A home hero, a KTM, and a parade like no other: ahead of the Grande Premio Tissot de Portugal, the Algarve proved the perfect back drop for a truly awe-inspiring pre-event as home hero Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) led a procession of hundreds of bikes from the centre of Portimão to the circuit.
The home hero rides his KTM from the town centre to the circuit, flanked by a veritable army of fans.
The event began in the town by the waterfront, with fans gathering for a glimpse of their hero as Oliveira took to the stage, with Mayor of Portimão Isilda Gomes and circuit CEO Paulo Pinheiro also in attendance. After talking to the fans and revealing a special helmet design too, Oliveira then went down to the crowd, signed some autographs, and took more than a few selfies. Then it was time to get suited and booted for the ride to the track – for both rider and fans.
Riding alongside and following a MotoGP™ rider – who is riding a MotoGP™ bike – is a truly unique opportunity, and an awe-inspiring number of bikers weren’t about to pass that up. Once Oliveira’s RC16 was warmed up and ready to go, the procession took off from the town and the hundreds of bikes slotted in behind as the parade snaked its way up towards the track. With the journey taking more than half an hour, there was more than enough time for the fans to soak in the experience… and the experience was still far from over.
Riding alongside and following a MotoGP™ rider – who is riding a MotoGP™ bike – is a truly unique opportunity, and an awe-inspiring number of bikers weren’t about to pass that up.
This time, the track wasn’t simply a destination. It awaited with another unique opportunity: a lap of the venue, with a MotoGP™ rider on a MotoGP™ bike. Thundering through the gates and up towards the paddock, the parade headed from the road onto the circuit for a lap of the iconic rollercoaster, with Oliveira remaining front and centre.
Miguel Oliveira:“We had a good comparison last year with fans and without, and for sure this season we wanted to also to make something special, a pre-event and it had to involve the fans. It was a great opportunity, the last time I rode a MotoGP machine on the street was in August after my win in Spielberg, so now we got the chance to ride it again and it’s quite special – this time even more because they can follow me, and it’s really cool.”
That moment when you check your mirrors and see the majority of the country…
“I think everyone who loves motorcycles and riding… I mean, if I put myself in their shoes I wouldn’t miss this chance! It’s a huge opportunity to ride, see these bikes close up, which are amazing and quite unique. I wouldn’t want to miss it! It’s a great day. My expectations for the weekend is to enjoy the weekend and get a good result, haha. Being in Portugal gives me an extra boost and motivation that whatever happened before doesn’t really matter, it’s all about enjoying the weekend and doing the best we can.”
It looks like a lot, but the more accurate number was more like (lot + n)² in which n = lots.
MotoGP™ is its own orchestra when the revs go up and the lights go out every Sunday, but the grid full of fans gave even the world’s fastest motorcycle racing Championship a run for its money on sheer energy and noise. If Portugal’s love of MotoGP™ and Miguel Oliveira needed an introduction, in 2022 it got one in serious style. And now it’s time for the rest of the grid to line up alongside the home hero and take on the former winner on familiar turf, so make sure to tune in for the 2022 Portuguese on Sunday at 13:00 (GMT +1).
With two 20-lap races set for this Sunday, DesmoSport Ducati’s Bryan Staring is confident of another strong performance on the 2.2km Wakefield Park circuit. Two hours south-west of Sydney, the Goulburn racetrack never fails to provide close racing in all ASBK classes…
With two 20-lap races set for this Sunday, DesmoSport Ducati’s Bryan Staring is confident of another strong performance on the 2.2km Wakefield Park circuit.
Team co-owner, Ben Henry:“Wakefield Park is short lap compared to some tracks we go to, but it’s a really challenging track all the same. We need to give Bryan a bike that will handle the bumps but also manage heavy braking and acceleration, especially out of the last corner to create a fast lap.”
“We’ve had one day at the circuit with Bryan on the Panigale V4 R in testing and we line up against riders like (Troy) Herfoss who have done an incredible amount of laps here, so it will be a challenge but we have a great team of people here in DesmoSport Ducati and I’m confident we can challenge for race wins. Although we did get that day of testing in, we’ll start Friday with the bike setup as it was from Queensland Raceway and take appropriate steps in Friday testing to finetune the Panigale V4 R.”
“I actually love coming to Goulburn. It’s a great town and a really friendly community, especially towards motorcycle and bicycle riders.” said Staring.
Bryan Staring: “I actually love coming to Goulburn. It’s a great town and a really friendly community, especially towards motorcycle and bicycle riders, so it’s great to get back there this weekend. It’s going to be challenging, but then every race weekend this year is challenging because of the competition and the limited time I’ve had on the Ducati at each track. I think it’s pretty obvious looking at my results and lap times this year that I feel really good on the Panigale V4 R and I’m happy in the environment Ben and Troy have built within the team. We just need to keep our heads down, make good decisions and I’m confident that I will be where I need to be come Sunday afternoon.”
Team co-owner, Troy Bayliss:“The team’s doing a great job to get Bryan up to speed on the bike and even though he’s showing good speed it takes time to learn just how far you can push the Panigale V4 R at each track. So, I think we’ll keep seeing progression in the way he rides and how Ben and Byron set up the bike to suit and Bryan will only get stronger as the season goes on. Talking to the guys, there’s definitely some quiet confidence and Oli and I will be watching in between sessions here in Assen this weekend.”
