In a special Press Conference at the CryptoDATA Motorrad Grand Prix von Österreich, GASGAS announced their presence on the MotoGP grid from 2023. The exciting news comes as Suzuki announced their early retirement from the sport a few months ago… Press Release: MotoGP.
From 2023, Spain’s iconic motorcycle brand will join MotoGP for the first time in a deal that sees the Tech3 Factory Team turn GASGAS red and officially become the GASGAS Factory Racing Team. Pol Espargaro will lead the rider line-up, with his teammate set to be announced soon.
GASGAS found fame in Trials and Enduro before finding even more success in motocross, supercross and rally recently, with a comprehensive foundation of offroad production bikes. Now, after tasting the spoils and bringing home trophies in both Moto2 and Moto3 thanks to the GASGAS Aspar Team, the brand will join the pinnacle of motorcycle racing: MotoGP.
Pit Beirer, GASGAS Motorsports Director, and Hubert Trunkenpolz, Member of the Executive Board; CMO, were joined by Tech3 Factory Racing Team Principal Herve Poncharal at the event.
The iconic GASGAS red and white livery will represent the sixth brand in the premier class of motorcycle Grand Prix racing.
PIT BEIRER, GASGAS MOTORSPORTS DIRECTOR:“GASGAS is a winning brand. It has reached an incredible level of performance immediately in disciplines like MXGP, Supercross, Enduro and Rally where we have taken Grands Prix, Main Events, world titles and overall winners’ trophies. It’s a relatively new brand for us and we have new goals. We hope the fans that follow ‘the red’ will enjoy the story. Thanks to our strong partner, the ASPAR team, in Moto3 and Moto2 we have been able to see the GASGAS bikes right at the front of those categories. It would be great to see the same thing eventually in the hardest class of them all. I want to thank Hervé and the Tech3 factory racing team for keeping an open mind and really supporting this change to become the GASGAS Factory Racing Team. We think it’s exciting and different.”
Pol Espargaro to lead rider line-up as the iconic motorcycle brand joins the premier class.
HUBERT TRUNKENPOLZ, MEMBER OF THE EXECUTIVE BOARD, CMO: “Taking the GASGAS name bigger and wider than its roots in Trial has been really successful in a number of ways. After seeing what we could achieve in Moto3 and Moto2 the next question was whether we could take GASGAS to MotoGP and we’re thrilled that we can make this step. It’s a new journey and I know the brand will stand out right away. Importantly, the team, the riders, the management will help GASGAS make a splash in the premier class. That’s what we’re hoping for!”
HERVE PONCHARAL, TECH3 FACTORY RACING TEAM PRINCIPAL: “Since we joined the Pierer Mobility Group, I can tell you that it has been my happiest professional years in my life. Because, when you work with Stefan, when you work with Hubert, and when you work with Pit, of course, the target and the main thing is competition, but I also love to spend evenings with these gentlemen to talk about business, to talk about strategy, to see how our motorcycle industry is evolving. I’m really, really happy to be part of a European manufacturer and the European manufacturers all together are moving on; we can see every single Sunday on the MotoGP™ podium that they are more and more. To be a full factory GASGAS team is a big source of pride.
GasGas MotoGP Team.
GasGas MotoGP Team.
“If you remember well, a few years ago, there was a young man, a Moto2 World Champion, that joined the MotoGP class with Tech3. His name is Pol Espargaro. We had a great few years together when we started, we discovered the MotoGP class together, and I have always said that Pol is a real fighter, Pol was a key player in the Pierer Mobility KTM MotoGP programme, and I’m delighted to announce he is back in the family. We can’t wait to start working with him, and I think he will be a perfect ambassador for the GASGAS brand. So, this is like a fairytale; welcome back, Pol. This is also to Stefan, Hubert, and Pit to say more than me, but anyway, I’m over the moon and I think this GASGAS MotoGP project couldn’t start better than with Pol. So, this is fantastic news and I just can’t wait to be in November!
“I just feel happy, I just love challenges. This is why I’m here and racing is about challenges – industry, business challenges – and I’m very happy to be part of this new challenge.” he ends.
On board his CDR Yamaha Monster Energy team YZ450F, a nervous 26-year old Aaron Tanti, navigated his way through two gruelling 30 minutes motos in the deep sand of Coolum to secure enough points to give him his maiden Australian Championship and one that he won’t soon forget.
Tanti and his team entered the final round well placed with a comfortable 24 point lead over former champ, Dean Ferris, but with the inclusion of Kyle Webster and Wilson Todd, the margin for error decreased as the depth of the MX1 field deepened considerably.
The worst case scenario was if Ferris won both motos, Tanti needed to place seventh in each to guarantee the championship was his. But with Wilson Todd winning race one and Kyle Webster race two, all Tanti needed to do was keep Ferris in sight and stay out of harms way and the number 1 plate would be bolted up again to the CDR Yamaha machine at days’ end.
Aaron Tanti has won the 2022 ProMX MX1 Championship at the eighth and final round of the series that concluded last weekend at the Coolum Pines circuit on the Sunshine Coast.
In race one, Ferris could only manage a third, while Tanti crossed the finish line in seventh, meaning the points gap was still at a comfortable 18 points. Race two required nothing more than a finish inside the top 12 to become the ProMX Championship for 2022.
And that’s exactly what he did! He found some clear track around fifth place and maintained a consistent, yet conservative pace right until the end where he came across the finish line, with fist in the air, in sixth place and as the new MX1 champion. Ferris had his own issues and only managed a fifth, so the final margin of victory was 17 points.
The worst case scenario was if Ferris won both motos, Tanti needed to place seventh in each to guarantee the championship was his.
“Today certainly wasn’t my best riding and I have been pretty nervous all week to be honest,” said a relieved Tanti. “I have never been in this situation before and this is my first pro title so I was just doing my best to get the job done and make sure I didn’t make any stupid mistakes.
“It’s not the way you always like to win a championship, but the hard work was done in the earlier rounds and I was able to build a good points gap on Dean and that allowed some margin today that meant it wasn’t all on the line and I could afford to be a little conservative on the track.
“It’s not the way you always like to win a championship, but the hard work was done in the earlier rounds.” said Aaron.
“Thanks to the CDR Yamaha Monster Energy Team for their support and endless guidance and encouragement of me this year. I came to the team as I thought they would give me the best chance of success and to be able to secure the ProMX championship with them this year is amazing. Allister, Brad, Gary, Troy and Craig do an amazing job and once you are part of CDR, its easy to see why they have won so many championships over the years.
“I also want to thank my family and girlfriend for their support. They go through the ups and downs of a racer every day and they have sacrificed things in their lives for me to have success and it was awesome to have them all here today.
Ferris had his own issues and only managed a fifth, so the final margin of victory was 17 points.
“And finally to MA and the organisers of the ProMX championship. This year has been a huge step forward for the championship and we have had eight great rounds. MA have done a good job since taking over the promotion of the national motocross championship and looking forward to it being bigger and better in 2023. But for now, it’s time to enjoy this one and soak it up with the team, family and friends,” Tanti concluded.
Tanti’s success in 2022, makes it back-to-back ProMX championships for the CDR Yamaha Monster Energy Team after Luke Clout’s victory in 2021. Team owner, Craig Dack, has lauded the Tanti victory as a special one for CDR.
Tanti’s success in 2022, makes it back-to-back ProMX championships for the CDR Yamaha Monster Energy Team after Luke Clout’s victory in 2021.
“Aaron has done a sensational job this year and had to carry the full load as Luke went out with injury at round two,” Dack begins. “Aaron stepped up and took ownership of his role in the team and from round three onwards showed a real maturity in his dedication to racing and commitment to the championship. The team rallied around him, and we went from strength to strength through the middle part of the championship and it was so rewarding to see Aaron’s development both on and off the track. He thoroughly deserved to be the 2022 ProMX Championship.”
“I also want to take this time to thank all our team partners at CDR, most of whom have been with us for a very long time. I have decades invested with companies like Yamaha, Fox and Dunlop who have stood by us since the team started to our newer partners in Monster and Renthal. There are some many people and products that contribute to winning a championship and CDR thanks everyone of them and hope they feel proud of the part they play in our success,” Dack signs off.
Three-time World Champion Luigi Taveri is now officially a MotoGP Legend. The late Swiss rider was inducted into the MotoGP Legends Hall of Fame in the presence of his family at the Red Bull Ring in Austria, with Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta leading the ceremony.
Three-time World Champion Luigi Taveri is now officially a MotoGP Legend. The late Swiss rider was inducted into the MotoGP Legends Hall of Fame.
Taveri was born in the canton of Zürich in 1929 and made his Grand Prix debut in 1954 in the 250cc and 500cc classes. The next season he competed on 125cc and 250cc machinery, and he came runner up in 1955 in the 125cc World Championship – taking his debut win in the first race of the year. In 1962 he won his first World Championship, taking the crown in the 125cc class. He took two further Championships in the category, in 1964 and 1966, to secure his place in motorcycle racing history.
