Carlos Checa dominated WSBK in 2011, winning his first ever world title at the ripe old age of 38. With 15 wins and 21 podiums all up on the privateer Ducati. Of all the bikes I rode at the 2011 end of season press test, the Althea Racing Ducati RS11 was the most exciting…
Checa dominated the 2011 SBK season on the privateer Duke. Riding it revealed a refined and user friendly package.
Watching King Carlos dominate on what is essentially an old superseded customer spec RS11 race bike that anyone could buy for just shy of $200,000 AUD as a base model had been great from a fan point of view. And even when speed deficits on the ultra fast Alitalia Aprilia or Yamaha machines was as big as 18km/h at the fast tracks, Carlos would still win.
With this in mind and after studying his sector times on the infield of all the tracks this year, it was clear that this machine is a weapon in the parts that count… and with my own 1198 project in Australia at the time, I was keen to see how much of an animal a WSBK championship winning machine really was.
Based around the $200,000 customer spec RS11, Checa developed a title winner. Hat’s off to him and the team.
THE RIDE
It’s a warm Monday morning at Algarve International Circuit, a place that feels like my second home such is its popularity for tyre tests, bike launches and other events. It’s a long haul 40-hour trip from home, though, but I’ve had the weekend to recover and soak up the WorldSBK atmosphere…
Once the team fire the beast up and start warm-up my heart gets beating. I’m rarely nervous or intimidated by a motorcycle but the pulsing of massive two-ring 106mm pistons is getting the heart racing. I’m focussed today as I have 11 bikes to test in a row. All of the top WorldSBK and WorldSSP machines. No time to be worried… just get on and go…
“The ‘bars are also low and dropped down the forks old-school style and I really feel in the bike rather than on it.”
Climbing onto Checa’s machine, the first thing I notice is how flat the bike feels. I expected some radically jacked up machine, particularly with Checa’s Grand Prix past, however, the bike is surprisingly conservative feeling. The seat is low.
The ‘bars are also low and dropped down the forks old-school style and I really feel in the bike rather than on it. It’s a great seating position that feels like and old-fashioned racer… The bike is super narrow as expected but aside from the obvious things like the Marelli dash and race ‘bars, seat etc, it feels like a regular road 1198… very familiar to me.
Ducati RS11 left bar Checa.
Ducati RS11 right bar Checa
Checa is small of stature like many racers but I found the footpeg position roomy and overall the riding position just gave instant confidence and control. Years of experience means Carlos has nailed the riding possie on this bike and he looked comfortable in all situations on the Ducati during 2011…
I head off, needing mega revs and a good push to get going as first gear is really tall. I exit pit lane and short-shift to third gear for the run down to turn one. Wow! Serious torque. All the other bikes have needed second gear through turns one and two but the Ducati stomps off the turns with ferocious punch. In fact I can’t keep it from wheel-standing and need to get the revs up once I settle down.
“Power is linear and acceleration so strong that the bike feels faster than the other world superbikes.”
I settle in and feel really confident and comfortable on the bike. It feels agile and light and nimble. Initial turning is so quick and accurate. Change of direction from full lean to full lean is not as fast as the fours, however, here at Portimao that is not an issue. It is only out of turn 13 (left) and into 14 (right) that I notice that slightly heavier direction change.
The torque is incredible and not easy to get used to. Carlos rides with such finesse and grace that I was convinced this would be a big pussycat to ride. But it is not. The acceleration can only be described as violent and the throttle response instant in every sense of the word. In the lower gears I found I had to really spend attention on cracking the throttle smoothly with a bit of rear brake on.
Brembo radial P4X34-38 calipers and 320mm rotors
Brembo P2X34 caliper and 218mm rotor
Once open the bike jumps off the turns like you would not believe. Do it with urgency or lack of care and the bike responds by bucking, shaking and trying to twist its trellis frame into knots. Smooth is the key and once I calmed down and got settled on the bike I started to ‘get it’.
Power is linear and acceleration so strong that the bike feels faster than the other superbikes. But once the revs reach 11,500rpm the power drops away rapidly. The bike is very flat up top so early shifting and long gears are required, which takes time to get used to after riding all of the fours and some 600s.
“The suspension on the Althea Ducati is surprisingly plush, although I do weigh in at 18kg more than Checa!”
One surprise on the Checa bike is the level of engine braking Carlos likes. It helps him get the bike turned and jammed into corners but caught me out a few times. Most racers like a lot of clutch slip however the number 7 machine has more engine braking than a Mack truck! Back shift into turns above 9000rpm and the rear wheel will hop and the bike shudder. I found myself having to downshift one less gear and/or later than usual. I even gave the bike a big old school rev on backshifting into some of the tighter turns.
With so much torque and drive the bike is not the easiest to control in a quick test and would take some time to learn to ride smoothly and to not upset the bike with inputs. It’s clear Checa has that nailed but I can see why many riders never adapt to Ducati motorcycles.
The brakes on the Althea Ducati are simply stunning. I’m glad I had ridden a few other machines the morning I rode Checa’s as I thought I knew what strong brakes were! Well, as incredible as some of the others are, the set-up Carlos runs is incredible. Braking in anger is an experience right up there with the thrill of the acceleration from the engine. And the feel is incredible. As is the grip from the SC1 Pirelli slicks, which were not grooves as they are in the static imagery.
The suspension on the Althea Ducati is surprisingly plush, although I do weigh in at 18kg more than Checa! The bike sits so balanced on the springs and the level of feel from the stunning Ohlins forks is out of this world. The wheels and tyres remain firmly on the tarmac and the bike settles so, so quickly as proven in Carlos’ amazing 170km/h 24m slide coming onto the chute in the race on Sunday.
“Braking in anger is an experience right up there with the thrill of the acceleration from the engine.”
Overall an experience to remember and one of the biggest thrills of my life…
TECH TALK
Sitting on the scales, Ducati’s 1198 Testastretta evoluzione engine weighs in at just 56kg and the 90-degree L-twin desmo engine generates a claimed 200CV or 197hp at 11,000rpm at the crankshaft with a 50mm air restrictor in place. Restrictors vary from 46 to 52mm.
Internally, this engine includes a pair of two-ring Omega pistons that reduce weight and frictional losses. Obviously, the crankshaft is also lighter than the stocker and was re-balanced accordingly. If you had x-ray vision, you’d see that the pistons have very short skirts and extra ribbing under the crown. Very similar in design to what’s used in the MotoGP Desmosedici.
When asked about the compression ratio, engineers looked out the window but did confirm that the stock heads receive love and attention in the ports to make intake and exhaust flow happy. Camshafts offer the same lift as stock but longer duration to allow deeper breathing. Imparting motion to the valves is a set of ultra-polished rocker arms that offer longer life expectancy at the 12,400rpm redline.
Each cylinder head carries a pair of standard injectors. Control of these is the domain of the Magneti Marelli ECU that determines the exact amount of fuel required to keep each cylinder in its happy place at every combination of throttle opening and rpm.
Removing exhaust gases is a Termignoni exhaust. The two-into-one-into-two kit item uses 52 and 57mm tubing with a wall thickness of just 0.8mm! Mufflers are made of titanium and carbon-fibre.
Transferring power is the dry slipper-clutch and the cartridge-style six-speed transmission from the Ducati race kit. The pinions from the gearbox are all shot-peened before fitting to lengthen their life.
All of this is loaded into a frame that’s as stock as the day it left the factory. Fitting a 6.25×16.5-inch wheel and 190/65-16.5 slick into the stock swingarm doesn’t work so a new, stronger replacement is part of the kit. Linkages for the Ohlins RSP40 shock also differ to stock.
Holding the 3.50×16.5-inch front wheel is an Ohlins TRVP25 42mm fork that is race-only. At the lower end, they carry fully-machined assemblies to hold the front axle clamps as well as the mounts for the front calipers and pressure accumulators.
Front brake calipers are P4X34-38, matched with a pair of 320mm rotors also from Brembo. The differential-piston caliper bodies are machined from solid blocks of lithium-aluminium. Indicating how little it is used, the rear brake rotor is 218mm, smaller than the stock 245mm jobbie but still gripped by a P2X34 twin-piston caliper.
ALTHEA RACING DUCATI RS11 1198 Specifications
Power: Over 200hp@11,000rpm (with 50mm restrictor)
Wet weight: 162 – 171kg (variable, managed by FIM pending results)
Fuel capacity: 23.9L
Engine: 90-degree L-twin Desmodromic four-valve per-cylinder liquid-cooled four-stroke
Bore and stroke: 106mm x 67.9mm
Displacement: 1198cc
Fuel delivery: Magneti Marelli Marvel4 ECU, elliptical throttle-bodies with air restrictor between 46 and 52mm diameter (FIM regulations), Magneti Marelli 162 + 189 twin injectors per cylinder
Exhaust: Termignoni, stainless and titanium, two-into-one-into-two with titanium/carbon-fibre mufflers
Gearbox: Six-speed cassette with straight cut gears
Clutch: Dry, multi-plate slipper clutch, hydraulic actuation
Chaz Davies historically wrapped up the WSS title just over 10 years ago on the now legendary (and becoming collectable when talking early models) phased out for the street YZF-R6. At the season finale in Portugal in 2011, Jeff tested the amazing ParkinGO racer…
A decade on and little has changed, showing what a brilliant racer the YZF-R6 was from 2009 onwards.
Chaz had wrapped up the WSS title the previous round to the finale at Portimao, where I rode the bike on the Monday after the race. In a more relaxed mood but typically in winning form, Davies took victory from Salom and Ellison in a stunning race the day before I rode the bike. It was a fitting last WSS race for the then 24-year-old, who went on to be a WSBK long termer, following his retirement at the end of 2021.
In it’s 12th year of development and with this particular machine in its second year (2009 with Cal Crutchlow, 2010 a year off, back for 2011), the then current factory R6 was a proven winner. Davies alone had given the bike six victories on his way to title glory. So when I walked into the ParkinGO pit garage with my lid under my arm and a signed waiver in my hand, I knew I was on for a good time…
The agility of a short wheelbase bike but the corner speed and stability of a long wheelbase machine. Magic?
The first thing I noticed about Chaz’s bike was how much it felt like a normal R6. The fuel tank, bodywork, all very familiar. The ride height both ends is tall as expected but not as radical as I anticipated. The ‘bars are really wide and flat, very close to a flat bar like an MX bike. The seat position is fantastic – close to the bars but there is still a comfortable reach. And the seat-to-peg distance is roomy. Overall a perfect fit for me. I’m the same height as Chaz so it makes a change from me trying to fit into the typical jockey sized bikes.
The bike was fitted with the same tyres Chaz ran on the weekend prior.
Stock Yamaha R6, Pirelli Supersport control tyres, Akro system.
