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Getting Started With Racing: Everything You Need To Know!

By
PB
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The decision to take up road racing is as old as the sport of motorcycle racing. Chances are that you already own a bike that can be raced. These days there are classes for just about anything with two wheels!

Theres a category for just about every kind of bike now! So it’s easy to find a cheap way to get into racing.

The next thing to do is to join a club that includes people with a common interest or are located locally. Log on to Motorcycling Australia’s website  (www.ma.org.au). MA are the sanctioning body for all motorcycle racing (other than drag racing) in Australia. On their website you’ll find a full list of clubs in your state or territory. While you’re on the site, download their ‘Getting started in Motorcycle Sport’.

Check out our rider training articles here…

Don’t be scared about checking out a few clubs before joining one. They’re all unique and finding the right one for you will make the transition to road racer much easier.

Getting this piece of plastic is one of the most important steps to starting your racing career!

Getting Licensed
Every club has a secretary who looks after licencing and they will be more than happy to guide you through the process that includes an open book theory test. If you have a civil rider’s licence or have attended a suitably accredited riding school, that should be enough to satisfy the MA State Controlling Body otherwise you may have to undergo a practical riding test to make sure you know the clutch lever from the front brake lever. 

Protection
While we don’t like talking about it, people do fall off motorbikes on racetracks. MA requires all licence holders to have their own personal Ambulance subscription. We’d recommend that you have your own income protection and that it includes coverage for motorcycle racing. No one wants to use up all of their sickies and holidays recovering from an accident.

Riding gear is one piece of equipment you need to spend some time deciding on! A good quality set of leathers and a full face helmet with AS1698 approval are a must!

Protection also includes your own riding gear. Starting from the top, you require a full-face helmet that is approved to AS1698, which is the Australian Standard for helmets for street use anyway. A set of one-piece leathers that fit is the preferred way to cover the larger parts of your anatomy. Make sure they’re roomy enough for you to wear the mandatory back protector underneath, and a chest protector is recommended too.

The best leather gloves you can afford will keep your digits intact if you’re sliding down the track and using your hands as brakes. There’s a huge variety of suitable boots on display at any decent-sized motorcycle shop. Take the time to find a pair that fit properly without being too tight. Tight boots will ruin your day very quickly.

You will need to make some changes to your standard road bike before you can race. Rest assured they’re all very straight forward.

Getting Your Bike Ready
If you’re not overly mechanically minded, don’t worry, your local bike shop should be able to check your bike over before you venture on track for the first time. A full service and tune-up now could save you from a big bill later. All racing classes have common rules to ensure bikes don’t fall apart or leak fluid on the track. Before you’re allowed on track at any race meeting, your bike will be inspected by a scrutineer.

Don’t give them a hard time if they pull you up and point out something you’ve forgotten. The majority of them have been doing this for a long time and don’t want to see anybody get hurt due to an oversight. Full rules for your class are in the Manual of Motorcycle Sport you receive from MA once licenced. But keep in mind that bike preparation is very important and quite in-depth for racing. Like you, your bike needs controlled fluid retention.

Tips For Keeping Comfortable
Assuming you’re like the rest of us, you’ll be carting yourself and your bike to the track in a trailer, ute or van. There are a few things we’d advise you chuck in. These may sound obvious but people still forget. Grab an esky and fill it with ice bricks and bottles of cold water. You’ll be amazed at just how easy it is to dehydrate while racing on a hot day.

Even though racetrack food has improved from the days of dodgy hamburgers and warm soft drinks, chuck snack-type things in the esky along with sandwiches. You’ll burn off a lot of calories in a day and replacing them with racetrack food could send you broke.

Keep everything organised so you’re not running around on raceday looking for a missing logbook or licence!

Not all racetracks offer covered pit areas so some sort of shade device will make your day much more enjoyable. Don’t forget the sunscreen either. The most important thing to take with you is a sense of humour. On its own this could be the difference between a day best forgotten and one of the best experiences of your life.

If you think you can’t afford to race think again. It costs the same to race as it does to maintain a road bike or a track day bike, and entry fees for club racing are around that of a ride day – but you get a lot more laps at many race meetings…

“All fluid retaining fasteners need to be lockwired, fairings need catch areas in the bellypan, you need a tether kill switch, brake callipers bolts need to be lockwired.”

The Bike
You’ll need to spend a bit of time here – all fluid retaining fasteners need to be lockwired, fairings need catch areas in the bellypan, you need a tether kill switch, brake callipers bolts need to be lockwired and you need good suspension, brakes and bodywork. You also need a bullet-proof engine because you are going to thrash it beyond any ride day or road level of thrash! No need to spend big. Start racing on an old bike that you can crash. A lot. Because you will… 

Get Your Gear On
You need the best you can afford and then some more. Spend more on your gear than your bike if you have to but, like is the case with your bike, having shiny new parts is a waste if you are learning. You will inevitably test your riding gear. A lot. So go for an affordable compromise. Don’t buy the most expensive graphics on your lid if a plain white one is going to be cheaper, for example. But don’t skimp on quality…

 

Track Days: William’s First Time On Track

By
PB
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0

Having never been to the track before, I was so excited when my Father asked if I wanted to go for a day with him and his friends. I couldn’t stop smiling just thinking about it. I had accepted but I had no idea what I needed to prepare for the day.

William headed out to SMSP to spend a day pushing his bike to the limit for the first time!

I had no gear and at the time I had very little money to sort out what I needed for the day. My Father managed to organise a one-piece race suit that I could use for the day. I called a good friend of mine to see if I could borrow his race boots. Luckily they were a perfect fit.  I managed to pick up a pair of AXO motorcycle gloves for $80 the week before the day as well. I had gotten pretty luck in preparation for this day so far.

Check out our other ride day articles here…

The night before the track day, I could barely sleep. I had prepared everything the night before. Leathers out, boots together, a once over of the bike and a full tank of fuel. I rode to the track as I didn’t have a trailer to take the bike. I filled up the tank again at the Shell right by the track. Just to be sure I wouldn’t run out.

Heading to the riders briefing will eliminate a lot of fears you have after listening about how safe track days are!

Arriving at the track safe and sound I parked my bike in our garage in the pit and upstairs for an orientation where (Paul) talked us through the track day. They went through all the different flags and what we should do in case of an emergency. It was good as I had no idea about any of the procedures for the track.

While I was upstairs scrutineering was underway where they check over the bikes. They taped over the speedo and mirrors. My Father also checked the tyre pressures and pre pumped them up to 32psi at the front and 30psi at the rear as per the recommendation of Paul Bailey at orientation. Now my bike was 100 per cent ready to go out on the track.

I started my bike and let it warm up at the five-minute warning before my group went out. It was now my time. The first session out on the track we were instructed to follow one of the mentors from the California Superbike School. Just to get a feel for the track and the lines to take. Just following along behind, getting used to the surroundings and letting the tyres warm up properly. After the two laps we were on our own. What a feeling! Every corner felt amazing. Being able to accelerate full throttle, come in to the corners as fast as possible and go as fast as my bike could go down the main straight.

I came back into the pits after my first session. I had a smile from ear to ear. Before the second session I had been talking with Mark Weaver as he was there for the day with us. He was giving me tips on how to get the most out of my track day from riding position to the line I was taking. He decided he would just come out on the track with me and show me the best way to go about it. 

“Heading out for the first run, I didn’t break any land speed records, but I did manage to get to a top speed of 180km/h.”

Back out onto the track again, this time my Father was out on the KTM 390. It’s a bit bigger capacity then my Kawasaki ZX-R 250 but I knew we would be blasting around the track at about the same speeds and I was a lot more confident. I was following Mark’s lines. He was getting his knee down on every corner. I was trying to do the same but just not getting there. We came back in after what felt like two minutes. Time really does fly when you’re having fun and Mark told me I was so close to getting my knee down. 

Ready and confident for the next session, I head out from the pits with a clear mind. I let the tyres warm up for the first two laps. Then I started pushing harder on the third lap. I go into turn two prepared for the double apex. I was half off the seat, arms relaxed, looking through the corner, knee out and it touches! What a feeling. My confidence went through the roof. I roll on the throttle all the way. The bike revs out to 20,000rpm in second, I come out the corner change into third, roll on the throttle to full and knee down again on turn three. I am smiling so hard by this point. Loving every second of being out on the track. 

“Each corner became easier and easier. I felt I was riding a lot smoother.”

Each corner became easier and easier. I felt I was riding a lot smoother. Not like the first sessions where I was coming in too hot to the corners and having to over brake and lose all of my momentum.

On this session my father was in front of me. It was a great feeling to be on the track the day before his birthday with him. The best part was through the last few corners before the straight. Our little bikes were overtaking the bigger bikes. That was probably one of the best feelings of the day. 

After the final session, William said he was so happy with how much he had improved through the day, being out with his Dad on the track and getting his knee down for the first time!

Overall though its all about having as much fun as you can and going home in one piece – you and your bike. I would recommend every one to get out there and have a go at the track. It’s the best experience you can have on a motorcycle. 

A big thanks to Jeff for letting me come along for the day and my father for helping me set everything up for the day. Can’t wait for the next one!

