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Tag: Repsol Honda
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Mar Marquez cleared for return: Repson Honda
Six-time MotoGP world champion Marc Márquez will finally get his 2021 title challenge under way at the Portuguese GP on April 18 after recovering from his arm injury.
Here is all you need to know:
– Márquez suffered a badly fractured arm in the 2020 season opener – which ruled him out for the year – and the Spaniard made a welcome step back to competitive racing when he completed a day around the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya on a RC213V-S in the middle of March.
– Doctors could not give him the green light for the first two races of the 2021 season at the Losail International Circuit in Qatar, however the 28-year-old has recovered enough to line up now at Portimão.
– Márquez revealed on Twitter: “I’M VERY HAPPY! Yesterday I visited the doctors and they gave me the green light to return to competition. They have been 9 difficult months, with moments of uncertainties and ups and downs, and now, I will be able to enjoy my passion again! See you next week in Portimao!! “
– His Repsol Honda team confirmed: “In the review carried out on Marc Márquez by the Hospital Ruber Internacional medical team, four months after surgery, led by Doctors Samuel Antuña and Ignacio Roger de Oña, and made up of Doctors De Miguel, Ibarzabal and García Villanueva, for an infected pseudoarthrosis of the right humerus, a very satisfactory clinical condition was found, with evident progress in the bone consolidation process. In the current situation, Márquez can return to competition, assuming the reasonable risk implicit in his sporting activity.”
– Márquez, who also has one 125cc world title (2010) and one Moto2 crown (2012) to his name, will now feature alongside new teammate Pol Espargaró who has 11 points from the opening two races.
– Frenchman Johann Zarco leads the 2021 standings after the Qatar GP and Doha GP on 40 points from compatriot Fabio Quartararo and Spaniard Maverick Viñales, who both lie four points behind.Repsol Honda Statement
In the review carried out on Marc Marquez by the Hospital Ruber Internacional medical team, four months after surgery, led by Doctors Samuel Antuña and Ignacio Roger de Oña, and made up of Doctors De Miguel, Ibarzabal and García Villanueva, for an infected pseudoarthrosis of the right humerus, a very satisfactory clinical condition was found, with evident progress in the bone consolidation process. In the current situation, Marquez can return to competition, assuming the reasonable risk implicit in his sporting activity.
I’M VERY HAPPY! Yesterday I visited the doctors and they gave me the green light to return to competition. They have been 9 difficult months, with moments of uncertainties and ups and downs, and now, I will be able to enjoy my passion again! See you next week in Portimao!! said Marquez on twitter.
Note: Updated on 12 April 2021
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Honda extends commitment to MotoGP for 5 more years
Aalst (Belgium), 5 Feb 2021: Honda will continue to add to their illustrious history in Grand Prix racing as an agreement is signed with Dorna Sports S.L. to compete for the next five years, from 2022 to 2026, a similar release from Dorna and Honda said.
A journey which began in 1954 when Honda’s founder, Soichiro Honda, declared entry into the Isle of Man TT, the premier motorcycle racing event of the era, with the aim of becoming the best in the world. This journey has so far seen 100 different riders win on Honda machines and amass over 800 wins across all categories. In the premier class alone, Honda has claimed 850 podiums and 25 Rider World Championships, more than any other brand in history.
The journey will continue for at least five more years as Honda have agreed with commercial rights holder and series promoter Dorna Sports S.L. to guarantee their place on the grid until 2026.
Noriaki Abe, Managing Officer, Motorcycle Operations, Honda Motor Co., Ltd: “First, I would like to express my respect and gratitude to Carmelo Ezpeleta and everyone at Dorna Sports for their hard work in organizing races during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I am very pleased that we have renewed our contract to compete in MotoGP from 2022 to 2026.
“Honda has been competing in the FIM Grand Prix World Championship since 1959, and won its 800th Grand Prix last year. Honda believes MotoGP racing is vital to our motorsports activities. MotoGP is the pinnacle of motorcycle racing – it allows us to develop various technologies, and through fierce competition, teach our engineers and nurture their skills. With these engineers working on the development of production vehicles, Honda can create better products for its customers. Honda will continue to bring dreams and joy to its customers worldwide through its motorsports activities, including MotoGP.”
Carmelo Ezpeleta, CEO of Dorna Sports: “This important announcement brings great pride to MotoGP because Honda is one of the first names that comes to our mind when we think about motorcycling racing. The Japanese manufacturer has been such an important part of the past, present and future of the FIM MotoGP World Championship and this renewal reinforces, even more, the commitment between both parties.”