Between his debut in 1954 and his retirement at the end of 1966, the Swiss rider raced in the 50cc, 125cc, 250cc, 350cc and 500cc classes, taking wins on 50cc, 125cc and 250cc machinery, and finishing on the podium in the 350cc class. He is one of few riders to score Grand Prix points in the 50cc, 125cc, 250cc, 350cc and 500cc classes.
Taveri was born in the canton of Zürich in 1929 and made his Grand Prix debut in 1954 in the 250cc and 500cc classes.
Blanca Taveri, Luigi’s daughter:“It’s a really big honour for us that Luigi is together with all those famous riders, and I know he would be very, very proud. He would search for words to say how honoured he would be.”
“I think it’s like Mr Ezpeleta says; Luigi was a pioneer for motor racing in Switzerland, and for us, he’s always been a hero. For me, my dad was always the best racer and it’s difficult to explain because there are so many things I could tell about my dad; what he meant for us. He was a man who never lost touch with the ground, he was very reliable, and he was just special. I think he was special for motorsport in Switzerland as well, and he opened the door for those riders who are coming now, and I hope there will be some Swiss riders coming up, because I think it’s important for Switzerland to have riders in MotoGP.”
Luigi’s daughter Blanca Taveri (L), Luigi’s widow Tilde Taveri and Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta (R).
Celebrating a family Legend becoming a MotoGP Legend.
Carmelo Ezpeleta, CEO of Dorna Sports: “I had the possibility to see Luigi in Barcelona during his career; I was 18 years old when he became World Champion for the second time. For me, it’s a fitting name; he’s the first Swiss rider to be World Champion, and I remember very well his helmet and everything. The time was different, but we could be where we are right now thanks to people like Luigi, who started this Championship and made this incredible sport in front of everybody. It’s a big pleasure for all the MotoGP family to welcome the name of Luigi Taveri; he was a real Legend and we are extremely happy to induct him into the Hall of Fame.”
The FIM, IRTA, MSMA and Dorna Sports can now announce a new Sporting Format to be introduced for the FIM MotoGP World Championship from 2023. Sprint races will be introduced at all Grands Prix, creating an exciting, action-packed programme for fans on every day of a MotoGP race weekend.
Sprint races will be introduced at all Grands Prix, creating an exciting, action-packed programme for fans on every day of a MotoGP race weekend.
Sprint races will take place at 15:00 on the Saturday of each Grand Prix and be approximately 50% of the full race distance. The Sprint race will have a 15-minute grid procedure, and the sporting rules will be the same as a full-length Grand Prix race.
In Sprint races, points will be awarded as follows:
1st Position: 12
2nd Position: 9
3rd Position: 7
4th Position: 6
5th Position: 5
6th Position: 4
7th position: 3
8th position: 2
9th position: 1
Sprint races will not determine the grid for the Grand Prix race on Sunday. Riders must be free to race on Saturday, without the need to consider their Sunday grid position. The grids for both the Sprint race and the Grand Prix race will be set from qualifying, which will retain its Q1-Q2 format.
Sprint races will not determine the grid for the Grand Prix race. Riders must be free to race on Saturday, without the need to consider their Sunday grid position.
The introduction of Sprint Races allows every day of a race weekend to offer fans and broadcasters the best possible experience on track and off, with track action on Friday, Saturday and Sunday focused on maximum spectacle to show off the best of MotoGP. In addition, the new format will provide increased engagement opportunities for fans, broadcasters and media across the event and increase the profile of the MotoGP class without reducing that of Moto2 and Moto3.
The MotoGP class will have two practice sessions on Friday, which will be of a longer duration. The combined timesheets from these sessions will determine the direct entrants to Q2, guaranteeing Friday increased significance and exposure.
The Sprint Race will then take place at 15:00, creating an incredible line-up of MotoGP track action on Saturday.
On Saturday morning, the MotoGP class will have one 30-minute Free Practice session (similar to the current FP4) followed by Q1 and Q2 for qualifying. The Sprint Race will then take place at 15:00, creating an incredible line-up of MotoGP track action on Saturday.
Sunday will remain a spectacle for fans and broadcasters, with the Moto3, Moto2 and MotoGP Grand Prix races. The target will also be to have MotoGP as the last race on Sunday at each event, allowing for an improved podium ceremony, on-track celebrations and the possibility of fan track invasions at each venue.
Sunday will remain a spectacle for fans and broadcasters, with the Moto3, Moto2 and MotoGP Grand Prix races.
Jorge Viegas, FIM President: “The fact is, as I read in social media, this is a Sprint Race press conference. So, this is true, you already know that we are going to introduce, starting next year, a sprint race on the Saturday afternoon of every Grand Prix; not like in Formula 1, but in every Grand Prix. We think that after two years of COVID, when all of us made incredible sacrifices to keep having this important Championship, it’s time to give more exposure, as Carmelo says, in the TV, but also to the spectators. We need more spectators, we need a better show, and we need to fill the Saturdays. There are some details that still need to defined, decided together with the teams, together with the riders, together with the manufacturers. But, in principle, you already announced the major part of the new things! The only thing I think you are still in doubt about, is that this Sprint Race will not count for the grid; the grid is defined by the qualifying.”
Carmelo Ezpeleta, CEO of Dorna Sports:“It has been the aim of the Championship; FIM, IRTA, and Dorna, from the beginning to try to improve every time, as much as we can, everything in the sport: the safety, the show, everything. We are working in all the areas but especially in that. We have been looking at other sports for different possibilities and we are trying to offer a better show, especially for the fans, the promoters, and television. It’s very important to us to offer a new schedule which will, in our opinion, improve our presence in all the Grands Prix. This has been something discussed obviously with the FIM, with the manufacturers, and with the teams, and then yesterday, I talked with the riders in the Safety Commission. Even if the Safety Commission is for safety, since the beginning, I has been very proud to talk with the riders about different things. Obviously the matter to inform the riders is something that must be made by their individual teams, but yesterday we had some discussions and I’m very happy to hear the President of the FIM announce what we want to announce today.”
MotoGP sessions will be the last of each block, further standardising the format of the race weekend and maintaining the same order throughout each event. Moto3 will be followed by Moto2, followed by MotoGP.
Herve Poncharal, IRTA President: “Back from the summer break, we had a very important meeting together with Mike Trimby to represent the teams as IRTA, with Carmelo and Carlos Ezpeleta. This was really the first time that we saw the project, and from the very beginning, we liked it a lot. If you don’t move forward, you make a step backwards, I think, and although our show is great, maybe the best on Earth, that doesn’t mean we cannot have room for improvement, and there is room for improvement. As Carmelo said to us also, yes, we looked at what is happening somewhere else, and we would be stupid to not look at what is happening somewhere else and works somewhere else. From the very first point I really liked it, we had a meeting with all our colleagues in the Independent MotoGP teams, and universally they supported and they liked it a lot, thinking that it’s going to help also the teams’ business because the media, I’m quite sure, will like it a lot, will love it; the sponsors when the media are more active, will like it a lot.
“So all I can say is we have in mind not to create any inflation, so therefore engine allocation, tyre allocation will remain the same; mileage on the weekend will remain more or less the same. So, there will be no more track action. We will try not to give more work to the riders, but there will be more action, more excitement, which is what MotoGP is all about. I’m very proud to be part of the Championship, to have Carmelo and Jorge next to me to announcing this important news. For sure, as Jorge said, there are still important things to be fine-tuned. We always listen to everybody and when it is something which is visible and clearly an improvement, we will adapt ourselves. But overall, I think this is an important day for MotoGP, and I believe 2023 will be even more exciting.”
Three in a row makes perfect reading for Pecco, but Quartararo takes Yamaha’s best Spielberg finish after a stunning charge to second. Fabio looks to protect his championship lead as Bagnaia slowly chomps away at his points lead heading into the San Remo round…
Having ended the season fifth in the MotoGP standings and flexed his muscles on many occasions in the stacked class, 2022 was certainly a year filled with positives for Jack Miller.
After all the rumours and innuendo, Miller ultimately announced he’d be joining Red Bull KTM Factory Racing in 2023, where he’ll join forces with Brad Binder.
Ducati, for their part, have been vocal about having sent out no team or constructor orders before this point in the battle. Bagnaia has also stated he wants to win on track, not by order from above.
Three in a row makes perfect reading for Pecco, but Quartararo takes Yamaha’s best Spielberg finish after a stunning charge to second. Fabio looks to protect his championship lead as Bagnaia slowly chomps away at his points lead heading into the San Remo round… Report: MotoGP.
Friday After a mixed FP1 led by Miller and by a margin, the big stories of the day in terms of combined timesheets came in FP2, with conditions much improved and allowing some solid dry track time, as well as time to attack for a provisional place in Q2.
The majority of the field improved their FP1 times from the get-go as a busy opening to the second session of the weekend played out, with the threat of rain and automatic places in Q2 places on the minds of the teams. Initially, Bagnaia climbed to the top of the table and was shadowed by Quartararo, before Alex Rins (Suzuki Ecstar) then went fastest. The times were going to continue to drop, however.
By 20 minutes to go, Quartararo was the pacesetter from Rins and Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar), with the top 10 covered by less than half a second. But clouds were drawing in and with 10 minutes left on the clock, there was a big rush in pitlane to head out on fresh soft rubber as light rain began to fall. And that spelled bad news for second in the title race Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing), as the Spaniard sat outside the top 10 in P11.