Milestone and Dorna Sports S.L. say they are proud to announce that MotoGP 22, the newest chapter of the celebrated two-wheel racing simulation game, is now available for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch and Steam.
Dorna say that MotoGP 22 enriches the heritage of the videogame franchise and the sport itself, adding a one-of-a-kind game mode. The NINE Season 2009 is a fascinating way to re-live one of the most incredible seasons in MotoGP history. A nostalgic and emotional docu-film narrated by Mark Neale, director of a number of MotoGP documentaries, includes more than 50 minutes of original footage from the 2009 Season that are mixed with real gameplay, creating a totally immersive motor simulation experience.
Players will find themselves in the boots of legendary riders such as Valentino Rossi, Dani Pedrosa, Casey Stoner and Jorge Lorenzo, facing different breath-taking challenges to be able to replicate historic moments. NINE Season 2009 replicates all 17 Grands Prix of the season, divided into chapters with over 39 challenges in total.
The new edition of the official MotoGP videogame offers exclusive features both for newcomers and hardcore fans of two-wheeled racing.
The 2022 edition also adds new dedicated features for both newcomers and core gamers: the enhanced Tutorial and the MotoGP™ Academy. Thanks to these two new tailor-made modes players have the chance to master their knowledge of two wheels or learn the basics to start their escalation to the pro-level.
The Tutorial features a series of dedicated gameplay sessions, helping newcomers to understand the basics of the game through specific challenges focused on electronics, tyre consumption, brake temperature and core differences between the three main categories. The MotoGP Academy teaches you how to improve your riding style to be unbeatable on every track, uncovering the secrets to every corner and challenge on the calendar.
The graphics looking stunning. We had to take a double take to make sure it really was an in-game photo.
Additionally, the Riding Analysis System helps riders through in-game pop-up messages that appear at the end of the race suggesting how to adjust the difficulty level based on skills and performances. The game may recommend activating some aides or suggest playing specific tutorials designed to fill gaps in terms of gameplay knowledge.
The Managerial Career is back and allows players to decide whether to create a new team or join a real one. The game mode also features the possibility to go in-depth into the details of strategy, using development points and allocating R&D staff to reach the top, along with working on Bike Development through enhancing aspects such as the Engine, Frame, Aerodynamics and Electronics. The path can also start from the bottom, creating a Junior Team in the Moto2 or Moto3 categories, selecting a sponsor and hiring a Team Manager, Technical Director and at least one rider.
MotoGP 22 achieves realism never seen before. A true next-generation experience that reduces the boundaries between videogame and reality.
MotoGP 22 achieves realism never seen before. A true next-generation experience that reduces the boundaries between videogame and reality. A level of realism never seen before: new face animations, improved 3D characters and pits.
Ride Height Device: players will be able to manually manage the locking mechanism of the RHD and control the compression of the bike’s suspension
Enhanced tracks: surfaces have been improved to have better rideability
Improved Suspension system: refined for a better feeling when passing over curbs
Tyre deformation: more realistic tyre behavior makes the experience even closer to reality
For the first time ever in the series, MotoGP 22 features the highly anticipated 2-player local split-screen, online multiplayer and cross-play through consoles of the same family.
MotoGP™22 is available on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5**, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S**, Nintendo Switch and Steam. *Split-screen and online multiplayer not supported on Nintendo Switch **Free upgrade and Smart Delivery are supported.
The paddock is back in Europe and it’s first stop Portugal as the Algarve plays host. The Grande Premio Tissot de Portugal got underway on Thursday with the pre-event Press Conference, with Championship leader Enea Bastianini joined by fellow COTA podium finishers Alex Rins and Jack Miller, as well as Marc Marquez and home hero Miguel Oliveira.
Bastianini is back on top as the paddock arrives in Europe! Riders ready and set for the rollercoaster.
Question: How are you feeling and what are your expectations for the weekend as title leader?
Enea Bastianini:“My feeling is fantastic. Here at this track I won the 2020 Moto2 title but also I’m the leader of the Championship for the moment. It’s only been four races, but it’s been really nice for me, the team and everybody, it’s fantastic. Now we have to reset, the European races are different. The levels of the bikes and riders are very close, and it will be really difficult to stay out front, but we are really motivated and can’t wait to start the weekend.”
Q: What about the possibility of a wet race on the GP21?
EB23:“The conditions will be strange this weekend. There will be a lot of win and the possibility of rain. In Indonesia we made a good step in the race in the wet conditions. Also, Pecco was really fast here and I can check his data to see something but I want to start this weekend from zero and after we will see what happens.”
Rins heads in fresh from his P2 at COTA and a 500th podium for Suzuki!
Q: Do you have a good feeling after Austin, and hitting 500 podiums for Suzuki?
Alex Rins:“As you say Suzuki made history in Austin with 500 podiums. I’m so happy to be part of that. Since 2017 when I joined the team we’ve worked hard to achieve big things so now we’re in great shape. We finished 2nd in Austin but we’ve done many great weekends. Let’s see this weekend, the weather could be tricky. Friday and Saturday we might have rain and wind. We’re in good shape so let’s see where we end up.”
Q: What about the future?
AR42:“We haven’t started talking yet. The good thing and the thing that keeps me calm is that already Livio and the Japanese guys have told me that they want to continue so I’m calm. I can ride in a better way because of that. My manager will start talking in the next races about an extension.”
