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WorldSBK Race Reports: All The Action In Catalunya

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PB
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Bautista got a stunning start to move into the lead and withstood early pressure from the reigning Champion before extending his lead to win by more than eight seconds in Race 1. The Championship leader then led from the start to win Race 2, leading every single racing lap throughout the Catalunya Round!

Race One
Race 1 for the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship was a stunning affair at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya for the Catalunya Round with all three in the title race having to make stunning fightback. Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) extended his Championship lead with victory as he moved from fifth to first, Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) battled from losing out at the start to take second while Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) went from eighth to second at the start before dropping back.

After missing out on front row starts in the Tissot Superpole session, both Bautista and Razgatlioglu were able to move to the head of the field before Turn 1, with Bautista jumping from fifth to first while Razgatlioglu went from eighth to second. In the early stages of the race, Razgatlioglu looked to make a move on Bautista but the Championship leader was able to hold on to claim a relatively pressure-free victory ahead of Rea. Six-time Champion Rea was able to battle back up to second place after dropping down to fight in the opening laps of the race ahead of Garrett Gerloff (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) in third, who started from sixth place and showed strong pace throughout the race to take the best result of his 2022 campaign and his first podium.

As the race progressed, Razgatlioglu lost ground to Bautista before losing out to the riders behind him, with Razgatlioglu being passed by Rea, Gerloff and Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) to claim fifth place at the end of the race, finishing 2.785s seconds behind Rinaldi despite the Italian only passing him at Turn 10 on the penultimate lap of the race.

The winning margin of 8.665s meant Bautista took his 25th win in WorldSBK, only one behind 2021 Champion Razgatlioglu, and his ninth win of the season with his Championship lead up from 30 points to 44. Bautista became the first rider to start fifth or lower and lead all laps in a race since Rea did, from ninth, at Jerez Race 2 in 2017. It was also Ducati’s 385th win in WorldSBK and the 680th race on the podium. Gerloff’s second place took his sixth career podium and his first podium since Donington Park Race 2 in 2021, with a span of more than a year between podiums. It was also Yamaha’s 325th race on the WorldSBK podium, lots of records!

Rinaldi finished in fourth place, just 1.494s away from Gerloff in third place despite starting from tenth and running wide in the early stages of the race. Rinaldi has now secured ten top-seven finishes in the last 11 races including five inside the top-four as he leads the battle for fourth in the Championship. Razgatlioglu was fifth and his streak of leading races came to an end at 17 races, while the reigning Champion had to fend off a late charge from Iker Lecuona (Team HRC). Lecuona started from pole position but opted to use Pirelli’s SC0 tyre, inspired by Rinaldi’s victory in Race 2 in 2021. Lecuona dropped down at the start of the race but was able to stabilise his pace to finish in sixth place.

Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) was another who initially fought in the lead group but dropped down in the latter stages as he claimed seventh place, ahead of Axel Bassani (Motocorsa Racing). Bassani, like Lecuona, used the SC0 tyre and had a strong start to the race but lost out as the race progressed, eventually finishing in eighth place. He was 15 seconds clear of Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) at the end of the race, with Locatelli losing out in a battle with Rinaldi in the latter stages of the race. Irish rider Eugene Laverty (Bonovo Action BMW) was the lead BMW rider in the race as he took tenth place; his first top-ten finish since the opening race of the season, as he finished just three tenths behind Locatelli.

Laverty’s teammate, Loris Baz, was 11th and just 0.296s behind Laverty at the end of the 20-lap race, ahead of Xavi Vierge (Team HRC) in 12th place. Roberto Tamburini (Yamaha Motoxracing WorldSBK Team) took 13th place ahead of Lucas Mahias (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) in 14th and Christophe Ponsson (Gil Motor Sport-Yamaha) rounding out the points-paying positions; Ponsson’s first points since the Tissot Superpole Race at the Circuito Estoril in May. Kohta Nozane (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) was in 16th place ahead of home rider Oscar Gutierrez (TPR Team Pedercini Racing) in 17th in just his second WorldSBK round. Argentinean rider Leandro Mercado (MIE Racing Honda Team) was 18th and Oliver Konig (Orelac Racing VerdNatura) in 19th to complete the classified riders.

There were three retirements in the opening stages of the 20-lap race, with Phillip Oettl (Team Goeleven) retiring after suffering a technical issue on the opening lap. On the same lap, Luca Bernardi (BARNI Spark Racing Team) crashed at Turn 3 after contact with Michael van der Mark (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team), with Bernardi re-joining the race, before bringing his bike back to the pits, and van der Mark continuing. The incident will be investigated by the FIM WorldSBK Stewards after the race. On Lap 3, Scott Redding (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) crashed at Lap 1 which put the British rider out of the race. Van der Mark retired from the race after a technical issue on Lap 9 of 20.

WorldSBK Catalunya Race One Podium (Full Results Here)

1 Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati)
2 Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) +8.665s
3 Garrett Gerloff (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) +9.289s

Tissot Superpole
The Tissot Superpole Race for the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship had a familiar start to Race 1 but a very different feel at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya for the Catalunya Round as Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) claimed his second win on home soil. It means Bautista will line up from first for Race 2 at 14:00 Local Time (GMT+2) after he, once again, got a lightning start on the grid as the lights went out.

Bautista started the 10-lap race from fifth place but, like in Race 1 yesterday, got a lightning start to move into the lead before Turn 1. From there, he was able to stretch his gap throughout the race to claim victory by more than a second ahead of Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) in second and Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK). Lowes was running in second until Turn 1 on the final lap when his teammate overtook him to move ahead and limit Bautista’s gain in the Championship standings. Bautista claimed his 26th career win and the tenth of 2022 for the Spanish rider, with Rea taking his 233rd career podium while teammate Lowes moved on to 31 podiums and his first since Donington Park Race 1.

Despite a poor start and dropping down to tenth, Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) claimed fourth spot after a battle with Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati), with the reigning Champion passing Rinaldi at Turn 1 at the start of Lap 5 with a move up the inside. They will be joined by Philipp Oettl (Team Goeleven) on the second row after the German rookie took a career-best sixth place; Oettl was one of only two riders to use Pirelli’s “SCQ” front tyre, a development solution that could only be used in the Tissot Superpole session and Superpole Race.

Xavi Vierge (Team HRC) moved up the field to claim seventh place to take a third-row start for Race 2, with two BMW riders joining him on the third row. Scott Redding (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) will line up from eighth after taking that position in the Superpole Race ahead of Loris Baz (Bonovo Action BMW) in ninth. Baz had a scrap with Race 1 podium finisher Garrett Gerloff (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK) in the closing stages of the race, with the pair often swapping positions, but Baz was able to hold on by just 0.026s to take a third row start in Race 2.

There was drama for riders who started inside the front two rows on the opening lap. Iker Lecuona (Team HRC) and Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) had an incident at Turn 10, with Lecuona retiring from the race and Locatelli re-joining in last place. Lecuona will therefore start Race 2 from tenth place, with Locatelli in 11th. Michael van der Mark (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) was a retirement from the race after a Turn 7 crash on Lap 8. The Dutchman had to serve a Long Lap Penalty in the race for irresponsible riding following a collision with Luca Bernardi (BARNI Spark Racing Team) in Race 1.

Tissot Superpole Race Catalunya Podium (Full Results Here)

1 Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati)
2 Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) +1.185s
3 Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) +1.377s

Race Two
Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) romped home to his third win of the Catalunya Round at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya after claiming Race 2 victory from pole position in the final MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship action of the weekend. Bautista had claimed victory in both Race 1 and the Tissot Superpole Race, and he followed that up with a lights-to-flag win in Race 2 to further extend his Championship lead.

Starting from pole position, Bautista once again led the race into Turn 1, before remaining unchallenged as he extended his gap at the front with the Championship leader able to take advantage of the squabbling behind him to claim victory. By the halfway mark of the race, Bautista’s gap had got up to five seconds and he continued to increase that throughout the second half of the race to claim victory by more than eight seconds.

Behind Bautista, the battle for second was taking place between four riders. Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati), Axel Bassani (Motocorsa Racing), Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) all fought it out for the remaining podium places, with the pair often swapping places. In the end, it was Bautista’s teammate Rinaldi who claimed second place after a thrilling battle, with the crucial move for Rinaldi coming on Lap 11 at Turn 1, when he passed Bassani.

As Rinaldi escaped in second place, Razgatlioglu, Rea and Bassani continued their fight with Rea moving into third place on Lap 14 as he passed both Razgatlioglu and Bassani into Turn 1. Razgatlioglu got ahead of Bassani on Lap 13 after the Italian rider made a mistake at Turn 12, which then allowed Rea to get ahead a lap later. However, on Lap 16, Rea lost a lot of time after running wide at Turn 7 which allowed both Bassani and Razgatlioglu through, although he did re-pass Bassani shortly afterwards, Razgatlioglu going on to take third.

The results allowed Bautista to extend his Championship lead to 59 points over Razgatlioglu, a gain of 29 points across the weekend, as he took his first treble since Aragon 2019 and the fourth of his career. He became the first rider to take three wins at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya and he is edging closer to 50 podiums; now on 48. Rinaldi took his 14th WorldSBK podium with second place and it is the 135th time Ducati have finished 1-2, while taking their fourth straight win at the Spanish venue. Razgatlioglu’s third place gave him his 72nd podium in WorldSBK.

Rea, after re-passing Bassani after his mistake, was able to pull out a gap to take fourth place ahead of the Italian who took fifth place. Behind Bassani came a run of three rookies who all had a strong Race 2. Xavi Vierge (Team HRC) took sixth place after taking advantage of his Superpole Race result to finish in the top six, ahead of Philipp Oettl (Team Goeleven) in seventh place. Oettl, like Vierge, gained on the grid in the Superpole Race and took advantage to conclude a strong Catalunya Round in seventh place. He was ahead of Iker Lecuona (Team HRC) in eighth place with Lecuona, who took pole in the Tissot Superpole session, taking another top-ten finish.

Loris Baz (Bonovo Action BMW) finished as the lead BMW rider in ninth place, finishing just 0.084s behind Lecuona at the end of the race. The end of the race was highlighted by a charge from Roberto Tamburini (Yamaha Motoxraxing WorldSBK Team) as the Italian rookie surged into the top ten in the closing stages, taking his best WorldSBK result to date. He demoted Luca Bernardi (BARNI Spark Racing Team) to 11th with just a couple of laps to go, with Bernardi running inside the top ten throughout the majority of the race; his best result since Race 2 at the Autodrom Most.

Lucas Mahias (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) was involved in a battle for tenth place but eventually took 12th place, finishing just 0.419s behind Bernardi at the end of the 20-lap battle. Michael van der Mark (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) was 13th ahead of fellow BMW rider Eugene Laverty (Bonovo Action BMW) in 14th and Kohta Nozane (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) who rounded out the points-paying positions with 15th.

Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) was classified in 16th place 20-lap race. The Italian rider was running inside the top ten but a Turn 10 crash on Lap 4 dropped him down the order after he re-joined the action, with Locatelli having to fight to take 16th place and missing out on a point by 2.6s. Argentinean rider Leandro Mercado (MIE Racing Honda Team) was 17th ahead of Czech rider Oliver Konig (Orelac Racing VerdNatura WorldSSP), the last classified rider in 18th place.

