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Racer Test: Ex-Eugene Laverty Aprilia RSW250

By
PB
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The chance to ride a real deal 250 Grand Prix World Championship bike is the stuff dreams are made of. I grew up obsessed by 250GP racing. In my teens in the 1990s I knew every rider, every race number, had the posters on my bedroom wall and all of the races taped on videotape!

As soon as I got my Learners, I was on the road on an old RZ250FN, followed by a few TZR250s before I started road racing on RGV250s in 1995. Even my RGV racebike was painted the same colors as the Ralf Waldman HB 250. Riding the RGV proddie, I dreamed of one day being a 250 GP rider…

Check out all of our racer tests here…

Fast forward 22 years and I find myself about to ride a RSW250 Aprilia thanks to the owner, Harry, who kindly offered us a spin. Things have changed with my 250 GP aspirations, though, not only am I over 40, I also weigh more than the bike! Now that is funny! No lap records, then. At least that is my excuse…

This Aprilia RSW250 is an ex-Eugene Laverty GP machine raced in 2008, simply a stunning bike!

About the bike. It is trick. It is expensive. It is rare and absolutely stunning. The peak of two-stroke development is right here under the fairings… This is the Aprilia Racing RSW250 ridden by Eugene Laverty in the 2008 250 Grand Prix World Championship. It is the real deal and very, very rare, not to mention priceless. The swingarm alone is worth are fifty grand!

The RSW250 was made by Aprilia from 1991 to 2007. It has been ridden to world titles by the likes of Max Biaggi, Valentino Rossi, Marco Melandri, and Jorge Lorenzo and has won countless memorable races. With just over 100-horsepower at the wheel and weighing in at less than 200-pounds the power-to-weight is over one to one.

The factory carbon-fibre swingarm is worth an easy $20,000! Imagine one of these on a street bike.

The frame is hand made aluminum, as is the fuel tank. The seat unit and rear hump is a complete A kit part only for factory teams, all carbon-fibre monocoque, and the wheels and swingarm are carbon-fibre also. The engine is cast magnesium and every single nut, bolt, axle and washer is titanium. The massive ram air system and airbox is also carbon-fiber, as is all of the bodywork. It truly is a work of art and at this level of racing, you can see where a million bucks goes…

The 249cc 90-degree V-twin two-stroke revs to over 12,000rpm and is the absolute trickest little engine I’ve seen. The opportunity to actually get in there and have a good look was heaven, as these bikes were always so guarded when they were competing of course.

In all its glory – The Aprilia RSW250 with 42mm VHSE flat slide magnesium carburettors are rare and expensive.

What is immediately apparent is the size of the engine compared to a production 250 two-stroke. There is nothing there that is not needed and everything has been developed and refined to be absolutely as compact and lightweight as possible.

The clutch is tiny, as is the gearbox and cases. The other side has the small magneto flywheel and ignition pickup. The expansion chambers are gorgeous – titanium with carbon-fiber mufflers, and the airbox and carburetors are so, so mind blowingly trick. Just look at those pictures and drool!

This is actually a tiny programmable quickshifter. Still compact even by todays standards!

The wheels are factory items that simply cannot be bought. Ever. Brakes are factory spec monobloc radial-mount calipers with cast-iron rotors. Carbon-fiber is available for some situations also. Ohlins factory suspension is at both ends. Rumor has it the forks are worth 20 grand each. The triple-clamps are titanium and the handlebars carbon-fiber. Everything is tiny, compact, almost under-engineered.

What may seem like a simple two-stroke is far from it. Aside from the technology in the tuning of the porting, combustion chamber, crankcases and expansion chambers, there is a complex fueling and powervalve system along with full data logging and even traction control. Yes, you read that right.

Factory spec Brembo brakes offer incredible performance, when you consider just how light this machine is.

The datalogger system, which is the factory Aprilia one that came with a staff member for the teams, provides all aspects of data from braking to suspension and ignition and jetting. The software tells the team what jetting to change after each session, based on the live atmospheric conditions and data from the previous run.

The traction control system is an ignition curve based one that uses an algorithm to determine rear wheel slip based on throttle position, wheel speed, gear and so forth, similar to what is now used in modern motocross and enduro two-stroke factory race bikes.

The factory Aprilia dash is actually extremely high tech, with the RSW250 including traction control and full telemetry.

Everything on the RSW is hand-made and a work of art. From any angle, it looks amazing. Actually, I have blown up one of the photos we took and I have it as a poster above my workbench in my garage. This bike makes me feel young I guess… All of those dreams I had as a teenager about racing in 250…

THE RIDE
Nerves. Adrenaline. Excitement. Those three things that make you feel just a little bit sick in the stomach, well, they are all off the chart as Harry warms the bike up (see the video, it sounds so awesome).

I close my visor as he rolls the bike out into pit lane. If I’m riding a 250 GP bike, I’m walking out to it like a boss, visor down and cameraman snapping away! Ha!

A nerve racking moment as Jeff jumped onto the RSW250 for the first time around SMSP.

I hop on the bike and immediately think, ‘How the hell and I going to fit in this’… I think back to when I was 19 and skinny and I just squash myself into Laverty’s ergonomics. The nerves settle a little as I blip the throttle and get the engine up to temperature. My old two-stroke days are flooding back to me and there is a crowd gathering around the bike. It is loud. Very loud…

A huge amount of revs and clutch slipping, along with a lot of leg paddling and I’m off up pit lane. I just ride straight past the person checking wristbands, I’m not stopping again! I short-shift in the lower top-end via the ultra-slick factory quickshifter and do my usual checks into turn two, like feeling the front and rear brakes and generally getting into a relaxed riding position.

From every angle, the RSW250 is just a crazy looking bike. Huge amounts of development went into making this bike as competitive as it was.

The bike was straight off the warmers and what blows me away is I’m scraping my whole leg in the second corner from pit lane and carrying more corner speed than I have on any bike for years, and it is my out lap! When you ride road production bikes for so long, it is easy to forget how a proper handling thoroughbred feels and there is no comparison to any street going bike at all, not even close. The RSW is beyond telepathic. It’s an extension of my body – more than a bike; well that is how it is making me feel.

Watching GP rider’s highside for a few decades is in the back of my mind exiting the turns on my out lap but I’m soon surprised at the amazing tractability and drive of the RSW. It is jetted a little on the conservative side, so hasn’t got that razor’s-edge sharpness to the throttle, but still it is on song and almost four-stroke like in some aspects. It pulls third where I would have expected second, or where a TZ250 or RS250 Honda would need a lower gear and or more RPM. Amazing stuff by Aprilia.

Steering is responsive and fast, making street-going 1000cc offerings feel slow and heavy!

The gearbox is ultra-close-ration and the quickshifter super sensitive. The engine starts making power from as low as 8000rpm but really comes alive up top, where is pulls harder than most 1000cc bikes around while feeling like it is the weight of a bicycle. Steering is insane. At first I am oversteering and hitting inside ripple strips as I’m just too used to conservative geometry and weight.

But once my brain slows things down a bit I steer with a bit more finesse and find some rhythm there. The same goes for the brakes, one finger and even then I almost go over on the first lap. They are as strong as the best street sport bike, say an S 1000 RR or Panigale, but then double the power and sensitivity and imagine the bike also weighed a third as much, that will give you an idea. Comparing the RSW brakes to an RSV4, say, is like comparing RSV4 brakes to a 1972 RD250…

“Believe it or not the RSW250 actually featured a traction control system, similar to that found on some competition two-stroke enduro machines.”

I settle down and start my session proper. Tucking in on the front chute I’m chasing gears as the engine revs so quickly it is incredible. The straight disappears faster than usual and suddenly I’m into the ultra fast turn one. I touch the brakes gently with one finger and pop it down to fourth gear. Getting back on the gas, I cannot believe how rapidly the 250 accelerate towards turn two.