Miller from his P3 putting bad luck to bed. Hopefully he continues along a path of good results for the rest of the season.
Q: There are some potentially good races coming up for you, what’s the importance of building momentum?
Jack Miller:“Yeah that’s the plan at this point in time. It’s nice to come into the European season let’s say with the ball rolling a little bit. Bumpy start as it generally is for me and the Championship but like you say, got the ball rolling now we’ve got some good tracks coming up. Starting to really gel with my bike, understanding it more and more every weekend. You know what we need to do, where we need to work on that kind of thing but all in all just happy, going through the motions trying to do the same thing we did in Austin which was just put together a solid weekend and I think that gives you the confidence. It brings you the confidence for Sunday’s race you know, we ran out of steam a little bit there but it was definitely a building block on what we need to do for the races coming forward.”
On the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve:
JM43: “It’s so different to any other track we got on the calendar that makes it nice you know, we gotta negotiate the hill, the elevation, you’ve got corners off camber, on camber. It throws a bit of everything at you so it’s definitely a refreshing track to ride after you know, a lot of the tracks nowadays are built very similar, so it’s kind of nice to go to something that’s completely left field. We’ve had a pretty good record around here so yeah hopefully we can find you know the speed that we had this time last year and well not this time, the one at the end of the year, so we’ll will try to find that and yeah build a solid weekend. As the boys said the Championship sort of really starts kicking off here and starts heating up now so hopefully we’ll be in the forefront.”
Marquez may not have won at COTA, but he made some headlines with a stunning comeback!
Q: Are any problems now solved heading into Portugal?
Marc Marquez:“Yeah of course Austin was a good weekend. The target was to find confidence and we did it. We approached the weekend in a good way and did a solid weekend. It’s true I always want more, to finish in sixth position, the comeback was very good but we were looking for something more. Yeah we had a technical issue at the start, and it’s something that can happen with a new bike and the most important thing is Honda found the problem and resolved it for the future. It’s important and it’s time to think of this weekend and to continue our progression.”
Q: Now with the new bike and fit again, what are your expectations?
MM93:“It was a nice comeback one year ago here in Portimão after the long injury. It hasn’t been an easy year with ups and downs and some injuries but anyways we are in Portimão to compete. It’s true that inside our box we don’t have a lot of reference because I competed only one time and it was half and half. The last GP here, Alex and Pol were quite fast. We need to understand with this new bike if we can continue the same way we did in Austin, it’s time to reconfirm here in Portimão. The best thing is to approach the weekend without expectation and just try to understand, try to feel the bike and after Warm Up we will understand where we are.”
Home hero really does mean home hero: Oliveira is ready for another special weekend on familiar turf, and with a special helmet design.
On a more up and down start to the season:
Miguel Oliveira:“The start wasn’t what we wanted because we wanted to be inside the top ten and close to the top five. We come here and being a home GP we can reset the mind and everything. My motivation is high. We want to find the speed we had in the past and try be competitive here in Portugal again.”
And it was a warm welcome with the pre-event parade proving a huge hit:
MO88:“I think it was around 700 bikes. Maybe more! Every year there’s something going on, so this year we managed to get KTM involved and bring the MotoGP bike to the street. Every time you take the bike out of its natural environment it’s amazing. A privilege to be involved and to be surrounded by this great support. Let’s hope I can give something back.” he finished.
World Superbikes heads to the “Cathedral of Speed” Assen in The Netherlands this weekend (April 22-24) for round two of the 2022 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship. Check out how all the teams are going heading into Rd2…
Assen celebrates its 30th anniversary battle for WorldSBK, with Ducati’s Alvaro Bautista leading the championship after two Sunday wins at round one at Aragon.
Assen celebrates its 30th anniversary battle for WorldSBK, with Ducati’s Alvaro Bautista leading the championship after two Sunday wins at round one at Aragon, Kawasaki’s Jonathan Rea sitting second on the points table and heading to Assen with the possibility of scoring his 100th victory for the marque, and world champion Toprak Razgatlioglu in third. News also this week that Dutchman Michael van der Mark (BMWO is back on the bike for his home round after a season delay due to injury, and that Leon Haslam will race for the Pedercini Kawasaki squad for the Assen round.
Race times (all times Australian Eastern Standard Time)
WorldSBK Saturday 10pm-21 laps Sunday 7pm-10 laps and 10pm-21 laps
WorldSSP Saturday 11.15pm-18 laps Sunday 8.30pm-18 laps
It’d been 1022 days between Alvaro Bautista’s (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) spells at the top of the championship but after just three races back with the Ducati Panigale V4 R, the Spaniard is already leading the standings.
Australia’s Oliver Bayliss will compete in World Supersport and is hoping to bank his first points on the Barni Ducati Panigale V2 with two 18 lap races on his round two agenda.
Bautista’s double on Sunday at Aragon sees him come to a circuit where he was unbeatable in 2019 too, when he romped to a double, winning the opening 11 races of the season. However, as seen at Aragon, it’s a lot closer now; can he fend off Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK), who won all three races in 2021? His teammate, Michael Ruben Rinaldi, took a podium in 2021 at Assen and had a solid first round; can he challenge for victory this time?