The bike was fitted with 30 per cent worn tyres, which was OK, and warmed up and ready to go. TC was set to level 3, which is as Chaz raced it the day before. Everything else was as per Sunday. The bike naturally felt like a racer as Yamaha developed it with racing only in mind….
At only 158kg, this beast was a lightweight. What a stunning looking chassis. I wonder where the bike is now?
Rolling out of pit lane and accelerating towards turn one the R6 spun up really quickly. The gearbox shift was amazing and was the fastest quickshifter around for the era. After a few corners to settled in, put my head down and started to push. The engine was a screamer, it builds from 12,000rpm but the business end is up around 14,000 – 16,000rpm where things get very rapid.
The slim tank echoed that of the stock R6.
Super slim tail unit, plenty of room for Chaz Davies, who is tall for a racer…
Despite the peaky nature, once in the top end rev band the bike was electric smooth and the TC very subtle. The power didn’t tail off at all. The top end was just stunning, particularly compared to the Ten Kate Honda CBR600RR and much more than the MotoCard Kawasaki ZX-6R I rode on the same day.
The gearbox ratios felt closer and more competition-like than the other SS bikes and the shifter is great. Downshifting is simply a matter of clicking back through the gears – the engine blips itself and the clutch slips into turns accordingly. Run into corners was stunning and corner speed is 250 GP-like.
Carbon-fibre and big $ everywhere you look and this was a decade back!
MoTeC EMS and data logging capabilities.
Initial throttle opening was silky smooth and the bike really was so easy to ride. It just felt like a normal track R6 but with stunning suspension and massive power. On the gas, even in the upper gears, the bike loved to wheelstand, so I found myself using a lot of rear brake over the crest at the back of the circuit.
The front brakes were a letdown, with little initial bite, but this could be a Davies preferred setup.
The brakes on the bike were not as powerful as expected. Chaz may prefer a low ratio in the master-cylinder, as there was a lack of initial bite and the brakes needed a big squeeze to pull up. This is probably not such a bad thing in the heat of battle on such a short wheelbase bike. Chaz has a tendency to back bikes into turns and an abrupt initial bite would exaggerate that style.
Stock Tokico rear caliper but look at the slots in that rotor?
High ride-height, Ohlins TTX shock.
Initial turn-in is fast, the best steering of all the bikes I sampled on the day, and the bike fell onto its side very quickly. Lean angle is incredible and the bike tracked through turns with the poise of a long wheelbase machine while still having the benefits of the agility and line changing ability that comes with the short wheelbase.
Considering just how well the bike turned in, it makes you think about what amazing things riders and engineers can get a bike to at world level.
The rear spring was really, really hard and there was some small rear chatter as I was not pushing through the stroke anywhere near as much as Chaz would be. Using full throttle off all of the corners on the bike and trusting the fantastic chassis and electronics was a great buzz and the speed down the chute sensational.
Standard swingarm, carbon chain deflector guard.
145hp and a 16,000rpm rev ceiling makes for exciting stuff.
Overall, I was surprised at how easy the Chaz Davies ParkinGO world supersport championship winning R6 was to ride for a normal human like me. It was very exciting, don’t get me wrong, but so well sorted that it was easy. I can clearly see how a talented rider like Chaz Davies could steer this thing to so many victories and a title. It’s a winner in every sense of the word…
SPECIFICATIONS – 2011 Chaz Davies ParkinGO YAMAHA WORLD SUPERSPORT TEAM YZF-R6
Power: Over 145hp
Wet weight: 158kg
Fuel Capacity: 17.3L
Engine: Liquid cooled DOHC in-line-four 16-valve four-stroke
Bore and stroke: 64 x 42.5mm
Displacement: 599cc Compression ratio: N/A Fuel Delivery: YCC-T, standard throttle-bodies and injectors, Magneti Marelli
Exhaust: Akropovic
Gearbox: Close ratio race kit
Clutch: Wet, multi-plate slipper
Frame type: Aluminium die-cast Deltabox
Wheelbase: Adjustable
Rake: N/A
Trail: N/A
Front suspension: Stock R6 with Ohlins internals
Rear suspension: Ohlins TTX
Front brake: Stock Tokico
Rear brake: Stock Tokico
Front wheel: Stock Yamaha R6
Rear wheel: Stock Yamaha R6
Front and rear tyre: Pirelli
Johann Zarco ended the Official MotoGP Jerez Test at the summit of the timesheets despite a crash, the Frenchman putting in a speedy 1:37.136. There was plenty of important running at the Circuito de Jerez-Angel Nieto on Monday, with Brad Binder and Fabio Quartararo finishing inside the top three but the test about much more than the lap times.
Johann Zarco ended the Official MotoGP Jerez Test at the summit of the timesheets despite a crash.
Ducati Two-time 2022 race winner Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) was able to have a play with Ducati’s GP22 front fairing, while Spanish GP race winner Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) completed his test schedule before midday – 24 laps in the bag for Pecco. Pacesetter Zarco lapped quicker than he did in Q2 to finish top of the pile by a tenth and a half, as the Frenchman pocketed 54 laps ahead of his upcoming home Grand Prix at Le Mans. Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) was the second fastest Ducati rider on track, the Australian was P4 and completed 53 laps.
Jorge Martin (Pramac Racing) was ninth on the timesheets as fellow GP22 rider Luca Marini (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) spent the test riding a GP21, working on his positioning on the bike and focusing on setup to find more consistency. Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) was 13th fastest and was able to lap 56 times, with fellow rookie Fabio Di Giannantonio (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) clocking 64 laps.
Some new parts are revealed on Monday as the premier class head out for a one-day test. Like KTM’s new exhaust.
KTM Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) and Brad Binder both tested a radically new exhaust, while the Portuguese rider was also working on setup. Binder was testing some geometry and front fork settings and finished the test second, with Oliveira 21st after lapping 65 times.
Remy Gardner was the sole Tech3 KTM Factory Racing bike on track as Raul Fernandez recovers from the injury that saw him miss the Spanish GP. Gardner managed 44 laps but the Australian’s day ended with a crash at Turn 4, that resulted in him losing some skin off his left little finger and hurting his back. Thankfully there’s nothing broken.
Brad Binder was second fastest at the Jerez test, hopefully he will turn that into some racing pace.
Yamaha The big news coming from the Iwata camp during Monday’s test was Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Team Manager, Massimo Meregalli, confirming that Yamaha will have a new aero package at the Italian GP later this month.
Quartararo was one of the busier riders on track as the Frenchman completed 78 laps before calling it a day, ending the test third quickest. Franco Morbidelli (Monster Energy Yamaha) lapped 83 times, finishing P17, one place ahead of WithU Yamaha RNF MotoGP™ Team’s Andrea Dovizioso. Rookie Darryn Binder (WithU Yamaha RNF Team) crashed unhurt at Turn 7 before midday and was able to get 54 valuable laps in the bank.
The big news coming from the Iwata camp during Monday’s test was Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™ Team Manager, Massimo Meregalli, confirming that Yamaha will have a new aero package at the Italian GP later this month.
Honda Ahead of the Gran Premio Red Bull de España, Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) explained that Honda’s test started in FP1 on Friday morning. All things considered, it was a fantastic weekend for the eight-time World Champion in Jerez, but the work continued on Monday. The number 93 was seen testing a 2021 aero package but was mainly focusing on setup, with three bikes on his side of the garage…
Fellow Repsol Honda Team rider Pol Espargaro was lapping on very used Michelin medium tyres in the opening few hours after saying on Sunday that they need to create an environment that has as little grip as possible. The Spaniard was playing with geometry and completed a whopping 85 laps, setting the fifth fastest time in the process.
Ahead of the Gran Premio Red Bull de España, Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) explained that Honda’s test started in FP1 on Friday morning.
It wasn’t the day Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) would have been hoping for as he flew back to Barcelona early after a heavy crash at Turn 1. The Japanese rider is experiencing pain in his left knee ligaments – the same he damaged after the Indonesian GP – and although scans revealed no fractures, Nakagami will undergo further scans in Barcelona in a further check up. Alex Marquez (LCR Honda Castrol) suffered a mechanical problem towards the end of the day at Turn 1, but finished Monday’s test in P11 after lapping 80 times.
Suzuki Team Suzuki Ecstar duo Joan Mir and Alex Rins were testing suspension items and swingarms, comparing them to the ones they’ve already tested. Mir finished P6 on the timesheets with a 1:37.756, Rins was P8 and just 0.024s off his teammate’s time.
Team Suzuki Ecstar duo Joan Mir and Alex Rins were testing suspension items and swingarms, comparing them to the ones they’ve already tested.
Aprilia As their era without concessions begins, Aprilia were working on suspension, electronics and swingarm settings with Spanish GP podium finisher Aleix Espargaro and teammate Maverick Viñales, both joined on track once again by Test Rider Lorenzo Savadori.
Viñales suffered a crash at Turn 7 before lunch and then had a mechanical issue on the run into Turn 1 in the afternoon session. Savadori also encountered a mechanical issue with one of his RS-GP machines, an incident that brought out the red flags briefly in the afternoon. Viñales got a further 59 laps under his belt to continue his growth on the RS-GP, however, while teammate Espargaro ventured out for 46 laps, eventually ending the day P7 on the timesheets.
As their era without concessions begins, Aprilia were working on suspension, electronics and swingarm settings.
Has anyone found a step forward as Pecco’s race pace echoes in their recent memory? We’ll find out in just under two weeks – join us then for the SHARK Grand Prix de France.
Eric Granado (LCR E-Team) is the first electric winner of the season! The Brazilian took victory in the first and second race of the 2022 FIM Enel MotoE World Cup at the Gran Premio Red Bull de España, making a flawless weekend for Granado…
Granado battles through to beat Aegerter and Ferrari to first win of the season…
Granado sliced his way through to beat second place Dominique Aegerter (Dynavolt Intact GP MotoE) by 0.6s, with third and the final place on the podium going to Matteo Ferrari (Felo Gresini MotoE) after a little drama in Race 1. That was a clash between polesitter Miquel Pons (LCR E-Team) and Mattia Casadei (Pons Racing 40), with the two making contact at Turn 13, the latter crashing out. Pons was given a Long Lap penalty for the incident, which subsequently became a time penalty as the number 71 ran out of time to take it – keeping him off the podium.
Hector Garzo (Tech 3 E-Racing) and Casadei were the early battle for the lead, but by the halfway mark of the eight-lap race, a leading quintet formed at the front. Granado made his way through and took the lead for the first time at Turn 13 on Lap 6, making a pass stick on Casadei. Pons, meanwhile, had pounced on Garzo and then saw a gap appear underneath Casadei as Granado made his move ahead. The number 71 tagged Casadei and the Italian went down, rider ok but the incident shuffling the pack too.
Aegerter is now five podiums from five in 2022 across MotoE and WorldSSP.
Granado was clear of the drama in the lead, but behind Pons emerged second, Aegerter third, and Ferrari was up to fourth ahead of reigning Cup winner Jordi Torres (Pons Racing 40). Garzo dropped to sixth after avoiding the stricken Casadei at the final corner.