Two riders crashed out of the race on the opening lap with Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) going down at Turn 10 and Scott Redding (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) crashing at Turn 14; putting both riders out of the race. Redding was taken to the medical centre for a check-up following his crash, and was declared fit but diagnosed with a chest bruise. On Lap 5, Christophe Ponsson (Gil Motor Sport-Yamaha) retired from the race following a Turn 10 crash. Garrett Gerloff (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) had enjoyed a strong weekend but, in Race 2, crashed out at Turn 2 on Lap 12. Home rider Oscar Gutierrez (TPR Team Pedercini Racing) brought his Kawasaki machine into the pits to retire from the race.

Race Two Catalunya Podium (Full Results Here)

1 Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati)
2 Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +8.103s
3 Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) +9.090s

Championship Standings After Catalunya Round (Full Standings Here)

1 Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) 394 points
2 Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) 335
3 Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) 327

Technical Regulations Announced For The 2023 ASBK SuperTwins Cup

By
PB
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The mi-bike Motorcycle Insurance Australian Superbike Championship presented by Motul (ASBK) say they are pleased to announce that a new class – the SuperTwins Cup – will be introduced from Round One of the 2023 ASBK Championship. The technical regulations have just been announced. 

The SuperTwins Cup - will be introduced from Round One of the 2023 ASBK Championship.
The SuperTwins Cup – will be introduced from Round One of the 2023 ASBK Championship.

The base concept will see the SuperTwins Cup feature as a class within the Supersport Championship battle, where they will be scored separately to the in-line four-cylinder Supersport Class. The aim of the SuperTwins Cup is to develop a cost-effective mid-level platform, as a steppingstone from the ranks of the Supersport 300 class and prior to the bigger jump to the Superbike Class.

At present, four bikes are set to be homologated in SuperTwins Cup*: 

  • Aprilia RS 660 
  • Kawasaki Ninja 650  
  • Suzuki SV 650 
  • Yamaha R7 

*Australian compliant models only: 

Peter Doyle, CEO, Motorcycling Australia: “The SuperTwins Cup is a new class for the ASBK Championship in 2023 that services a number of goals: market relevance, affordability, easier race preparation and close racing. The SuperTwins Cup ticks all the boxes and we believe this will be become a popular class for fans and competitors. The Supersport class is the number two racing category in the ASBK Championship and having the SuperTwins Cup racing as a class within a class, this popular and competitive category will ensure maximum exposure as well. The ASBK Championship had market relevance as a key aim for this project and this growing segment will now be represented at the pinnacle of the sport.”

ASBK SuperTwins Technical Regulations 2023

Aussie’s Racing Abroad: September 2022

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PB
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Recording his first win since he was triumphant at Le Mans last year, an emotional Miller couldn't hide his delight with his triumph, doing the Aussie athlete tradition of a "shoey".

With many Australians showcasing their skills abroad in a range of disciplines both on-track and off-road, our monthly column focuses on how they’re faring battling it out with the best in their chosen classes against the best riders in the world. Edward Sratmann has our September update…

Miller has been in a class of his own when it comes to Aussies racing overseas this year...
Miller has been in a class of his own when it comes to Aussies racing overseas this year…

Jack Miller – MotoGP
Jack Miller ended the month of September in scintillating fashion by recording an outstanding victory in Japan. Looking fast all weekend and riding full of authority, composure and intelligence, there would be no denying the likeable Australian, on a day where he finished 3.409s ahead of Brad Binder in second.

Recording his first win since he was triumphant at Le Mans last year, an emotional Miller couldn’t hide his delight with his triumph. “It was an emotional one that’s for certain, as it always is with me, I don’t know why. I was crying like a baby on the in-lap. It was awesome, I didn’t know I had that in me, it was amazing to lead from almost start to finish,” he disclosed.

Recording his first win since he was triumphant at Le Mans last year, an emotional Miller couldn't hide his delight with his triumph, doing the Aussie athlete tradition of a "shoey".
Recording his first win since he was triumphant at Le Mans last year, an emotional Miller couldn’t hide his delight with his triumph, doing the Aussie athlete tradition of a “shoey”.

“When you’re riding or racing like that, the biggest opponent you’ve got is the man inside your head – so I was just trying to not listen to him too much, and it was relatively easy to not listen to him today when the bike’s working as well as it was. I got asked afterwards whether that was the race of my life, and I’d have to say 100 percent yes. Ever since we kicked things off here in Japan on Friday afternoon, I felt incredible on the bike. Everything felt like it was coming relatively easy. The bike was working fantastic and every little thing we tried was getting better.”

While the rest of the month saw him mix the highs, such as coming fifth in Aragon, with the lows, his 18th at San Marino, Miller now heads into Thailand buoyed with confidence following his win in Japan.

Remy Gardner's challenging first campaign in MotoGP continued, with him scoring an 18th place finish at Silverstone and 20th in Austria.
Remy has been struggling all year with the KTM. Hopefully he will see some more success on a WorldSBK machine…

Remy Gardner – MotoGP
Having confirmed his switch to World Superbikes for next season after a frustrating campaign that’s been littered with obstacles, such as being axed by KTM, niggling injuries and issues with the bike, Remy Gardner has admirably kept plugging away.

Obtaining a decent 19th in San Marino, a great 16th at Aragon, where he fought doggedly before ultimately missing the points, and a 19th at Motegi, it’s hard to fault his recent efforts considering the circumstances he’s in.

Knowing he hasn't got the package to beat the big guns in the class, he's still finishing his races and gaining vital experience in this elite class.
Knowing he hasn’t got the package to beat the big guns in the class, he’s still finishing his races and gaining vital experience in this elite class.

Knowing he hasn’t got the package to beat the big guns in the class, he’s still finishing his races and gaining vital experience in this elite class that will surely hold the former Moto2 World Champion in good stead for his future endeavors.

Senna Agius – Moto2
Serving as Sam Lowes’ replacement for two more rounds as the Brit recovered from injury for the Marc VDS Racing Team in Moto2, Senna Agius keeps highlighting his class. After an unsatisfactory round at Misano, where he unintentionally took out Filip Salac to DNF, the man who usually competes in European Moto2 got back in the groove at Aragon.

Coming in to replace the injured Sam Lowes for the Marc VDS Racing Team in Moto2, Senna Agius, who usually competes in European Moto2 Championship, admirably handled the step up in class. Photo: Marc VDS Racing.
Coming in to replace the injured Sam Lowes for the Marc VDS Racing Team in Moto2, Senna Agius, who usually competes in European Moto2 Championship, admirably handled the step up in class. Photo: Marc VDS Racing.

Grabbing a terrific 16th in what was his third Moto2 race, things could’ve been even better for him had he not had to perform two long lap penalties – one for the aforementioned Salac move and one for exceeding track limits. Putting in lap times that rivalled those inside the top 10 and gaining crucial experience duking it out in this fiercely competitive division, the Sydneysider will have learned plenty yet again while instilling himself with the belief he can compete at this high level.

“I felt really mentally solid out there today. After the first long lap I just put my head down and caught the group again. I was managing the drop of the tyres really well compared to the last races where I kind of lost my way a bit. I met some personal goals there,” he insisted. “In the end I was pushing a bit hard and on the exit of turn 10 in the third sector, I ran onto the track limit. I knew I had made a mistake. But I didn’t give up on the last lap. A top twelve was definitely on the cards today. We have to take these two penalties into consideration and be happy about today.”

Come the race on Sunday, there was much to be admired about his determined day at the office, which saw him finish the race in 22nd, roughly 27 seconds back from winner Ayumu Sasaki. Photo: Joel Kelso Racing.
Although his last three races haven’t been what he’s looking for, positives can still be extracted from Joel Kelso’s September even though he had a DNF at the Japanese GP last weekend. Photo: Joel Kelso Racing.

Joel Kelso – Moto3
Although his last three races haven’t been what he’s looking for, positives can still be extracted from Joel Kelso’s September even though he had a DNF at the Japanese GP last weekend. To start with Misano, and the way he scorched through the field from 30th to finish 14th was very impressive indeed, as he demonstrated his super speed.

Off to Aragon with momentum, sadly his race day was scuppered when Ryusei Yamanaka crashed near him on the first lap, thus forcing Kelso to avoid him, which cost him valuable time. Pushed to the back and effectively ruining his race, ultimately had to settling for 21st.

Having been forced to sit out for roughly six weeks due to injury, Kelso finally made his Moto3 comeback in Austria. Photo: Joel Kelso Racing.
Kelso will be making the move to CFMOTO Moto3 team for the 2023 season… Photo: Joel Kelso Racing.

Another interesting piece of news surrounding the 19-year-old comes in the form of the announcement that he’ll be switching teams to CFMOTO for the 2023 Moto3 crusade. “First of all, I’m really excited about this new project for next year, being a part of the team and racing for CFMOTO Racing PruestelGP,” gleamed Kelso.

“Honestly, the goal is to be in the front in most of the races and I think it’s a doable task for me. Especially since the team is very strong, experienced and competitive. I want to show my speed, so I’m grateful to have the opportunity at CFMOTO to fight for podiums.”

Jason O'Halloran continued his excellent form at round six of the BSB Championship at Thruxton by going 1-1-3. Photo: BSB.
Having endured some challenging recent rounds that saw him relinquish the championship lead, Jason O’Halloran was desperate to get back on track at the first of the three Showdown rounds. Photo: BSB Championship.

Jason O’Halloran – British Superbike
Having endured some challenging recent rounds that saw him relinquish the championship lead, Jason O’Halloran was desperate to get back on track at the first of the three Showdown rounds. Starting his weekend promisingly to secure third in qualifying, things took a turn for the worse in the races, though. Crashing twice after collisions in two of the races, it just wasn’t his weekend at all, with luck clearly not on his side at Oulton Park.*

When speaking after the first spill, it was clear the weekend’s action left him devastated and dejected. “I’m disappointed, we’ve worked all year for this and someone that’s not even in it has just absolutely cleaned me out,” he lamented.

Heading into Caldwell Park, the "O Show" holds a crucial 24 point lead over Ray, as his immaculate recent form has propelled him into a commanding position. Photo: BSB Championship.
Jason has been working extremely hard this year as he sits in 5th on the leader board. Photo: BSB Championship.

“Physically I’m alright, the bike is bent in half so the boys have got a big job on tonight. I’m gutted, I was lining Tommy up for a pass into the last turn, it should have been 20 points for us and now we are a pretty big chunk behind. I’ve worked my balls off all year for this and I’ve been taken out just like that. I felt like I was riding really well, we did a couple of 1:33s in the race which I was really happy about and I had the pace to match Tommy, Brad had a bit more but I definitely had enough for second so I’m sure we’ll be in the fight tomorrow.”

With his title charge as good as over with two rounds left, the Aussie should still be proud of his efforts, as he’s shown consistently what an accomplished rider he is.

Jacob Roulstone and Harrison Voight – Red Bull Rookies & Moto3 Junior World Championship
Jacob Roulstone and Harrison Voight returned to action in the The Red Bull Rookies Cup at Aragon, as both enjoyed solid weekends at the office.