The number 41’s first effort placed him in P6 while Martin and Zarco shot up to P1 and P2, with Miller improving but staying P3. Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) then crashed unhurt between the penultimate and final corner, as Martin, Miller and Zarco exchanged P1 in quick succession.
Ducati had locked out the top six with four minutes to go as Bagnaia, Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) and Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) climbed up the table, but Bastianini’s lap time was then chalked off. Luca Marini (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) and Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) were then well inside the top 10, before Quartararo leapt up from P11 to P4 to spoil the party. Bastianini found time again to pounce into the top 10, and that pushed Aleix Espargaro out – leaving the Championship challenger with some work to do on Saturday.
1 Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing) – Ducati – 1’29.837 2 Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) – Ducati – +0.024 3 Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) – Ducati – +0.029
Saturday
For the first time in his MotoGP™ career, Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) will launch from pole position after leaving it late to snatch Q2 top spot from Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) in a fantastic CryptoDATA Motorrad Grand Prix von Österreich Q2. Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) completes the front row of the grid as Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) and Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) have to settle for second and third row starts, respectively.
Q1 For the first time since the Americas GP, Aleix Espargaro found himself in Q1 and with both Quartararo and Bagnaia looking in fine form, progression into Q2 was all that mattered. And it was the title-chasing Spaniard who set the first couple of benchmarks, with younger brother Pol Espargaro (Repsol Honda Team) slotting into P2 just 0.045s behind.
Luca Marini’s (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) best effort on his first run put him third as the top three sat 0.068s apart with seven minutes of Q1 left. Drama then unfolded at Turn 2B as both Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) and Alex Marquez (LCR Honda Castrol) crash in quick succession, thankfully both riders were ok, as Aleix Espargaro improved his lap by a couple of tenths to strengthen his grip on a Q2 spot. But it wasn’t over yet.
Marini was on a flyer as Fabio Di Giannantonio (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) pounced to P2, but Marini lost time in the second half of the lap and couldn’t beat his Ducati counterpart to the second promotion spot. With no one else threatening the top two, Aleix Espargaro was safe and joining him in Q2 was Italian GP polesitter Di Giannantonio.
Q2 Miller slammed in the first benchmark – a 1:29.164 – but the pace was upped on the second flying laps. Espargaro went top with a 1:29.032 before Miller bounced back to set a 1:28.898, the fastest lap of the weekend so far. Espargaro’s lap was then cancelled so the Spaniard dropped to P5 behind Bastianini, Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing) and Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar), with Quartararo and Bagnaia P6 and P12 respectively – the latter yet to set a time after running wide at the new Turn 2 chicane.
Pecco was the first rider to emerge on a fresh set of soft Michelin rear rubber and pounced straight up to P2 to make it a factory Ducati 1-2, 0.101s splitting Miller and Pecco. The in-form Italian was then at the summit of the times by 0.102s after a storming second effort, with Quartararo only able to grab P5. That soon turned into P6 as Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) went P5.
As the clock ticked down, a beast was on the prowl. And sure enough, Bastianini was able to beat Bagnaia’s time by 0.024s to claim his first premier class pole position to front a Ducati armada at the spearhead of the grid.
Behind Bastianini, Bagnaia and Miller, 2021 Red Bull Ring race winner Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) will start from P4 ahead of reigning World Champion Quartararo, who is once again the first non-Ducati rider in the standings. Zarco will start sixth alongside his compatriot, with a trio of Spaniards making up the third – including Aleix Espargaro. Viñales and Mir finished 7th and 8th in Q2 with Espargaro’s lap time cancellation for exceeding track limits at Turn 8 causing him to start from 9th.
Di Giannantonio, Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) and Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) completed the Q2 running order in P10, P11 and P12 with just 0.7s covering the top 12.
1 Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing MotoGP) – Ducati – 1’28.772 2 Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) – Ducati – +0.024 3 Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) – Ducati – +0.109
Sunday
For the first time in his career, Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) is a hat-trick hero after leading from start to finish in a tense CryptoDATA Motorrad Grand Prix von Österreich. But that was far from the full story as World Championship leader Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) put in a stunning charge to take second and Yamaha’s best result at the Red Bull Ring, putting in one of his performances of the season. On a day made for convincing rides, the two key title rivals both more than delivered. Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) likewise impressed, completing the podium for another big and increasingly consistent haul of points.
In front of over 90,000 jubilant fans the lights went out for the MotoGP™ race and Bagnaia grabbed the holeshot from Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing MotoGP™), Miller slotted into P3 and Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) held station in P4. Quartararo got a decent start but at the end of the first lap, Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) passed the Frenchman to demote the Championship leader to P6. Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing), meanwhile, didn’t get a good getaway after his holeshot device didn’t engage but the number 41 recovered to P7 by the beginning of the second lap.
Elsewhere, Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar) crashed out at Turn 4 on Lap 1 and it was later confirmed the 2020 World Champion suffered ligament damage in his foot, declared unfit.
Back at the front, the leading Ducati quartet quickly pulled themselves over a second clear of Viñales, who, in turn, had stretched his advantage over Quartararo to half a second. It wasn’t line astern in the lead group though. Miller overtook Bastianini at Turn 3 and Martin then had a successful bite at the cherry, only for Bastianini to snap back at Turn 1 on Lap 5. Viñales then made a mistake down at Turn 4, the Spaniard dropped behind Aleix Espargaro and Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing) before drama unfolded up the road.
Bastianini looked like he had a problem going into Turn 3, and Zarco did an excellent job of taking avoiding action as the Italian slowed right down through no fault of his own. The polesitter then ran straight into the gravel a few seconds later at Turn 4, and later headed back into pitlane as Bastianini was forced to retire.
That saw Bagnaia and Miller open a one second advantage over Martin, and Quartararo was a further 1.3s away in P4 with Espargaro and Viñales P5 and P6. Martin was digging deep and on Lap 11 of 28, the Spaniard was right with his Ducati stablemates. Quartararo was still 1.4s behind the third of the GP22s and had main title rival Espargaro 1.1s adrift, as Bagnaia set a personal best lap to gain a 0.6s lead over Miller.
On Lap 14, Quartararo set his personal best lap of the race and the reigning Champion was now 0.6s behind Martin. The latter then made a mistake at the chicane with 12 laps to go and was forced to give the position up to Quartararo, but did Martin then have a problem? He raised his hand coming out of Turn 4 to signal he might have but he was back at full speed soon enough.
The situation with eight laps to go was this: Bagnaia boasted a 0.9s lead over teammate Miller, who was now hearing Quartararo’s YZR-M1 swarming all over the back of his GP22. Luca Marini (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) had picked off Aleix Espargaro for P5, and Espargaro was coming under pressure from Zarco and Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar). Martin was still in P4, 0.6s away from Quartararo. That 0.6s gap soon became 0.3s though, with Martin now the fastest rider on track.
With four laps to go, a sensational move at Turn 2B saw Quartararo carve his way past Miller up into P2. Miller just held off Martin for P3 as Quartararo saw Bagnaia 1.5s up the road at the beginning of Lap 26 of 28. Starting Lap 27, Quartararo had clawed 0.2s back and by the last lap, it was under a second as the Yamaha rider homed in.
Martin, up the inside of Miller, then suddenly crashed unhurt at Turn 1, giving Miller an easy ride home to P3. But could Quartararo do anything to stop Bagnaia from winning? Not quite, but he wasn’t far away. Pecco took victory but by just 0.4s to make it a hat-trick and reduce the gap to the Frenchman to 44 points, although Quartararo’s ride was a headline-maker in itself.
Fourth place for Marini is the Italian’s best result in the premier class to date, and he eventually held off Zarco in fifth by less than half a second. 2.4s further behind was Aleix Espargaro who sees his disadvantage to Quartararo grow to 32 points heading to Misano, but on a tough weekend for the Spaniard, it could have been worse from P9 on the grid.
Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) gave KTM a P7 on their home patch and it was another solid Sunday ride for the South African, as he and Rins were separated by a tenth on the line. Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) claimed P9 ahead of Martin in 10th, the latter able to remount after his last lap tumble at Turn 1.
Fabio Di Giannantonio (Gresini Racing MotoGP™), Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), Viñales, Alex Marquez (LCR Honda Castrol) and Andrea Dovizioso (WithU Yamaha RNF MotoGP™ Team) rounded out the points positions at the Red Bull Ring.
The title race momentum was definitely swinging towards Bagnaia and arguably still is, and coming up next is the Italian’s home race at the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli – a track he knows like the back of his hand and a track where Quartararo has serious form too. With what was expected to be one of the toughest tracks of the season for Yamaha seeing El Diablo cede only five points and Quartararo, Espargaro, and Bagnaia now split by just 44, it’s very much game on in San Marino…
Francesco Bagnaia: “It was long, very long, it was a long race. To be calmer and careful, we chose to use the soft front, but it wasn’t the correct choice for me at the finish of the race, but I’m very happy, very happy. I made too many mistakes in the first part of the year so it was the time to be smarter. When I looked at the gap, I tried to be very constant with the lap times, because I was sure my pace was good enough to open this gap. In the last two laps, I just tried to be as calm as possible because the front tyre was closing everywhere. So, I’m very happy. Again, this weekend we have done an incredible job, so I’m very, very happy with my team; they have done an incredible job yesterday, so I’m very happy. We move on to Misano and I’m really looking forward to being there again.”
