi takes pole; Marquez to start from sixth: Motul Grand Prix of Japan

    Desmo Dovi takes pole; Marquez to start from sixth: Motul Grand Prix of Japan

    Dovizioso takes pole at Motegi on Saturday. A MotoGP image

    Motegi, 20 Oct 2018: Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) is doing everything he can to deny Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) the crown in the Motul Grand Prix of Japan, going fastest on Friday in the MotoGP World Championship and following it up with a pole position on Saturday. It is his third in the premier class at the track and championship leader, Marquez, heads into the battle for his seventh title from sixth.

    ‘DesmoDovi’ won’t go down without a fight and the news gets even worse for Marquez on the rest of the front row, with Johann Zarco (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) and Jack Miller (Alma Pramac Racing) taking second and third respectively – two men with no Championship pressure and everything to gain.It was a quickfire end to Q2 qualifying at Motegi and ‘DesmoDovi’ avoided the drama to perfection. That wasn’t quite true of Zarco, who put in a spectacular last ditch all-or-nothing lap and only just missed pole, but it was even less for Miller as the Australian set a stunner and then ended the session in the gravel trap. No harm done and rider ok, his earlier exploits made sure he held on to his front row – and he’s optimistic ahead of race day.

    The second row also has some big contenders for Marquez to pick his way past: fellow Honda rider Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda Castrol), who was on provisional pole until the last push, took fourth and Team Suzuki Ecstar’s Andrea Iannone was a man who, like Zarco, left it late to pounce but then pushed Marquez back down to sixth.

    The threats could also come from behind for the reigning Champion, however. Maverick Viñales (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) is in seventh and edged out Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) by less than a tenth, with the gap even smaller back to the second Movistar Yamaha of Valentino Rossi. Rossi, a former premier class winner at the venue, left it late to move through to Q2 in the morning and wasn’t able to challenge ahead of Row 3 in qualifying, with the Italian now looking for gains on Sunday.

    Alvaro Bautista (Angel Nieto Team) completes the top ten after he made it through Q1 – his final lap breaking Red Bull KTM Factory Racing hearts as he pushed out Bradley Smith – and three-time Motegi winner Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda Team) had a more difficult session in P11. Home hero Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) was the other graduate from Q1 and he lines up in tweflth after getting through to Q2 for the fourth time this season.

    Smith was pushed down to P13, with his teammate Pol Espargaro and Alma Pramac Racing’s Danilo Petrucci locking out the fastest fifteen on Saturday.

    So the stage is set and it’s Dovizioso in the driving seat so far at the Twin Ring Motegi. Will that be true on Sunday? A win can stop Marquez taking the title but anything less would likely see the Spaniard crowned. Tune in for the all-or-nothing Motul Grand Prix of Japan at 14:00 (GMT +9)!

  • Dovizioso fastest on Friday at Motegi

    Dovizioso fastest on Friday at Motegi

    Motegi, 19 Oct 2018: Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) said in Thursday’s pre-event Press Conference that he had a fairly single-minded mission this weekend: force key rival Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) to wait that little bit longer to celebrate his seventh crown. After going fastest on Day 1 at the Motul Grand Prix of Japan it’s therefore so far so good for the Italian, with ‘DesmoDovi’ just over a tenth clear in a dry FP1 and wet weather then putting paid to any improvements. But what of Marquez? It was far from a difficult start for the reigning Champion but the number 93 began Honda’s home Grand Prix in P4 overall.

    The man Dovizioso beat to P1 was instead Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda Castrol) as the Brit proved fastest Honda on Friday, taking second place and the honour of top Independent Team rider. That was a close battle however, with Johann Zarco (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) just a fraction further back to complete the top three and end Day 1 as fastest Yamaha – making it three different machines and three men split by just 0.125 at the top, with Marquez lurking only a further 0.015 in arrears.

    Meanwhile, in P5, Maverick Viñales (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) wasn’t so far off either – and the showing was a good one for the Iwata marque after some struggles of late. Their much-improved pace at Buriram appears to have brought some positives to Motegi too, with the Spaniard moving up late on to complete the top five and teammate Valentino Rossi likewise within that all-important top ten on Friday. Nine-time World Champion Rossi was ninth overall and says he reserves a little more judgment on the all-out optimism of his teammate but it was a good start to the race weekend that sees Yamaha on home turf in Japan and yet also in the enemy territory of Honda…

    Rossi was in a second, close group in the latter half of the top ten that was headed by Team Suzuki Ecstar’s Andrea Iannone. The Italian took P6 overall to please the Hamamatsu factory, although teammate Alex Rins had a tougher day down in P19. Their test rider, wildcard, and 2014 WorldSBK Champion Sylvain Guintoli, was P21 but he made more headlines with his continued work towards the 2019 bike.

    Alvaro Bautista (Angel Nieto Team) followed up his win in the mini bike event on Thursday with seventh on Friday, just ahead of fellow Independent Team Ducati rider Jack Miller (Alma Pramac Racing) as the Aussie edged ahead of Rossi. Behind the rider from Tavullia, it was Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) who completed the top ten, and teammate Scott Redding took an impressive P12. Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu), meanwhile, was the fastest rookie fresh from a renewed contract for 2019 and he took P13, ahead of a Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) of much-improved fitness and an ever-impressive P15 from Yamalube Yamaha Factory Racing wildcard veteran Katsuyuki Nakasuga.