In fact I have to grab fifth gear. I’m in shock and arrive at my usual braking point for T2 faster than I would on any superbike. I ride straight past my braking point, in fact still on the gas, and don’t start braking until I’m turning in. It is no problem; the RSW just goes deep, stays tight and hold a perfect line through the double-apex corner. I feel like I can put the bike anywhere, anytime.

With 100hp and weighing 90kg the RSW250 revs to 13,000rpm but offers a fairly broad powerband for a two-stroke!

Getting the rpm right is not as crucial as it is on a TZ or RS, so although high corner speed and high rpm are still definitely required, there is some forgiveness there for a lard-ass like me who doesn’t get it inch perfect every lap. The bike hauls out of turn two, over three and is on the back wheel cresting the hump into turn four.

Having watched Biaggi and Co on video replay thousands of times here from the 1994 and 1995 races, I actually have one of those dream moments where I feel like they must have felt. It is surreal. I guess it is like a person with a passion for music suddenly finding themselves playing a stadium!

Getting the chance to ride a bike like this doesn’t come often, so Jeff made sure to put the hammer down!

Up the hill out of five, with the engine in the sweet spot, the bike pulls with amazing urgency up this steep hill and again does the same to Corporate Hill, another bumpy long left-hand crest. Braking into the turn nine hairpin, I feel like my hands are holding the front axle! I’m waiting for Biaggi, Waldman, Capirossi or Harada to dive up the inside!

My lap ends and I’m in. Rolling into pit lane, after watching so many legend 250 riders at Aussie GP’s ride down this entrance, I feel like the luckiest man alive. That’s one dream ticked off the bucket list…

PRO RIDE ­­– PETER GALVIN RIDES THE RSW250
Seven-times Australian 125 GP Champion and ex World 125 GP rider

At first I thought Jeff’s message was just a joke. We had a factory 250 Aprilia from former GP rider Eugene Laverty to test at Eastern Creek. Let me think about that for a micro-second. I’m there! Thanks to the generosity of the owner we had a few sessions at Sydney Motorsports Park. To say I was excited was an understatement. One look at it and I couldn’t wait to get on it.

Jeff to the chance to ring up an old friend for him to take the RSW125 for a spin around SMSP.

As soon as you hop aboard you know Aprilia has done their homework. The attention to detail and craftsmanship is, as you would expect, world class. Ergonomics were like a hand in a good fitting glove. No adjustments required. We fired up the 250 and warmed it up to operating temperature on the stand. The engine felt smooth and responsive if not a bit rich, which was OK for the day.

The first lap out, the most notable thing was the chassis feel. All my preconceptions had to go out the window as I was expecting a very stiff chassis like the 125. However, I am greeted with a firm but still flexible chassis with excellent feel just like the Honda 250 GP bike. This was a bit of a surprise in a good way. Having ridden Honda most of my career it made me feel right at home and immediately comfortable.

The chassis was only the start of the good times. The V-twin engine was just special. With strong torque off the slow and mid speed corners it was surprising how early you could get on the gas off the turns even with lower than optimum rpm.

It was far more forgiving than the 125, that’s for sure, even if I failed to keep the engine operating at the top end of the rev range. And, I have no doubt we could have improved this even further if we have had more time to finely tune the carburetion settings.

Peter Galvin heading out on track at SMSP on the RSW250. Stirring memories of his time spent racing GP bikes.

The Aprilia’s ability to pull strongly up hills between Turns 5 and 6 and 6 and 7 was another one of its strong points. Coming off Turn 5 was important for a good run up the hill and together with the resurface, great suspension and a bit of confidence it would pull like a train and was quite exhilarating when you got it right.

With the modification of Turn 6 after the track was extended the entry speed into Turn 6 has increased allowing a higher gear to be maintained making a nice connection through to the high speed Turn 7 left hander around Corporate Hill. As usual a bit bumpy there on the inside of the turn but soaked up nicely by the factory suspension, which leads to the next point.

The frame is specifically built around the rear carburetor, showing the level of detail that goes into this level of GP. machinery.

Fitted with factory Ohlins suspension front and rear and with little set-up it also was a good compliment to a strong all round package. If anything the rear suspension felt a bit firm for my weight particularly in the high speed corners, which in turn led to a slight lack of confidence to keep the throttle wide open when required. Again it was only a set-up issue and more time on the motorcycle would sort those minor issues out.

On slow and mid speed turns the suspension was so good I had trouble finding the limit initially and still had problems at the end of the sessions. Pushing it further each lap it was very surprising just how hard you could go. The fresh tyres certainly didn’t hurt either.

It wasn’t long until Peter was putting the hammer down to get the most out of the RSW250.

The other major strong point was the brakes. As expected we were blessed with the almost ubiquitous Brembo mono-block callipers as fitted to a large proportion of racing motorcycles worldwide. This was another area where you had to redefine your limits.

With such a lightweight motorcycle and such powerful brakes you had to rethink your braking markers each lap. I used the entry to Turn 2 to keep pushing the boundaries. Each lap I found myself braking deeper and deeper with almost no rear brake at all and the motorcycle remained stable and predictable at all times.

While all these components were first class it’s the blending of the parts to produce a sound workable motorcycle that really makes the Aprilia RSW250 stand out. Bringing all this together has built a fast yet highly agile motorcycle that is fun and very exciting to ride.

Yes, you have to concentrate and keep the engine working within a relatively narrow rev range to obtain maximum performance but I think that is a large part of the challenge and satisfaction from getting it right.

With the fairings stripped off you can see just how compact and light the RSW250 engine actually is.

With high hopes prior to riding this motorcycle, my expectations were exceeded. One of the greatest benefits of this Aprilia RSW250 is its high power to weight ratio and relatively simple engine configuration. In its finest form it illustrates perfectly what a basic two-stroke engine can achieve.

There is no doubt this is one of the best motorcycles I have had the opportunity to ride. I would love the chance to set up the suspension and carburetion to better understand its full potential. As a fan of two-strokes, it was a sad day when they were no longer eligible for Grand Prix racing as I believe they produced some of the best racing to be seen during the 1980s and 1990s plus early 2000s.

2007 APRILIA RSW250 SPECIFICATIONS 

Price: Around five new RSV4s
Power: 110hp – 110hp@13,000rpm
Wet weight: 200lbs

Engine: 249cc 90-degree V-twin two-stroke, full data logging, digital ignition, traction control
Bore & stroke: 54 x 54.5mm
Displacement: 249cc
Compression: 12.0:1
Fuel delivery: 42mm flat slide VHSE magnesium carburetors
Exhaust: DLR carbon-fibre mufflers and Aprilia Racing titanium expansion chambers
Gearbox: Cassette-style adjustable ratios
Clutch: Dry
Final drive: Chain

Chassis: Aluminium, hand made
Wheelbase: Variable
Rake & trail: Variable
Suspension: Front: Factory Ohlins; Rear: Factory Ohlins
Brakes: Front: Brembo
Wheels: Carbon-fibre
Tyres: Racing slicks

2007 Aprilia RSW250 Gallery 

Rider Training: California Superbike School Level 1

By
PB
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Recently I had the opportunity to spend a day with the largest non-competitive motorcycle events group in the southern hemisphere – California Superbike School (CSS). The school’s motto is ‘discover the art’, which roughly translates to ‘learn how to corner safer… and faster’. 

Andrea headed out to try out level 1 of the CSS to see how it would improve her riding!

There are four levels of advanced rider training offered at CSS all designed to teach you step by step how to improve the stability of your bike around a corner by refining riding technique. I enrolled for Level 1, which teaches the fundamentals, gets you comfortable with the track and corrects bad habits.

Check out all of our rider training articles here…

My riding experience surmounts to a little over a year of inner-city Sydney commuting. So although I am quite proficient at dodging apparently blinker-less cars at speeds less than 80km/h, I had never graced the track. As the date for the event drew closer and closer, my trepidation grew and grew. 