1 Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) – Ducati – 40’10.260 2 Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) – Yamaha – +0.492 3 Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) – Ducati – +2.163
Moto2 Ai Ogura (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) and teammate Somkiat Chantra put on quite a show at the Red Bull Ring. Escaping together in a duel at the front, Ogura led for much of the race before a last lap attack from his teammate, but the Japanese rider was able to fight back and take his second Grand Prix win. With it, he also takes the Championship lead. Chantra returns to the podium after proving the protagonist of a classic, with Jake Dixon (Zinia GASGAS Aspar Team) completing the rostrum to make it three in a row.
Ogura nabbed the holeshot as Alonso Lopez (CAG Speed Up) wrested second from Augusto Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo) at Turn 2a. Fernandez came under further attack in the opening stages, shuffled all the way back to eighth when Aron Canet (Flexbox HP40) went past at Turn 3 on Lap 2. Ahead, Chantra ran in third, from Dixon, Acosta, and Celestino Vietti (Mooney VR46 Racing Team).
Lopez overtook Ogura for the lead later that lap at Turn 9, but handed it back when he ran wide on Lap 4 at Turn 4. The Spaniard also ceded second exactly two laps later when Chantra came in hot under brakes, making brief contact on his way through. Meanwhile, Vietti had taken fifth from Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Ajo).
On Lap 7, Dixon ran long at both Turns 3 and 4, dropping all the way back to eighth and promoting Fernandez back to seventh. The Briton’s first ‘moment’ also gave Vietti a look at Lopez, but those two drifted to 1.5 seconds behind the leading Honda Team Asia duo before the VR46 took over as the rider on the chase.
Acosta passed Lopez for fourth on Lap 13 but when they both had messy runs through the chicane on Lap 14, bottling up the pack, Fernandez capitalised with a double pass up the hill at Turn 3 to take up fifth ahead of Canet, Dixon, and Lopez. However, the KTM Ajo rider lost that spot to Canet on Lap 15 and was back to seventh when Dixon made a move at the chicane on Lap 16.
Meanwhile, Vietti had been racking up fastest laps to catch up to second-placed Chantra. He looked likely to go past eventually until disaster struck on lap 17, when he crashed at Turn 3. The incident handed Chantra a five-second buffer over third place and while Vietti remounted, last of the 26 still running, he would eventually retreat to pit lane and retire.
With Ogura first and Fernandez sixth after the Vietti crash, the race leader was in the live World Championship lead by two points. While Chantra was latched onto his rear wheel with more than half a dozen laps to go, the world waited to see if he’d attack…
Whether he saw “P2 OK” on the pitboard or not, Chantra decided to go for it. On the final lap at Turn 9, the Thai rider struck and made it through cleanly enough. But Ogura is Ogura, as Chantra is Chantra, and the Japanese rider sliced straight back through to take the win and the Championship lead by a single point.
Dixon and Fernandez had got back up to fourth and by the time they started the last lap, but the former was not done yet. Dixon made one unsuccessful attempt to pass Acosta midway through the final lap, but then got the job done at Turn 10 to snatch the final podium place.
For Acosta, fourth was still a commendable result in his comeback race, while Fernandez’s Lap 24 overtake of Canet means he is only a point behind Ogura with seven races left this season. Canet did take sixth, with the top 10 rounded out by Lopez, Marcel Schrötter (Liqui Moly Intact GP), Albert Arenas (Zinia GASGAS Aspar Team), and Jeremy Alcoba (Liqui Moly Intact GP).
The rest of the points finishers in 11th through 15th respectively were Jorge Navarro (Flexbox HP40), Barry Baltus (RW Racing GP), Cameron Beaubier (American Racing), Joe Roberts (Italtrans Racing Team), and Bo Bendsneyder (Pertamina Mandalika SAG Team), while Lorenzo Dalla Porta (Italtrans Racing Team) and Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) were among the nine DNFs.
They had been eighth and ninth when Dalla Porta was slow off Turn 3 on Lap 18 and Arbolino, with nowhere to go, crashed into him. As for Vietti, he is still third in the standings, but now 27 points off top spot… tune in for another twist at San Marino!
Moto3
Ayumu Sasaki (Sterilgarda Husqvarna Max) directed a true Spielberg masterpiece in the CryptoDATA Motorrad Grand Prix von Österreich, with the number 71 overcoming two Long Laps to slice back through the field from outside the top 20 and take the win. His second victory of the season, it was some statement. Tatsuki Suzuki (Leopard Racing) came a very close second as he homed in to within 0.064, with David Muñoz (BOE Motorsports) completing the podium.
Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Tech3) took the early lead from the front row before Sasaki took over at the front, but number 71 was quickly given his notification to do his double Long Lap given for causing the collision at Silverstone. He dropped back into the classic freight train and made his way forward again, and then repeated the feat with some fastest laps all set one after the other. As low as P24 at one point, by Lap 10 the Japanese rider was back into the top six, and by 11 to go he was back in the lead.
Suzuki was on his tail as Öncü held third and Izan Guevara (Autosolar GASGAS Aspar) vs teammate and points leader Garcia raged behind in the group. Drama then hit with 7 to go for Jaume Masia (Red Bull KTM Ajo) as he crashed out, leaving nine riders in the front group before it split into two groups of four; Ivan Ortola (Angeluss MTA Team) fading slightly in the last few. Sasaki, Suzuki, Öncü and Muñoz were the first, with Garcia, Diogo Moreira (MT Helmets – MSI), Guevara and polesitter Daniel Holgado (Red Bull KTM Ajo) in the second.
Starting the final lap, Sasaki led Suzuki, with Öncü fending off Muñoz. The first mover was Muñoz as he got past Öncü, and the Turk locked on to fight back. But the four were absolutely on the limit, and in the end the tension stayed high but the positions remained the same. Sasaki just, just stayed ahead to the line as Suzuki tried to draft but couldn’t, the Husqvarna rider able to complete the fairtyle – from the lead to 21st and back to the lead, holding on for victory.
Muñoz was able to keep third and take another impressive rookie podium, with Öncü forced to settle for fourth but maintaining his record of big points hauls in 2022 – and his record of being the sole scorer in every race. Garcia finishes in fifth place to gain a few points on teammate Guevara, who took P7. Moreira split the two in another impressive show of speed from the rookie Brazilian, and Holgado, from his first pole, was P8 and just 0.035 behind Guevara over the line.
John McPhee (Sterilgarda Husqvarna Max) took ninth ahead of Kaito Toba (CIP Green Power), with both passing Ortola. A second behind the Spaniard, Dennis Foggia (Leopard Racing) had a tough day at the office, taking P12 and only a few points. Ryusei Yamanaka (MT Helmets – MSI), Xavier Artigas (CFMoto Racing PrüstelGP) and Stefano Nepa (Angeluss MTA Team) completed that group and the points scorers in Spielberg.
Sasaki struck back in style on Sunday, and he’s now fourth overall – only 55 off the top and six behind Foggia. What will San Marino bring? We’ll find out in two weeks!
Remy has been struggling all year with the KTM. Hopefully he will see some more success on a WorldSBK machine...
With many Australians showcasing their skills abroad in a range of disciplines both on-track and off-road, our new column focuses on how they’re faring battling it out with the best in their chosen classes against the best riders in the world. Check out the August update of Aussies Racing Abroad. Words: Ed Stratmann
Showing great consistency and riding with a nice blend of intensity, composure and intelligence, Jack Miller’s two consecutive podiums in August have been a joy to watch.
Jack Miller – MotoGP Showing great consistency and riding with a nice blend of intensity, composure and intelligence, Jack Miller’s two consecutive podiums in August have been a joy to watch. To start with Silverstone, and the Factory Ducati star managed the race expertly, striking the right balance of when to preserve his tyres and when to go for it. Having been in the top three the entire race, Miller eventually claimed third, with Maverick Vinales passing him late to bump him out of second.
The popular Australian then backed up this ride with another outstanding effort in Austria at the Red Bull Ring by securing third once more. Giving himself terrific grid position by virtue of qualifying third fastest, he jumped out of the blocks smartly to be up with the frontrunners from the outset. From here, Miller further flexed his muscles and underlined what an elite operator he is by pushing the likes of Francesco Bagnaia, Fabio Quartararo and Jorge Martin, in a race where he even briefly held the lead.
Having been in the top three the entire race at Silverstone, Miller eventually claimed third, with Maverick Vinales passing him late to bump him out of second.
Coming across the line third in the end after enduring tyre issues as the race drew to a close, there was no hiding his happiness at the result, which bagged him his third podium in the last four races. “I’m thrilled with today’s result. I pushed as hard as possible to stay with Pecco until the end, but after I tried to pass him, he brought up the pace, and it was difficult for me to respond,” he gleamed.