In the case of Roulstone, it was another valuable weekend of work, for he displayed some handy pace in the first race especially, where he methodically worked his way through the field after a rocky start to finish 13th. The second race didn’t go as well for him courtesy of him getting bumped off the track and then getting hit in the head with a knee slider, thus dropping him way back. To his credit, though, Roulstone recalibrated his focus and stuck at it, with him eventually clawing himself back to 17th.

Harrison Voight will be back in Australia racing a Supersport 600 machine at The Bend for the ASBK Finale...
Harrison Voight will be back in Australia racing a Supersport 600 machine at The Bend for the ASBK Finale…

Meanwhile, Voight’s Aragon adventure got off to a sparkling start, qualifying in an outstanding fourth position to kick off his weekend wonderfully. Desperate to translate his pace into race day, unfortunately things didn’t go as well as he envisaged. But Voight nonetheless registered a commendable ninth in the opening race and 11th in the final stanza of the day. “A good start to the weekend yet a not so satisfying end. Although I have a positive mindset knowing I had a crack & also what I need to work harder on,” he said afterwards.

Sitting 10th in the championship in a class that’s full of gifted youngsters heading into the final round, there’s every chance he could rise even higher if everything goes to plan at the Valencia round.

With teammate Gino Rea suffering a horrific head injury following a frightening crash, Hook and Mike de Meglio were forced to compete as a two man team while their colleague was in intensive care.
Drawing the curtain on his 2022 season by becoming EWC Champion, Josh Hook rounded out the year in fine style.

Josh Hook – FIM EWC Endurance
Drawing the curtain on his 2022 season by becoming EWC Champion, Josh Hook rounded out the year in fine style.

Getting the job done by virtue of their fourth placed finish at the 100th anniversary of the Bol d’Or at Paul Ricard circuit in Le Castellet, the Aussie and his TSR Honda France teammates in Mike Di Meglio and Alan Techer couldn’t have been happier at the completion of the gruelling 24 hour race.

In what was a hugely eventful Suzuka 8 Hours race, Josh Hook did everything in his power to help his F.C.C TSR Honda France team claim a hard-fought 10th.
The Aussie and his team have had an excellent year of endurance racing. Winning the Championship once again!

Having faced some adversity with tire and radiator problems during the race, which dropped them back to 27th, they produced a magnificent comeback as a collective to ultimately secure fourth place to ensure their status as World Champions.

“I have learned from the past to never take a result for granted before the chequered flag. We have come back from complicated situations in the past and nothing is ever certain,” a delighted Hook told the Honda website. “Like everyone else, we did our race and never gave up. We did very well, all three of us were fast, especially at night. We were quickly no longer in a position to fight for victory, so we focused on the championship, which was clearly the priority goal. We chose to take care of the engine as much as possible to avoid the problems that most of our competitors have. And it’s done!”

Although the results haven't always matched his speed in an action packed month of MXGP, Mitch Evans has illustrated why he's one of the fastest men in the class. Photo: Team Honda HRC.
Ending a largely positive MXGP season 10th in the hugely competitive class, Mitch Evans should be proud of his efforts even though his results didn’t always match his undoubted pace. Photo: Team Honda HRC.

Mitch Evans – MXGP
Ending a largely positive MXGP season 10th in the hugely competitive class, Mitch Evans should be proud of his efforts even though his results didn’t always match his undoubted pace. While he produced some exceptional rides, such as his qualifying race win in Sweden, the popular Aussie was still slightly disappointed he couldn’t achieve his goal of securing a podium. But all things considered, it was fantastic to see him come back from his long-term wrist injury to complete the entire season.

Building as the campaign progressed and showing he had the speed to match it with the frontrunners on a variety of surfaces, there was much to admire about his crusade.

After missing the entire 2021 MXGP season with a troublesome wrist injury, it's been terrific to see Team Honda HRC's Mitch Evans back at the races.
Building as the campaign progressed and showing he had the speed to match it with the frontrunners on a variety of surfaces, there was much to admire about his crusade.

Marcus Pereira de Freitas, HRC MXGP General Manager, gave an insightful summary of his 2022, explaining: “For Mitch, we really thought he could achieve his goal of a podium, and for the first part of race one it looked really likely. However, we are still proud of his efforts because he never gave up and put in all the work necessary to get back to the front of the field. The results might not always show it, but he is one of the best motocross riders on the planet.”

Jed Beaton – MXGP
Starting the season off with a bang in MXGP by banking a masterful sixth overall at Matterley Basin, Jed Beaton proved he has what it takes to duel with the elite pilots in MXGP. Frustratingly, though, he was unable to replicate this effort for the remainder of the term due to a shoulder injury he suffered at Mantova, which severely impacted the rest of his term.

Jed Beaton deserves credit for battling through the pain to show he belongs at this elite level.
Starting the season off with a bang in MXGP by banking a masterful sixth overall at Matterley Basin, Jed Beaton proved he has what it takes to duel with the elite pilots in MXGP.

Forced to sit out a few rounds after initially attempting to carry on, upon his return to action, the F&H Kawasaki man bravely rode through the pain to put in some credible results on his way to closing the season with nine top fifteen overall finishes.

“It’s been a tough and struggling year to say the least, I don’t really have too much to say about it as it’s done now and I can just move forward. I’m sure this year will make me a better person/athlete overall in the future,” he stated. “I just want to say a huge thank you to every single person at F&H Kawasaki Racing Team, they all play a part in us going racing week in, week out. They were all behind me in the good and bad times, and I’ll be forever thankful for that! Even though it wasn’t a good year on the bike it was still awesome to be a part of the team this year – thanks for having me.”

Clinching his second consecutive 250 AMA Pro Motocross championship, Jett Lawrence was unquestionably a cut above his competitors once more. Photo: HRC.
Clinching his second consecutive 250 AMA Pro Motocross championship, Jett Lawrence was unquestionably a cut above his competitors once more. Photo: HRC.

Jett Lawrence – AMA Pro Motocross
Clinching his second consecutive 250 AMA Pro Motocross championship in style by claiming the overall at Pala II to accompany his 250 East Supercross title, Jett Lawrence was unquestionably a cut above his competitors once more.

Winning nine of the 12 rounds, there was no stopping the gifted 19-year-old on his path to glory. Riding with consistency and with a maturity that belies his tender years, the ultra fast Australian’s crown was the latest step in a career that’s destined to be littered with even more silverware.

Limiting the damage on his off days and able to cope if he got a poor start, the effortlessly speedy Honda HRC wizard cut a content figure when reflecting on his outdoor campaign. “It’s awesome to get it done back-to-back. I’m definitely grateful,” he asserted.

“The team has been awesome this year. Honda brought out an awesome new CRF250R and I’m super pumped to be on it again in Supercross next year. I’m also excited to ride the 450 in Pro Motocross next summer.”

Falling just short of making it a clean sweep for the Lawrence brothers in the 250s, Hunter was forced to settle for second in the 250 West standings, a measly 10 points behind Christian Craig.
Not riding to his full potential, making some uncharacteristic mistakes and enduring the odd bike issue, Hunter Lawrence incredibly finished his motocross season without an overall victory.

Hunter Lawrence – AMA Pro Motocross
Not riding to his full potential, making some uncharacteristic mistakes and enduring the odd bike issue, Hunter Lawrence incredibly finished his motocross season without an overall victory unfortunately.

Knowing he has the speed to match it with anyone on his day, the older Lawrence brother still impressively recorded nine overall podiums. Engaging in some captivating battles with Jett and Jo Shimoda and highlighting what a skilful operator he is, claiming third in the standings wasn’t a bad outcome in the end. Eager to come out swinging in 2023 to truly stamp his mark and win a title after coming close indoors and outdoors, expect him to be a major player in both disciplines.

Entering the Motocross of Nations as one of the favourites, Team Australia, that consisted of the Lawrence brothers and Mitch Evans, did their country proud by bagging a tremendous third overall.
Entering the Motocross of Nations as one of the favourites, Team Australia, that consisted of the Lawrence brothers and Mitch Evans, did their country proud by bagging a tremendous third overall.

Team Australia Motocross of Nations
Entering the Motocross of Nations as one of the favourites, Team Australia, that consisted of the Lawrence brothers and Mitch Evans, did their country proud by bagging a tremendous third overall. Starting off the showpiece tidily, their third place in qualifying served as a good omen for things to come, as the Aussies looked comfortable and fast on the RedBud circuit.

Come race day, and all three men did their job in the rain soaked, treacherous conditions to propel the boys from Down Under onto the podium. While Evans and Hunter Lawrence proved their quality to claim ninth and second in their respective classes, Jett’s debut on the 450 was particularly impressive, as the 19-year-old immediately found his rhythm to win the Open class ahead of seasoned stars like Chase Sexton and Dylan Ferrandis.

Come race day, and all three men did their job in the rain soaked, treacherous conditions to propel the boys from Down Under onto the podium.
Come race day, and all three men did their job in the rain soaked, treacherous conditions to propel the boys from Down Under onto the podium.

“It is great to get on the podium with Team Australia. It hasn’t happened much in our history, so to be part of a team that’s done it is a massive honour,” Evans stated after the event. “The first moto went well, just rode a nice consistent race and kept a good pace throughout. I knew it was important to get us off to a good start and together with Hunter we did that in race one. Jett and Hunter then did a great race two to give us a solid shot at the podium, and that’s what happened in race three.”

“I would have liked to have done a bit better but it’s motocross and anything can happen, but thankfully we still did well enough to land on the podium. A big thank you to all of the team for the job they did in what ended up being really tough conditions, and I can’t wait to be part of this event again, where we will try to do even better.”

MotoGP Reports: All The Action From Motorland Aragón!

By
PB
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Dramatic MotorLand Aragón showdown sees Bastianini depose Bagnaia as Quartararo clashes with Marquez. Just 17 points now cover the top three in the title fight as Bastianini vs Bagnaia goes to the wire, Quartararo hits bad luck early and Aleix Espargaro completes the podium!

Friday
Prima Pramac Racing’s Jorge Martin heads into Saturday’s action at the Gran Premio Animoca Brands de Aragón with the time to beat after his 1:47.402 proved just enough to pip World Championship leader Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) to the top. Johann Zarco made it two Prima Pramac Racing Ducatis in the top three but some headlines were stolen as Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) enjoyed a successful Friday back in the office – the Spaniard ended Day 1 in P8, 0.359s off P1.

The times tumbled straight away in the afternoon as FP1 pacesetter Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) went from P1 down to P11, with Marc Marquez briefly sitting fastest before Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) climbed to the summit.

Then, after rising to P4, Aleix Espargaro crashed for the second time on Friday. The title chaser tucked the front at Turn 14 and was thankfully unhurt, but it wasn’t the start to FP2 Espargaro needed. Halfway through the afternoon stint, Marc Marquez, as we saw at the Misano Test, ventured out on the much talked about Kalex swingarm HRC have been testing, with Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) then leading the way at the top.

