Phillip Island hosted a very special pre-event ride-in and Q&A on Wednesday. Marc Marquez headlined the event, with Pedro Acosta, MotoGP Legend Wayne Gardner, home hero Joel Kelso and CEO of the Australian Grand Prix Corporation, Travis Auld, all gathering to welcome fans to the Island.
It’s not just the penguins on parade! Marc Marquez, Acosta, Wayne Gardner, Kelso and the AGPC CEO welcome fans to the Island in style.
The event began with a Q&A in San Remo, with the riders all taking to the stage to talk to the fans gathered to get a glimpse of legends past and future! Then it was time to saddle up for most, and Marquez led an awesome convoy of bikes across the Island from the bridge to the Grand Prix circuit, culminating in an unforgettable lap and photo opportunity as Acosta re-joined the fold.
Marquez led an awesome convoy of bikes across the Island from the bridge to the Grand Prix circuit, culminating in an unforgettable lap and photo opportunity as Acosta re-joined the fold.
The more than 400 very happy bikers will now be back for more this weekend at the MotoGP™ Guru by Gryfyn Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix, and the laps will likely be a little hotter than the stately parade speed. Tune in for the Tissot Sprint at 15:00 (GMT +11) local time on Saturday before the GP race kicks off at 14:00 on Sunday!
Marc Marquez: “Super nice! Amazing weather and it was incredible to see all the bikes behind us and do a slow lap of the circuit but with all the fans. It’s important because we have a lot of races in Europe, and Australia can seem far, but we spent a nice hour with all the motorcycle fans here.
2023 PI Ride-in.
2023 PI Ride-in.
2023 PI Ride-in.
2023 PI Ride-in.
“We’re coming here from a tougher weekend at Mandalika where I wasn’t able to manage the situation well, especially on Sunday, but we learned from it and we’ll try to repeat the confidence. It’s a circuit I like but we need to be calm.”
Phillip Island has to be one of the best tracks in the world. Fast flowing corners, a massive pit area and one of the best views on the MotoGP and WorldSBK calendars. Here’s Andrew Pitt’s guide to a lap there!
Coming into turn one for the first time can be a scary experience, it’s a seriously quick corner!
Turn One Going down the front straight, all you can see under the bridge is ocean and it looks like that’s what you are headed for. You hit the bump/jump just after the start and finish line as you flash under the bridge and it all opens up on the run into turn one. It’s normally back two gears and the big bikes had you grabbing the brakes about the 150m mark, with the 600s at 100m. It surprises you how deep you can go into this turn, since you get the speed sensation with the wind hitting you and it’s always around 300km/h. It’s important not to be too aggressive on the brakes and just get settled so you hit the inside apex where the bumps are close to the inside kerb and after the bumps get straight back on it.
“A common mistake at turn two is to pull the bike over to the right too far after exiting turn one.”
Turn Two A common mistake here is to pull the bike over to the right too far after exiting turn one. Turn two is a double apex turn so you can pretty much go straight at it from turn one and apex it going in and then drift out in the middle and apex it again on the way out – running down to turn three. A good run out of turn two means you can pass someone before you get to turn three or at worst, be on the inside of them tipping in.
Turn three is yet another corner that you carry a lot of speed into. It’s a seriously fun corner!
Turn Three This can be real fun but also a heart in the mouth type of turn. The bikes have picked up so much speed out of turn two and just as you tip into turn three, the track drops away and gets a little bumpy so you can find yourself going in with the front wheel ever so slightly off the ground, the head shaking and the wind trying to push you into Bass Strait. Once you get it in and on the gas it can be so much fun drifting on the exit. This is where the passes into Honda corner are set-up and pretty much done.
Turn four has seen some spectacular championship battles, as everyone tries to get on the brakes as late as possible.
Turn Four This is one of the best overtaking opportunities on the whole track. As important as it is to get the bike working through the fast corners out the back, it also has to be good on the brakes. The thing that can change from day to day here is the braking marker – depending on the wind, it can change from 30-50m. The bike never feels good around Honda and you always feel too slow around there and that the bike could fall over but you just have to tell yourself to get the exit right.
Phillip Island, turn 5. Nothing comes close to lapping a world class track like The Island…
Turn six
Turn Five & Six Six is a great corner with plenty of grip and good camber but has a strange entry and a really late apex. If the bike is geared right, you shouldn’t be downshifting here – just leave it in second and brake. You get it on your knee quite early and out wide and apex it late just as you are starting to wind it up for the exit. A tight exit is really important here and having the bike upright launches you into the next fast physical section.
Doohan said to me once that the most important part of the track is from Siberia to MG corner. It is very bumpy near the outside kerb on the exit and when the front is light, it is a real physical effort to get the bike over to the left before the flick right into the hayshed. There is a big bump right on the inside near the kerb through this left kink, I always found it easiest to let the bike wheelie over that bump and change direction on the back wheel.
Continuing the theme of high-speed corners is turn seven, you’ll need some good hoops to get through it quickly.
Turn Seven It never really settles until you roll the throttle a little and get it onto the knee and into the hayshed. On the 600, that wasn’t an option because on a good tyre it was wide open all the way through – touching the limiter in fourth. It is a fun turn when you get it right going from the inside white line to the outside white line. It is also one of only two real times you use the right side of the tyre properly. Again, like turn one to turn two, don’t waste too much effort pulling it over to the right for a wide entry into Lukey. Just get it in there.
“Turn eight has a really fast entry and you can run it into Lukey Heights hard because it runs uphill and a few lines work.”
Turn Eight This is a really fast entry and you can run it into Lukey Heights hard because it runs uphill and a few lines work. It’s normally back one gear from fourth to third. There is a bump on the entry on the inside and straight after the bump, you need to get back on the throttle to settle the bike and keep it rolling up and around the hill to apex it again at the top of the hill. The run around here and over the hill is super important because you can stop someone passing you or line up someone for a pass into MG. It’s really a knife edge with rear grip around Lukey – drifting over a blind rise that really only opens up once you are over the hill and heading downhill to MG.
It doesn’t look that steep on TV, but Lukey Heights in person is like a mountain with a quick descent.
Turn Nine Depending on gearing, MG corner can be a first or second gear turn. I preferred second as it cancels the short shift from first to third out of MG and it isn’t so aggressive on the side of the tyre on exit. There is a bump out wide if you tip in from there but I never go there as the middle of the track is fine for me. That allows you to really stop it and get a tight exit set up for the next left. Getting out of MG fast is more important than trying to carry too much corner speed because running wide messes up the next corner and your speed down the straight.
There is a lot of weight on the front forks while coming down the hill, it’s an easy corner to make a mistake on.
Turn 10
It’s a strange turn that never really feels right and feels frustratingly slow. It seems too long to get on the throttle. Between MG and this turn you can accelerate really hard into turn 10 but then the key is to wait a little so that the bike is turned and pointing towards turn 11. Then open the gas hard and quickly on the fat part of the tyre – running it out to the edge of the track.
Andrew says that turn 11 is one of his favourite corners in the world, a long and sweeping left hander.
Turn 11 This turn is probably my favourite worldwide, tipping in from the outside white line straight onto your knee all the way in. Sometimes it feels like you will never get it into the apex but as soon as you do, it’s straight back onto the gas – heading for the rise and the outside of the track onto the straight. I’m tucked in even before I’m out of the turn and just before I get it out to the kerb, I’m snicking fifth gear as the front is getting light over the rise and there are a couple of dips in the track near the kerb. When you get a great run out of here and hit the outside of the track, it’s perfect and it’s guaranteed your speed down the straight is greatly improved.
Phillip Island through expert eyes… Words: Andrew Pitt Photography: Peter Mitchell, Keith Muir
Our homegrown talent has been battling it out on track and making us proud! Check out our monthly column that follows all things Aussies racing internationally on and off-road, from MotoGP to AMA Motocross. See what our future and current champions are up to… Words: Ed Stratmann
“Struggling again at Misano on the Saturday, 15th in the Sprint was the best he could muster.”
Jack Miller – MotoGP
Starting his September with a solid eighth in the heat at Catalunya, this was a good way for Jack Miller to end the weekend considering he missed Q2, meaning he had to start the Sprint and the main race 13th. Desperate for improvement on the Sunday after 16th in the Sprint, the team worked their wonders by making some crucial bike changes, with these the key catalyst to him being able to push through the pack to claim eighth.