“Then, I started to suffer a bit with the tyres towards the end. We fought hard with Fabio and Jorge for second place, and I was hoping to get the better of them, but in any case, it’s our second, third place in a row, and the aim is to continue fighting for the podium in all the upcoming races. It is a great moment for the team, so I hope we can continue with this momentum at our home race in Misano”.
Remy Gardner’s challenging first campaign in MotoGP continued, with him scoring an 18th place finish at Silverstone and 20th in Austria.
Remy Gardner – MotoGP Remy Gardner’s challenging first campaign in MotoGP continued, with him notching 18th at Silverstone and 20th in Austria. Battling niggling injuries and struggling with the bike, like many of his fellow KTM riders, Gardner did, however make some positive gains at the British GP, where he felt happy with things on track and enjoyed dueling near the main group. Even though he severely lost edge grip in the closing stages of the race, he left feeling content with the weekend.
Turning his attention to the Red Bull Ring, and this was a round to forget for the reigning Moto2 champion, for his day was ruined when he crashed before valiantly remounting to finish 20th. Another big takeaway from last weekend came in the form of Gardner admitting that he’ll most likely be out of MotoGP at the end of the season due to there being no open spots for him.
Another big takeaway from last weekend came in the form of Gardner admitting that he’ll most likely be out of MotoGP at the end of the season due to there being no open spots for him.
With news emerging that KTM are reportedly not looking to keep him on, a dejected Gardner was frank in his assessment of the situation, stating: “No, it’s not [looking great for next year]. In MotoGP, it doesn’t look like there’s anything… KTM’s done it again!”
Senna Agius – Moto2 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.
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.
Chipping away and improving in every session, it was fantastic to see the Australian make the most of his opportunity. Having qualified in a credible 21st, how the 17-year-old then handled the race was wonderful, as he was battling for points before a long lap penalty ultimately dropped him back to 17th. Not bad at all for a Moto2 debut.
“It was a really good race. At the beginning, I made some mistakes that I could have maybe avoided. But it was my first race so it was bound to happen,” a content Agius insisted. “For sure the level in the World Championship is higher and the way these guys go fast is a bit different to what I’m used to. But it’s the way they ride and they’re really fast. I’m learning to do what they’re doing. I felt I learnt a lot this weekend and my riding style has changed a lot from the beginning of the weekend to the end.”
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.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.
Joel Kelso – Moto3 Having been forced to sit out for roughly six weeks due to injury, Kelso finally made his Moto3 comeback in Austria. Bagging an impressive 13th in qualifying, this was a great effort by the Darwinian to get his weekend rolling.
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 the winner, Ayumu Sasaki.
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.
Back racing again, expect Kelso to keep getting better and better as his physical condition improves and he regains his comfort on the bike, with him knowing he has the speed to be fighting for top 10s.
Jason O’Halloran – British Superbike Jason O’Halloran continued his excellent form at round six of the BSB Championship at Thruxton by going 1-1-3.
Jason O’Halloran continued his excellent form at round six of the BSB Championship at Thruxton by going 1-1-3. Photo: British Superbike Championship.
Kicking off his weekend in style by winning the sprint race, this served as the catalyst for him to shine in race two and three, where he recorded impressive first and third place finishes respectively. Engaging in some captivating battles with Tarran Mackenzie and Bradley Ray, the fans were treated to a real spectacle as the last two races saw the ultra fast trio separated by less than 0.300s.
“We won two races this weekend and took a third, the fastest lap of the weekend and felt really comfortable in all of the races,” the elated Aussie explained.
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.
“I managed the first two races quite well and in the last race I got a worse start so it changed the strategy, I sat behind Taz and Brad for as long as I could and then I probably went to the front one lap too early thinking I had more tyre than I did. Maybe I pushed too much too soon and cooked the tyre a bit, but they were very enjoyable races. I love racing here, it’s more like a cycling race than a tyre race as you’re conserving the tyres and thinking about strategy. It would have been easier if there was two of us, as when there’s three it makes the strategy a bit more tricky. I’m really enjoying it at the minute and looking forward to Cadwell Park.”
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.
Jacob Roulstone.
Harrison Voight.
Jacob Roulstone and Harrison Voight – Red Bull Rookies & Moto3 Junior World Championship Aussie talents Jacob Roulstone and Harrison Voight returned to action in the The Red Bull Rookies Cup, with both coming into Spielberg full of optimism. Unfortunately it wasn’t the weekend they’d hoped for despite them gaining some vital experience racing at the incredible Red Bull Ring.
Roulstone recorded finishes of 15th and 17th while Voight went 16-12 in the two races, as the young duo continue to build in this highly regarded competition that’s littered with gifted riders.
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.
Josh Hook – FIM EWC Endurance 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.
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. Pushing on bravely in the absence of Rea, who is now thankfully recovering, Hook started the race in fine fashion to sit comfortably in the top five in the early running. Unfortunately, some mechanical issues saw the team lose plenty of time, as they dropped all the way back to 19th before valiantly recovering to finish an admirable 10th.
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.
“The last few days have been very difficult for us and the whole team. First of all, we would like to say that our thoughts and prayers are with Gino. We are thinking of him during this difficult time,” a clearly distressed Hook said afterwards.
“The race was very, very difficult with only two riders, it was physically demanding, and we weren’t able to perform as well as we had hoped today. But today’s result was definitely the best we could have done. Both Mike and I gave 100% and that’s all we could’ve done at this point. Thanks to everyone in the team for their hard work as always.”
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.
Mitch Evans – MXGP 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.
Kicking off his August with an exceptional qualifying race win in Sweden, he then had a mixed raceday, where an early mistake meant 10th was the best he could muster in the first moto. But in race two, Evans well and truly put that behind him by snatching his finest result of the season to come home in fourth place.
Currently sitting 10th in the standings heading into the last round, Evans will be eager to sign off with a positive result before jetting off to represent Australia at the Motocross of Nations. Photo: Team Honda HRC.
The subsequent two rounds in Finland and France haven’t gone his way despite him showing plenty of speed in practice and qualifying, as falls and bad luck have cost him dearly in his quest for a podium. After recording moto finishes of 14-20 at Finland, where he suffered two first lap crashes, he crucially picked things up in France to go 7-11 to restore some confidence. “Another weekend where I’m disappointed with how the motos went,” he stated after Sunday’s GP.
“I was in a strong position in race one, staying in fourth place for the majority of the race and just a mistake near the end dropped me to seventh. I feel like I’m putting a bit too much pressure on myself to get on the podium, so I just need to focus a bit more on just taking each lap as it comes. Race two wasn’t as easy and another small mistake meant I dropped from seventh to 10th, and in the end, I finished 11th. Of course, I want more, and that’ll be the aim when we head to the final round in Turkey in two weeks’ time.”
Jed Beaton deserves credit for battling through the pain to show he belongs at this elite level.
Jed Beaton – MXGP Still struggling to find his groove in MXGP in what’s been an injury interrupted debut campaign in the premier class, Jed Beaton deserves credit for battling through the pain to show he belongs at this elite level. Clocking some promising times in practice this month, the problem has been transferring his speed into raceday.
Recording finishes of 19-18-19-14-15-13 in his six previous motos importantly shows he’s making steps in the right direction in this fiercely competitive, stacked class even if he knows he’s capable of better. With just one round remaining, the F&H Kawasaki pilot will be looking to close the season on a high in Turkey in the first weekend of September.
Leading the championship by 37 points with two rounds left, Jett Lawrence is in a commanding position to seal his second consecutive 250 AMA Pro Motocross title.
Jett Lawrence – AMA Pro Motocross Leading the championship by 37 points with two rounds left, Jett Lawrence is in a commanding position to seal his second consecutive 250 AMA Pro Motocross title.
Although the 18-year-old sensation hasn’t been at his best this month, with some unfortunate crashes when pushing too hard hindering him, he’s still managed to go 7-2-2-3 in the last four combined motos at Unadilla and Budds Creek.
Even though he’s been disappointed with his recent results, it’s important to note how well he’s salvaged his bad days.
Even though he’s been disappointed with his recent results, it’s important to note how well he’s salvaged his bad days, with his capacity to limit the damage being crucial towards him maintaining his gap atop the standings.
With just Ironman and Pala Two left on the calendar, if all goes to plan, winning another title would be the perfect way to head into the Motocross of Nations, where he’ll be joined by his brother and Mitch Evans to form an incredibly strong, all HRC Honda team for Aus.
Hunter has also been riding flawlessly, finishing rounds just behind his brother. The Lawrence family is a name that will go down in motocross history.
Hunter Lawrence – AMA Pro Motocross After a challenging couple of rounds Hunter Lawrence has slipped back to third in the standings behind sibling Jett and Japanese star Jo Shimoda.
Having endured some mechanical issues, mistakes and untimely tip overs, Hunter has only managed to go 2-5-8-9 in his last quartet of races. There is certainly time to overtake Shimoda in the standings, however, for on his day when everything clicks he’s proven he has what it takes to beat anyone. Knowing there’s much scope for improvement, expect him to come out firing in the final two rounds and put his recent adversity behind him in his pursuit to wrestle back second in the standings.
A few races ago, Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha) was starting to become the runaway favourite for the 2022 crown, but since his error at Assen and then a tougher race at Silverstone, both of which were won by Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team), the momentum has turned.