Track Day Recommendations 

  • Appropriate gear under leathers, such as an under suit.
  • Watered down energy drinks, plus food.
  • Tyre pressure gauge with release valve.
  • Check all your bike’s fluid levels and for leaks.
  • Check chain tension, fill up with fuel before arriving.
  • Check tyre, brake pad and brake rotor wear.
  • Tools for general adjustments or to remove mirrors.

Richard’s Thoughts
It’s really weird at first riding with your son on his first track day. First thoughts are to say, ‘Do this, don’t do that,’ but then how can you say that when you are going to do the exact opposite and will be seen doing it! 

Being William’s first time, he went into the white group as did I. When the first white group session started, all the first timers went out with a California Superbike coach to do a couple of slow – no overtaking allowed – sighting laps. Then the rest of the group are allowed to join, so I waited for William to appear down the main straight so I could hook in with him and show him the lines I take, then follow him for a while to observe.

“I would like a dollar for every time William said best day ever, even now” said Richard

Any fatherly concerns are gone as he picks his lines really well and I can see that he is a natural and if he was on a bigger bike, probably quicker than his old man. His Kawasaki ZXR250C ‘screamer’ handles like a dream in his hands. Unfortunately my Ducati had an issue, which was my preparation fault, so I parked it for the day, as we had a KTM 390 to test, which I took out in later sessions. What a hoot to ride, specially in corners, but not a match for the Kawasaki.

Fortunately Mark Weaver was with us on his GSX-R1000 and spent a lot of track time showing William lines, how go through the apexes, entry, speed and body positioning/weight distribution techniques, plus coaching back in the pit.  After a couple of sessions and Mark’s coaching, William had his knee down, scraping the knee sliders on the one-piece suit loaned by Jeff. It made me feel pretty good and more at ease that he obviously knows how to control his bike on the track and road. 

Track Day Requirements:

  • Provisional motorcycle license or Motorcycling Australia licence.
  • Full leathers (one piece or zip together).
  • Leather boots that overlap pants (with replaceable sliders recommended).
  • Gloves – gauntlets, not wrist length.
  • Helmet – minimum of Australian AS1698 standards.
  • Motorcycle in good mechanic order.
  • Metal tyre valve caps – no caps no go.
  • Cameras are allowed but with very specific requirements.

William heads to SMSP for his first track day, with his Dad along for a truly memorable experience… Words: William Collins, Richard Collins  Photography: Tim Munro

Rider Tips: Cracking The Throttle

By
PB
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0

This topic is one of those things that ‘we racers’ always tend to be a little impatient in getting done. The old saying has always gone when someone asks you how you are going to go quicker the automatic response is ‘brake later and open the throttle earlier’. If only it were that simple.

Andrew has quite the resume when it comes to going fast, he says that its not just about pointing it down the track and twisting the throttle.

Before really getting into throttle opening, there was always one part of the setup that I needed very smooth before I could really focus on throttle opening and that is the initial pick-up of the throttle or the transition from closed throttle to that first crack. This is just to get the bike settled and pick-up the drivetrain and feel the connection with the rear tyre.

Check out our other rider training articles here…

On a new bike or even when a new map was installed and particularly since the heavy reliance on traction control has come to the fore, that initial pickup became the priority that everything else was built on.

Even in todays era with traction control and assists, getting the right amount of drive and applying just the right amount of throttle is imperative for good lap times.

The first day of testing a new bike, and sometimes just the arrival at a new circuit, could mean plenty of time spent on smoothing out the aggressiveness of that initial crack of the throttle. When it is too aggressive the bike tends to jump, which unloads the front suspension then reloads it when you try and get it back under control. The compromise is definitely two-way with the need for feel from the direct connection to the rear tyre but also not too soft on opening so that you can’t really feel the grip level of the rear tyre.

Once the desired pickup is achieved and the rider has the confidence to then really open the throttle it becomes a matter of laps and each particular corner in working out the quickest way to exit the particular turn in question.

“In a long constant-radius-type turn like the Southern Loop (Turn 2) at Phillip Island, it requires getting back on the throttle quite soon after releasing the brakes and hitting that first apex on the entry.”

In a long constant-radius-type turn like the Southern Loop (Turn 2) at Phillip Island, it requires getting back on the throttle quite soon after releasing the brakes and hitting that first apex on the entry. It is more to keep a constant speed around the corner and get the bike loaded and set up for the exit. When you have it turned and pointed down towards turn three, you then start to pick it up more to the centre part of the tyre or off the edge of the tyre and really get the throttle open.

The opposite type of corner is Honda Corner (Turn 4) which is much slower and more of a stop corner that involves much lower corner speed but then a sudden need to get the bike up and accelerating back to speed again down towards Siberia. It is pointless trying to carry a lot of corner speed around a corner like Honda Corner. Getting on the throttle too early you run out wider on the exit and therefore never really get the bike off the side of the tyre and sometime never really to full throttle.

The opposite type of corner is turn four which involves much lower corner speed but then a sudden need to get the bike up and accelerating back to speed again down towards Siberia.

I always found it better to sacrifice a little mid-turn speed around Honda and get the bike turned and over the little bump in the middle of the corner so that I could pick it up and get the throttle opened to full as soon as possible in order to use the power the bike has on the fat part of the tyre.

I touched earlier on traction control and its effect on throttle opening. Put more correctly and simply would be to say traction control lets you open the throttle earlier. When a rider feels that the task of getting the tyre hooked up on the first part of the opening is being taken care of electronically you tend you get more and more confident with throttle opening but it does depend on traction still and if the traction is simply not there then the bike just won’t go anywhere. Keep in mind though that it is still very much possible to highside a bike with traction control. 

Andrew has raced in the eras of no traction control and traction control. He says it’s still possible to highside a bike with TCS, so don’t just crank the throttle while leaning over.

The point where you can open the throttle can also vary a lot from the first day of practice when the circuit is dirty to race day when the track is a lot faster. Usually on day one, tyres are not working really well on the dirty track and as the rubber gets laid down things will improve. 

A wet track and wet tyres can change things quite a lot too, compared to your reference points in the dry. In the wet, I generally found that I picked the throttle up quite early just to keep the bike loaded around the turn and balanced because any sudden movement can leave you sliding up the road on your arse or head. I’m only talking maybe five per cent throttle opening but just enough to keep the tyres loaded. Of course, once you start opening it on the exit you really need to be smooth and consistent all the way to full throttle. I found the mental concentration was really intense in the rain but staying on top of it really allowed you to reap the rewards.

“In the wet, I generally found that I picked the throttle up quite early just to keep the bike loaded around the turn and balanced because any sudden movement can leave you sliding up the road on your arse or head.”

Once wheelie control started to be introduced, that also made throttle opening quite a bit easier whereas before you had to control it with the rear brake or try and short shift a little and keep it out of the power a bit. The wheelie control allowed you to just open the throttle to the stop and get on with it but again the delicate balancing act was in not taking too much power out of it so you lost out on acceleration.

Another interesting experience I want to share with you is the ‘against all logic’ of opening the throttle on qualifying tyres. You really need to forget what your brain is telling you and open the throttle so much earlier and harder on the side of the tyre for one lap.

Something a lot of riders struggle with is going against their instinct, you want to open the throttle as early as possible. This may take some trial and error to find the sweet spot, but it’s often earlier than you think.

The most fun I had one day was when I was testing the factory Yamaha M1 800 for Michelin in Spain when we were trying to get the tyres on the pace of the Bridgestones. We spent a whole morning testing rear qualifiers and then front and rear qualifiers together. With the fronts I could simply brake hard all the way to the apex and then crack the throttle almost as soon as I got off the brakes and get it onto the super-sticky rear qualifier that didn’t move.

The trap there was that straight after lunch I was back out on race tyres and sure enough I took the bait and fell straight into the trap of losing the front on the brakes entering a fast right-hander. Lesson learned I suppose. In summary, the biggest piece of advice I could give on throttle opening is to go by the conditions of the track and the type of corner you are going through because no two corners are the same and therefore openings will vary. Of course you need keep in mind that old saying of ‘Sometimes you need to slow down a little to go faster.’

 

Track Guide: Winton Raceway, Victoria

By
PB
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0

Winton is an exciting track in rural Victoria, often seeing ASBK championship battles heat up as there’s no room for error. One mistake will often send you to the back of the pack, so here’s how to get the most out of a lap at Winton Raceway.

Winton is a highlight of the ASBK season for fan as you can see most of the track from pit lane!

THE ESSES
Into the Motorsport Esses could present you with a real chance to get past someone even on the first lap, but it was still a bit desperate and you had to lock it all up and somehow get through the chicane and out the exit on the black stuff. 

The Esses were a challenging part of the track, these used to be the final two turns but have since become the first.

On a flying lap I took it in third because it was quite a fast chicane and second would have slowed me down too much. Third on the exit seemed a little lazy but the boys assured me I wasn’t losing out up the hill to the finish line.

Check out our other track guides here…

TURN THREE
I am going to call Turn three the old Turn one (Honda Corner) up on top of the rise where the grid was when I raced there.

So it was all about braking on the outside of the track and back to second, while tipping in – trying to apex where the track dips away on the inside. This corner has a really nice camber allowing you to pick up the throttle early, driving towards Turn four. You had to watch a little on the exit as you drifted towards the outside of the track when the camber flattened and the rear tyre would step out a little just as you were picking it up.