In the green corner, Jonathan Rea took the opening honours of the 2022 season with race one victory in a thrilling final corner battle with Bautista. After the duo’s closest fight for victory, Rea now comes to a circuit that he’s become synonymous with. An unprecedented 15 wins – on both Honda and Kawasaki – mean that he’s the favourite. Two more victories at Assen this weekend for the six-time world champ, will create history and a milestone moment for Rea with a record 100 career wins for Kawasaki.
In the green corner, Jonathan Rea took the opening honours of the 2022 season with race one victory in a thrilling final corner battle with Bautista.
Tyre choice was crucial in 2021 and Rea did his homework to take his most recent triple in WorldSBK; he’s three points behind Bautista. On the other side of the garage, Alex Lowes’ season started with a crash and whilst yet to get a podium for Kawasaki at Assen or in 2022, his first one in WorldSBK came at Assen in 2014; will he deliver?
Third in the standings after Aragon, reigning World Champion Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) had a solid first round, with Yamaha making a visible step at a circuit they’ve historically struggled at. However, despite the gains, Toprak confirmed that they’d reverted back to the old electronics package for Aragon and hinted at a complete return to the 2021-spec Yamaha YZF-R1 for Assen. The Dutch venue is one of just three venues on the calendar that Toprak hasn’t won at – the others are Aragon and Barcelona. In 2021, third in race one and the Superpole Race were the highlights before he was skittled at turn one by fellow Yamaha rider Garrett Gerloff (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team). Teammate Andrea Locatelli has fantastic Assen memories, taking a first WorldSBK podium in 2021 after leading a race for the first time; can he go a step further?
Third in the standings after Aragon, reigning World Champion Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) had a solid first round.
It was a very positive opening round for Team HRC and their rookie line-up of Iker Lecuona and Xavi Vierge. The Spaniards lie fifth and sixth in the Championship and thus make it two Honda riders inside the top six. Both Lecuona and Vierge hope to consolidate their pace at a circuit they’ve not tested at; Lecuona found a breakthrough in braking at Aragon but with Assen being more about flow and corner speed, could their bike be a natural contender? Neither rider has performed particularly well in the MotoGP™ paddock days at Assen, but with a new challenge can come a reset; expect both Hondas to feature.
Where to start with BMW? On one hand, it looks like they’ve made gains as they had plenty of top ten success through the Aragon weekend, albeit not the top five they achieved in tricky conditions last year. However, Scott Redding (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) had a difficult time, something he said was “hard to accept”, struggling all round and managing a 15th in race one as his sole point-scoring ride. He’ll hope to fair better and break into the top ten as he continues his adaptation to an inline four engine configuration. Home-hero Michael van der Mark returns, the Dutchman kicking off his season at Assen after missing round one due to injury. He’s had podiums for Honda and Yamaha in past years and two top six finishes in 2021, so we will see where the BMW takes him.
Where to start with BMW? On one hand, it looks like they’ve made gains as they had plenty of top ten success through the Aragon weekend, albeit not the top five they achieved in tricky conditions last year.
The top Independent battle rages on and Frenchman Loris Baz (Bonovo Action BMW) is in control; he gave BMW their best result of 2022 with seventh in race two at Aragon. Teammate Eugene Laverty took a top ten at Aragon and aims to make gains at Assen, however, it’s a familiar battle splitting the BMWs: Garrett Gerloff vs Axel Bassani (Motocorsa Racing). Gerloff showed great promise in Free Practice at Aragon but faded in the races and now comes back to the scene of his controversial collision with Toprak in race two last year.
For Bassani, he was the opposite of Gerloff last time out; not featuring in practice but coming good in the races, with seventh in the Superpole Race before a tenth top-six finish of his WorldSBK career in race two, taking sixth. Lucas Mahias (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) is next up in 14th overall, returning to the track where he suffered a big crash in 2021.
Last year it was Rea and Razgatlioglu battling for the top spot at Assen. Will we see a repeat this year?
Vying to crack the top ten for the first time, Philipp Oettl (Team Goeleven) took two 13th places in his WorldSBK debut weekend and goes to Assen, where he took two WorldSSP podiums in 2021. Then, Sammarinese rookie Luca Bernardi (BARNI Spark Racing Team), who came from 18th on the grid at Aragon to 12th in Race 1 for debut points. He took a top five at Assen last year in WorldSSP. Roberto Tamburini (Yamaha Motoxracing WorldSBK Team) was a surprise at Aragon and took points, whilst fellow Yamaha rider Kohta Nozane (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) struggled, not scoring points and crashing in Race 2.
Christophe Ponsson (Gil Motor Sport Yamaha), Leandro Mercado (MIE Racing Honda Team), teammate Hafizh Syahrin and Oliver Konig (Orelac Racing VerdNatura) aiming for first points and the news of “Pocket Rocket” Leon Haslam returning to Pedercini after the departure of Loris Cresson. (TPR Team Pedercini Racing). Despite being scheduled to make a wildcard debut, reigning British champion Tarran Mackenzie has been ruled out after a preseason testing injury.
Heading to Wakefield this weekend and MA say they have next to no idea who is going to “take things by the scruff of the neck”. When ASBK speak of “Championship” they nominally talk about the Superbike Championship, but frankly, MA could be talking about any of the championships racing under the ASBK Banner! Press Release: Motorcycling Australia.
With practice and qualifying for some categories underway today, make sure you grab your tickets now and head down to check out all the racing action this weekend at Wakefield Park. You can grab your tickets now here! $25 for Saturday, $35 for Sunday and Kids aged 0-16 get in for free! Head here for all the spectator info.