Most of Andrea’s riding experience stems from city commuting on her CBR250R so the CSS was a complete new experience.

My pride and joy is a 2013 Honda CBR250R Moriwaki Edition, a bike that until the morning of the CSS day, I felt had more than enough power. Arriving at Eastern Creek Raceway at 7am sharp, my nervousness was compounded as my little bike seemed to shrink in the company of the other motorcycles lining up to be inspected by the CSS staff. 

As I fretted about potentially being the only person to never have ridden on a track before, I struck up a conversation with some gentlemen waiting in line next to me. Both had been riding for over a decade, but had never set tyre to track either. Throughout the day I met a huge variety of people, mainly participating in Levels 1 and 2, and it became clear to me that CSS caters for every rider.

The CSS has something for just about everyone, with it being the first step for most riders looking into track days.

After my bike was inspected and deemed ‘track-worthy’, the charismatic Steve Brouggy, the co-founder and managing director of CSS, gave us an introductory safety briefing. Steve was quick to establish a sense of ease and excitement among the students, peppering his talk with jokes that bordered on inappropriate, but were nonetheless hilarious. After this initial talk, we were split into our respective classes and assigned coaches with no more than three students allocated to each coach. 

Our group was the first on the track – a daunting prospect for any first-timer. The first session was an orientation lap, where we could only use fourth gear and absolutely no brakes. I was mildly terrified at this announcement, thinking it would be a virtually impossible task based on my winding, convoluted map of the track. These first laps were also designed to get us comfortable with the entry speeds of each corner of the track.

The day would consist of five drills, which included theory lessons preceding approximately 20 minutes on the track, followed by a debrief with the coaches.

Shaking with adrenalin after the initial slow but nerve-wracking session on the track, we were marched directly upstairs for our first lesson with Steve – throttle control, arguably the most important control for cornering. On the track, the coaches would locate each of us in turn and ride ahead, signalling with a specific hand movement when and how much to throttle-on in the corner. Out of all the drills, this was probably the one I had least trouble with. I found my normal pattern of acceleration was similar to what my coach was instructing, if a little early in the corner. The second drill however, had a profound effect on my mindset and consequently on my riding. 

In this drill we studied turn points, or simply the spot you aim for in a curve that will give you the straightest line through the corner and the most predictable exit line. The turn points for each corner were marked with a white cross and on the first lap, all of the turn points felt very late in the corner and about a quarter of them felt nearly impossible to hit. It was then I learned that I had been inadvertently increasing the curve of my line around a corner by turning too early. 

“In between the provided lunch and the next track session, I was taken to a small bit of track in the middle of the complex to complete training for the third drill – the quick steer.”

By the end of the 20-minute track session, I was getting accustomed to the new turn points with the most significant improvement being a tight finishing line, rather than the usual line, consistently wide and less-predictable. 

Up until that point, I am ashamed to admit that I had never been aware of counter-steering. This drill was a revelation, and from talking to the other participates, I believe it was enlightening for everyone. The drill involved weaving at a constant speed down a straight line by consciously counter-steering. Two coaches watched from the start line and corrected positioning and technique. We all had to repeat the laps of the straight at least five times before the coaches were satisfied. Although the drill was tricky to get the hang of, once I had the hang of it, achieving the turn points on the track became easy as I learnt to quick steer later in the turn to avoid correcting in the middle of the corner.

“This drill was a revelation, and from talking to the other participates, I believe it was enlightening for everyone.”

The next drill also had a profound effect on all the riders present. The drill was called ‘rider input’ and focused on allowing the motorcycle to have its head in a corner, not trying to fight against bike. All of us found that since we were concentrating hard to put all our learning into practice, as well as the fact that we were repeatedly putting our bodies into a stressful, adrenalin-ridden state, we tended to grip the handlebars for dear life, tensing our upper bodies. 

As we discovered, this makes the vehicle unstable in a corner. A bike oscillates within a natural degree of lateral movement, particularly when headed around a corner. By allowing the motorcycle to move within its own framework by relaxing the grip on the bars and dropping the elbows into a relaxed state, the motorbike becomes perceivably more stable. Coming out of the infamous turn two hairpin, I audibly gasped in amazement at the difference in stability exiting the curve compared to the previous session. However old habits die hard and I still had to fight my body at each corner as it attempted to tense up at the prospect of leaning closer to the asphalt.

Early in the day I had felt the unexpected thrill of terror and then triumph as my boot scraped the ground around my favourite hairpin on the track (turn 9). The concentration I held on the track gave me a symbiosis with the bike and I didn’t even realise how far I was leaning until this sudden jolt. 

Naturally, I freaked out and immediately backed off the throttle, ending up with a wide exit line. After this and as the day wore on, I felt as if I was actually decreasing my speed into the corners and each one began to feel laboured. I thought this may be a result of muscle fatigue after four separate adrenalin shots around the track. On the fifth and final drill, the reason for my discomfort became apparent. Since the second drill teaching us about turn points, I had had my attention focused too much on meeting the white crosses on the track. This meant as I approached the cross, I reduced entry speed too much and was tense moving into the corner. Drill five was called ‘two-step turning’ and focussed on teaching us to locate the turn point on the road, then once it is clear that you will hit that mark, change your eye line to focus on the apex of your corner.

“Once I understood this, all the other drills and skills I learnt throughout the day fell together, the corners felt much more natural and it became an immensely thrilling last hurrah around the track. I was cornering faster and with much more stability and I now had the confidence I was lacking previously.”

The first few laps on the track are frightening because the experience was completely foreign to me. I had never had somebody tape up my rear vision mirrors and speedometer and tell me ride – presumably at high speed – with no cars and your control of the motorcycle being the only potential hazard. Besides forcing myself to stop trying to check my mirrors, as the day wore on and with the help of Steve and the coaches I became immensely comfortable in this environment. There is something entirely euphoric about the experience. You become removed from your body as you execute a series of actions to bring you successfully around a corner at ludicrous speeds. 

In your mind you know you are putting yourself in danger, but the risk is confined entirely to the accuracy of your actions. As a result, leaving at the end of the day to putt once more through Sydney traffic felt as foreign and dangerous to me as the initial laps around the track did at 8am that morning. As I grew accustomed once again to city riding, I found I had a new confidence in my abilities to handle my motorcycle. 

“I did not want to come off the track, but pulling into the pit after the last round, my coach beamed at me and I beamed back as he told me I was like a whole new rider after that session.”

I found myself consciously applying each drill we learnt into my riding and felt my old habits – the ones I hadn’t realised were there – gradually dissipate. The school exceeded my expectations 10-fold and I was utterly spent after the long day – both mentally and physically – having crammed so much information into a single day. The skills learned are so important to any rider, I fervently believe everyone with a newly acquired full riders licence should participate in a day at California Superbike School and set their standard of riding early for an inherently safer and undoubtedly more enjoyable ride.

 

Gallery: Best Australian Track Moments Of 2013

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PB
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While we all eagerly wait for international racing to come back to Australia, why not take a look at some great moments from 2013. Plenty of excitement at the top level of racing, local club events and Australian racing series’!

During the 2013 TISSOT Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix at Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit on October 20, 2013. three Australian Grand Prix Champions paraded around the track together!

Check out all of our racing galleries here…

All the action wasn’t hogged by international series’. With club events seeing plenty of thrills and spills.
Eastern Creek claimed plenty of bikes over its time. With low side crashes being a common occurrence.

 

Gallery: Best On Track Moments Of 2013

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PB
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2013 feels like it was worlds ago with the current COVID-19 pandemic. It was a great year for racing, so we have put together an album to throw back to all those memorable moments in Australian and international motorcycle racing!

2013 was the year Marc Marquez entered MotoGP and won the championship in his first season.

Check out all of our racing galleries here…

Tom Skyes took his first and only WorldSBK championship so far in 2013!