TURN FOUR 
Still in second for Turn four grabbing just a little brake to wash some speed off and pull it into the apex setting yourself up for a really good hard exit carrying as much momentum into the long fast Turn five.

Exiting Turn four I would grab third gear as the front was going light trying to pull it over to the right for the entry of Turn five.

“Turn five was where you could really get some time especially on the run in on the front but to do this you needed confidence in your front tyre and setup.”

TURN FIVE
Turn five was where you could really get some time especially on the run in on the front but to do this you needed confidence in your front tyre and setup. I found the best way was to run in quite fast trying not to grab too much brake as washing speed off then meant you needed to crack the throttle early again to get the momentum up again.

It was easy to panic a little getting in there really fast and grab too much front braking on the side of the tyre. I saw a lot front lockups there and bikes cart wheeling through the infield. The trick was to get as far around the corner as you could on your entry speed, then picking up the throttle later just to keep it rolling along.

Turn six is a fast sections where you have to flow through to get a good run throw the hairpins at the top of the hill seen above, if you’re late enough on the brakes then turn seven presents a good chance to overtake.

TURN SIX
The next flick through this section reminds me a lot of the uphill left right over the hill at Wanneroo where you need hold it tight around the left until exactly the moment when you flick it right and try to straight line it through. Though it is a bit easier at Winton because it is flat and you can see the right. Hold third through here and rev it all the way to the limiter on the outside of the track before grabbing the brakes while straightening up, to be able to brake as hard as possible for the Turn seven hairpin.

TURN SEVEN
Turn seven was one of the few passing spots at Winton because it is mostly a one line track but here if you had gotten the previous two corners right you could find yourself with an unexpected chance to jump up the inside of someone. Honestly if you had made a really good job of Turns five and six you could be almost alongside someone before you grabbed the brakes. It was critical to get it stopped here though because if you missed the apex just by a metre then who ever you passed would be back past you.

Turn eight can feel quite slow compared to the rest of the track, but it’s a section where you can make up some good time.

TURN EIGHT
This next corner was where you just needed to give it a smooth, gentle little squirt from apex to apex and letting it run in and around the corners, trying not to stop/start it too much. This was where Kev was good. I did all this in second thinking it felt slow but actually it turned out to be the quick way through it all smooth and keeping the bike balanced.

TURN NINE
Turn nine had you approaching a bit faster and braking hard into the apex to hit the apex and set up for a run along the short straight and maybe try and get up the inside of someone but when you are racing factory Ducatis on Michelin tyres you’re kidding yourself if you even think you can stay close to them on acceleration. Especially with jockey size Craig Connell on one! Even though Steve Martin had to carry quite a few more kilos there was no keeping up with him on acceleration either. Around somewhere like Winton with all the stop/starts it was the never-ending stretching rubber band game. They would jump away out of the turns and I would pull it all back on the brakes.

TURN 10
Turn 10 was back from third into second again trying to get it stopped because if you missed your apex just a little you lost so much exit speed down the next little straight trying to stay on the track and get the throttle open.

TURN 11 & 12
Turn 11 was exactly the same if you rushed in too fast shifting back from fourth to second you ran out too wide on the exit and couldn’t open the throttle between 11 and 12. So it was a matter of outside white line braking into turn 11, then inside white line apex, drifting out to outside white line while picking up the throttle before 12 and then trail braking into the inside white line apex for 12 to get that exit onto the start/finish straight.

The ZX-7 could stretch its legs slightly more here getting into fourth for only the second time all lap and into fifth for the only time. 

 

 

MotoGP Race Report: Quartararo Claims Portimao

By
PB
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0

Fabio Quartararo converted pole position into victory at the Grande Prémio 888 de Portugal as the MotoGP™ race saw some big names crash out, but the Frenchman remained cool and calm at the front despite intense pressure from Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar).

It wasn’t to be for the number 42 though as he crashed out, with Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) then carving his way through to second and just holding off third placed Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar). The returning Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) battled through the pain to finish P7 after a few feisty exchanges.

Stay up to date with MotoGP news here…

The initial getaway from polesitter Quartararo was about as good as it gets, but in the second phase of the start, Johann Zarco (Pramac Racing) and Rins got the better of the Yamaha man and it was the Suzuki who actually grabbed the holeshot. Zarco hit back to take over as the early race leader though, and Marc Marquez made a searing start to move up and battle Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) for P3. Mir made a typically great start and was up into the top five, and it was Mir vs Marquez again on the opening lap. Before long, the reigning World Champion shoved his GSX-RR up the inside of the Repsol Honda at Turn 11 for P3.

Zarco led the opening lap and at Turn 3, Marc Marquez and Mir came close again – too close. The eight-time World Champion tagged the back of Mir, who luckily stayed on, but it allowed Quartararo to squirm back through to fourth past Marquez. Miller and then Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) also passed Marquez as the number 93 to P7, with Rins showing a wheel to Zarco at Turn 13 nearer the front.

Lap 3 saw Quartararo make a clean move up the inside of Mir at Turn 1 for P3, the Frenchman making swift progress after getting a bit beaten up at the start. A Turn 13 move on Zarco stuck at the third time of asking a lap later. By Lap 5, Rins was now the race leader, but Zarco blasted back through on the straight. Then, suddenly, the sound of a bike hitting the deck was heard and as the cameras panned out, we saw Miller down at Turn 3 at the beginning of Lap 6. The Australian’s Portuguese GP was over after just over four laps, a disaster for the factory Ducati man. On the same lap, Miguel Oliveira’s (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) hopes of another dream home round rostrum were also over as the Portuguese star was down at Turn 14. He remounted but it was game over for Oliveira.

Meanwhile, Quartararo had followed Rins through on Zarco and the Yamaha man now had his radar firmly set on P1. Just like he had on the other Suzuki of Mir, Quartararo dived up the inside down the hill into Turn 1 and El Diablo was now at the head of the race. This was now where Quartararo and Rins started to display some superiority and a handful of laps later, third place Mir was one and a half seconds down on the leading duo, with Lap 14 seeing Quartararo set a 1:39.680 – the fastest lap. However, Rins was matching the Yamaha every step of the way for now, and the duo exchanged fastest laps on numerous occasions. Some colossal drama was about to unfold, however,

First, we saw Rins crash at Turn 5 on Lap 19 of 25. The downhill, tricky left-hander caught out the Spaniard who was right behind Quartararo, and it was race over for the number 42. That gave Quartararo a 4.2 second lead over Zarco, with Bagnaia grabbing P3 off Mir at Turn 5. Then, a lap later at Turn 11, the former World Championship leader was down. Zarco’s front washed away the top of the hill and the Frenchman slid out of contention, just after Bagnaia had picked him off at Turn 5.

And so, barring a disaster, victory was Quartararo’s. The podium battle, however, was still well on. Bagnaia was holding P2 and looking good, with Mir having Franco Morbidelli (Petronas Yamaha SRT) in his mirrors heading into the final exchanges. With two to go, the trio were locked together but Pecco wasn’t buckling, and fifth place Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) was less than a second away from Morbidelli’s rear wheel to boot. Mir was pressuring Bagnaia but the Italian was holding firm, and on the last lap, the Suzuki rider looked tempted…

Five seconds down the road, Quartararo cruised over the line to pick up his second win of 2021. A commanding victory for factory Yamaha’s new recruit, and one that sees him take a 15-point lead into Jerez – a circuit he was quite successful at last season. That makes it three from three for Yamaha for the first time since 2010, too. Behind that, Bagnaia was just able to keep it pinned to the line to complete an awesome recovery from P11 to P2 after some qualifying heartbreak, and he’s up to P2 in the standings with his first podium of the year. Mir couldn’t get past the Ducati but he held off the Yamaha of Morbidelli by 0.179s to earn his first podium of 2021, an important result from the World Champion and another rostrum after starting from outside the top two rows. More of his podiums come from further down the grid than not, somehow.

It was a return to form for fourth place Morbidelli as the Italian got back in the podium hunt throughout to hopefully banish his Losail woes. Binder’s P5 proves once again the South African is a Sunday rider through and through, and that’s a morale-boosting result for KTM and Binder ahead of Jerez – where the then-rookie had some serious speed last year. Aleix Espargaro earns Aprilia an equal-best MotoGP™ result in P6, yet another great ride from the Spaniard, who was 4.3 seconds ahead of the next man on track…

That man is Marc Marquez. The eight-time World Champion completed his first race since the 2019 Valencia GP finale, and emotions were shown by the Spaniard when he arrived back in his box. And in his debrief.

Alex Marquez (LCR Honda Castrol) bagged his first top 10 of the year in P8, with reigning Moto2™ World Champion Enea Bastianini (Avintia Esponsorama) picking up his second top 10 MotoGP™ result in P9. It was another brilliant ride from ‘The Beast’, and what an absolutely superb effort from 10th place Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) too. The battered and bruised Japanese rider has been in considerable pain all weekend since his huge Friday Turn 1 crash, but a P10 sums up just how tough – physically and mentally – MotoGP™ riders are.

Maverick Viñales (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) didn’t recover from a horror start, and in the end benefited from a few crashes to pick up P11.Luca Marini (Sky VR46 Avintia) slipped to P12 from a P8 start but it was nevertheless a very promising weekend for the Italian, and a job well done after some awesome speed in practice. Injured Danilo Petrucci (Tech3 KTM Factory Racing), Lorenzo Savadori (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) and Iker Lecuona (Tech3 KTM Factory Racing) completed the points, and Oliveira was the final finisher in P16 after his crash.