    So who’s missing? One key name is Jorge Lorenzo (Ducati Team), who withdrew from the event following just one exit in FP1. The former Motegi winner was in too much pain from his injuries sustained at Buriram in that FP2 crash. Another missing from the top echelons were fellow Japanese GP ace Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda Team), who missed out on the top ten and was P11, but the ‘Little Samurai’ did top the wet FP2 session. Danilo Petrucci (Alma Pramac Racing) is likewise a rider who had a tougher start to the weekend, and surely one of those to watch on Saturday.

    That’s it from a half-dry, half-wet Twin Ring Motegi on Friday – tune back in on Saturday morning for more practice and then for qualifying from 14:10 (GMT +9). Then we’ll have the grid for the Motul Grand Prix of Japan with the Championship on the line – and anything can and will happen.

  • Marquez vs Dovi: who will shine brightest in Motul Grand Prix of Japan?

    Marquez vs Dovi: who will shine brightest in Motul Grand Prix of Japan?

    Marc Marquez and Andrea Dovizioso…..another royal battle in the offing. Photo: MotoGp

    Motegi, 18 October 2018: The Motul Grand Prix of Japan could be a Championship clinching weekend for Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) and joining him in the pre-event Press Conference was closest rival Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team), Maverick Viñales (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP), Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar), Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda Team) and home hero Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) to preview Round 16.

    With a 77-point lead in the overall standings, Marquez has his first match point of the season at the Twin Ring Motegi: the home of Honda and a venue he’s sealed the title at previously in 2014 and 2016. The number 93 isn’t wanting to put any extra pressure on himself though and is treating this race like any other weekend.

    “Here we have our first match point but the target is the same as every other weekend, start well in FP1 and try and be ready to fight for the victory. After Warm Up we’ll see whether we can fight – let’s not forget these guys are very strong in Motegi, so no stress and no panic.”

    Marquez vs Dovi….hot battle. Photo: MotoGP

    “These guys” was an indication to the rider sat immediately to his right – Dovizioso. The two were embroiled in an unforgettable battle in Motegi last season and it’s one Marquez remembers like it was yesterday. Is a repeat on the cards? “Those kinds of battles are in my mind like they happened yesterday! It was nice but a difficult race with a lot of water but a great battle. He beat me on the back straight and braked later, he was already in front and I tried at the last corner but it was too much. He made a great move in that race but this year on Sunday it looks like it will be dry, and it could be different…”

    ‘DesmoDovi’ will be hoping the outcome won’t be different from that particular battle as he aims to put Honda’s title celebrations on hold. And in addition to his Spanish colleague, Dovi is treating the Japanese GP as he would any other weekend: not thinking about the Championship and simply just trying to win the race.

    “Let’s try and win the race and make Marc have to wait for the celebrations,” commented the Ducati rider. “I think, unfortunately, I’ve been racing not thinking about the championship for a long time because the gap is so big. Here is just another race and we want to win, come back to victory and it could be a good track for us.”

    It certainly seems like Motegi’s 2018 mixture is a recipe for another potential Marquez vs Dovizioso classic. Despite the weather looking like it will have a part to play on Friday and potentially Saturday, Sunday’s weather forecast is predicting a dry race for both riders to go into full attack mode.

    Will it be magnificent seven for Marquez or delight for Dovi? Thankfully, we don’t have long to find out. Watch both riders join the rest of the premier class field as they take to the Twin Ring Motegi for FP1 on Friday morning.

    A MILESTONE AWAITS CAL CRUTCHLOW

    Crutchlow….on verge of history. Photo: MotoGP

    Honda rider can become the first Briton to reach the milestone in premier class history with a top five result in Japan. Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda Castrol) can etch his name into the MotoGP™ history books again at the Motul Grand Prix of Japan this weekend, with a top five finish in Motegi enough to see him become the first British rider to reach 1000 premier class points in Grand Prix motorcycle racing.

    Currently on 989 points, the Isle of Man resident has been a prominent figure in the MotoGP™ paddock since joining Tech 3 in 2011 from WorldSBK and has since managed to notch up three wins – his maiden GP victory at Brno in 2016 the first from a British rider in 35 years.

    In total, Crutchlow has scored 15 podiums during his eight years and he’s aiming to get another one under his belt at the Twin Ring Motegi to strengthen his position as Independent Team Championship leader:

    “Of course, Motegi is one of the most important races of the calendar because it’s Honda HRC’s home race and we are all keen to get a good result. As I said before, I expected a better result in Thailand, but at the same time I am happy to lead the independent rider classification.

    “The Motegi circuit suits my riding style more then Buriram so the aim to finish in the top 5 and hopefully get on the podium, although the battle up in the front group is very hard. We will see, for sure the Japanese crowd will be awesome as always and we’ll do our best to give them a great show on Sunday. It’s also Taka’s home race and I hope he can make a good race for his family and fans.”