 

Feature: Nick Ware On Moving From Dirt To Tar

By
PB
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Taking the plunge from dirt to tar can often be a confusing experience. At first, bikes seem to handle like rubbish on the road. Steering is all out of whack, you run wide, all sorts of things. I’ll never forget the first time I rode a road bike.

Nick started his riding career on the dirt before deciding it was time to hit the tar.

It was an RZ250 and I went down the street and as soon as I got to the first corner I couldn’t make the bike turn! I ended up on the wrong side of the road and could not work out why. For this reason, it’s important to get some basic skills on tar and some coaching before making the transition to riding on the street or on a crowded track. 

NICK’S EXPERIENCE
Nick Ware has been riding for four years, starting out on a minibike when he was 12, followed by a YZ85 big wheel and then his current bike, an RMZ250 motocross bike. Nick’s always been interested in tarmac but also enjoys trail riding and dirt track just for fun.

Nick started getting up to speed on flat dirt tracks before hitting the tarmac on his converted RMZ.

I’ve wanted to brush up on my dirt skills over the past year so we’ve been hitting the local track together on weekends and sharing the RMZ with the plan that once Nick is up to speed on the bike we can convert it to a motard and have a crack on the tarmac using the RMZ, starting off with a few track days before doing club racing in the 250cc single-cylinder class once he turned 16 and got his senior MA licence.

Check out all of our features here…

After plenty of weekends on the dirt we were both doing the same almost identical lap times of the dirt track we were using. I knew then it was time for Nick to try tarmac so we gathered up the parts required and converted his RMZ250 to a motard overnights. We used Motosprint 17in wheels, a Motosprint sprocket and NG Racing oversize front rotor with caliper extender.

Converting the RMZ to a motard was the best option for Nick as he was already used to the bike on the dirt.

We also fitted Bendix carbon-matrix brake pads and Venhill brake lines. A set of Bridgestone slicks went on and we firmed up the suspension ourselves. The next issue was gearing but we eventually found that Link Int did a 16T front and 39T rear for the bike, easily giving us what was required for The Farm and Eastern Creek. 

With an old set of my leathers plus my spare helmet, gloves and boots in his gear bag, Nick headed to The Farm to tag along with one of our tests. It was his first experience on tarmac and with only the three of us riding the pressure was off and he could relax and ease into it without fear of being run down by a 1000cc superbike at full tilt! 

After the bike was converted, it was time for Nick to hit the track for the first time. Luck for him, it was a private test day at the Farm so he didn’t have to worry about being in the way.

“The first thing I did was run wide everywhere,” says Nick, “As there is so much grip the bike does not slide around. When you open the throttle the bike wants to go wider than it does off road when the wheel spins.”

“Once I got used to the grip I started to push more but felt uncomfortable as I was sitting on the bike like I was still on the dirt. I felt uncomfortable and awkward hanging off and I was holding on too tight. Later in the day when I was going much faster, the hanging off came naturally and the g-forces from cornering supported my body and I could hang off and relax my arms. As soon as my knee touched down for the first time it all clicked and I was able to understand the way the bike was behaving more.”

“By the afternoon Nick was right on my tail. I was riding an RGV250 and could not shake him. I knew he must have been pushing and I knew what was next!”

“In the arvo I peeled into the first of the Esses and suddenly I was on my arse sliding down the road! The front just folded so quickly compared to on the dirt. I didn’t get hurt but got a shock. I hopped back on straight away and was back into it but could not bring myself to push in that corner or get my knee down for the rest of the day. It was the first time my confidence was rattled but Jeff talked me through my mistakes and I understand why I crashed now”…

The following week we headed to The Farm again for another afternoon where Nick just did lap after lap after lap, getting used to tarmac and limits. We also got a few hours there in the rain one day, which was fantastic as he really clicked in the wet and got plenty of laps in too. 

By his second track day, Nick was already getting to grips with riding in the rain and the limits of a wet track.

Having turned 16 Nick was able to join St George MCC and get his Senior MA Road Racing Licence. The next step was to head to Sydney Motorsport Park for an Eastern Creek Ride Day. We both booked into White Group so Nick could follow me on our CBR250R Moriwaki on his RMZ250. We arrived early and set up the pits in time to make sure Nick did not miss the all-important rider’s briefing and special briefing for first timers. Once that was over and the bikes were scrutineered it was time to head out and Nick did the sighting laps with the other first timers behind an Eastern Creek Ride Day official. I then headed out and caught him and we rode together. 

“I was so nervous before that first session it wasn’t funny,” admits Nick, “I’d never ridden with other riders so was really concerned as my bike only has a top speed of around 170km/h so I thought I was going to get run down! There also seems to be more pressure to know all of the rules and flags and there is a lot to take in. But once that first session was out of the way I was ready to go and had fun. Until I crashed and chopped my finger”

Yep. Unfortunately just when Nick was getting confident he lost the front end in the old T9 and his right hand pinkie got caught between the ‘bars and the tarmac. Ouch. Microsurgery and lots of skin grafts and recovery followed this, but as soon as he got the all clear he was back out there. This time learning to ride a road bike, the next step in our plan…

With a totally different riding position to the RMZ, our CBR250R Moriwaki gave Nick the experience required to get comfy in the road race body position and he immediately gelled more with the road bike than his RMZ. 

It didn’t take Nick long to get his groove back though, after a few surgeries he was back faster than ever!

“The first time I rode the Moriwaki was at SMSP and I was nervous about hurting myself again so took it very easy, just getting used to the seating position. I preferred it and liked tucking in down the straight as well as finding it easier to scrape my knee and use my knee as a third wheel. The next time I rode it was in the rain at The Farm and I did laps for three hours without crashing! I really got my confidence back that day and enjoy the wet”.

 

Rider Training: Getting Started With Ride Days

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PB
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Enter yourself in the right group for your skill level! No one cares what colour your wristband is.
Enter yourself in the right group for your skill level! No one cares what colour your wristband is.

Road riding is a great social outlet and the best way to get around day to day. It also throws up exciting challenges on a sportsbike but, sadly, the cops are getting heavier and heavier and I hate to say it, rightly so…

Ride days are the perfect way to find out the true extent of your bike without breaking any speed limits!

Sportsbikes are fast and there are a lot of riders out there who should be sticking to ride days for a speed fix… Ride days are fantastic – everyone is going in the same direction, there is run-off areas, emergency medical help and no speed limits.

Check out our other rider tips here…

Fines, injuries, jail, loss of licence… all these things happen at 200-plus on the street. Plus of course there is the fun factor. I’ve lost count of the amount of times I’ve met a rider at a track day that is grinning ear-to-ear after his or her very first session lapping a track. The feeling is one that none of us forget and, like that first knee slide moment, it becomes an addiction. Once you go track, you’ll never go back…

Road riding can be unpredictable, especially when riding at speed. Blind corners, unexpected road condition and more are all things that are eliminated on track.

Unfortunately, I also, from time to time, meet riders that really want to experience the racetrack but are either too shy to head out there with experienced riders, are not sure they have the ability or think expenses mean it is out of their reach but it doesn’t have to be that way.

THE DAY HAS COME
Like anything, for sure, the first time can be a little nerve wrecking and a bit of a hurdle but, once that chequered flag signals the end of your very first session, all of those butterflies go away. It’s just the buzz that will stay with you for the whole day. 

Always make sure you listen to the rider brief, even if you’ve heard it plenty of times before.

Getting in to ride days is easy. All you need to do is get your bike checked over by your mechanic, get the appropriate tyres on it, sort your riding gear and book the day. There are multiple ride day companies and all of them are accommodating, experienced and smart operators. You’ll be made to feel at home and you will receive expert advice and be treated with kid gloves on your very first day. Ride day operators have special Novice and First Timer briefings and groups for riding in and some will also ensure you have an instructor shadow you if required to help out with tips. There are strict overtaking rules to avoid you getting blasted off the track and fantastic signalling and flag systems that are universal and easy to understand.