Valentino Rossi (Petronas Yamaha SRT) crashed at Turn 11, rider ok, with Pol Espargaro (Repsol Honda Team) pulling into pitlane in the early stages with a technical issue.

And on we go. Quartararo marches on in the 2021 title race and two wins from three is the Frenchman’s tally heading to Jerez. A weekend off is followed by the Spanish GP at the end of April/start of May, and already the title race is twisting and turning. After all, this is MotoGP™… so make sure to come back for more!

Fabio Quartararo: “Good to feel back! I feel full of confidence. Bringing that confidence from Qatar. Now we know what we need work to go fast. I only need to feel the front and I go fast and just focus on my riding. Woah, what a pace, I didn’t expect it, I was less than half a second from my qualifying lap on the pace. It was amazing, also the pressure of Rins in the back, I wanted to make a gap. He made a mistake and then… I was riding well; I was riding easy and still making a gap to Pecco.”

“We did an amazing job, we were P1 all day yesterday, P1 today, thanks to the team. Important points, and now we go to one of my favourite tracks in Jerez. I can’t wait to be there, thanks to my family for watching. It will be a great celebration for my birthday in two days.”

MotoGP™ podium (Full Results Here)

1 Fabio Quartararo – Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP – Yamaha – 41:46.412
2 Francesco Bagnaia – Ducati Lenovo Team – Ducati – +4.809
3 Joan Mir – Team Suzuki Ecstar – Suzuki – +4.948

Moto2
Raul Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo) just loves the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve. After dominating at the track last season to sign off from Moto3™ with a win, the Spaniard returned in Moto2™ with a podium already under his belt and it seemed somewhat like fate.

Fighting his way through a few big rivals, the Spaniard crossed the line a second and a half clear for his first intermediate class win, underlining his impressive form so far and moving up to second in the Championship. Aron Canet (Solunion Aspar Team) took his first Moto2™ podium in second after an impressive ride, with Remy Gardner (Red Bull KTM Ajo) charging past Joe Roberts (Italtrans Racing Team) late on to complete the podium. Sam Lowes (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) crashed out at Turn 1, leaving his key rivals with an open goal…

Lowes was the first big headline, that sending shockwaves through the race. Late on the brakes into Turn 1 after a tough start, the Brit was careering straight towards Gardner’s rear wheel and was forced to pick it up and run wide, the rear end then kicking him off. Rider ok, but some big drama to start the Moto2™ race.

At the front, Gardner led on Lap 1 but Marco Bezzecchi (Sky Racing Team VR46) was the man on the move in the opening exchanges and blasted past on the home straight. Roberts had made a good start from P8 to battle Gardner for P2 as the latter got out of shape coming out of Turn 1. Bezzecchi was able to pull out a healthy one second lead at the front but Canet was making moves and soon, the lead was cut to nothing as Gardner and the five other chasers reeled in the Italian.

Yet more drama unfolded just behind as we saw a huge crash involving Yari Montella (Lightech Speed Up) and Stefano Manzi (Flexbox HP40) at the final corner, both bikes catching fire in the gravel trap. Montella, who highsided, was taken to the medical centre for a check-up and later declared fit. And more: at Turn 5, the two Idemitsu Honda Team Asia riders were down as Ai Ogura made contact with American Racing’s Cameron Beaubier. Ogura got out of shape and couldn’t help but crash into Somkiat Chantra, an unfortunate racing incident between the two teammates.

Lap 11 saw Canet take the lead, but Roberts then pounced at Turn 1 as Canet and Bezzecchi went wide. Bezzecchi slipped to P4 as Gardner also passed the Italian, but one of the pre-race favourites then made a couple of mistakes in the soaring Portuguese heat. That saw the Aussie lose valuable ground as Canet and Roberts made a breakaway, but the Spaniard and American scrapped it out for a few laps and Canet also got a track limits warning. Enter Raul Fernandez. The rookie was lapping far superior to his rivals and he soon picked off both Roberts and Canet to take the lead with four to go, late race pace searing him through.

The rookie pulled 0.7s clear in three laps, setting another fastest lap of the race on Lap 21 of 23, a 1:42.86, and his teammate Gardner was finding some late pace too in P4, the Australian reeling in Roberts and Canet. Three personal best laps from Gardner was mega stuff but nothing was going to stop Raul Fernandez, on the final lap his lead was up to 1.2 seconds and it seemed the job was done as attentions turned to the three-way scrap for P2 and P3.

Roberts lunged up the inside of Canet at Turn 11, but Canet then dived back at Turn 13,  but both ran slightly wide to give Gardner an invitation. Roberts switched to the inside for Turn 14 but the narrow line he took saw him open a small gap for the Aussie to squeeze into, an that he did – making some contact but getting through, Roberts staying on but watching the podium fade away.

Up the road though, Raul Fernandez had rounded the final corner to win his first Moto2™ race, with Canet cementing his first intermediate class podium with a hard-earned P2, escaping the discussion on whether rubbing is racing raging just behind him. Gardner’s third, however, sees him head to Jerez as Championship leader for the first time.

Roberts was unlucky to lose out on a podium in Portimão but it was nevertheless a great ride from the American. Augusto Fernandez (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) backs up his Doha P6 with P5 as the Spaniard continues to find form in 2021, and Bezzecchi was eventually forced to settle for P6 having led in the early laps. Xavi Vierge (Petronas Sprinta Racing) was a second behind Bezzecchi in a solid P7, with Hector Garzo (Flexbox HP40) earning his first points of the season in P8. Beaubier is a top 10 Moto2™ finisher after a brilliant ride to P9 on his first visit to the Algarve International Circuit, and Marcel Schrötter (Liqui Moly Intact GP) completed the top 10.

Fabio Di Giannantonio (Federal Oil Gresini Moto2), Lorenzo Dalla Porta (Italtrans Racing Team), Albert Arenas (Solunion Aspar Team), Lorenzo Baldassarri (MV Agusta Forward Racing) and Marcos Ramirez (American Racing) were the remaining point scorers. Jake Dixon (Petronas Sprinta Racing) crashed at Turn 8 unhurt, with Nicolo Bulega (Federal Oil Gresini Moto2) taking out compatriot Celestino Vietti (Sky Racing Team VR46) at Turn 1.

Moto2™ podium (Full Results Here)

1 Raul Fernandez – Red Bull KTM Ajo – Kalex – 39:47.377
2 Aron Canet – Solunion Aspar Team – Boscoscuro – +1.600
3 Remy Gardner – Red Bull KTM Ajo – Kalex – +1.968

Moto3
Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Ajo) has done it again! The rookie sensation took a hard-fought victory at the Grande Premio 888 de Portugal after a brilliant last lap move on Dennis Foggia (Leopard Racing), keeping it pinned to the line to make a little more history.

After becoming the first rider to win from pitlane in Moto3™ last time out, Acosta is now the youngest rider with three Grand Prix podiums in a row and the first rider since MotoGP™ Legend Daijiro Kato to take podiums on his first three GP appearances. Oh, and Acosta extended his Championship lead to a stunning 31 points after just three races. Behind the duel for the win won by the Spaniard, Andrea Migno (Rivacold Snipers Team) converted pole into a podium after showing great pace all weekend.

It was Migno who took the holeshot, the Italian off like a shot from pole and into the lead ahead of a storming start from Xavier Artigas (Leopard Racing). Foggia slotted into third ahead of Sergio Garcia (GASGAS Valresa Aspar Team), with a lead freight train forming from the off. Darryn Binder (Petronas Sprinta Racing) had his pitlane start first, before five seconds later Jeremy Alcoba (Indonesian Racing Gresini Moto3) and Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Tech3) set off. Then, John McPhee (Petronas Sprinta Racing).

Back at the front, Artigas took the lead at the end of Lap 1, but the rookie’s impressive race would sadly provide the first drama as a touch from Gabriel Rodrigo (Indonesian Racing Gresini Moto3) sent him tumbling out of contention. Rodrigo was given a Long Lap penalty for the incident, and the freight train rolled on.

Foggia was the man doing a lot of the work in the lead, the Leopard rider looking confident out front and Acosta tagged onto him, up at the sharp end immediately alongside teammate Jaume Masia, Garcia, Migno, Ayumu Sasaki (Red Bull KTM Tech3) and a few more familiar frontrunning faces. By nine to go, there was more drama as Kaito Toba (CIP Green Power) collected Izan Guevara (GASGAS Valresa Aspar Team) and the two crashed out. The leading train was 11 riders, with Rodrigo back on their tail after his Long Lap.

The next drama came from Adrian Fernandez (Sterilgarda Max Racing Team) and Tatsuki Suzuki (SIC58 Squadra Corse) as the rookie collected the veteran, leaving a nine-rider group fighting for the win – and the familiar Leopard and Red Bull KTM Ajo colours at the front. As the laps ticked on the fervour went up a few notches, and with four to go the Turn 1 shuffle was getting brutal as Acosta headed a little wide with nowhere else to go, Migno took back the lead and Foggia had to settle for second.