Struggling again at Misano on the Saturday, 15th in the Sprint was the best he could muster. Frustratingly this was as good as it got for Miller, who was bundled out of the race by Michele Pirro when running 14th. The first ever Indian Grand Prix was next on the cards for the KTM ace, and Miller began the round strongly by charging from 16th on the grid to secure an admirable 7th in the Sprint.
“Not too high, not too low this weekend,” he reflected. “I struggled today. I didn’t have the grip I needed from the get-go both front and rear.”
The Sunday posed a new set of challenges for the number 43, as he battled for feel and grip, which ensured he wasn’t able to keep up with the frontrunners to ultimately come across the line in 14th.
“Not too high, not too low this weekend,” he reflected. “I struggled today. I didn’t have the grip I needed from the get-go both front and rear. I couldn’t carry any corner speed at all. I had a bit of contact into turn one as well, which wasn’t ideal and then tried to make up too many positions in one go on the second lap. It was an uphill battle from there and our pace wasn’t anything like Saturday. It is a bit of a head-scratcher. Fingers crossed we can work on what we found out this weekend and what we tried at the Misano test for Motegi.”
Joel Kelso – Moto3
Even though his 2023 campaign has been littered with ups and downs, Joel Kelso deserves credit for sticking at it, as he continues to illustrate his talent.
The highs this month have included him bagging another front row spot in qualifying at Catalunya and from how he had some fantastic early pace in Misano. Meanwhile, the negatives have arisen from him admitting he needs more aggression in the races and from him crashing out in India.
Joel Kelso continues making positive strides in Moto3, with him clearly getting back on track with his fitness and feeling more and more comfortable running the pace near the head of the field.
“I got caught up in turn one and then made four positions on the first lap but I had contact with a rider into turn three and that ruined my exit. When I opened the gas – race over,” he told the team’s website. “I’ve been struggling a bit with being aggressive in races so that first period before the crash was a small positive from today. We’ll be ready for much better in Japan. We’ll be fighting.”
With plenty to work on and the Darwinian motivated to close the term on a good note in the upcoming outings, it’ll be intriguing seeing if he can piece it all together starting in Japan.
Senna Agius – Moto2
Back in action in Moto2 filling in for Darryn Binder on the Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact team, Senna Agius’ stint started in unsatisfactory fashion at Catalunya, with him falling short of his expectations on an eventful weekend that ended with him crashing out on the Sunday.
Senna Agius’ stint started in unsatisfactory fashion at Catalunya, with him falling short of his expectations.
Eager to put that effort behind him, a fired up Agius demonstrated some notable pace in qualifying at Misano – coming in less than eight-tenths from the pole sitter. An early crash in the race ruined his momentum, however, with the youngster high siding to end his day. Leading the European Moto2 Championship, Agius will recalibrate his attention to this competition in his quest to reign supreme come season’s end.
Jacob Roulstone – Red Bull Rookies Cup & JuniorGP Moto3 Fresh from finishing fifth in the hugely competitive Red Bull Rookies Cup following his 6-10 race finishes at Misano, in a year that’s seen him make some brilliant progress, Jacob Roulstone has been rewarded by earning a ride in Moto3 for 2024 with the outstanding Red Bull KTM Tech3 outfit.
Following in the footsteps of the likes of Miller, Miguel Oliveira, Brad Binder, Deniz Oncu and Pedro Acosta, who have all come through this KTM pathway, the Aussie prospect is in good hands to continue along on his upward trajectory.
Young talent Jacob Roulstone continued his striking recent momentum by producing some more polished rides in the Red Bull Rookies Cup.
“I’m really excited to be joining Red Bull KTM Tech3. They are a very experienced and professional team that have brought through many great riders. Stepping up from the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup and FIM JuniorGP won’t be easy, but with the team, the people around me as well as my own determination, I believe we can have a decent rookie season,” a delighted Roulstone explained.
“Thanks to Herve, KTM and Red Bull for this amazing opportunity. I cannot thank my family enough for all their support so far. I want to end this year strong and then I cannot wait to get into the 2024 season already.”
Josh Brookes – British Superbike
After enduring some difficult rounds, plentiful positivity could be extracted from Josh Brookes’ round at Oulton Park. Kicking off this stop on the calendar with fifth in qualifying, this set the tone for him to enjoy a handy weekend at the office aboard his FHO Racing BMW. Going on to notch a trio of fifth place scores, this represented a quality, consistent event for Brookes, which was a much-needed uplift given his recent struggles.
Situated seventh in the championship hunt, Brookes offered some fantastic insight in his post-race debrief, stating: “We scored three fifths this weekend, which is an improvement on previous rounds; I wasn’t even going to be greedy, I was hoping for a podium this weekend rather than a win.
“I think coming to a track we’ve been to already this season meant we didn’t have to make adjustments, we just set the bike up the way it was before and focused on the electronics.”
“The three fifth places are the best we could achieve, the last race was strong and I stayed close to the lead group for the longest period of time, but we’re still missing a couple of tenths, and we have to be realistic that the lap times I’m able to do aren’t good enough to rival the podium. We have got to keep our heads down, keep working away and improving. I think coming to a track we’ve been to already this season meant we didn’t have to make adjustments, we just set the bike up the way it was before and focused on the electronics.
“People forget we’ve got a new bike this year, so every time we go to a new track none of the information we have from years before is valuable, and in fact it does us an injustice as those settings compromise our progress because the bike is different now. I think people just assume you’re going to go to the next round and pick up where you expect and it’s proven not to be like that, as we’ve had a lot of work to do. But I think coming back to a circuit we’ve been to before has boosted our results and the next two rounds we’ve also been to before, which I anticipate to work in our favour.”
Jason O’Halloran – British Superbike While he was unable to carry over his sensational form from Thruxton to Oulton, Jason O’Halloran did his best throughout on his way to claiming two eighth places and a ninth. Aside from experiencing a minor bike issue, the team and rider were largely left searching for answers as to why they were missing that little something extra compared to their competitors.
“It’s been a difficult weekend really. It’s not ideal but I did the best job I could – we’ve just been lacking something and no matter what we did we couldn’t improve the feeling,” he lamented.
“It’s been a difficult weekend really. It’s not ideal but I did the best job I could”…
“I finished all the races which is positive, so we’ll go through everything and try to understand. Donington is a different track compared to Oulton, so hopefully we can turn up there in a different place, reset after this weekend and go again.”
Onwards and upwards will be the order of the day as the series heads to Donington Park, where an uptick in performance will be on the cards for O’Halloran, who sits sixth in the standings, and the McAMS Yamaha squad.
Jett Lawrence – AMA Pro Motocross and SMX Having achieved the absolutely remarkable feat of going undefeated in his debut campaign in the 450 class of AMA Pro Motocross, Jett Lawrence immediately altered his focus to the new SMX Playoffs. And he didn’t disappoint by reigning triumphant in the three race format, with his clutch effort at the finale at the LA Coliseum to go 1-1 ensuring he got the job done and took home the one million reserved for the winner.
“The team is awesome, and that’s what allows Chase, me and the other riders to have the best equipment we can.”
“On the track it’s a one-man show, but behind the scenes it’s so many people,” he explained after his SMX success. “The team is awesome, and that’s what allows Chase, me and the other riders to have the best equipment we can. That also goes for my trainer O’Show [Johnny O’Mara], my dad was a big key, and also my brother – every day we were grinding to try and be better. To go out and get that [championship] is not only a massive achievement for me; it’s a big thank-you to the people who support me and helped me get to where I am now.”
Up next for the Aussie sensation is the Motocross of Nations in Ernee, where Australia, whose team consists of the Lawrence brothers and the immensely experienced Dean Ferris, head in as one of the favourites.
Hunter Lawrence – AMA Pro Motocross and SMX After wrapping up the 250 AMA Pro Motocross title at the final round to accompany his 250 Supercross crown, Hunter Lawrence was ideally poised to join his elite sibling to claim SMX glory. But sadly it wasn’t to be for Hunter, as a nasty crash in qualifying at the LA Coliseum forced him to miss the night show due to him aggravating an existing back injury.
“Unfortunately, Hunter Lawrence will not take part in tonight’s motos at the Los Angeles SMX round. The reigning AMA Motocross 250 champ and 250SX East champ was already banged up from a hard fall in free practice yesterday. Then in today’s second timed qualifying session, he landed wrong from a jump and aggravated his back to the extent that he’s in too much pain to race. Get well soon and great job on an amazing season,” read the team’s statement.