    THE LITTLE SAMURAI’S LAST JAPANESE JOUST

    Dani Pedrosa. Photo: Honda Racing

    After announcing his retirement earlier in the season, Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda Team) aka the ‘Little Samurai’ will take part in his last race on Japanese soil at this weekend’s Motul Grand Prix of Japan.

    The three-time World Champion was present in the pre-event Press Conference and reflected on his time spent in a country he’s become closely connected to: “We’ve already been to two of Honda’s places; the office and the factory and you can see all the Japanese people are so supportive, so it’s an important race. I’ve always had a good welcome here.”

    In addition to a warm welcome off track, Pedrosa had enjoyed success on track at the Twin Ring Motegi. Five wins across all classes – the last coming in 2015 – and a total of 10 podiums gives the 33-year-old hope of a successful weekend, despite also being dished some bad luck at the venue in years gone by.

  • Marc Marquez on the cusp of MotoGP title at Motegi Twin Ring Circuit, Japan, this weekend

    Marc Marquez on the cusp of MotoGP title at Motegi Twin Ring Circuit, Japan, this weekend

    File photo of Marc Marquez in action. Photo – Honda Racing Corporation

    Motegi, 15 October 2018: Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) has done it before and wrapped up the title on the home turf of manufacturer Honda, and in 2018 he has chance to do it again in the Motul Grand Prix of Japan at the Motegi Twin Ring circuit here this weekend. If he scores points and finishes ahead of Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) and if he doesn’t concede more than two points to Dovizioso and 24 to Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP), Marquez is Champion and takes his seventh crown. The hard-braking behemoth of the Twin Ring could decide everything.

    The mission for Dovizioso is clear, then. He has to be ahead of Marquez and the best case scenario is to win. He has good form at the venue including two poles – 2010 and 2014 – and two podiums, one of which was a win, last season. And who could forget the stunning showdown in the rain as Marquez and Dovizioso dueled it out? The Italian certainly won’t, nor the fact that he won it in style. Despite the Spaniard fighting back last time out, Dovi remains ahead in their last lap showdowns.

    Valentino Rossi. Photo: Yamaha MotoGP

    So what of Valentino Rossi? The Italian remains third by virtue of consistency and consistently getting the best from the package, despite some struggles for Yamaha of late. He needs to go big to play a big part in the title decider, but like most venues, he’s a former winner at Motegi – that’s a given. Could Thailand have been a turning point for Yamaha too? Both Rossi, who came fourth at Buriram, and teammate Maverick Viñales, who locked out the podium, had much improved pace there – and that despite the hot temperatures and high tyre wear. They’ll hope to be a force to be reckoned with as it’s their home race and also the home track of arch rivals Honda – something also true of Hamamatsu factory Suzuki and Team Suzuki Ecstar’s Alex Rins and Andrea Iannone.

    One unknown quantity who could have a big say in the weekend is Jorge Lorenzo (Ducati Team). Crashing out at Aragon and left riding through the pain barrier on Friday in Thailand, the ‘Spartan’ was on the pace – until a monster highside in FP2 put paid to his weekend at Buriram. It was caused by a mechanical problem and Lorenzo, classed fit to race, nevertheless chose to sit the weekend out. He’ll be back at Motegi, however, and he has quite a CV at the Japanese venue, including three wins. As does Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda Team), who crashed out in Thailand.

    Andrea Dovizioso. Photo: Ducati

    The fight for top Independent Team rider continues to rage just behind Lorenzo in the standings. Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda Castrol) has 128 points, Danilo Petrucci (Alma Pramac Racing) 126 and Johann Zarco (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) 123 – so it remains incredibly close and every weekend is pivotal, with Motegi no different.

    The same is true in the battle for Rookie of the Year as last time out Hafizh Syahrin (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) closed on Franco Morbidelli (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) and it’s just five points between the two, but at Motegi, eyes will be on a different rookie.

    Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) is one of the home heroes who will be on track and the Japanese rookie has had some good pace of late – and then suffered bad luck on race day. He’ll want to put on a good show at his home race and the home race of HRC, but he won’t be alone in flying the flag. Yamaha test rider Katsuyuki Nakasuga will be another Japanese rider on the grid as he wildcards, giving the home crowd a rookie and a veteran to cheer for.

    The Motul Grand Prix of Japan has everything hanging in the balance. Marquez is on the cusp of yet more history and, again, it’s Andrea Dovizioso the key man in his way. Find out if Motegi hosts another incredible showdown on Sunday 21st October when the lights go out at 14:00 (GMT +2) local time.

    Championship Standings
    1 – Marc Marquez (SPA) HONDA 271 points
    2 – Andrea Dovizioso (ITA) DUCATI 194
    3 – Valentino Rossi (ITA) YAMAHA 172
    4 – Maverick Viñales (SPA) YAMAHA 146
    5 – Jorge Lorenzo (SPA) DUCATI 130

  • Marquez on pole, but it’s just 0.011 seconds ahead of Rossi; Dovi in hot pursuit, completes front row

    Marquez on pole, but it’s just 0.011 seconds ahead of Rossi; Dovi in hot pursuit, completes front row

    Marquez on pole; Rossi (left) and Dovi (right) in hot pursuit. A MotoGP image

    Buriram, 6 Oct 2018: What’s a decade between rivals? Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) made it to premier class pole number 50 at Chang International Circuit as he beat nemesis Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) to P1, and the Spaniard did it almost a decade younger as he continues to rack up the milestones ahead of the MotoGP Thailand round here on Sunday.