By the penultimate lap, Foggia led Acosta and that’s how the final lap began as just behind, Garcia somehow saved a highside but that was the Spaniard’s podium hopes over. Meanwhile, Masia was up to P3 but then there was yet more drama at Turn 5 as the number 5 slid down the road, his hopes of a race win over too. Now, it was a straight fight between Foggia and Acosta.

Acosta was a monster on the brakes at Turn 11 and clawed back enough ground and then, at Turn 13, the rookie sensation made his move: late on the brakes, up the inside, full lean angle, clean pass. Just two corners remained before a run to the line, but coming over the crest of the final corner, Acosta’s KTM was squirming. Somehow he didn’t crash, but it did help Foggia as the two pinned it and tucked in for the line.

It was only 0.051, but Acosta held it and won his second consecutive race as he extends his points lead to a stunning 31, making yet another statement with another win. Foggia is back on the podium for the second time on the Algarve, and it was Migno who emerged from the battle to complete the podium to take third, just 0.013 ahead of Sasaki as the Japanese rider was back in the fight at the front.

Rodrigo finished P5 despite his long lap, and he beat Niccolo Antonelli (Avintia Esponsorama Moto3) and Romano Fenati (Sterilgarda Max Racing Team) by less than a tenth as the fastest seven riders finish 0.773s apart after some incredible racing again in Moto3™. Garcia was in amongst it throughout but that late, out the seat moment on the last lap cost the Spaniard and he took eighth. Despite the Turn 5 tumble, Masia salvaged ninth to slot in behind the freight train out front.

Ryusei Yamanaka (CarXpert PrüstelGP) picks up another top 10 in 2021 with P10, and he led Stefano Nepa (BOE Owlride) and teammate Jason Dupasquier (CarXpert PrüstelGP) over the line. Filip Salac (Rivacold Snipers Team) took home P13 from Portimao, with Alcoba and Öncü doing well to pick up the remaining points despite pitlane starts on a five second delay.

Moto3™ podium (Full Results Here)

1 Pedro Acosta – Red Bull KTM Ajo – KTM – 38:01.773
2 Dennis Foggia – Leopard Racing – Honda – +0.051
3 Andrea Migno – Rivacold Snipers Team – Honda – +0.584

 

MotoGP: Pecco pitches it to perfection for new lap record at Losail

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PB
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Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) has taken his maiden MotoGP™ pole position in serious style at the Barwa Grand Prix of Qatar, the Italian slamming in a 1:52.772 – the fastest-ever two-wheel lap of Losail International Circuit – to take the honour.

Bagnaia beats second place Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) by 0.266s, with Quartararo’s fellow Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP rider Maverick Viñales. Fourth? Top Independent Team rider Valentino Rossi (Petronas Yamaha SRT) as the Doctor made it a Yamaha armada just behind Bagnaia… in more ways than one.

Before the final battle though, there was Q1 to contend with. Reigning World Champion Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar) found himself having to fight for his place in the pole position shootout at the season opener and it wasn’t a walk in the park as the number 36 faced some stiff competition from two rookies: Jorge Martin (Pramac Racing) and Enea Bastianini (Esponsorama Racing). Both took turns leading the session, with Mir returning to P1 by just 0.005s with his best lap of the weekend.

Martin then crashed unhurt on his last lap and was out of contention, and Bastianini was unable to improve. Out of nowhere, Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) was then the man setting the timing screens alight though and the Japanese rider snatched P1 on his final flyer to demote Bastianini out of Q2 promotion. The Beast’s 0.005s deficit to Mir proved to be the difference. And so Mir edged through to Q2 by the skin of his teeth, and later received a fine and had his first but not fastest lap deleted for leaving pitlane early. 

Nakagami and Mir then joined the fastest 10 riders from Free Practice for Saturday’s main course: MotoGP™ Qualifying 2. And in said session, it took Bagnaia just one lap to break the all-time lap record, a 1:53.273 coming in from the Italian to set us up for a phenomenal first pole shootout of 2021. Still, despite the P1 time being an all-time lap record, the timing screens were lit up with red sector times.

Bagnaia didn’t improve on his next lap, but teammate Jack Miller did and the Aussie took over at the top. Next was Quartararo and the Frenchman was an astonishing four tenths under at Sector 3, losing a little in the final sector but still talking over at the top, homing in on the 52s with a 1:53.038 – another all-time lap record. After the first couple of flying laps, it was a Yamaha and Ducati fest at the top, with Aleix Espargaro placing his Aprilia Racing Team Gresini machine next up in P6 ahead of Johann Zarco (Pramac Racing). Ahead of those two sat Quartararo, Miller, Viñales, Bagnaia and Franco Morbidelli (Petronas Yamaha SRT) as the grid rumbled back into pitlane and prepared for a final push. 

This was it. Viñales was the leader on the road and the first to show us what he had left in his locker, the Spaniard making it a factory Yamaha 1-2. Attention then turned back to Bagnaia though, and he had Valentino Rossi in tow to boot. Pecco unleashed a mind-blowing lap to return to P1 by 0.266s, impervious and seemingly unbeatable, and Rossi’s effort put him P3 for the time being as The Doctor demoted former teammate Viñales off the front row. Top Gun then returned the favour though, taking third back and pushing Rossi down to fourth.

The front row would go unchallenged for the remaining seconds. Bagnaia said on Friday, “we will beat the record in Q2”, and he stuck to his word as the Italian to claimed his first premier class pole position in style with the fastest-ever two-wheel lap of Losail International Circuit. Quartararo and Viñales lock out the front row as The Doctor joins two of his three Yamaha counterparts inside the top four; a 1:53.114 by far the fastest Rossi has lapped Losail.

Joining the veteran Italian on the second row are Miller and Zarco. The two Bologna bullets will have been hoping for more in Q2 but the second row is a solid place from which to unleash Ducati’s holeshot device. Zarco is also the new MotoGP™ top speed record holder at 362.4km/h after FP4, and his last flying lap in Q2 was his best to knock Morbidelli onto the third row.

2020 runner up Morbidelli spearheads Row 3 and he’s joined by Aleix Espargaro in eighth place, an impressive feat given the top eight were all under Marc Marquez’s old lap record. Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) is the final member on Row 3 in P9, with Mir being forced to settle for P10 – 0.910s back from pole position. Work to do on a Sunday for both Suzukis again, but if there’s one thing we learned in 2020, it’s to never discount the GSX-RR duo in race trim. Nakagami is the leading Honda ahead of the opening race of 2021 just behind them, he and Pol Espargaro (Repsol Honda Team) will fire off the line in P11 and P12. For full results, click here. 

We were expecting fireworks, but we really did get some: a new all-time lap record and top speed record within an hour. It’s safe to say MotoGP™ is off to an astonishing start in the desert, as attentions now turn to race day. Bagnaia has done the hard work up until now, but can he help Ducati keep up their formidable Qatar record under the lights in 24 hours time? There’s a whole host of riders lining up behind him who are more than capable of winning the Qatar GP, and it’s going to be simply unmissable.

Francesco Bagnaia: “I’m very happy, because I achieved this result which for me is the first, and the best way to start a new chapter with a new team. Yesterday I thought it was possible to do a 52 because on my best lap yesterday I made some mistakes and I was thinking about it, so we can be happy about the result but tomorrow is the race. I think we’re a great group fighting for the top positions, Yamaha is very strong in sectors 2 and 3 and we can close the gap in sector 4 with our top speed so the balance is very close and I think tomorrow it will be a nice race and a big battle for sure.”

MotoGP™ front row

1 Francesco Bagnaia – Ducati Lenovo Team – Ducati – 1:52.722
2 Fabio Quartararo – Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP – Yamaha – +0.266
3 Maverick Viñales – Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP – Yamaha – +0.316

Moto2
Sam Lowes (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) was once again in superior form at the Barwa Grand Prix of Qatar as the British rider set a 1:58.726 to take the first honours of the season. The Brit beat rookie sensation Raul Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo) to pole position by 0.140s, with Bo Bendsneyder’s (Pertamina Mandalika SAG Team) awesome early season form seeing the Dutchman claim just his third Grand Prix front row start in P3, 0.233s from Lowes’.

Ahead of the opening Moto2™ pole position battle, four riders entered the fray from Q1. Fabio Di Giannantonio (Federal Oil Gresini Moto2) was the quickest as rookie Celestino Vietti (Sky Racing Team VR46), Somkiat Chantra (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) and 2019 Moto3™ World Champion Lorenzo Dalla Porta (Italtrans Racing Team) finished within a tenth of each other to get another crack at the whip in Q2.

As Q2 kicked into life, the fastest rider after the opening flying laps was Lowes. Jake Dixon (Petronas Sprinta Racing) made it a British 1-2 but working in tandem, Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Raul Fernandez and Remy Gardner then took over at the top – the latter leading his rookie teammate with a 1:59.245. Incidentally, Lowes’ first lap time was then scrapped but soon after, his second lap then saw him fly to P1, 0.447s faster than Gardner’s best.

Once again, Dixon made it a British 1-2 but Lowes’ lead was still considerable. Bendsneyder then catapulted himself to P2 before Lowes once again pulled clear of the chasing pack. Marco Bezzecchi (Sky Racing Team VR46) then took over in second, but the Italian was still over three tenths behind. The Red Bull KTM Ajo duo then launched themselves onto the front row, Raul Fernandez P2 and Gardner P3, but the Aussie’s lap would get cancelled.