His focus will now immediately shift to his recovery ahead of the MXoN at Ernee as well in his search to be at full fitness for the prestigious event.
Mitch Evans – MXGP Mitch Evans’ MXGP season ended in disappointing fashion, with the superbly skilled pilot having to miss the last two rounds courtesy of his previously injured wrist flaring up. In immense pain and wisely opting to head to Belgium to begin treatment, sadly the injury also meant he had to take himself out of the running for the MXoN, which came as another brutal blow to end what’s been a hugely challenging term for the departing Kawasaki star.
“I want to wish the team and Romain the best of luck for Matterley and the Motocross of Nations.”
“It’s a real shame to miss the final race of the season and my last race with the team; however it is time to take the right steps to heal correctly. I would like to thank Kawasaki and the team for their understanding and patience and for always believing in me this year. Unfortunately we weren’t able to achieve the results we both deserved, but I thoroughly enjoyed my time working with such professionals. I want to wish the team and Romain the best of luck for Matterley and the Motocross of Nations,” he insisted.
Have we missed anyone? Leave a comment letting us know who you’d like to see us keep you up to date with their international two wheeled successes!
The 2021 Champion claimed victory after a long battle with Rinaldi, while Alvaro Bautista went from P24 to P10 in race one at the Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours. The reigning Champion then opened up his title lead to 57 points after victory in the final race while Razgatlioglu and Rea had a dramatic battle.
The 2021 Champion claimed victory after a long battle with Michael Ruben Rinaldi, while Alvaro Bautista went from P24 to P10 in race one at the Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours.
Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) won a dramatic Race 1 at the Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours and closed the gap in the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship standings to Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati). The #1 suffered technical problems in the early stages of the race before fighting back to the top ten. The Pirelli French Round provided yet another twist in what has been a stunning title fight with the gap now 55 points between the #54 and Bautista.
The race was reduced to 20 laps after a technical problem when riders took their positions on the grid following the warm-up lap, with the start delayed by a few minutes and a lap lost from the original race distance. Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) got the holeshot and instantly looked to pull out a gap on his rivals, but Razgatlioglu overtook him on Lap 2 at Turn 13 by outbraking his Ducati.
A lap later, Bautista dropped down the order to 24th and last after a technical issue on the exit of Turn 5 although the #1 was able to get his V4 R moving again. While Bautista was making a comeback to finish in tenth, Razgatlioglu and Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) fought at the front of the field. The #54 was leading until Lap 5 when the Ducati rider made an aggressive move at Turn 11 to claim the lead.
The race was reduced to 20 laps after a technical problem when riders took their positions on the grid following the warm-up lap, with the start delayed by a few minutes and a lap lost from the original race distance.
On Lap 12, Razgatlioglu made a move at Turn 5 on the #21 to briefly move into the lead but the Italian was able to respond on the exit of the Adelaide hairpin and on the way to Turn 6 to re-take the lead. Two laps later and it was a familiar story but the 2021 Champion remained closer through the 180-degree hairpin, allowing him to make a move into Turn 11 with Rinaldi running wide through the chicane; as Razgatlioglu looked to take the racing line, Rinaldi was re-joining with the pair almost making contact but both continuing.
With Razgatlioglu remaining ahead, he was able to pull away from Rinaldi in second to claim his sixth win of the season and his 38th overall, while Rinaldi secured podium six of 2023 and his 20th in WorldSBK. Behind them, Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) secured third after making gains before an early-race fight with teammate Alex Lowes, who initially passed the six-time Champion at Turn 5 for third, before falling behind the Ulsterman. It was Rea’s 257th WorldSBK podium.
Polesitter Garrett Gerloff (Bonovo Action BMW) initially dropped down the order over the first few laps but his tenacity and taking advantage of misfortune for others meant he was able to claim fourth for his best result since switching to BMW. Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) continued his strong form with fifth after a late-race battle with compatriot Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK), with the #9 coming through on the Yamaha rider at Turn 11 on Lap 18 for what was sixth but turned into fifth when Lowes dropped down the order in the final few laps. Scott Redding (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) was seventh with Lowes in eighth. The #22 had been behind Rea until the final laps, but he lost time when running across the Turn 11-12 chicane and losing four seconds on Lap 19, which dropped him down the order.
Jonathan Rea secured third after making gains before an early-race fight with teammate Alex Lowes, who initially passed the six-time Champion at Turn 5 for third, before falling behind the Ulsterman.
German rider Phillip Oettl (Team GoEleven) took his first top-ten finish since Race 2 at Donington Park by claiming ninth place, finishing 0.627s ahead of Bautista who was able to secure tenth and limit the damage in the Championship fight. With Razgatlioglu’s win, the gap between them is now 55 points. Dominique Aegerter (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) took 11th after he was unable to withstand Bautista’s late charge, with the two-time WorldSSP Champion only 1.671s down on the reigning Champion.
Xavi Vierge (Team HRC) led home a train of four riders all fighting for the lower end of the points-paying positions, finishing just three tenths clear of Loris Baz (Bonovo Action BMW). The Frenchman had celebrated his home round with a stunning second row performance in Superpole but fell down the order to 13th at the end of the 20-lap race. Iker Lecuona (Team HRC) was 14th, less than two seconds behind Baz, while Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) completed the points scorers.
Lorenzo Baldassarri (GMT94 Yamaha) crashed at Turn 3 on Lap 8 as he looked to give his team a strong home result, but the Italian brought his bike into the pits following the crash to retire. Isaac Vinales (TPR Team Pedercini Racing) retired from the race when he brought his bike into the box, as did Bradley Ray (Yamaha Motoxracing WorldSBK Team) on Lap 17.
Magny-Cours WorldSBK Podium Race One (Full Results Here)
1 Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) 2 Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +2.656s 3 Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) +4.773s
Tissot Superpole Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) made it two from two at the Circuit de Nevers Mangy-Cours in 2023 after taking victory in a dramatic Tissot Superpole Race for the Pirelli French Round. The #54 finished ahead of MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship rival Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) after the reigning Champion made contact with teammate Michael Ruben Rinaldi halfway through the race, with the #1 able to continue before finishing second.
There was drama everywhere you looked in France was the title battle closed up again with Razgatlioglu winning ahead of Bautista.
Bautista got the holeshot as the race started but his lead did not last long as Razgatlioglu went from third to first in one stunning move at Turn 5 on Lap 2, passing both factory Ducati riders under braking into the Adelaide hairpin. Rinaldi then moved ahead of teammate Bautista at Turn 11 on the same lap to claim second, with Bautista seemingly struggling for pace in the early laps before he started fighting back. On Lap 3, Rinaldi moved ahead of the Yamaha star at Turn 6 and remained there until Turn 5 on Lap 5.
Razgatlioglu looked to pass Rinaldi on Lap 5 for the lead, with the reigning Champion following the #54 and made contact with teammate Rinaldi. The Italian came off his bike and retired from the race. He was taken to the medical centre for a check-up, and subsequently declared fit, while Bautista continued the race. The incident was investigated by the FIM Stewards, with no further action taken. After initially dropping down behind the Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK machines of Jonathan Rea and Alex Lowes, Bautista was soon back up to second after overtaking Rea, while Lowes brought his machine into the pits to retire.
The #1 put in a series of race lap records to close the gap to his title rival but the 2021 Champion claimed victory by a second to become the first rider to win four consecutive races at Magny-Cours.
The #1 put in a series of race lap records to close the gap to his title rival but the 2021 Champion claimed victory by a second to become the first rider to win four consecutive races at Magny-Cours, while Bautista took his 80th podium. Six-time Champion Rea withstood a late charge from Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) to claim third and his 258th podium and his 20th at the iconic French venue.
Locatelli was fourth after missing out on a podium by just 0.244s while Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) continued his impressive form with fifth, six tenths behind compatriot Locatelli. The fight for sixth went down to the wire with Dominique Aegerter (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) passing Loris Baz (Bonovo Action BMW) at Turn 5 on the final lap to secure a second row start for Race 2.
Six-time Champion Rea withstood a late charge from Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) to claim third and his 258th podium and his 20th at the iconic French venue.