The Italian armada arrives on successful turf as KTM race at home, Aprilia aim to keep the roll going and Quartararo faces some pressure in Austria.
Now the paddock heads to the Red Bull Ring and serious winning turf for Ducati, it could be another pivotal chance for Bagnaia to continue cutting that gap – especially as it’s often been tougher Sunday turf for Yamaha.
There is a new chicane to contend with, however, and that leaves lap records behind and adds an extra challenge to the weekend ahead. Still, the venue has seen many a Ducati win and for a handful of different riders, so the factory remains the favourite. With Bagnaia on form, teammate Jack Miller fresh from the podium, Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) already a winner at the track and Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) back up into the battle at Silverstone, there is a long list of hopefuls and it doesn’t even stop there, with the likes of Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing) and Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) likewise quick and eager to make their mark.
Austria has seen many a Ducati win and for a handful of different riders, so the factory remains the favourite.
Another factory eager to keep the pressure on Quartararo is Aprilia. Aleix Espargaro didn’t manage to capitalise on the number 20’s P8 at Silverstone as he took ninth, but after a huge highside on Saturday left him racing with a broken heel, that became a job well done in difficult circumstances as he only lost one point to the Frenchman. And there was still an Aprilia on the podium…
After speed before bad luck in Germany and then third at Assen, which marked his first rostrum finish with Aprilia Racing, second at Silverstone and only four tenths off Bagnaia was quite a statement from Maverick Viñales. The trend says the next step should be the top one, but it’s far from a simple task in MotoGP™. Can Top Gun do it, in his 200th Grand Prix and at a poetic place to get back on top? The Aprilia remains as serious a threat as ever, and at the very least it may be a good weekend to chip away more points from Yamaha for both Noale machines.
Aleix Espargaro didn’t manage to capitalise on the number 20’s P8 at Silverstone as he took ninth, but after a huge highside on Saturday left him racing with a broken heel, that became a job well done.
Meanwhile, KTM are racing at home and will have big aims for the weekend. The tougher season continues but there have been solid moves forward, and both Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) and teammate Miguel Oliveira have won at the venue, in two very different styles. With the grandstands full of orange and a new chicane for everyone, will the hills be alive with a podium challenge from the Mattighofen factory? They’ll certainly be pushing to the limit to try and get in that battle for the first time since the first couple of races of the season.
Suzuki will also want more from the Red Bull Ring. The Hamamatsu factory have form there and Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar) even more so, with the circuit having been the scene of his first win in the World Championship and the number 36 seeming to have figured out a few secrets to being fast in Styria. For teammate Alex Rins the same could be said of Silverstone and the number 42 spent much of the race at the front, but after fading in the latter stages he’ll be looking to bounce back. Qualifying remains a challenge for both Suzuki and KTM, with the riders often charging forward on Sunday, so that will likely be a focus too as the new chicane creates a new lap record.
Suzuki will also want more from Austria. The Hamamatsu factory have form there and Joan Mir even more so, with the circuit having been the scene of his first win in the World Championship
For Honda there is some big news: Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda) will be back in the paddock. The number 93 isn’t riding or racing again just yet, but he’ll be on hand as the Japanese factory continue to focus on developing the new RC213V. Already in contact from home, now the eight-time World Champion will be on site as Stefan Bradl and Pol Espargaro aim to take the Repsol Honda further into the points, as do Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) and Alex Marquez (LCR Honda Castrol).
Is the Red Bull Ring still Borgo Panigale turf? Can Maverick Viñales put in a poetic weekend? Are KTM up to push forward on home turf? What will the standings look like as we head for San Marino? We’ll find out this weekend, with MotoGP™ going racing at 14:00 (GMT +2) on Sunday for the CryptoDATA Motorrad Grand Prix von Österreich.
MotoGP Championship Top 5 Before Austria (Full Standings Here)
At Morgan Park, the Yamaha R1 was expected to enjoy the tight and bumpy running at the 1.5km circuit of Morgan Park.
Wayne Maxwell has taken the maximum 51 points – two race victories plus the extra point for pole position- as he undertakes a desperate push to take his fourth championship in the back half of the 2022 ASBK Championship season. Photos: Bitesizepics…
Wayne Maxwell has taken the maximum 51 points – two race victories plus the extra point for pole position- as he undertakes a desperate push to take his fourth championship.
Superbike Morgan Park Round Podium (Full Results Here)
1 Wayne Maxwell – Ducati V4R
2 Mike Jones – Yamaha YZF-R1
3 Bryan Staring – Ducati V4R
Alpinestars Superbike Standings After Morgan Park (Full Standings Here)
1 Mike Jones – Yamaha YZF-R1 242
2 Wayne Maxwell – Ducati V4R 213
3 Bryan Staring -Ducati V4R 189
ASBK Morgan Park Superbikes.
ASBK Morgan Park Superbikes.
ASBK Morgan Park Superbikes.
ASBK Morgan Park Superbikes.
ASBK Morgan Park Superbikes.
ASBK Morgan Park Superbikes.
ASBK Morgan Park Superbikes.
ASBK Morgan Park Superbikes.
Wayne Maxwell has taken the maximum 51 points – two race victories plus the extra point for pole position- as he undertakes a desperate push to take his fourth championship.
The 2023 mi-bike Australian Superbike Championship presented by Motul (ASBK) calendar is now finalised with today’s announcement of Round 5 of the ASBK Championship at the always popular Morgan Park Raceway.
At Morgan Park, the Yamaha R1 was expected to enjoy the tight and bumpy running at the 1.5km circuit of Morgan Park.
ASBK Morgan Park Superbikes.
ASBK Morgan Park Superbikes.
ASBK Morgan Park Superbikes.
The ASBK round at Morgan Park Raceway is always a fan favourite, with great racing witnessed by large crowds of passionate superbike fans year after year.
ASBK Morgan Park Superbikes.
There had been some controversy towards the end of Friday when a number of Superbike teams pushed for the Saturday morning session to be split into a 20 minute free practice and a 20 minute qualifying session.
Michelin Supersport 600 Morgan Park Round Podium (Full Results Here)
1 Ty Lynch – Yamaha YZF-R6
2 Tom Bramich – Yamaha YZF-R6
3 John Lytras – Yamaha YZF-R6
Michelin Supersport Standings After Morgan Park (Full Standings Here)
1 John Lytras – Yamaha YZF-R6 151
2 Ty Lynch – Yamaha YZF-R6 145
3 Scott Nicholson – Yamaha YZF-R6 115
ASBK Morgan Park Sunday Supersport 600.
ASBK Morgan Park Sunday Supersport 600.
ASBK Morgan Park Sunday Supersport 600.
ASBK Morgan Park Sunday Supersport 600.
Each and every round of the 2023 ASBK season will be a standout event, starting with the Official ASBK Test on the 1st to the 2nd of February.
ASBK Morgan Park Saurday. Supersport 600.
ASBK Morgan Park Saurday. Supersport 600.
ASBK Morgan Park Saurday. Supersport 600.
ASBK Morgan Park Saurday. Supersport 600.
After eight minutes in the pits, Lytras took to the track, and after a couple of cool as-you-like warm-up 1:16s, he took control of the session. 1:15.981 became the time to beat…
Dunlop Supersport 300 Wakefield Park Round Podium (Full Results Here)
Wayne Maxwell has taken the maximum 51 points – two race victories plus the extra point for pole position- as he undertakes a desperate push to take his fourth championship in the back half of season 2022 of the Australian Superbike Championships. Words: MA. Photos: BiteSizedPics
Starting as underdog to championship leader Mike Jones who has turned many laps at the 3.0km Morgan Park venue – one he counts as his “home circuit”- Maxwell used every ounce of his talent, cunning and race craft to practically will himself to the top the podium, thereby reducing his pre round 40 point deficit to Jones by 11. With two rounds and five races remaining in season 2022, we are set for a thrilling run to the championship finish.
Alpinestars Superbike Race One Lachlan Epis jumped away from downtown to take the lead off the line and he and Wayne Maxwell headed away. Late in the lap, Maxwell put in a pretty brutal pass and Epis went off track, rejoining in 13th and taking away any opportunity the BMW Alliance squad had for a much-needed podium finish.
Classic Maxwell. Head down, bum up and setting sail for the finish line- on lap two. With Cru Halliday now in second place and Mike Jones in third, it was the stuff of nightmares for the Yamaha Factory squad. Halliday had made it clear at the Friday presser that he wasn’t just going to give up a spot for Jones as “I need to get wins.”
But on lap six, Jones finally got past his teammate and set off for the now 2.4 seconds-ahead Wayne Maxwell. At this point it was Maxwell, Jones, Halliday, Herfoss and Staring rounding out the top five. Herfoss saw the opportunity when Halliday had a rear wheel step out and overtook the R1 to move up to third. He too was now off in pursuit of Maxwell.
ASBK Morgan Park Superbikes.
ASBK Morgan Park Superbikes.
At half distance, the pressure valve blew with Cru Halliday sliding off at turn six. Jones was a lonely second, while Maxwell was a lonely but-happy first, but the gap was down to 1.7 from 2.4 seconds. Maxwell’s cunning plan to create pressure on Jones by getting out to a good lead was being brought undone as Jones played the reverse card and put the pressure back on the 2021 champion.