The ever-impressive Bendsneyder then hit back to demote Bezzecchi off the front row on his final lap as Gardner then threatened Lowes’ time on his last lap. However, a crash for Xavi Vierge (Petronas Sprinta Racing) at Turn 10 – minutes after the Spaniard and teammate Dixon collided at Turn 3 – put a halt to Gardner’s late charge. Dixon was judged to have been riding slow on the line, causing a collision and has a three-place grid penalty.

At the top though, Lowes was untouchable. The 2020 title challenger has been in supreme form at Losail and will launch from pole, and he’ll line up alongside a rookie sensation in Raul Fernandez. The Spaniard has taken to Moto2™ like a duck to water and Bendsneyder impressed too, picking up his first front row start since the 2017 Moto3™ Dutch GP.

A star-studded second row will be lining up for the opening round of the season as Bezzecchi, Joe Roberts (American Racing) and Gardner claim P4, P5 and P6 in Q2 respectively. Dixon couldn’t improve on his couple of early banker laps and slipped down to P7, but will start further back in tenth. Q1 graduate Di Giannantonio was P8 but will start seventh ahead of Jorge Navarro (MB Conveyors Speed Up), with rookie Vietti boosted up to ninth after an impressive day.

Marcos Ramirez (American Racing) and Simone Corsi (MV Agusta Forward Racing) both went to the medical centre for check-ups after both suffering big crashes in Q1. Unfortunately, both riders have been declared unfit. Corsi sustained a left wrist fracture and Ramirez suffered a right humeral fracture, the duo will miss the Qatar GP.

Sam Lowes: “I felt good in qualifying, it was the first time we went out with low fuel, I did a quite a lot of fast laps, not a perfect lap but I’m happy. We’ve done a good job all winter and good job in the test, it’s been nice to do testing cause last year I missed it! It’s nice to understand more and give ourselves more possibilities in the race weekend if we need to, it’s going good. When you have a good year it’s nice to carry it on next year…”

Moto2™ front row

1 Sam Lowes – Elf Marc VDS Racing Team – Kalex – 1:58.726
2 Raul Fernandez – Red Bull KTM Ajo – Kalex – +0.140
3 Bo Bendsneyder – Pertamina Mandalika SAG Team – Kalex – +0.233

Moto3
From Q1 to pole, 2021 is off to a good start for Darryn Binder. The Petronas Sprinta Racing rider topped the first qualifying session to make it through to the pole position shootout at the Barwa Grand Prix of Qatar, then setting a 2:04.075 – a new lap record – to take the first pole of the year, despite also dicing it out with a few rivals on the way round.

Reigning FIM Moto3™ Junior World Champion Izan Guevara (GASGAS Gaviota Aspar) claimed a wonderful debut Grand Prix front row, and also progressed from Q1, with the rookie set to line up in second. Veteran campaigner and former Qatar podium finisher John McPhee (Petronas Sprinta Racing) completes the front row.

The biggest name to miss out on an automatic Q2 place after Free Practice was Binder, but the South African made no mistakes in Q1 to put in a 2:04.834 and top the session, cruising into the pole position shootout along with Guevara, Romano Fenati (Sterilgarda Max Racing Team) and Riccardo Rossi (BOE Owlride), setting the stage for the first pole position fireworks of 2021.

As Q2 began it was initially a waiting game, with all but four riders sitting outside their pit boxes, waiting for other riders and teams to blink first. It wasn’t until nearly five minutes had gone that everyone finally ventured out on track, but two of those who didn’t wait around were CIP Green Power’s Kaito Toba and Maximilian Kofler. Toba, the Free Practice pacesetter, set a 2:05.414 to lay down the first benchmark time.

Coming out of Q1, Binder was in the groove and that lap from Toba didn’t last too long at the top. The new Petronas Sprinta recruit made light work of a couple of riders in front of him and his first lap in Q2 was a new lap record, and by some margin. Jeremy Alcoba (Indonesian Racing Gresini Moto3) then got within a tenth of Binder’s blistering 2:04.354 as two Moto3™ race winners, John McPhee (Petronas Sprinta Racing) and Dennis Foggia (Leopard Racing) – tangled at Turn 15, with both chasing improved lap times and things getting close in the battle for the first pole of the year.

The grid then rumbled back down pitlane after their first runs, with most leaving it late before heading back out for a one-lap dash. However, late was very late for some, and for Gabriel Rodrigo (Indonesian Racing Gresini Moto3), it was too late. The Argentinean took the chequered flag before starting his lap as Toba launched himself into P3, but there was plenty still to come from those who had managed to sneak over the line for a shot at pole.

Lots of orange sectors were lighting up on the timing screens but three riders were showing red: Binder, Guevara and McPhee. Soon-to-be polesitter Binder was forcing his way through those ahead in the final sector too – those ahead being Jaume Masia (Red Bull KTM Ajo) as the two got very close on track. 

Up ahead, and for about half a second, it seemed like a dream debut pole position was going Guevara’s way… but Binder was still on a charge. The South African completed his barnstormer and returned to P1 with another new lap record to seal the deal in a scintillating end to the first qualifying of the season. Those joining him on the front row make it an interesting one too: rookie sensation Guevera sandwiched by two pre-season title favourites in Binder and McPhee.

Alcoba missed out on a final flying lap but his opening run pace was enough to see him spearhead the second row in P4, with Masia and Toba launching from the second row too in P5 and P6 respectively. Rodrigo, Sergio Garcia (GASGAS Gaviota Aspar) and Rossi set themselves up for a chance of a good start in seventh, eighth and ninth in that order. Rounding out the top 10 was Niccolo Antonelli (Avintia Esponsorama Moto3), a former winner at Losail. 

Darryn Binder: “It’s never fun when you have to come through Q1 first but I knew I had the speed and just had to get a lap together. When I came out in Q1 and put down that first flying lap I was like ‘Ok, I’m here and I’m done’. Roll On Q2. We went out later than I expected in Q2, and I did my lap, came in and thought ‘nah no one is gonna do it at the end’. Next thing we’re rolling out again, I’m like ‘we’re going and I gotta put another one together now, I’ve got another chance’. I put together a good one there, I’m so stoked. Can’t complain, starting first and I got myself a new watch!”

Moto3™ front row

1 Darryn Binder – Petronas Sprinta Racing – Honda – 2:04.075
2 Izan Guevara – GASGAS Gaviota Aspar Team – GASGAS – +0.203
3 John McPhee – Petronas Sprinta Racing – Honda – +0.283

 

MotoGP: Vinales Stunner at Rd1, Qatar, report: all classes

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PB
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We wanted fireworks, and we got them. The first race of the 2021 FIM MotoGP™ World Championship was a cracker at the Barwa Grand Prix of Qatar as Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP’s Maverick Vinales unleashed a stunning race to claim victory.

The number 12 climbed his way through the pack to eventually beat second place Johann Zarco (Pramac Racing) by just over a second, with the Frenchman and Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) then pipping reigning World Champion Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar) on the run to the line to complete the podium on the opening night.

The start of the race was something to behold for Ducati. Bagnaia, Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team), Zarco and Jorge Martin (Pramac Racing) – the latter from 14th on the grid – all propelled themselves to the front as Ducati once again proved themselves holeshot heroes, with Martin’s launch especially making some serious headlines as the rookie joined his fellow GP21 riders inside the top four. Fabio Quartararo and Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP teammate Viñales got a little swamped off the line, forced to tuck in behind the Borgo Panigale invasion at the front.

Bagnaia had held on in the lead ahead of Miller, Zarco and Martin, before Zarco then slipstreamed Miller down the home straight and grabbed P2 off the Australian. After sluggish starts, the two factory Yamahas were regrouping though and soon found their way past high-flying rookie Martin on Lap 3. Just behind, Valentino Rossi (Petronas Yamaha SRT) was scrapping away with Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) and World Champion Mir, the GSX-RR duo getting past The Doctor and starting to hound Martin.

Up top, the leading five were line astern. Quartararo and Vinales were attached to the back of Miller, good news for two Yamahas, as Pecco kept it steady in the lead. Quartararo wasn’t messing around, however, and El Diablo dived up the inside of Miller at Turn 15. The Ducati blasted by on the straight again but sensational work on the brakes allowed the Yamaha man to take and hold P3.

A couple of laps later, Vinales decided to pounce on Miller too. Turn 10 was the Spaniard’s chosen point and Miller then found himself down in P5 – was he struggling, or playing the long game? Meanwhile, In free air, Rins was reeling in the leaders and was soon right up behind Miller as well. Vinales was the man starting to look impatient though, right up behind Quartararo…

The lead group, covered by 1.4 seconds, was over two seconds up the road from seventh place Mir and by 12 laps to go, Vinales was up into P3 and immediately bridged the few tenths gap to Zarco. And with 11 to go, Vinales dived up the inside of the Pramac Racing rider for P2 and showed a wheel to race leader Bagnaia, most definitely meaning business. Just behind, Rins had also got the better of Quartararo and as the race entered the halfway stage, Mir and Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) were now tagged onto the back of the number 20 Yamaha too.

Vinales and Yamaha’s strengths in the middle of the corners were clear to see, and Turn 10 was once more was the chosen passing place for Top Gun VInales. For the first time, the race leader wasn’t Pecco as Vinales struck on Lap 15, but the top eight riders were still covered by just 2.3 seconds. With Pol Espargaro (Repsol Honda Team) in P9 just 3.5 seconds from the lead as well, could the number 12 Yamaha pull away from the group?