Baz will start Sunday afternoon’s race from seventh ahead of Axel Bassani (Motocorsa Racing) in eighth, with Aegerter, Baz and Bassani separated by around half-a-second. The #47 pulled off a memorable comeback in the Superpole Race after starting from 19th after enduring a difficult Friday and Saturday, before ensuring he secured a position on the third row as he looks to end the French Round on a high. The fight for the final spot on the third row between Xavi Vierge (Team HRC) and Phillip Oettl (Team GoEleven) went down to the wire, with Vierge just holding on ahead of the German.
After starting from pole position, Garrett Gerloff (Bonovo Action BMW) dropped down the order before running slightly wide, with Scott Redding (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) hugging the kerb. The pair made contact and went tumbling into the gravel, with the incident investigated by the FIM Stewards and the #45 handed a Long Lap Penalty. Gerloff returned to the box but retired from the race.
1 Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) 2 Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +0.970s 3 Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) +2.503s
Race Two
Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) bounced back to claim victory in Race 2 at the Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours as he took advantages of his rivals battling behind him in a red-flagged MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship race. The reigning Champion extended his lead by five points in the title fight ahead of Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) after the Turkish star battled hard with Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) for second place.
Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) bounced back to claim victory in Race 2 at the Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours as he took advantages of his rivals battling behind him.
Bautista got a stunning start as the lights went out and immediately moved into the lead but faced stiff competition from Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) and Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK). Rea went for a move at Turn 5 on the reigning Champion on the inside, but Bautista was able to pick his bike up well and reclaim the lead instantly. Rea kept the pressure on the #1 but Bautista did start edging out a gap.
However, at the start of Lap 5, the red flags were deployed following an incident involving Dominique Aegerter (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) and Scott Redding (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) on the previous lap at Turn 5. Aegerter was taken to the medical centre for a check-up following the crash and declared unfit with a suspected concussion. The incident was placed under investigation by the FIM Stewards and Redding given a double Long Lap Penalty. Although he took to the grid for the restart, Redding had a technical problem on Lap 10 and retired after serving his penalty. At the end of Lap 4, Iker Lecuona (Team HRC) crashed at the final chicane, and he slid across the circuit and into the grass. He was able to take his bike back to the pits. Lucas Mahias (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) was unable to restart the race as he suffered a technical issue and could not bring his bike back.
The #65 looked to overtake his rival on Lap 3 through Turn 4 and into Turn 5 but the Yamaha star cut back, before Rea made a similar move on Lap 6 and made it stick.
On the restart, Bautista moved away well from P1 and, despite challenges from Rea and Razgatlioglu, was able to hold on to the lead. Razgatlioglu moved ahead of Rea on the exit of Turn 15 to claim second but a mistake at Turn 5, where he went in too deep and had to stand the bike up, allowed Bautista to escape in front while he fended off Rea. The #65 looked to overtake his rival on Lap 3 through Turn 4 and into Turn 5 but the Yamaha star cut back, before Rea made a similar move on Lap 6 and made it stick. On Lap 12, the 2021 Champion got a run on his long-time rival and overtook him under braking into Turn 5 to move into second.
Two laps later and the two Champions were side-by-side throughout much of the lap, with Razgatlioglu holding on to second place before Rea tried another move a lap later. Once again, the #54 came out on top in that fight. As the penultimate lap started, Rea looked for second but Razgatlioglu resisted before pulling out a gap on the final lap to beat Rea by just under a second. While those two were fighting, Bautista was out in front, and his gap extended to almost ten seconds before he rolled off in the final few laps before winning by six seconds. It was Bautista’s 51st win in WorldSBK and 81st podium. Razgatlioglu now has 107 podiums to his name, only two fewer than Carl Fogarty, while Rea’s moved onto 259 podiums.
Two laps later and the two Champions were side-by-side throughout much of the lap, with Razgatlioglu holding on to second place before Rea tried another move a lap later.
Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) battled to fourth place in his 100th race start, with the Italian finishing fourth 26 times out of those 100 races. He was half-a-second clear of Garrett Gerloff (Bonovo Action BMW) who capped off an excellent French Round with fifth after starting from tenth. The Texan put in several passes including on Axel Bassani (Motocorsa Racing), also celebrating his 100th start, at Turn 13 on Lap 13 to sixth, before they both passed Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) as he dropped to seventh in the closing stages. Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) had been in this battle too but a late issue forced him to retire.
Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) secured eighth place and finished just two seconds away from ‘Petrux’ ahead, but he had to fend off both Xavi Vierge (Team HRC) and Philipp Oettl (Team GoEleven), with the trio separated by around four tenths. Oettl secured a top ten finish in France but finished 0.049s behind Vierge after enjoying a strong trip to Magny-Cours for the Independent Ducati rider.
Razgatlioglu now has 107 podiums to his name, only two fewer than Carl Fogarty, while Rea’s moved onto 259 podiums.
Spanish rider Iker Lecuona (Team HRC) was 11th and 2.6 seconds down on Oettl as the flag fell with the #7 trying a new Honda chassis this weekend. He had a four-second margin over home hero Loris Baz (Bonovo Action BMW) in 12th as he finished in the points. Rookie Lorenzo Baldassarri (GMT94 Yamaha) gave this team something to cheer on home soil with 13th place, coming off the back of the team’s two WorldSSP podiums at their home round. Both PETRONAS MIE Racing Honda Team riders scored points with Hafizh Syahrin in 14th and Hannes Soomer four seconds behind. Soomer becomes the first Estonian rider to score WorldSBK points.
Isaac Vinales (TPR Team Pedercini Racing) narrowly missed out on a point as he finished three tenths down on Soomer, while Oliver Konig (Orelac Racing MOVISIO) was the last of the classified riders in 18th. Bradley Ray (Yamaha Motoxracing WorldSBK Team) had a stunning start as the lights went out for the second time as he moved in eighth, but he crashed at Turn 13 on the opening lap; the Brit dropped to last. Michael van der Mark (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) went down at Turn 5 on Lap 3 and retired from the race.
Magny-Cours Race Two WorldSBK Podium (Full Results Here)
1 Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) 2 Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) +5.893s 3 Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) +6.779s
Championship Standings
1 Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) 467 points 2 Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) 410 3 Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) 290
The number 89 is unmatched to deny Bezzecchi a home win as the reigning Champion fights off a Legend and Binder throwns down with everyone else in the Sprint. Martin and Bezzecchi pip Pecco to cut the Championship deficit as Pedrosa threatens to spoil the party at Misano during race day… Report: MotoGP Press
The number 89 is unmatched to deny Bezzecchi a home win as the reigning Champion fights off a Legend and Binder throwns down with everyone else in the Sprint.
Sprint Race Pole position was converted into a Tissot Sprint victory for Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) at the Gran Premio Red Bull di San Marino e della Riviera di Rimini, with Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) the only rider able to run the Spaniard close on Saturday. Reigning World Champion Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) picked up his 10th Saturday podium of the season – and his most hard-fought yet – as the #1 fended off the two Red Bull KTM Factory Racing machines of MotoGP™ Legend Dani Pedrosa (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) and a charging Brad Binder for P3.
Martin got the exact launch he’d have wanted from pole as he grabbed the holeshot into Turn 1, as Bagnaia powered his way around the outside of Bezzecchi to grab an early P2. Pedrosa went P5 to P4 to get the better of Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) as Binder didn’t get away well – the South African was outside the top 10.
Martin got the exact launch he’d have wanted from pole as he grabbed the holeshot into Turn 1, as Bagnaia powered his way around the outside of Bezzecchi to grab an early P2.
Martin immediately began to pull the pin. On Lap 2 his lead was up to 0.9s as Bagnaia made a small mistake to relinquish P2 to Bezzecchi. Meanwhile, Binder was responding in the only way he knows how: full attack mode. Midway around Lap 3 Binder was up to P6 and hounding Viñales, who by then was already nearly two seconds back from Pedrosa.
At the front, it quickly became Martin vs Bezzecchi. Lap 3 belonged to the latter, the Italian cut the gap by a sizeable 0.5s, with Bagnaia dropping to two seconds off the P1 fight. Binder vs Viñales was raging on and on Lap 6 of 13, a move finally stuck for the #33. Next on his radar: KTM stablemate Pedrosa.
With five laps to go, Martin’s gap to Bezzecchi was up to 0.8s as Pedrosa reeled in Bagnaia in by 0.4s.
