Yamaha Motor Australia Supporting Cameron Swain in R3 World Cup

-

July 7, 2024

www.instagram.com/FlatTrackNats | www.facebook.com/FlatTrackNationals

Yamaha Motor Australia has officially joined the AFTN for the AFTN to be renamed the Yamaha BluCru Aussie Flat Track Nationals, bolstering the overall series prize pool for all competitors including an additional $19,000 in contingencies for Yamaha-mounted Pro 450 riders. Press: AFTN.

Yamaha Motorsport Manager, Scott Bishop: “The AFTN has brought a spotlight onto Dirt Track, or more specifically Flat Track, that we really haven’t seen since the days of the Troy Bayliss Classic. Even more than that, it’s providing riders with a series and a clear pathway to a career in racing regardless if that’s following the likes of Tom Drane to race Flat Track in the US, or taking their skills to another discipline like so many of our great road racers and speedway riders have done in the past.

“We look forward to working with the AFTN in their first season as an Australian Championship, and we’re proud to include the Yamaha Blu Cru Aussie Flat Track Nationals to our ever growing portfolio of support for Australian Motorcycle Championships”.

Series Organiser Dave Maddock: “Growing into an Australian Championship in 2024, we’ve been actively searching for support to continue improving the rewards for entrants, and to continue giving our riders the exposure they deserve.

“With Yamaha joining the likes of Motul, KTM, MXstore, Unit, Husqvarna, TCX, Unifilter, MotoBatt, Ballards, MSC, Fist Handwear and Bunda Fine Jewels, we are building the AFTN with a range of companies and brands well known for their support of racing and riders. We’re proud to become the Yamaha Blu Cru Aussie Flat Track Nationals in 2024”.

Read our review on the 2024 Yamaha YZ250F here and 2024 WR450F here…

With six rounds over three weekends, the Yamaha Blu Cru Aussie Flat Track Nationals is set to fire into life on July 27 – 28 at the Macarthur Motorcycle Complex in Appin, NSW. Tickets for Adults and kids over 16 cost $20 and tickets for Kids aged 16 to 6 are just $10, while Kids under 6 get free entry. There are Family passes for Two Adults and Two Kids for $50. Entry info for competitors can be found here.

AFTN race weekends consist of two separate rounds of racing, with Round 1 on Saturday using a Flat Track layout with the always impressive Pro Twins, while Sundays Round 2 will see competitors take to the TT Circuit at the same venue.

Purchase tickets for the Yamaha BluCru Australian Flat Track Nationals here

Round 1 Racing Saturday, Round 2 TT Sunday

Practice and qualifying kicks off at 9am on Saturday July 27, with Pro 450 Superpole at 10:45am followed by racing from 11a,. There are four races of 6 to 15 laps for each class, with podium presentations at 3:45pm.

2024 Yamaha BluCru Aussie Flat Track Nationals

Round 1: Flat Track Layout – Appin, NSW, Saturday July 27
Round 2: TT Layout – Appin, NSW, Sunday July 28
Round 3: Flat Track Layout – Brisbane, QLD, Saturday August 31
Round 4: TT Layout – Brisbane, QLD, Sunday September 1
Round 5: Flat Track Layout – Gunnedah, NSW, Saturday November 16
Round 6: TT Layout – Gunnedah, NSW, Sunday November 17

Yamaha BluCru Aussie Flat Track Nationals Social Media

Website: www.aftn.com.au

Classes of Competition

2022/2023 Championship Results can be found here…

Racing News | Aussies Racing Abroad June 2024

By

-

July 3, 2024

With our awesome Aussies showcasing their skills overseas both on-track and off-road, this column focuses on how they’re faring battling it out with the best in their chosen classes. Aussies racing from MotoGP to AMA Motocross and King of the Baggers.

On-Track
Jack Miller – MotoGP
It’s certainly been an eventful month for Jack Miller. With KTM announcing they’re replacing the popular Aussie with Spanish star in the making Pedro Acosta, this left his MotoGP career in serious limbo. While Miller is remaining calm about the situation and just wants to focus on recapturing his form, rumours have been flying regarding his future. Initially, there was hope he could join the Tech3 team, but that idea was dashed when KTM confirmed Maverick Vinales and Enea Bastianini would be under this awning next season.

Then, there were reports linking him to factory Honda, but that door was also closed shut when Joan Mir somewhat unexpectedly extended his contract. Some other potential destinations have now emerged, with him linked with a switch to Gresini Ducati to stay in MotoGP and Ducati’s World Superbike squad, with the latter move appearing to be reliant upon if Alvaro Bautista decides to retire. It’ll certainly be a case of watch this space regarding Miller’s plans for 2025, with much still yet to be determined in this saga.

Some other potential destinations have now emerged, with him linked with a switch to Gresini Ducati to stay in MotoGP…

Senna Agius – Moto2
Despite enduring a difficult weekend at Mugello, talented youngster Senna Agius still extracted the positives. Heading to a track he was unfamiliar with, it was never going to be easy, but he battled on valiantly. Starting 26th on the grid for this one, upside could be gained from how the 19-year-old powered through to claim 17th.

“It was one of those weekends where I struggled to get a feeling for the bike. We tried a lot, and I also changed my riding style to make it better. It’s true that we improved, but we couldn’t keep up with the steps the others were making. It was a head-scratching weekend, but we will learn from it and attack again in Assen,” he reflected.

“We tried a lot, and I also changed my riding style to make it better”…

Jacob Roulstone – Moto3
Red Bull GASGAS Tech3 ace Jacob Roulstone continues to impress in his rookie Moto3 season. Having shown excellent speed in the earlier sessions at Mugello, he qualified in a strong seventh for the Sunday race to put himself in a quality position to secure a good result. Even though his rhythm was halted by the red-flag interrupted race, there was no doubting he had the pace to match it with the frontrunners. Frustratingly, a poor jump from the restart and a late mistake meant ninth was the best he could do.

“We are happy to get another top 10 result, although I am a bit annoyed with myself for the decision to go with the medium tyre, but we learn from these mistakes. We raced well, especially within the first laps, I feel like I have improved in this area since my debut in the class, which is a good thing,” he explained.

“We take away a lot of positives from this weekend, so thank you to my team for their awesome job this weekend. In a couple of weeks, we will go to Assen, a track that I like where I got a podium in the Red Bull Rookies cup, so I’m excited to go!”

We raced well, especially within the first laps, I feel like I have improved in this areaJoel Kelso – Moto3…

Joel Kelso
Keen to put his best foot forward at Mugello, things started nicely for Joel Kelso by qualifying ninth for the main bout. After making some fruitful changes to the bike, all eyes turned to the Sunday in his quest for a podium finish. It wasn’t to be, however, for not only did the red-flag complicate matters, but his tyre selection didn’t work out, in a race where he ultimately claimed a respectable 12th.

“I felt comfortable on the medium tyre. The start was a bit crazy, I lost a few positions, but we were doing good lap times and I started to move forward. However, as the laps went by I started to suffer with the tyre. I was struggling to overtake and to stop the bike, and it’s a shame to end the weekend like that because we had worked so hard during all the sessions. It wasn’t the fault of the set-up of the bike, I suffered with the tyres. Now it’s time to keep working and think about Assen.” Said Joel.

“The start was a bit crazy, I lost a few positions, but we were doing good lap times and I started to move forward”…

Remy Gardner – World Superbike
Kicking off his weekend at his GYTR GRT Yamaha team’s home round with a fourth in the first free practice session, he then built on this to claim third in the second FP stanza. Eager to transfer this momentum into the Saturday, Gardner did just that by banking third in the Tissot Superpole qualifier and leading laps in race one before tyre issues meant he came home in sixth.

An unfortunate DNF following an incident beyond his control in the Superpole race stalled his overwhelmingly upbeat weekend. To his credit, though, the fact he recovered to clinch a credible eighth in race two saw him close his Misano on a relatively high note.

“Not the Sunday we were looking for after a strong weekend. Unfortunately in the sprint race I had to go wide at the start and I lost some positions. I felt then we could have a good race anyway, but I got involved in an incident and that was the end of our race. That finale compromised race two as well as it’s tough to have a good run starting from behind, but I still managed to score some points. I’d like to thank Yamaha for the support, the team for the hard work and all the people who came here to support us,” said Gardner.

“I’d like to thank Yamaha for the support, the team for the hard work and all the people who came here to support us”…

Oli Bayliss – World Supersport
Breathing life into his Misano by grabbing an eighth in qualifying, which was his best of the season, this was hugely encouraging for Oli Bayliss. Although he wasn’t entirely comfortable in the first race due to struggles with front end feel that prevented him from pushing as he wanted, he still recorded a terrific eighth. He then backed this up with a solid 13th in the second race to ensure he took home a handy points haul from the round. Cutting a content figure when speaking afterwards, his immediate aim is to keep making steps in the right direction in his pursuit to enter the top 10 in the championship standings.