It was a half second lead with six to go, as behind Zarco drafted Bagnaia for P2 into Turn 1 and Mir passed Miller to grab fifth. With five laps to go though, Vinales and Zarco were starting to break clear and Top Gun had eked out the lead to a 0.7 second advantage as Zarco, in turn, held a second over Bagnaia. Behind the latter, Mir was now ahead of teammate Rins for P4 as well. But Vinales was checking out and the gap seemed to shoot out to 1.6 seconds not long after, leaving the podium fight in the dust. Battle mode: engaged.

The podium scrap, meanwhile, was in full flow. Mir, at Turn 6, stuck his Suzuki up the inside of Bagnaia’s Ducati and suddenly, it seemed second place Zarco was under threat as well. As the last lap dawned, Mir was desperately trying to find a way past the number 5 but the Suzuki rider had to be patient. The move came though as the reigning Champion struck at the penultimate corner, leaving just one more apex and a run to the line standing between Mir and a phenomenal podium. The two Ducatis were about to prove just how quick they were in a straight line though, and as the Suzuki went ever so slightly wide at the final corner, Zarco and Bagnaia unleashed their grunt towards the flag – and just, just pipped Mir to the rostrum.

Vinales had already crossed the line well ahead of the squabble to start 2021 in style, however, winning at Losail for the second time and in a different manner to his 2017 victory. Zarco took second as top Independent and top Ducati, with Bagnaia debuting in full factory red on the podium in third and Mir just missing out.

Quartararo crossed the line three seconds behind his teammate in P5 as the Frenchman got the better of Rins by just three tenths, and two and a half seconds further down the road, Aleix Espargaro put Aprilia right in the battle with a fantastic P7. Aleix also beat younger brother Pol by just 0.056s as the latter put in an impressive debut with the Repsol Honda Team.

Miller, meanwhile, was forced to settle for ninth. The number 43 slid backwards in the latter stages and crossed the line back from where he would have wanted, looking to bounce back next weekend. Top rookie honours went the way of reigning Moto2™ World Champion Enea Bastianini (Esponsorama Racing) in tenth as just nine seconds split the Italian from the race win and he debuted in the top ten.

Stefan Bradl (Repsol Honda Team) did another top job standing in for Marc Marquez, the German finished P11 and leading 12th place Rossi across the line. Not the race The Doctor will have been looking for from P4 on the grid as he and teammate Franco Morbidelli suffered a very difficult evening – the latter finishing outside the points in P18 after an issue throughout. Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) was the leading KTM rider in P13, with teammate Brad Binder and fast-starting Martin picking up the remaining points on offer in P14 and P15.

Maverick Vinales: “Honestly I felt unbelievable. Actually the start didn’t go so well, I had a lot of wheelie. So it’s something we need to work on. But after that I felt the potential, I was taking everything with calm and saving the tyres for a good moment. I tried to be smart and calm, and chose the right place to push. Finally I opened a gap and I was trying to control the tyre and manage the power. Overall, so good. It was a fantastic weekend, just to say thank you to my really close family, now my wife… as you know we’re expecting a baby and you know, these results are amazing, everything is good and we’re really blessed. Just thank you.”

MotoG podium (Full results here)
1 Maverick Vinales – Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP – Yamaha – 42:28.663
2 Johann Zarco* – Pramac Racing – Ducati – +1.092
3 Francesco Bagnaia – Ducati Lenovo Team – Ducati – +1.129

Moto2 Race
Sam Lowes (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) became the first British rider to win an opening round Grand Prix since the great Barry Sheene in 1979 after producing a faultless ride at the Barwa Grand Prix of Qatar. The polesitter kept a hard-charging Remy Gardner (Red Bull KTM Ajo) at bay as the Australian takes P2 from Round 1, with Fabio Di Giannantonio (Federal Oil Gresini Moto2) coming out on top in a last lap duel with Marco Bezzecchi (SKY Racing Team VR46) to hand Gresini Racing an emotional podium.

A lightning start from Row 2 saw Bezzecchi grab the holeshot, with both Lowes and Raul Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo) slow from P1 and P2 as third place Bo Bendsneyder (Pertamina Mandalika SAG Team) slotted into P2. Lowes soon got past a wide Fernandez at Turn 1 to recover to P3, and the Brit then made light work of Bendsneyder at Turn 6. Fellow Brit Jake Dixon (Petronas Sprinta Racing) was also on the move, up into P5 from P10 on the grid.

Lap 2 saw Raul Fernandez also pass Bendsneyder for third place as the leading eight riders locked horns. Lowes then showed a wheel to Bezzecchi at Turn 6, and by Turn 1 on Lap 3, the British rider was through and leading. Seventh place Gardner set the fastest lap of the race though, with the Australian fighting hard to move through and give chase. Raul Fernandez was also swarming all over the back of Bezzecchi, and making a Turn 1 move stick on Lap 4.

Fernandez’s teammate Gardner, though, was the man on the move. The Australian slipped by Dixon for P4 but a small error then saw Gardner lose the time he’d made up, he was back down to P5. Sixth place Di Giannantonio was then wide at the final corner, and the Italian slipped to P8 as Lowes set the fastest lap of the race.

Fernandez was soon back to within a couple of tenths of the race leader though, Lowes making a mistake somewhere to allow the rookie to close him in. Meanwhile, a regrouped Gardner was now back ahead of Dixon and set the fastest lap of the race again, with Bezzecchi soon enjoying the number 87 for close company. With 13 to go, Gardner struck at Turn 4 and made a move stick on Bezzecchi.

With 12 to go, Fernandez was losing touch on Lowes and Gardner sensed it. The latter was through on his teammate and now had 1.2 seconds to bridge if he wanted to win his second Moto2™ race in succession, but Lowes had something in hand and set the fastest lap of the Grand Prix – a 1:59.529 – to keep his margin comfortable if not yet dominant.

A few laps passed by with stalemate, and the gap remained at just under one and a half seconds between the leading duo. Raul Fernandez continued to keep his teammate honest too, with Bezzecchi sitting 1.2 seconds behind the young Spaniard as Di Giannantonio, Joe Roberts (Italtrans Racing Team) and Dixon squabbled right behind the podium fight.

Gardner, on Lap 13, set the fastest lap of the race, but Lowes set his personal best too and on the next lap, the race leader was three tenths quicker. Pin pulled, the gap was up to 1.6 seconds and it would only increase in increments from there.

With three laps to go, it was two seconds and the top two seemed settled, but the battle for the podium was in full swing. Bezzecchi tucked in behind Raul Fernandez down the home straight and took third place away from the star rookie, with Di Giannantonio then on the scene and making it a six-wheel scrap for the podium. The Italian followed compatriot Bezzecchi through and locked his radar onto third…

Up the road, Lowes had a comfortable 2.2 second lead over Gardner and cruised to his first win of the year in style, with the Australian forced to settle for the 20 points but happy enough to do so this time. The final place on the podium was between the two Italians and Di Giannantonio sliced up the inside of Bezzecchi at Turn 11, a classy move pulled off, and Diggia held it on the drag to the line by 0.013s to hand himself and Gresini an emotional rostrum. The first for Gresini Racing in Moto2™ since Lowes in 2016 at the Aragon GP, and a fitting way to remember the late, great Fausto Gresini.

Bezzecchi lost out on a rostrum by the slimmest of margins but a P4 is a solid start to the year. Fernandez couldn’t hold onto a podium place in his first Moto2™ race but it was nevertheless a phenomenal ride from the Spaniard, who took fifth and beat Roberts by 0.6 seconds as the American put in a solid ride to pull out a couple of seconds on Dixon by the flag in sixth. The Brit forced to settle for seventh, ahead of Marcel Schrötter (Liqui Moly Intact GP) as the German eventually got the better of Bendsneyder. The German, Dutchman was followed home by Jorge Navarro (MB Conveyors Speed Up) as the two completed the top ten.

11th place went to Cameron Beaubier (American Racing) as the American produced a fantastic debut Moto2™ race in a heated battle for the remaining point-scoring positions. Fellow rookie Celestino Vietti (SKY Racing Team VR46) also impressed as he lost out by just 0.142s to Beaubier and took P12, with both getting the better of the more experienced Aron Canet (Inde Aspar Team), Augusto Fernandez (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) and Tom Lüthi (Pertamina Mandalika SAG Team) – the latter trio completing the points.

Sam Lowes: “I’ve worked for this race the last few months doing the runs in practice and then I got in that position and stuck to what I’ve been doing, so this was nice. The crash in morning Warm Up didn’t really go to plan and this wind is strong, my style is a bit different to the other guys. I don’t really lean off so much so I’ve got a lot of surface area in corner entry and I was trying to stay low and get out the wind but it was a difficult race to not make a mistake. My pace was strong, I’m proud of myself and the team to start the year like this, it was a tough last ten laps but I’m really happy and we get to do it all again next week.”