    That wasn’t really the big draw at Buriram, however, with the two split by only 0.011 on the timesheets – and Yamaha making a serious dent in the front positions on the grid. After a difficult period for the Iwata marque, it’s a welcome boost in the Thai heat and sets up a mouthwatering Sunday. Adding to that is a man with serious race pace completing the front row, with Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) less than a tenth and a half off the battle for pole as he took P3.

    The headlines didn’t stop there. They began early as Jorge Lorenzo (Ducati Team) was forced to forfeit his chance to fight for a fourth consecutive pole and another win, with the Spaniard withdrawing from the event following his huge crash in FP2. Then another crash made waves as Marquez fell at the end of FP3 and in doing so lost his chance to move through to Q2…the number 93 made the most of that, however, to make another record and become the first rider to come through Q1 and subsequently take pole.

    Just off the tantalising trio on the front row, Maverick Viñales (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) took fourth and is well within striking distance of the win if Yamaha’s form continues on to Sunday, and Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda Castrol) is top Independent Team rider once again in P5. The second row is completed by Andrea Iannone (Team Suzuki Ecstar), whose improved form at Buriram after a more difficult preseason test at the venue saw him take sixth.

    Seventh on the grid is Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda Team), who took his second top eight qualifying since last being on the front row in Jerez. Pedrosa was also fastest at the Thai test, which bodes well for race day. He edged Johann Zarco (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) by a tiny margin of 0.013, with Danilo Petrucci (Alma Pramac Racing) completing Row 3 in P9 – just ahead of teammate Jack Miller, who has plenty of home fans who have made the trip up from Australia.

    Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) starts 11th after joining Marquez in graduating from Q1, with Alvaro Bautista (Angel Nieto Team) completing the Q2 classification in 12th – and just 0.888 separating the top 12 in qualifying.

    Franco Morbidelli (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) beat Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) to P13 as they battle over the honour of top rookie, with Bradley Smith (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) completing the fastest fifteen on Saturday.

    Records, drama and mere thousandths of a second characterised Saturday at Buriram. On Sunday, things heat up even further in the race – with pace a different matter over a long run of laps in the Thai heat. Will Marquez extend his lead as he hones in on the crown? Can Dovizioso make a last ditch effort to still the tide? Or will Yamaha leap back on to the top step in Thailand…

    Tune in from 14:00 (GMT +7) local time for the first ever MotoGP™ race at Buriram in the inaugural PTT Thailand Grand Prix.

  • 3 factories fight it out at MotorLand but it’s Marquez who takes the spoils

    3 factories fight it out at MotorLand but it’s Marquez who takes the spoils

    Aragon, 23 Sept. 2018: Three factories, three riders, a dash of controversy and one of the most incredible moments of the year – that was the Gran Premio Movistar de Aragon. In the end it was a masterclass from Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) as the reigning Champion and Championship leader fought off old foe Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) to emerge victorious, with Andrea Iannone (Team Suzuki Ecstar) completing the podium, but the headlines weren’t all written in the battle: a first-corner crash for Jorge Lorenzo (Ducati Team) saw him highside out after starting from pole.
    Lorenzo was imperious on Saturday but it was Marquez who got a great launch from P3 and dived up the inside to grab the holeshot on Sunday, before both he and Lorenzo headed wide. That’s when the ‘Spartan’ crashed, suffering a dislocated toe in the process. Opinions on the incident differed between the two men but it did leave Dovizioso in the driving seat as he capitalised on the scruffy start for his two biggest rivals, taking the lead as Marquez slotted back into second.Behind the drama, Iannone and Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) bolted out the blocks to move forward into the fight, with Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda Team) and Aprilia Racing Team Gresini’s Aleix Espargaro hot on their heels. Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda Castrol) was also in that tousle in the early stages, but the Brit crashed out five laps in.

    So began the battle for Aragon. Rins was looking menacing behind Marquez, feinting numerous overtaking attempts into the first corner as both Suzukis kept tabs on the leading duo and by lap 11, Dovi, Marquez, Rins and Iannone had edged out two-second gap to Pedrosa and Espargaro. The stage was set.As if someone had flicked a switch and turned it up to 11, ‘DesmoDovi’ made his move and posted the fastest lap of the race a lap later – a 1:48.3. Marquez responded to stay with the Italian and the two looked to have broken clear of the Suzukis on the chase, but not so as the gloves came off between the leading duo. The number 93 carved past at Turn 12, but on Lap 16 Dovizioso got the drive up the hill to attack Marquez back at Turn 4. Never one to refuse a challenge, the Repsol Honda rider immediately responded up the inside at Turn 5, with the Italian then biting straight back at Turn 7. Stunning it was, but it also allowed Iannone to close the gap…

    A number of laps later Marquez pounced again at Turn 12 and set off another flurry of dueling. This time, however, Iannone was able to get involved and as Dovizioso took the inside at Turn 15, Iannone took the outside and it made for a stunning sight as Marquez was briefly swamped by both. The Ducati and Honda were back in the lead soon after, but Marquez was about to play his ace.