Outstanding work in Queensland has Mike Jones at the top of the class and while there is plenty of racing to come!
So, with Australian schools having finished term one just ahead of Easter, MA have offered a [weird – Ed] school report by way of an event preview…
Superbike
Mike Jones continues to be a star student and despite moving schools over the summer, he seems to be able to get down to work and up to speed quickly. Outstanding work in Queensland has him at the top of the class and while there is plenty of racing to come, MA say they see no reason he can’t continue to remain the potential dux of 2022 thanks to his work ethic and talent. MA rating 8.5/10
Bryan Staring.
Josh Waters
Phillip Island saw Bryan Staring display that he can be the best in the class and that despite some unforced absences last few years, when he has all he needs, he can star. Round Two brought things heavily into focus, and perhaps showed that copying Wayne Maxwell’s work from Round One was less than ideal with a 16th and 2nd creating just a fraction of confusion and doubt about Bryan in 2022. MA rating 7.5/10
Like former team-mate Bryan Staring, Josh Waters had been somewhat absent in recent years, but thankfully never lost his desire to race and win. Landing a late enrolment at the Maxima Oils squad might have been his best option, but the timing has not proved an issue. He has put his signature strong work ethic and positive energy towards making things work, and work they have. If someone said “Josh will be third in the championship after round two” we’d all agree that would be a fantastic outcome. MA rating 8/10
Wayne Maxwell.
Glenn Allerton.
Always worth listening to in class, Wayne Maxwell was typically expansive on why he’s in the class of ’22. “I like being challenged, if I’m not being challenged, I can’t really see the point”. The expression “be careful what you wish for” applies here. You want a challenge? Yeah, you got one fella. A mathematical challenge. Twenty-two points down with a maximum of 250 odd points available for rest of the season. Plenty of work to do. MA rating 6/10
The thing about bad luck is that it can’t last forever. As Douglas Adams said in The Hitchhikers’ Guide to the Galaxy”- ‘Don’t Panic.’ Illness at Round One followed by an engine issue at Round Two has made Glenn Allerton’s results look worse than they ought. When he’s right to go, then he’ll be right up there again. Needs to respond with excellent results for the rest of the season. MA rating 6.5/10
Cru Halliday has been looking promising this year. He will be heading into this round looking to score maximum points.
Earlier this year, ASBK threw down the challenge to Arthur Sissis; go from a top ten adjacent student to a contender. He might have taken that on board. Round two saw a 7th and 4th and now up to 6th in the championship. The understanding that effort is a talent multiplier is paying off. So, after just two rounds, ASBK get to ask again; can he take it up to the top 5… the top 3? Get busy young man. MA rating 7.5/10
At the start of the season, MA say they had a feeling that “Cru Halliday could be the boy most likely” to challenge Wayne Maxwell for the dux of ‘22 and he just ground out the best result possible at Phillip Island when the #1 plated Ducati just seemed to have skipped a year ahead. Very solid podium results at Round One went sideways at Queensland with 5th and a DNF. This was a disappointing low points haul, and he knew it. With his teammate atop the podium and taking the maximum 51 points, it burned a little. MA rating 6.5/10
Daniel Falzon
Troy Herfoss
A solid start to the season at Round One was cruelled by absenteeism at the early part of Round Two and that has seen Daniel Falzon 8th in the title chase when it was all looking a lot more promising. With the calendar shenanigans out of the way, a supportive and quality team around him, he’s still well in the hunt for podiums and a solid season result. MA rating 7/10
You can’t keep a good man down forever, but apparently, you can for Round One and you can try to do it at Round Two. Round One was one we’d all rather forget for the red bike of Troy Herfoss. Just 18 points in the bank and more worryingly a sense of helplessness and confusion. The normally all-pro, all-the-time Penrite Honda outfit were ticking the wrong boxes on the multiple-choice questions. Commentators and pundits alike rightly talked Troy up, but there was plenty of evidence that a return to the top was not happening any time soon. Round Two showed signs- positive ones. Sixth in race one was a solid pass mark. As he returns to his roots in Goulburn, there’s promise in the air. Let’s see. MA rating 5/10
Ant will be looking to climb the championship roster a bit more this round as he settles down on the Yamaha YZF-R1M.
ASBK’s famed mature-age student has just been off on an excursion to Europe and as we head to Wakefield, one cannot say with any authority what we will get from the ludicrously talented lucky Ant West. The blunt instrument that is Westy’s style was in full effect when asked about the team’s prospects. While they were working hard, they seemed to be working on all the wrong subjects and the bike went slower at every opportunity.
But MA say they have faith. As Anthony Doerr says in All the Light We Cannot See, “A real diamond is never perfect.” Or- perhaps more prophetically- “A weed is but an unloved flower.” ― Ella Wilcox MA rating 5/10
With the top runners in Supersport 600 seeming to pack all their stuff up and race in Europe, the championship is open to anyone at this point!
Supersport 600
The number one thing in the Supersport class of 2022 has not been a rider; it’s confusion. From Round One winner Senna Agius promptly leaving the country for overseas learning in 2022 to the exclusion of nominal Round Two winner Tom Edwards- who is now also off to Europe for some WSSP experience, MA say they’re left to ponder- what the…?