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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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Demolition job: Viñales stakes an early claim on victory Down Under
The 2018 winner puts himself in another postcode, Quartararo suffers a highside and Marquez is outside the top five as action opens in Australia
Maverick Vinales tops Friday times. A MotoGP image Phillip Island (Australia), 25 Oct 2019: Maverick Viñales (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) ruled Day 1 at the Pramac Generac Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix, fastest in the wet and dry to make it double trouble for his rivals. By the end of the play the only man within half a second of the Spaniard was Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team), although Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda Castrol) was only a hundredths off joining the bracket as the Briton took third.
In classic Phillip Island style, Friday saw a few different seasons hit the circuit and it started with a wintery, rainy FP1. Viñales made short work of that from home hero Jack Miller (Pramac Racing) and reigning Champion Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team), and once the sun was back out in the afternoon the 2018 winner repeated the feat, this time from Dovizioso and Crutchlow, who were split by just five thousandths.
Behind Viñales, hundredths and thousandths were the deciding margins in a tight top eight. Danilo Petrucci (Ducati Team) was just 0.002 behind Crutchlow, with local favourite Miller completing the top five after ending up 0.017 in further arrears. 0.077 was then the gap back to Marquez in P6, with the number 93 getting the better of Valentino Rossi (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) by just 0.015. Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) made for close company in eighth as well, 0.036 off the ‘The Doctor’.
Missing someone? By the time you get to the latter half of the top ten of late, there’s a name that you expect to have read a while ago but it wasn’t to be for Fabio Quartararo (Petronas Yamaha SRT) on Friday. The French rookie was putting together a solid performance for much of FP1 but disaster struck towards the end of the session as he suffered a highside and then headed for the Medical Centre. He was declared fit but to be reviewed before FP3, although the number 20 was sidelined for FP2 after the medication he was given. His left foot is the affected area but the key good news was that he’s suffered no fractures in the crash. His teammate Franco Morbidelli (Petronas Yamaha SRT) flew the flag for the team on Friday, the Italian sixth in the wet and ninth overall after laptimes plummeted in the dry.
Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) completed the top ten after a solid outing for the Noale factory, the last man within a second of Viñales (and within half a second of everyone else). Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar) was 11th ahead of an impressive push from Karel Abraham (Reale Avintia Racing) in P12, with Andrea Iannone (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) in 13th.
Francesco Bagnaia (Pramac Racing) finished the day in 14th despite a crash, just 0.015 ahead of the returning Johann Zarco (LCR Honda Idemitsu). The Frenchman acquitted himself well on first contact with his machine for the next three races; 13th in FP1 in the wet and the second Honda behind, as could be expected, Marquez, but he did get the better of Crutchlow by hundredths and Lorenzo by a few tenths. In FP2 in the dry, the number 5 put it in 15th and only a second and a half off the top. Lorenzo was in hot pursuit in P16.KTM had a solid start to the weekend in the wet as Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) was ninth in FP1, just ahead of Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Tech 3) by an apt 0.088. But the dry saw the Austrian factory slip down the order a little and they’ll be looking for more on Saturday. Espargaro also suffered a big crash on Day 1, rider ok.
For the premier class, Saturday begins at 10:50 (GMT +11), before qualifying from 15:05 to decide the grid for the Pramac Generac Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix. Will the rain return? Tune in to find out.
Friday’s Fasterst:
1 – Maverick Viñales (SPA – Yamaha) 1’28.824
2 – Andrea Dovizioso (ITA – Ducati) +0.496
3 – Cal Crutchlow* (GBR – Honda) +0.501
4 – Danilo Petrucci (ITA – Ducati) +0.503
5 – Jack Miller* (AUS – Ducati) +0.520*Independent Team rider
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2019 Repsol Honda Team livery revealed in Madrid
Madrid, 23 Jan 2019:
Marc Márquez and Jorge Lorenzo were joined by Repsol Honda Team legends Mick Doohan and Alex Crivillé to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Repsol Honda Team. The two world champions were joined by the world’s press at Repsol’s headquarters in Madrid to unveil the livery in which they will chase the 2019 crown.
Having taken eight of the last nine world championships in the premier class, Marc Márquez and Jorge Lorenzo form a perfect team to celebrate the 25thanniversary of HRC and Repsol joining forces. The first riders to run in these now iconic colours, Mick Doohan and Alex Crivillé, were also able to join the special presentation to share their memories from 1995 onwards.The riders were joined on stage by Tetsuhiro Kuwata, Honda Racing Corporation (HRC) Director, and Antonio Brufau, CEO of Repsol who both outlined and emphasized their plans for continual success. Carmelo Ezpleta, the CEO of Dorna and Begoña Elices, the General Director of Communications and board member at Repsol were also in attendance.