    The race-defining move finally came from the number 93 at Turn 5, and the reigning World Champion held firm until the chequered flag to take a third straight win in Aragon, equaling Mike Hailwood’s win tally of 41 for Honda. Dovi was forced to settle for second but equaled Casey Stoner’s Grand Prix podium count, with Iannone earning his third podium of the year and Suzuki’s first at MotorLand. The rostrum was also enough to mean the Hamamatsu factory will now lose concessions.

    Fourth was local hero Rins as he took a second consecutive P4, with Pedrosa securing his first top five since the Catalan GP at his penultimate home Grand Prix. Espargaro excelled in sixth to pick up the Aprilia’s best result of the season and their best result so far, with the Spaniard beating Danilo Petrucci (Alma Pramac Racing) to top Independent rider as the Italian came home seventh.

    Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP), meanwhile, was another headline act as ‘The Doctor’ sliced through the field from P17 on the grid to take eighth, ahead of Jack Miller (Alma Pramac Racing) after the two battled in the latter stages. Rossi’s teammate Maverick Viñales (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) rounded out the top ten.

    Franco Morbidelli (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) won the battle of the rookies in P11, with Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) 12th. Bradley Smith (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) had a solid race to take 13th, ahead of a tough day for Johann Zarco (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) in 14th and a points finish for Karel Abraham (Angel Nieto Team)  in 15th.

    A monumental Marquez victory on home soil leaves the Honda rider with one hand on the title as the premier class head to Thailand for the first time. Will it be another Marquez vs Ducati contest? Will the Championship get closer once again? Or can a last chance saloon for Dovizioso deny the six-time World Champion? In two weeks, all will be revealed at Chang International Circuit..

  • Lorenzo takes pole; Dovizioso makes it a Ducati 1-2; Marquez pushed to P3

    Lorenzo takes pole; Dovizioso makes it a Ducati 1-2; Marquez pushed to P3

    Lorenzo takes pole on Saturday. A MotoGP image

    Jorge Lorenzo (Ducati Team) will start the Gran Premio Movistar de Aragon from P1 after sealing his third consecutive pole position, snatching the honours from teammate Andrea Dovizioso by just 0.014 seconds. It’s Lorenzo’s best qualifying run since 2012 – the last time he took three poles in a row – and only the second time Marquez has missed out on pole at MotorLand in the premier class. The reigning Champion was hot on the heels of the Borgo Panigale duo, however, and he completes the front row a mere 0.065 off the top to set us up for another Sunday classic.

    Dovizioso makes it a Ducati front row pushing Marc Marquez (not in the pic) to P3. A MotoGP image

    It was third place Marquez who came out the blocks quickest though, immediately clocking a 1:46.974 – the quickest lap of the weekend – on his first flying run, with Lorenzo 0.110 behind and Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda Castrol) on the provisional front row at that stage. But tactics soon came out to play on the final run, with Dovizioso marked by Marquez as the top two in the Championship played cat and mouse. That led to both backing out of flying laps – and sending everything down to the wire.

    On that final dash it was Maverick Viñales (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) leading a freight train of eight riders as Marquez clung onto the tailpipes of Dovi. The two were setting the timing screens alight but heading into Turn 12 the Honda rider slightly out-braked himself – losing a potential pole lap. Meanwhile, despite having to manoeuvre past Alvaro Bautista (Angel Nieto Team) at the same corner, ‘DesmoDovi’ went fastest by 0.065 to grab provisional pole. Teammate Lorenzo had other ideas, however, heading out slightly later than the rest of the field. The ‘Spartan’ put the hammer down and snatched pole by 0.014 – his fourth of the season and his fourth successive front row in Aragon.

    That bumped Dovi to P2 and Marquez to P3, with Crutchlow then unable to make good on a threat to take a front row after a crash at Turn 12 on his final flying lap ended his chances. Fifth on the grid went to Andrea Iannone (Team Suzuki Ecstar), his best starting position since the Catalan GP, with Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda Team) securing his best qualifying position since Jerez in sixth.

    Danilo Petrucci (Alma Pramac Racing) will launch from P7, with Bautista eighth, Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) P9 and Jack Miller (Alma Pramac Racing) P10. Q1 graduate and leading Yamaha rider Maverick Viñales (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) had to settle for the 11th fastest lap, with Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) going 12th after also coming through Q1.

    Q1 made some other headlines, however. Viñales received a three-place penalty for an incident with Bradley Smith, with Franco Morbidelli (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) penalised for the same but the Italian’s sanction a loss of six positions. The biggest of them all though was a tough session for Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) as the nine-time World Champion failed to make the cut, set to start 17th after Morbidelli’s penalty has been applied. Waiting for a tow to try and move through didn’t work for the ‘Doctor’ in the tight window of opportunity.