Pons’ Long Lap Penalty for ‘irresponsible riding’ was then announced during the final lap, but neither he nor Aegerter had chance to act on that before the chequered flag. The Swiss rider instead pulled off a move at Turn 9, set up as he swarmed round the outside of Pons through Turn 8.
Ferrari had good pace and kept it clean for the happy surprise of P3.
Granado shot first in the battle for the 2022 Cup.
Keeping it pinned, Granado took the chequered flag 0.696 seconds ahead of Aegerter for his sixth race win in the World Cup, with Pons crossing the line in third. The penalty saw him demoted to eighth once a three seconds had been added for not taking the Long Lap, giving Ferrari that first podium of the season as the Italian was just behind over the line after a solid start to 2022.
Garzo took fourth and Torres completed the top five to kickstart his title defence, with Hikari Okubo (Avant Ajo MotoE) and rookie Alex Escrig (Tech3 E-Racing) next up. The aforementioned Pons was classified P8, and rounding out the top 10 for the first time in 2022 were Marc Alcoba (Openbank Aspar Team) and Lukas Tulovic (WithU GRT RNF) – the German doing a good job standing in for the injured Bradley Smith despite no testing.
Race Two Patience was key for Eric Granado as he made it two from two in the opening weekend of FIM Enel MotoE World Cup action, the Brazilian doing the double in style at the Gran Premio Red Bull de España. It was an LCR E-Team one-two after he passed team-mate Miquel Pons midway through the final lap around the Circuito de Jerez-Angel Nieto too – the first time the Brazilian had led all race.
The Brazilian takes the second FIM Enel MotoE World Cup win of the year as Pons and Casadei bounce back with podiums.
For the second day in a row, Hector Garzo (Tech3 E-Racing) got the holeshot from the middle of the front row, but he held the lead only until Turn 5, where Casadei went down the inside. The running order got a shake-up when seemingly everyone went deep into Pedrosa Corner at the other end of the back straight though, and Aegerter emerged in first ahead of pole-sitter Pons and a rider who had started all the way back in eighth: Hikari Okubo (Avant Ajo MotoE). Fourth at that point was Garzo, ahead of Casadei and Granado.
Pons was back to where he started when he overtook Aegerter at the final corner at the end of Lap 1 though, the number 71 leading the way as Okubo went the other way; passed by both Garzo and Granado on Lap 2. The top four then quickly broke away from the rest, but after Granado sliced past Garzo at the end of Lap 2, it quickly became clear that the battle for victory was going to be a race in three. Even so, the previous day’s winner seemed content to watch Pons and Aegerter chop and change at the front of the field.
Garzo and Casadei got the start once more.
Granado is now 17 points clear at the top after a full 50/50 in Jerez.
Aegerter’s preferred passing zone was Turn 9, while Pons was better under brakes at Turn 6, and the lead switched and switched. Granado, meanwhile, was lying in wait, and the patience paid off as the final lap began. Aegerter made a lunge at Pons at Turn 1 but the Swiss rider went deep – too deep – and Granado took his chance to grab second, then setting his sights on his teammate.
The Brazilian was then able to get the run down the back straight and out-brake Pons at Turn 6, thereafter keeping it pinned to beat his teammate to the chequered flag by 0.217 seconds. In all the shuffling at the front, Casadei had also tagged onto the podium fight and he pinched third late on as he dived up the inside of Aegerter at the final corner, rubbing proving racing on this occasion as the Italian found some better luck on Sunday.
Casadei hit back on Sunday for a first podium of the season.
It was an LCR 1-2 in Race 2.
Okubo came home in fifth, just ahead of the two FIM Enel MotoE World Cup title winners to date, as Matteo Ferrari (Felo Gresini MotoE) finished sixth and Jordi Torres (Pons Racing 40) seventh after a tougher Sunday. Rounding out the top 10 were rookie Alex Escrig (Tech3 E-Racing), Niccolo Canepa (WithU GRT RNF), and Kevin Manfredi (OCTO Pramac).
Garzo was a surprise non-finisher, the Spaniard crashing when he tried to hang in there on the outside line as Casadei overtook him for fourth at the Lorenzo Corner on Lap 5. Marc Alcoba (Openbank Aspar Team) took a tumble at the end of Lap 1 after a tangle with Lukas Tulovic (WithU GRT RNF MotoE Team), and Yeray Ruiz (Avintia Esponsorama Racing) had a fast fall at Turn 4 on Lap 4, while the other 15 riders made it to the chequered flag.
In the World Cup standings, Granado now enjoys a 17-point lead on the way into France, with Aegerter his nearest rival and Pons another five points behind in third. Can the Brazilian remain unbeaten when MotoE continues in just two weeks from now? Tune into the SHARK Grand Prix de France on 13 – 15 May to find out!
Following recent rumours of Suzuki departing MotoGP at the end of 2022, Dorna Sports say they have officially contacted the factory in order to remind them that the conditions of their contract to race in MotoGP do not allow for them to take this decision unilaterally.
Despite Mir’s championship win in 2020 onboard a Suzuki. There is still speculation that the team will leave at the end of the 2022 season…
However, should Suzuki depart following an agreement between both parties, Dorna will decide on the ideal number of riders and teams racing in the MotoGP class from 2023.
Dorna say they continue to receive high levels of interest from a number of both official factories and Independent Teams looking to join the MotoGP grid as the sport continues to set a global example of close competition, innovation and entertainment, reaching hundreds of millions of fans around the world. Interest from these parties has been re-confirmed in the past 24 hours.
It’ll be an interesting rest of the season to see what Suzuki do in terms of their factory team and who will be in to replace them following their possible departure…
It’ll be an interesting rest of the season to see what Suzuki do in terms of their factory team and who will be in to replace them following their possible departure…
It’s the showdown that had been building all weekend: Ducati Lenovo Team’s Francesco Bagnaia vs Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP’s Fabio Quartararo. Despite his easy win in Portimao, Quartararo couldn’t catch the Ducati this time...
Despite Mir’s championship win in 2020 onboard a Suzuki. There is still speculation that the team will leave at the end of the 2022 season…
It’ll be an interesting rest of the season to see what Suzuki do in terms of their factory team and who will be in to replace them following their possible departure…
It’s the showdown that had been building all weekend: Ducati Lenovo Team’s Francesco Bagnaia vs Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP’s Fabio Quartararo. Despite his easy win in Portimao, Quartararo couldn’t catch the Ducati. This is duel that we were waiting to spark again in 2022.
The jam packed weekend started on Friday. Reigning Champion Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) was the rider to beat. The Championship leader pulled two tenths clear on Friday to hold off the hard-charging Ducati trio of Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing MotoGP™), Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) and Jorge Martin (Pramac Racing), with the Frenchman finding a late 1:37.071 in FP2 to sit top of the pile despite a crash earlier in the day.
FP1 2020 Champion Joan MIr (Team Suzuki Ecstar) topped FP1, the Spaniard’s penultimate lap good enough to hold off a last lap charge from teammate Alex Rins, who ended up just 0.025 behind in second. LCR Castrol’s Honda’s Alex Marquez slotted into third, but there was some headline stealing from Quartararo in a different way to start the day.
Despite Mir’s championship win in 2020 onboard a Suzuki. There is still speculation that the team will leave at the end of the 2022 season…
The Frenchman was sitting pretty at the top of the timesheets before a wet patch caught him out at the final corner, and the crash left him wincing as the rear wheel of his Yamaha flicked him in the groin. No harm done once he’d had a few minutes to recover, but there were two further moments as well: The first came under braking at Turn 9, before he was then forced to straight line it through the gravel trap at Turn 5. Despite all of that, the number 20 closed out the opening session in fifth, just behind Aleix Espargaro.
FP2 Quartararo was able to pull out those two tenths to take back to the top, but he had competition from Ducati. Looking at the opening day of action, it’s the Bologna factory who may well be his closest challengers on Sunday after Bastianini, Bagnaia and Martin all impressed. The ‘Beast’ jumped ahead of his factory counterpart with the chequered flag out to take second spot late on, but after Bagnaia had earlier led the session too. The number 63 appeared to be back to his brilliant best as he threw in a handful of fast laps, with his best placing him third overall and a quarter of a second adrift of his 2021 title rival.
Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team), meanwhile, suffered two crashes. The first off was at Turn 6, before quickly picking up the bike and rejoining. Whilst heading back to the pitlane, however, the eight-time World Champion was cruising off the racing line at Turn 9 and touched a damp patch that remained from Thursday’s rain. Down went the Spaniard again but former teammate and now KTM test rider Dani Pedrosa was on hand for a taxi back.
Saturday
History was made at the Circuito de Jerez-Angel Nieto after Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) set a new all-time lap record of 1:36.170, an incredible near half second clear of his main competition, aka reigning Champion Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™). The Italian denied the number 20 a fifth straight pole position in Andalucia, with a late charge from Aprilia Racing’s Aleix Espargaro enough to see him snatch third and another front row.
Q1 There were plenty of disgruntled faces at the conclusion of Q1, most notably from the man tied on points at the top of the World Championship: Team Suzuki Ecstar’s Alex Rins could only manage 14th on the grid and will be desperately hoping he can conjure up some first lap magic again on Sunday. Repsol Honda Team’s Pol Espargaro missed out on a Q2 place right at the end following a late lap from Johann Zarco (Pramac Racing), and KTM had a day to forget as well with their factory stars Brad Binder and Miguel Oliveira struggling down in 15th and 21st. Zarco topped the session, with rookie Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) once more an impressive nuisance for the veterans on Saturday.
Q2 Before the first flying laps had even come in we saw drama in Q2 when Pramac Racing’s Jorge Martin crashed out at the first corner. A slight bobble saw him crash out and sprint back for his second bike, but the fall had consequences as it forced the cancellation of the majority of laps thanks to the Yellow Flags, meaning Joan Mir’s (Team Suzuki Ecstar) 1:37.616 was the fastest of the five riders whose laptimes still stood.
On the second flying laps, a familiar usual duo were down to business and at it again. Bagnaia took top spot for a split second before Quartararo back took over with a 1:36.790. The pair asserted their dominance early too, sitting four tenths clear of Aleix Espargaro. Bagnaia had company for his first run as Repsol Honda’s Marc Marquez latched himself onto the rear of his GP22, but the number 63’s crew got the Italian back out in rapid time, and he was able to shake off the close attention of Marquez. The eight-time World Champion then switched his focus to Quartararo instead, gluing himself to the rear wheel of the reigning World Champion’s Yamaha M1.
History was then made as Bagnaia smashed everyone out of the park with a sensational 1:36.170, a jaw-dropping six tenths clear of Quartararo, as hopes of a fifth straight Jerez pole began slipping through his fingers. The Frenchman improved his laptime but was still four tenths adrift of the brilliant Bagnaia, whose first pole since the Algarve GP last year was an arguably perfect and unbeatable lap.