With five laps to go, Martin’s gap to Bezzecchi was up to 0.8s as Pedrosa reeled in Bagnaia in by 0.4s. Binder was making ground but he wasn’t taking chunks out of the pair just up the road, the gap to try and bridge was hovering at around one second.
With two laps left in the Tissot Sprint, a two-horse race for P3 became a three-horse race. Binder was right with Bagnaia and Pedrosa, knowing gaining points on Pecco is absolutely crucial. Considering what happened less than a week ago, however, the reigning Champion was riding unbelievably to keep the KTMs behind as the last lap began.
Martin led by a second over Bezzecchi as we strapped in for a KTM vs Bagnaia scrap for the final podium place.
Martin led by a second over Bezzecchi as we strapped in for a KTM vs Bagnaia scrap for the final podium place. Halfway around the lap, Pecco was holding on. Binder was out of shape; Pedrosa was waiting to pounce. A headshake down the back straight cost Pedrosa time and despite the efforts of the orange bikes, Pecco just held on to claim P3 behind Martin and Bezzecchi taking the chequered flag in P1 and P2 respectively.
Behind the rostrum lock out for the top three in the title fight, a dream podium wasn’t to be on Saturday but Pedrosa rolled back the years again to claim a wonderful P4, with Binder crossing the line 0.159s off the ‘Little Samurai’ in P5 after a belting comeback. Viñales grabbed P6 ahead of Luca Marini (Mooney VR46 Racing Team), Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) and Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™), the latter in P9 picking up the final Sprint point in Misano. Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) initially got his elbows out in that fight but came home in P10, just missing out on a point.
1 Jorge Martin – Prima Pramac Racing
2 Marco Bezzecchi – Mooney VR46 Racing Team (+1.445)
3 Francesco Bagnaia – Ducati Lenovo Team (+4.582)
Race Day Pole position, Tissot Sprint win and a Sunday race victory. Jorge Martin’s (Prima Pramac Racing) weekend at the Gran Premio Red Bull di San Marino e della Riviera di Rimini couldn’t have gone any better as the Spaniard made no mistakes to take maximum points on his title rivals’ stomping ground. The winning margin over second place Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) was just 1.3s as Bez homed in though, with reigning World Champion Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) fighting through the pain to claim an important third. And Pecco was only just ahead of some familiar company at Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli: wildcard Dani Pedrosa (Red Bull KTM).
Pole position, Tissot Sprint win and a Sunday race victory. Jorge Martin’s (Prima Pramac Racing) weekend at the Gran Premio Red Bull di San Marino e della Riviera di Rimini couldn’t have gone any better.
Just like he did in the Tissot Sprint, Martin got a perfect launch and pocketed the holeshot as Bezzecchi and Bagnaia slotted in behind. Pedrosa got away well again and was up to P4, and the MotoGP™ Legend held on after a moment between Turn 1 and 2 looking for a way through on Bagnaia. But Bagnaia then picked his way past Bezzecchi at Turn 3 as the #1 immediately began to hound Martin.
Unlike yesterday, Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) made good progress off the start and at the beginning of Lap 2, the South African was up to P4 and began to chase Martin, Bagnaia and Bezzecchi.
Just like he did in the Tissot Sprint, Martin got a perfect launch and pocketed the holeshot as Bezzecchi and Bagnaia slotted in behind.
A fascinating early race fight was unfolding at the front. Martin, Bagnaia and Bezzecchi were locked together, with Binder 0.7s adrift heading onto Lap 5. On Lap 6, Bezzecchi passed Pecco for P6 down at Turn 8 but just like he did a lap previous, the Italian was wide at Turn 10 to allow the Champion back through. That gave Martin a little bit of breathing room – if you can call 0.3s that – as Binder went quicker than the trio in front of him.
Disaster then struck for Binder at Turn 14 on Lap 8. The KTM star was down at the tight right-hand hairpin as his podium hopes ended, handing Pedrosa the lead KTM baton. The #26 was 1.5s off the leaders, as KTM’s afternoon then got worse as Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) crashed out of contention after being involved in an incident with Michele Pirro (Aruba.it Racing).
Disaster then struck for Binder at Turn 14 on Lap 8. The KTM star was down at the tight right-hand hairpin as his podium hopes ended, handing Pedrosa the lead KTM baton.
Elsewhere, on Lap 12 of 27, it was time to cue the jaws music. Who for? Pedrosa. The wildcard was beginning to close at a vast rate of knots and with 15 laps left, Pedrosa was just 0.6s off Bezzecchi’s rear wheel. Unbelievable. The Little Samurai was the only rider lapping in the 1:31s at this stage of the race.
Pedrosa’s pace dropped off soon after but the gap remained at just over a second. At the front, with 10 laps to go, Martin’s lead grew to over a second for the first time as the #89 began to get the hammer down. Were the injuries to Bagnaia and Bezzecchi starting to take their toll or was Martin’s pace just too good? Bezzecchi was looking impatient behind VR46 compatriot Bagnaia, and a move came at Turn 8. By now though, Martin’s advantage was 2.2s.
Martin’s lead grew to over a second for the first time as the #89 began to get the hammer down.
Bagnaia was fading. Pedrosa was coming. 0.7s split the double World Champion from the three-time World Champion, with Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) and an extremely classy ride for Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) putting him a further four seconds back after initially closing on the number 12. A huge six laps beckoned, could Bagnaia hold on to what would be a very valuable and hard-earned 16 points?
With four laps to go, Bagnaia was holding Pedrosa at bay by 0.6s. Bezzecchi was now under two seconds away from Martin but it was too little too late, with the latter controlling his advantage nicely as he powered towards completing the perfect weekend.
Bagnaia was fading. Pedrosa was coming. 0.7s split the double World Champion from the three-time World Champion, with Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing).
With two to go, Pedrosa was right on Bagnaia’s coattails. Catching the Ducati rider was one thing but as he found out in the Sprint, passing was a whole different kettle of fish. In the end, Bagnaia did hold on to a crucial P3 as Martin made no mistake to cap off a sensational weekend. Bezzecchi bagged P2 despite his injured hand to gain ground in the title chase.
Just off the podium of Martin, Bezzecchi and Bagnaia, Pedrosa took the chequered flag just 0.6s away from the rostrum as the Little Samurai again demonstrates why he’s a three-time World Champion and a MotoGP Legend. Unreal from the popular Spaniard, who finished six seconds up the road from fifth place Viñales.
Bagnaia did hold on to a crucial P3 as Martin made no mistake to cap off a sensational weekend. Bezzecchi bagged P2 despite his injured hand to gain ground in the title chase.
Miguel Oliveira (CryptoDATA RNF MotoGP™ Team) was sixth ahead of Marc Marquez, who somehow bags a brilliant P7 after racing with a soft rear tyre. Raul Fernandez (CryptoDATA RNF MotoGP™ Team) takes home his best MotoGP™ finish in P8, as the Ducatis of Luca Marini (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) and Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing) complete the top 10.
Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP), Catalan GP winner Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing), Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha), a recovering Binder and Franco Morbidelli (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) closed out the points in San Marino. Pol Espargaro (GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3) and Joan Mir (Repsol Honda Team) joined Miller and Pirro as the riders to notch up DNFs.
1 Jorge Martin – Prima Pramac Racing
2 Marco Bezzecchi – Mooney VR46 Racing Team (+1.350)
3 Francesco Bagnaia – Ducati Lenovo Team (+3.812)
Moto2
Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Ajo) was back in business at Misano, putting in an inch-perfect performance to take victory. The Spaniard controlled the race perfectly at the front as he edged away from home hero Celestino Vietti (Fantic Racing) pilling on the pressure mid race. The Italian brought home an important second place, with Alonso Lopez (+Ego SpeedUp) keeping Tony Arbolino (Elf MarcVDS Racing Team) at bay to round out the podium.
Acosta came out the gates with fire in his belly as he took the holeshot from the polesitter Vietti. Manuel Gonzalez (Correos Prepago Yamaha VR46 Mastercamp) tried to hold on from his front row start, but the Spaniard quickly fell victim to Lopez and Aron Canet (Pons Wegow Los40) who charged their way through on the first lap.
Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Ajo) was back in business at Misano, putting in an inch-perfect performance to take victory.
The front three then began to break away as Lopez dropped off the back of the group, with a few bike lengths back to Gonzalez in fifth. Acosta was pushing on at the front and was asking big questions of Vietti, who was keeping the Spaniard in his sights. Still, the Championship leader’s pace began to stretch out the field and it wasn’t long before the Red Bull KTM Ajo machine was almost a second up the road.
With the pace getting hotter and hotter, Canet then cracked as a tiny mistake at Carro corner saw him crash out of a podium position with 14 laps to go, promoting Lopez to P3. That left Vietti in a lonely 2nd place and with some ground to cover to Acosta out the front. Vietti responded to the Spaniard’s hot pace however as he began to reel in the Championship leader tenth by tenth. The Italian was throwing absolutely everything he had at it with the prospect of a home Grand Prix victory dangling before his eyes. Vietti’s bike was making all sorts of shapes as the Italian had no choice but to push the limits to try and match Acosta’s pace.
Acosta was pushing on at the front and was asking big questions of Vietti, who was keeping the Spaniard in his sights.
After a couple of big moments, that was all she wrote in terms of the Italian’s charge for the win though. With five laps remaining Acosta had stretched the gap back out to over two seconds, and it was game set and match from there going forward as Acosta had done all the hard work and cruised to victory by 6.3s, extending his Championship lead.
Whilst the battle for victory had been decided the battle for third was raging on. Arbolino had been carving his way through the field from the moment the lights went out. The Italian desperately needed a good result to keep his Championship hopes alive and after charging from ninth on the grid to fourth, with five laps to go he had just under a second to Lopez in the final rostrum position…
Arbolino had the bit between his teeth as he proceeded to hit his markers in a valiant attempt to reel in the Boscoscuro machine. Lopez had it covered however as the Spaniard’s pace just made it too difficult for the Italian to bridge the gap. The SpeedUp rider took his first podium since Le Mans, with Arbolino forced to settle for P4. A late charge from Idemitsu Honda Team Asia’s Ai Ogura and Somkiat Chantra saw them pip Gonzalez as the Spaniard dropped to P7, with Joe Roberts (Italtrans Racing Team), Filip Salač (QJMOTOR Gresini Moto2™) and wildcard home hero Mattia Pasini (Fieten Olie Racing GP) completing the top ten.
1 Pedro Acosta – Red Bull KTM Ajo
2 Celestino Vietti – Fantic Racing (+6.305)
3 Alonso Lopez – +Ego SpeedUp (+9.989)
Moto3
David Alonso (Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team), take a bow. The young Colombian takes his third victory in four races after beating Jaume Masia (Leopard Racing) and Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Ajo) in a phenomenal Moto3 battle at the Gran Premio Red Bull di San Marino e della Riviera di Rimini. The top three crossed the line 0.2s apart as World Championship leader Daniel Holgado (Red Bull KTM Tech3) struggled to P16, blowing the title race wide open.
It was Ayumu Sasaki (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) who got the best launch from the middle of the front row as the Japanese star grabbed the holeshot into Turn 1, but Masia immediately responded to take the lead at Turn 4. Kaito Toba (SIC58 Squadra Corse) lost ground on the first lap, he was shoved down to P5 as Diogo Moreira (MT Helmets – MSI) and Alonso made forward progress.
David Alonso (Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team), take a bow. The young Colombian takes his third victory in four races after beating Jaume Masia (Leopard Racing) and Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Ajo) in a phenomenal Moto3 battle.
Masia held a 0.6s advantage on Lap 2 as Sasaki and Moreira squabbled for second place. The lead was up to a second heading onto Lap 3, with the chasing pack needing to settle down and work together to try and reel in the early runaway leader. However, settling down isn’t something Öncü can do. The Turk shoved his way past Moreira and set his sights on catching Masia.
By Lap 6 of 20, Öncü and Moreira had bridged the gap. Sasaki, David Muñoz (BOE Motorsports), Alonso and Toba were a further 0.7s adrift, with World Championship leader Holgado battling outside the top 10.
Masia held a 0.6s advantage on Lap 2 as Sasaki and Moreira squabbled for second place.
With 12 laps left, a lead group of seven had formed with Collin Veijer (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) and Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) tagging onto the back of the battle in P8 and P9. Lap 11 of 20 saw the lead change for the first time as Masia went from P1 to P3 in the blink of an eye, with Öncü now at the front.
With seven laps remaining, a top four of Öncü, Masia, Muñoz and Alonso had gapped Moreira, Sasaki, Toba, Veijer and Rueda. The front quartet were two seconds up the road, with Holgado still P11 and over a second off tenth place Ivan Ortola (Angeluss MTA Team). It was bubbling up nicely for a final lap spectacular in Misano. The top four was as you were for a few laps before Muñoz had a big front-end moment at Turn 2 – the Spaniard did well to keep it upright but lost P3 to Alonso.
Heading onto the final lap, Öncü led from Masia and Alonso, with Muñoz 0.6s adrift in P4. Alonso slammed in the fastest lap of the race as we strapped in for a last-lap thriller. It stayed the same through the first half of the lap before Alonso grabbed P2 at Turn 10. Then on the run into Turn 14, Masia pocketed a two-for-one deal. It was a cracking move but Alonso returned the favour on the cutback and managed to hold onto the lead all the way to the flag. The Colombian beat Masia by 0.036s to P1 with Öncü settling for P3 having led for most of the second half of the race.
Muñoz bounced back from his Catalan GP disappointment with a solid P4, as Veijer takes home a top five after showing great late race pace. Japan’s Toba and Sasaki crossed the line in P6 and P7 respectively, with Ortola doing well to claim P8 after being shoved well wide in the early exchanges. Rueda and Romano Fenati (Rivacold Snipers Team) rounded out the top 10, as Taiyo Furusato (Honda Team Asia), Moreira, Stefano Nepa (Angeluss MTA Team), Ryusei Yamanaka (Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team) and Tatsuki Suzuki (Leopard Racing) rounded out the points.
CDR Yamaha Monster Energy Team rider, Aaron Tanti, finished the 2023 ProMX championship in fourth place after a frustrating final round which has typified his title defence season.
Tanti finished the last round at Coolum in sixth place with 4 – 7 results. Just five points separated Tanti and the third placed rider, Kirk Gibbs, coming into the weekend so a strong performance at the final round could have seen on the championship podium.
Things were on track after race one when Tanti battled hard for a fourth-place finish, one ahead of Gibbs and narrowed the gap to just three points heading into the final moto. He then positioned himself well in moto two and was ahead of Gibbs when he fell and lost several positions. He fell again a few laps later and with it, any hope of a championship podium went out the window.
The 2022 champ just couldn’t get momentum on his side during the series despite he and his CDR Yamaha team working hard to keep the championship in their position.
“Today was a disappointing finish to the year and not the kind of season myself or the team expected. Last year, I was able to get on a roll and reel of some race and round wins but this year I could never string enough races together to really make an impact. Dean was winning a lot of races while Jed was so consistent while I was having up and down weekends.”
“There were still a lot of positives I can take away from the year and I proved that I can run the pace. Appin was good for me, I was solid at Gilman but the rest of them were a bit hit and miss and that’s not what’s needed to win a championship at this level. I fell at Maitland and Toowoomba, two rounds that I’m good at and I feel I could have notched some round wins, then the crash last week at QMP took me out of the hunt. But I will keep working hard as we have supercross to come and its my chance to redeem myself and get back up front again. Thank you to everyone that supports me as well as my mechanic, Allister, and the entire CDR Yamaha Team for working tirelessly throughout the season,” Tanti comments.
CDR Yamaha Monster Energy Team rider, Aaron Tanti, finished the 2023 ProMX championship in fourth place after a frustrating final round which has typified his title defence season.
Despite not racing the final two rounds, Luke Clout rounded out the season in eighth place. Clout attended Coolum to support Tanti and his team with his wrist injury progressing well. He will be back on the bike prior to the start of the Australian Supercross Championship kick off on October 7.
“It’s been a while since CDR haven’t been in the championship hunt at the final round in Coolum, so it was a different feeling for the team this weekend. Both riders seemed to take two steps forward and then one step back during the year and we just couldn’t get the points on the board when it mattered.”
“We will lick our wounds, dust ourselves off and comeback in 2024 armed and ready for another championship tilt,” explains CDR owner, Craig Dack.
“Luke was finding form when he injured himself prior to the Toowoomba round, then he had that practice crash that took him out of the championship while Aaron did a lot of the hard work to put himself in good positions only for a small fall or tip over to cost him valuable points and when racing against seasoned competitors like Ferris and Beaton, they prove very costly. We will lick our wounds, dust ourselves off and comeback in 2024 armed and ready for another championship tilt,” explains CDR owner, Craig Dack.
The JGR Yamaha Ballard’s Off-Road team of Jess Gardiner, Danielle McDonald and Jeremy Carpentier reeled off a stunning weekend of results at rounds seven and eight of the Australian Off Road Championship (AORC), held over the weekend.
Conditions were dry and dusty all weekend as the AORC competitors faced the Cross-Country format on Saturday with three hours of continuous racing and then backed up on Sunday with the Sprint format on already dry and rough ground.
Jess Gardiner continued her sensational 2023 form with another double class win over the weekend that sees her extend her lead in the Women’s AORC Championship. Despite a couple of falls throughout the weekend, Gardiner was able to regain her composure and continue to dominate the Women’s division.
Jess Gardiner continued her sensational 2023 form with another double class win over the weekend that sees her extend her lead in the Women’s AORC Championship.
“The weekend went well, and the team were able to achieve some great results in some challenging conditions,”Gardiner explains. “I’m not sure how much skin I have left on my elbows after racing each day, I don’t think it’s a lot, but I was able to put each crash behind me and keep going at a good pace to take the win on both rounds.”
“The dry conditions made it tough, especially if you started towards the back as vision be come an issue when the field was all together. But once I was able to get some clear track and see what was happening, I felt much more comfortable and didn’t make as many mistakes. Thank you to everyone at the club for putting on the event, and everyone that supports the JGR Yamaha team. We are all in a good place in the championship and will continue to work hard at the remaining rounds,” Gardiner ends.
Matching the results of her team boss, was junior sensation, Danielle McDonald. McDonald also finished with 1-1 results over the weekend but also took it to the boys in the junior divisions finishing third outright.
Matching the results of her team boss, was junior sensation, Danielle McDonald. McDonald also finished with 1-1 results over the weekend but also took it to the boys in the junior divisions finishing third outright on both days. McDonald is a step above her rivals and continues to improve at each round.
“I’m pretty happy with how I went on the weekend, and it was good to get up near the front against the boys. I try to use them as a guide to how I’m riding and want to be closer to the front at every round we do. My bike was perfect all weekend and its good to have Jess and Jeremy on hand to guide me through any issues I face.”
After an injury interrupted start to the 2023 season, Jeremy Carpentier is finally back to full fitness and again contesting for top 10 out right results.
After an injury interrupted start to the 2023 season, Jeremy Carpentier is finally back to full fitness and again contesting for top 10 out right results. On board the team WR450F, Carpentier finished the Cross Country fifth in class and just outside the top 10 Outright and was sixth in class on Sunday, again just missing the top 10 Outright.
“It was the first time in a while I have been able to race pain free at a national event,” Carpentier begins. “I have had wrist and hand injuries mar the start of my season but hopefully, I’m over them now and can get some continuity in my training and racing with an aim to get some good results before the season is over,” he ends.
The Aprilia RS 660’s positive streak continues in the MotoAmerica Twins Cup category. The riders of the Rodio Racing – Powered by Robem Engineering team took both victories in the two races held in Pittsburgh. They are now respectively in first and third place in the overall standings of a championship.
The Aprilia RS 660’s positive streak continues in MotoAmerica’s Twins Cup category. The riders of the Rodio Racing – Powered by Robem Engineering team took both victories in the two races held in Pittsburgh.
In Race 1 it was Rocco Landers who climbed onto the top step of the podium after starting from pole position, passing under the chequered flag with a lead of over three seconds over his closest pursuer. Third place in a sprint (42 thousandths gap) for Gus Rodio. Race 2 instead celebrated yet another one-two of the season, with Rodio ahead of Landers in a grid that saw no less than 16 Aprilia RS 660s out of 41 starters. The general classification therefore sees Rodio leading with 200 points while Landers is third at 14 points.
Gus Rodio:“This weekend we struggled a bit with the set-up of the bike in the second sector, the ‘esses’ and the straight. On Sunday we made some progress, but we took a risk with the tyres. We took a step in the right direction with the set-up, but the tyre was a bit slippery. I am satisfied with the results this weekend and we have extended our points lead a little ahead of my home race. At the next round there will be a lot of friends and family there and we will see what happens.”
Landers.
Rodio.
Rocco Landers:“This is a good track for me and the team set up the bike very well. On Sunday morning I made a mistake and we took the precaution of changing the engine. Unfortunately, this change resulted in a loss of power. I did my best in the race and it was nice to get another one-two.”
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Our homegrown talent has been battling it out on track and making us proud! Check out our monthly column that follows all things Aussies racing internationally on and off-road, from MotoGP to AMA Motocross. See what our future and current champions are up to… Words: Ed Stratmann
Jack Miller – MotoGP
With MotoGP roaring back into action in August, Aussie star Jack Miller had mixed results in the first two outings since the resumption of the racing. Immediately looking good at Silverstone, the Red Bull KTM maestro began his weekend briskly on his way to claiming second in the sprint.
All the signs were positive that Miller was in for a great race when he shot off the line to lead the early exchanges, but he subsequently dropped back as he struggled with grip. His case wasn’t helped when a collision with Maverick Vinales caused him to have an off-track excursion. Miller crucially regrouped and recalibrated his focus to claim a solid eighth.
“All the signs were positive that Miller was in for a great race when he shot off the line to lead the early exchanges”…
Next on the cards was the team’s home race in Austria, and things were positive on the Saturday again for the #43, who showed notable speed to power himself to fifth in the Sprint. Unfortunately, though, he couldn’t transfer his speed into the race, where he made a customarily fast start only to suffer rear traction issues, which caused him to fall all the way back to fifteenth.
“I started the race good and tried not to kill the tire in the first laps. I wanted to build up the temperature as smoothly as possible. It wasn’t to be. I noticed that I didn’t have the drive grip that I needed, so then I was just trying to manage the best I could with riding style and everything like that. I think the biggest thing for us is taking a step back, going back to our old setting and maybe finding a little bit of a different direction that works for myself,” he recalled.
Joel Kelso – Moto3
Returning to the track following the break, Joel Kelso didn’t find things easy at Silverstone and in Austria even though some encouragement could be extracted from his fifth and ninth in qualifying. Encountering issues in the dry conditions for the British GP and then getting his Spielberg scuppered by a long lap penalty when he was pushed wide by another rider to claim a pair of frustrating 16th places finishes, all eyes will turn to Catalunya, where improvement will be on the cards for the Darwinian.
“At one point I had a track limits warning and then when I was passed by someone I was pushed onto the green zone.”
“A tricky one. We got off to a good start and then I was happy with my pace, but I was missing just a little bit extra. At one point I had a track limits warning and then when I was passed by someone I was pushed onto the green zone. I wasn’t expecting a penalty because of the circumstances, but for some reason they gave me a long lap. That was disappointing because I could have stayed in the group ahead for the top ten. I felt strong on the bike, but lost four seconds for that lap. I didn’t deserve it, but we’ll keep working,” he mused after the Austrian Grand Prix.
Jacob Roulstone – Red Bull Rookies Cup & JuniorGP Moto3
Excited to get back to racing in the Red Bull Rookies Cup in Austria, young sensation Jacob Roulstone eased into the weekend while he adjusted to the bike and the conditions.
While banking sixth in qualifying was a fine reward for his methodical approach, sadly his opening race was ruined by a high side on the first lap. But, to his credit, he regathered himself for the second stanza to secure an admirable seventh to end the round on a bright note.
“But there are always positives to take away from not the best of weekends. Another good qualifying and continuing to improve my race craft.”
“Pretty difficult Sunday for me in race two of the Red Bull Rookies Cup. I got a poor start then that gave the main group a chance to get away, and I wasn’t quite able to match the pace in the early laps. Was able to finish ahead of the second group to finish in seventh,” he expressed.
“But there are always positives to take away from not the best of weekends. Another good qualifying and continuing to improve my race craft. Thanks to Santi Aparicio and all the Red Bull Rookies Cup crew as always for the amazing job. With only one round left in three weeks’ time in Misano, Italy, I’m going to be giving it all and try to secure third in the championship.”