    He’ll be gunning hard to make some serious progress on Sunday as Lorenzo, Dovizioso and Marquez continue their titanic battle for the win. Who will master MotorLand? Find out at 14:00 local time (GMT +2).
    MotoGP Qualifying Results
    1 – Jorge Lorenzo (SPA) DUCATI 1’46.881
    2 – Andrea Dovizioso (ITA) DUCATI +0.014
    3 – Marc Marquez (SPA) HONDA +0.079
    –
    First Independent Team Rider:
    4 – Cal Crutchlow (GBR) HONDA +0.287
  • Master craftsman: Dovizioso plays it to perfection at Misano

    Master craftsman: Dovizioso plays it to perfection at Misano

    The Italian makes it three in a row for Ducati and three Italian winners on race day with his first Misano win

    All 3 classes: Three Italian winners in one day! from left: Bagnaia, Dovizioso and Dalla Porta. A MotoGP image

    Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) took an expertly-crafted victory in the Gran Premio Octo di San Marino e della Riviera di Rimini, picking his way into the lead and unleashing incredible pace to secure only the second ever win for Ducati at the venue. His win also makes it three in a row for the Borgo Panigale factory, having won at Brno and teammate Jorge Lorenzo following that up with victory in Austria. Lorenzo was the man on the chase at Misano, too, but there was late drama as the five-time World Champion slid out on the penultimate lap after dueling Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team). Marquez took second at the flag, with Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda) putting in an impressive ride to take third and come home as top Independent Team rider.

    It was polesitter Lorenzo who shot out ahead and got the holeshot – as the number 99 is oft to do – but Jack Miller (Alma Pramac Racing) kept second from second on the grid as the Aussie got a good start. Marquez was the biggest winner off the line, moving up from fifth after a crash in qualifying to slot into third, but he wasn’t there long…

    Dovizioso struck quickly against the reigning Champion before picking off Miller, pushing hard to tag on to the back of his teammate as Marquez then sliced past the Aussie too – intent on keeping tabs on the Ducati duo at the front. Unfortunately, disaster struck a lap later for Miller as he slid out at Turn 14.

    Back at the front, ‘DesmoDovi’ was honing in on Lorenzo and looking to make a move. With 22 laps to go the Italian did just that, slicing past at Turn 7. He then began to pull away as Marquez tagged on to Lorenzo in the battle for second, before the number 93 then shot past with 14 to go as the number 99 headed a little wide. The gap? 1.4 seconds to the Ducati ahead.

    Marquez, however, wasn’t able to cut down the gap – and a number of laps later, he was under attack. Lorenzo made it through at Turn 8 and lit the touch paper on a few spectacular exchanges between the two, but to no avail and he settled back into third to prepare another attack. Trying again a lap later but not making it through, the ‘Spartan’ then switched tactics and went for it at Turn 12.

    He’d prepared the move with a couple of feints beforehand, but this time he made it stick. From there it was time to put the hammer down and Lorenzo set about cutting the gap to his teammate. Tenth by tenth, the Spaniard was reeling him in – and the gap went back down to 1.3 seconds. Dovizioso began to respond, but drama suddenly hit the front on the penultimate lap. Pushing and pushing, Lorenzo suddenly slid out of second.

    That left ‘DesmoDovi’ in free air at the front to take his first ever win at the venue, having managed the race to perfection. Marquez took second and extended his Championship lead, with Crutchlow’s impressive pace and race rewarded by a podium after the late drama.

    Crutchlow had pulled free of a squabble and sliced past Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) to get into the position to try and close in on the then-leading trio, and more than made amends for a late crash in qualifying. Rins, meanwhile, impressed on the softer compound rear tyre to get well in the initial fight and then hold great pace to the flag, not able to stay ahead of Crutchlow but nevertheless holding station in the top five until Lorenzo’s late crash saw him take fourth.

    Maverick Viñales (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) took fifth after dropping back slightly from a front row start and suffering a more difficult race, holding off some steady pressure from Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda Team), who took sixth.

    For Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP), it was a difficult Sunday at home. Missing the race through injury last season – as his special edition ‘Back to Misano’ helmet attests – the ‘Doctor’ had higher hopes for the race that takes place so close to his home town of Tavullia. He took P7, retaining his qualifying position by the flag. Compatriot Andrea Iannone (Team Suzuki Ecstar) also had a tough weekend, and came home eighth.

    Alvaro Bautista (Angel Nieto Team) continued his good run of recent form and took P9, with Johann Zarco (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) completing the top ten ahead of Danilo Petrucci (Alma Pramac Racing). Petrucci had a difficult race day and was also given a 1.1 second penalty for cutting a corner early on.

    Franco Morbidelli (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) beat Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) to the honour of top rookie and P12, with Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) taking points for Noale factory Aprilia on home turf in P14, just ahead of Ducati Test Team wildcard Michele Pirro.

    Behind them? Lorenzo had remounted and dueled Bradley Smith (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) to the line, but the Brit was just able to stay ahead by a tenth.