From the Honda NSR500 of Doohan and Crivillé to the RC213V of Márquez and now Lorenzo, the HRC machines have taken 168 victories in the premier class, 14 World Championships, 427 podiums, 182 fastest laps and 177 pole positions together with Repsol, forming not only the most iconic pairing in Grand Prix racing, but also the most successful. Among these accolades, the Repsol Honda Team have also produced four dominating titles for Mick Doohan, the first Spanish 500cc World Champion in Alex Crivillé (1999) and the youngest MotoGP™ champion in history – Marc Márquez. Now they celebrate their 25th anniversary and aim for even more success in the future.
Marc Marquez will now begin his final preparations for the Sepang Test (February 6 – 8) where he and the RC213V will debut the 2019 livery for the first time on track. Meanwhile, Jorge Lorenzo is set to commence an intense physical therapy routine in order to be as fit as possible for the Qatar Test (February 23 – 25). Finally the 2019 MotoGP™ season begins in under the floodlights in Qatar (March 07 – 10).
Antonio Brufau
CEO and Chairman – Repsol
“It is an honour and a pleasure to celebrate, not only the 25th anniversary of the Repsol Honda Team, but also 50 years of Repsol supporting motor sports. The greatest riders have been part of this team and we can say that next season will not be different, since we have two athletes who have 12 world titles between them. It all started with two riders who became the references of the Motorcycle World Championship: Mick Doohan and Alex Crivillé. Today we are delighted to have with us the current World Champion, Marc Márquez, and another World Champion, Jorge Lorenzo. The sum of the best riders, the best machines and the best products is a formula of success clearly demonstrated throughout all the years that we have been together. We can affirm, with pride, that the alliance between Repsol and Honda is the most lasting and successful in MotoGP. A relationship in which values such as leadership, technology and innovation are shared, as well as teamwork, determination and the culture of effort.”
Marc Marquez
“It is a privilege to be part of the family that is the Repsol Honda team. When I was young and when I watched races from the sofa at my house I wanted to be here wearing these colours. It was a privilege to start collaborating with Repsol and have their support in the Spanish Championship and, later, to work with them in the World Championship. And now I’m here, helping Repsol and Honda win more titles, making their history even more successful. It’s something that makes me very happy. When I was in Moto2 I knew that I wanted to ride for Repsol Honda and I wanted to win the MotoGP title. That’s why, when journalists ask me if I’m going to change teams, I think: why would I change if I’m already part of this incredible team? Here we are a family, the relationship with Repsol and Honda is fantastic and this is something very important for achieving our goals, year after year. I hope that by the end of 2019 we can celebrate something beautiful together.”
Tetsuhiro Kuwata
HRC Director – General Manager Race Operations Management Division
“Repsol and Honda have worked together for years, 25 in fact, to achieve excellence; for our customers, for our fans and for our riders. In this long period we have maintained our determination and target of improving our products, raising the bar once again. And year on year we are getting closer and we are chasing our dreams of a better product constantly. Today, we are happy to reveal the new Repsol Honda team with two riders that have demonstrated the excellence in all areas that riders need to be the best. The Repsol Honda team is always looking for this excellent, it’s our duty to give the riders the best we can possibly can, and we believe there is no better combination than Repsol and Honda for this task.”
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Lorenzo injured in training, completes operation on scaphoid
Verona, 21 Jan 2019: Jorge Lorenzo sustained a broken left scaphoid while training, the Majorcan then undergoing successful surgery to repair the break.
While continuing his preparations for the 2019 MotoGP™ World Championship, Jorge Lorenzo suffered a fall while riding just outside of Verona, Italy. After multiple checks, it was unfortunately confirmed that the five-time world champion had sustained a broken scaphoid.
Lorenzo elected to have surgery on the injury, a titanium screw inserted via a minimally invasive technique. Fortunately, the Plymouth personal injury claims make any kind of treatment possible by helping you get the deserving compensation. He will remain in hospital for 24 hours for further observation. Four days rest will give the injury sufficient time to heal from the operation and physiotherapy can then begin. There are many attorneys helping clients injured in a car accident to receive a good judgment which helps them to restart their lives as well as proper punishment to the accused which should teach him a good lesson not to repeat this mistake in his/her lifetime.