Heading into the final 10 minutes, the top four riders – Viñales, Bagnaia, Quartararo and Luca Marini (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) – were split by just 0.051s. But the time attacks were about to come in. Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) set a 1:47.665 to go fastest before both Quartararo and then Martin bettered Rins’ time, with Martin leading the way by 0.074.

Marc Marquez was then shadowing Martin and the eight-time World Champion set three red sectors. However, a small mistake at the final corner saw the number 93 climb higher into the top 10 as the likes of Zarco and Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) improved late on.

Behind Quartararo in the Pramac sandwich, Bastianini’s last lap in FP2 saw the Italian claim fourth on the combined timesheets, one place ahead of compatriot and 2023 teammate Pecco. The 2021 MotorLand Aragón GP race winner settled for P5 on the opening day, a couple of tenths shy of Martin. Rins and Viñales head into Saturday P6 and P7 on the timesheets, with Marc Marquez a very impressive P8 – and there was a beaming smile when he arrived back in the box at the end of the session.

Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) and Marini close out the top 10, but a big story of the day is Aleix Espargaro – one of the pre-race favourites – finishing outside the top 10 after his two crashes. A crucial FP3 lies ahead for the Aprilia star in his pursuit of an automatic place in Q2…

MotoGP MotorLand Aragón Friday Top Three (Full Results Here)

1 Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) – Ducati – 1’47.402
2 Fabio Quartararo (Ducati Lenovo Team) – Ducati – +0.074
3 Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing) – Ducati – +0.107

Saturday
With so many big names starting Q1, someone was bound to be disappointed and it turned out that Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) would be one of them. He was quickest after the first runs on a 1:46.909 before Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing) went to the top on a 1:46.843, but then then Aleix Espargaro usurped both with a 1:46.569. Eight-time World Champion Marquez was unable to improve as a Yellow Flag came out too, and he will start 13th, sharing Row 5 with Luca Marini (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) and Fabio Di Giannantonio (Gresini Racing MotoGP™).

Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) had his first crash of the year, the usual front-end wash-out at Turn 2, and is set to start 16th alongside Alex Marquez (LCR Honda Castrol) and Pol Espargaro (Repsol Honda Team). The latter was the crasher late in the Q1 session at Turn 5, the yellow flag cancelling a faster lap from team-mate Marc Marquez, among others.

As Q2 got underway, it was Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) who bolted out of the blocks with a 1:46.580 on his initial flying lap, and that would still be the benchmark when the first runs came to an end. As the track went quiet at the midway point, Bagnaia was still second on a 1:46.633 and Miller – one of two with a soft Michelin slick on the front as well as the rear (the other being Team Suzuki Ecstar’s Alex Rins) – was third. Quartararo was only seventh on a 1:46.952 and Aleix Espargaro sat 11th with a 1:48.742, but having reused a rear tyre after coming through Q1.

Once Espargaro got a new soft Michelin slick onto the back of his RS-GP, he was able to go second-quickest on a 1:46.590. That became third when Bagnaia set the 1:46.069 – 0.253 seconds up on his year-old lap record – before Bastianini clocked a 1:46.313 and then Miller a 1:46.159. Those laps decided the front row – a Ducati lockout – and Espargaro would be classified fourth.

At a tougher track for man and machine, Quartararo was pushing hard to make up the deficit to Bagnaia and company when he was forced into a super save at Turn 2 on his penultimate lap, which ruined that flyer but gave ‘El Diablo’ a fighting chance. Quartararo was only 10th when the chequered flag came out and dug ever so deep with his final attempt, but the 1:46.802 was only able to move him up to sixth. Starting between Espargaro and Yamaha’s Frenchman on Row 2 will be another Frenchman in Zarco, who also advanced from Q1 before setting a 1:46.646 in Q2.

Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team), Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) and Rins lock out Row 3, the latter a place ahead of where he started when he won at MotorLand. Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) is in tenth ahead of teammate Miguel Oliveira and Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu).

MotoGP MotorLand Aragón Front Row (Full Results Here)

1 Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) – Ducati – 1’46.069
2 Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) – Ducati –  +0.090
3 Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing MotoGP) – Ducati – +0.244

Sunday
The Gran Premio Animoca Brands de Aragón may well prove a truly pivotal day in the 2022 season, with the headlines overflowing almost from lights out and the top three in the title fight now split by only 17 points. By the flag, Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) had served some Misano-flavoured revenge on Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) as the two duelled it out on the final lap for the win, and Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) was both back on the podium and back in serious Championship contention.

Before all that, Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) hit some serious bad luck as he made contact with Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) after a slide for the number 93. The Championship leader crashed out, Marquez continued and then suffered a technical problem from the prior contact that saw Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) caught in the crossfire. From there, the pitboards went out for the other key Championship protagonists – Quartararo out – and the lay of the land after MotorLand is now a whole different story as the paddock heads to Japan.

Where do we start? Bagnaia headed the field into Turn 1 after a dream start off pole position but it was a nightmare for several riders behind him. From 13th on the grid, Marquez was already up to sixth when he then had a moment exiting Turn 3 and closed the throttle, leaving Quartararo with nowhere to go. The Frenchman rammed the back of the RC213V and was thrown off, sliding into the run off. Rider ok, but a 0 on the board. Next the Marquez-Nakagami contact that saw the Japanese rider slide off and a host of riders forced into avoiding action, a second shot of huge drama. Not long after, Marc Marquez would also pit.

After all that, Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) had jumped from 10th on the grid to fifth and then somehow threaded his way past another three bikes to be running an incredible second midway through Lap 1, ahead of Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team), Bastianini, and Aleix Espargaro. Miller then overtook the South African on Lap 3 at Turn 1 and Bastianini did likewise exactly a lap later, putting the KTM back to fourth, but he wasn’t done yet.

Bastianini wasn’t either and he continued his progress with a move on Miller for second on Lap 6 at Turn 15, before Binder executed an impressive overtake on the Australian through Turn 4 on Lap 7. In the blink of an eye, Miller was all the way back to fifth as Espargaro also got through, at Turn 7.

Bad news for one Ducati rider, then, but the Bologna marque’s future factory pairing was about to engage in combat over first position – just as they did two weeks earlier at Misano. Bastianini got the move done at Turn 1 on Lap 9 and it looked like the Gresini rider might be able to pull away, given the pace advantage he seemed to have over Pecco. Instead, he outbraked himself half a lap later at Turn 12 and went very deep, handing the lead back to Bagnaia and barely holding off Binder through the chicane.

From there, however, Bagnaia and Bastianini started to put the hammer down, their margin over Binder up to one full second on Lap 12, two seconds on Lap 18, and three seconds after just one more. The Bologna bullets were trading quick laps around MotorLand Aragón, and there was still no certainty over who would prevail. Bastianini twice had looks at Turn 16 and thought better of it, but would there be one last attack?

There sure would be! Bastianini sprung a surprise move on his works counterpart on the final lap at the tight Turn 7 right-hander and he was through, cuing up some sweet revenge for home race defeat at Misano. Bagnaia did give chase and when he got a better run off the final corner, it was still in the balance, but the finish line was close enough to the exit of Turn 17 that Bastianini was just able to cling on by a margin of just 0.042 seconds. Another stunning duel, and in the last two races, that means the total of the gaps between those two at the chequered flag totals a mere 0.076 seconds.

As for the other podium position, that went to Espargaro but it was a late attack as Binder held station for much of the race. The Aprilia and Miller tailed Binder for much of the contest before Aprilia’s ‘Captain’ pulled off the block pass at the start of the penultimate lap, and that was decisive. Espargaro finished six seconds behind the top two but Binder was just 0.240 seconds behind him at the chequered flag, and Miller only another 0.585 seconds in arrears in fifth.

Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) took sixth after a late battle with fellow Ducati rider Luca Marini (Mooney VR46 Racing Team), who got home in seventh ahead of Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing), Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar), and Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team). Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) earned 11th, with the rest of the points finishers being Alex Marquez (LCR Honda Castrol) – who dusted himself off after a Warm Up crash – Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing), Cal Crutchlow (WithU Yamaha RNF MotoGP™ team), and Pol Espargaro (Repsol Honda Team).

A total of 20 riders made the chequered flag with Marc Marquez, Quartararo, and Nakagami the only retirements. Nakagami escaped fairly unscathed from the drama but was declared unfit for Japan for a finger injury, so he’ll need to pass a medical ahead of his home race.

And so the paddock says goodbye to MotorLand as we head for Motegi for the first time since 2019. The dust will take some time to settle but it’s a quick turnaround for the paddock heading into the Motul Grand Prix of Japan, and there’s not too much time to catch your breath before actions gets back underway next weekend. 

Enea Bastianini: “Another good race and good battle like in Misano! My start was difficult, when Aleix overtook me I went a bit long and lost some positions compared to where I started but on Lap 9 I was back on top and then made a mistake at turn 10 and went off, but I thought ‘ok, now I have to stay clam to close the gap to Pecco’. He was really fast like Misano and made no mistakes, like Misano, but on the last lap I was closer and I won! It’s amazing for me to be back on top, and I’m happy. I didn’t think about which corner to try and make the overtake, but when I saw Pecco really close Turn 5, I thought then was the time to overtake and at Turn 7 I was really strong in this race.”

MotoGP MotorLand Aragón Podium (Full Results Here)

1 Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) – Ducati – 41:35.462
2 Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) – Ducati – +0.042
3 Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) – Aprilia – +6.139

Moto2 MotorLand Aragón
Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Pedro Acosta was back on top at the Gran Premio Animoca Brands de Aragón, picking up his second Moto2 win and the first since breaking his left femur in a training accident. Flexbox HP40 rider Aron Canet took the chequered flag 2.612 seconds back in second, just edging out Augusto Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo) – but the number 37 extended his lead by three points as Ai Ogura (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) took fourth.

At the start, Fernandez got the jump from pole position and led the Shimoku GASGAS Aspar Team duo of Jake Dixon and Albert Arenas through the opening corners. San Marino GP winner Alonso Lopez (CAG Speed Up) launched well, but then drama hit as he crashed out and mayhem unfolded behind as Marcel Schrötter (Liqui Moly Intact GP) hit the deck as well, with a number of other riders forced into avoiding action too.

At the front, as Dixon gave chase to Fernandez, Canet passed Arenas on Lap 1, and so did Acosta at the start of Lap 2. Hopes of a fightback were dashed just half a lap later when Arenas crashed at Turn 12 – with both Manuel Gonzalez (Yamaha VR46 Master Camp Team) and Jeremy Alcoba (Liqui Moly Intact GP) joining him on the floor there just moments later in a separate incident.

Fernandez had pulled a second clear of Dixon on Lap 3 as Canet and Acosta traded third position amongst themselves. In a flash, Dixon dropped from second to fifth on Lap 4 when Acosta went past at Turn 12, Canet at Turn 14, and Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) through the sweeping Turn 16/Turn 17 left-hander. Ogura – who started eighth – tried to join the party on Lap 6 at Turn 1, and while he could not make the move stick at that point in time, the Japanese rider was not going to let the Briton off the hook.

Meanwhile, Acosta was catching Fernandez, reducing the margin to less than a second on Lap 7. Even when he ran wide exiting the Reverse Corkscrew on Lap 8 and gifted second place to Canet, they were still catching the pole-sitter. Acosta made up for his error by re-passing Canet at the end of Lap 9, but by then both were on the tail of Fernandez.