    That’s it from a dramatic weekend at Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli. Next we return to MotorLand Aragon and home turf for Marquez, Lorenzo and Viñales, leaving Dovizioso and Rossi behind enemy lines. After three Italian wins over the three classes at Misano, can the Spaniards fight back? Find out in a fortnight.

    MotoGP™ Race Results
    1 – Andrea Dovizioso (ITA) DUCATI 42’05.426
    2 – Marc Marquez (SPA) HONDA +2.822
    –
    First Independent Team Rider
    3 – Cal Crutchlow (GBR) HONDA +7.269

  • MotoGP Sunday guide

    MotoGP
    Jorge Lorenzo has qualified on pole position for the third time this season and the 68th in his Grand Prix career. This is Lorenzo’s first back-to-back pole position since joining Ducati in 2017 and his first overall since the final race of 2015 and the opening race of 2016.

    This is the first back-to-back pole position for Ducati since the final race of 2009 and the opening race of 2010, both with Casey Stoner.
    This is the third pole position from a Ducati rider in the MotoGP™ class at Misano, along with Casey Stoner in both 2007 and 2008. On Jorge Lorenzo’s last three pole positions at Misano in the premier class, he finished on the podium twice with a second place in 2014 and a third in 2016.
    Dani Pedrosa, in 2010, is the last rider to win the MotoGP™ race at the San Marino GP after qualifying in pole position.
    Jack Miller starts from second on the grid as the top Independent Team rider, which is his best qualifying result since he was on pole in Argentina earlier this year and his second front-row start on what is his 60th Grand Prix race in the premier class.
    With Jorge Lorenzo and Jack Miller, this is the fifth Ducati 1–2 in the MotoGP™ class and the first in back-to-back Grand Prix events.

    The highest-placed Yamaha rider on the grid is Maverick Viñales in third place. This is his best qualifying result since he was also third at Mugello earlier this year.

    Heading the second row on the grid is Andrea Dovizioso, who crossed the line in third place last year at the San Marino GP.
    Marc Márquez has qualified in fifth place on the grid, which is his worst qualifying result at Misano since he stepped up to the MotoGP™ class in 2013.
    This is the sixth time this year he failed to qualify on the front row, equalling his highest tally from 2016. He won the race last year at the San Marino GP in wet-weather conditions, taking the lead on the final lap.

    Cal Crutchlow completes the second row on the grid, which is his worst qualifying result since he was the seventh-fastest qualifier in Germany earlier this year.

    Heading the third row is Valentino Rossi, who is back at Misano after missing the race last year due to a leg injury. This is Rossi’s worst qualifying at his home track since 2011 when he was 11th on the grid riding a Ducati.

    Danilo Petrucci, who fought for the win until the final lap last year at Misano from eighth on the grid, has also qualified eighth this year.

    Third Yamaha rider on the grid, Johann Zarco starts from ninth. He scored one point last year at Misano after pushing his bike across the line to finish in 15th place.
    The highest-placed Suzuki rider is Álex Rins, 10th on the grid for the third successive time. Rins won twice in the Moto3™ at the San Marino GP, in 2013 and 2014.
    After passing through Q1 for the fifth time this year, Dani Pedrosa, who won in both 2010 and 2016 at Misano, has qualified in 11th place on the grid.
    Franco Morbidelli, who starts from 12th on the grid, is the second of the five rookies this year – along with Takaaki Nakagami – to have joined Q2 more than once.
    Moto2

    Francesco Bagnaia has qualified on pole position for the fifth time this year. On his four previous pole positions, he went on to win the race three times; his fourth pole position was at Silverstone two weeks ago but the race was cancelled.

    Marcel Schrötter starts from second on the grid, which is his sixth front-row start on what is his 105th Grand Prix race in the Moto2™ class. This is Schrötter’s best qualifying result since he was second in Assen earlier this season.
    Mattia Pasini, who won the 125cc race at Misano in 2007 and was on pole at the venue last year, has qualified in third place, which is his best qualifying result since he was third at Brno earlier this year.
    Heading the second row on the grid is Fabio Quartararo, which is his best qualifying since he was third in Austria this year and the best from a Speed Up rider in the Moto2™ class at Misano.
    Brad Binder, who won the Moto3™ race at Misano two years ago, is the highest-placed KTM rider on the gird in fifth place. This is his best qualifying result since he was also fifth in Barcelona earlier this season.
    Jorge Navarro completes the second row on the grid, which is his best qualifying result since he was fourth in Austria.
    Second in the Championship, Miguel Oliveira has qualified in 9th on the grid, which is the fifth time this year he has qualified within the first three rows on the grid.
    Moto3

    Jorge Martín has qualified on pole position for the eighth time this year and the 17thtime overall in his Grand Prix career. This is also his 11th front-row start of the season – one less than the whole 2017 season; his worst qualifying result being ninth in Argentina earlier this year. He crashed out of the race at Misano last year while fighting for third place.

