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Tag: Yamaha
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MotoGP: Quartararo wins Catalan GP as Espargaro loses podium
Yamaha’s Fabio Quartararo dominates in MotoGP win in Catalan GP from Pramac pair of Jorge Martin and Johann Zarco.
Yamaha’s Fabio Quartararo made a solid start in MotoGP Catalan GP to lead the grand prix from pole-sitter Aprilia’s Aleix Espargaro with Pramac Ducati’s Jorge Martin and Johann Zarco slotting themselves in third and fourth amid a huge crash.
Going into Turn 1, LCR Honda’s Takaaki Nakagami slid while making contact with the rear of Ducati’s Francesco Bagnaia and side of Suzuki’s Alex Rins. It was a huge impact for both the Japanese and the Spanish riders in the incident.
Bagnaia managed to rejoin but eventually retired, with Honda’s Stefan Bradl also crashing out at Turn 4 later on. Quartararo, meanwhile, led the way from Espargaro, Martin, Zarco as Honda’s Pol Espargaro made his way up to fifth along with Suzuki’s Joan Mir.
VR46 Ducati’s Luca Marini was seventh from Aprilia’s Maverick Vinales with the Top 10 seeing the Gresini Ducati pair of Fabio di Giannantonio and Enea Bastianini. As the race settled down, Suzuki’s Mir was handed a one-place drop for overtaking in yellows.
Quartararo continued to lead as Martin passed Espargaro for second but the Aprilia stayed on his tail for long. Zarco was a distant fourth with Mir in fifth from Marini and Vinales where P Espargaro lost out hugely after showing pace in early laps.
Bastianini was the rider on charge in seventh while being chased by Vinales, but a crash ended his race with teammate di Giannantonio also crashing out on the same lap from Top 10. Just before them, VR6’s Marco Bezzecchi also had a fall to retire.
All this allowed the KTM pair of Brad Binder and Miguel Oliveira to be eighth and ninth, with LCR’s Alex Marquez gaining places to be 10th along with RNF Yamaha’s Darryn Binder in 11th. Espargaro was 12th from Ducati’s Jack Miller, Tech 3 KTM’s Remy Gardner and RNF’s Andrea Dovizioso in the Top 15.
It was all going Quartararo’s way as he built up a huge gap to Espargaro who passed Martin for second with Zarco getting into the mix as well. The fight for second intensified where Martin got back to second after re-passing Espargaro, with Zarco just behind.
They had a big distance to Mir in fifth with Marini and Vinales also settling in. Behind them, Oliveira managed to get through Binder at one point but went wide for the South African to be back in eighth, as Marquez steadied in 10th.
Miller moved up to 11th from Binder, Gardner as Yamaha’s Franco Morbidelli and Tech 3’s Raul Fernandez moved up to 14th and 15th after Espargaro and Dovizioso dropped out, with the latter pitting to retire due to a suspected mechanical issue.
Quartararo eventually secured a fine MotoGP win in Catalan GP, with Espargaro returning to second but bizarrely ended up outside podium due to a premature celebration. The Spaniard thought the race was over but only top realise it wasn’t.
He started celebrating but quickly realised that the grand prix is still on when he got behind Marini. He eventually passed him for fifth with Martin and Zarco ending up second and third, as Mir ended up fourth ahead of a dejected Espargaro.
Marini was sixth from Vinales, Binder, Oliveira and Marquez in the Top 10. There was a shuffle behind with Gardner ending up 11th from Binder, Morbidelli, Miller and Fernandez where the Australian lost three places in the end stages.
Only 17 riders saw the chequered flag with Espargaro and Ducati wildcard Michele Pirro in 16th and 17th. DNF: Dovizioso, di Giannantonio, Bastianini, Bezzecchi, Bagnaia, Nakagami, Rins, Bradl.
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MotoGP: Bagnaia beats Quartararo to take pole in Spanish GP
Ducati’s Francesco Bagnaia beats Yamaha’s Fabio Quartararo to MotoGP Spanish GP pole, with Aprilia’s Aleix Espargaro in third.
Q1:
The first part of MotoGP qualifying in Spanish GP at Jerez saw Suzuki’s Alex Rins lead the way provisionally from Honda’s Pol Espargaro but the latter came back to take the lead as KTM’s Brad Binder stood third for most part of the session.
The second run saw VR46’s Marco Bezzecchi take the top spot before falling down. He looked all set to take it away but for the late charge from Pramac Ducati’s Johann Zarco who set a 1m37.003s lap to set the pace and make it into Q2.
Despite his fall, Bezzecchi’s 1m37.135s lap was enough for a Q2 spot as Honda’s Espargaro missed out in third by 0.003s. He is to start the Spanish MotoGP race from 13th ahead of Suzuki’s Rins with Binder in 15th after one of his laps was deleted due to track limits.
Yamaha’s Franco Morbidelli slotted in 16th from Gresini Ducati’s Fabio di Giannantonio as Tech 3 KTM’s Remy Gardner ended up 18th even though he crashed at Turn 5. VR46’s Luca Marini was 19th from Honda’s wildcard entrant Stefan Bradl.
Late run from KTM’s Miguel Oliveira saw him only 21st with LCR Honda’s Alex Marquez in 22nd, RNF Yamaha’s Andrea Dovizioso 23rd, Aprilia wildcard entrant Lorenzo Savadori 24th and RNF’s Darryn Binder in 25th.
Q2:
The second part in MotoGP qualifying in Spanish GP saw early crash for Pramac’s Jorge Martin, who had to rush into the pits to switch onto the second bike. On track, Yamaha’s Fabio Quartararo set the pace provisionally from Ducati’s Francesco Bagnaia.
Aprilia’s Aleix Espargaro slotted in third from Ducati’s Jack Miller and Honda’s Marc Marquez before they all ventured out for their final run. As they set out, Suzuki’s Joan Mir and Gresini’s Enea Bastianini both had separate crashes at different corners.
That certainly ruled them out of contention as Bagnaia went quickest with a 1m36.170s lap which was enough to hand him MotoGP pole in Spanish GP as Quartararo couldn’t improve on his final attempt to be second, with Espargaro regaining third in his final attempt.
Miller and Marquez stayed fourth and fifth as Zarco slotted in sixth from LCR’s Takaaki Nakagami, Bezzecchi, Mir, Martin, Bastianini and Aprilia’s Maverick Vinales in the Top 12.
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MotoGP: Quartararo dominates Portuguese GP; late crash for Miller/Mir
Yamaha’s Fabio Quartararo takes dominant Portuguese GP win in MotoGP from Pramac’s Johann Zarco and Aprilia’s Aleix Espargaro.
The MotoGP Portuguese GP started off well for Suzuki’s Joan Mir who immediately took the lead from Yamaha’s Fabio Quartararo and Ducati’s Jack Miller, as pole-sitter Johann Zarco onboard his Pramac Ducati dropped to fourth from LCR Honda’s Alex Marquez.
KTM’s Miguel Oliveira made up ground to sixth as Aprilia’s Aleix Espargaro dropped to seventh from brother Pol on his Honda. Pramac’s Jorge Martin was ninth from Suzuki’s Alex Rins who climbed from 23rd to 10th in the opening couple of laps.
As Mir led the way, Quartararo started to press on the Suzuki rider and eventually passed him at Turn 1 to take the lead in MotoGP Portuguese GP. Zarco passed Miller to third as Marquez stood fifth from Espargaro, Oliveira and Rins in the Top 8.
There was a gap then to the group of Espargaro, Marquez, Gresini Ducati’s Enea Bastianini and KTM’s Brad Binder in the fight for ninth. Marquez won the battle for the time being from Espargaro, Bastianini and Binder with LCR’s Takaaki Nakagami a bit off in 13th.
Aprilia’s Maverick Vinales made his way to 14th from Ducati’s Francesco Bagnaia in the Top 15. The Italian had a slow start due to his qualifying crash, but slowly got into a rhythm to claw his way up, although not at the same pace as Rins was doing.
He got into a tussle against Marquez, Espargaro and Oliveira for fifth. He got through them at one point but Espargaro got fifth to keep him behind where Marquez dropped to eighth behind Olivera. While Zarco started to press Mir, teammate Martin crashed out.
Another to crash was MotoGP points leader Bastianini, with Nakagami clouting the back of Binder to fall but managed to continue. Amid all this, Quartararo led the way from Mir who regained second after a brief attack from Zarco as Miller was stagnant in fourth.
Espargaro was fifth from Rins with Oliveira seventh ahead of A Marquez, M Marquez and P Espargaro in the Top 10. Binder was 11th from Bagnaia with Vinales 13th, VR46 Ducati’s Luca Marini 14th and Yamaha’s Franco Morbidelli 15th.
At the front, Quartararo checked himself out with the fight on between Mir, Zarco and Miller. The Frenchman tried couple of times but made it stick on Mir to take second as the Suzuki rider then came under pressure from Miller, Espargaro and Rins.
The drama only intensified when Miller crashed out taking Mir with him at Turn 1. The Australian tried to take the inside line but slipped taking the Suzuki rider with him. Zarco got a breathing space in second but Espargaro and Rins started to press him on.
Oliveira moved to fifth after his teammate Binder crashed out, with A Marquez sixth ahead of M Marquez as Espargaro was eighth from Bagnaia and Vinales in the Top 10. There was another retirement with Gresini’s Fabio di Giannantonio shutting shop due to an issue.
At the front, Quartararo dominated once in lead to win MotoGP Portuguese GP as Zarco made it French 1-2 as Espargaro completed the podium from Rins and Oliveria in the Top 5. M Marquez won the fight against his brother Alex in a solid fight for sixth.
Bagnaia got eighth from Espargaro on the line with Vinales in 10th from RNF Yamaha’s Andrea Dovizioso, Marini, Morbidelli, Tech 3 KTM’s Remy Gardner and VR46’s Marco Bezzecchi in the Top 15 and points position.
Nakagami recovered to 16th from RNF’s Darryn Binder and Aprilia’s Lorenzo Savadori who was the last classified finisher where Tech 3’s Raul Fernandez did not start after his Warm-Up crash. DNF: Di Giananntonio, Mir, Miller, Binder, Bastianini, Martin.
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Yamaha claim fifth consecutive Manufacturers’ Championship in Jerez
The Japanese Manufacturer have dominated the 2021 season with two of their riders battling it out for Riders’ Championship honours.
Jerez, 26 Sept. 2021: After nine rounds of the 2021 FIM Supersport World Championship calendar, the Japanese manufacturer claimed the Manufacturers’ Championship, their ninth title. With a strong 2021 line-up, Yamaha have won all 17 races so far in 2021 with Dominique Aegerter (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha), Steven Odendaal (Evan Bros. WorldSSP Yamaha Team), Manuel Gonzalez (Yamaha ParkinGo Team) and Randy Krummenacher (CM Racing) all clinching victories throughout the season in the category.
With a 168-point advantage over Kawasaki, Yamaha secured the Manufacturers’ title at the Circuito de Jerez – Ángel Nieto. The Japanese manufacturer and their riders have dominated the 2021 season and have been able to achieve their fifth consecutive title.Andrea Dosoli, Yamaha Motor Europe, Road Racing Manager:“We are very proud of this important achievement, winning the Supersport title for a fifth time in a row really means a lot. For sure, it proves the competitiveness and reliability of our Yamaha R6, but even more the hard work done by our teams and riders. So, thanks to all of them for this fantastic result, as well as everyone at Yamaha who have worked so hard for this. We wish them good luck for the remaining races of the 2021 season.”
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Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP team virtual presentation
Virtual Presentation: 15 Feb 2021: Today, the Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Team broadcast a virtual reality team presentation to official open their 2021 campaign. The launch event‘s theme #InItToWinIt echoes the mindset of a team spearheaded by two young and competitive riders, Maverick Viñales and Fabio Quartararo, ahead of the 2021 MotoGP World Championship kick off in Qatar in March. With this year marking Yamaha‘s sixtieth anniversary of its first ever Grand Prix endeavour, the Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP team is raring to start the 2021 World Championship action. To set the tone for a new season that‘s full of endless possibilities and which they will be tackling with a new rider line-up, the team found an innovative way to open its doors to the fans and media. Making use of the latest technology, they gave a virtual reality presentation to show off their eager young riders Maverick Viñales and Fabio Quartararo, the 2021 Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP YZR-M1s, as well as the team‘s close relationship with title sponsor Monster Energy Company.
The team presentation was led by renowned TV F1 presenter Federica Masolin, who is also an avid MotoGP fan. She chatted with Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd.‘s MotoGP Group Leader Takahiro Sumi, Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Team Principal & Yamaha Motor Racing Managing Director Lin Jarvis, Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Team Director Massimo Meregalli, Factory Yamaha riders Maverick Viñales and Fabio Quartararo, and Monster Energy’s Senior Vice President of Sports Marketing Mitch Covington, before showing the 2021 Yamaha YZR-M1s, inviting the participants to share their thoughts on the upcoming MotoGP action.
Viñales joined the Factory Yamaha crew in 2017 and immediately took two back-to-back GP victories. He went on to third place in the rider standings that year. Though the following season proved to be tough, the Spaniard kept his motivation high and won the race at Phillip Island. He finished 2018 in fourth place overall, just five points behind his teammate in third position. In 2019, he scored two further Grand Prix victories, one in Assen and one in Sepang, and collected the overall bronze medal once more at the end of the season. 2020 was another challenging year. Though the Spaniard was in contention for the championship title until two races before the end, he ultimately finished in sixth place.
Quartararo is a new entry to the Yamaha Factory Team, but he is already a household name amongst MotoGP fans thanks to his successful years as part of the Petronas Yamaha Sepang Racing Team. In his MotoGP debut year 2019, he scored seven podiums in total (five second places and two third places), to end his first season on a YZR-M1 in fifth place, earning him the Rookie of the Year title. The young Frenchman started 2020 with a bang too, securing his first premier class win at Round 1 in Jerez, and he repeated his dominant performance again the very next week at the same track. His third victory came in Catalunya, but he was unable to put his mark on the end of the season. He finished eighth in the overall 2020 standings.
The colour scheme of the Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP bikeremains the same for 2021, with the team‘s YZR-M1, the pit box, and the riders‘ leathers sporting a ’Monster Energy black‘ to ’Yamaha Factory Racing blue‘ gradient. The perfect blend between Yamaha‘s aesthetic and Monster Energy’s instantly recognisable claw branding is also represented in the Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP team logo and on the team uniforms.
Yamaha has a long-term global alliance with the team‘s title sponsor, Monster Energy Company, based on theirmutual passion for racing. A multiple-year title-sponsor agreement with the Yamaha Factory Racing MotoGP Team was signed in the summer of 2018 and came naturally, as Monster Energy Company sponsors multiple Yamaha teams (among them the Yamaha Factory Racing MotoGP team since 2013) and riders (including Viñales and Quartararo) in various racing classes.
The team is also pleased to announce that throughout the 2021 racing season the bike will continue to feature the slogans of Thai Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd. and Yamaha Motor Philippines, Inc., starting from the extended Qatar Official Test held on 6th-7th March and 10th-12th March 2021.
Newly confirmed Yamaha Factory Racing MotoGP Test Team rider Cal Crutchlow will be joining Viñales and Quartararo at the Losail International Circuit. After a seven-year interval,the vastly experienced premier class rider will return to riding the YZR-M1 on 5th March 2021 in the Shakedown Test.
With the 2021 season shaping up nicely, currently projected to count 19 GP rounds, Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP is delighted to confirm the continuation of its relationship with numerous sponsors and partners, including:
ENEOS – http://www.noe.jxtg-group.co.jp/index.html
Yamalube – http://yamalube.com/
Blue Core – https://global.yamaha-motor.com/showroom/bluecore/en/sp/
Akrapovič – http://www.akrapovic.com/
Yamaha Indonesia Motor Manufacturing – http://www.yamaha-motor.co.id
Yamaha Motor Philippines, Inc. – https://www.yamaha-motor.com.ph
Thai Yamaha Motor – https://www.yamaha-motor.co.th
Oakley – http://www.oakley.com
Alpinestars – https://www.alpinestars.com/
Abarth – http://www.abarth.com
Gilles Tooling – http://www.gillestooling.com
Racing Boy RCB – https://www.racingboy.com.my
Furukawa Electrics – https://www.furukawa.co.jp/en/
Marelli – http://www.magnetimarelli.com
D.I.D. – http://www.did-daido.co.jp
NGK Spark Plugs – https://www.ngkntk.co.jp
BMC Air Filters – http://www.bmcairfilters.com
2D – http://2d-datarecording.com
Beta Tools – http://beta-tools.it
Yamaha Corporation (Yamaha Music) – https://www.yamaha.com
Michelin – https://www.michelin.com/eng/
Pont Grup – http://www.pontgrup.com
For 2021, the Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP team have formed a new alliance with VR46 Racing Apparel. They will be the manufacturers of all official team wear all provided with a prominent VR46 Racing Apparel logo. Identical official team wear products will be on sale to Yamaha fans throughout the global dealer network and at racetrack merchandize sales points.
Moreover, the Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP team continues to support Yamaha‘s bLU cRU programme, encouraging a younger generation of on-road riders to follow their dream to become the next MotoGP star. Viñales and Quartararo are ambassadors of the programme and will serve as role models for all Yamaha‘s young talents.
Lastly, with an eye on continuous innovations and technical progression, the Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP team will be working closely together with Valentino Rossi, Franco Morbidelli, and the Petronas Yamaha SRT team throughout the 2021 season. Rossi will be riding a full factory YZR-M1 in Petronas Yamaha SRT colours, whilst Morbidelli will be riding the A-Spec YZR-M1. Both satellite riders will receive full support from YMC engineers in 2021, and their input will continue to contribute to the further development of the YZR-M1 throughout the season.
HIROSHI ITO, GENERAL MANAGER, MOTORSPORTS DEVELOPMENT DIVISION: “First of all, I want to say ’Thank you for your patience during the extended winter break‘ to all Yamaha MotoGP fans around the world.We, Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd.‘s Motorsports Development Division, are ready for the start of this new season.Last year was very tough for all MotoGP riders, teams, and staff members.During this time, our riders and teams got over the various difficulties together.Just like last year, this year the riders and teams will work together again to put in Yamaha‘s bid for the MotoGP World Title.We will use last years‘ experience and add to that our creativity and ingenuity to win the championship as a strong team.We are confident and ready to do so.Please look forward to the success of this year’s Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Team and PETRONAS Yamaha Sepang Racing Team and our four wonderful riders.”
LIN JARVIS, MANAGING DIRECTOR, YAMAHA MOTOR RACING: “This year we are entering our ninth year with Monster Energy Company as our sponsor and our third year with them as our title sponsor. We take great pride in the team‘s long-term partnership with them as well as the strong global alliance between Yamaha and Monster Energy that forms an instant connection between the two brands. This bond cannot only be seen on track, through branding, but it‘s also there behind the scenes and off track. The team wants to sincerely thank Monster Energy for their continuous support and commitment, as well as their genuine interest and passion for the sport. The same goes for our numerous other team sponsors, official partners, and suppliers. Without their dedication we would not be able to do what we love most – competing at the top-tier level of motorcycle racing. We greatly miss having our sponsors, partners, as well as the media and the fans, attend events such as today‘s press launch. However, we hope that the virtual reality experience made them feel ’close to us‘ again. The use of this state-of-the-art technology is also a reflection of our current mind-set: this season we are not leaving any stones unturned to get the job done. Last year, Yamaha was the most successful manufacturer in terms of GP wins, with seven wins in total, but we missed out on the Championship Title. Our goal for this year is to win the MotoGP World Championship. With the arrival of Fabio paired with Maverick we have two title contenders on board and so we know what we need to do – win races and maintain consistency all season long. I believe with the improvements on the bike and the changes within our team we are ready to do just that. Let‘s go racing!”
MASSIMO MEREGALLI, TEAM DIRECTOR: “2020 was a difficult season, but we‘ve learned from it as a team and we are now aware of what we can expect for 2021. We can‘t test in Sepang due to the continuing global pandemic, so the fans will have to wait a bit longer before they can watch our riders in action. We are feeling confident for the Qatar Test. Yamaha‘s Japanese engineers have dedicated a lot of time and effort to developing the M1. We have a lot of new things to try, and we can‘t wait to get started. Another change is that we now have two young riders, who are both definitely very keen to get to work, so we are approaching this preseason with a ’can do‘ attitude. We are 100% dedicated to being #InItToWinIt during the 2021 season.”
MAVERICK VIÑALES: “Last year was a crazy year for all of us. We have left that behind us now and we‘ll focus on what‘s to come. With the two tests in Sepang cancelled I will have to wait a bit longer to ride my M1 again. It‘s a long winter break, so I‘m feeling impatient to get to work, but in a good way. After having enjoyed some time of rest during the off-season, we are all excited to start work again. We don‘t have a lot of testing opportunities – just the Qatar Test – so we will have to be on our A-game straight away.”
FABIO QUARTARARO: “I‘m excited to start the new season, especially because I‘m in a new team. Throughout my career I have always been moving from team to team – I like this. It‘s exciting to work with new people and learn new things. I‘m looking forward to the Qatar Test – it can‘t come soon enough! I‘ll finally get to try my Monster Energy Yamaha YZR-M1 for the first time. I‘ve seen quite a lot of photoshopped versions of my number on the Factory Yamaha bike on social media, but – however well they are made – nothing compares to the feeling I got when I saw the real thing for the first time. I can‘t wait to start riding!” -
Dovizioso wins a thriller: A Michelin’s view as it battles the heat
Dovizioso wins at Brno. on Sunday. A Michelin image Brno (Czech Republic) 5 Aug 2018: Michelin faced excessive track temperatures all weekend at Brno during round 10 of the MotoGP™ World Championship before a cooling of the surface today saw the Monster Energy Grand Prix České Republiky produce another exciting race with Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) taking a stunning victory.
This weekend saw asphalt temperatures rise to above 50°C – which is the highest it has been for MotoGP at the 5,403m Brno circuit this century – and the MICHELIN Power Slick tyres had to contend with this as well as the complexities of this technically demanding circuit. With its heavy-braking downhill sections and hard acceleration zones, all of which were magnified with the extreme heat, the riders and teams worked unstintingly with their respective Michelin Technicians to get the optimum performance for their respective machines in preparation for the race.
Today saw a drop in temperature as the clouds cooled things down and the track thermometer read just 38°C and this change caused many teams to rethink their plans and alter the choice of tyres as the race approached. When the lights went out to signal the start of today’s main event, the front medium and hard compounds and the rear soft and hard versions were all that were favoured by the 25 riders that lined up on the grid for the 21-lap race.
Dovizioso was on pole, but he was beaten to the first corner by Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP), before the Ducati man regained the lead to head the field at the end of Lap 1 The initial stages of the race were a guarded affair as no rider wanted to show their hand and chose to preserve their Michelin tyres for the long race ahead. As the laps ticked by lap-times improved and a battle started to form at the front. Dovizioso and Rossi were joined by Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda), Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda) and Jorge Lorenzo (Ducati Team). These five swapped places numerous times as the race drew to a close, with some impressive overtaking as the top riders in the world put their faith in the performance of the rubber and pushed their Michelin tyres to the limit. The latter part of the race gave the 84,678 fans at trackside, and the millions more watching on TV around the globe, huge excitement as Dovizioso, Lorenzo and Marquez fought for the podium positions. As the flag dropped Dovizioso took victory on his Ducati, Lorenzo followed him home with Marquez third, as this trio also set the three fastest laps of the race on the last circulation, demonstrating the durability of the MICHELIN Power Slicks over such a demanding race. Rossi finished in fourth, with Crutchlow taking fifth and the position of First Independent Rider. Danilo Petrucci (Alma Pramac Racing) was sixth, with Johann Zarco (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) securing the seventh place. Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda) was eighth, Alvaro Bautista (Angel Nieto Team) on his 150th MotoGP start taking ninth and Alex Rins (Team SUZUKI ECSTAR) rounding out the top-ten.
Michelin will now remain at Brno for a one-day official test, before travelling straight to the Red Bull Ring at Spielberg in Austria for round 11 of the championship, which will be held next Sunday.
Andrea Dovizioso – Ducati Team:
“The front worked really well and I’m very happy with its performance today, especially on this track where there are a lot of bumps and it is normally very difficult. We are very focused on the rear because on our bike we are always trying to preserve the tyres for the end of the race. Overall this weekend it has been very good as we had an advantage with our bike with acceleration, so we always have a chance to fight right until the end. We are still trying to adapt the bike to the tyres and get the very best performance and that is something we will continue to work on.”
Piero Taramasso – Michelin Motorsport Two-Wheel Manager:
“This has been a real complex weekend for us. We did not anticipate the extreme track temperatures we would face and the working range that the tyres would have to contend with. Due to how we have progressed during our three seasons in MotoGP the operating windows are now much larger and this was highlighted as every rear compound was a raceable option today. The durability of the tyres was a very important issue, but we knew that the tyres could withstand the 21 tough laps around here no matter what the temperature and that was proved as Jorge, Marc and Andrea set the three fastest laps respectively on the very last lap. This has been a very positive weekend for Michelin and we will now stay for the test where we have a new tyre to evaluate, before we head to Austria and another tough examination at a very unique track.”
ends/db
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Vinales wins, Rossi makes it 1-2 for Yamaha; Marquez crashes out
Movistar Yamaha MotoGP riders Maverick Viñales and Valentino Rossi stormed to their second consecutive double podium of the season in round two of the MotoGP World Championship at the Termas Río Hondo Circuit.
Termas de Rio Hondo (Argentina), 9 April 2017: The Movistar Yamaha MotoGP Team gave an astounding performance in today‘s Gran Premio Motul de la República Argentina, securing an immaculate 1-2 finish. Maverick Viñales was in a league of his own in the 25-lap sprint, as he flew from sixth on the grid to first place. Valentino Rossi was a man with a plan for his 350th Grand Prix start and was in hot pursuit, to ultimately secure a brilliant second place.
The Repsol Honda Team suffered a double DNF today in the Argentine GP, which saw seven different riders crash of the race. Pole-sitter Marc Marquez fell in turn 2 on the fourth lap while leading by two seconds over fellow Honda rider Cal Crutchlow, who finished in a positive third position. At the time of his crash, Marquez was pushing hard to try and pull a gap on the chasing group, adds Repsol Honda.
Dani Pedrosa overtook Johan Zarco and Danilo Petrucci for fourth place and was increasing his pace (recording the second-fastest lap of the race on lap 13, in 1’39.740”), when he too went down in turn 2, on lap 14.
Fortunately, both riders escaped unharmed and are looking forward to the next round in Austin (Texas, USA) in two weeks’ time.
Viñales stormed off the line from the second row and soon muscled his way to third place, putting pressure on Cal Crutchlow in second. He attacked in turn 7 on lap 3 and soon after took over the lead as Marc Marquez crashed out of the race.
Now at the front, with a clear track as far as the eye could see, the Spaniard put his head down and pulled away from the field. He was completely in his element and rode a faultless race, steadily increasing the gap to the pursuing riders. The 22-year-old crossed the line with a healthy 2.915s lead, securing his second consecutive victory on the Yamaha with ease.
This amazing achievement not only makes Viñales the first Yamaha rider since Wayne Rainey in 1990 to win the first two races of the season, but it also brings Yamaha‘s Grand Prix win tally up to 499 victories in total.
Rossi had a brilliant start from seventh, entering the first corner side by side with Viñales to exit it in sixth place. He soon flew past Dani Pedrosa and Karel Abraham with the intention to stick to the rear wheel of his teammate. With Marquez out of the race on lap 4, the Italian moved up to third and felt the lure of a second place.
With sixteen laps to go he dipped under the 1‘40s mark and closed right up to Crutchlow. As the riders behind them got involved in a scrap and were unable to match the pace of the three riders at the front, the Doctor had a comfortable margin of close to 5 seconds, allowing him to focus on the battle to come. The nine-time World Champion sized up the Brit carefully, choosing the best place and time to make a move.
With seven laps remaining, Rossi made a pass in turn 5 and made it stick. He followed it up with a couple of low 1‘40s laps to inch away from Crutchlow, making it a perfect Yamaha 1-2, the first since the Grand Prix of Le Mans in 2016, when he took the chequered flag 2.915s behind his teammate.
Today‘s dream results see Viñales hold the lead in the championship standings with 50 points, closely followed by Rossi in second position with 36 points. Yamaha remains in the lead in the Constructors‘ Championship with a maximum of 50 points, while the Movistar Yamaha MotoGP Team lead the way in the Team Championship with 86 points, 59 points ahead of Monster Yamaha Tech3 in second place.
The Movistar Yamaha MotoGP Team will be back in action in two weeks’ time at the Circuit Of The Americas in Austin, Texas, in the United States.
Maverick Vinales said: We did a great job. We made the tyre decision already this morning. I feel really great! The tyre‘s grip level was really good the entire time. I feel pretty strong and Michelin is doing a great job, I feel really happy and confident. It‘s like we are in a dream. I have to say thanks to the team, they are doing a great job, so let‘s continue like that.
Valentina Rossi about his 350th race and the podium: My mechanic, Brent, said to me on the grid “It‘s the 350th, try to make it a good race”. I‘m happy, because I was competitive today from the first to the last lap. I felt better physically and I trained hard so I felt good on the bike and I could push throughout the whole race. I feel that my concentration is good and also the battle with Cal was good also, because I was able to beat him. Unfortunately, Maverick was a bit faster, but this result is really important for me and the whole team, a Yamaha 1-2 is great! I don‘t think the results would have been different if I‘d passed Cal earlier in the race. Looking at the lap times, Maverick was a bit stronger and that‘s just the way it is today. This track is always tricky, also in the past we saw a lot of problems. Bumps and slipperiness and it also rained yesterday, so you have to pay attention and you also have to be lucky. For us this is good, because we took some important points for the championship and I also felt really good with the bike today.
eom/Movistar Yamaha press release
Yamaha riders on podium after Argentina GP on Sunday. A Movistar Yamaha image -
Lorenzo wins back to back GP; Rossi battles to 2nd with ease, keeps lead for title race
Le Mans (France), 17th May 2015 After an amazing victory in Jerez, Movistar Yamaha MotoGP rider Jorge Lorenzo dominated the MotoGP field for a second time in a row, taking a sensational victory at the Monster Energy Grand Prix de France. Valentino Rossi also showed a blistering pace in the French sunshine at the Le Mans Bugatti Grand Prix race circuit. He claimed a strong second place and his fifth podium finish of the season.Lorenzo was strong right from the beginning of the 28 lap sprint. Starting from third on the grid, he shot off the line to take second into the first turn and move into the lead going into the second corner. Followed by Andrea Dovizioso, he completed the first lap with already nearly half a second advantage over his rivals.With clear track in front of him, the double premier class World Champion put the hammer down and rode consistently fast lap times in the 1‘33s to manage a gap of half a second. Completely in control, Lorenzoremained unchallenged for the rest of the race. Leading from the first lap until the chequered flag, the Spaniard claimed his second consecutive victory by 3.820s, with only his teammate besting his fastest lap of 1‘33.004. Teammate Rossi thoroughly enjoyed today‘s racing action, fighting his way up the order from his seventh place grid position. The Doctor had a good start and quickly moved into fifth position to hunt down Marc Marquez, passing him with a brilliant move on his third lap.
The nine-time world champion then set his sights on Andrea Iannone and increased his pace, posting a 1‘32.879, the fastest lap of the race. With 18 laps to go Rossi made the audience cheer as he took third place and immediately put his next target, Andrea Dovizioso, under pressure. Displaying some very clever racing, he lined his rival up and made his move at end of the fourteenth lap. Unable to close in on his teammate, who had a gap of more than 1.8s, Rossi focused on managing his advantage over Dovizioso and took a well-deserved second.
Lorenzo‘s first place earns him 25 points, while Rossi‘s fifth podium of the year adds 20 points to his score. These results put The Doctor on 102 points, keeping him in the lead for the championship, with teammateLorenzo moving up to second in the championship with a 87 points total.
eom/Movistar Yamaha press release
French MotoGP™ Top Ten Race ClassificationPosRiderTeamRace TimeGapFront specRear specTyres1Jorge LORENZO Movistar Yamaha MotoGP 43’44.143 Soft Soft Bridgestone2Valentino ROSSI Movistar Yamaha MotoGP 43’47.963 3.820 Soft Soft Bridgestone3Andrea DOVIZIOSO Ducati Team 43’56.523 12.380 Soft Soft Bridgestone4Marc MARQUEZ Repsol Honda Team 44’04.033 19.890 Soft Soft Bridgestone5Andrea IANNONE Ducati Team 44’04.380 20.237 Soft Soft Bridgestone6Bradley SMITH Monster Yamaha Tech 3 44’05.288 21.145 Soft Soft Bridgestone7Pol ESPARGARO Monster Yamaha Tech 3 44’19.636 35.493 Soft Soft Bridgestone8Yonny HERNANDEZ Pramac Racing 44’23.744 39.601 Soft Soft Bridgestone9Maverick VIÑALES Team SUZUKI ECSTAR 44’25.714 41.571 Soft Soft Bridgestone10Danilo PETRUCCI Pramac Racing 44’26.932 42.789 Soft Soft Bridgestone -
After spectacular Rossi win, Movistar Yamaha MotoGP team prepares for action in America
Gerno di Lesmo (Italy), 7 April 2015: After Valentino Rossi‘s spectacular victory at the opening round almost a fortnight ago, he and Movistar Yamaha MotoGP teammate Jorge Lorenzo head to Circuit Of The Americas (COTA) for the Grand Prix of The Americas this weekend.
The 2015 season has only just started, but the first MotoGP race has already given race fans lots of action and drama to talk about. Rossi rode a brilliant race from eighth on the grid to clinch victory.