On Lap 10, Acosta blazed past his team-mate Fernandez as they ran up the back straight, while it was Arbolino’s Turn to get into a battle with Canet over third . That would ultimately be resolved when ‘Tiger Tony’ ran wide through the Turn 16/Turn 17 sweeper on Lap 11 and let Canet back through.

Acosta was a full second clear of Fernandez on Lap 14, and two seconds up on the World Championship leader after just three laps more, but Canet was stalking Fernandez. He made his move into the Reverse Corkscrew on Lap 19, and never looked back. Forward of him, however, was three seconds’ worth of fresh air with just a handful of kilometres remaining and that was the podium places settled.

Far from settled was the battle for fourth. Ogura had finally passed Dixon for good at Turn 16 back on Lap 15, and set about throwing down the challenge to Arbolino. They chopped and changed position in the final laps, with Ogura going down the inside yet again at Turn 12 on Lap 21. As he did so, Dixon threw away sixth when he slid out, but the Ogura-Arbolino duel raged on. Into the Turn 16/Turn 17 left-hander at the end of the lap, the Italian sent his Marc VDS entry down the inside but could not make the move stick and had to settle for fifth, just 0.067 seconds behind the Japanese rider.

Sixth went to Fermin Aldeguer (CAG Speed Up), from Somkiat Chantra (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia), Jorge Navarro (Flexbox HP40), Joe Roberts (Italtrans Racing Team), and Celestino Vietti (Mooney VR46 Racing Team), the latter of whom inherited 10th as a result of Dixon’s late spill. The rest of the points finishers, from 11th onwards, were Cameron Beaubier (American Racing), Lorenzo Dalla Porta (Italtrans Racing Team), Barry Baltus (RW Racing GP), Alessandro Zaccone (Gresini Racing Moto2™), and Bo Bendsneyder (Pertamina Mandalika SAG Team).

Fernandez might have missed out on victory, but a MotoGP™ contract to ride for GASGAS Factory Racing, a Moto2™ pole position, and a podium which built his World Championship lead is not bad. His margin over Ogura is now seven points, with Canet third at another 30 points behind. Vietti faded further into fourth, with the Italian’s deficit blowing out to 52 points with just five rounds to go.

Moto2 MotorLand Aragón Podium (Full Results Here)

1 Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Ajo) – Kalex – 39’35.337
2 Aron Canet (Flexbox HP40) – Kalex – +2.612
3 Augusto Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo) – Kalex – +3.799

Moto3 MotorLand Aragón
Izan Guevara (Autosolar GASGAS Aspar Team) remains undefeated on home turf in 2022 after the Championship leader put in an imperious performance at MotorLand Aragón. With only Ayumu Sasaki (Sterilgarda Husqvarna Max) able to stay in the same postcode, it became a duel for the win before Guevara pulled clear for those valuable 25 points and a 33 point lead. Sasaki took second and another MotorLand podium, moving him closer to the top three overall, with Daniel Holgado (Red Bull KTM Ajo) completing the rostrum for his first ever Grand Prix podium.

Off the line it was as-you-were at the front, with Guevara leading Sasaki and Holgado away and the trio building a gap, too. John McPhee (Sterilgarda Husqvarna Max) was on the charge leading a chasing quintet, along with Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Tech3), Ivan Ortola (Angeluss MTA Team) and Tatsuki Suzuki (Leopard Racing), before another gap back to a group that included Sergio Garcia (Autosolar GASGAS Aspar Team) and Dennis Foggia (Leopard Racing).

By 10 to go, the top trio pounded on but the group behind had closed up. Öncü was leading it but continuing to lose ground, with David Muñoz (BOE Motorsports) next up and starting to make some moves. That gaggle was a classic freight train battle, but one of Muñoz’ moves was deemed too much as he got a Long Lap for a move making contact with Adrian Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Tech3) a few laps later. 

Meanwhile at the front, Guevara and Sasaki had got the hammer down. Holgado started to lose touch with the duo as the gap grew to over a second and then beyond that, with the fight for the win quickly becoming a duel.

Onto the last lap though, Guevara had some time in hand, turning the screw even further to pull out a few tenths. The last final kilometers of racing saw Sasaki shadow the number 28 but find no answer for his pace, leaving Guevara to cross the line with just under a second of advantage for an imperious win – and a big advantage in the standings. Sasaki takes second and gains points on all his key rivals except the rider just ahead, with Holgado putting in an impressive ride to take his first ever GP podium in third.

Öncü was able to pull away from the freight train fight to take a comfortable fourth, leaving the battle behind to get decided on the drag to the line. Despite getting pushed off earlier in the race by Muñoz, Fernandez came back to take fifth place and his best ever result, just ahead of Ivan Ortola (Angeluss MTA Team) as the rookie likewise took his best finish. Muñoz was just a tenth behind them, with Jaume Masia (Red Bull KTM Ajo) in eighth, Carlos Tatay (CFMoto Racing PrüstelGP) and McPhee completing the top ten.

Xavier Artigas (CFMoto Racing PrüstelGP) pipped Suzuki to P11, with Garcia struggling in the latter stages to move forward and the former points leader finishing the race in P13 – just ahead of Foggia after tough day for two key protagonists in the title fight. The final point went to Diogo Moreira (MT Helmets – MSI) despite a Long Lap for track limits.

Guevara now leads the field to Motegi with a 33-point lead as Garcia and Foggia are left licking their wounds after a tough start to the triple-header. Sasaki moves up to 13 behind Foggia before his first race on home soil since 2019, and with his experience that could prove crucial too. Tune in for more next weekend!

Moto3 Motorland Aragón Podium (Full Results Here)

1 Izan Guevara (Autosolar GASGAS Aspar Team) – GASGAS – 37:29.944
2 Ayumu Sasaki (Sterilgarda Max Racing Team) – Husqvarna – +0.987
3 Daniel Holgado (Red Bull KTM Ajo) – KTM –  +6.536

New Poducts: Pirelli DIABLO Supercorsa V4’s Landing Soon!

By
PB
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The fourth generation of Pirelli DIABLO Supercorsa tyres, both in the SP racing street version and SC option (available in different compounds and designed for track use), is successfully completing final stages of development and testing.

The new Pirelli DIABLO Supercorsa, both in SP race replica and SC compound versions, is in the final stages of development and testing, to be on sale from the beginning of 2023. Check out what we know about the new hoops below…

The fourth generation of Pirelli DIABLO Supercorsa tyres, both in the SP racing street version and SC option (available in different compounds and designed for track use), is successfully completing final stages of development and testing.
The fourth generation of Pirelli DIABLO Supercorsa tyres, both in the SP racing street version and SC option (available in different compounds and designed for track use), is successfully completing final stages of development and testing.

The fourth generation of Pirelli DIABLO Supercorsa tyres, both in the SP racing street version and SC option (available in different compounds and designed for track use), is successfully completing final stages of development and testing and it will be available to the public from the start of 2023. Compared to its predecessor, the DIABLO Supercorsa V4 is completely renewed in terms of tread design, compounds, structures and profiles. 

DIABLO Supercorsa was created thanks to the experience of Pirelli in the FIM Superbike World Championship, which since 2004 has partnered with the Italian tyre company as its sole supplier. After having launched in 2005 the DIABLO Superbike slick tyre for exclusive use on the track and designed for the maximum competition of derived from the series, in 2007 Pirelli presented the racing tyre DIABLO Supercorsa SC, which was followed in 2008 by the SP (Sport Production).

Rea’s second place gave him his 224th podium and ninth this year as well as Kawasaki’s 498th in WorldSBK.
DIABLO Supercorsa was created thanks to the experience of Pirelli in the FIM Superbike World Championship, which since 2004 has partnered with the Italian tyre company as its sole supplier.

Over time, THE DIABLO Supercorsa SP has become the reference supersport tyre for riders looking to get the maximum out of their high-performance machines without needing to carry an extra set of tyre when they hit the track…


Pirelli say their moto is “We sell what we race, we race what we sell” to indicate how the same tyres used by professional riders can be purchased by all motorcyclists. To date, DIABLO Supercorsa SP remains one of the best and most direct example of technological transfer from the track to the road among Pirelli tyres, since it shares the profiles and many materials and technologies used for the structure with the SC version.

Want WorldSBK tech in your road tyres? Make sure you don't look past the new DIABLO Supercorsa's.
Want WorldSBK tech in your road tyres? Make sure you don’t look past the new DIABLO Supercorsa’s.

But unlike the SC version, which uses full racing compounds, the SP adopts a dual compound solution, with a racing compound on the shoulders and a road compound in the central band, to meet road requirements. The SC version, available in different compounds designed to adapt to different asphalt conditions and temperatures, remains a great choice for professional, semi-professional or trackday enthusiasts who want a treaded tyre capable of offering maximum performance on the track.

Editor’s Note: If you are reading this article on any website other than BikeReview.com.au, please report it to BikeReview via our contact page, as it has been stolen or re-published without authority.

Year Recap: 2022 EWC Season Heading To Bol d’Or!

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PB
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The 100th-anniversary Bol d’Or will decide the 2022 FIM Endurance World Championship (EWC) this weekend. With a few Aussies pathing their way through the 2022 season, we will be cheering them on here. See below for a reminder of just some of what’s happened so far in this exciting season. 

The 100th-anniversary Bol d'Or will decide the 2022 FIM Endurance World Championship this weekend.
The 100th-anniversary Bol d’Or will decide the 2022 FIM Endurance World Championship this weekend.

24 HEURES MOTOS (16/17 April)

  • Qualifying fastest lap: YART – Yamaha Official Team EWC (Karel Hanika) 1m34.878s
  • Race fastest lap: Yoshimura SERT Motul (Gregg Black) 1m36.195s
  • Formula EWC winner: Yoshimura SERT Motul (Gregg Black, Xavier Siméon, Sylvain Guintoli), 840 laps
  • Superstock winner: Team 18 Sapeurs Pompiers SMS Motostore (Hugo Clere, Baptiste Guittet, Philipp Steinmayr) 816 laps

Yoshimura SERT Motul made it back-to-back wins in the 24 Heures Motos to begin the defence of its FIM Endurance World Championship title in style. Riders Gregg Black, Sylvain Guintoli and Xavier Siméon were supreme for the Le Mans-based squad to win the 45th edition of an event that welcomed fans back after two years of COVID-19 restrictions and resulted in a combined attendance of 62,000.

Always quick, always consistent, the trio combined perfectly and never faltered, the only major scare coming when their Bridgestone-equipped Suzuki GSXR-1000 ran short of fuel during a lengthy safety car period late on Saturday afternoon. Otherwise, it was a result that reflected Yoshimura SERT Motul’s professionalism and meticulous preparation during 24 challenging hours, an approach that was visible up and down the pitlane as tireless human endeavour – mainly by volunteer crew members – took centre stage.

YART – Yamaha Official Team EWC started the EWC season opener on pole position for the third year running after Karel Hanika set a new lap record during Friday morning’s Second Qualifying session. But when the Yamaha YZF-R1 wouldn’t fire up at the start, the Czech rider joined team-mates Niccolò Canepa and Marvin Fritz in engaging in a heroic charge through the field to finish second, despite the starting issue remaining a hindrance throughout the race.