With the chequered flag out, Aleix Espargaro was able to dig deep to grab the final front row spot out of the hands of Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) too, the Aprilia rider making it a third top three performance in the last four rounds.
After a weekend of speed from both at the Gran Premio Red Bull de España, Jerez was the place as the pair were in a class of their own to pull out ten seconds on the rest. In the end, Bagnaia held on for an emotional first win of the year, with Quartararo forced to settle for second but taking an outright points lead in the World Championship, 0.285 off the win.
Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) broke clear of Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) and Jack Miller (Ducato Lenovo Team) in the final laps to take third, and in doing so brings to an end Aprilia’s MotoGP™ concessions after six years.
As the lights went out, the roars went up as the thousands of trackside fans celebrated their return to the grandstands after three years away. It was the poleman Bagnaia who launched himself into the lead too, with Quartararo settling into second behind. Ducati Lenovo Team’s Jack Miller was third on the opening lap, ahead of LCR Honda Idemitsu’s Takaaki Nakagami, and Aleix Espargaro and Marc Marquez were literally elbow-to-elbow off the line – with the Aprilia diving under the eight-time World Champion into the opening corner only to run wide and allow the Honda back through into fifth.
Marquez was aggressive later on the opening lap as he fired up the inside of Nakagami to claim fourth, and Aleix Espargaro also squeezed through. Seconds later Pramac Racing’s Jorge Martin then crashed out for the fourth time in six races and, on his 200th Grand Prix appearance, HRC’s Stefan Bradl also hit the deck at the final corner.
Meanwhile at the front, only a handful of laps had been completed but the leading duo were already flexing their pace, edging further and further clear of Miller. By Lap 5 it was 1.5 seconds and thr gap just continued to grow. The Australian instead had to focus on hanging onto the final podium place, with both Marquez and Espargaro applying increasing amounts of pressure on the factory Ducati rider.
Darryn Binder (WithU RNF Yamaha) then crashed out at Turn 2, before a big moment in the World Championship fight: after a sluggish start, Alex Rins’ day got worse when the Team Suzuki Ecstar rider straight-lined his GSX-RR through the Turn 11 gravel trap after a big moment on the front end, and then Pramac Racing’s difficult day continued when Johann Zarco crashed out at Turn 5.
By half distance, Bagnaia had eked out an eight-tenth advantage and the Italian would maintain that gap up until the final three laps of the race. But then, a frisson of Jaws music: Quartararo sliced the lead in half and was starting to close in. Could Quartararo steal Jerez victory away from Bagnaia late on? The pair were pushing to the absolute limit, by then a mind-boggling 11 seconds clear of the rest.
They started the final lap with Bagnaia holding an advantage of just half a second. It would require something special from the reigning World Champion on the final lap, but as they came through the fourth and final sector Quartararo was closing and closing, just a quarter of a second away. But Bagnaia stood firm, withstanding the almighty pressure to take a vital victory in Jerez; a first for the Italian since the season-closing race in Valencia last year and a second for the Bologna factory in Andalucia in as many years. Quartararo’s third podium visit of the season saw him stretch out his Championship leader from nothing to eight points, however, with those 20 for second place proving very valuable.
Much like the duel for victory, the scrap for third took its time to come to life but when it did, it was a thriller. There were five laps left when Marquez made an inch-perfect move up the inside of Miller at Turn 5, and Espargaro behind knew he had to respond or risk seeing the Respol Honda clear off into the distance. And the Aprilia rider had an answer on the same lap as he braked hard and late into the final corner, heading through.
Marquez, meanwhile, was wide into the final corner and the front-end of his RC213V folded. But it wasn’t a crash, it was a number 93 classic: in true Marc Marquez style, he picked it up off of his elbow and continued on. Espargaro and Miller both swooped through to demote the eight-time World Champion to fifth though, and from there the Aprilia checked out, quickly pulling half a second out of Miller. But Marquez wasn’t done, risking it all on the final lap to take fourth thanks to a dive up the inside of Miller at Turn 8 in spectacular style.
Ahead of them, though, Espargaro was coming across the line to take a pivotal podium for the Noale factory. Not only does the Spaniard sit second in the standings, the rider eight points adrift of Quartararo, but Aprilia officially lost their MotoGP™ concession status after six long years. Behind Marquez and Miller in fourth and fifth was Team Suzuki Ecstar’s Joan Mir in P6, the 2020 Champion coming into late contention but not quite able to find a move on the those ahead.
Nakagami eventually came across the line in seventh, four seconds clear of Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing) in a slightly muted eighth. The erstwhile Championship leader picked off rookie Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing), but the latter matched his best MotoGP™ result despite that in ninth. The final place inside the top ten went the way of Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Brad Binder.
Pol Espargaro (Repsol Honda Team), Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), Alex Marquez (LCR Honda Castrol), Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) and Franco Morbidelli (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) completed the points.
And so we head for Le Mans with a little chance to recharge, and Quartararo out in front in the Championship. He doesn’t arrive from the top step, however, so can the Frenchman fight back on home turf? We’ll find out in two weeks…
Francesco Bagnaia:“It’s a beautiful day. We struggled a lot at the start of the season, during the tests, and we never stopped working. I had the luck to race in Portimao. Even with the pain, I was able to fight to have the same feeling again as last year, and finally this weekend everything went well. I’m so happy. I’m so happy we are back at our potential, or more. Because, last year in this track, we were struggling more compared to Fabio – Fabio was unbeatable – and today, we have done an incredible job. So, I want to say thanks to all the people who have helped me this week with my shoulder problems, and I just want to enjoy today, and give a huge hug to my family at home, to my girlfriend that is at home with my little dog. I’m so happy.”
Moto2
One day after taking his first Moto2 pole position, Idemitsu Honda Team Asia’s Ai Ogura became a Grand Prix winner in some style with a brilliant ride at the Gran Premio Red Bull de España. The Japanese rider led all 23 laps around the Circuit de Jerez-Angel Nieto to finally, despite having a multitude of podiums and having fought for the Moto3 crown, take to the top step. His wasn’t the only performance deserving of high praise. Aron Canet (Flexbox HP 40) had broken his left radius and a finger on his right hand just a week ago in Portugal, but clenched his teeth to finish second, ahead of Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team).
Ogura got the holeshot from pole, while Canet climbed from fourth on the grid to second place when he went around the outside at the first corner. Fermin Aldeguer (Lightech Speed Up) emerged third, ahead of Arbolino, Somkiat Chantra (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia), and Championship leader Celestino Vietti (Mooney VR46 Racing Team). Sam Lowes (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) dropped back a handful of positions after he made contact with Chantra as field poured into the first corner.
Arbolino got past Aldeguer when they arrived at Pedrosa Corner for the first time, and the Spanish teenager soon found himself on something of a slippery dip down the order while Lowes began his fightback from deep in the top 10. Arbolino gained another place when he wrested second position from Canet as they ran through the stadium section on Lap 3, and when Lowes caught up to Chantra, who was still sitting just behind them, it became a five-way fight for the lead.
Even just by starting the race, Canet had showed his incredible determination, and he was not about to roll over in his bid for victory. Just after two unsuccessful attempts to reclaim second from Arbolino, he made a third stick at Turn 9 on Lap 6. Right behind them, Lowes pulled off the same move on Chantra to elevate himself to fourth position.
It wasn’t long, however, until a lead group of five became a lead group of three. Lowes was first to drop out of contention, sliding out on Lap 7 as he ran through Turn 8. One lap later, at the next corner on the race track, Chantra was out when he too folded the front end. Augusto Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo) then inherited fourth, having not long overtaken Vietti, and Aldeguer was back up to sixth. Then, on Lap 9, Jake Dixon (Autosolar GASGAS Aspar Team) tried to pass Aldeguer at the Lorenzo Corner (Turn 13), but became the next out of contention as he slid out and collected the number 54.
Less than one second still covered the top three of Ogura, Canet and Arbolino at the end of Lap 13, which marked 10 to go, but on Lap 17 Canet had a big moment at Pedrosa Corner, allowing Ogura to skip several tenths of a second clear. With that, was the Japanese rider seriously started to pull away from the two rivals who had stuck with him for most of the race so far. Ogura’s margin was over a full second on Lap 18, and 2.7 seconds by the time he started the final lap.
When he took the chequered flag, the 21-year-old not only had his first victory in any Grand Prix class, but he also became the fifth brand-new Moto2™ winner of 2022. Canet finished 2.5s behind but held on through the pain barrier, and Arbolino was just over a second further back as he completed the podium with more consistent pace.
Fernandez finished fourth, and Marcel Schrötter took fifth after an entertaining battle with Vietti, which was settled when the German squeezed through a small gap at the Pedrosa Corner on Lap 18. Seventh went to Bo Bendsneyder (Pertamina Mandalika SAG Team), ahead of Portugal winner Joe Roberts (Italtrans Racing Team), Albert Arenas (Autosolar GASGAS Aspar Team), and Jorge Navarro (Flexbox HP 40).
Alessandro Zaccone (Gresini Racing Moto2™) finished 11th for his best Moto2™ result yet by some margin, ahead of Jeremy Alcoba (Liqui Moly Intact GP) and Stefano Manzi (Yamaha VR46 Master Camp Team), the latter the injury replacement for Keminth Kubo. The other two riders to score points were Barry Baltus (RW Racing GP) in 14th and Lorenzo Dalla Porta (Italtrans Racing team) in 15th. Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Ajo) finished 20th after an early crash while running in the top 10, and Aldeguer eventually retired after his incident with Dixon.
Another weekend and another new winner in Moto2™… it doesn’t get much more intriguing than that. Meanwhile in the World Championship, Vietti is now on exactly 100 points, but his lead over Ogura has been cut to 19. Can Moto2™’s newest race winner make further inroads next time, will the VR46 rider hit back, or will we get another new face on the top step? Find out at the SHARK Grand Prix de France in two weeks.
Moto2 Podium (Full Results Here)
1 Ai Ogura (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) – Kalex – 39’16.357 2 Aron Canet (Flexbox HP 40) – Kalex – +2.509 3 Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) – Kalex – +3.669
Moto3 Izan Guevara (Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team) took his first win of the season in almost unbelievable style at the Gran Premio Red Bull de España, the number 28 pulling off a stunner round the outside of the final corner to just pip teammate and Championship leader Sergio Garcia to the line. Garcia took the traditional route and dived down the inside to secure second, with Jaume Masia (Red Bull KTM Ajo) doing the same on Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM TEch3) to make it three podiums in a row for the COTA winner – and his first visit to the rostrum at Jerez.
Garcia got the launch from the front row, taking the holeshot ahead of Guevara as Dennis Foggia (Leopard Racing) moved up into third. The two GASGAS riders were off like a shot making a gap though, with Foggia then getting swallowed up in the early stages and Masia and Diogo Moreira (MT Helmets – MSI) on the chase behind the leading duo.