“P13 in race two. Clearly, I wish it could have ended a bit better than it did. I struggled a little bit in the second race. However, it’s clear we know where we have to work on moving forward from here,” he stated. “Overall, it was a positive weekend. Thanks to the D34G Racing team and all of our team sponsors for the support. Bring on Donington Park on the second weekend of July.”

“It’s clear we know where we have to work on moving forward from here”…

Jason O’Halloran – British Superbike
Venturing to Knockhill with plenty of confidence, the early indicators were promising that O’Halloran would carry on his upward trajectory into this round when he qualified second and finished fifth in the opening race. Disappointingly, though, that was as good as it got for the experienced Australian, with crashes in race two and three meaning it was a forgettable weekend in the treacherous, wet conditons.

Looking for an improvement at Donington, his team principal Nigel Snook, knows there’s more to come from the polished veteran, with him commenting: “Jason’s still P7 on 81 points just behind Haslam, but now a bit back from the top five. Just needs a couple of strong rounds now he’s fully at home on his Kawasaki.”

Josh Brookes – British Superbike
Brookes enjoyed a decent body of work at Knockhill. Showing blistering pace in the dry, Brookes started off by qualifying third. Moreover, there was much to like about how he charged through the pack in the first race from as low as 11th to claim sixth. Mustering 12th and 11th in the second and third races respectively, Brookes was left to rue what could have been if only the weather had been kind despite still performing admirably in the wet.

“At the moment it seems like luck never goes our way when it has the chance to. We were on the front row in qualifying in dry conditions, it then became rain affected and for that moment for once, I would have actually been grateful for it to be dry because we had the speed in the drier conditions to be more competitive. There’s been other weekends in the past where I would have liked it to have rained, maybe change the dynamics to bring things into our favour and it’s just stayed dry. I just don’t seem to be able to capitalise on any situation, and I’m actually just a bit bewildered at the moment. We don’t really have an answer so for now we have to just accept it for what it is at this point,” Brookes lamented.

Brookes then rapidly shifted his attention to the iconic Isle of Man TT event, where he demonstrated what a beast he is on a bike by riding to a sensational second in the prestigious Senior category. “Wow! Second in the 2024 Isle of Man TT Senior. 134 MPH club & 206.9 MPH speed trap record. After the TT I’ve had up until this point, it feels like a win and I just couldn’t be happier. A huge thanks to everyone involved. It’s been a challenging couple of weeks so to come away with a result in the big race is mega,” he gleamed.

“Wow! Second in the 2024 Isle of Man TT Senior!”

Troy Herfoss – King of the Baggers and MotoAmerica
Troy Herfoss continues to catch the eye on his American adventures, as the man who was initially signed to race in the King of the Baggers and Super Hooligans has now added the MotoAmerica Superbike Championship to the list. Showcasing his multifaceted skill set and adaptability, Herfoss even did double duties at Brainerd, with him coming out of the Baggers races in the championship lead while producing an admirable effort on the superbike.

In what was a rollercoaster round full of learning and challenges, as he familiarised himself with the bike and the track, emerging with 9-8 results was a fine effort in the circumstances. Ticking all the boxes and getting through unscathed, Herfoss yet again underlined his class and what a talented rider he is.

Off-Road
Jett Lawrence – Pro Motocross
Despite his 24 moto win streak ending at Hangtown following a nasty crash in the opening race at the second round, Jett Lawrence deserves immense credit for bouncing back in emphatic fashion by notching the overall triumphs at Thunder Valley and High Point. Still able to flex his muscles in the elite 450 class while riding injured from that aforementioned spill, it’s been nothing short of impressive how he’s bravely fought through the pain barrier to reign supreme. Sitting third in the title standings behind his brother and Chase Sexton, watching him duke it out with these two will be fascinating as the championship resumes at Southwick this Saturday.

Hunter Lawrence – Pro Motocross
Currently leading the 450 AMA Pro Motocross standings, how Hunter Lawrence has combined consistency, speed and smarts has been a joy to behold in his rookie term in the premier category outdoors. Securing exceptional overall finishes of 2-2-2-3, this wonderful form has ensured he’s heading the pack in this fiercely competitive field. Never one to rest on his laurels and doing everything in his power to heap the pressure on his adversaries, expect him to keep fighting hard to ensure he maintains on top in the points chase. Ready to come out swinging at Southwick in search of his maiden 450 Pro Motocross overall victory, the iconic sandy circuit looks set to take centre stage for a pulsating battle royale for supremacy come Saturday.

MotoGP Round Eight | Bagnaia completes another perfect weekend

By

-

July 2, 2024

Francesco Bagnaia’s Motul TT Assen couldn’t have been better. The Ducati Lenovo Team rider did the double from pole, with his Sunday masterclass cutting the Championship deficit to Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) to just 10 points Report: Ed Stratmann/MotoGP

Friday Practice and Saturday Qualifying
MotoGP
The #1 set a blistering time early on in Practice before improving later in the session to bank a brilliant 1:31.340. In a remarkable stat, Bagnaia going fastest in the first session on Friday was also the first time he’s ever done that in the premier class, despite two premier class World Championships and a full CV by nearly every metric.

On Thursday, Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) predicted a 1:30.899 as the pole position time at the Motul TT Assen, and on Saturday he proved himself very wrong. His actual time around the iconic TT Circuit Assen was a stunning lap record breaking 1:30.540 to take his first pole of 2024. And even then it was only enough to deny title rival Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) by 0.081s as the duo headed the grid.

The two then had a little breathing space ahead of Maverick Viñales as the Aprilia Racing ace completed the front row, 0.330s further back.

Full Practice results here and Qualifying results here…

Moto2
Friday’s Motul TT Assen Moto2™ honours went the way of Fermin Aldeguer (Folladore SpeedUp Racing) as the Spaniard set a new intermediate class lap record – a 1:35.912 – to lead Ai Ogura (MT Helmets – MSI) and Joe Roberts (OnlyFans American Racing). However, the latter endured a Turn 7 highside, which resulted in the American suffering a right collarbone fracture, thus ruling him unfit for Saturday and Sunday’s action.

For the first time since the Spanish GP, Fermin Aldeguer (Folladore SpeedUp) will launch from pole position as the #54 beat Ai Ogura (MT Helmets – MSI) to pole position by 0.230s at the Motul TT Assen. The Japanese star earned his first front row of the season and started alongside Championship leader and teammate Sergio Garcia at the Dutch TT, as Boscoscuro riders locked out the front row.

Moto3
Home hero Collin Veijer (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) bagged top spot on Day 1 at Assen as the Dutchman set a 1:40.259 to top the lightweight class field by 0.294s. Ryusei Yamanaka and his MT Helmets – MSI teammate Ivan Ortola enjoyed fruitful Fridays as the Japanese and Spaniard headed into Saturday’s action in P2 and P3 respectively.

A late Q2 charge from Angel Piqueras (Leopard Racing) saw the rookie claim a debut Moto3™ pole position, with Taiyo Furusato (Honda Team Asia) clinching a P2 grid slot after lapping just 0.074s slower than Piqueras’ 1:39.746. Home hero Collin Veijer (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) also earned a spot on the front row in P3.

Saturday
Tissot Sprint
Francesco Bagnaia’s (Ducati Lenovo Team) statement weekend at the Motul TT Assen continued on Saturday afternoon as the reigning Champion took the Tissot Sprint win – making it back-to-back victories on Saturday afternoon for the first time in his career.

Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) followed him home in second to limit the damage in the standings. The pressure amped up further at the end of Saturday’s action too, with Martin handed a 3-place grid penalty for Sunday after being deemed to have been slow on line and disturbed Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse Racing) in qualifying.

As the lights went out, Bagnaia held on to the holeshot from pole, with Martin keeping second, ahead of Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™), who edged beyond Vinales. That put Viñales on the attack to take it back, and by the end of Lap 2, the Aprilia had homed back in and shot past at the chicane.

Meanwhile, drama hit for Marc Marquez. On the tail of that duel, the #93 overcooked it and suddenly slid out, forcing him to watch the Sprint from the sidelines.

Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) had been on the tail of Alex Marquez since Viñales got back past the #73, but by half distance the two had some company: a queue of Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Team), Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) and Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) had arrived on the scene.

Once there, Bastianini struck quickly, passing Binder and then immediately glued himself to the rear of Alex Marquez. The ‘Beast’ stalked him round the rest of the lap and then attacked at the chicane, taking over in fourth and pulling away. The #73 was then given a Long Lap for track limits, and soon after there was another key move in the group, also at the chicane, with Diggia attacking Binder. The VR46 rider headed a little wide, but kept it pinned, just as Alex Marquez had suffered his own little wobble. Into Turn 1 for the final lap, the net result was Diggia leading Espargaro and Binder, with the #73 dropping to the back of the gaggle and still with that Long Lap to serve.

Up ahead, there were no dramas for the top three. No one had an answer for Bagnaia as the reigning Champion won his second Sprint in a row for the first time ever, as Martin took second and Vinales third. Bastianini took that P4 after his charge up from outside the top ten on the grid, and in the grand battle behind, Diggia completed the top five ahead of Binder.

“At this track, it is important to stay extremely focused while riding in a smooth and precise way and without overdoing, as this circuit is quite an unforgiving one,” Bagnaia insisted.

Tissot Sprint Race Results

Francesco Bagnaia Ducati Lenovo
Jorge Martin Pramac Ducati (+2.355s)
Maverick Viñales Aprilia Racing (+4.103s)
Enea Bastianini Ducati Lenovo (+6.377s)
Fabio Di Giannantonio VR46 Ducati (+8.869s)

Sunday
MotoGP
Bagnaia became the first rider to win three successive MotoGP Grand Prix races in a single season since he did it in 2022 with four in a row from Assen to Misano. This victory also marked his third win in a row at the TT Circuit Assen as he equalled Casey Stoner’s 23 wins with Ducati to tie the MotoGP Legend as the two most successful riders with the Borgo Panigale factory.

As the lights went out, Bagnaia nailed the start to take the holeshot, with Viñales just holding second to deny Martin. Still, the #89 launched it to near perfection from his P5 after that three-place penalty, and soon enough he did get it done to take over in second. Marc Marquez, meanwhile, was on the march and soon put his own moves on Viñales to slot into third.

That duo stayed together as the battle behind heated up. Pedro Acosta (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) had shot up past front-row starter Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™), but soon it was Di Giannantonio on the move, and he made it past Acosta at Turn 1, caught the Marquez-Viñales duo and then pounced on the Aprilia at the final chicane. Next up: #MM93.

By 19 to go, the yellow flash of the VR46 machine went past, but with Marquez also seeming to gesture at the Italian and make it a little easier for him too. The two Ducatis stayed nearby, with Viñales on their tail and Acosta on his. Lap by lap, however, Bastianini was cutting the deficit to the podium battle.

He made it past the rookie by nine to go, and a lap later the group shuffled again. Diggia was wide, but Marc Marquez didn’t seem to want to take advantage, so Viñales shot past both. Bastianini was then right on that trio once again, and, by seven to go, was past Diggia. A lap later he did a near carbon copy on Marquez to take over in fourth.

The hungry ‘Beast’ kept pushing and admirably got past Viñales with four full laps remaining, and from there the group couldn’t quite stay with him. By the penultimate lap it then looked like a Viñales-Marquez duel for the podium, but there was still drama to come.

On the final lap, Acosta slid out at Turn 7, and then Viñales headed just wide enough to allow Marquez through, leaving it an Aprilia-VR46 drag to the line for fifth instead. But when all was judged and confirmed, Viñales was forced to drop one position due to exceeding track limits at the chicane, promoting Diggia to fifth, and then the tyre pressure penalty for Marquez saw the #93 drop to P10.

When the dust settled, Bagnaia’s masterclass put the cherry on top of a weekend that saw him top every session bar Warm Up. Martin took a valuable second while Bastianini secured back-to-back podiums to recover from a P10 qualifying. It was then Diggia classified fourth ahead of Viñales.

Unfortunately, one piece of tougher news on the grid was for Alex Rins (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™), who suffered a big crash at Turn 1 and was declared unfit due to a right wrist fracture.

“In terms of result, this is the best one I think in MotoGP. I was leading all the sessions, which is something that doesn’t happen all the time. To win in this way was incredible,” a delighted Bagnaia explained.

MotoGP Race Results

Francesco Bagnaia Ducati Lenovo
Jorge Martin Pramac Ducati (+3.676s)
Enea Bastianini Ducati Lenovo (+7.073s)
Fabio Di Giannantonio VR46 Ducati (+8.299s)
Maverick Viñales Aprilia Racing (+8.258s)

Check out the full MotoGP race results here…

MotoGP Championship Points

Jorge Martin Pramac Ducati – 200
Francesco Bagnaia Ducati Lenovo – 190
Marc Marquez Gresini Ducati – 142
Enea Bastianini Ducati Lenovo – 136
Maverick Viñales Aprilia Racing – 118

Moto2
In Triumph’s 100th race powering Moto2™, Ai Ogura (MT Helmets – MSI) claimed a second victory of 2024 as a tense fight for victory played out between the Japanese star, second place Fermin Aldeguer (Folladore SpeedUp) and Sergio Garcia (MT Helmets – MSI) at the Motul TT Assen.

Ogura grabbed the holeshot from his first front row start of the season, but by Turn 5, Aldeguer pounced into the race lead. The #54 clicked into his groove immediately and was a second clear of the chasers by Lap 5, as Garcia – having dropped to P5 – then carved his way up to P2.

For the next few laps, the gap stabilised at just over a second, with Garcia and Ogura edging clear of Alonso Lopez (Folladore SpeedUp), who in turn had a train of Kalex riders in tow, including Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team), Manuel Gonzalez (QJMOTOR Gresini Moto2™) and Jake Dixon (CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team).

With 11 to go, Ogura passed teammate Garcia for P2 following a small mistake from the latter, with Aldeguer’s lead now up to 1.6s. Then, with nine laps left, Aldeguer was handed a Long Lap penalty for exceeding track limits. Once completed, Aldeguer dropped behind Ogura and Garcia, with the top three now split by 0.8s with six laps to go.

With four to go, a blanket could cover the top trio. It was Ogura vs Garcia and Aldeguer for victory, but Garcia then made a mistake at the start of Lap 20 of 22 to see him drop 1.5s off the 25-point haul fight. Heading onto the last lap, it was Ogura vs Aldeguer. The Japanese rider unearthed a stellar last lap to pull clear of the Spaniard to win for the second time in three races, with Aldeguer settling for P2 and Garcia crossing the line in a lonely P3.

Dixon led the Kalex charge with a solid P4, with Somkiat Chantra (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) completing the top five.

Moto2 Race Results

Ai Ogura MT Helmets – MSI
Fermin Aldeguer Folladore Speed Up (+0.571s)
Sergio Garcia MT Helmets – MSI (+4.252s)
Jake Dixon CFMoto Inde Aspar Team (+8.985s)
Somkiat Chantra IDEMITSU Honda Team Asia (+9.949s)

Check out the full Moto2 race results here…

Moto2 Championship Points

Sergio Garcia MT Helmets – MSI – 138
Ai Ogura MT Helmets – MSI – 124
Joe Roberts OnlyFans American Racing Team – 115
Alonso Lopez Beta Tools Speed Up – 87
Fermin Aldeguer Beta Tools Speed Up – 83

Moto3
Until the final time into the final chicane, Collin Veijer (Liqui Moly Intact Husqvarna GP) looked set to take home glory at the Motul TT Assen, but Ivan Ortola (MT Helmets – MSI) had other ideas. The Spaniard led the early stages and the Dutchman the latter, but by the final lap it was a duel for Dutch TT honours – and Ortola went round the outside into the chicane to grab the glory by just 0.012.

After Ortola and Taiyo Furusato (Honda Team Asia) led the way in the initial stages, Veijer brought the group back onto the duo. By nine to go it was a true Moto3™ battle, with Veijer moving through to the lead, as the Dutchman got the hammer down to make a gap. But as the pack shuffled, Ortola picked his way back into second and was able to claw back the deficit to Veijer, setting the stage for a thrilling duel.

As the final lap began, Ortola was right on the rear wheel of the home hero, and the two were in a battle with a second in hand on the rest. The move came at the final chicane as the Spaniard went round the outside to steal it. Veijer valiantly tried to get him back on the sprint to the line. He almost did as they crossed the line side-by-side, but Ortola took it by just 0.012.

The masterclass is the #48’s first win of the year, while Veijer posted his fourth podium of 2024. For both, it’s points gained in the title fight too. After Alonso came home fifth and fellow frontrunner Daniel Holgado (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) took P12, Alonso’s lead is now down to 39 points ahead of Veijer.

Moto3 Race Results

Ivan Ortola MT Helmets – MSI
Collin Veijer Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP (+0.012s)
David Munoz BOE Motorsports (+2.197s)
Jose Antonio Rueda Red Bull KTM Ajo (+2.430s)
David Alonso CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team (+2.460s)

Check out the full Moto3 race results here…

Moto3 Championship Points

David Alonso CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team – 154
Collin Veijer Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP – 115
Daniel Holgado Red Bull GASGAS Tech3 – 111
Ivan Ortola MT Helmets – MSI – 105
David Munoz BOE Motorsports – 76

MotoE
Race 1
Race 1 for the FIM Enel MotoE™ World Championship at the Motul TT Assen was unbelievable with drama around every corner in yet another twist in the Championship, with Hector Garzo (Dynavolt Intact GP MotoE™) stealing the victory on the last lap. The #4 pulled off a fantastic move on the final lap to overtake Alessandro Zaccone (Tech3 E-Racing), who led the majority of Race 1. Zaccone crossed the line to finish in second before later being disqualified due to a tyre pressure infringement. This handed Oscar Gutierrez (Axxis-MSI) second place after a brave last lap from the #99. Meanwhile, Jordi Torres (Openbank Aspar Team) took the final spot on the podium in the amended result.

Race 2
The Assen final race of the weekend for the FIM Enel MotoE™ World Championship at the Motul TT Assen delivered a spectacular show with Alessandro Zaccone (Tech3 E-Racing) hitting the front with seven laps remaining before charging to victory by 1.909s.

The #61’s closest challenge came from Oscar Gutierrez (Axxis-MSI), who put in an outstanding ride and battled hard at the front of a huge group of riders. The #99 was able to extend his advantage on the last lap as Hector Garzo made a move on his teammate to steal the final spot on the podium on the last lap of the race.

MotoE Race 1 Results

Hector Garzo Dynavolt Intact GP MotoE™
Oscar Gutierrez Axxis-MSI (+0.425)
Jordi Torres Openbank Aspar Team (+1.101)
Miquel Pons Axxis-MSI (+2.295)
Matteo Ferrari Felo Gresini MotoE™ (+3.219)

MotoE Race 2 Results

Alessandro Zaccone Tech3 E-Racing
Oscar Gutierrez Axxis-MSI (+1.909)
Hector Garzo Dynavolt Intact GP MotoE™ (+2.113)
Lukas Tulovic Dynavolt Intact GP MotoE™ (+2.252)
Jordi Torres Openbank Aspar Team (+2.642)

Full MotoE results can be found here…

MotoE Championship Points

Mattia Casadei – 140
Kevin Zannoni – 137
Oscar Gutierrez – 133
Hector Garzo – 129
Alessandro Zaccone – 119

WorldSBK Round Four | Perfect weekend for Razgatlioglu

By

-

June 21, 2024

BMW star Toprak Razgatlioglu made it three wins out of three with a one-sided masterclass at Misano to flex his muscles emphatically in The MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship. A massive weekend for BMW, after well over a decade in SBK, they finally got the trifecta. Report: Ed Stratmann/WorldSBK

Friday practice
WorldSBK
Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) was the fastest rider on Friday at the Misano World Circuit “Marco Simoncelli” despite a fall at the final corner in Free Practice 2. He was around a tenth clear of his rivals after the day’s action concluded for the Pirelli Emilia-Romagna Round, with his FP1 time – a 1’33.448s – enough to earn top spot overall on Friday.

Read our WorldSBK 2024 Round Three Report here…

The fastest rider for Ducati was Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati), who was typically rapid out of the blocks. He was the first rider into the 1’33s in FP2 and his fastest time was a 1’33.552s, claiming P1 in FP2 and P2 overall, just a tenth behind Razgatlioglu.

Teammate Alvaro Bautista rode to third place overall, setting a 1’33.913s for his best time of the day in FP2. Andrea Iannone (Team GoEleven) was fifth overall after setting a 1’34.192s in FP2. Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) carried on his momentum from his Dutch Round podium with the fourth fastest time (1’34.462).

WorldSSP
The WorldSSP Superpole session saw yet more drama, speed and crashes as the picture for Saturday morning became a lot clearer, with the pacesetters at the top of the standings displaying their prowess and pace.

Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) was awarded pole position following the end of the Superpole session as Adrian Huertas (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team) finished the afternoon session the same way he did in the morning – fast. His time of 1’36.843s was enough for P2 in Race 1. He thought that he had done enough to confirm pole, but found out that he’d exceeded track limits at turn 13, and was consequently demoted. Stefano Manzi (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing) rounded out the front row.

Elsewhere, the second row took on an interesting shape. France’s Valentin Debise (Evan Bros WorldSSP Yamaha Team) continued his promising form to grab P4, whilst Finnish rider Niki Tuuli (EAB Racing Team) bagged a spot in the top five.

Full Friday Superbike and Supersport results available here…

Saturday
WorldSK
WorldSBK Race 1
BMW’s star man secured a flawless Race 1 victory at Misano, a win that saw the Turk become the first BMW rider to lead the WorldSBK Championship since Marco Melandri in 2012. Once again, Toprak Razgatlioglu made all the difference on Saturday in Race 1 at Misano. “El Turco”, who started on pole following an epic Tissot Superpole session earlier in the day, initially surrendered his lead, but was able to regain it. However, this time, he never looked like relinquishing his advantage as the Turk stretched out a commanding gap before crossing the line in P1.

Full Superbike Superpole results here…

Nicolo Bulega and reigning World Champion Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) both enjoyed successful races, with them finishing P2 and P3 respectively. Bulega, in particular, showed handy pace and stable consistency throughout Race 1. Reigning World Champion Bautista started to come on strong towards the end of the race, having struggled for pace in the opening laps.

A very interesting variety of riders was represented at the end of Saturday’s race. Yamaha, in particular, enjoyed a successful day on the Adriatic Coast, for Andrea Locatelli (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) and Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) secured P4 and P6. Fellow Japanese manufacturer Kawasaki also enjoyed an admirable Race 1, with Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) rounding out the top five.

“It was a really hard race for everyone because of the hot conditions, the bike was just spinning. I felt the front tire not working a lot because I used it a lot, but I’m just focused on riding the bike and improving the pace. Finally, we won, and for BMW, the first winner here,” Razgatlioglu reflected.

WorldSBK Race 1 Results

Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team)
Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +1.782s
Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +3.176s
Andrea Locatelli (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) +10.337s
Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) +11.671s

WorldSSP Race 1
As has been the story of the season, Adrian Huertas (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team) and Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) fought it out between themselves to determine the race win, as well as the lead of the Championship.

The Spaniard stalked Montella around the track for nearly the entirety of the race, before starting to close in on his rival towards the final sector of the track. By the time the final corner came, Huertas capitalised on a slight slide by Montella to level his bike alongside the Italian and just pip him to the line. A truly exciting battle indeed. Stefano Manzi (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing) rounded out the podium with a classy P3 performance.

Many of the Championship contenders rounded out the top six to keep up their title ambitions. Valentin Debise (Evan Bros WorldSSP Yamaha Team) quietly continued his impressive campaign to date as he locked in P4, whilst Jorge Navarro (Orelac Racing Verdnatura) claimed a very solid P5 placing. German Marcel Schroetter (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) completed the top six.

WorldSSP Race 1 Results

Adrian Huertas (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team)
Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) +0.021s
Stefano Manzi (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing) +4.667s
Valentin Debise (Evan Bros. WorldSSP Yamaha Team) +5.892s
Jorge Navarro (Orelac Racing VerdNatura) +14.686s

Sunday
Superpole Race
Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) keeps single-handedly shaping the narrative of the 2024 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship by putting on another epic display to win the Tissot Superpole Race by a comfortable margin.

Turkish superstar Razgatlioglu was once again the best rider on the grid, and ultimately made sure that the Superpole race ended in comfortable fashion. Starting on pole, “El Turco” was briefly overtaken by Bulega, who got the holeshot off the line, but Razgatlioglu was able to reclaim the lead and never looked like losing it from that moment.

Toprak also made some big WorldSBK history, overtaking WorldSBK legend Noriyuki Haga to become the fifth-placed all time leader in wins in WorldSBK with 44. Great Britain’s Alex Lowes capped a personally memorable weekend by converting his front-row start into a P3 finish.

Andrea Locatelli (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) then clinched P4 to remain the top Iwata-based bike on the grid. Andrea Iannone (Team GoEleven) enjoyed a very positive Superpole in his home race by securing a P5 finish.

The big news from the rest of the action was that reigning World Champion Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) suffered a crash at turn 10, but was able to finish the race in 17th. Australian rider Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) also fell after enjoying a tidy day up until then.

Superpole Race Results

Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team)
Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +1.651s
Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) +4.779s
Andrea Locatelli (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) +8.061s
Andrea Iannone (Team GoEleven) +10.913s

WorldSBK Race 2
Round 4 of the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship will be firmly remembered as the weekend of one man. Toprak Razgatlioglu was untouchable all weekend, on his way to completing a first personal hat-trick in two years, as well as BMW’s first ever treble.

The Turkish rider was temporarily relegated to fifth place at the start of Race 2, before the inevitable comeback came. Nicolo Bulega and Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) were able to maintain the pressure by finishing Race 2 in P2 and P3 respectively, but neither could get close to “El Turco” at any point during the weekend.

Once more, Great Britain’s Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) banked an uplifting finish, this time registering P4 in Race 2. The British rider has consistently spoken about the progress made by the Japanese giants, and all their hard work is clearly paying off nicely.

Andrea Locatelli (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) kept flying the flag for Yamaha, remaining their highest finishing rider by virtue of his P5. Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) capped off a remarkable comeback at his home round by securing P6, a result not even the most optimistic of supporters could have seen coming.

A P7 finish in Race 2 saw Axel Bassani (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) make some improvements. Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) rode home to P8 while Iker Lecouna (Team HRC) obtained P9. Jonathan Rea (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) again suffered a miserable start to his Race 2. Fortunately, his race ended better than it began, with the Ulsterman’s pace enough to seal a place rounding out the top ten.

“I’m really happy because when I came to Misano, I had just one target: three wins with BMW. I did it! We did a great job today,” Razgatlioglu explained.

WorldSBK Race 2 Results

Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team)
Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +2.980s
Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +3.940s
Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) +9.951s
Andrea Locatelli (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) +11.974s

View Championship Standings

Championship Points

Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) 179
Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) 158
Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) 155
Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) 124
Andrea Locatelli (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) 94

WorldSSP Race 2
Adrian Huertas closed out an outstanding weekend in the FIM World Supersport Championship by winning a red-flagged Race 2. The Spaniard, who also won Race 1, once more proved why he sits atop the standings.

Yari Montella enjoyed a strong race too, but was forced to settle for P2 yet again following Huertas’ overtake towards the end of Race 2. French native Valentin Debise finished P3 to round out another quality weekend for the Yamaha pilot.

Elsewhere, within the Race 2 standings, many of the main title contenders maintained their push. Stefano Manzi (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing) sustained his momentum in the Championship by grabbing a P4 spot, finishing just outside the podium places.

Spaniard Jorge Navarro (Orelac Racing Verdnatura) logged a P5 finish in Sunday’s race, whilst Marcel Schroetter (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) crossed the line in sixth.

WorldSSP Race 2 Results

Adrian Huertas (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team)
Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) +1.161s
Valentin Debise (Evan Bros. WorldSSP Yamaha Team) +2.274s
Stefano Manzi (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing) +3.176s
Jorge Navarro (Orelac Racing VerdNatura) +4.197s

View Championship Standings

Championship Points

Adrian Huertas (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team) 136
Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) 125
Stefano Manzi (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing) 114
Marcel Schroetter (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) 104
Valentin Debise (Evan Bros. WorldSSP Yamaha Team) 78

WorldWCR
Tissot Superpole
The first pole in the history of the FIM Women’s Circuit Racing World Championship was claimed by Maria Herrera (Klint Forward Factory Team) as the Spaniard beat her rivals in a hotly-contested Tissot Superpole session.

As in the morning’s Free Practice session, the times kept improving as the session progressed. Herrera was able to set a 1’49.390s to claim the first ever WorldWCR pole, but it was fine margins, with just 0.051s between the #6 and Sara Sanchez (511 Terra&Vita Racing Team) in second. Sanchez, who topped the FP session, set a 1’49.441s, to claim second ahead of Ana Carrasco (Evan Bros Racing Yamaha Team) in third. Just 0.124s separated the top three in a closely fought Superpole session. However, towards the end of the session, it was announced that Sanchez was under investigation for slow riding, with Sanchez penalised with a three-place grid drop for Race 1.

Italian star Roberta Ponziani (Yamaha Motoxracing WCR Team) lined up from third following Sanchez’s sanction after fighting for pole position, finishing less than two tenths away from Herrera’s pole-setting time. South Africa’s Jessica Howden (Team Trasimeno) claimed fifth in the timings ahead of Chile’s Isis Carreno (AD78 FIM Latinoamerica by Team GP3).

WorldWCR Race 1
Saturday saw history made, with the maiden FIM Women’s Circuit Racing World Championship Race 1 taking place at Misano World Circuit “Marco Simoncelli”. In a day which saw several red flags, the fans were ultimately gifted the finish that such an occasion deserved, with Maria Herrera (Klint Forward Racing Team) beating rival Ana Carrasco (Evan Bros Racing Yamaha Team).

There was drama as soon as the lights went out for the initial start, with Ornella Ongaro (Yamaha Motoxracing WCR Team) and Tayla Relph (TAYCO Motorsport) colliding at Turn 2, while wildcard Beatrice Barbera (Team GP3 AD11 by Tirso) crashed at Turn 4, as all three riders retired from the race. Relph was taken to the medical centre for a check-up, while the incident was investigated by the FIM Stewards after the race.

Herrera grabbed the holeshot from pole position, leading through the first half of the opening lap, but Ana Carrasco (Evan Bros Racing Yamaha Team) didn’t let her have it all her own way. Although Herrera responded quickly to this attack, Carrasco didn’t let her get away, keeping the pressure on, with less than a second separating the top four.

On Lap 6, the race was red flagged for a crash by Mia Rusthen (Rusthen Racing) at Turn 16, when she came down at the end of Lap 5. Rusthen suffered a head concussion and received treatment at the Bufalini Trauma Centre in Cesena. Her condition is stable. The race was eventually re-started, and then immediately red-flagged again for a crash that involved Jessica Howden (Team Trasimeno). Howden also sustained a concussion, but was conscious following the accident. Following this incident, the remaining riders on the grid followed the quick start procedure and rolled back out onto the track for a five-lap race.

With just five laps to be completed, it ultimately proved to be Herrera and Carrasco that would fight it out to determine who would make history as the first ever race winner in the WorldWCR Championship. Herrera spent four laps monitoring Carrasco, matching her pace through every sector and turn. In the last sector, Herrera made her move, sliding the bike under Carrasco to take a lead that would ultimately prove enough to propel her to victory.

WorldWCR Race 1 Results

Maria Herrera (Klint Forward Factory Team)
Ana Carrasco (Evan Bros Racing Yamaha Team) +0.067s
Sara Sanchez (511 Terra&Vita Racing Team) +0.986s
Roberta Ponziani (Yamaha Motoxracing WCR Team) +1.454s
Beatriz Neila (Ampito/Pata Prometeon Yamaha) +1.591s

WorldWCR Race 2
Race 2 saw another thrilling fight, with Maria Herrera (Klint Forward Factory Team) scoring her second win of the weekend after overtaking Sara Sanchez (511 Terra&Vita Racing Team) at the final corner on the last lap. Both Herrera and Carrasco got superb starts as the lights went out, going side by side through the opening couple of corners before Carrasco came out in front. That didn’t last long, however, with the #6 responding almost immediately.

The lead group was made up of four riders – Herrera, Carrasco, Sara Sanchez (511 Terra&Vita Racing Team) and Beatriz Neila (Ampito / Pata Prometeon Yamaha) – with Turn 10 and the run to Curvone being the preferred overtaking places. With the lead group fighting hard, Sanchez looked to take advantage and got an excellent run out of Turn 10, using it to full advantage as she passed both Herrera and Carrasco to briefly lead even though she was unable to keep it.

Heading into the final three laps, Herrera was ahead of Sanchez while Neila had been in the top three prior to Carrasco reclaiming third on Lap 10. The #6 and #64 continued to trade fastest laps out front with the gap stabilising at around two tenths, but the final lap was a different story.

Herrera led on the exit of Turn 10, but Sanchez slipstreamed her way alongside, and ahead, of the #6. However, she didn’t take that lightly, fighting around the outside of Turn 14 before outbraking Sanchez at Turn 16 to claim victory. This demoted Sanchez to second, with Carrasco completing the podium after her fight with compatriot Neila, who came home in P4.

While the top four were fighting, home hero Roberta Ponziani (Yamaha Motoxracing WCR Team) took another strong result as she finished in fifth place, ahead of Isis Carreno (AD78 FIM Latinoamerica by Team GP3) in sixth, with the Chilean rider showing great potential once again as she returned to World Championship level.

WorldWCR Race 2 Results

Maria Herrera (Klint Forward Factory Team)
Sara Sanchez (511 Terra&Vita Racing Team) +0.085s
Ana Carrasco (Evan Bros Racing Yamaha Team) +1.305s
Beatriz Neila (Ampito/Pata Prometeon Yamaha) +1.352s
Roberta Ponziani (Yamaha Motoxracing WCR Team) +14.711s

Championship Points

Maria Herrera (Klint Forward Factory Team) 50 points
Sara Sanchez (511 Terra&Vita Racing Team) 36 points
Ana Carrasco (Evan Bros Racing Yamaha Team) 36 points
Beatriz Neila (Ampito/Pata Prometeon Yamaha) 24 points
Roberta Ponziani (Yamaha Motoxracing WCR Team) 24 points

Download Full Standings

World SSP300 Championship Standings are here… And race reports here..

Maria Herrera wins the inaugural WorldWCR race

By

-

June 16, 2024

Maria Herrera (Klint Forward Factory Team) wins the inaugural five-lap WorldWCR race at the Misano World Circuit, setting a blistering pace and crossing the line just 0.067 of a second ahead of fellow Spaniard Ana Carrasco (Evan Bros Racing Yamaha Team) Press: WorldWCR

Sara Sanchez (511 Terra&Vita Racing Team) came out on top in the exciting battle for third, closing half a second ahead of Roberta Ponziani (Yamaha Motoxracing WCR Team), fourth, and Beatriz Neila (Ampito / Pata Prometeon Yamaha), fifth. It was Spaniard Carrasco who set the fastest lap of the race, a 1’48.594 (lap four). This result means that she will start Sunday’s Race 2 from pole position.

The race came to a premature end for Lena Kemmer (Bertl K. Racing Team), Iryna Nadieieva (MPS.RT) and Mallory Dobbs (Sekhmet Motorcycle Racing Team), all of whom crashed but sustained no serious injuries. It was a race of three parts, the original race red-flagged on lap six due to a serious incident for Mia Rusthen (Rusthen Racing) through Turn 16. Norwegian Rusthen has suffered a head injury with concussion and is currently receiving treatment at the Bufalini Trauma Centre in Cesena.

A second ‘heat’ was also red-flagged after Jessica Howden (Team Trasimeno) crashed on lap one. The South African rider has been diagnosed with concussion. Herrera’s maiden WorldWCR victory means that she takes an early championship lead with 25 points, Carrasco and Sanchez follow close behind, having banked 20 and 16 points respectively.

P1 | Maria Herrera | Klint Forward Factory Team
“I’m so happy, not only to have won the first ever WorldWCR race, but also because we have been able to achieve this result after so much hard work over the last month. I didn’t even ride the bike until yesterday but I really wanted to win, so I pushed hard in every session and was also able to set pole, which came as a nice surprise. I had a great battle with Ana in the race; it was tough, and I was on the limit, but I was strong on the brakes. I still need to understand the bike more in order to be faster, but I’m working well with the team and am really pleased with what we’ve done so far.”

P2 | Ana Carrasco | Evan Bros Racing Yamaha Team
“I’m pretty happy with today’s result, especially after the red flags earlier in the day. A race made up of only five laps is always difficult to manage and, in the end, I wasn’t quite able to win, but it was very close. I’ll try to improve a little ahead of tomorrow and go for the win in Race 2. This is my first race since last October so Maria has definitely had more race experience than me this season, and perhaps the sprint format suited her better today. Our pace was almost identical though, so I think we’re in for a similar race tomorrow. I think there were some nerves among the riders today, with this being the very first race in a new championship, but that’s to be expected I guess; I was nervous too!”

P3 | Sara Sanchez | 511 Terra&Vita Racing Team
“Today was not easy, not least because we started the race three times. I’m very happy to have reached the podium, also because the level is very high, but I want to keep improving so that I can try to win tomorrow. I lost time off the line today and then only had five laps in which to make up the lost ground. It was great to be there battling with Neila and Ponziani, but I think with a longer race tomorrow I can be more competitive, as long as I make a better start than I did in Race 1.”

WorldWCR Race 1 Results

1. Maria Herrera (Klint Forward Factory Team)
2. Ana Carrasco (Evan Bros Racing Yamaha Team) +0.067s
3. Sara Sanchez (511 Terra&Vita Racing Team) +0.986s
4. Roberta Ponziani (Yamaha Motoxracing WCR Team) +1.454s
5. Beatriz Neila (Ampito/Pata Prometeon Yamaha) +1.591s
6. Isis Carreno (AD78 FIM Latinoamerica by Team GP3) +7.127s

Download Full Results

Championship Standings

1. Maria Herrera (Klint Forward Factory Team) 25 points
2. Ana Carrasco (Evan Bros Racing Yamaha Team) 20 points
3. Sara Sanchez (511 Terra&Vita Racing Team) 16 points

Download Full Standings

MotoGP Round Seven | Bagnaia completes perfect weekend

By

-

June 8, 2024

Francesco Bagnaia completed a near-perfect weekend on home turf with a masterclass in the Gran Premio d’Italia Brembo and Ducati got a famous home -2 with teammate Enea Bastianini coming home in second on the other DucatiCorreInAzzurro livery machine. Report: Ed Stratmann/MotoGP

Friday Practice and Saturday Qualifying
MotoGP
After an intense Practice at the Gran Premio d’Italia Brembo, reigning Champion Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) was at the top, stamping some authority on the field at the end of Friday to set a magnificent 1:44.938. However, he was also then given a three-place grid penalty for the Grand Prix race on Sunday for an incident with Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™), as he was deemed to have been slow on line and disturbed the #73. Meanwhile, the chasing pack was led by Alex Rins (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™ Team) in second as Yamaha continued to make a statement of intent to fight further forward this weekend. Rookie Pedro Acosta (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) made a brilliant recovery after a crash at Turn 13 to complete the top three.

Check out our previous MotoGP reports here…

Further back in fourth after a brilliant end to Friday’s proceedings was Miguel Oliveira (Trackhouse Racing), who improved late in the session to make it four different bikes in the top four as he repped for Aprilia. Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) set a new lap record on Saturday to deny Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) pole position, with the two split by just 0.043 at the top. Bagnaia had a three-place grid penalty for Sunday, but not Saturday, so he lined up second for the Tissot Sprint. Completing the front row on Aprilia Racing’s home turf was Maverick Viñales, with Marc Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) forced to settle for fourth after a crash at Scarperia on what could have been a pole-threatening lap.

Moto2
Somkiat Chantra (IDEMITSU Honda Team Asia) ended Friday with a 1:50.841, but it was tight at the top, with Joe Roberts (OnlyFans American Racing Team) a mere 0.011s behind and MB Conveyors SpeedUp duo Fermin Aldeguer and Alonso Lopez still within a tenth. After a dramatic qualifying at the Gran, Joe Roberts (OnlyFans American Racing Team) claimed pole position on Sunday after a late heater to claim a new lap record. The #16 continues to battle for the World Championship against Sergio Garcia (MT Helmets – MSI), who started from second on the grid. MB Conveyors SpeedUp’s Alonso Lopez rounded out the front row in third.

Moto3
CFMOTO Valresa Aspar Team’s David Alonso set the benchmark to beat once again on Friday at the Gran Premio d’Italia Brembo, over half a second clear of Collin Veijer (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP). Ryusei Yamanaka (MT Helmets – MSI) was third quickest as his quietly impressive 2024 continued, and the Japanese rider was the final competitor within seven tenths of the top. A brilliant Moto3™ qualifying concluded with David Alonso (CFMOTO Valresa Aspar Team) storming to pole position after an incredible performance all weekend. The #80 secured top spot on his final lap after a frantic session, heading Ivan Ortola (MT Helmets – MSI) as the Spaniard got closest. Rounding off the front row at Mugello was Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Jose Antonio Rueda, who took his sixth front row of the season. Veijer headed the second row of the grid after a late crash at Scarperia while the #95 was on a fast lap. Alongside the Dutchman was Daniel Holgado (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) in fifth.

Check out the full Practice and Qualifying results here…

Saturday
Tissot Sprint
Bagnaia got an almighty launch from second to take the holeshot, heading down into San Donato with metres to spare. Teammate Bastianini also launched it like a rocket to take the inside line and move into P2, denying polesitter Martin. Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) shot up from P13 on the grid to challenge in the top five, with Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) losing out to the South African and Marc Marquez.

Binder vs. Marquez was the first big move, with the #93 attacking the KTM next time round down the main straight. He just found room on the right, tight as anything, and just kept it into Turn 1. The Gresini then set off after the top three – but drama was already brewing up ahead. Bagnaia held the lead as Martin barreled back past Bastianini, but the Beast went for a move at Turn 1, heading slightly deep. Martin took the cutback and there was contact, with Bastianini sliding out of his home Sprint.

With four to go, there was yet more drama, though, and at the front. This time alone, but once again for Martin. The #89 had passed Marquez and been passed back, and he was holding a fairly secure third just ahead of Acosta. But around San Donato, the front said no more, and the Championship leader was off.

That left a familiar chess match at the front: Bagnaia vs. Marquez. Next time around, the #93 took a huge chunk out of the lead, and it was down to seven tenths with two to go. But the reigning Champion found a response in the third sector of the penultimate lap, and with that, the deal was done. One more lap to right the wrong of the Barcelona Sprint – and with a second in hand. It was 1.469 as he crossed the line, and Marquez had put down his own burst of speed to leave Acosta a further two and a half seconds back.

Taking his first Saturday victory since the 2023 Austrian Grand Prix was a big statement as Bagnaia cut the gap to 27 points at the top of the Championship. He also once again escaped Marc Marquez, but the #93 banked some solid points, stayed consistent and this time starts Sunday ahead of the reigning Champion too. For Acosta, a podium was a nice way to mark a day that also saw him confirmed as a Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rider for 2025. Franco Morbidelli (Prima Pramac Racing) equalled his best result of the season so far, taking his second P4 in a Sprint after doing the same in Jerez, with Viñales completing the top five after getting past Binder.

“I’m very happy, we were close in the last one in Barcelona. We managed everything in a perfect way. The last two laps were quite difficult to manage to remain at a constant pace, but I’m very happy,” Bagnaia reflected.

Tissot Sprint Race Results

Francesco Bagnaia Ducati Lenovo
Marc Marquez Gresini Ducati (+1.469s)
Pedro Acosta Red Bull GASGAS Tech3 (+4.147s)
Franco Morbidelli Pramac Ducati (+5.421s)
Maverick Viñales Aprilia Racing (+7.693s)

Sunday
MotoGP
Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) completed a near-perfect weekend on home turf with a masterclass victory in the Gran Premio d’Italia Brembo. As the lights went out, Bagnaia went full Bagnaia. Second around San Donato as he threaded the needle from the second row, he immediately then lined up and pickpocketed Martin to go into the lead. From there, the hammer was down as Martin dug in to hold on, with Bastianini third ahead of Marc Marquez and Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing).

The chess game was on from there on out. Three tenths, six tenths, eight tenths, five tenths; Martin wasn’t getting dropped but he wasn’t consistently able to stay close enough to attack the #1 in the lead.

Meanwhile, Pedro Acosta (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) was on the march. Marquez made a move on Bastianini into San Donato and headed wide, with the #23 hitting back immediately. And that put the rookie superstar right on Marquez’s tail. The GASGAS ace shadowed him round the lap but couldn’t find a way through before heading wide at the final corner to see his rival disappear out of striking distance.

At the front, the chess match rolled on. Bagnaia led Martin and Bastianini, with Marquez then starting to harry the #23. Acosta was a few tenths further back, with Franco Morbidelli (Prima Pramac Racing) starting to come under pressure from Viñales with 12 to go. It was tense holding stations, with the one small ripple in the calm coming as Martin went deep into San Donato with 10 laps to go, but he gathered it back up.

By six laps to go, it wasn’t checkmate, but it was starting to heat up into a grandstand finish. Marc Marquez finally made a move on Bastianini, attacking into San Donato with a clean move that gave the #23 no right of reply. He closed the deficit to Martin, but Martin was starting to cut the gap to the front once again. By three laps to go, it had been halved from the eight or nine tenth maximum Bagnaia had had at any point. Game on. Very much so, but not for the #89.

Instead, Bagnaia threw down the gauntlet and disappeared again as Bastianini stole the spotlight. Through on Marc Marquez at Scarperia, the exact same style of move the #93 had pulled on him, the Beast was on a charge and his next target was the other half of the Sprint tangle that had sent him into the gravel.

Locked on and flying, as Bagnaia crossed the line to take his third Italian GP win in a row as part of his second Mugello double, Bastianini was homing in. Into the very final corner the Ducati Lenovo Team rider found space on the inside to complete the fairytale 1-2 for the team, and in some serious style as pandemonium erupted in the grandstands. Over the line with time in hand over Martin, Bastianini followed Bagnaia home – and Martin’s lead is now cut to just 18 points.

Still, it was another podium finish and a good haul of points, and it was ahead of fellow frontrunner Marc Marquez, who was forced to settle for fourth. Acosta ended up in a lonelier ride for fifth after he’d lost touch with the front group.

“It’s incredible. It wasn’t easy starting from P5, but I had a strategy to go from the outside and it worked perfectly,” explained Bagnaia.

MotoGP Race Results

Francesco Bagnaia Ducati Lenovo
Enea Bastianini Ducati Lenovo (+0.799s)
Jorge Martin Pramac Ducati (+0.924s)
Marc Marquez Gresini Ducati (+2.064s)
Pedro Acosta Red Bull GASGAS Tech3 (+7.501s)

Check out the full MotoGP race results here…

MotoGP Championship Points

Jorge Martin Pramac Ducati – 171
Francesco Bagnaia Ducati Lenovo – 153
Marc Marquez Gresini Ducati – 136
Enea Bastianini Ducati Lenovo – 114
Pedro Acosta Red Bull GASGAS Tech3 – 101

Moto2
In a blockbuster Moto2™ race, Joe Roberts (OnlyFans American Racing Team) took victory in a nail-biting last lap decider – the American repelling the best efforts of Manuel Gonzalez (QJMOTOR Gresini Moto2™) to take top honours for the first time since the 2022 Portuguese GP.

Off like a rocket at the start, Roberts led early on. He had close competition, though, with Lopez and Darryn Binder (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) following on eagerly. A flying start also came from Ai Ogura (MT Helmets – MSI) as well, who stormed to seventh after starting 12th.

Lopez would follow Roberts until lap four before he pounced at San Donato, but it wouldn’t be until Turn 3 before he could make the move stick. Unfortunately for the MB Conveyors Speed Up team, it was glory for one and disaster for another in that moment as Lopez’s teammate Fermin Aledguer crashed out after contact from Jeremy Alcoba (Yamaha VR46 Master Camp Team).

Still in the lead, Lopez now had Gonzalez behind as he had found his way through on Roberts. Slightly further back in the lead pack, disaster struck for Binder who skittled into the gravel at Arrabbiata 1, an early end to what had been a strong weekend.

In a six-rider battle for the lead, everything was building to a grandstand last half of the race. The action kicked off as Roberts and Lopez ran wide at Turn 1 – giving them both more work to do – and allowing Gonzalez and Canet to the lead. But it wouldn’t be long before Roberts would then return the favour and find his way through to the front with just three laps remaining.

As a dramatic finish loomed, Roberts entered the final lap in the lead. Gonzalez got a fantastic slipstream and attacked round San Donato, but the American hit back at the next available chance, diving to the inside at Turn 2. Under tremendous pressure, Roberts held firm to take his first victory since the 2022 Portuguese GP – by just 0.067s. Gonzalez’s search for a first Moto2™ win continues while Lopez picked up his third podium of the season.

Claiming fourth was Championship leader Sergio Garcia (MT Helmets – MSI), whose advantage in the standings was reduced to seven points. Behind Garcia was teammate Ogura, who Garcia pipped on the last lap.

Moto2 Race Results

Joe Roberts OnlyFans American Racing Team
Manuel Gonzalez QJMOTOR Gresini (+0.067s)
Alonso Lopez MB Conveyors Speed Up (+0.934s)
Sergio Garcia MT Helmets – MSI (+1.192s)
Ai Ogura MT Helmets – MSI (+1.253s)

Check out the full Moto2 race results here…

Moto2 Championship Points

Sergio Garcia MT Helmets – MSI – 122
Joe Roberts OnlyFans American Racing Team – 115
Ai Ogura MT Helmets – MSI – 99
Alonso Lopez Beta Tools Speed Up – 79
Manuel Gonzalez QJMOTOR Gresini – 66

Moto3
David Alonso (CFMoto Valresa Aspar Team) remains the rider to beat in Moto3™, taking his fifth win of the season in style at Mugello. The Colombian led from the front for much of a shortened 11-lap dash and held off a late charge from Collin Veijer (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) to take another 25-point haul. Ryusei Yamanaka (MT Helmets – MSI) charged up from P13 on the grid to secure third and his first ever Grand Prix podium.

The initial start was red-flagged following a crash for Fillippo Farioli (SIC58 Squadra Corse) and Xabi Zurutuza (Red Bull KTM Ajo), with Zurutuza heading to hospital for further examination. Once back underway, the distance was reduced to 11 laps of Mugello, with one clear aim for most: keep up with Alonso.

There was drama nearly immediately as Dani Holgado (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) tagged riders at Turn 1, sending Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) and Stefano Nepa (LEVEL UP-MTA) crashing out, with the #96 given a double Long Lap for irresponsible riding.

Meanwhile at the front, it was a breakaway group of six making their moves: Alonso, Veijer, Yamanaka, Ivan Ortola (MT Helmets – MSI), Taiyo Furusato (Honda Team Asia) and David Muñoz (BOE Motorsports). With four to go, it looked like Alonso was trying to make a break, and it took Veijer a couple of laps to take over in second and get enough breathing space to start trying to close the Colombian down. That he did. And by the start of the final lap the Dutchman was within a couple of tenths, with Ortola in third.

Ultimately, however, he couldn’t get close enough to make a move, and then there was drama in the fight for the final place on the podium too as Ortola slid out at Turn 12, ending his rostrum hopes. One of the quickest remounts of all time saw him still take sixth, but Yamanaka was up the road to take his maiden Grand Prix podium to continue his impressive consistency running near the front this season.

Fourth went to Furusato as he was the final rider within a couple of seconds of the front, with Muñoz forced to settle for fifth further down the road.

Moto3 Race Results

David Alonso CFMOTO Valresa Aspar Team
Collin Veijer Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP (+0.142s)
Ryusei Yamanaka MT Helmets – MSI (+1.253s)
Taiyo Furusato Honda Team Asia (+1.700s)
David MunozBOE Motorsports (+5.399s)

Check out the full Moto3 race results here…

Moto3 Championship Points

David Alonso CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team – 143
Daniel Holgado Red Bull GASGAS Tech3 – 106
Collin Veijer Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP – 95
Ivan Ortola MT Helmets – MSI – 80
David Munoz BOE Motorsports – 60

MotoE report and results can be found here…

Win a Honda CRF50 and help raise money for Cancer Council Australia | Sh&tbox Rally

By

-

June 4, 2024

Honda Motorcycles Australia have donated a 2024 Honda CRF50 worth $2,598 to the Hatto’s Sh$tbox Rally, so by donating to legend Tony Hatton and his daughter Peta for their rally fundraiser, you could be the lucky winner! Honda will arrange for the winner to receive the bike from their local dealership!

The CRF50 features a low 58.4cm seat height, an adjustable throttle limiter, a sturdy steel frame, a durable low maintenance four-stroke air-cooled motor, kick start, a three speed gearbox with an automatic clutch, chain drive, 10in wheels with knobbies, 6 months warranty, drum brakes, 87mm of front wheel travel and 70mm or rear wheel travel, has a 2.6L fuel capacity and weights 50kg.

“Our fundraising is going really well so far”, said Peta and Tony. “We’ve absolutely smashed the minimum $5,000 entry requirement, and our goal is now to raise $55,000 (Hatto’s racing number was 55!). We’ve had private donors, corporate sponsors and raffle sponsors. We had a really amazing raffle with a prize pool worth over $10,500 and sold 3,500 tickets. We’ve had so much support from businesses, it’s really fantastic.

“We held a huge garage sale in March, at Hayley and Tony’s property in Bowral. We had a sausage sizzle, lucky dips, the raffle draw, and lots of garage sale items to buy. We raised $5,500 in one weekend. Wayne Gardner donated a number of signed jackets and a helmet, which we auctioned off and raised approximately $2,000.

“And now we have an amazing prize to give away, Honda Australia have generously donated us a CRF50F mini bike, worth $2,598. Tickets are $20 each, and purchased by donating at our link. The winner will be drawn when Tony and Peta arrive in Alice Springs on Friday 21^st June”.

Tickets for the CRF50 are here: https://winter2024.shitboxrally.com.au/hattos

Cancer affects all of us in some way, directly or indirectly. We all need to contribute to finding a cure, particularly when kids are involved. Tony Hatton and daughter Peta Isaac are doing their bit in respect for legendary industry family, the Galvins, in support of their daughter Lucy Galvin. You can help, too…

Tony Hatton and Graeme Crosby with the Yoshimura Kawasaki Endurance Racer at the Bol d'Or 24-hour, Le Mans , 1977. They held 7th place until the bike stopped. — Tony Hatton and Graeme Crosby with the Yoshimura Kawasaki Endurance Racer at the Bol d’Or 24-hour, Le Mans , 1977. They held 7th place until the bike stopped. Hatto is now swapping two wheels for four in the Shitbox Rally.

With a huge career spanning three decades, very few racers in the history of Australian motorcycle racing have clipped as many apexes as Tony Hatton… His interest in bikes started as young as 12, when the Northern Beaches Sydney kid was already subscribing to Motorcycle News… and by 14 he was riding his pushbike up to Terrey’s Green in Terrey Hills to watch the motorcycle racing. The rest is history, as they say, and Hatto went on to have a huge career as a rider, tuner and mentor, winning all the big races that Wayne Gardner, Mick Doohan and Kevin Magee would go on to win…

Follow Tony and Peta’s Shitbox Rally jouney on their Instagram account here...

Now enjoying retirement but still riding on the roads for fun, Tony Hatton is working on a special race with his daughter Peta, and will be taking part in the Shitbox Rally Winter 2024. The dynamic duo will be driving their 10-owner 260,000km young 2004 Honda Accord ‘Goldie Horn’ in the 4500km trek from Bowral, NSW, to Melbourne then from June 15 head North-West through the outback to Alice Springs!

Tony Hatton and Peta Isaac with their 2004, 260,000km 10-owner Honda Accord, Goldie Horn, which will take them all the way from Melbourne to Alice Springs. You can help them raise money for Cancer by donating or even better, attending their Garage Sale on March 23! — Tony Hatton and Peta Isaac with their 2004, 260,000km 10-owner Honda Accord, Goldie Horn, which will take them from Melbourne to Alice Springs.

To donate to Hatto’s Shitbox Rally and help Team Hatto reach their goal of $55,000 click here

TONY HATTON’S CAREER
3 x Australian 125 GP titles
2 x Australian 250GP titles
Multiple Castrol 6 Hour podiums
Multiple Bathurst wins
1974 Duke Of Edinborough Trophy
Multiple Production Bike Wins
Top 10 Le Mans 24HR finishes
Outright Winner 1979 Suzuka 8 Hour

Superbike Masters perpetual trophy to be named in honour of Darren Lark

By

-

June 3, 2024

On April 25, 2024, the Australian motorcycle racing community was deeply saddened by the sudden passing of Darren Lark at just 55 years of age. ‘Big Daz’, as he was affectionately known, was one out of the bag with his unmatched enthusiasm for historic motorcycle racing.

Darren Lark was super easy to spot with his signature #816 machines.

Big Daz single-handedly ensured the beauty and engineering of the iconic machines – and many of the unique characters who rode them – were not forgotten. And he achieved it with modesty, passion and large doses of self-deprecating humour. He’d also make himself available at any hour of the day, without any personal gain: it was all about helping to keep the historic ‘show’ humming along.

In recent years Darren’s circuit racing focus was channelled into the Superbike Masters, which has become a popular support category at selected rounds of the Australian Superbike Championship (ASBK). As the Superbike Masters coordinator, the last round under Darren’s wise counsel was at this year’s Sydney Motorsport Park ASBK Night Race, where he not only managed to assemble another healthy grid but also organised a parade of ex-Aussie circuit racing legends to thrill the crowd.

In memory of Darren’s extraordinary legacy, the ASBK Management Team has made the decision to create the ‘Darren Lark Superbike Masters Cup Perpetual Trophy’…

Coordinating the Superbike Masters riders meant that Darren’s remit was wide-ranging – but he still found time to lend a hand, whether he was assisting seasoned historic competitors or new arrivals to the scene. He treated everyone – racers, officials and volunteers – with utmost respect, and would even offer his own classic bike(s) for people to race if their machines cried foul.

And, motivation pending, he’d still occasionally hit the racetrack himself – and was super easy to spot with his signature #816 machines. He also threw a leg over a plethora of classic bikes over the years thanks to generous owners, and his own motorcycle collection was immense, including a beloved Honda SP1 which he purchased from new.

In memory of Darren’s extraordinary legacy, the ASBK Management Team has made the decision to create the ‘Darren Lark Superbike Masters Cup Perpetual Trophy’, which will be awarded to the overall winner of the Superbike Masters Cup starting at this year’s season-ending ASBK presentation at The Bend.

The next round of the Superbike Masters will be held at Phillip Island from September 7-8, where preparations are also being made to honour Darren with a special display of historic racing machines. At Phillip Island, Lark’s best mate, historic racing veteran Scott Webster, will also be officially taking over the reins as Superbike Masters coordinator.

Peter Doyle joined Mladin at Suzuki. — Peter Doyle, the CEO of Motorcycling Australia.

“The passing of Darren was a tremendous shock to the ASBK fraternity, as he was one in a million: a selfless person who made huge impact everywhere he went, whether that was professionally or helping to further the cause of historic motorcycle racing,” said Peter Doyle, the CEO of Motorcycling Australia.

“You couldn’t help but admire his passion and enthusiasm, and he certainly leaves a massive void in the motorcycle racing landscape. The ASBK Management Team had no hesitation in creating the Superbike Masters Perpetual Trophy after him, and he will always be remembered as someone who put his heart and soul into everything he did”.

MotoGP Round Six Report | Bagnaia banishes Barcelona demons In Dominant Comeback!

By

-

May 30, 2024