F.C.C. TSR Honda France, with Mike Di Meglio, Josh Hook and Gino Rea riding, was in front after eight hours, but the squad’s challenge soon unravelled with costly pitstops required to fix firstly a gear selector issue and then to replace a broken silencer. A ride-through penalty caused further delay, while team newcomer Rea fell on Sunday morning, but was able to bring the Honda CB R1000 RR-R back to the pits for repair. Although the delay briefly dropped F.C.C. TSR Honda France out of the podium places, it wasn’t long before the position was reclaimed.

Viltaïs Racing Igol ran as high as third and was in a comfortable fourth place as the best independent outfit when a technical failure led to a heart-breaking exit for the team.

Team 18 Sapeurs Pompiers CMS Motostore hit back from delays caused by a broken oil filter to convert its Superstock pole position into the category win in a fine fourth overall with its production-spec, Dunlop-equipped Yamaha. However, BMRT 3D Maxxess Nevers, National Motos, No Limits Motor Team and Team 33 Louit April Moto all enjoyed spells at the front of the category with the top three often running in close proximity to each other. It was the ultimate advert for the FIM Endurance World Cup, which is contested by smaller, lesser funded teams during the three 24-hour races. No Limits Motor Team eventually finished second in the Dunlop Superstock Trophy in fifth overall following a flurry of late position changes with National Motos next ahead of 33 Louit April Moto.

Kawasaki-powered Formula EWC squad Team Bolliger Switzerland took eighth as Pitlane Endurance and Team LH Racing rounded out the top 10. Myriad delays restricted TATI Team Beringer Racing to P11, while ERC Endurance-Ducati’s fightback following a crash when Xavi Forès avoided a backmarker in the seventh hour was slowed by a lengthy pit stop on the Sunday.

Wójcik Racing Team was forced to retire its #77 entry following a mechanical failure and an accident. A holed radiator ended BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team’s hopes of what was shaping up to be a strong bid for a podium finish. Webike SRC Kawasaki France was had podium hopes of its own but they were dashed when the team was forced to spend more than one hour in the pits during the night.

It was a dramatic start to the race on Saturday when Christophe Seigneur was unable to avoid colliding with a slow-moving Bradley Smith. Seigneur was able to walk back to the pits, but ex-MotoGP rider Smith was taken to hospital for medical checks as a result of the substantial rear impact, having received immediate medical attention at the side of the track when the field circulated under safety car conditions. Smith’s MOTO AIN team, worked furiously to repair the damage but with the Yamaha not running in perfect order when it returned to the track and with only two drivers available for the full 24-hour duration, the French outfit made the tough decision to withdraw.

24H SPA EWC MOTOS (4/5 JUNE)

  • Qualifying fastest lap: YART – Yamaha Official Team EWC (Karel Hanika) 2m18.845s
  • Race fastest lap: Yoshimura SERT Motul (Sylvain Guintoli) 2m21.056s
  • Formula EWC winner: BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team (Markus Reiterberger, Illya Mykhalchyk, Jérémy Guarnoni), 508 laps
  • Superstock winner: Team LH Racing (Johan Nigon, Enzo de la Vega, Lukas Trautmann), 491 laps

There was non-stop action and drama when the FIM Endurance World Championship returned to Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps for the first time in 21 years as the Belgian track delivered a race that matched up to its legendary status.

While BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team celebrated a maiden 24-hour EWC victory to follow up its breakthrough success in the six-hour 2021 season decider last October, the circuit’s ultra-challenging nature and rain for the final five hours combined to ensure rider skill came very much to the fore in the 24H SPA EWC Motos. As well as the efforts of riders Jérémy Guarnoni (France), Illya Mykhalchyk (Ukraine) and Markus Reiterberger (Germany), BMW’s success owed plenty to the expertise of its Belgium-based team, led by former rider Werner Daemen, and the reliability of the Dunlop-equipped BMW M1000RR.

Kawasaki-powered and Pirelli-equipped TATI Team Beringer Racing excelled to finish as the top independent team in second overall with newcomer Loïc Arbel joining forces with existing French riders Grégory Leblanc and Alan Techer.

F.C.C. TSR Honda France was holding off Yoshimura SERT Motul for the final podium spot as both squads battled back from major setbacks during the night. A lengthy red flag period to enable the clean-up of a substantial oil spillage with less than three hours meant Gino Rea would have only a handful of laps to reclaim the third place he lost to home hero Xavier Siméon in the pitstop sequence prior to the race suspension. Despite the challenging track conditions, Rea and Siméon engaged in an intense battle for position with Rea coming out on top following several place changes.

Yoshimura SERT Motul had been on top after 10 hours only for Sylvain Guintoli to be forced to pit for a replacement clutch and gearbox for his Bridgestone-equipped Suzuki GSX-R1000R. The work took more than 25 minutes to complete and wrecked hopes of a home win for the team’s Belgian rider Siméon in the process.

F.C.C. TSR Honda France took advantage of the misfortune that hit its fellow Japanese team but there was despair when Rea was onboard the CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP as bike’s chain failed after 15 hours of running. It left the Briton with no choice but to push his stricken machine back to the pits. That long delay plus the 15 minutes spent making repairs dropped F.C.C. TSR Honda France down the order before its late comeback.

Worse was to come for both squads when Anglo-Frenchman Gregg Black and Mike Di Meglio, from France, crashed their Suzuki and Honda respectively in quick succession as the Sunday morning rain intensified. Black managed to limp his wrecked machine back to the pits for rapid repairs while Di Meglio was able to continue without stopping having only inflicted limited damage to his bike.

Having started from pole, YART – Yamaha Official Team EWC was forced into an unscheduled pit stop for a replacement speed sensor after three hours. Despite the delay of more than four minutes, the performances of its riders Niccolò Canepa (Italy), Marvin Fritz (Germany) and polesitter Karel Hanika (Czech Republic) put the Austrian team back into contention. Following a battle for the lead between Fritz and BMW rider Mykhalchyk, it was the Japanese marque in front after 18 hours. But the advantage would not last when the YZF-R1, with Canepa onboard, suffered engine failure.

Elsewhere, Wójcik Racing Team EWC 77 completed the top five followed by Viltaïs Racing Igol and Team Moto Ain, which overcame an overheating issue. Dunlop-equipped Team LH Racing claimed FIM Endurance World Cup honours in eighth overall, courtesy of riders Enzo de la Vega, Johan Nigon and Lukas Trautmann, a late addition to its line-up. It finished ahead of Team Bolliger Switzerland and Team LRP Poland following a late change of positions between the latter pair.

Team 33 Louit April Moto had led the Superstock category but lost out on glory when Kevin Calia crashed in wet conditions with his Kawasaki suffering a blown engine in the process. Team 18 Sapeurs Pompiers CMS Motobase had been second at the time but appeared to be in trouble when Baptiste Guittet was one of several drivers to crash at Les Combes. However, the French outfit managed to hold onto its second place ahead of OG Motorsport by Sarazin, which suffered with traction issues.

National Motos was in the fight for first when it retired after a stone damaged the Honda’s radiator and caused the engine to overheat. Two unscheduled pit stops for “technical issues” hit the No Limits Motor Team’s chances, which were further compromised when Stefan Hill crashed just before eight hours. Danny Webb suffered a fall early into his first stint on the Superstock pole-sitting Wójcik Racing Team STK 777 Yamaha, which was also delayed by an accident for Marek Szkopek.

BMRT 3D Maxxess Nevers dropped out of contention following a spate of delays. A crash for 3ART Best of Bike during the early hours of this morning led to a second safety car period after an accident for the JMA Racing Action Bike close to five hours had resulted in the first safety car. Despite the JMA team’s Suzuki catching fire, exhaustive repairs enabled the squad to continue. Falcon Racing was denied a strong result by a blown engine, but Pitlane Endurance, Team Aviobike, RAC 41 ChromeBurner and Énergie Endurance finished in the top 20 among the eligible teams. TRT 27 / Bazar 2 La Bécane, Team 202 and ADSS 97 all finished, as did Formula EWC outfit Motobox Kremer Racing.

There was early heartache for Webike SRC Kawasaki France with Randy de Puniet crashing out shortly after two and a half hours of racing. After Florian Marino had led the pack into La Source for the first time and was part of the five-way fight for first during the opening hour, hopes of a strong result unravelled when Marino fell following contact at the chicane nearing the end of his stint. More than three minutes were lost while repairs were made to the ZX 10R before Etienne Masson could begin his stint, which was hampered when he also fell at the chicane due to brake issues. It led to a six-minute delay before de Puniet’s crash compounded a miserable afternoon. Marino, meanwhile, was taken to hospital for checks following his fall.

ERC Endurance-Ducati suffered an early setback when the German squad was forced to make an unscheduled stop due to a fuel pump issue, which followed a slow start from Xavi Forès. However, with the problem returning during the night the team was forced to retire.

The 24H SPA EWC Motos, which revived the spirit of the famous 24 Heures de Liège, began with a spectacular Le Mans-style running start in front of the packed main grandstand and in blazing sunshine. The opening hour then delivered stunning action and multiple lead changes. The entire the top five – Gregg Black, Marvin Fritz, Josh Hook, Florian Marino and Markus Reiterberger – took their turn in front as breath-taking multiple overtakes thrilled fans trackside and watching the live broadcasts around the world.

43RD COCA-COLA SUZUKA 8 HOURS ENDURANCE RACE (7 AUGUST)

  • Qualifying fastest lap: Team HRC (Tetsuta Nagashima) 2m04.934s
  • Race fastest lap: Team HRC (Tetsuta Nagashima) 2m06.934s
  • Formula EWC winner: Team HRC (Tetsuta Nagashima, Takumi Takahashi, Iker Lecuona), 214 laps

Team HRC made it three different winners from three rounds of this season’s FIM Endurance World Championship with victory in the 43rd Coca-Cola Suzuka 8 Hours, the ace line-up of Tetsuta Nagashima, Takumi Takahashi and Iker Lecuona taking the chequered flag by more than one lap. The #33 CBR1000RR-RSP was peerless throughout the race and, save for a brief dice at the early restart, there was little doubt of who was favourite for top spot baring the unexpected.

Japan’s round of the EWC started under surprising blue skies after a build-up week of alternating grey hazy humidity or rain. Team HRC led the pack away cleanly, but there was huge frustration for Niccolò Canepa, whose slow start dropped the YART – Yamaha Official Team EWC entry from third to 25th. The Italian’s delay was in complete contrast to Gregg Black on the rival #1 Yoshimura SERT Motul GSX-R1000R, who had a stormer, charging up to fourth from 22nd on the first lap.

But the high-paced action was quickly neutralised when the safety car was deployed for the first time after Kosuke Sakumoto (#17 Astemo Honda Dream SI Racing CBR1000RR-R) took out Naomichi Uramoto on the SDG Honda Racing version of the same bike heading into T13. Despite the huge nature of the crash, both riders were uninjured but the bike recovery and clean-up process led to seven laps behind the safety car.