It soon became a leading quartet, and with nearly 1.8 seconds over the chasing Öncü and Xavier Artigas (CFMoto Racing PrüstelGP). But bit by bit they reeled the lead in, and they brought company in the form of Riccardo Rossi (SIC58 Squadra Corse), having taken his Long Lap for causing a crash in Warm Up, as well as Daniel Holgado (Red Bull KTM Ajo) and Ayumu Sasaki (Sterilgarda Max Racing Team) – the latter despite having started from the back and having served a Long Lap, given for riding slow on the line in FP3.
Rossi faded from the group and then crashed out, rider ok, and Holgado also found himself left behind, but a leading group of six pushed on: Öncü, Masia, Guevara, Garcia, Sasaki and Artigas. Moreira, after exceeding track limits, was dropped out the group because of a Long Lap Penalty.
Into the final couple of laps, Öncü led Masia led Garcia, with Guevara in fourth and Sasaki and Artigas holding station. The first move came from Guevara, but by Pedrosa corner it was all change: Masia attacked Öncü, Garcia hit back against Guevara and Artigas passed Sasaki. Öncü took back the lead a couple of apexes later, and everything was going down to that final, classic Jorge Lorenzo corner.
Garcia headed down the inside and dispatched Masia and Öncü, and on any other Sunday that would have been another impressive victory from the Championship leader. But not today, with Guevara swooping round the outside of the entire shuffle to make a little last corner poetry. Right round the outside and first to the flag, it’s a first win of the year in what is fast becoming a GASGAS Aspar calling card in 2022: style. Masia just nabbed third from Öncü, with Artigas completing the top five another tenth back. Sasaki took sixth, but from the back and after a Long Lap, it was another impressive Sunday from number 71.
Kaito Toba (CIP Green Power) won an all-Japanese duel against Ryusei Yamanaka (MT Helmets – MSI) for P7, with Holgado beating Moreira to ninth. There was a small gap back to Matteo Bertelle (QJMotor Avintia Racing Team) vs Scott Ogden (VisionTrack Racing Team) in P11 and P12, with Ivan Ortola (Angeluss MTA Team), Andrea Migno (Rivacold Snipers Team) and Stefano Nepa (Angeluss MTA Team) completing the points.
Tatsuki Suzuki (Leopard Racing) crashed out, and Joel Kelso (CIP Green Power) retired after getting caught up in the Warm Up incident instigated by Rossi, the Australian fit to try but pulling in.
After another poetic final corner from the GASGAS team, it’s time for Garcia to lead the pack to Le Mans… and Guevara now third and a little closer. After a tougher weekend for Foggia it’s now a 21-point deficit at the top, so it’s could be time for the gloves to come off. Tune in for the SHARK Grand Prix de France in two weeks!
Hidden Valley was something new for the Taxi’s in 1998. When the bikes were slotted into the programme for 1999 as one of our 2+4 events with the Touring Cars it sounded pretty cool, with this really long straight and obviously for me, a chance to have a look at Darwin for the first time… Words: Andrew Pitt.
Hidden Valley in Darwin, NT is one of the most challenging little circuits in the country…
I only ever went up there once to race and that was with Doyley and the Team Kawasaki Australia boys. Robbie Phillis and young Pete went ahead about a week earlier. The stories of that road trip from Pete about life in a truck with Phillis for a week, is in itself entirely for another issue. I suppose it was just about the equivalent of today’s flyaway races in the world championship. It was probably our only really hot summer type race as the Aussie Championship is run through the winter months.
Flying up on the Wednesday and checking into a nice resort style holiday spot made you feel like you were away on a summer holiday somewhere with a few trips out to the racetrack thrown in. I do remember flying in over the coastline and beaches and seeing a few big old crocs soaking up the sun on the water’s edge. That was definitely somewhat of a surprise.
You can expect it to be bloody hot at the track. Temperatures will often exceed 40 degrees Celsius in summer…
I learnt another pretty valuable lesson in punctuality up north in 1999 and that was when Peter Doyle says the team car leaves the hotel at 0800 then that is exactly when it leaves. I strolled down into reception about 0805 with everyone sat in the car waiting for me and Doyley simply said this is your one chance and the next time you’ll be getting a taxi. Scott Breedin explained to me that Marty Craggill had been left at the hotel a few times the year before and therefore had to get himself a taxi to the circuit. It had the desired effect because I was never late again.
Onto the circuit now. I found it probably due to lack of use but more likely having all the cars running around on it always made the 2+4 events a bit greasy. With the front straight at Darwin 1.2km long it gave you a nice little rest but also meant it allowed Craig Connell and Stevo Martin on the factory Ducatis to really stretch their legs. I had everything possible tucked in trying to stay in the slipstream especially of Craig. We were tapped out in sixth on the approach to turn 1.
Turn one.
Turn 01 Back down through the gearbox to 2nd and there was plenty to be made up on the brakes here because it is very much a double apex turn a bit like the Southern Loop at Phillip Island but you could really get sucked in here if you tried to go up the inside of someone and risk completely missing the turn. My old mate Krusty Fergusson found that out off the start of race two when he thought he could come from 5th or 6th and out brake everyone but unfortunately instead of just running off the track or running wide he used me to stop and took us both out. Krusty came away unscathed as he mostly did but I had a broken wrist to take home with me.
Anyway the first apex was on the way in while still trail braking and letting it drift out to about the middle of the track before pulling it back to apex again on the way out then letting it run out to almost the outside kerb while grabbing 3rd and 4th in pretty quick succession all the time trying to pull the bike to the left to get the next series of corners linked together right.
Turn Two.
Turn Three.
Turn Four.
Turn Four exit.
Turn 02/03/04 This is all taken in 4th for me on the ZX-7R and the end part very close to the limiter where the power goes a little flat just so the bike wasn’t still accelerating through the 3 and 4 flick from right to left before grabbing the brakes and shifting quickly back to 3rd for the right handed turn 5. This all needed to be done very smoothly because braking and down shifting while changing direction quickly can get messy if you don’t keep everything together including my movements on the bike.
Turn Five entry.
Turn Five.
Turn 05 This was a pretty basic and simple corner as long as you got it setup right on the way in. I tended to run it in a little fast sometimes because my bike was a little lazy in 3rd on the way out so I was always trying to roll through it a bit quicker. During the final qualifying on Saturday I remember it had gotten really hot and the circuit had started to melt and come apart and oil had been dropped on this corner that was then covered in cement dust. So if you slithered through the cement dust OK you were then presented with some potholes and lifting black stuff at turn 6. On the out lap though of final qualifying I didn’t make it past the cement dust losing the front on the way through.
The camber on Turn Five.
Turn Six.
Turn 06 Having been able to pick my bike up out of the infield of turn 5 I rode it back to get it checked over only to come straight back out in a rush and get one turn further and crash at turn 6 on the melting rutty part of the circuit. This time running back or getting a lift I don’t remember to the pit lane dreading the look on the boys faces when I wanted the spare bike. Flat and slippery and back to 1st or 2nd depending on the bike you were on. A Supersport bike would be in second whereas I took it in 1st so I didn’t need to carry as much corner speed and I could pick it up on the exit and jump out of the turn short shifting up to 3rd for the next fast right turn 7.
Turn Seven entry.
Turn Seven.
Turn 07 This was a turn you needed to sacrifice just a little on the entry to make sure you got it back for the right hand apex and got a really good exit for the next few fast corners all linked together. If you rushed at turn 7 a little fast tipping in early or simply were too wide on the exit of 6 the exit was terrible even if you managed to not run too wide.
Turn Eight.
Turn Nine.
Turn 08 and 09 Turn 7 and 8 were almost like one big double apex turn with a constant lean angle and constant throttle from the exit of turn 7 while shifting up to 4th just as you almost touch the inside kerb through turn 8. Still flat out in 4th while flick it left on the run down to turn 10 in the middle of the track.
Turn 10 You could enter here about the middle of the track not bothering to pull it back to the right too far for the entry in really run it in fast after back shifting down to 3rd. Let it drift out a little then picking up the throttle and aiming for the apex of turn 11.
Turn 10 & 11 esses.
Turn 12.
Turn 11/12/13 These three are really just points to aim for while flick it from one side to the other on the throttle. The sections like this and also exiting turn 1 are linked corners where the bike needs to really steer well on the throttle and to get this you will need some good support from the rear of the bike. You definitely don’t want it being a chopper through these sections. After hitting your turn 11 apex it was a flick right for turn 12 apex and then right again to hit the turn 13 apex before letting it run out to the edge of the track while you set yourself for turn 14 and the exit onto the all important 1.2km start finish straight.
Turn 14 Just as you are grabbing the brakes and down shifting to 2nd while passing the turn 13 apex you should only be thinking about setting yourself up for the perfect exit onto the straight to finish the lap.
Just as you are grabbing the brakes and down shifting to 2nd while passing the turn 13 apex you should only be thinking about setting yourself up for the perfect exit onto the straight to finish the lap.
I got myself caught out in a painful way being a little over eager getting on the throttle as early as possible by hanging a highside without actually crashing. The rear stepped out and I was flicked up over the top but still hanging onto the bars I can back down on the tank with my head through the screen and both legs falling on one side. I had nutted myself and luckily the pit lane starts just after the exit because that was the direction I was going in. I managed to stay on board and dribble down pit lane to the boys that grabbed the bike while I fell into a heap in pit lane. After a few minutes I got my shit together and went back out for another go. This time though, I tried to picked it up a little more and ride it like a Superbike instead of the Supersport bike.
So that was how I rode around Hidden Valley and to be honest it wasn’t one of my best weekends result wise having an almost crash on Friday and two crashes on Saturday, a 4th in race one and my third crash on Sunday in race two courtesy of Krusty. I headed back to Sydney with a broken wrist for my troubles but the silver lining was I also had the lap record from race one that was to stand for more than 10 years, mainly to do with the fact they didn’t go back there to race until recently!
Racing against the world’s best riders at the Isle of Man was once a rite of passage for Australian riders with dreams of making a name for themselves on the world stage. Up until 1976 the Tourist Trophy was a round of the world championship, so the vast majority of riders competing in the world championship had to ride there, whether they wanted to or not.
The TT has always had an aura about it, a sense of danger, of unforgiveness, but also a lure of adventure.
The TT has always had an aura about it, a sense of danger, of unforgiveness, but also a lure of adventure. Where once there was a well-trodden path to the TT by Aussie riders, this dwindled somewhat after the 1980s, and it was only sporadically that Australian riders in the last 30 years would venture to that island in the Irish Sea to take on the Mountain Course. Riders like Cameron Donald, David Johnson, Josh Brookes, and Alex Pickett. These four riders have all tasted success at the Isle of Man, but as they will tell you, it doesn’t come easy, cheaply or without scars, some physical, but almost always emotionally too.