Lap 10- the lead was down to 1.6 seconds. Pearson had overtaken teammate Staring for fourth in his first outing aboard the DesmoSport Ducati. And while we were busy typing that, Maxwell’s lead fell to 1.4 seconds.
By lucky lap 13, it was under a second. Jones was now able to start lining-up the K-Tech Ducati Panigale and think about where he wanted to pass. “the number one machine is in trouble” said Steve Martin and while he is the expert, it was now obvious to all. As if we didn’t need anything else to add to the tension; the back markers came into play.
A 0.6 second gap on lap 14. Jones could now surely feel the heat from the Ducati exhausts and the blue R1 was now in contact with the gap now just two tenths. The time doesn’t matter. They are together as we headed into the final lap.
Tension? Yeah… all of it. Maxwell had to use everything he had in his skill bag and 20 years of top-level racing experience to just get a tiny, but vital gap. At the bottom of the circuit, he’s too good, and as they go through the last chicane, the Ducati can pretty much take it from there and he crossed the line first. Jones was home for second with Herfoss third to round out a podium of past winners at Morgan Park.
Broc Pearson brought home his Ducati in a startling and better-than-expected fourth place, ahead of teammate Staring in fifth, Glenn Allerton in sixth, a valiant ride from Epis, working his way into seventh, Arthur Sissis in eighth, in ninth Jed Metcher and Max Stauffer rounded out the top ten.
ASBK Morgan Park Superbikes.
ASBK Morgan Park Superbikes.
ASBK Morgan Park Superbikes.
ASBK Morgan Park Superbikes.
Alpinestars Superbike Race Two It was Mike Jones with the holeshot in race two with Maxwell tucking in behind. Bryan Staring was into third, with Lachlan Epis (4th) and Cru Halliday (5th). It was apparent even after lap one that Jones was looking to pop off the front to avoid any shenanigans with second placed on track and second in the championship Wayne Maxwell.
But Maxwell was having none of that, pushing back into the slipstream and immediately looking to pounce. While the Ducati has the horses, as the late Ken Wootton said of a younger Jones “he has the biggest brake rotors in the paddock” and there was no out braking the R1 into turn one.
After three laps, there was plenty of tension but little passing as the riders seemingly settled in. Troy Herfoss moved up into fourth, while Staring made contact with the leading duo and the two Ducatis started to stalk the lone blue Yamaha.
Herfoss set off after the leaders and thanks to relentless fast laps, by lap five it was a four-man race with Jones, Maxwell, Staring and Herfoss within a second of each other. Further down, Broc Pearson was leading Epis, Halliday, Arthur Sissis and Glenn Allerton as they tried to work their way to the leading quartet.
ASBK Morgan Park Superbikes.
ASBK Morgan Park Superbikes.
In the space of three corners, Herfoss worked his way from fourth into second place “like carving up backmarkers” according to commentator Steve Martin. While we were collectively distracted by Herfoss, Maxwell had taken the lead into turn one after a solid draft and late braking move.
Staring fell away slightly, while teammate Pearson began to catch the leaders. Gary Crilly from Pirelli was interviewed and noted that Herfoss was the only rider in the leading group who had gone with the softer tyre option. As that was happening, Herfoss took the lead.
But by lap 11, Jones had taken the lead from Herfoss while Maxwell was shuffled back to third. Pearson was now the fastest man on circuit and Jones was trying to pull away from the hungry Herfoss and Maxwell.
Pundits began to speculate on Herfoss’ tyre life while Jones just pushed out to a near one second lead on lap 12. Pearson was now on the back of Staring and the decision by DesmoSport to offer the rookie Superbike rider a seat mid-season began to look like a very clever move.
ASBK Morgan Park Superbikes.
ASBK Morgan Park Superbikes.
ASBK Morgan Park Superbikes.
ASBK Morgan Park Superbikes.
Into the last laps and it was Jones, but now he had Maxwell back with him at just 0.3 behind. Pearson passed Herfoss as Staring did the same- confusing many and the two Ducati teammates began sizing each other up for the final podium spot. The soft tyre option for Herfoss was now starting to go away from him and he dropped seconds a lap to the leaders.
Into the final lap, with Maxwell, just 0.1 behind at various points. Further back, the Ducatis diced and then in an incredible turn around, Maxwell found a way through the #46 Yamaha and Jones immediately had a huge moment that nearly ended off track. It was an unbelievable finish.
Maxwell takes the maximum 51 points, Jones continues to lead, Pearson has arrived and there’s just two rounds to go…
Superbike Morgan Park Round Podium (Full Results Here)
1 Wayne Maxwell – Ducati V4R
2 Mike Jones – Yamaha YZF-R1
3 Bryan Staring – Ducati V4R
Alpinestars Superbike Standings After Morgan Park (Full Standings Here)
1 Mike Jones – Yamaha YZF-R1 242
2 Wayne Maxwell – Ducati V4R 213
3 Bryan Staring -Ducati V4R 189
Michelin Supersport Race One Pole sitter John Lytras gave up one spot after the start to Ty Lynch who was able to jump away. The alliteration friendly pair of Lynch and Lytras were away to a small, but important lead. Lap three, Lytras found his way past Lynch and within a few corners, the white R6 was a few bike lengths off the front. Meanwhile Tom Bramich has worked his way to the back of Jake Farnsworth who was in third place.
Suddenly, Lytras was seen stopped trackside frantically trying to restart his bike and… reboot it. “It looks like the bike turned itself off” noted commentator Steve Martin. It was a painful sight as the championship leader worked frantically to get his machine going again, as his rivals zipped past.
Just like that, Ty Lynch found himself in the lead and – at that point – very close to Lytras in the championship points. With Lytras down in 13th- but with his ears pinned back, every rider he passed meant a few points ahead in the championship. Finishing thirteenth meant that Lynch was just one point behind. An extraordinary situation.
And then it happened again. Lytras again stationary trackside with the bike showing a blue screen of nightmares. Any hope of some extra consolation points went away and suddenly Lynch found himself a few seconds up the road. The machine eventually restarted, but he was 13th and three laps down on 12th. Meanwhile Bromich and Farnsworth were locked in a riveting arm wrestle for second. Bromich finally worked his way past and was able to get a small but decisive gap.
The last laps were by comparison quiet at that front, but Mitch Kuhne, Tom Drane and Luca Durning were fighting it out for fifth place and traded places several times before finishing in that order.
ASBK Morgan Park Sunday Supersport 600.
ASBK Morgan Park Sunday Supersport 600.
Lytras on the race one dramas: “I actually lost all throttle, when it first stuffed up, I went into turn one and the bike went straight to idle so I had no throttle which is fly-by-wire, it just kept doing it throughout the race.”
Michelin Supersport Race Two The mood on the grid of race two of today’s supersport race was tense. After his 13th placed, three-laps-down race one, John Lytras and his team were understandably nervous after his nightmare race one where his bike cut out twice, costing him any chance of victory.
ASBK Morgan Park Sunday Supersport 600.
ASBK Morgan Park Sunday Supersport 600.
It was Ty Lynch who jumped away and led the field into turn one, with a rejuvenated and focused Lytras in pursuit. The leading pair would do exactly that, and after a few laps they would get out to a multi-second lead, with Tom Bramich in third, but losing contact.
Jake Farnsworth crashed out in turn one, while fourth through seventh diced for position. This group of Rhys Belling, Tom Drane, Luca Durning and Scott Nicholson would stay in contact with each other until the race-end.
Lytras meanwhile had moved past Lynch and by lap eight, he was out to a 1.7 second lead, with a 14 second gap back to third placed Bramich. At lap 12, Lytras just needed to stay upright, and for the bike to stay happy. There were no signs of the electrical gremlins that had plagued him in race one. With a near-five-second lap, he was inevitable.
Lynch had served up everything he had, but Lytras sought and received some redemption for his issues in race one and crossed the line some 6.2 seconds back to Lynch with Bramich third and then the Drane (4th) led bunch finished together with Nicholson (5th), Belling (6th), Durning (7th) and Troy Guenther (8th).
Michelin Supersport 600 Morgan Park Round Podium (Full Results Here)
1 Ty Lynch – Yamaha YZF-R6
2 Tom Bramich – Yamaha YZF-R6
3 John Lytras – Yamaha YZF-R6
Michelin Supersport Standings After Morgan Park (Full Standings Here)
1 John Lytras – Yamaha YZF-R6 151
2 Ty Lynch – Yamaha YZF-R6 145
3 Scott Nicholson – Yamaha YZF-R6 115
Dunlop Supersport 300 Race Two There are no gentleman’s agreements in Supersport 300. It’s all “I’m gonna get mine” and listing the lead changes is a fruitless exercise. But we can say that it was Taiyo Aksu who led them away, but variously Jonathan Nahlous, Glenn Nelson and others appeared to lead, but the important fact was that nine riders got away to a five second lead from another group comprising seven more riders.
The leading group of Aksu, Nahlous, Liam Waters, Cameron Swain, Jonathan Nikolis, Cameron Dunker, Glenn Nelson and Hayden Nelson raced hard and fair and the slightest gap was an open invite to be passed. That’s fine, you just have to wait a few corners and repay the favour.