Heading out onto the track for the first time can be nerve racking but as the light goes green, all the nerves will disappear!

When you arrive you generally look for a garage and set up, just ask the others in there if there is room. Once you unload and set-up, you’ll find there will be a quick briefing where all new riders will be pulled aside for a bit of extra help. You’ll then be allocated in to the appropriate riding group for your ability and given a wristband. There will usually be timetables up around the place with your session times. So it is a matter of keeping your bike fuelled up and suiting up with 10 minutes or so to spare. Getting leathers on in a panic at the last minute before you ride is a disaster waiting to happen…

The main thing is to get organised with plenty of time up your sleeve so you arrive on the day feeling relaxed and ready.

Aside from the odd ego tripper (they show up everywhere not just at the track) the pits on ride days are full of like-minded riders sharing a fun day and socially, ride days can be brilliant – lunch time is always a laugh…

At the end of a good ride day, you will feel completely mentally and physically exhausted and at the same time invigorated and on a massive high. And when you get home and crack that first beer – the grin will be immense.

You can show up on almost any bike and have a bucket of fun! But, a sports bike will always be up to the task.

Which Bike?
It really doesn’t matter what you ride really. If it has an engine, brakes, suspension and tyres then it’ll be fun. However, sportsbikes and sports-slanted nakedbikes are more suitable due to ground clearance. Once you get in to ride days more, you can get serious about your bike. But first up, even on a little 250, you will be packing bricks so showing up on a 1000 on slicks is not the go – trust me…

Make sure you have new brake fluid and plenty of meat on your brake pads, no oil leaks, new or very good tyres and excellent condition chain and sprockets and good suspension with no oil seals leaking. There will be scrutineering on the day so to avoid disappointment of a knock back, get your bike in order before you go. 

Always opt for the best safety gear in your price range. It’s important to have a good quality set of leathers, helmet, gloves and boots.

What To Wear
OK, this is important. You need really good leathers, good gloves and boots and a top quality helmet. No point showing up in jeans and a leather jacket, as you won’t be allowed on the track. You will also be knocked back if your helmet shows signs of a previous drop, your gear is torn or in bad condition, and you are not allowed on tracks without a back protector. It is recommended that you wear a chest protector.

 

No Limits Motor Team Take Home Independent Win At Bol d’Or

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PB
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The Bol d’Or celebrates turning 100 later this month with the 85th running of one of the world’s most famous motorbike races.
The Bol d’Or celebrates turning 100 later this month with the 85th running of one of the world’s most famous motorbike races.

No Limits Motor Team claimed their first EWC Dunlop Independent Trophy win. The Italian team – third place in Superstock at the Bol d’Or – pocketed the €7,000 prize awarded for the 24-hour race. OG Motorsport by Sarazin and Maco Racing Team were the other two teams on the EWC Independent Trophy podium.

Team No Limits claimed their first podium and Independant Team Trophy at Bol d’Or over the weekend!

Kevin Calia, Luca Scassa and Alexis Masbou were able to steer clear of the traps in store at the Bol d’Or and the rainy night. They took No Limits Motor Team’s Suzuki to 5th place at the finish and climbed onto the 3rd step of the Superstock podium. If it hadn’t been for a selector issue towards the end they might have claimed the win in the category. This is No Limits Motor Team’s first win in the EWC Dunlop Independent Trophy, with an accompanying €7,000 prize.

OG Motorsport by Sarazin were in 4th place in the Superstock class. A crash on Sunday morning deprived them of the Superstock podium. Their excellent performance at the Bol d’Or won them 2nd place in the EWC Dunlop Independent Trophy. The French team on Yamaha with a cosmopolitan line-up comprising Frenchman Alex Plancassagne, British rider Stefan Hill and Japanese rider Kokoro Atsumi received €6,000 in prize money.

Team No Limits showed excellent bike control and strategy over the weekend as the race plagued others with issues.

Maco Racing Team had a tough race, with a crash and technical issues. The Slovakian team and their trio of riders, the Australian Anthony West, Germany’s Marc Moser and Czech rider Ondřej Ježek, were 10th past the finish line and climbed onto the third step of the EWC Dunlop Independent Trophy podium, receiving a €5,000 purse.

Six other independent teams using Dunlop tyres were awarded prizes at this year’s tough and highly selective Bol d’Or. Only 20 machines managed to make it to the finish. The six teams received amounts ranging from €4,000 down to €1,800 for the team ranked 9th in the EWC Dunlop Independent Trophy.

The Independent section of the championship is heating up as six other independent teams were awarded prizes.

Renewed for the 6th successive season by FIM EWC promoter Eurosport Events, the organizers of each race in the FIM Endurance World Championship and tyre manufacturer Dunlop, the EWC Dunlop Independent Trophy gives backing to privateer teams using Dunlop tyres who do not receive direct support from a constructor. €120,000 will be awarded this season to support teams participating in the EWC Independent Trophy.

Check out the full results from Bol d’Or here…

Honda debut new machinery on Day 1 of MotoGP Testing at Misano

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PB
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After a damp morning at the 2021 Misano Official MotoGP™ Test, conditions improved and a busy and intriguing afternoon of action got underway. San Marino GP winner Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) finished fastest!

At Ducati, both Bagnaia and teammate Jack Miller were testing some new aero on the front of their machinery. ‘Pecco’ suffered a crash at Turn 10 while sporting the new aero, but the Italian was perfectly uninjured and came back out, very much proven by then setting the fastest time of the opening day. Miller was eighth, half a second back.

Stay up to date with MotoGP news here…

Jorge Martin (Pramac Racing) also completed some laps with the new aero package, with Ducati in fact having two new aero designs – the second of which divides one part into two elements. Martin’s Pramac teammate Johann Zarco had a new chassis to test, and then the Frenchman headed home and will be replaced by test rider Michele Pirro on Wednesday, as Zarco undergoes arm pump surgery.

After a crash early at Turn 6 in the afternoon session, San Marino GP podium finisher Enea Bastianini (Avintia Esponsorama) ended his day early having completed just 11 laps. Teammate Luca Marini (Sky VR46 Avintia) managed to set a 1:31.998 to grab P7, and that time is a couple of tenths quicker than the Italian set in Q1 last weekend.

Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) described the Misano Test as “very important” for Honda, and test rider Stefan Bradl headed on track with a new RC213V. Eight-time World Champion Marquez – like a lot of riders – understandably waited until the afternoon to get some laps in, with the number 93 making the most of the better conditions to get some laps on the new bike on the board. The differences that can be seen on the new Honda range from the new aero and new air intake at the front, to the seat, tail unit and exhaust.

Marc Marquez completed 46 laps in the afternoon and finished P15. Pol Espargaro was second, with Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) just behind in fourth. They set their fastest laps of the day on their 63rd and 57th laps, respectively. Alex Marquez (LCR Honda Castrol) got 55 laps in and tried the chassis recently raced by Pol Espargaro.

Over at Team Suzuki Ecstar, both Joan Mir and Alex Rins had the 2022-spec engine to test again – like we saw at the pre-season Qatar Tests. In addition, the Spaniards were testing some set-up and electronic improvements that are meant to go hand in hand with the new engine, with Mir and Rins also doing some work to gear up for the second race at the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli this season.

The big news over in the Aprilia garage was the 2022 aero that test rider Lorenzo Savadori was seen testing. It’s a smaller, thinner package than the one being used this year. Meanwhile, Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) was continuing his adaptation to the RS-GP, but a crash at Turn 15 while on a personal best lap hampered his afternoon running. Aleix Espargaro finished P3 on the opening day after accomplishing 51 laps in the dry afternoon session.

After a bit of early morning operating in the damp conditions to get some weather wet time in, World Championship leader Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) was lapping on a 2022 prototype in the afternoon. A new chassis was visible and the Frenchman also had a new tail unit to try, with teammate Franco Morbidelli mainly focussing on working his way back to full fitness and getting to grips with the 2021 machine as he returns following knee surgery.