I caught up with Alex Pickett and his father Chris (who’s also raced at the Isle of Man) to find out how a young bloke, barely 18, found his way to the starting grid on Mona’s Isle, the road racing Mecca of the world.
Head here to read our other features…
Alex:“I was conditioned to the TT at an early age. My dad loved it and always dreamt of racing there but the reality of a young family and living on the other side of the world meant he never had the finances to actually make that dream happen. He consoled himself with buying TT videos and DVDs through the years and we would watch these together. Dad loved his racing but was really only a club racer, mainly on classic bikes.
Alex and his Dad were huge fans of the Isle Of Man TT. It was only time before they were out lapping the island.
“In 2006 our family went to Europe for the first time and of course we had to go to the TT. We could only get accommodation for practice week so we missed out on race week. The first rider I saw come through on the first night of practice was Martin Finnegan on a CBR1000RR. Dad and I were sitting on the hedge at the end of Cronky-Voddy straight and we could hear him before we saw him, the engine on the limiter for ages. He popped into view and then leapt over the drop in the road, standing on the footpegs, his eyes like dinner plates. We were that close it was outrageous. That has burned into my memory, and I think from that point on I had this idea of one day racing at the Isle of Man. I was 12 years old.”
Stu: It’s one thing to have big dreams at the age of 12 but how did it progress from there?
Chris: “Alex started road racing when he was 13, and the timing was right for him to start in the very first season of the MRRDA Cup in Australia, where all riders had to be 13 and over, and under 16, the age where they become a ‘Senior’ Motorcycling Australia licence holder. You bought a Honda CBR150 and modifications were very limited. Quite a number of well- known riders came from that series, like Mike Jones, Josh Hook and Matt Walters just to name a few. These three are still top-level riders now, with Hook the reigning World Endurance champ, and Jones and Walters both Australian champs and still racing in ASBK.
After his first trip to the Isle of Man, Alex knew he wanted to go down the race path and his Dad promptly start making plans for him to race when they got home.
“Alex raced in that series for three years but never really set the world on fire. He was a good rider but probably not aggressive enough to take the risks those other riders would. We had a lot of fun though, but also some stress. We had a line of credit on our home loan and in the first two years of Alex racing we didn’t pay anything off our home loan. If there was a race meeting or practice day, we were there. I’m sure many racing parents can sympathise with what I’m saying.”
“When Alex turned 16 we decided to get a bigger bike for him, and after a conversation with Terry O’Neill, we decided he would race in the Formula Xtreme Pro Twins class on a Triumph Daytona 675. He ended up winning two national championships on that bike but it was time to go a 1000cc machine. We bought Matt Walters’ spare Kawasaki ZX-10R, and Alex was racing that in Formula Xtreme at the age of 17. It was a lot of bike for a 17-year-old but he quickly rose to B grade and won races on that bike, and never crashed it by the way. It was a thankful progression from his CBR150 days when it often seemed he was more off the bike than on it. I got quite good at fibreglass repairs.”
“Then one night at the dinner table he tells us he was going to race at the TT. His mum went from zero to 100 in an instant, and even though outwardly I supported her view of no way in hell is this happening, inside I was going ‘Yeah’. Regardless of what we said he was adamant, the short of it was we decided to help him rather than see him do it on his own.”
Alex’ Kawasaki wasn’t eligible for the Manx GP, so they sold it and opted for a Ducati 848…
Stu: So, can you just enter the TT and rock up like you would an Australian race meeting?
Alex:“Unless you are a very well-known racer you cannot simply enter the TT for the first time. What happens is the organisers won’t accept your entry, they will guide you to the Manx Grand Prix first. The Manx GP is held a couple of months later, right near the end of the UK’s summer, but it’s still run on the full TT course. Race classes are somewhat different, with only up to 750cc three and four-cylinder machines, and 1000cc twins allowed to race in the Senior Manx GP for example. This is to keep speeds down for riders new to the Mountain Course, so they are not overwhelmed trying to qualify for a TT against professional racers.
“My current model ZX-10R wasn’t eligible so we had to come up with another bike. Dad raced a Ducati for years so he’s always had a thing for them. This seemed like a good idea, so we sold the ZX-10R and bought a statutory written off Ducati 848 with less than 10,000 kilometres on it. Little did we know at the time that Ducatis aren’t exactly the most popular bike at the TT. Sure, Mike Hailwood won in 1978 and Tony Rutter won also on a TT2 Ducati but in modern times not many riders opted for an Italian V-twin at the TT. We were later told that less than 50% of Ducatis that started a TT finished the TT. And that doesn’t count the ones that failed to proceed in practice week.”
“We also had to find out what was required for me to have my entry accepted, how we were going to get my bike there, the cost and so on. We actually started the planning nearly 18 months earlier, dad and I even going over to the Manx GP in 2012 to see what was what.”
“Unless you are a very well-known racer you cannot simply enter the TT for the first time.”
Chris: “In 2012 Alex and I borrowed a couple of BMWs, picking them up in London and riding to the Isle of Man on a fact-finding mission and to see if this was something we really wanted to do as a family. This was a harrowing experience in itself. Alex was on his learner’s permit for bikes and wasn’t much more than 16. Through London I spent more time looking in my mirrors to see what he was doing. That was a tad stressful. Everything went well, we rode up to the north of England to visit an old mate, and then on to the Isle of Man where we stayed with Dave Milligan from Get Routed. Dave really looked after us and we had a blast tearing up the island roads. We even got off the island intact, only to have Alex crash into me somewhere south of Liverpool, sending bits of bike down the road. Somehow, we both stayed on and returned the bikes, with some scratches and broken bits. The best bit of advice we got from anyone about tackling the mountain course was from former racing great, Mick Grant. In a chance conversation he said to us that our bikes had to handle well and be reliable. This was something I wouldn’t forget.“
“We came home and the work started. Initially the plan was for only Alex to ride, but then I thought if we are all going, I might as well send a bike for myself as well, as 2013 was going to be the first Classic TT, held in conjunction with the Manx GP. All the big-name TT riders would be there competing in the Classic TT, and so was some 47-year-old wobbler from Australia. The fact I didn’t actually have a classic race bike suitable for the TT course didn’t pop straight to mind. I’d sort that later but first I contacted the separate Classic TT and Manx GP organisers to see what we had to do. Before you get a start, you have to apply for a Mountain Course Licence, part of which is you proving you’ve finished six individual race meetings in the previous 12 months. That means actually finishing a race on six separate days. Then there’s insurance, machine freight, flights, spares and so on.”
“As I was the editor of Cycle Torque Magazine at the time, I was publishing stories of the journey along the way. It was through this that Shaun Sutcliffe from D Moto Motorcycle Engineering in Sydney approached me at Eastern Creek at a ride day. I knew Shaun from his days working for the Australian Ducati importer, NF Importers, and his experience with Ducati machinery went back many years before the NF Importer years. He offered to build a bike in case my planned Honda VF1000F race bike didn’t make the grade in time. He offered to build me a ‘spare’ Ducati 851 but as soon as he offered, that was it, my mind was made up at least. That’s the bike I was going to ride, not my VF1000. He knew we had the 848 as well so the whole team at D Moto got on board.”
“Prior to heading over to the IOM, dad had accused me of not taking learning the course as serious as I should have. Turns out I knew more about the course than he did.” said Alex
“It was at this stage that a few racers I knew, and some I didn’t, heard about what we were doing and wanted to live their dream as well. The next thing you knew we had an Aussie team going over, with the Isle of Man government offering to pay for the freight of our bikes and gear to and from the island.”
Chris:“I was the liaison between all the Australian riders and the IOM TT organisers. I was spending more time doing stuff for our trip than I was putting out Cycle Torque Magazine, and then in some fit of madness I suggested Cycle Torque make a video of our trip. The magazine was getting into the digital side of publishing and I thought it would be a good idea. Of course, I had no idea of what it would cost, how long it would take or the impact it would have on our trip. Shaun and George Tamine at D Moto were sorting the bikes but they had their own business to run and I only got to ride the 851 Ducati once about two weeks before it was to be crated up and sent to the other side of the globe. This wasn’t a couple of weeks before we were to head off, it was a couple of months.”
“I was seemingly flat out organising everything and trying to come up with the cash to pay for stuff. Shaun was coming as our mechanic so I had five air fares to pay, plus accommodation, hire car and so on. Being in the game (so to speak) I was able to get a number of parts and tyres donated to the cause. This saved us at least a few grand but I still had to sell a beautiful Norton Commando 750 I owned to get the necessary cash to make it happen.”
Prep for both bikes were well and truly underway, with money quickly leaving Chris’ bank account…
“We had quite a throng of people going with us. With friends, family and guys doing the video stuff, there were going to be 14 of us staying at the same cottage. That didn’t include the other racers and their friends/family from Australia. It was a massive relief meeting up with all the Aussie racers at the docks in Sydney as we handed over our crated-up bikes. There had been a lot of time and money invested in this project so it was good to see the bikes gone.”
Alex:“It was funny getting our bikes down to the cargo terminal in Sydney. My old Rodeo tray back ute was severely overloaded with the two crates, which hung over the sides and the back of the tray. Somehow they both stayed on as the little Rodeo dragged its arse all the way down the freeway from Newcastle. It was nearly show time. We couldn’t do anything more other than get ourselves to the IOM, and do a couple more race meetings to get the numbers up for a Mountain Course Licence.”
“This was harder than we thought though, as our main race bikes were on a boat. I borrowed Stuart’s first year model Fireblade Pre Modern race bike to get my races needed at a classic meeting, and at the same meeting dad raced his 500/4 Honda around on three cylinders to finish the last race he needed, after it dropped a valve seat on the first lap. He knew there would be carnage inside the engine but there would be no other chances to get that last race in with the valve seat destroying the piston and head. That decision cost him around three grand to fix the old Honda’s engine.”
Chris:“Our group was the first to arrive so we unpacked the container and set up in the marquee sorted by the TT organisers. We did laps of the course in our hire car, hung out and did some sight-seeing in the four or five days before we had to sign on. This also gave us the time to make sure the two bikes were prepared to go, essentially just going over what we had already done in Australia.”
Chris decided he wanted to ride with his son, one Ducati soon became two as he entered the classic TT.
Alex:“Prior to heading over to the IOM, dad had accused me of not taking learning the course as serious as I should have. Turns out I knew more about the course than he did. That shut him up a bit. We both did our guided lap with a TT or Manx GP regular. That was fantastic fun, but before we knew it, we were lining up for first practice.”
Alex:“I took to the circuit pretty easily but on my second lap of practice I ran out of fuel up on the mountain. The old fella didn’t fill it to the brim and I found myself spluttering to a halt in the freezing weather near the very top of Snaefell. I was sitting there shivering when I saw the old fella thunder past on his 851.”