But due to the nature of the injury, Jorge Lorenzo and the Repsol Honda Team have elected for Lorenzo to miss the Sepang Test to focus fully on his recovery. His aim is to return fully fit for the Qatar Test, February 23 to 25. He now heads to Madrid for the 25th Anniversary Repsol Honda Team launch on January 23 alongside Marc Márquez. The event will be streamed live here.
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FLASH: Marc Marquez takes pole but receives 6-place penalty
Marc Marquez of Repsol Honda qualified on pole but will start from 3rd row due to a grid penalty. Photo by Srinivasa Krishnan Sepang, 3 Oct 2018: After taking pole position by over half a second, 2018 Champion Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) has been handed a six-place grid penalty after being deemed to have been riding irresponsibly in an incident with Team Suzuki Ecstar’s Andrea Iannone in Q2. This now means Marquez will start from P7, with second place Johann Zarco (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) promoted to pole, with everyone down to seventh place Danilo Petrucci (Alma Pramac Racing) moving up a position for Sunday’s race.
Earlier, Marc Marquez had secured an 80th career pole position after he mastered the wet Q2 conditions at the Shell Malaysia Motorcycle Grand Prix. The 2018 World Champion was in superior form at the Sepang International Circuit to set a quickest lap of 2:12.161 to beat Zarco by over half a second in P2, with Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) lining up on the outside of the front row in P3.
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With five wins each this season, Ducati, Honda, Yamaha are all square in Sepang
Riders at the pre-event press conference. Photo: MotoGP Sepang, 1 November 2018: It’s time for the final flyaway race of the 2018 season and to kick things off at the Shell Malaysian Motorcycle Grand Prix, home hero Hafizh Syahrin (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) was joined in the pre-event Press Conference by 2018 MotoGP™ Champion Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team), Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team), Australian GP winner Maverick Viñales (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP), Andrea Iannone (Team Suzuki Ecstar) and the returning Jorge Lorenzo (Ducati Team).
In the last 15 races at the Sepang International Circuit, there has been nothing to choose between three MotoGP™ manufacturers in terms of the number of wins. Honda, Ducati and Yamaha have taken five victories each in the last 16 years and in the Press Conference, Marquez, Dovizioso and Viñales talked about their chances of claiming victory this time around.
Jorge Lorenzo. Photo: MotoGP The 2014 Malaysian GP winner Marquez began and after suffering his first DNF of the season last time out in Australia, the Honda rider is out to make amends this weekend on a track that he and Honda went very well at in preseason testing.
“We’ll try to continue in the same way, in Phillip Island we struggled a bit then in the race we were in good shape so we’ll try and keep our performance here,” said the number 93 rider. “The preseason was good here, race pace, but now it’s completely different; different bikes and different setups, so we forget that and concentrate on the weekend. We start from FP1, try to work hard, then we’ll see if we can fight for the podium, the top five or the victory.”
What we can’t forget is that Sepang has been Desmosedici territory in the last two years with Dovi taking maximum points in both 2016 and 2017, while teammate Lorenzo finished just behind him in P2 last season. But what does the number 04 expect from this weekend? Well, Sepang is where he secured his first MotoGP™ podium after a great battle with Nicky Hayden in 2008, but the Italian is interested to see how Ducati perform in a dry race after his two victories came in the wet conditions:
Andrea Dovizioso. Photo: MotoGP “I remember it well that weekend and race. I had a strong race with Nicky, it was my first year in MotoGP™ and until the last corner we were breaking very hard and I was able to arrive in front. It was nice, it was a good moment,” explained Dovi, talking about that 2008 race. “This track is good for me but in the past, if we look at the result we didn’t take a lot of good results in the dry. The last two years we won in the wet but it will be interesting to see what our speed would be in the dry.”
There’s no guarantee we’ll see a dry race this weekend, but that is exactly what we saw in Australia. Viñales and Yamaha have been buoyed after the Spaniard ended their victory drought in Phillip Island, so can they kick on and potentially challenge for their first back-to-back victories since Qatar-Argentina 2017?
Maverick Vinales. Photo: MotoGP “It’s been nice, we enjoyed it a lot with the team and it’s been a long time since we enjoyed a dinner like that,” said the Yamaha rider, who thinks he and his team can work even better now they are more relaxed: “I think now we can do even better because we’re more relaxed and let’s see if that can help us to improve, and help Yamaha. I want to try to be competitive and be in front and try and finish the season well in the standings. It’s important to not lose this momentum now.”