Valentino Rossi (Petronas Yamaha SRT) was another rider who was able to go faster than he did in qualifying at the San Marino GP. The Doctor finished 11th with a 1:32.170. New teammate Andrea Dovizioso continued to get to grips with the YZR-M1 after his debut weekend at Misano, the experienced Italian ended the day 19th, 1.1s shy of Bagnaia. An important and – from the outside – successful day for Dovizioso, who needs as much track time as possible to get back up to speed on very different machinery.

Test rider Dani Pedrosa was on track for KTM, with Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team Manager Mike Leitner explaining that the MotoGP™ Legend was testing some future ideas. Brad Binder, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing teammate Miguel Oliveira and Tech3 KTM Factory Racing’s Danilo Petrucci and Iker Lecuona were working on the current bikes.

Tomorrow, meanwhile, is a big day for the Austrian factory and their new 2022 recruits. Moto2™ World Championship leader Remy Gardner and Red Bull KTM Ajo teammate Raul Fernandez will be getting their first taste of a MotoGP™ machine, a “treat” from the factory ahead of their full-time debuts.

 

MotoGP Reports: Pecco takes the pressure to paint Misano red

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PB
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Just over a week ago, Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) was still patiently waiting for that first MotoGP™ win. He was second in the standings and a consistent podium threat, but that box remained unticked. So he had the momentum, but could he do it again on home turf?

After another all-time lap record set on Saturday for pole, the signs looked good and the Italian bolted away immediately to make a solid bit of breathing space at the front on race day. But lap by lap, Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) brought the Jaws music and the Frenchman was glued to his exhaust by the final lap. Pecco remained impervious under pressure however, and the Italian pulled the pin to cross the line for his second win in a week – in some style on home turf.

Quartararo was forced to settle for second but takes a valuable 20 points, with the podium completed by another incredible ride: rookie Enea Bastianini (Avintia Esponsorama) blasted through from P12 on the grid to third, making his first visit to the rostrum in the premier class and at the venue that saw him take his first ever Grand Prix win back in Moto3™.

Stay up to date with all the MotoGP news here…

As the lights went out there was nervy moment as the number 63 Ducati moved right on the limit, but not forward, and Bagnaia kept calm thereafter to take the holeshot from pole. The Italian put the pedal to the metal immediately too as teammate Jack Miller stayed second and the two gained some early breathing space. Quartararo duelled Jorge Martin (Pramac Racing) for third just behind, before the Spaniard then fell early at Turn 14, although he was able to get back in it initially.

Bagnaia, Miller, Quartararo remained in an evenly-spaced top three, with Marc Marquez fighting Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) just behind. But Bastianini had something to say about that, the Italian rookie blasting through to pass first the Aprilia and then home in on the Honda. And he made it stick on first time of asking, taking fourth but as the podium fight pulled away into the distance… for now.

As Bagnaia pushed on at the front, Quartararo was homing in on Miller, aided a little as the Aussie headed slightly wide at Turn 13. By 14 to go the Frenchman was on the scene and sliced past, with the gap to Bagnaia up to 2.7 and Miller remaining on his rear wheel. It didn’t take long for the Yamaha to pull away and Bastianini to close down the number 43 though, the rookie gaining over two and a half seconds to take over in third.

Lap by lap, Quartararo was able to home in on Bagnaia as Bastianini was able to pull away from Miller. Marc Marquez had Aleix Espargaro and Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar) for company in the fight for fifth too, but Miller held firm in fourth for the moment.

As the laps ticked down, the gap between Bagnaia and Quartararo did too and there was a frisson of tension for the race leader on the horizon: by four to go, El Diablo got within eight tenths and then half a second, making it game on.

The Yamaha kept pushing and pushing, gaining here and there and really tagging onto the back of the Ducati as the final few kilometres dawned. It was just over a tenth as the two crossed the line to start the last lap, with Quartararo setting his sights on victory. But he couldn’t make the move early and Pecco was impeccable through Curvone, stretching the gap back out and laying down the gauntlet with one final push. Could Quartararo go for a lunge? Not in the end, Bagnaia once again proving impervious under pressure, painting Misano red and taking his second win in a week.

Behind that duel, it was beauty from the ‘Beast’. Bastianini kept his stunning pace to the end, taking a comfortable third place. Comfortable is an understatement, however, as the rookie put together a truly stunning race on best lap record pace to take his first premier class podium, and on home turf to boot.

The fight for fourth became Miller vs Marquez vs Mir and it was a last gasp thriller. The reigning Champion attacked the number 93 first to move through onto the back of Miller, and the Suzuki then punched his way through on the Ducati at Turn 14. But both went wide and Marquez swept through into fourth. They stayed glued together but out the penultimate corner, Marquez just kept it in but Mir touched the green. So the eight-time World Champion keeps fourth, and Mir crossed the line fifth but is classified as sixth as Miller gains back that P5.

Behind that shuffle, Aleix Espargaro lost some ground and also lost out to brother Pol Espargaro (Repsol Honda Team) after a tougher last few laps for the former, with the 44 in seventh and the 41 in eighth. Ninth was another Sunday charge from Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) as the South African shot through from P17 on the grid, only four tenths off the Aprilia ahead by the flag.

Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) completed the top ten ahead of Michele Pirro wildcarding for Ducati in P11, and he had Johann Zarco (Pramac Racing) close behind after the Frenchman also did a Long Lap for having shortcutted Turns 1 and 2. Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) scored some points in P13 and close behind the number 5, with HRC test rider Stefan Bradl and Alex Marquez (LCR Honda Castrol) completing those points. Martin retired in the end despite rejoining, and Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) crashed out with 10 to go. 

Francesco Bagnaia: “I knew with the soft rear maybe I would struggle a bit but I tried to push like hell in the first two or three laps to open the gap, then on the last laps when I saw Fabio was recovering it was very difficult but I tried to push, in the last part the pace was quite constant. With the medium he was a bit better in the last part but we were incredible today, the team worked so perfectly and two victories in a row is incredible for me. I was struggling to win my first race, missing something, and now already two!”

MotoGP™ podium (Full Results Here)

1 Francesco Bagnaia – Ducati Lenovo Team – Ducati – 41:48.305
2 Fabio Quartararo – Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP – Yamaha – +0.364
3 Enea Bastianini* – Avintia Esponsorama – Ducati – +4.789

Moto2
Raul Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo) put in another stunner at Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli, taking his sixth win of the season and securing Rookie of the Year. But it was a pretty close run affair, with teammate and Championship leader Remy Gardner (Red Bull KTM Ajo) taking second and four tenths off, hindered by a moment on a last lap charge for victory.

Any hopes Raul Fernandez had of an instant breakaway win after taking the holeshot were quickly dashed, going wide at Turn 9 as he tried to fight off a challenge from Sam Lowes (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team), but the Brit nudged ahead and led at the end of the first lap. There were also strong starts from Canet, Xavi Vierge (Petronas Sprinta Racing) and Marco Bezzecchi (Sky Racing Team VR46) as they occupied the top five spots, with Gardner and front row starter Augusto Fernandez (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) dropping a little further down the field.  

After four laps, the race lost Simone Corsi (MV Augusta Forward Racing) after an incident with Jorge Navarro, which earned the +Ego Speed Up rider a Long Lap penalty. But back at the front, Canet got the gloves off as he moved ahead of Raul Fernandez and set a race lap record in the process, while he soon had Lowes’ number to boot. A mistake from the Brit then let the number 44 through for the lead and Lowes dropped to third, with Gardner working his way back into the top four.

As the laps were chalked off, the front four formed a breakaway group and the Red Bull KTM Ajos began to find some pace, with Raul Fernandez eating away at Canet’s advantage until he eventually made what would prove the race winning overtake on Lap 15 at Turn 1. That prompted Championship leader Gardner to take action, the Aussie making his move on the outside of Lowes at the same corner.

Some small specks of rain threatened but it didn’t affect the on-track action, with Raul Fernandez soon responding to pressure from Canet with the first ever 1:36 lap around Misano. Despite his impressive speed, he couldn’t shake off the close attention of the men in P2 and P3 though.

In the closing laps, the number 25 looked like he’d finally pulled the pin and he extended his lead to nearly a second, but Gardner wasn’t done. Disposing of Canet on the penultimate lap, the Australian then began taking huge chunks out of his teammate’s time and we were set for a grandstand finish. The gap was down to less than half a second, and with a track limits warning not helping matters for Raul Fernandez it was game on.

Gardner was pushing to the absolute limit and setting up a move, but the decisive moment came at Turn 11. A wobble – at the scene of a crash last year – forced him from attack to defence, but he clung onto P2 and 20 crucial Championship points. Canet was forced to settle for third but took another podium, with Lowes fading slightly to fourth as Raul Fernandez took his incredible sixth win of the season.

Home hero Bezzecchi, on his fabulous pink-liveried machine, headed what had been a hard-fought group, the Italian holding off front row starter Augusto Fernandez as the number 37 was forced to settle for sixth. Ai Ogura (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) got right in that mix fighting for fifth and ultimately took seventh.

Vierge was a little further back in P8, but had some seriously close company from Fabio Di Giannantonio (Federal Oil Gresini Moto2) as the two crossed the line split by less than a tenth. Celestino Vietti (Sky Racing Team VR46) made some good progress up to tenth on Sunday. Tom Lüthi (Pertamina Mandalika SAG Team), Marcel Schrötter (Liqui Moly Intact GP), Navarro, who served that Long Lap, Marcos Ramirez (American Racing) and Tony Arbolino (Liqui Moly Intact GP) completed the points.

Moto2™ podium (Full Results Here)

1 Raul Fernandez – Red Bull KTM Ajo – Kalex – 40’40.563
2 Remy Gardner – Red Bull KTM Ajo – Kalex – +0.402
3 Aron Canet – Inde Aspar Team – Boscoscuro – +0.569

Moto3
Dennis Foggia (Leopard Racing) remains the man with the momentum in Moto3™ as the Italian took another home win, this time in the Gran Premio Octo di San Marino e della Riviera di Rimini as he made up yet more ground in the Championship fight.

Niccolo Antonelli (Avintia VR46) took another impressive second place, with Andrea Migno (Rivacold Snipers Team) completing an all-Italian podium on the Riviera di Rimini. It was nearly an Italian 1-2-3-4 too as Romano Fenati (Sterilgarda Max Racing Team) had looked on for victory as the Italian disappeared in the lead, but a heartbreaker of a crash ended his chances of a near-certain win.

Fenati took the holeshot from pole, off like a shot with Antonelli in second and Migno duelling Foggia just behind, a reshuffled Italian armada at the front with Jaume Masia (Red Bull KTM Ajo) shadowing early on.

Fenati had the hammer down at the front though, setting a new best race lap with a few ticked off, and Antonelli was the rider on the chase as the two kept some clean air between themselves and the chasing group. But the number 55 was stretching his legs and his lead, with fellow Championship players Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Ajo), Sergio Garcia (Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team) and Foggia all stuck in the second group.

Bit by bit though, Acosta was losing some ground and by 15 to go, the Spaniard was in the fringes of the top ten as Migno, Foggia, Masia, Garcia and Darryn Binder (Petronas Sprinta Racing) bolted on the chase behind Fenati and Antonelli. The latter then headed wide soon after though, slotting back into the group and leaving Fenati with a sizeable – by Moto3™ standards – gap at the front. 

With 10 to go though, heartbreak struck. Fenati suddenly went down out the lead, the Italian sliding off into the gravel and rider ok, but a near-certain win gone from his grasp. That left Foggia at the front of what was now a fight for victory, and the Leopard rider took over in the task of trying to break away.

Six riders were fighting for three places on the podium, and for two it was also chance to gain huge ground on Acosta as the Spaniard fought it out for seventh in the second group. By a handful to go, Foggia had got it done and pulled out a small gap back to Migno, Antonelli, Garcia and Masia, with Binder having dropped off the back into a ride for sixth.

Onto the final lap, Foggia was in free air and just needed to keep it clean to take another victory, and a very different one to Aragon. Antonelli had got past Migno and only had to keep the hammer down and the door closed there too, and that they all did. Foggia crossed the line half a second clear for his fourth win of the season, taking back more ground in the title fight and tasting the top step on home turf once again. The tricolore delight continued as Antonelli held off Migno but both were back on the podium, making it an Italian 1-2-3.

The fight for fourth had some elbows further out, with Garcia and Masia nearly side-by-side over the line to start the final lap and the number 11 heading through. As Masia tried to hang in there there was a touch of contact, leaving him back in fifth and with no time left to get back on terms with Garcia. So the GASGAS rider took P4, Masia completed the top five, and Binder took P6.

Acosta managed to take seventh and limit the damage, with Carlos Tatay (Avintia Esponsorama Moto3), Stefano Nepa (BOE Owlride) and Ayumu Sasaki (Red Bull KTM Tech3) completing the top ten in a big group fight, Riccardo Rossi (BOE Owlride) in touch with them in P11. Just behind, another group of Izan Guevara (Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team), John McPhee (Petronas Sprinta Racing), Kaito Toba (CIP Green Power) and Tatsuki Suzuki (SIC58 Squadra Corse) completed the points.

Moto3™ podium (Full Results Here)

1 Dennis Foggia – Leopard Racing – Honda – 39’17.002
2 Niccolo Antonelli – Avtina VR46 Academy – KTM – +0.565
3 Andrea Migno – Rivacold Snipers Team – Honda – +0.817

 

Jordi Torres Claims 2021 MotoE World Championship at Misano

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Race 1 at Misano was a big one for the 2021 FIM Enel MotoE™ World Cup, with the crown at stake already – and certainly a hotseat in the standings for the final race of the season on Sunday.

As the dust settles, it’s Jordi Torres (HP Pons 40) who emerges as the winner and the new points leader, with the Spaniard playing it to perfection in a wily last corner. Dominique Aegerter (Dynvolt Intact GP) was just pipped to it and was forced to settle for second after seeing off a late lunge from Eric Granado (ONE Energy Racing), with the Brazilian going in too hot and sliding out. Mattia Casadei (Ongetta SIC58 Squadra Corse), meanwhile, rounded out the podium after an impressive return to action.

Stay up to date with all the latest MotoE news here…

There was drama from the off as points leader going in, Alessandro Zaccone (Octo Pramac MotoE), crashed early on Lap 1, out of contention and also taken to the medical centre after the Italian suffered post-crash contact from Hikari Okubo (Avant Ajo MotoE). Zaccone was then transferred to hospital for further checks and was found to have an iliac wing fracture in his pelvis. He’s unfit, so will sit out Race 2, and everyone at the FIM Enel MotoE™ World Cup wishes him a quick recovery.

As Zaccone sadly lost his chance to fight for the crown, that battle raged on at the front and was getting tight. Torres had made a great start, joined in a breakaway group by Casadei, Aegerter and Granado, the latter making up some ground, as the four bolted just over a second free of Matteo Ferrari (Indonesian E-Racing Gresini MotoE). The pace was hot and the elbows out, with some stunning moves and certainly a scare for Torres as the Spaniard just clipped the rear wheel of Aegerter. But no harm done, and he slotted back in.

As the final sector of the final lap dawned, Aegerter was holding on in the lead as he put on another masterclass in door-closing, but Granado was close and Torres too. And Granado went for it right at the final corner, all-in and briefly edging ahead. But then hit the heartbreak as the Brazilian slid out, losing a key chance to gain big in the standings.

The attack left Aegerter slightly on the back foot and Torres capitalised to perfection, sweeping past and just able to beat the Swiss rider to the line. For the reigning Cup winner it’s the first victory of the season and it couldn’t have come at a better time, seeing him head into Sunday eight points clear of Aegerter at the top.

Casadei completed the podium after an impressive return for the final round, with Ferrari then classified fourth as he found his podium record at Misano take a dent. He was followed by rookie Miquel Pons (LCR E-Team). The final positions in the top 10 went to Kevin Zannoni (LCR E-Team); an impressive best yet, Fermín Aldeguer (OpenBank Aspar Team), Lukas Tulovic (Tech3 E-Racing), Yonny Hernández (Octo Pramac MotoE) and Xavi Cardelús (Avintia Esponsorama Racing).

It’s now eight points in it between Torres and Aegerter, with Zaccone a further nine behind the Swiss rider and sidelined too. Granado remains in contention, just, but now 24 off the top. Race 2 will see the grid do battle for the final time in 2021, and that could all shuffle.

MotoE™ Race One Podium (Full Results Here)

1 Jordi Torres – HP Pons 40 – Energica – 12’11.858
2 Dominique Aegerter – Dynavolt Intact GP – Energica – +0.160
3 Mattia Casadei – Ongetta SIC58 Squadra Corse – Energica – +0.405

Race Two
The final race of the 2021 FIM Enel MotoE™ World Cup had everything on the line. On the way in, Jordi Torres (HP Pons 40) had eight points in hand over Dominique Aegerter (Dynavolt Intact GP), and the two at the top in the standings would also prove the key protagonists in the drama.

After an almighty duel between the duo, with the crown on the line, the contest ended in contact as Aegerter dived up the inside. Torres fell, although he remounted, and in parc ferme the verdict from the Stewards was in: Aegerter was given a Ride Through penalty, or the equivalent time, which was 38 seconds. That put him just ahead of Torres after the Spaniard made it to the line.. which wasn’t enough for the Swiss rider. So it’s #TwoTimeTorres at Misano.

That drama also decided the podium, with what had been a fight for third becoming the fight for victory. And it was King of Misano Matteo Ferrari (Indonesian E-Racing Gresini MotoE) who came out on top, winning the last race of the season to get back on the podium for the first time in 2021 – and extending his record at Misano to 5 wins from 7 races. Mattia Casadei (Ongetta SIC58 Squadra Corse) took second after more impressive speed, the only rider on the rostrum in both races at the season finale, with Miquel Pons (LCR E-Team) rounding out the year in third.

It was Casadei who got the holeshot going into the first corner, with Aegerter attacking Eric Granado (ONE Energy Racing) and Ferrari taking the long way around the outside to jump both and slot into third. He duelled Aegerter briefly, with Granado just behind, as Torres took the lead and then took off in the lead too.

On the second lap, the race leader had begun to open up a considerable gap, jolting Aegerter into action and the Swiss rider moving past Ferrari into P2. He then got the hammer down, and was able to close back up on his race-leading rival.

From there, a duel for the ages erupted as Aegerter threw the kitchen sink at trying to take over at the front, and it was spectacular as the two exchanged the lead. Torres wasn’t backing down and Aegerter was putting it all on the line. But with just a handful of corners to go, it hit boiling point. Aegerter lunged for it, the two made contact, and Torres found himself on the floor… leaving Aegerter free in the lead to cross the line first. The Spaniard managed to remount and finish in P13, but it seemed the Cup was decided.

The incident was immediately put under investigation, however. After a tense wait in parc ferme, a penalty was announced and 38 seconds were added to Aegerter’s race time for irresponsible riding. That’s the equivalent of a ride through penalty in MotoE™ as Misano as per the regulations, and it dropped him to 12th – just ahead of Torres. The Spaniard had, therefore, taken the crown after all.

Behind all that drama for the overall Cup, there was a race to be decided too. The trio who’d been locked in their own battle for much of the race; Ferrari, Casadei and Pons, were on the podium. The Gresini rider was back on top, just ahead of Casadei, with Pons a few more tenths back but the rookie fast once again.

Fourth went to the absolute wire, with Kevin Zannoni (LCR E-Team) putting in a stunner but only just, just, holding off the final electric samba of the season from Granado. Hikari Okubo (Avant Ajo MotoE) was next up, with Fermín Aldeguer (Openbank Aspar Team), Xavi Cardelus (Avintia Esponsorama Racing), Andrea Mantovani (Indonesian E-Racing Gresini MotoE) and Corentin Perolari (Tech 3 E-Racing) completing the top ten.

Aegerter was P12 and Torres P13, and with a helping hand from his teammate. Jasper Iwema saw the Spaniard had crashed, waited for him, and followed him home. Every point can count.

In the end, it was a one-point swing as the dust settles, with Torres ending the season seven clear of Aegerter. Ferrari leapfrogged Granado by just two points to take third overall, with Alessandro Zaccone (Octo Pramac MotoE) ending the year in fifth overall after his Race 1 crash and sitting Sunday out. And that’s a wrap on a dramatic, thrilling and truly electric season. We hope you enjoyed it… now recharge for 2022!

MotoE™ Race 2 Podium (Full Results Here)

1 Matteo Ferrari – Indonesian E-Racing Gresini MotoE – Energica – 13’54.140

2 Mattia Casadei – Ongetta SIC58 Squadra Corse – Energica – +0.348

3 Miquel Pons – LCR E-Team – Energica – +1.038

He’s won in Moto2™, he’s won in WorldSBK, and last season he took on a new challenge in the FIM Enel MotoE™ World Cup. And it went pretty well as Jordi Torres took the crown despite being a rookie, putting together a consistent season and a fast one too. The Spaniard returned to the field in 2021, and he’s now become the first rider to win the Cup twice, back-to-back no less.

Torres’ ascent to the Grand Prix paddock was preceded by two titles in the Moto2™ class in the CEV, and he became a popular face in the intermediate class of Grand Prix racing thereafter. He took his maiden Grand Prix win at the Sachsenring in 2013, and that season took two more podiums too.

From Moto2™ he moved to WorldSBK for 2015 and added another feather to his cap with a race win at the end of the season in Qatar, impressing once again. 2018 then saw ‘Spanish Elvis’ make five appearances in MotoGP™ as a replacement rider, and he scored a point in the season finale – no mean feat in one of the closest eras in Grand Prix history.

2020 saw Torres take on MotoE™ for the first time, and the Spaniard got first podium on home turf in the second race of the season at Jerez. He took two more podiums at Misano and then, in France, tasted the top step for the first time in the electric series. He wrapped up the crown the next day.

This year, the rookie had become the reigning Cup winner and Torres had a target on his back. But he kept it calm – and fast – and started the season with a podium in Jerez. Another came at Catalunya, and Assen, and the Spaniard arrived at the double-header finale with a very real shot at the crown. In Race 1 the gloves came off and he battled for the win, able to sneak through at the final corner amid some drama, and that saw him heading into the last showdown of the season ahead.

After an incredible duel against closest rival Dominique Aegerter, Torres had contact from the Dynavolt Intact GP rider and slid out – remounting for P13. And in the end that was just enough for the crown, with the Swiss rider receiving the equivalent of a ride-through penalty to drop him to P12.

Jordi Torres: “When I saw the result and the flag I started to cry, I felt down, I felt like I was a loser and lost the title. I tried to squeeze the maximum in this race and focus 100% to do my pace, and when Domi tried to overtake me I tried to be calm to not make a mistake and manage well the situation. But all this work I did, and the work my team did all this year to arrive here, it’s like well.. all this in the rubbish and start again! I cried and arrived to my people, when I entered the pits they all said ‘ok take a break, don’t worry, we’ll see what happens’. I was still crying, and then when I saw the result from Race Direction it became happy tears, a rollercoaster of emotion, and I’m tired now after that!”

 

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