After Round One, Tom Bramich was the nominal series leader in the absence of Senna Agius. He took this news on board and promptly DNF’d race one but recovered with a fourth in race two. Lytras, Nicholson, Lynch and Drane all showed signs that they were interested and capable of solid results, but it would be the baby-faced assassin Olly Simpson who would depart Queensland Raceway with the apparently heavy burden of Championship leadership. ?/10 MA say they have no idea what’s going on there.
Henry Snell emerged from the smoking ashes with the Championship leadership after some riders were found cheating.
Dunlop Supersport 300
After some unruly machines were suspended from the class of ’22 at Round One, the pundits threw their papers and plans in the air like confetti. It would be Henry Snell who would emerge from the smoking ashes with the Championship leadership. Round Two would be a challenge for him, with just fourth for the round, but enough to hang on to the lead. Nelson, Dunker and Jacobs are all rightly regarded as likely contenders for the rest of the year, and the Wakefield circuit will be very interesting with the usual tight racing likely to happen – yet again. MA rating 8/10 for the whole field.
Yamaha Finance R3 Cup
Some familiar names from the 300 class reappear in the Yamaha Finance R3 Cup, though in a different order. In this class, Glenn Nelson has been fast- and critically- consistently attending the podium. Dunker might have shaded him at Queensland Raceway, but Nelson leads the series by some 12 points.
In this class, Glenn Nelson has been fast- and critically- consistently attending the podium.
Snell, Hayden Nelson, Russo, Aksu, Simpson et al can all contend for wins, but even a glance at the maths shows that they can’t afford to let Glenn Nelson just saunter off with the title without a fight. MA rating 7/10 “see me after class for some remedial maths lessons.”
Oceania Junior Cup Predicting the OJC results is like predicting the landing site of an errant satellite- either way, it’s going to end in a mess. Garry McCoy is the rider coach/teacher and has had his work cut out for him from the get-go as the red mist has descended upon this junior category from time to time and while you can’t always get passive kids to fire up, it’s also hard getting fired up kids to calm down.
Predicting the OJC results is like predicting the landing site of an errant satellite- either way, it’s going to end in a mess.
But consistency of message and methodology will surely pay off and after some stern parent-teacher interviews, all looks good for the remainder of the season. Harrison Watts leads at present by 12 points from Cameron Rende and Hudson Thompson. Ahead of points and series leaders, what one really wants to see in the junior class is progression- and not just in terms of lap times.
For the class of ’22 to graduate to the next class, McCoy really wants to see progression in all things; maturity, attitude, understanding, listening and then see what results that brings on track. Garry McCoy MA rating 10/10, the class… a bit less. For now.
2022 Australian Superbike Championship Calendar
Round 3 Wakefield Park Raceway, Goulburn NSW 22 – 24 April
Round 4 Hidden Valley Raceway, Darwin NT 17 – 19 June * With Supercars – SBK Only
Round 5 Morgan Park Raceway, Warwick QLD 5 – 7 August
Round 6 Symmons Plains Raceway – Launceston TAS 20 – 23 October
Round 7 Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit, Cowes VIC – 18-20 November
Round 8 The Bend Motorsport Park, Tailem Bend SA 2 – 4 December
ASBK Night of Champions Dinner – The Bend 4 December
It’s always an exciting day when new gear rocks up. It doesn’t matter if its a pair of socks or a whole new kit, it always feels like Christmas. McLeod’s sorted me out with a new 6D ATS-1R Lid, my first from the brand, and first impressions are all positive… Words: Zane Dobie.
It’s about time I changed up my main lid, I’ll be wearing the updated 6D ATS-1R lid over the next few months.
Since I started riding, I’ve been pretty loyal to AGV and Shark when it comes to lids. I’ve got quite the collection but for the past year I’ve only been wearing my AGV K3 S-V since it’s so comfortable. It has seen plenty of road tests, track days and it has even been my choice for when I take my go-kart out.
It’s about time a new contender entered my personal helmet rotation and the 6D ATS-1R has already impressed me. Unboxing it, I was welcomed with quality packaging, three visors (including the clear one that comes on the helmet) and a Pinlock system.
Excellent packaging.
Extra visors available.
Pulling it out of the box and the ATS-1R is secured by a zip up back instead of a conventional cloth helmet bag, this properly protects your lid from any bumps or scratches when storing/transporting it. Unzipping the bag and I’m greeted with a solid black colour, changing it up from my usual eccentric colour scheme choice. The solid gloss black colour scheme works well to show off the carbon-fibre outer shell, subtle in the dark but looks great when the sun hits it.
Proper helmet bag.
More packaging to keep it safe in shipping.
Visible carbon-fibre when the sun hits.
Clear visor comes standard.
First course of action is getting rid of that clear visor, my refusal to look up the instructions proved handy as it showed that the visor couldn’t be removed by accident or pressure. After searching up how to properly do it, a latch on each side pops the visor straight out. McLeod’s sent me a choice between a Dark Smoke (anti-scratch and anti-fog) and Light Smoke (just anti-scratch but Pinlock ready) and of course I went for the darker one!
Pinlock system included with the 6D ATS-1R.
Dark Smoke Visor.
Light Smoke Visor.
Visors are easily changeable but super secure through 6D’s latch system.
Throwing the lid on for the first time and it’s pretty roomy inside. My long nose has plenty of space, my cheeks sit comfortably against the padding with my usual XL size and my glasses don’t feel like they’re digging in at all!
First course of action is getting rid of that clear visor, replacing it with the anti-scratch, anti-fog dark smoke visor.
Under the chin is a small fabric guard with some elasticity that tucks in well to properly seal off your head in its own cockpit. I haven’t had a lid like this before and I never realised how much a difference it makes in terms of comfort and protection from the elements.
Comfortable! Even with glasses on.
Fabric chin cover.
Conventional double d ring.
Interior padding is interchangeable for a custom fit.
The helmet itself is relatively light, weighing in at 1640 grams, it’s definitely not one of the lightest on the market or in my collection but it doesn’t feel heavy on my head at all. In terms of visibility, its fine for the road and we will see how it goes on track in full tuck.
Standby for a full review on the 6D ATS-1R helmet after it’s put to the test on the road…
Other features include a conventional double d ring strap, plenty of vents to help your head stay cool and an emergency release system which seems to be an industry standard across all lids now. I’m looking forward to putting it to the test with my daily riding soon, check back in a few months for a full review of the 6D ATS-1R helmet!
Tech Talk The brand name name “6D” is a reference to the engineering term 6 Degrees of Freedom, which refers to the ability to move three dimensionally on the X,Y and Z axis, including rotation about each axis. The Omni-Directional Suspension system utilises this term to maximise its ability to absorb and mitigate energy. Read further into their Omni-Directional Suspension system here.
This impact system is improved over the last model ATS-1R, with the new design taking heavy inspiration from the ATR-2 motocross helmet. For 2022, 6D have shed 200 grams off the total weight with the new lid weighing in at 1560 grams (medium).
For comfort, they’ve redesigned the shield base plates for an improved feeling and seal. The fitment as a whole has been improved thanks to a larger shell opening and cheek pad shape, combined with a new chin curtain and neck cuff. The internal breath guard directs fresh air up the inside of the shield, while exhausting breath down and out to reduce fogging.
6D know not everyone’s head is the shape, so they have multiple pad options available to help you feel comfortable. All of these features are wrapped up neatly in a 3K carbon fibre shell with three visor options: clear, light smoke and dark smoke. All of which are VESC-8 certified and anti-scratch. A clear Pinlock 120 anti-fog insert is also included.
The 6D ATS-1R is available now at your local motorcycle store or through McLeod’s Accessories for an RRP of $999.95 in a choice of gloss black, matte black, gloss silver, grey and gloss white.
A few weeks ago was my first trip to Queensland Raceway for Rd2 of OJC! Getting there early, I got to visit a few friends but after catching COVID, I had to sit out some of the racing for the weekend. I got a few laps in though, I’m looking forward to getting another chance to ride there soon!
“A few weeks ago was my first trip to Queensland raceway! Getting there early, I got to visit a few friends but after catching COVID, I had to sit out some of the racing for the weekend.”
To prepare for this round I was drinking lots of water and I spent time watching videos of people riding the track because it was my first time riding at Queensland raceway, so it was important to learn all the tricks and braking points of QR.
I was super excited to hit the track on the Friday morning, nice and early for practice. After a few laps around, I started to get a hang of the track. I think my favourite sector of QR was the first one because it has two fast right hand corners meaning I just throw the R15 through them.
James has been having plenty of fun racing this year, saying ” On track I get to race really aggressively and off track every one is mates!”
It wasn’t my favourite track though, the thing that I disliked about it was the bumps and how it is not as challenging to ride as some of the other tracks on the calendar. My R15 was a bit hard to turn around the tight corners at this track, out of the second corner it was running wide so I couldn’t hold the throttle on as much I could of.
“I’m looking forward to getting back on the track this weekend. I’m having lots of fun this year on track and off track, which is the main thing”…
On the Friday morning I started to feel sick but I thought that is was dehydration so I drank some more water but that didn’t help. On the first session on Friday I had a headache, it was hard to focus and in qualifying I felt even worse because my throat was starting to feel bad.
It was a disappointing early end to the weekend for James, as he started to feel sick on Friday, eventually testing positive to COVID-19 when he got home.
To be safe, on Saturday I took a COVID test and it said negative so I kept on riding but it was getting worse! Every time I put my helmet on my face would get really hot and and after I was done riding I would need to sit down. On Sunday it was the worst so before the last race we went to race safe and they said I should not ride.
Check out our Guide To Riding Wakefield Park by Andrew Pitt here…
I was a bit disappointed that we had to leave early but I just couldn’t race any longer. It was lucky that we left when we did as when I got home I took another Covid test and it was positive. I had to do seven days in isolation, it wasn’t all bad as all I did was stay in bed and eat pineapple!
“A few weeks ago was my first trip to Queensland raceway! Getting there early, I got to visit a few friends but after catching COVID, I had to sit out some of the racing for the weekend.”
Preparation is on for Wakefield park this weekend.
Now I’m fully recovered but unfortunately I did not make it to the unofficial test at Wakefield Park, which I was a bit sad about. It’s not a big deal though as I have experience at Wakefield which makes my hopes higher for next round. But, any practice is good practice and the fact I did not get to do the testing will make me fall behind a bit.
I’ve been trying to keep up with the MotoGP this year for some racing inspiration. To be honest, I think that the MotoGP world champion will be Enea Bastianini he seems to be the best at keeping the tyres fresh during the race and he’s already got a good points lead.
ASBK head to Wakefield Park this weekend! Make sure you drop by to check out all the exciting racing.
I’m looking forward to getting back on the track this weekend. I’m having lots of fun this year on track and off track, which is the main thing. On track I get to race really aggressively and off track everyone is mates! Make sure you head down to Wakefield Park this weekend to see the action. If you can’t get there, check it out on TV or on the live FB feed on the ASBK page. Wish me luck – James #71
Congratulations to the Queensland podium, you can see all of the results for the OJC here…
My sponsors are: motoDNA, motoCHAMPIONS, Bendix Brake Pads, Bendix Workshop Series Sponsors are: Ricondi, Shark, Dunlop, Ohlins, IRC Components, DID chains, Yamaha bLU Cru
If you're in South Australia, be sure to get down to The Bend to see some of the greatest Australian racing talent battle it out on a world class track...
Stay up to date with the latest 2022 calendars here! Be sure to book this page so you don’t miss any action from your favourite international, national and local race meetings. The following calendars may be subject to change…
2022 MotoGP Calendar
06 March Qatar Losail International Circuit
20 March Indonesia Mandalika International Street Circuit
03 April Republica Argentina Termas de Rio Hondo
10 April Americas Circuit of The Americas
24 April Portugal Algarve International Circuit
01 May Spain Circuito de Jerez-Ángel Nieto
15 May France Le Mans
29 May Italy Autodromo del Mugello
05 June Catalunya Barcelona-Catalunya
19 June Germany Sachsenring
26 June Netherlands TT Circuit Assen
10 July Finland KymiRing
07 August Great Britain Silverstone Circuit
21 August Austria Red Bull Ring-Spielberg
04 September San Marino e della Riviera di Rimini Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli
18 September Aragón MotorLand Aragón
25 September Japan Twin Ring Motegi
02 October Thailand Chang International Circuit
16 October Australia Phillip Island
23 October Malaysia Sepang International Circuit
06 November Comunitat Valenciana Comunitat Valenciana-Ricardo Tormo
2022 WorldSBK Calendar
8 April Aragón MotorLand Aragón
22 April Netherlands TT Circuit Assen
20 May Circuito Estoril
10 June Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli
15 July Donnington Park Circuit
29 July Autodrom Most
9 September Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours
23 September Catalunya Barcelona-Catalunya
7 October Algarve International Circuit
21 October Circuito San Juan Villicum
18 November Australia Phillip Island
2022 ASBK Calendar
Round 1 Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit, VIC 25 – 27 February
Round 2 Queensland Raceway, Ipswich QLD 18 – 20 March
Round 3 Wakefield Park Raceway, Goulburn NSW 22 – 24 April
Round 4 Hidden Valley Raceway, Darwin NT 17 – 19 June * With Supercars – SBK Only
Round 5 Morgan Park Raceway, Warwick QLD 5 – 7 August
Round 6 Symmons Plains Raceway – Launceston TAS 20 – 23 October
Round 7 Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit, Cowes VIC – 18-20 November
Round 8 The Bend Motorsport Park, Tailem Bend SA 2 – 4 December
ASBK Night of Champions Dinner – The Bend 4 December
2022 ProMX Calendar
March 27 Wonthaggi Motocross Track, VIC
April 10 Mackay Motocross Track, QLD
May 1 Albury-Wodonga Motocross Club, VIC
May 29 Gilman Motocross, SA
Jun 26 Maitland, NSW
July 24 Coffs Harbour Showground, NSW
August 14 Queensland Moto Park, QLD
August 20-21 Coolum Pines MX Track, QLD
2022 MotoE Calendar
30 April-01 May – Spain – Circuito de Jerez-Ángel Nieto – 2 races
14-15 May – France – Le Mans – 2 races
28-29 May – Italy – Autodromo Internazionale del Mugello – 2 races
25-26 June – Netherlands TT Circuit Assen – 2 races
9-10 – July – Finland KymiRing – 2 races
20-21 August – Austria Red Bull Ring – 2 races
03-04 September – San Marino e della Riviera di Rimini Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli – 2 races
Coming into the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship (WSBK) round, the Alpinestars Superbike Championship is in a fascinating and potentially game-changing position.
The ASBK Management Team say they wish to advise teams and fans of the cancellation of the mi-bike Motorcycle Insurance Australian Superbike Championship, presented by Motul Round 6, scheduled to be held at Symmons Plains Raceway, Tasmania after the WorldSBK finale was announced for Phillip Island…
The cancellation is required due to a newly occurring national motorsport calendar shake-up affecting the Tasmanian round, including the announcement of WorldSBK returning to Phillip Island in November.
The cancellation is required due to a newly occurring national motorsport calendar shake-up affecting the Tasmanian round, including the announcement of WorldSBK returning to Phillip Island in November and a further International event landing on the weekend concerned. Additional complications include the recent late decision of Supercars to conduct the Adelaide 500 race in December, requiring a review of the backend of 2022.
All of these recent changes occurring outside of ASBK or Motorcycling Australia’s control; unfortunate news for the Championship and its riders and fans alike. The ASBK Management Team say they wish to thank the Tasmanian Government for their continuing support and we look forward to the opportunity of returning in the future.
They news broke after ASBK only recently announced the series’ return to Tasmania…
They also took the opportunity to apologise to ASBK Teams, Riders & Fans for any inconvenience caused by the required decision. We are looking forward to ASBK Round 3 at Wakefield Park Raceway, Goulburn NSW on 22 – 24 April!