    This is the 11th pole position for Honda so far this season. Only three riders have won from pole position at the San Marino GP in the Moto3™ class: Sandro Cortese (2012), Enea Bastianini (2015) and Brad Binder (2016).
    Gabriel Rodrigo, who has failed to score any points over his four visits at Misano, starts from second on the grid, which is his best qualifying result since he was also second at Phillip Island last year. This is his third front row start this season so far.
    Arón Canet completes the front row on the grid, which is his best qualifying result since he was second in Austin earlier this year. He crashed out of the race last year at Misano on Lap 21 while sitting in fourth place.
    Heading the second row is Fabio Di Giannantonio, who crossed the line in third place last year at the San Marino GP. This is Di Giannantonio’s best qualifying result since he was the third-fastest qualifier in Jerez earlier this year.
    Enea Bastianini, who took the first of his three Grand Prix victories at Misano back in 2015, is the only rider in the current field to have won at this track in the Moto3™ class. He starts from fifth, which is his best qualifying result since he was third at the Sachsenring this season.
    Championship leader Marco Bezzecchi has qualified in sixth on the grid, which is his best qualifying result since he was on pole position in Austria. He crashed out of the race last year at the San Marino GP.
    Niccolò Antonelli, who crossed the line in third in 2015 at Misano, has qualified in 15th place on the grid, which is his worst qualifying result since he was 19th in Germany earlier this year.

  • Lorenzo takes Misano pole again; sets record

    Five-time World Champion sets a new record to make it four Misano poles in five years as Marquez amps up the drama with a crash
    Jorge Lorenzo (Ducati Team) broke his own 2016 pole lap record at Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli in an adrenaline-fuelled qualifying on the Adriatic, searing around the venue in a 1:31.629 to lower his own fastest laptime and secure Ducati’s first pole at the venue since 2008. Jack Miller (Alma Pramac Racing) put in a stunner at his team’s home race to take second and qualify as top Independent Team rider, with Maverick Viñales (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) locking out the front row after a last lunge for the front.

    One key name missing from that trio? Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team), top qualifier this season so far, did not make it onto the front row – he crashed. Lorenzo’s ominous form was certainly a key headline but the drama for the Championship leader lit up the session. Crashing on his second run in a relatively fast lowside, the number 93 was straight to his feet without pause for thought and sprinting to get a lift back to the pits. Once back in the paddock on the back of a scooter, he hit the ground running again to run through his Repsol Honda garage from front to back, straight back on his other machine and heading back out. Could he do another ‘Texas 2015’ style pole dash?

    The first sector looked like it might it be possible as it lit up red, but the reigning Champion then lost some time and it wasn’t to be. So he’ll line up fifth – his worst qualifying in the premier class at the venue – and he’ll have some serious company in the form of Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team), who’s just alongside him in fourth.

    Behind Dovizioso and Marquez, Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda Castrol) was sixth and completes the second row, suffering a low-drama crash near the end of the session. And the Brit broke some local hearts, with Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) pushed down to head up the third row.

    Rossi has had a weekend of ups and downs so far at his home venue, just making it into that all-important top ten on Friday and continuing to work hard on Saturday to get race ready. In qualifying the rider from Tavullia was hovering around the second row, before just losing out in that last minute shuffle. Row 3 is completed by last year’s podium finisher Danilo Petrucci (Alma Pramac Racing) and fellow Independent Team rider Johann Zarco (Monster Yamaha Tech 3).

    Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) was tenth fastest and top Hamamatsu machine after teammate Andrea Iannone just failed to make it through to Q2 – he starts P13 – with two-time Misano winner Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda Team) in P11. Franco Morbidelli (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) completes the top 12.

    Behind Iannone, wildcard compatriot Michele Pirro (Ducati Test Team) took P14 after a crash hampered his chances in Q1, and Alvaro Bautista (Angel Nieto Team) completed the top 15.

    So that’s it for the premier class on Saturday. A three-time winner on pole, a dark horse with nothing to lose alongside him and a man who hasn’t won for a year make for an incredible front row – with everything to play for. Marquez and Dovizioso lurk close behind too, and the ‘Doctor’ can never be counted out on race day – especially considering his incredible support around Misano. Who will emerge from the melee ahead? The lights go out at 14:00 (GMT +2).
    MotoGP™ Qualifying Results
    1 – Jorge Lorenzo (SPA) DUCATI 1’31.629
    –
    First Independent Team Rider:
    2 – Jack Miller (AUS) DUCATI +0.287
    –
    3 – Maverick Viñales (SPA) YAMAHA +0.321
    NEWS: in-season test dates confirmed

    The MotoGP™ class will test on the 6th May at the Circuito de Jerez-Angel Nieto after the Spanish GP, and the second test will be held at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya after the Grand Prix there, on the 17th June. The final official test for the premier class in 2019 will be held at the Automotodrom Brno, on the 5th August.

    The Moto3™ and Moto2™ classes, meanwhile, will test in Jerez and Barcelona on the Tuesdays after the premier class have tested, and they will test at the Red Bull Ring on the 12th August after the Austrian GP.

    A two-day Official Test for the premier class is also forecast for the 28th and 29th August. If the Kymiring is confirmed on the 2020 MotoGP™ calendar, that will be held in Finland. If not, this test will be at Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli.