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

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September 14, 2022

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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September 8, 2022

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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!

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. 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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September 8, 2022

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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.

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?

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.

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

MotoGP Misano Test: Quartararo Quickest, Marquez Hits 100 Laps

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September 8, 2022

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Crews are packing up after the completion of two days of action at the Official MotoGP Misano Test, and it was the Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Team on top of the timesheets. Fabio Quartararo finished Day 2 with a 1:31.054, the fastest time of the test overall, while at the Repsol Honda Team, Marc Marquez continued to accumulate laps in his comeback.

Yamaha
Much of the pre-test talk centred around Yamaha’s new engine, and the top speed charts made for very encouraging reading indeed. Quartararo clocked 298.3km/h in the pre-lunchtime running on Wednesday, third on that metric at less than 2km/h slower than Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) recorded on one of the Bologna bullets otherwise known as a Ducati. ‘El Diablo’ admitted he used a slipstream to achieve that speed, but was still quite happy with what the Iwata manufacturer has rolled out. He was fastest in that morning session on a 1:31.116 before shaving off a little more time in the afternoon to consolidate his place at the top.

Yamaha also worked on a new chassis, as well as new aerodynamic pieces, with different versions seen on the bikes of Quartararo and Franco Morbidelli, who finished the test 12th-fastest overall. While Misano is very much about developing a bike for the following season, it might also give Quartararo a big boost to his hopes of back-to-back World Championship titles, given Team Manager Massimo Meregalli says that the new chassis could appear as soon as the upcoming Gran Premio Animoca Brands de Aragon. Intriguingly, Meregalli also reported that Yamaha may have found a way to achieve more power this year, which would require a development somewhere other than the engine. What have they got up their sleeve, and we will see the evidence of that in Aragon also?

Marquez broke into the top ten earlier on Day 2. "I don't even know if I'm riding tomorrow" - he did ride tomorrow, and he rode another 60 laps. — Marquez broke into the top ten earlier on Day 2. “I don’t even know if I’m riding tomorrow” – he did ride tomorrow, and he rode another 60 laps.

Honda
Marc Marquez fans rejoice! The eight-time World Champion completed another 61 laps on Day 2 of the Misano test. It was certainly not the most mileage, but he notched up a solid haul in both of the Wednesday sessions – an extremely positive sign for the Honda rider’s fitness after his arm surgery in June, and therefore a positive sign for Honda in general.

As for the machinery, there was plenty going on at Honda as well. The Kalex swingarm which HRC Test Rider Stefan Bradl tried out on Day 1 was back again on Day 2 – and this time, it was seen on one of Marc Marquez’s bikes. The #93 had three different examples of the RC213V at his disposal, those being a pair of 2022 versions and more of a 2023 model, and Honda tested three different air intakes across its fleet of motorcycles. Bradl also tried out a different exhaust, and even did some back-to-back running with the 2021 bike.

Marc Marquez fans rejoice! The eight-time World Champion completed another 61 laps on Day 2 of the Misano test.

On the timesheets, Marc Marquez was Honda’s best in 13th for the test on combined times, having gone as fast as a 1:31.642 in the morning session on Day 2. More importantly, however, there is plenty for the Japanese marque’s technical gurus to pore over in coming weeks and months as preparations for next season ramp up.

Ducati
San Marino GP winner Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) finished the test second-fastest thanks to the 1:31.172 which he set before lunchtime on Day 2, while the man who was runner-up last Sunday, Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) claimed fourth in the test on a 1:31.260. None of the Ducati riders ventured onto the track in the afternoon, while Mooney VR46 Racing Team had already wrapped up its testing on Day 1.

The Misano test was an opportunity to start testing the latest innovations ahead of next year. — The Misano test was an opportunity for Ducai to start testing the latest innovations ahead of next year.

In the main, the Bologna marque worked on chassis and new aerodynamics, although only with Bagnaia and Bastianini. Meanwhile, Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) had a spill at Turn 4 – rider okay.

Aprilia
Both of Aprilia Racing’s full-time Grand Prix riders, Maverick Viñales and Aleix Espargaro, finished in the top five, the former third on a 1:31.189 and the latter fifth on a 1:31.333 – both set in the morning session on Day 2. Of particular note, however, was that Espargaro’s crash in that session has left him with a broken little finger on his left hand. Thankfully, he will not need surgery, and while the Argentina GP winner admitted to being in pain, he expects to be okay to ride at the Aragon GP.

The Noale manufacturer tested different chassis and, like Yamaha, could roll out a new specification as soon as Aragon. There was also new aerodynamics to trial as well.

KTM
Despite chatter in the paddock, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team Manager Francesco Guidotti said that the Austrian manufacturer did not have a 2023 prototype at Misano, although it did test 2023 parts. Miguel Oliveira was quickest of its riders on a 1:31.585 although much of the development work was done by Brad Binder and test rider Dani Pedrosa – with the former putting in a big effort of 46 laps on the Wednesday afternoon.

Despite chatter in the paddock, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team Manager Francesco Guidotti said that the Austrian manufacturer did not have a 2023 prototype at Misano.

Suzuki
Team Suzuki Ecstar completed its programme on Day 1 of the test, and was not in action on Day 2.

That’s a wrap on the Misano test, but make sure you check out motogp.com for more news and insights from two fascinating days of action which will shape not only next year, but also the rest of the 2022 season. Then, tune in for MotorLand on September 16-18!

MotoGP Misano Test Top Three (Full Results Here)

1 Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) – Yamaha – +0.492
2 Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) – Ducati – +0.024
3 Franco Morbidelli (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) – Yamaha – +0.492

Aprilia Busy At MotoGP Misano Test

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September 8, 2022

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The main news of the two days of MotoGP testing at Misano is the enormous amount of work carried out by Aprilia. Always among the first to take to the track and the last to close, with practice starts on the main straight, even on the final day…

A total of 427 laps were clocked over the two days by the RS-GPs of Aleix Espargaró, Maverick Viñales and Lorenzo Savadori, all of whom were involved in both tests related to the current season and in comparisons and simulations that could help the development of the 2023 prototype.

Caught up in a crash at Turn 13, Aleix had to interrupt his test towards the end of today’s morning session, having suffered a micro-fracture to the little finger of his left hand that is not cause for concern ahead of Aragón.

Aleix Espargaró
“The injury will fortunately only require a little rest. We’ll check it tomorrow with more detailed tests but I’m not worried ahead of Aragón. The test overall was positive. We tried some concepts with a view to 2023 but we will have to analyse the data well, because Misano is a track with a lot of grip, especially after a race weekend. So it will be necessary to reconfirm the sensations on other tracks”.

Maverick Viñales
“We have definitely taken a step forward with these tests. I am satisfied with the work Aprilia is doing, both with a view to 2023 and to help me in this season finale. In the second part of the race on Sunday I lost something compared to the best riders and in these two days we have also had the opportunity to analyse that situation and work to improve it.”

A total of 427 laps were clocked over the two days by the RS-GPs of Aleix Espargaró, Maverick Viñales and Lorenzo Savadori. — A total of 427 laps were clocked over two days by the RS-GPs of Aleix Espargaró, Maverick Viñales and Lorenzo Savadori.

Romano Albesiano
“Despite what might come naturally seeing the results of this season, our path to perfect competitiveness is still a long one. We are not satisfied and we won’t be until we manage to fill all the gaps in the RS-GP. We are already working on the ideas that will go on to define the 2023 prototype but the analysis process has to be meticulous, the risk of missteps is always just around the corner. There are concepts that seem to work, others that don’t clearly improve, so after so many laps we will have to be good at analysing the data collected. We are at a good level of performance, but this does not allow us to slow down development.” he finished.

Positive Two Day Misano Test For Ducati Lenovo MotoGP Team

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PB

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September 8, 2022

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Francesco Bagnaia, fresh from winning his home Grand Prix at Misano, was one of the first riders to hit the track on Day 1, which saw him using all the track time available to complete his busy testing schedule.

The two days of post-race collective testing concluded this afternoon at the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli, stage last Sunday of the San Marino GP. For the Ducati Lenovo Team riders, it was a chance to work on their Desmosedici GP machines before tackling the last part of the season.

Francesco Bagnaia, fresh from winning his home Grand Prix at Misano, was one of the first riders to hit the track on Day 1, which saw him using all the track time available to complete his busy testing schedule. On the other hand, today, Pecco only took part in the morning session. With 131 laps completed, Bagnaia ended the test in second position with a fastest time in 1:31.172.

Jack Miller also made the most of the first day and the morning of the second before both of his final sessions were cut short by a crash just minutes from the end. During the test, Miller focused mainly on testing different setup configurations, completing a total of 86 laps and setting the eighteenth time overall in 1:31.927.

Francesco Bagnaia (#63 Ducati Lenovo Team) – 2nd (1:31.172 – 131 laps)
“These were two very productive days of testing: we tried several new things, and the Ducati engineers now have a clearer idea of which direction to take to continue the development work on next year’s bike. During these two days, we focused mainly on our corner speed, and every test gave positive feedback. The feeling with the bike was excellent, as demonstrated by my consistent and competitive pace on used tyres. I’m satisfied with the work completed over these two days, and I can’t wait to get back on track next week in Spain.”

Jack Miller (#43 Ducati Lenovo Team) – 18th (1:31.927 – 86 laps)
“This morning’s crash at Turn 4 was very similar to the one I suffered in the race, and now we’ll have some more data to analyse to understand what exactly happened, as, at that point, I had the feeling I was doing the same as the lap before. In any case, yesterday and today, we worked on different setup configurations but didn’t try any new components. Now we’ll analyse the information gathered over these two days to improve the bike further ahead of the next race at Aragon”.

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. — Jack Miller also made the most of the first day and the morning of the second before both of his final sessions were cut short by a crash just minutes from the end.

The Ducati Lenovo Team will be back in action from 16th-18th September for the fifteenth round of the 2022 MotoGP World Championship, the Aragón GP, at the MotorLand Aragón in Alcañiz, Spain.

Yamaha Riders Anchor Australian ISDE Success

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PB

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September 8, 2022

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Blake Hollis also was on debut at the 2022 ISDE and proved to be a consistent and reliable anchor man for the team, coming home in eighth in JSE1, 12th pace in JWT and 56th Outright.

Australia’s Junior and Women’s ISDE teams both stood on the podium at the end of the Six Day International off road event with a third-place finish respectively, anchored by impressive individual performances by Yamaha mounted riders.

The Junior Trophy team consisting of Kyron Bacon (Yamaha), Blake Hollis (Yamaha) and Kory McMahon (GASGAS) finished the event in third after a gruelling six days of competition. The team were always in contention from a podium finish right from the get-go and kept in the fight right to the end to snare the final podium spot in a rewarding week for the three riders.

Bacon led the charge finishing an incredible third in the JSE1 class, fifth in JWT and 26th outright for the event on board his 250cc machine. Bacon has been nothing short of sensational in the 2022 season, winning the Australian Four Day Enduro, currenting leading the Australian Off-Road Championship and now a podium result at the most prestigious off road event in the world.

The 2022 ISDE was Bacon’s first attempt at the event and the experience gained will hold not only him, but the Australian team in good stead as he know has better knowledge of how the event is run and the skills required to compete on the world stage.

“That was pretty tough,” Bacon said not long after the finish. “Six long days on a bike, all done at close to race pace throughout on challenging and tricky trails and tests makes it super draining and such a hard event to contest.

“Each day presented another challenge as the tests were dry and dusty, then become rough and rocky so you really had to be on your game and stay focused. But being a team event, it’s awesome to have the support of everyone around you who help and offer assistance and I’m stoked to be able to stand on the podium with Blake and Kory to finish third. Thank you to Joakim and Yamaha Europe for this assistance during the event as well as AJ and everyone at Yamaha Australia who always support us. Also, thanks to Motorcycling Australia and the team sponsors who invested in us. It was a great event and I look forward to doing many more of these in the years to come.”

Blake Hollis also was on debut at the 2022 ISDE and proved to be a consistent and reliable anchor man for the team, coming home in eighth in JSE1, 12th pace in JWT and 56th Outright. Hollis battled some sickness during the week but continued to front up each and every day giving his all and helped his team mates to the podium result. Hollis also gained plenty of experience from the event and believes that it will do him good both domestically as well as the next time he competes at the ISDE.

“It’s pretty cool to be racing against the best off riders in the world and I got to watch and learn from them first hand. None of us in the junior team have had much international experience, so I think we learned a lot and worked well together to get a good result.

“We had a lot of people here supporting us, some of them volunteers who just wanted to be a part of it, so I’m thankful to them as well as everyone on the team and Yamaha. I would love to come back and do this event again as I think I can prepare better and achieve a better result, so I hope to get back and give another one a crack in the future.”

Jess Gardiner led the Women’s team to another podium result at the ISDE. Gardiner, an experienced campaigner who already has six ISDE gold medals to her name, can now add a bronze as the team of Gardiner, Emilie Karlsson and Ebony Nelson finished third in 2022.

For Gardiner, she found this one a challenge as conditions were tough and the riding long, but the ever determined rider she is enabled her to charge all the way to the finish and take fourth in individual honours and lead Australia to a third place finish.

“We had a bit of everything thrown at us this week, from dust to rocks and some rain here and there so it was a tough event and the tests were used several times so it was also rough. The girls did a great job, and I can’t thank them enough for giving it their best every day and I’m proud to be standing on the podium with them this week after some a gruelling event.”

"The girls did a great job, and I can’t thank them enough for giving it their best every day and I’m proud to be standing on the podium with them this week after some a gruelling event.” said Jess — “The girls did a great job, and I can’t thank them enough for giving it their best every day and I’m proud to be standing on the podium with them this week after some a gruelling event.” said Jess

The only blemish during the event was the forced retirement of Josh Green. Green was riding well and consistently posting good times in the opening days of competition but on day four fell on rocks and severely injured his hand and fingers. This meant Green had to go to hospital as a nasty gash and cuts required clean up surgery and some wires placed to secure and stabilize his hand. He spent the last two days cheering on his teammates.

“It’s a disappointing way to finish the event and I feel bad for letting the senior team down. Daniel, Todd, Andy and myself were all battling away and trying to get towards a podium but that all went out the window when myself and Todd went down with injury. I’m gutted that I couldn’t help my teammates to the end. Doing an event like this is a huge effort from so many people. The work that goes on behind the scenes is massive, so a huge thank you to everyone who has had a handing in helping team Australia in all divisions. We all worked well as a team and it would have been awesome for everyone of us to be on the podium at the end, but it wasn’t to be,” Green said.

METZELER Rewards The Best Customizers At European Bike Week

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PB

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September 8, 2022

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The tyre brand is present at the largest European motorcycle rally with a booth and onsite tyre change service, as well as sponsor of the Harley-Davidson Custom Bike Show and promoter of the Metzeler Award.

METZELER have a leading role at European Bike Week, the largest European motorcycle rally that takes place in Faak am See, Austria, from today to Sunday 11 September 2022. — METZELER have a leading role at European Bike Week, the largest European motorcycle rally that takes place in Faak am See, Austria, from the 6th to 11th of September 2022.

The German-born tyre brand and two-wheel specialist is present at the 2022 edition of the iconic event in the Customizer Area of the Harley-Davidson Village with a booth completely dedicated to Cruisetec and ME888 Marathon Ultra, the tyres designed for the latest generation of cruisers. METZELER is promoting different initiatives in these six days that will see thousands of motorcyclists from all over Europe flock to the small Austrian town. In addition to offering a free tyre pressure check-up service, motorcyclists will be able to buy (and have fitted) METZELER tyres during the rally, thanks to the METZELER service present on site.

METZELER is also sponsor of the official Custom Bike Show – which takes place on Friday 9 September – the competition, which elects the most beautiful bikes in different categories (Sport, Cruiser, Tourer, Classic, Adventure and Radical Custom), rewarding their creativity and the complexity of customization. The show is free to enter and best in Show will also receive a unique Harley-Davidson custom petrol tank. METZELER will be giving away several sets of Cruisetec tyres for the winners and, in addition, will be promoter of the METZELER Award, a prize for the bike that is considered the most beautiful creation by the tyre brand’s judges. This award, intended for customizers and individuals since 2018, will be given for the first time at the rally on the shores of Lake Faak.

The German-born tyre brand and two-wheel specialist willl be present at the 2022 edition of the iconic event in the Customizer Area of the Harley-Davidson Village.

With the European Bike Week the METZELER custom tour ends in style. This year saw the tyre brand participate in events such as the Riding Season in Milan, the 29th European HOG Rally in Portoroz in Slovenia, the Sporty Meeting in Grazzano Visconti, the Swiss Harley Days in Lugano and Eternal City Custom Show in Rome.

METZELER Wins Six Days Enduro With English National Team

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PB

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September 8, 2022

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The Six Day 2022 included a race course divided into three zones for a total of five Special Tests for the first five days of competition followed by the usual cross manche at the end of the event.

The most historic and most followed race in the enduro world took place in France and the English national team – with METZELER riders Steve Holcombe, Nathan Watson and Jed Etchells – was the winner, followed by Italy in second place and Spain in third.

The 2022 edition of the FIM Internation Six Days Enduro was held in Le Puy-en-Velay, a small characteristic village in the Haute-Loire department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpe. — The 2022 edition of the FIM Internation Six Days Enduro was held in Le Puy-en-Velay, a small characteristic village in the Haute-Loire department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes.

The 2022 edition of the FIM Six Days Enduro was held in Le Puy-en-Velay, a small characteristic village in the Haute-Loire department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes which, for many years, has hosted all the GPs of the FIM EnduroGP World Championship.

The Six Day 2022 included a race course divided into three zones for a total of five Special Tests for the first five days of competition followed by the usual cross manche at the end of the event. On Day 1 and 2 the Special Tests were located in the villages of Haute-Loire, Haut-Allier and Gévaudan while the race course of Day 3 and 4, always included the departure from the village of Haute-Loire and then move to Lozère and finish in Langogne. On the fifth day of competition it started from the village of Haute-Loire with a passage to Le Puy-en-Velay and the conclusion of the day of competition in Emblavez. For the highly anticipated final on Saturday 3 September, the organizers have chosen the cross track a few steps from the paddock in Le Puy-en-Velay.

In France, the METZELER riders raced for all six days of competition on hard and dusty terrain made even more slippery and demanding by the rains that fell during some days. In addition to the classic French special tests on a counter slope, the riders faced some wooded parts with some roots and numerous natural obstacles.

The French Six Days began with a protagonist, Josep Garcia (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) who, with his speed, brought the Spanish national team to the provisional first place after Day One. Starting with the handbrake on, the English national team finished Day One in third place but from the following day the English team, led by Nathan Wattson and Steve Holcombe, took the lead until the end of the sixth day Motocross manche. The English team including METZELER riders Nathan Watson (Honda Racing RedMoto World Enduro Team), Steve Holcombe (Team Beta Factory Enduro) and Jed Etchells (Fantic D’Arpa Racing) won the 96th edition of the Six Days.

Throughout the duration of the Six Days, the fight for second place in the World Trophy saw the Italian and Spanish national teams fight each other to the last breath. Spain started strong right away but Italy ran a constant race. The Italian team led by Andrea Verona (Gas Gas Factory Racing), Thomas Oldrati (Honda Racing RedMoto World Enduro Team) and two other METZELER supported riders Alex Salvini and Samuele Bernardini arrived at the motocross manche of the sixth day in third position with Spain in second place. At the end of the sixth and final day, the Italian national team managed to overtake the Spanish national team by snatching the second final place in the World Trophy.

Australian rider Daniel Milner (Fantic D’Arpa Racing) failed to shine as in the FIM EnduroGP World Championship, while Mikael Persson (Husqvarna Factory Racing) after five days as protagonist threw away the third overall individual place in the last motocross race. Roni Kytonen (Honda Racing RedMoto World Enduro Team) took her Finnish national team to second place in the Junior Trophy.

Results – Individual Overall

1 GARCIA Josep
2 VERONA Andrea
3 WATSON Nathan

Results – World Trophy

1 UK
2 Italy
3 Spain

Results – Junior Trophy

1 Italy
2 Finland
3 Australia

Gaerne: All New GRT & GRS Race Boots

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PB

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September 8, 2022

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GRT is a new racing boot from Gaerne suitable for sporty riding! The upper is made in micro-fiber, while the inside is fully lined with a breathable Airmesh.

Gaerne say they are proud to release two new motorcycle boots for Australian riders. The Italian boot specialist has two new styles suited to riders who enjoy both track and street riding. CE approved levels of safety and Gaerne levels of performance, fit and comfort on track or on road. Available now around Australia.

The Italian boot specialist has two new styles suited to riders who enjoy both track and street riding.

Gaerne GRS
A racing boot suitable for track and street. The GRS has the exclusive Gaerne floating system to surround the ankle while at the same time flowing with your natural movement. The heel cup is designed for maximum strength, while a wide shin plate in PU and gear lever protection add further safety.

Inside is a breathable lining and shinbone area with special padding for extra comfort. There is also a side-entry system with elastic zip panel and velcro for customized fit, non-slip and oil resistant sole and changeable toe sliders.

Gaerne GRT
GRT is a new racing boot from Gaerne suitable for sporty riding! The upper is made in micro-fiber, while the inside is fully lined with a breathable Airmesh. The heel cup, the front plate and the gear support complement the technical features of this new boot.

Inner side elastic zip pannel and wide velcro allows a perfect closure of the boot. Exclusive dual compound, anti-slip rubber sole, replaceable sliders, Anatomic and removable insole complete the awesome features of this boot!

Keen on either pair? Head into your local motorcycle store now or contact Cassons Australia directly regarding stock availability. Check out the 2022 Gaerne Australia catalogue here…

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Positive Two Day Misano Test For Ducati Lenovo MotoGP Team

Yamaha Riders Anchor Australian ISDE Success

METZELER Rewards The Best Customizers At European Bike Week

METZELER Wins Six Days Enduro With English National Team

Gaerne: All New GRT & GRS Race Boots

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