So it looks like all three riders and all three manufacturers are aiming to fight for the victory on Sunday but as always in Malaysia, the weather looks set to play its part. There will be floods of fans surrounding the Sepang International Circuit throughout the weekend, but who will they see take the victory come Sunday?
Let’s not forget, Ducati, Honda and Yamaha also have Suzuki to contend with this weekend.
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Marc Marquez marks Island territory, Yamahas and Iannone in pursuit: Michelin Australian GP
Marc Marquez on way to his fifth pole position at Phillip Island. Photo: MotoGP Phillip Island, 27 October 2018: Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) bounced back from a difficult Free Practice to mark his territory at Phillip Island once more, taking a fifth successive pole position at the venue in a magnificent Michelin® Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix Q2 session. Maverick Viñales (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) was the closest challenger to Marquez’ 1:29.199 to line up in P2, with fellow-Yamaha rider Johann Zarco (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) completing the front of the grid in tricky conditions.
Marquez claimed the 2018 BMW M Award, with closest challenger Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) qualifying down in P9. This is the sixth consecutive time Marquez has claimed the award since arriving in the premier class, meaning he is given a brand-new BMW M car.
Vinales on pace at Phillip Island. Photo: MotoGP As premier class riders headed out to set their opening lap times, the rain started to fall as it looked like we could be in for a damp pole position shoot-out. However, this didn’t last long, and it was home hero Jack Miller (Alma Pramac Racing) who led the charge to set the first reference lap time, before Marquez then took over the reigns – a 1:31.282 his benchmark.
Conditions were not ideal for setting a quick lap time but no matter, Marquez then moved the goal posts again on his second flying lap as the 12 riders stormed the Island. A 1:29.742 now the time to beat, with Viñales slotting into P2 – 0.082 splitting the two Spaniards.
Then, the man who dominated Free Practice went quickest: Andrea Iannone (Team Suzuki Ecstar). But he was then quickly ousted by Zarco as the provisional pole chopped and changed in varying Phillip Island weather. 0.007 was a minimal gap splitting the duo, with Marquez then slotting into third, 0.037 back. The Champion didn’t stay there for long though, he shot to P1 by 0.506 as the number 93 raised the bar once more – a personal and session best lap time that would prove to be crucial.
Why? Well, as most of the riders pitted for fresh rubber, the heavens opened again. However, once more the rain didn’t stay but the light sprinkling proved a stretch too far for anyone to drastically improve their times. Miller – in typical Miller fashion – had other ideas as he set orange sectors, but he wouldn’t be able to improve after a huge moment coming onto the Gardner straight. Viñales then raised eyebrows by going quickest in the first sector, but he also couldn’t hook up the final sector in the difficult conditions.
Zarco…on front row. Photo: MotoGP And that was that. An enthralling session ended with Marquez – who equals Casey Stoner’s Phillip Island consecutive pole record -, Viñales and Zarco launching from Row 1, with Iannone missing out on a front row start by 0.007. Fellow Team Suzuki Ecstar rider Alex Rins will start from P5, with Miller grabbing P6 in front of his home fans. Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) will aim to challenge for a podium from P7 on the grid as he leads an all-Italian third row: Danilo Petrucci (Alma Pramac Racing) sits ahead of Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) in P8 and P9 respectively, this was the latter’s worst qualifying result of the season. After a huge Turn 1 FP3 crash, Hafizh Syahrin (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) earns his best Saturday afternoon result of the season in P10, with Q1 graduates Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) and Alvaro Bautista (Ducati Team) – who crashed heading into Turn 10 – completing the top 12 at Phillip Island.
An intriguing Island grid sets us up nicely for what looks set to be another barnstorming battle for Australian GP glory.
Pasini pockets pole, Bagnaia starts P16 with Oliveira 20th
Mattia Pasini. Photo: MotoGP Moto2™ qualifying threw up a surprise, but Mattia Pasini (Italtrans Racing Team) taking pole number three of 2018 wasn’t one of them. The Italian, despite a late crash at Turn 4, will launch from P1 after setting a quickest time of 1:33.368, 0.256 ahead of Marcel Schrötter (Dynavolt Intact GP) in second with his teammate Xavi Vierge third.
The surprise story of Saturday afternoon comes from the top two in the Championship. Championship leader Francesco Bagnaia (SKY Racing Team VR46), who has claimed three poles in the last five races, could only manage P16 – his worst qualifying of the season. Meanwhile, title rival Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Ajo) had to settle for P20 after he also couldn’t improve his time in the latter stages.