Once racing resumed Black, Takahashi and Kawasaki Racing Team’s Leon Haslam battled for first place before the HRC entry moved back in front and started to pull clear. Canepa, meanwhile, had done an impressive job to redeem his slow start, up to 10th by lap 10, seventh a lap later, and into third position by lap 14. Marvin Fritz took over from Canepa on lap 26 when the first round of pitstops began. Randy de Puniet fell at low speed at Degner 2 and a seven-minute stop was needed for repairs to the #10 Websike SRC Kawasaki France machine.

A second safety car period was required at the two-hour mark following an off for the #51 entry. Having been picked up by the second of two safety cars, it would get worse for the #10 Kawasaki Racing Team before it got better with Jonathan Rea dropping the ZX-10R while navigating traffic coming into the chicane. Meanwhile, an overheating issue forced Illya Mykhalchyk to push the #37 BMW M1000RR back to the pits in the searing heat and the Belgian team retired with a coolant retention issue.

As the deciding hour started to tick by, so a rear tyre change took longer than planned for YART before Fritz headed out for his final stint. But there would soon be consternation as the German got caught up with the #74 Akeno Speed – Yamaha Superstock bike at T13 with both bikes ending up embedded in the air barriers following contact. Fritz was eventually able to resume and head back to the pits for extensive bike repairs, while a time penalty for the contact also had to be served, leaving the Austrian squad seventh.

YART’s woes let in Yoshimura SERT Motul for the final podium spot behind the winning Team HRC entry and Kawasaki Racing Team Suzuka 8H, while F.C.C. TSR Honda France placed P10 having fought back up the order after an early brake master cylinder change, plus brake and exhaust issues. With Gino Reo hospitalised with serious head injuries following his crash in Saturday practice, Mike Di Meglio and Josh Hook competed as a twosome, but Hook made a strong start to briefly lead.

WorldSBK Gallery: All The Best Shots From The 2022 Season So Far

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With the second half of the season officially underway, check out all the best shots from the 2022 WorldSBK season so far. The top three riders are extremely close together in terms of points, so it’s heating up to be an exciting end to the season! 

Read all the race reports here…

Championship Standings After French Round (Full Standings Here)

1 Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) 332 points
2 Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) 302
3 Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) 285

WorldSBK Race Reports: All The Action At Magny-Cours, France

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Race One at Magny-Cours was a crazy one! Two of the three Championship contenders crashed out as Alvaro Bautista took his first win in France. Race Two saw Toprak Razgatlioglu back on track to defend his championship lead, yet it was a woeful weekend for multiple WSBK champ, Jonathan Rea. 

Race One
The MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship raced at the Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours with a dramatic fight during the Pirelli French Round as Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) took a stunning victory while his Championship rivals faltered in the early stages of the race. Both Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) and Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) crashed out in the early stages as the Spanish rider extended his Championship lead by 25 points.

Laps 2 and 3 were dramatic for the race as firstly Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) went down on the exit of Turn 17 on Lap 2, with the British rider able to re-join the race. He brought his ZX-10RR machine into the pits but did re-join following this. A lap later, Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) went down at Turn 13. The reigning Champion had a huge moment under braking and was able to save it but had to come off the bike at slow speed to not run into the barrier, with Razgatlioglu able to continue. Razgatlioglu was able to battle back to finishing in 11th place while Rea’s trip through the pit lane put him a lap down. Razgatlioglu’s crash ends a streak of eight consecutive podiums for the reigning Champion, while Rea’s extends a winless run to 10 races; his worst since 2019 when he went 11 races without a win.

This allowed Scott Redding (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) and Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) to battle it out for the lead of the race, with Bautista taking the lead of the race on Lap 7 of 21 on the approach to the Nurburgring chicane. Although Redding was able to stay with him, he was unable to re-pass the Championship leader. Bautista went on to claim his first win at Magny-Cours and extend his Championship lead to over 50 points once again in 2022 with Redding in second, his best result with BMW. Bautista took his 24th win, putting him level with 2011 Champion Carlos Checa and 2021 Champion Razgatlioglu while Redding took his 40th podium, putting him level with Doug Polen and Michael van der Mark (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team).

Third place went to Axel Bassani (Motocorsa Racing) as he benefitted from Rea, Razgatlioglu and Loris Baz (Bonovo Action BMW) going down, with Baz crashing at Turn 13 but re-joining. He did have a battle with Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati), with Rinaldi barging his way through on Lap 12, but when he went through the gravel on the exit of Turn 1 and through Turn 2 on Lap 14, Bassani was able to take third place and claim his second WorldSBK podium.

It had looked like Garrett Gerloff (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) would challenge for a podium but as the race progressed, with Gerloff running Pirelli’s new development soft front tyre, he dropped back with Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) claiming fourth spot ahead of Gerloff in fifth. Rinaldi was able to respond to his trip through the gravel, battling back from the lower end of the points-scoring places to take sixth place.

Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) took advantage of both Team HRC machines losing pace in the closing stages of the race to finish in seventh place, with Philipp Oettl (Team Goeleven) in eighth place. Iker Lecuona (Team HRC), one of a handful of riders to use Pirelli’s new soft front tyre, finished in ninth having been inside the top ten, with French rider Lucas Mahias (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) rounding out the top ten.

Razgatlioglu finishing in 11th place and only three seconds away from a top ten spot despite losing around 25 seconds following his crash, after a battle with former teammate Michael van der Mark (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team). The Dutchman scored points on his return from injury as he took home 12th place after the pair took advantage of Xavi Vierge (Team HRC) running wide at Turn 5 in the closing stages. Vierge finished in 13th place ahead of Baz in 14th and Luca Bernardi (BARNI Spark Racing Team) in 15th with the Sammarinese rider taking home the last point from Race 1.

Despite numerous incidents throughout the race, all 24 riders who started finished Race 1. Christophe Ponsson (Gil Motor Sport-Yamaha) was 16th and just 2.5 seconds away from a point, although he did have to fend off Kohta Nozane (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) in 17th; the pair were separated by just a tenth at the end of the race. Eugene Laverty (Bonovo Action BMW) was 18th with Roberto Tamburini (Yamaha Motoxracing WorldSBK Team) 19th and Malaysian rider Hafizh Syahrin (MIE Racing Honda Team) completing the top 20. Leandro Mercado (MIE Racing Honda Team), Oliver Konig (Orelac Racing VerdNatura). Oscar Gutierrez (TPR Team Pedercini Racing) and Rea were the final four riders in the classification.

WorldSBK Magny-Cours Race One Podium (Full Results Here)

1 Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati)
2 Scott Redding (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) +4.079s
3 Axel Bassani (Motocorsa Racing) +6.751s

Tissot Superpole Race
Racing action in the MOTIL FIM Superbike World Championship resumed on Sunday at the Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours as reigning Champion Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) took a hard-fought victory during the Pirelli French Round’s Tissot Superpole Race. Razgatlioglu had a poor start but was able to battle back to take victory by almost two seconds at the end of the race.

Razgatlioglu got a poor start after a wheeling off the line when the lights went out and dropped down to fourth place, but was soon able to battle back as he passed Scott Redding (BMW Motorrad Team) for third, before overtaking Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) on Lap 4 at the 180 Degree corner. On Lap 6, he passed race leader Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) at Turn 13 to take the lead and from there he extended his gap to almost two seconds after 10 laps. Bautista was able to keep the pressure on with the pair making contact on the penultimate lap, damaging part of Bautista’s fairing with the Championship leader removing the wing on the short stretch of track that followed.

Bautista claimed second spot after a last-lap fight with Rea, with Rea making a move at Turn 13 and Turn 15, but Bautista cutting underneath the six-time Champion into the chicane to hold on to second place with Rea in third. It means Razgatlioglu claimed his 25th win and 70th podium, while Bautista took his 45th, putting him level with Leon Haslam and Stephane Mertens. Rea claimed his 231st career podium but now finds his winless streak at 11 races, his longest since 2019.

Row two for Race 2 will feature Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) and Scott Redding (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) after the two British riders had a race-long fight over fourth place, with Lowes coming out on top to take fourth for Race 2 and Redding starting from fifth. Race 1 podium finisher Axel Bassani (Motocorsa Racing) will complete the second row after taking sixth place in the Superpole Race.

Bassani and Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) once again battled on track, with Bassani able to come out on top. Rinaldi claimed seventh spot for the Race 2 starting grid with American Garrett Gerloff (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) claiming eighth and Loris Baz (Bonovo Action BMW) taking ninth spot.

WorldSBK Magny-Cours Tissot Superpole Race Podium (Full Results Here)

1 Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK)
2 Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +1.891s
3 Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) +2.040s

Race Two
The MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship campaign has had more surprises during Race 2 at the Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours for the Pirelli French Round, with Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) claiming victory after a battle with both Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) and Axel Bassani (Motocorsa Racing), while drama hit two of the Championship contenders once again.

Like in Race 1 on Saturday, drama was never far away throughout the 21-lap race and it started on Lap 2 at Turn 13, when Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) made contact with Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati); the Ducati rider going through the gravel and retiring from the race. Rea was deemed to be at fault for the clash and was given a Long Lap Penalty which he served on Lap 7, re-joining the race in seventh after losing a few positions.

The collision allowed Razgatlioglu and Bassani to move ahead and on Lap 3, Bassani made a move for the lead at Turn 11 and he remained there until Lap 8, when Rinaldi made an incredible double move into Turn 11 to move into first, with Bassani dropping down to third place. Rinaldi tried to pull away from Razgatlioglu at the front of the field but, at Turn 5 on Lap 14, the reigning Champion made his move for the lead. After that, Razgatlioglu was able to drop Rinaldi to win by more than one second, with Bassani in third place.

It means Razgatlioglu’s gap in the Championship to Bautista is now just 30 points after taking his 71st podium, putting him level with Max Biaggi, as well as his 26th win. Rinaldi moves on to 13 WorldSBK podiums in his career while Bassani takes his third of his career and second of the French Round; the first time he has taken more than one podium in a single round.

Bassani claimed third place but he had to resist a late charge from Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK), with the British rider taking his second fourth place finish of the French Round. Lowes was six seconds clear of teammate Rea, with the six-time Champion only able to make up a couple of places to finish fifth; Rea trails Bautista by 47 points in the Championship. One rider Rea was able to pass was Scott Redding (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team), when Rea took advantage of Redding running wide at the 180 Degree corner to move up to fifth. Rea’s winless streak now spans 12 races, his longest since a run of 33 without a win in 2012 and 2013.

Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) took seventh place after a late-race battle with Yamaha stablemate Garrett Gerloff (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team), with just 0.255s separating the pair at the end of the race. Loris Baz (Bonovo Action BMW) finished ninth on home soil, ahead of Iker Lecuona (Team HRC) who rounded out the top ten, 1.5 seconds back from Baz but more than seven seconds clear of Philipp Oettl (Team Goeleven) in 11th.

Oettl had a bit of a lonely race in the closing stages of the race, finishing seven seconds back from Lecuona but eight seconds clear of Lucas Mahias (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing), with Mahias claiming points at his home round. Sammarinese rider Luca Bernardi (BARNI Spark Racing Team) was 13th ahead of Robert Tamburini (Yamaha Motoxracing WorldSBK Team) in 14th place. Japanese rider Kohta Nozane (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) claimed the final point as he finished in 15th place.