The nine-time World Champion aims to continue his form at COTA, though he‘s admittedly not a big fan of the Texan circuit with a sixth place in 2013 as his best result. However, he‘s still excited to hit the track after his sensational opening of the season and will again be giving his all to fight for a place on the podium.
A Movistar Yamaha graphic Teammate Lorenzo had a challenging start to the season. He led the pack in Qatar in the early stages of the race, but later lost half his vision due to a helmet malfunction. The mentally and physically strong Spaniard will use this misfortune as extra motivation to push his YZR-M1 to the maximum once more this weekend. Last year he had a difficult race at COTA, but he looks forward to being back at the front of the field to challenge for a podium place, like he did in 2013 when he finished third.
The Circuit of the Americas is a relatively new track that was constructed in 2012 and first added to the MotoGP calendar in 2013. The 5513m-long, counter-clockwise track is not typically described as a ’Yamaha-circuit‘, but has an interesting mixture of fast straights and tight hairpins that make for a lively race. With 20 corners in total, 11 left turns and 9 right turns, and a longest straight of 1,200m, this circuit can seat 120,000 fans and is sure to bring more excitement to the season.
Rossi said: “Beginning the championship with a victory is really nice, but now we must try to be just as competitive as we were in Qatar everywhere else. Austin is not our favorite track. Although the track is very modern and I really like some corners, the two long straights are weak points for us. Our opponents are strong, but it‘s also true that our bike has made major improvements. I‘m happy with my feelings on the YZR-M1. We will work hard to find the best possible solution, as we did at Losail. After the victory in Qatar we are all very motivated and we are ready for another weekend. I would like to get on the podium. It won‘t be easy, but we will try!”
Teammate Jorge Lorenzo wants to forget the opening race and concentrate on the COTA: “Qatar is in the past and we thought our result would be better, but now I‘m just focusing on next race in Austin. I look forward to racing there once again, even if usually it‘s not a track that suits our bike. In the past I was able to get on the podium so I want to do my best in Texas and try to keep as focused as I was in Qatar. I‘m eager to race as soon as possible because I feel very fit and mentally strong. Hopefully we can do a better job than last year because both me and the bike have improved and maybe also the new tyres give us a chance to fight for the race. From my side, I‘m going to push at the maximum,” Lorenzo said.
eom/A Movistar Yamaha release
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Movistar Yamaha MotoGP take the covers off for 2014 season
The covers are off! An Yamaha MotoGP team photo Losail Circuit (Qatar), 19 March 2014: Movistar Yamaha MotoGP kick started the Qatar MotoGP weekend this afternoon by taking the covers off the 2014 YZR-M1 in front of the world’s key motorcycle media.
In a Press Release Yamaha said: Riders Jorge Lorenzo and Valentino Rossi were joined on the Losail circuit start grid by Kouichi Tsuji, General Manager of Yamaha Motor Co.’s Motorsports Division, Yamaha Motor Racing’s Managing Director Lin Jarvis and Telefónica Spain’s Director of Media, Luis Velo to reveal the new livery.
The first two months of the year have seen a flurry of activity for the team, highlighted by the recent ground breaking five-year title sponsorship agreement that launches the team Yamaha Movistar MotoGP ahead of the 2014 season.
The new year has also seen the announcement of other new sponsors to the Team including EURASIAN BANK and FIAT PROFESSIONAL along with renewals and continued partnerships with ENEOS, SEMAKIN DI DEPAN (Yamaha Motor Indonesia), MONSTER ENERGY, SUISSEGAS, YAMALUBE AND TW STEEL.
Pre-season testing on track has been very positive. With the exception of a rear grip issues at Sepang, bothLorenzo, Rossi and the 2014 YZR-M1 have shown great promise and speed in the shakedown ahead of this season’s title challenge.
Now the wait is over and the riders will take to the track under the floodlights of the Losail circuit in Qatar in just 24hrs to begin practice for round one of the 2014 MotoGP World Championship, the Commercial Bank Grand Prix of Qatar.
The track has proved to be a great season starter for Lorenzo, the double premier class world champion having taken consecutive victories in the last two races. Lorenzo has always started from the front row and never finished off the podium in Qatar.
Nine-time world champion Rossi has an equally impressive record at the Losail circuit, claiming three wins and taking second last year after a fantastic battle with then rookie Marc Marquez in his first MotoGP race.
Built in the desert on the outskirts of Qatar’s capital city Doha, the Losail International Circuit has hosted a MotoGP round since 2004. The track celebrated the first ever night-time Grand Prix in 2008 and continues to be the only night race on the calendar. The 5.4km track is well suited to the YZR-M1 with a fast flowing nature. With a main straight over a kilometre in length and a combination of medium and high-speed corners the track is guaranteed to provide an exciting spectacle to start the season.
Unlike normal race weekends this weekend’s practice will be run from Thursday to Saturday, ensuring the riders get the optimum track conditions in the evening sessions.
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