Josh Brookes – British Superbike
Moving into the Thruxton round of BSB and keen for an excellent result, it disappointingly wasn’t to be for the Aussie, with grip problems plaguing him all weekend. Although he and his team pushed hard to find solutions to improve the situation, nothing they tried appeared to work for Brookes, who could only muster uncharacteristically poor finishes of 15th, 17th and 22nd.
“There’s no way that would be a result we could even imagine expecting to have”
“I can’t really explain what’s happened this weekend as I don’t really know. Obviously we would expect far better than the results this weekend, there’s no way that would be a result we could even imagine expecting to have. From the very first session of the weekend the BMW wasn’t performing to the level that it needs to in order to be competitive and I could feel that straight away. These things happen sometimes, and we work through processes and adjust the bike accordingly and make it work again, but it really didn’t improve at all. We made some small steps, but nothing that would have put us in a position to be competitive,” he lamented.
Jason O’Halloran – British Superbike
Jason O’Halloran showed what an exceptional operator he is at Thruxton by enjoying a sublime day at the office, as he recorded victory in all three races. Having banked pole position, the experienced veteran then put on a masterclass on the Saturday, with him rarely troubled, as he coasted to the win.
The second race saw him put in an outstanding showing, for he carved through the field with precision and intelligence to reign triumphant.
“We’ve clawed a lot of points back this weekend with pole position and three race wins, which is incredible.”
The Aussie then saved the best for last by flexing his muscles emphatically. In scintillating form from the off, he put on a spectacular effort to come all the way from tenth to grab the win on the final lap to cap off his magical weekend perfectly. “That’s the best weekend of my career, coming off the back of a couple of average rounds to bounce back like this is exactly what we needed,” gleamed O’Halloran.
“We’ve clawed a lot of points back this weekend with pole position and three race wins, which is incredible. I’m now Yamaha’s most successful rider in terms of race wins and have 26 BSB wins, which is just incredible. And I’ve won eight of the last nine races at Thruxton which is another amazing stat! This is exactly what the team needed and I think we can carry this momentum forward now to Cadwell Park, which is my favourite race of the year.”
Jett Lawrence – AMA Pro Motocross
The mastery of the Aussie wonderkid continues, as the 20-year-old has not only wrapped up the 450 AMA Pro Motocross title in his rookie term in the class, but also maintained his remarkable unbeaten streak. With just one round remaining to complete the perfect season, all eyes will be on Ironman to see if Jett Lawrence can get the job done to round out a blistering crusade.
The inordinately gifted Aussie phenom keeps on flexing his muscles Stateside, as he looks set to add another 250 title to his list of honours before moving up to the 450 when AMA Pro Motocross begins in May. Photo: HRC Global.
Rising to the top whenever challenged and typically getting his starts spot on, he’s hardly given his adversaries a sniff. The way he’s controlled races and keeps riding with a maturity and discipline that belies his tender years has also offered further reason for praise.
Pushing when he needs to and riding within himself to manage races, the moto world will be watching with anticipation to see if he can seal the deal and get through the campaign without dropping a single moto to etch his name in the history books.
Hunter Lawrence – AMA Pro Motocross
Stepping up when he needed to, Hunter Lawrence has overcome his recent adversity and the uprising from the hard-charging Haiden Deegan to be in the box seat to be crowned 250 MX champion. Boasting a 22 point lead over Justin Cooper heading into Ironman, there’s every reason to suggest he’ll stroll to victory if he can just keep it on two wheels.
Grabbing the overall victory in three of the last four rounds, it’d take a brave man to bet against the elder Lawrence brother, who’s fully focused and a mentality monster, getting it done in the finale.
“Going into the last race of the season, we know where we stand, and we know we won’t be changing anything drastic. We have a gameplan, and we’ll focus on running that out to the end. I’m looking forward to finishing this series strong and focusing on SuperMotocross,” he insisted.
Mitch Evans – MXGP
Despite not making the progress he desires in August by bagging a pair of 12th overalls, Mitch Evans deserves credit for sticking at it and keeping on striving for more. To start off with Sweden, and things actually began solidly in the opening moto, where he got a good jump out of the gate to find himself sixth, only for arm-pump to ensure ninth was the best he could muster.
The final moto was then annoyingly hindered by the wet conditions that forced him to come in for new goggles on two separate occasions. Venturing to the brutal sands of Arnhem was next on the agenda for the Kawasaki speedster, but this latest stop on the calendar was a tough one due to sickness for Evans. The technically proficient pilot still warrants applause for valiantly toiling on to achieve a respectable 12th overall courtesy of his 10-15 moto scores in a round where he also registered an impressive second in the warm-up.
“Today started with a good feeling in warm-up and I got two decent starts, but just didn’t have the flow. That was okay for P10 in moto one, but the sickness I’ve been dealing with all week kicked in halfway through race two; I just didn’t have anything left in the tank and was riding round with my tongue in the chain. I showed good speed considering I was laid up all week so now it’s time to recover and carry the momentum into the last three rounds,” Evans said.
Have we missed anyone? Leave a comment letting us know who you’d like to see us keep you up to date with their international two wheeled successes!
Australia’s long-standing association with the Trial des Nations (TdN) will continue in 2023 with full-strength men’s and women’s teams to compete in the annual showpiece, which will be held in France from September 8-10.
Australia’s long-standing association with the Trial des Nations (TdN) will continue in 2023 with full-strength men’s and women’s teams to compete in the annual showpiece.
Australia will take an unchanged line-up into the 18-country International Trophy men’s division, with reigning Aussie champion Kyle Middleton (TRRS) to be joined by Connor Hogan (TRRS) and South Australian Chris Bayles (GasGas) – the trio now seasoned TdN campaigners. In the women’s division, Lillie Yiatrou (Vertigo) returns for her second TdN appearance and the first since 2019, where she will join forces with incumbent Kaitlyn Cummins (TRRS) who first made her Aussie debut in 2015.
Middleton, Hogan and Bayles already share a special TdN bond after winning the 2017 International Trophy – which was Australia’s first victory in the category after six previous podium finishes. And it’s that unity and an acute understanding of each other’s strengths that Newcastle-based Middelton believes helps to galvanise the Aussie team.
“Over the past five TdNs we’ve learnt so much together,” said Middleton, the multiple Aussie champion. “There are lots of intricacies and considerations in how we prepare and compete. For example, I’m usually the first rider out as managing time is one of my strengths, followed by Chris who is the glue that holds the team together, and then Connor who is an excellent rider under pressure. I just love everything about the TdN – it’s an event I always look forward to with immense pride as it has a higher purpose: representing your country and riding alongside great mates who are normally your opposition.”
Kyle Middleton is no stranger to the FIM Trial des Nations, with this year marking his 13th TdN…
The TdN will be held in a ski resort in Auron, about 90km from Nice, and Middleton expects the terrain to be quite hard, sharp and slippery.
“It will be quite technical, but the key to getting the job done at the TdN is damage limitation on sections that may not be quite in your absolute comfort zone, and then maximising opportunities in other sections. It’s always a great challenge, as it should be in such an iconic event.”
At the TdN, the best two scores in each section count towards the team total – so a pressure-cooker for the Aussie women in particular with only two participants and minimal ‘wriggle’ room. Australia’s main opposition in the International Trophy will come from defending champion the Czech Republic, as well as Germany, Austria, Sweden and the United States. A total of 18 teams will compete in the International Trophy, where Australia finished fifth in 2022.
Australia will take an unchanged line-up into the 18-country International Trophy men’s division.
In the Women’s, Australia is grouped with all the powerhouse trials nations, including Spain, Italy and Great Britain.
The Aussie men will collect their TdN machinery in Europe early next week before heading to a training camp in Andorra and then onto the final round of the FIM Trial World Championship (for both men and women) in France from September 1-3. At the shakedown, Middleton, Hogan and Bayles will compete in the Trial2 class – while for Yiatrou and Cummins it’s the culmination of a 2023 European campaign in the Trial2 Women class. Hogan has also been dabbling in international competition in 2023, including a solid rookie result in the famed Scottish Six Day Trial and Trial2 appearances.
Yiatrou is sixth in the Trial2 Women standings after riding both the Andorran and Italian rounds, while Cummins is 13th overall after her only outing in Italy.
The Australian team will also include three minders – Jarad Boniface, Jono Chellas and Michael Zutelija – who are all skilled trials practitioners and will be available to offer wise ‘in-section’ and general counsel.