French rider Christophe Ponsson (Gil Motor Sport-Yamaha) was 16th at the end of his home round, finishing eight seconds back from Nozane and three seconds clear of debutant Oscar Gutierrez (TPR Team Pedercini Racing), with the Spanish rider missing out on points in Race 2 by ten seconds. Oliver Konig (Orelac Racing VerdNatura WorldSSP) was 18th with Malaysian rider Hafizh Syahrin (MIE Racing Honda Team) was 19th, with Syahrin having a crash at Turn 13 on Lap 15, he rejoined.

Alongside Bautista as a retirement, Leandro Mercado (MIE Racing Honda Team) after a technical problem in the early stages of the race, while Michael van der Mark (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) crashed out at Turn 15 on Lap 3. Xavi Vierge (Team HRC) crashed out of the race at Turn 3 on Lap 10. Eugene Laverty (Bonovo Action BMW) was the final retirement.

WorldSBK Magny-Cours Race Two Podium (Full Results Here)

1 Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK)
2 Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +2.024s
3 Axel Bassani (Motocorsa Racing) +4.742s

Championship Standings After French Round (Full Standings Here)

1 Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) 332 points
2 Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) 302
3 Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) 285

Countdown To EWC 100th-Anniversary Bol d’Or Is Go

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The 100th-anniversary Bol d'Or will decide the 2022 FIM Endurance World Championship this weekend.
The 100th-anniversary Bol d'Or will decide the 2022 FIM Endurance World Championship this weekend.

The countdown to the  Bol d’Or is go with the deciding round of the 2022 FIM Endurance World Championship taking place at Circuit Paul Ricard in France from 15-18 September. Make sure you tune into this super special round and cheer on Aussie riders. Check out the entry list below to see all the big names!

The countdown to the  Bol d’Or is go with the deciding round of the 2022 FIM Endurance World Championship taking place at Circuit Paul Ricard in France from 15-18 September.
The countdown to the  Bol d’Or is go with the deciding round of the 2022 FIM Endurance World Championship taking place at Circuit Paul Ricard in France from 15-18 September.

Sixteen teams are entered in the Formula EWC category with 24 registered in Superstock. A further three teams are competing as part of the Experimental class. Bike manufacturers BMW, Ducati, Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki and Yamaha are all represented.

Aussie Riders Competing in the 2022 Bol d’Or

  • Josh Hook (F.C.C. TSR Honda France)
  • Anthony West (Maco Racing)

The former winners are Gregg Black, David Checa, Niccolò Canepa, Mike Di Meglio, Jérémy Guarnoni, Sylvain Guintoli, Josh Hook, Matthieu Lagrive, Grégory Leblanc and Étienne Masson. It’s anyone’s game!

The Bol d’Or celebrates turning 100 later this month with the 85th running of one of the world’s most famous motorbike races.
The Bol d’Or race celebrates turning 100 later this month with the 85th year running of one of the world’s most famous motorbike races.

The Bol d’Or celebrates turning 100 later this month with the 85th running of one of the world’s most famous motorbike races. First held in 1922 on a five-kilometre circuit of dirt roads between Vaujours, Clichy-sous-Bois and Livry-Gargan, the event was originally more a question of survival than an out-and-out race with one rider per bike allowed and no stops except for refuelling.

Check out our Bol d’Or Throwback Thursdays here…

Tony Zind from Switzerland was the first winner riding a Motosacoche. He covered nearly 1246 kilometres at an average speed of 51.9kph and ate and drank while competing. This year’s edition – when three riders per bike are allowed – will be the 29th held at Circuit Paul Ricard, which hosted its first Bol d’Or in 1979.

The track’s closure for redevelopment in 1999 resulted in the race relocating to Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours, but it returned in 2015 and has taken place at Circuit Paul Ricard every year since with the exception of 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic led to the event not running. This year’s Bold d’Or is round four of the 2022 FIM Endurance World Championship when as many as seven entrants can take the coveted Teams’ crown.

2022 EWC Bol d’Or Entry List

Second Half Of The 2022 WorldSBK Season Starts This Weekend!

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The 2022 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship (WorldSBK) returns to racing action after the paddock enjoyed a summer break, with the Pirelli French Round at the Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours. Check out what to expect from the second half of the 2022 season. 

From crowning Champions to bringing iconic battles and unpredictability, the Pirelli French Round awaits the next instalment of a sensational WorldSBK season.
From crowning Champions to bringing iconic battles and unpredictability, the Pirelli French Round awaits the next instalment of a sensational WorldSBK season.

A staple on the calendar, this will be the 20th consecutive season at the iconic French venue, which has seen crowning moments, title twists and, last year, a battle for the title played out on-track and off it. In 2022, the ‘titanic trio’ arrive with the gap shrinking and them getting closer and closer, making for an even more interesting dynamic. Who will be ‘magnifique’ at Magny-Cours?

Returning to Ducati in 2022 has seen Championship leader Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) revitalise his aspirations and ambitions of becoming World Champion; leading the way by 31 points, Bautista hopes that his hand injury from Donington Park has gone, although at the recent Barcelona test, he stated that it wasn’t 100%.

In 2022, the ‘titanic trio’ arrive with the gap shrinking and them getting closer and closer, making for an even more interesting dynamic. Who will be ‘magnifique’ at Magny-Cours?
In 2022, the ‘titanic trio’ arrive with the gap shrinking and them getting closer and closer, making for an even more interesting dynamic. Who will be ‘magnifique’ at Magny-Cours?

He’s never won at Magny-Cours, nor has he had a podium there, so will this be a weekend of damage limitation for the 37-year- old, or will he and the Ducati work well in 2022? Teammate Michael Ruben Rinaldi enjoyed a positive test in Barcelona but will have his future in the back of his mind coming into the round; just 14 points off fourth overall, will Rinaldi surprise in France?

Giving chase in the standings is six-time World Champion Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK). He’s been majestic at Magny-Cours over the years, notching up nine wins, more than anyone else. Although he only won one last year – the Tissot Superpole Race following a race direction sanction for Toprak Razgatlioglu – Rea has still won five of the last seven races there and is keen to claw back the Championship lead. In 2019, the last time Bautista was aboard a Ducati, the points swing between the two was 38, with Rea taking the title in Race 2.

Giving chase in the standings is six-time World Champion Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK).
Giving chase in the standings is six-time World Champion Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK).

Teammate Alex Lowes always features strongly at Magny-Cours and has been on the podium five times, with four coming since 2019. He’s yet to be a winner at the circuit though; could Lowes be the dark horse?

Whilst Jonathan Rea has the stats at Magny-Cours, reigning World Champion Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) has the recent form and the poetic story. In 2014, as a wildcard in Superstock 600, he won after an incredible final lap battle, his first win in the WorldSBK paddock.

The historic home of WorldSBK and unequivocally home to some of the Championship’s greatest sporting moments, more emotions lie ahead this weekend.
Whilst Jonathan Rea has the stats at Magny-Cours, reigning World Champion Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) has the recent form.

Then, in 2019, from 16th on the grid, he blasted through to beat Rea in an epic final lap thriller in Race 1, his first WorldSBK win, before repeating it in the Superpole Race. A wet 2020 saw him off the podium but in 2021, he was back with a bang and two full-race victories. Can he do the triple at his favourite circuit in 2022? He has six wins in the last eight races and is 38 points behind Bautista. For teammate Andrea Locatelli, he’ll hope for a podium chance, having taken a third in Race 1 last year.

Team HRC are fresh from a positive test in Barcelona, with Iker Lecuona ready to get back in the chase for a top five overall in the Championship. A new chassis bracing and new swingarm are just some of the items that have been brought in recent rounds, confirmed and trialled further in testing and now ready to further improve results.

In what has been a very strong opening four rounds of the Championship, a challenge lies ahead for Iker Lecuona (Team HRC). The Spanish rookie has never raced at Donington Park...
Team HRC are fresh from a positive test in Barcelona, with Iker Lecuona ready to get back in the chase for a top five overall in the Championship.

For Lecuona, Magny-Cours is yet again a circuit he doesn’t know but after quick learning at Donington Park and Most, expect him to be strong come Saturday’s Race 1. For Xavi Vierge, he’s now got his future secured, remaining with Honda for 2023, meaning that he’ll have his mind relaxed and can now focus on a strong end to an injury-hit but impressive rookie season. He too hasn’t been to Magny-Cours, but with Honda enjoying a top six last year, a strong weekend awaits.

Over at BMW – like for Honda – it was a strong test in Barcelona which saw Scott Redding (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) work extensively on electronics and also a new Nissin braking system, whilst it was also the return of Michael van der Mark from injury.

Where to start with BMW? On one hand, it looks like they’ve made gains as they had plenty of top ten success through the Aragon weekend, albeit not the top five they achieved in tricky conditions last year.
Over at BMW – like for Honda – it was a strong test in Barcelona which saw Scott Redding (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) work extensively on electronics and also a new Nissin braking system.

Redding is a race winner at Magny-Cours from Race 2 in 2020 in the wet but struggled in 2021, whilst with the BMW M1000RR, it will be a new challenge again, although the bike does work well at the circuit, with a top five achieved last year. That was achieved by van der Mark, who enjoys the Magny-Cours circuit with six podiums, all since 2016, missing out last year. Now the team is back at full strength, expect to see the BMWs make good ground on their rivals.

Leading the Independents, it’s Axel Bassani (Motocorsa Racing), with the Italian continuing his quest for a factory seat, just 19 points behind Rinaldi. Loris Baz (Bonovo Action BMW) is in 11th place overall and aiming to have a home round to be proud of, whilst he’s ten points clear of Garrett Gerloff (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team), who shows well at Magny-Cours. Philipp Oettl (Team Goeleven) is next in 13th ahead of home-hero Lucas Mahias (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing); Mahias has three wins at the track (two in WorldSSP and one in STK1000). Behind them, the ever-improving Luca Bernardi (BARNI Spark Racing Team), who has had a back operation during the break following a long injury after a crash at Magny-Cours in 2021’s WorldSSP Race 2.

The action at Donnington Park gets underway on Friday. Make sure you tune in so you don't miss any action!
Now all the riders will be focusing on extending their leads as much as possible as the end of the season will approach fast…

Roberto Tamburini (Yamaha Motoxracing WorldSBK Team) gives chase behind the Independents ahead of him and hopes for a career-first top ten, whilst Eugene Laverty (Bonovo Action BMW) gears up for his final French Round as a rider. Kohta Nozane (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) has his sights on a first top ten of 2022.

Fellow Yamaha rider Christophe Ponsson (Gil Motor Sport-Yamaha) is keen to show strongly at home. Hafizh Syahrin (MIE Racing Honda Team) and teammate Leandro Mercado hope Magny-Cours is a turning point in their season, with Mercado coming from a difficult Barcelona test. Oliver Konig (Orelac Racing VerdNatura) continues his chase for first points whilst Oscar Gutierrez (TPR Team Pedercini Racing) will make his debut in WorldSBK.

WorldSBK Championship Top Three (Full Standings Here)

1 Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) 298
2 Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) 267
3 Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) 260

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