Chris: “I was having a ball around the 80-85mp/h pace but when I got back all the team were asking me where Alex was. I knew he started before me and I hadn’t seen his bike on the circuit. Of course you think the worse. Up in the timing box they said he’d got back, which we knew wasn’t the case. Everyone was in a flat spin and finally he turns up in a car telling us what happened, abusing me for my lack of fuelling prowess. Turns out his transponder went flat and that’s why timing had him back in the pits. Once the bike was picked up it was all good and we were ready for the next day. That’s when my 851 started to play up, with the ECU giving us all sorts of dramas. Of course, we didn’t have a spare but we were able to borrow one off a guy in the paddock, the one off his road bike. That saved me really.”
“I was by far the fastest ’Newcomer’ and was 7th fastest overall of any bike. People were gobsmacked, including me.” – Alex
Alex: “The first couple of days I got faster and faster but I nearly came to grief on the third night’s practice. I was travelling flat out on my Ducati 848 up to Ballegary. They call this corner Ballascary, and that’s where Guy Martin had his massive crash in 2010, seen in the film TT3D – Closer To The Edge. Anyway, I was revving the 848 for all it was worth, riding into the evening sun when suddenly I’m riding between a couple of bikes that had just crashed. Because of the sun I didn’t see them until I was going through them. It was pure luck I didn’t hit one of them or their riders, who were still lying on the track. Luckily they were not badly hurt. That third night went really well for me, and I did a 114.8mp/h lap. I was by far the fastest ’Newcomer’ and was 7th fastest overall of any bike. People were gobsmacked, including me.”
Chris:“It quickly went through the pits that this young bloke from Australia, on a Ducati of all things, had posted such a fast time. People didn’t believe it, whispering the time must be wrong. Of course he backed that up the next night and so on. And to do it on a Ducati was almost unheard of at the TT/Manx GP. By this stage though, we realised the 848 tank couldn’t do two laps at Alex’s pace. If it was a steel tank we could have blown it with compressed air, or even enlarged it by welding in sections, but it was composite and we were too scared to try anything as we didn’t have a spare.”
Race Day Chris: “My race was a four lapper, which meant one pit stop. I headed off and rode by myself for some time. On the second lap I could see I was catching a bike up on the mountain. I was getting into the groove, and we both came into the pits together for fuel. The guy was on a 1985 GSX-R 750 Suzuki. I’d caught him on the road so that meant I was 10 seconds up on him. No one had come past me at this stage, so I was up on time from the rider behind me. My mate ‘Tangles’ was the fuel man and he did a perfect job, with him, Shaun and Alex getting me out as quick as possible. I followed the GSX-R out of the pits and he pulled away from there until I couldn’t see him. Turns out he was a Manx GP regular and knew the track better than I. But then, once again I’d catch him on the mountain. On our last flying lap we went through the same process of him pulling away and me catching him.”
It was time to hit the track, racing against other riders on the TT for the first time!
“At one stage Michael Dunlop came past me on a Suzuki XR69 and he just sprinted off into the distance. Once again I caught old mate on the mountain and coming down from Kate’s Cottage I wheel stood past him as we heading down to the Creg Ny Baa Hotel. As I’m braking for all I was worth the GSX-R rider came under me out of control. This got me fired up so as we went flat out down towards Hillbery where I saw redline in top on the tacho, and through to Signpost corner where I shoved it up the inside of the GSX-R and promptly ran up the grass bank. Luckily I stayed on and was right behind him in the next left hander. Old mate was on a mission and he ran up the gutter nearly throwing himself down the road, barely a mile from the finish.”
“Common sense prevailed and I hung back, shadowing him across the line, remembering I was 9-10 seconds up on him anyway. I was mentally stuffed, barely able to hold a conversation, but physically I was okay after around 1.5 hours of racing. I wanted to do a 100mp/h lap but I ended up doing a 99mp/h lap. At 47-years-old, I can tell you it was bloody difficult.”
Alex:“My first race was a couple of days later than dad’s. Even though I was fastest Newcomer I still had to start in 25th position on the road in the Newcomer’s Race. I had four laps to do but instead of one pitstop like everyone else, I had to pit every lap, three in total. I didn’t realise how much that would affect my frame of mind. It pissed me off but also fired me up too. I was in second or third after the first lap, with me slowing down to pit. The 848 was running sweet and handling pretty good. After each stop I’d be back down the leaderboard, and then I’d pass bikes that should have been behind me. In the last pit stop I remember being really angry and throwing my water bottle back into the pits. On that last lap I gave it all I had and ended up 8th outright, not bad considering I’d spent an extra couple of minutes in the pits than all the other riders. If we’d used the 20 litre alloy tank off a Ducati 1098S we would have been right, but we just didn’t have the IOM experience to know this. Taking away the extra pit stops I believe I would have won or at least been on the podium.”
“Taking away the extra pit stops I believe I would have won or at least been on the podium.”
Chris:“Alex was also entered in the Senior Manx GP where he was in the top 10 qualifiers but come race day it was pissing down. The race was postponed a few times but eventually the organisers cancelled the race, the first time the Senior Manx GP had ever been cancelled in its 90 plus year history. I was happy actually. I didn’t want to see Alex race in these conditions even though we were prepared with wet tyres etc.”
“Then it was all over, just like that. We had to pack all our stuff up, make sure everyone’s bikes had been re-crated and put back in the container for the trip home. It was a real up and down time for our group. Some had good races, some crashed out with minor injuries, some didn’t qualify and some didn’t even complete one lap due to machine issues.”
Alex: “It was a bit of an anti-climax really, nearly a couple of year’s effort for it to all be over in such a hurry. I went back to normal life, work, chasing girls, partying, racing, but I knew I wanted to go back to the Isle of Man. I had experienced something that’s hard to explain. I was living life to its full and I’d had a taste of something special. I already had a ride for the next year’s TT in the wings and was working on that. To be honest, if I hadn’t done so well in the first year, I probably wouldn’t have gone back but this offer of a ride for a proper team was the carrot to go back.”
Next episode we ask Alex and Chris about their experiences at the TT proper, racing against riders like Guy Martin, Cameron Donald and John McGuinness.
Words: Stuart Woodberry Photos: Chris Pickett, Chris Smith, Steve Babb, Peter Farragher
Once a racer always a racer, as they say. For myself, riding the latest bikes for a job is a dream career, however, as good as showroom street bikes are, they never quite hit the mark of a well set up track bike or come close to the precision or agility of a purpose built racer, so I’m always hanging for my next racer fix, particularly now I have stopped racing.
This rare gem is the only Pierobon X60R in Australia, we got a chance to ride it on the limit…
Riding a real racebike is always a good reminder of how great a motorcycle can be and all true racers have one thing in common – lightweight and good geometry. One bike high on my bucket list to test has always been the Pierobon X60R, a super lightweight, compact, GP-style racer with a grunty Ducati Evo motor thrown in.
The X60R has been around for a while, closer to a decade than not and to be honest I never thought I’d see one in Australia. When I built my Aprilia RSX550 F3 BEARS racer, on which I won a championship and set some lap records, I dreamed of owning a Pierobon X60R. That would have made life that much easier and given me a chance to run with the big guys… I at least wanted a spin on one…
“One bike high on my bucket list to test has always been the Pierobon X60R, a super lightweight, compact, GP-style racer with a grunty Ducati Evo motor thrown in.”
Years passed, my Aprilia went, and I forgot about the X60R… Until Simon Galloway, the multiple Australian FX Pro Twins Champion, started to race one here for the Australian Pierobon importer, Evo Racing, who brought the first Pierobon X60R into Australia and promptly began to set lap records, win races and ultimately the FX F3 Championship with Simon at the handlebars. He also set lap records at Phillip Island, Lakeside and SMSP on the bike, as well as winning three out of four races in the Vic Titles. Not a bad effort at all…
“The Pierobon is such a sweet bike to ride,” says Simon, “It’s so different, a real challenge to get the best out of it and run with the more powerful F1 bikes. It is so raceable, I can carve through the field on the bike, taking advantage of the nimble nature of the bike and the broad, flat torque curve. It’s as though it has built in traction control.
Simon Galloway has had a very successful time racing the X60R, winning an FX Pro Twins F3 title and many races.
“Top speed is just 235km/h, however, at Phillip Island it is just fantastic to ride, the flowing nature really suits the bike. The engine is like a Merlin plane motor, it just pulls from bottom to top and plays a sweet tune. We have worked hard on set-up and got it right for me now. I would usually have it even steeper than it is as you ride it but the ‘bars need more meat to clamp to on the top of the forks. Overall I love riding it, I am going to miss it this year as I just had an ACL reconstruction, but hopefully I will ride it again at some point…” He fnished.
“Top speed is just 235km/h, however, at Phillip Island it is just fantastic to ride, the flowing nature really suits the bike.”
When Evo Racing owner Nick Byrne offered me a ride on the bike at the end of the season, I really didn’t have to think twice. As quickly as I could, I lined up some time at our proving ground, the ultimate place to test such an amazing bike.
The Farm was used as a proving ground for the Pierobon….
Long straights combined with tight twisty turns. The Farm was the perfect location for the X60R.
The test was a special one for me, being an F3 class bike, a true racer and a rare machine. Those are the things that really get me excited about motorcycling and a special bike like this deserves a thorough test on the best strip of tarmac in Australia, if not the world…
I rode the bike exactly as it came from the Lakeside round, which is good as Lakeside is similar in flow and speed to our proving ground, only a lot shorter. I was also glad to ride the bike as ridden by Simon, who happens to be an old friend of mine from when I was a 17-year-old screaming around on my TZR250 up the Old Road.
Finally, it was time to throw a leg over the modern day F3 racer with a heart of gold!
Simon was in my riding group and was one of the fastest guys up there, who thrilled us all of a Sunday doing all-gear wheelies along Peats Ridge straights on his 1993 Fireblade… He is a naturally fast, very talented rider and a polite, quietly spoken person off track but a fierce competitor when the visor comes down.
THE EVO RACING PIEROBON X60R Nick Byrne has a bit of a sickness for Euro bikes particularly of the Italian origin. Pierobon is one of the most unique, rare and sought-after of the Italians and as the Australian dealer for Pierobon, it made sense that Nick build an X60R to get the brand out there in Australia and to put some trophies in the cabinet.
Where else in the world would you want to ride this dream machine? The Ducati heart is perfect for grunt out of the slow turns at The Farm.
As Nick says, “The idea of putting an ancient two-valve engine in a cutting edge chassis and maybe beating four-valve twins was too good to resist. And don’t forget that stunning two-valve sound…”
The kit used is a 2017 X60R frame number 077. It cost around the 25k mark and includes the 6.3kg 7020 alloy frame and hand made 21-piece swingarm, weighing just 3.6kg, a stunning 3.48kg handmade brushed alloy tank, featherweight front and rear alloy sub-frames, stunning carbon-fibre bodywork, stylish racing seat, adjustable billet CNC alloy triple-clamps, adjustable rearsets, everything except the engine, suspension, electrics, wheels and exhaust, which are left to the owner to choose.