With two to go Aksu was late on the brakes into turn one to take the lead. It really felt like he meant business and was clearly prepping for the run to the line. Championship leader Dunker was down in fifth and while a part of the lead group, he did not appear able to press a claim for race leadership.
ASBK Morgan Park 300 Supersport.
ASBK Morgan Park 300 Supersport.
Last lap and Aksu led them over the line. Nahlous was inside and into the lead at turn one, Swain lurked and showed the leaders a wheel here and there, but Aksu held second place and had eyes only for leader Nahlous.
Bunching up through the final turns, it was impossible to work out who would take the minor placings- Aksu had just enough to hang on for first place, but it was Waters in second, Swain up for third, Nahlous would be disappointed to be shuffled from first down to fourth and Dunker in fifth.
At the start of the weekend, Aksu was the only rider seemingly capable of genuinely chasing Dunker for the title, and yet another Aksu win with Dunker in fifth started to make the complicated maths to take the championship lead a reality.
Dunlop Supersport 300 Race Three The final race of the weekend for the Supersport 300 crew was always going to be tense. Championship leader Cameron Dunker was blessed because despite his results not being quite where he needed them to be, his main rivals were either absent or not at the front.
Taiyo Aksu was the standout rider of the weekend, but starting the weekend fifth in the championship meant that the challenge to get to the top of the standings was rather large So at the jump it was Aksu again leading from Liam Waters and Glenn Nelson. On this occasion the leading group consisted of ten riders, and they would stay close for the duration of the 10-lap journey.
Variously, Marianos Nikolis and Waters lead the race, with Aksu unhappily in third, trying everything to stay in contact and work his way back to the lead. Cameron Swain sat happily in fourth, content to let the leading trio trade the lead- and fairing paint- while he waited to pounce.
Aksu found himself back in the lead by lap six and managed the impossible- a small gap to the pursuing pack. The pack called for a brief ceasefire, realising that their common enemy was off the front. Jonathan Nahlous was able to catch and pass Aksu for 2-3 corners, before Aksu would once again take the lead. Nahlous and Aksu swapped the lead several times before Swain tired of the Nahlous/Aksu show back in fourth and took the race lead on lap nine.
The final lap board came out, and Nahlous took the lead into turn one. Swain passed him back, while Aksu worked back up to second. With the corners running out, Swain led from Aksu and Nahlous.
Aksu took the lead with a few corners to go and tried to sneak to the line. Swain had the perfect sit and like a pro cycling sprinter, pulled out of the slipstream to take his first win in Supersport 300 by 3/100th of a second.
Dunlop Supersport 300 Wakefield Park Round Podium (Full Results Here)
Yamaha Finance R3 Cup Race Two Cameron Dunker was swallowed off the line down to fourth by turn one while Liam Waters had a great start into first. Aksu down one spot to sixth was the one to watch on the back of three wins this weekend already. The field was tight as they settled into the race, after one lap there was barely a gap of half a second.
Glenn Nelson took advantage of the slipstream onto the main straight to take second place with sights set on Waters ahead. The next lap, Glenn Nelson made the move on Waters at the back end of the lap, but lost the spot again on the straight – Waters and Cameron Swain both coming through.
On lap three, Aksu made his way through, up to third and looking strong. By the final chicane, Aksu was right on the back of Swain and cruised by on the main straight to take the lead – setting back of back-to-back fastest laps in the process.
Swain wasn’t done, taking the position back from Aksu but it didn’t last – only a few corners later Swain crashed out of the lead while trying to battle with Aksu. Swain was okay but that was his race done. Into lap five and Aksu looked to build on the lead, now out to 0.35 and holding out now comfortably from Waters on the straight.
As the leading pack settled in for a few laps, there was a great little scrap happening from ninth down to 13th with Henry Snell holding out the pack, separated by less than a second. Waters, not to be outdone, got the head down and reeled Aksu in, taking the lead on lap seven, holding off a charge from Aksu at turn one on the start of the final lap.
Marianos Nikolis has worked his way up into a potential podium, fighting with Dunker with the Nelson duo in fifth and sixth. Heading into the final chicane Waters set himself up with a clean exit to hold on and win by 0.143, while Aksu had to defend a fiery Nikolis, who very nearly pipped second on the line.
In the midfield, a trio of Jack Favelle, Snell and Jonathan Nahlous hit the line three-wide separated by just 0.051 with Favelle taking a hard fought ninth.
Yamaha Finance R3 Cup Race Three A lightning start from Liam Waters could only be bettered by the one and only Taiyo Aksu who continued to show his weekend form, moving from fifth to second and right on the tail of Waters. At the start of lap three, Aksu made the move on Waters to take the lead, but nothing is a given here and there were seven bikes behind all in the mix.
The final race of the weekend had given these riders countless laps to figure out the right race plan and setting up the chicane exit onto the main straight looked a crucial element of any good race. By lap five, Cameron Swain was looking to pull the trigger, taking the lead well before the main straight, only to hand it straight back to Aksu and Waters.
The movement within the leading pack of eight was constant and countless while seven seconds up the road was essentially the other half of the field with Cooper Rowntree at the head of ninth to 15th split by less than a second.
Into lap seven it was Hayden Nelson looking to make the big moves, up into second as they headed to the line, with Swain falling to seventh. Waters lead the final lap with Aksu and Marianos Nikolis close behind. Aksu went for a move on Waters but couldn’t hold on to it, and it looked like that could be a good thing heading into the chicane- the tow awaited.
But Waters managed a clean-as-you-like exit out of the final corner and somehow managed to hold off the attack from Aksu, staying just ahead by 0.047 to take the race and overall weekend win. Nikolis held on for a well fought third place ahead of Cameron Dunker with less than a second back to eighth.
Yamaha Finance R3 Cup Wakefield Park Round Podium (Full Results Here)
bLU cRU Oceania Junior Cup Race Two Levi Russo was missing from the grid following a crash in the warmup, giving the leaders an easier task, and it was Hudson Thompson who made the most of the opportunity from the start. It wasn’t long before a leading pack broke away, establishing a little over a second between Marcus Hamod in fifth and Ryan Larkin in sixth by the end of lap one.
As they crossed the line for the first of six laps, it was already evident that this race would be hard fought, as Harrison Watts made the move on Thompson to lead by 0.047, with less than half a second separating first from fifth.
Larkin and Alexander Codey did their best in sixth and seventh to catch the leading group, but without the tow it was very difficult work. Cameron Rende found a way past Watts through Dunlop corner with Hamod now up to third, but it was short lived as Watts had a game plan and took the lead once more just after the line.
Three laps down the leading pack of five was three seconds ahead of the next riders, with plenty of jostling for position throughout each lap. Crossing the line to start lap four – the gap to fifth was under a third of a second.
Watts was still looking strong, taking the bulk of the time in the lead, even if it’s never more than a few corners at a time as this group was not afraid to put the moves on each other on a near-constant basis… Starting lap five, Bodie Paige with the bright red helmet decided the time was right and took the lead down the straight, continuing to hold on for the entire lap and even over the line – holding off Watts in the tow.
Rende managed to claw his way back in to take the lead once more from Paige, setting up the move on the exit of Michelin corner to hold on through Suzuki corner and into the Yamaha chicane. But right on the back of Rende coming out of the last corner was Paige, who tucked in with a perfectly timed tow to take the win by just 0.011, barely the width of a tyre. Rende held on to second place with Watts right behind rounding out the podium.
bLU cRU Oceania Junior Cup Race Three Levi Russo made the grid this time out and with a solid start held the lead into turn one. In the usual OJC fashion the lead group exchange the lead numerous times throughout the first lap and by the end of lap one it was Harrison Watts leading Bodie Paige with Thompson and Russo in third and fourth.
From second place on lap two, Thompson made a mistake at the entry to Suzuki corner ending his race early, losing the front under brakes into the right hander. A bit of a gap emerged as the leading group reacted to the collapse of Thompson, but by the start of lap four it was all back to the usual tight racing with Paige leading the way.
Marcus Hamod and Paige battled throughout lap four exchanging the lead, with Cameron Rende, Watts and Russo keeping them honest. In the midfield, a second group was tucked closely together led by Hunter Corner with another five bikes, all within half a second of each other.
Into the final lap, Rende takes the lead, but we’ve seen time and time again that it means almost nothing if you can’t find a good half-second gap before the tow kicks in onto the main straight. A mistake by Hamod, drifting out onto the grass, gave Watts a great little gap coming into the Yamaha chicane. The gap was about 0.25 but it wasn’t enough and Watts was completely swamped heading across the line.
The timing board showed Rende the winner by 0.73 over Watts and Paige in third 0.05 behind Watts, and it took a video review to confirm the result. Hamod did well to hold onto fourth after his excursion on the grass, holding out Russo in fifth.
The second pack came across the line eight seconds adrift of the leaders, with Ryan Larkin taking sixth from Sam Drane, and only 0.577 splitting sixth from tenth.
bLU cRU Oceania Junior Cup Morgan Park Round Podium (Full Results Here)