Masterful Martin takes pole, Bezzecchi P15
Jorge Martin. Photo: jorgemartin88.net Jorge Martin (Del Conca Gresini Moto3) stormed to a 10th pole position of the season in Moto3™, beating second-place Darryn Binder (Red Bull KTM Ajo) by 0.257 – a maiden front row start for the South African – as title rival Marco Bezzecchi (Redox PruestelGP) could only manage to qualify in P15.
A sprinkling of rain hit the Island just before the first qualifying session of the weekend got underway, but it was just a sprinkling. The rain stopped and with the Phillip Island circuit conditions getting ever better, a brilliant Moto3™ battle for pole unfolded. In the end, no one could match qualifying master Martin, with Binder picking up where he left off in Japan to launch from P2, with Ayumu Sasaki (Petronas Sprinta Racing) propelling himself onto the outside of the front row on his final lap.
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Michelin Australian GP: Iannone fastest as four factories complete top five on Day 1
Andrea Iannone….quickest with a late burst. Photo: MotoGP Phillip Island, 26 October 2018: Andrea Iannone (Team Suzuki Ecstar) left it late to leap to the top of the combined timesheets in FP2 at the Michelin Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix, setting a 1:29.131 on his final lap to oust Danilo Petrucci (Alma Pramac Racing) from P1. The two Italians were separated by 0.160, with FP1’s quickest man Maverick Viñales (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) completing the top three made up of three different manufacturers.
Glorious conditions greeted the premier class for their second session of the weekend as the threat of rain cleared at Phillip Island. The start of the session didn’t go as planned for Ducati Team’s Alvaro Bautista after he crashed at Turn 6, this coming before both Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) and Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) ran into the gravel at the same corner.
Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) had a difficult start to the Michelin® Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix after a crash in FP1 was followed by a time only good enough for P7 at the end of play.
Marc Marquez…..lot of work ahead after suffering his 19th crash of the season. Photo: MotoGP The seven-time Champion lost the front of his Honda heading down into Turn 10, but he wasn’t the only RC213V rider to crash on Day 1 at Phillip Island: “Today I didn’t start with a good feeling on the bike, it was so strange; all the (factory) Hondas crashed today. We were struggling a lot with the front tyres,” explained the number 93, with Friday also seeing teammate Dani Pedrosa, Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda Castrol) and Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) crash.
“It was difficult to understand and we had crashes we didn’t expect,” continued Marquez. “Sometimes I understood why but this time I didn’t and it takes time to recover the feedback. But we made a few changes to the bike and I started to feel better and better, so this afternoon I was already feeling good but there’s still a lot of work to do this afternoon or tomorrow.”
His Turn 10 tumble was the Spaniard’s 19th of the season, making him the most crashed rider of 2018 in the premier class. Also, this was his 102nd crash in 105 MotoGP™ starts – a staggering statistic.
Both Marquez and Rossi were able to regroup after their gravel run and as is typical for FP2, the quickest times of the day were posted towards the end of the session as fresh soft compound Michelin rubber was laid down. Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) went top with three minutes to go, but not for long. Viñales soon propelled himself into P1 but clinging onto his tailpipes was the Desmosedici of Petrucci, the Italian going 0.063 faster than his Yamaha counterpart to lead the session. Iannone though would have the last laugh, putting his GSX-RR top of the pile as the chequered flag came out. This meant Dovi ended Friday fourth.
Valentino Rossi. Photo: MotoGP Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda Castrol) made a strong start to the Australian GP to finish P5 on the combined times, however, his Friday ended in him having a big crash at Turn 1 late in FP2. The Briton had to be stretchered off after holding his right leg as he headed straight for the medical centre for a checkup. Meanwhile, Johann Zarco (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) got himself up into P6 towards the end of the session to jump ahead of Marquez – the Champion ends Day 1 in P7.
After finishing P2 in FP1, home hero Jack Miller (Alma Pramac Racing) sits in a provisional automatic Q2 spot in P8 after a positive start to his weekend, with Japan podium finisher Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) and nine-time World Champion Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) completing the top ten on Friday – ‘The Doctor’ keeping 11th place Hafizh Syahrin (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) at bay by just 0.046.
LCR Honda Idemitsu’s Takaaki Nakagami was a late faller at Turn 6 – rider ok.
The battle for supremacy on the Island is looking as close as ever, with four manufacturers challenging for the top spot. Iannone takes first blood, but who will fight back on Saturday?