The kit used is a 2017 X60R frame number 077.
Adjustable rearsets.
Stylish race seat.
The bodywork is Pierobon X60R fibreglass kit with carbon-fibre tail
The frame kit can be either made for a Supersport, Hypermotard or Sportclassic donor engine/airbox, this one was built using the Hypermotard as a donor engine.
The engine was up-spec’d to produce 115RWHP (standard is 98hp). The cylinder-heads were ported, flowed and 47mm (IN) / 41mm (EX) valves fitted. Camshafts were replaced with Kaema items, pistons with high-comp Pistal slugs, conrods with Pankl Ti units and the crankshaft, which spins in stock cases, was lightened and balanced.
The engine was up-spec’d to produce 115RWHP.
Custom Termignoni exhaust system.
Comp is bumped to 12.5:1, the gearbox is Hypermotard sans top gear set, which is from a 999, and the clutch is an EVR CTS slipper unit with sintered plates and Brembo control. Fuelling is by stock throttle-bodies and PCV, ignition standard and exhaust the ultra-trick Pierobon Termignoni. Sean at D-Moto built the engine, while tuning was taken care of by Mark Carlsson from Serco in Brisbane. A reverse quickshifter is fitted as well. There is no TC or any rider aids.
Nick says the bike went together easily, like a grown-ups Meccano set… “The bike was built in a month or so. The kit is really well thought-out with only a handful of tricks, parts or shortcuts to learn before it is ready for testing. Keeping the rear-cylinders cool is always a challenge, hence the double-coolers and carbon side-scoops”.r, Woodcraft ‘bars, Ohlins FGRT203 43mm forks running 9.0kg springs, an Ohlins DU235 shock with 8.5kg spring and the 7020 box-section swingarm with progressive cantilever.
Nick, who happens to be an Andreani trained suspension expert, went with an Ohlins setup.
Each end rolls on trick Magnesium Marchesini wheels wearing Pirelli slicks and braking is partly adopted from the Panigale, with Brembo M50 radial-mount calipers up front squeezing MetalGear rotors via Brembo Z04 pads and a Brembo RCS radial-pull master-cylinder. The rear rotor is by Braking, with a small Brembo caliper and master-cylinder. Fluid is delivered by Hel brake lines.
The bodywork is Pierobon X60R fibreglass kit with carbon-fibre tail, along with the seat unit and the tank as mentioned is the stunning brushed alloy handmade kit one. I have to admit, it is one stunning racebike and I have actually enlarged one of our high-res shots and printed it for my shed wall!
Ohlins forks and Marchesini wheels. The Panigale brakes are off the planet on this light bike!
Pirelli SC2 slicks.
THE RIDE – EVO RACING PIEROBON X60R F3 class bikes are some of my favourites, if they are proper racers or custom made hybrids. My RSX550 hybrid (RS250 chassis, SXV550 engine) was a beast and the Pierobon X60R takes that type of bike to the next level thanks to the bigger engine and super-trick chassis. I knew the ride would be good, particularly given Galloway’s results and the experience from the team at Evo Racing.
We took the bike to our proving ground, as mentioned, as it has a perfect mix of fast and tight, flowing and sharp corners and a long enough chute for the 1100 to stretch its legs. After a quick look over and a run down from Nick, which as he pointed out, there was nothing too fancy to worry about, I hopped on the tall, narrow X60R and immediately feel the raceful purpose of this Italian thoroughbred.
Jeff says the racer in you comes out very quickly once on board the X60R.
The racer in me comes back immediately and I start to feel butterflies in my stomach as the loud Termi booms crack after crack of high comp piston and big cammy large valve combustion explosions. It sounds as mega as it looks and feels a tad intimidating initially.
The racer in me comes back and I start to feel butterflies as the loud Termi booms crack after crack of high comp piston and large valve combustion explosions.
I pull in the firm Brembo controlled dry clutch, pop it up to first with a thud and roll out onto the tarmac, short-shifting my way into my out lap… I reckon that the torque is monster and flatter than the Simpson Desert. Definitely no need for traction control, it’s built into the engine delivery…
The brakes on the X60R are completely nuts! Jeff nearly went over the ‘bar the first time he grabbed them.
Nick has warned me that the brakes are, in his words, ‘retina detaching’ and I take heed of his warning, as the first time I use them, as I brake hard into a left hairpin, I almost go straight over the clip-ons, landing on the edge of the tank and that was one finger. Jesus it has big anchors…
I spew a little in my mouth, re-focus and then start to get in a groove. Just as I start getting a little cocky, I almost lose it again as I brake into a left-hand downhill off-camber blind entry. The bike is deceivingly quick thanks to the flat power and those brakes got me again, this time with the rear of the bike about a foot in the air (it’s OK Nick, you couldn’t see this happening)…
Clip-on handlebars.
Domino grips.
The Pierobon was telling me to calm down and give it some respect and a bit of space. I was already trying to grab it by the ‘bars and lead it around my way but this is not the right way to ride this bike. I soon settle into a rhythm, slow down to speed up and before I know it I’m in the zone and truly appreciating this motorcycle.
The engine is so sweet and throttle pickup is spot on once we remove the noise-limiting bung from the muffler. Whether cracked from low or high rpm on run-in, it picks up and doesn’t unsettle the bike at all. Also, the monster torque is delivered in such a way that is forgiving on the balance of the bike and on me, the rider, as I’m not even getting tired.
Fast corner entry on the X60R means it is a thrilling ride. The bike acts as if it’s connected to a hidden rail.
Shift is hit and miss, while the ignition kill of the quickshifter too broad, making for clunky progress on the way up the gearbox, so at some points of each lap I am shifting old style. I don’t notice the gear ratio changes that have been done but do find the gearing and the gear ratios right through to top to be really nice and the engine just keeps pulling.
On the way down, I’m becoming addicted to the sound of the bike blipping down the ‘box and I’m grinning each lap I enter the esses. It sounds awesome. Engine braking, for my liking, is a little overly engaged and I experience some speed hindering rear wheel hop into turns, no doubt due to my extra weight on the front of the bike and the way I am seated being a lot taller than Simon.
“The X60R is extremely nimble and easy through the challenging esses at our proving ground.” said Jeff.
As the forks go through their stroke, my weight is shifting forward and lifting the back. Too many up-sized KFC meals I’m afraid… One of the rare A-Grade racers with a double-chin and proud of it!
“On the way down, I’m becoming addicted to the sound of the bike blipping down the ‘box and I’m grinning each lap I enter the esses.”
Back to the brakes. I’ve figured out by now that if I raced this bike I would crash on lap one, the moment I got into a battle and lost a bit of my smooth style. Simon is a calm type of person. I’m a hyper mental case.
Brushed metal tank to clinch your knees against and hold on for dear life.
LCD dash.
Aggressive foot positioning.
No street parts left on here.
We grab brake levers differently so for this test, I am just taking a calming breath and ‘easing’ the lever in a bit earlier than normal, being careful as to not smash the forks through the ground with reckless grabbing at the lever. It works and honestly the stopping power is up there with the Cagiva 500 I rode. It’s sh*t scary… I love rear brakes and I’d usually be doing my best to burn these pads up on the Pierobon, however, with the engine braking I’ve hardly touched the rear lever.
Handling is absolutely sublime, a large step above most current production bikes, with lightweight agility, high-end Ohlins, magnesium wheels and lots of sticky Pirelli on the tarmac it is a match made in heaven when all tied together with the sweet Pierobon frame and swingarm.
Handling is off the charts.
The Pierobon triple-clamps, billet alloy headstock and swingarm pivot points, box-section alloy Pierobon swingarm all contribute to an amazing ride.
I’m not privy to Evo Racing’s geometry setup on the bike but it’s purposeful and racey. Initial turn-in is fast, accurate and effortless on or off the brakes, fall-in is predictable and neutral enough given the layout of the bike and once on its side, line holding is superb.
When pushing at full lean through the esses, the front did want to push, or be driven wide, by the rear but it is predictable and there is plenty of confident feedback through the ‘bars and shape of the tank. The rear of the bike hooks up amazingly and is controlled and also inspires confidence, with loads of grip from the fat rear Pirelli slick.
“As I pulled up after my test I felt honoured to have had the opportunity to ride a Pierobon, particularly the X60R.”
As I pulled up after my test I was grinning and felt honoured to have had the opportunity to ride a Pierobon, particularly the X60R. For a bike chassis that is close to 20-years young now, it sure does perform well. The big factories haven’t caught up yet… What a ride, it’d be the ultimate track day tool. As soon as I got home, I picked the scab off a cold tinnie and reflected on a test that is a definite highlight for me.
ABOUT PIEROBON
Pierobon is an Italian chassis manufacturer that has been supplying components at elite level since 1952. As well as box equipment Pierobon specialise in frame kits, bodywork, fuel tanks, triple-clamps and swingarms and just about any racing solution required, working closely with and supplying to MotoGP and WorldSBK teams.
EVO RACING PIEROBON X60R SPECIFICATIONS
ENGINE: Ducati Hypermotard 1100 Evo (2010 – 2013), 98 x 71.5mm bore x stroke, 1078cc, 12.5:1 compression ratio, Pistal high-comp pistons, Pankl Titanium conrods, lightened and balanced crankshaft, Kaemna camshafts, 47mm (IN) and 41mm (EX) valves, Kaemna ported and flowed cylinder-heads, standard crankcases, 1198 oil cooler with additional Earls 13-row upper cooler with oil supplied to heads via cam covers, standard ignition, Power Commander V tuned by Serco on 98 PULP, 996 bellmouths, MWR filter, custom Termignoni exhaust system, stock Hypermotard gearbox with lower top gear, race pattern with reverse quickshifter, 15/39 gearing as tested, EVR CTS slipper clutch with sintered plates, Brembo RCS slave / master-cylinder.
CHASSIS:2017 Pierobon X60R frame, Pierobon triple-clamps, billet alloy headstock and swingarm pivot points, box-section alloy Pierobon swingarm, Ohlins DU235 shock with progressive cantilever and 8.5kg spring, Ohlins FGRT203 43mm forks, 9.0kg springs, 150mm oil height, standard internals, Brembo M50 front calipers, MetalGear rotors, Brembo Z04 brake pads, Brembo RCS master-cylinder, Hel brake lines, Braking rear rotor, Brembo caliper and master-cylinder, Marchesini Magnesium wheels – 17 x 3.5in (f) and 17 x 5.5in (r), Pirelli SC2 slicks, Woodcraft 57mm handlebars, Pierobon fairing kit in fibreglass, carbon-fibre tail, handmade aluminium fuel tank, Pierobon seat.
PERFORMANCE: 115whp, 136kg dry, over 235km/h top speed.