Moto2 podium (Full results here)
1 Sam Lowes – Elf Marc VDS Racing Team – Kalex – 40:03.123
2 Remy Gardner – Red Bull KTM Ajo – Kalex – +2.260
3 Fabio Di Giannantonio – Federal Oil Gresini Moto2 – Kalex – +5.228

Moto3 Race
Moto3™ opened the season in style at the Barwa Grand Prix of Qatar as Jaume Masia (Red Bull KTM Ajo) fought off rookie sensation teammate Pedro Acosta and Petronas Sprinta Racing’s Darryn Binder for victory in the first race of the year, with less than a tenth covering the three over the line after a classic Moto3™ melee.

Off the line it was Binder who took the holeshot, with the number 40 getting the hammer down from pole position as a freight train immediately fired up behind him. There was early drama elsewhere on the grid for Romano Fenati (Sterilgarda Max Racing Team) though as the Italian jumped the start, and not long after that Dennis Foggia’s (Leopard Racing) race came to an end at Turn 3 as the Italian had contact from Carlos Tatay (Avintia Esponsorama Moto3). Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Tech3) then went down at Turn 6, but at the front the battle raged on.

Binder retained the lead but the insane slipstream effect was seen on the front straight as five riders shot past the South African before Turn 1, with Gabriel Rodrigo (Indonesian Racing Gresini Moto3) taking the lead in a gaggle of 10 riders. By Lap 3 there was more drama, however, as fast-starting rookie Xavier Artigas (Leopard Racing) overcooked it. After an incredible start it came to an early end and, unfortunately, three other riders fell foul of the Spaniard’s mistake: John McPhee (Petronas Sprinta Racing), Andrea Migno (Rivacold Snipers Team) and Jeremy Alcoba (Indonesian Racing Gresini Moto3). Artigas was given a double long lap penalty to serve next time out.

Despite that crash, there remained 14 riders covered by just two seconds and the lead, mostly on the run into Turn 1, was changing every single lap. Friday pacesetter Kaito Toba (CIP Green Power) was one of the riders up front as he and Binder had a nice little scrap on Lap 9, and rookie sensations Izan Guevara (GASGAS Gaviota Aspar) and Acosta were battling it out in the group alongside the likes of Masia, Sergio Garcia (GASGAS Gaviota Aspar), Rodrigo, Ayumu Sasaki (Red Bull KTM Tech3) and Tatsuki Suzuki (SIC58 Squadra Corse) – the latter, incredibly, from the very back of the grid.

With eight laps to go, Masia and Acosta were leading the way but the ever-present Binder was getting his elbows out. The South African and Rodrigo came into slight contact a couple of times but with seven to go, a potentially costly mistake from Rodrigo saw the Argentine run wide at Turn 2, with replays showing he rubbed wheels with Masia in a close call. He was soon back in the fight but had work to do.

Lap 13 then saw Binder return to P1 for the first time in a good handful of laps, but Masia bit back at Turn 6 on the same lap. Then, Acosta followed his teammate through to shove Binder back to P3. 13 riders, with six laps to go, were racing just 1.6 seconds apart. Sasaki was now leading heading into the last four laps but yet again, the slipstream effect was like shuffling the deck and Acosta was back up in P1, with teammate Masia tucked in behind.

By three to go, Sasaki, Binder and Masia was the top three but any one of 13 riders could still count themselves as in the fight for the win. Rodrigo was back up into fourth after his earlier error and Sasaki enjoyed a lap a the front, but the Japanese star was swamped at the end of the straight, shuffled to P7 and Masia back in front from Binder and Rodrigo.

Nearing the final lap, Niccolo Antonelli (Avintia Esponsorama Moto3) had shot up from the group to lead but it didn’t last for the experienced Italian and former Qatar winner. Masia slipstreamed back to lead into Turn 1 for the final lap, and drama then suddenly hit for a key contender as Sasaki’s race ended with a heart-breaking crash at Turn 2. After that, a gap formed between the leading three and the chasing pack, and it was seemingly Masia vs Acosta vs Binder for victory. And so it played out. Into the final corner the number 5 had just enough breathing space, but with Acosta and Binder so close behind it would come down to the run to the line.

Binder, slightly deep into the last corner, had a two-bike slipstream but Masia was able to keep both Acosta and Binder behind him to take the first 25 points of 2021. A brilliant ride from the Spaniard and an equally outstanding effort from reigning Red Bull Rookies Cup winner Acosta to take a maiden Grand Prix podium in his World Championship debut. Binder was satisfied with P3, a fantastic way to open his account with Petronas Sprinta Racing as the South African settles into life on a Honda.

Garcia claimed P4 after just losing touch with the podium battle on the final lap, but the Spaniard finished just 0.435s from the win. Rodrigo recovered well to salvage P5, ahead of Antonelli in a solid sixth. Guevara may have lost out in the battle of the rookies to Acosta this time around, but finishing under a second from victory in P7 was a terrific job by the current FIM Moto3™ Junior World Champion. Tatsuki Suzuki, who missed testing due to illness, took eighth to impress too – up from the very back.

Toba and Jason Dupasquier (CarXpert PrüstelGP) completed the top 10 as the latter picks up his best Grand Prix finish yet, with Romano Fenati recovering to P11. Tatay after a Long Lap for cauing a collision, Filip Salač (Rivacold Snipers Team), Ryusei Yamanaka (CarXpert PrüstelGP) and Maximilian Kofler (CIP Green Power) were the remaining point scorers in Qatar.

Jaume Masia: “I’m very happy for this win, we confirmed our potential and the work done in winter. It was not easy to manage this race, a lot of wind in the fast corners and when I exited first onto the straight I arrived at Turn 1 in fifth or sixth which was difficult. I kept my mind as calm as possible and tried to keep focused on the last laps and not make any mistakes. I did the last lap in first, I tried to push more and do a good clean lap without mistakes. In the end I didn’t know 100% if I could cross the line first but finally I did and I want to thank my team and family for the support. We will see in the next races!”

Moto3 podium (Full results here)
1 Jaume Masia – Red Bull KTM Ajo – KTM – 38:29.620
2 Pedro Acosta – Red Bull KTM Ajo – KTM – +0.042
3 Darryn Binder – Petronas Sprinta Racing – Honda – +0.094

MotoGP™ pays tribute to Fausto Gresini with a minute of silence at Losail

Ahead of the opening races of the 2021 season, the FIM MotoGP™ World Championship paddock gathered together to observe a minute’s silence in honour of the late, great Fausto Gresini. The Italian sadly passed away before the start of the season and will be greatly missed.

MotoGP Race Report: Quartararo Wins At Doha

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Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) put in a stunner at the TISSOT Grand Prix of Doha, making 2021 a clean sweep for Yamaha so far and heading up the first ever French 1-2 in the premier class as he pulled clear of the chasing pack at the perfect time.

Compatriot Johann Zarco (Pramac Racing) took second as he duelled rookie teammate and polesitter Jorge Martin to the line, the Frenchman making history for his nation and waves in the standings as he takes over the Championship lead. Martin, meanwhile, makes his own waves as the rookie led much of the race from a spectacular start, coming home third for his first premier class podium only second time out. Behind the three, there was plenty of drama too… and it was the closest top 15 in history!

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Martin kept his nerve off the line and shot off to lead around Turn 1, the Spaniard unaware that he’d actually be staying there for the majority of the race as his incredible Sunday began as it meant to go on. Behind him, Zarco slotted into second but Qatar GP winner Maverick Viñales (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) went backwards, and Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) propelled himself from P12 to P4 in an absolutely stunning start. Both Suzukis got away very well too, as did third place Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) but it wasn’t a good start for the factory Ducati Lenovo Team riders or Quartararo. Jack Miller and Francesco Bagnaia even found themselves in the lower ends of the top 10…

Martin held his nerve at the front though and a MotoGP™ freight train followed him over the line as Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) got the better of Oliveira to sit behind the leading Pramac duo. World Champion Joan Mir on the second Team Suzuki Ecstar machine then chucked it up the inside of Quartararo at Turn 6 as the riders got very close for comfort in the opening exchanges, with Viñales, Quartararo, Miller and Bagnaia scrapping for 7th with Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), and Rins hounding Zarco further forward.

The number 42 and Zarco kept interchanging P2, and just when Rins thought he’d got the job done, the Ducati blasted back by on the straight. Next up to try and carve through was Bagnaia as the Italian moved his way up into P5, soaring past Mir on the straight, with Miller soon following his teammate through by doing the exact same thing: wringing the neck of his GP21 on the front straight as Aleix Espargaro slipped to P7.

Approaching half race distance, Martin was still leading, and looking as cool, calm and collected as ever. Just behind him though, tensions were starting to reach boiling point in the heat of the desert. Turn 10 saw Mir make a close move on Miller, contact made between the two, and the Ducati was wide. Rins, after a front end scare at Turn 9, then had another moment at the final corner before another flash between Miller and Mir grabbed the spotlight back. Coming onto the front straight, the two clashed – and plummeted as they lost drive. The incident was investigated, but no action taken.

But Martin rolled on, and by now Quartararo was up to P4 behind the rookie in the lead, Zarco and Bagnaia. Rins almost found a way past the number 20 on Lap 15 but it wasn’t to be and with seven to go, it was still impossible to call. Miller was P6 with Viñales P7, Mir was trying to find a way past eighth place Aleix Espargaro and Pol Espargaro (Repsol Honda Team), Binder and Enea Bastianini (Avintia Esponsorama Racing) were gaining.

With seven to go, Quartararo cut past Bagnaia at Turn 15 but the Italian bit straight back on the straight. At Turn 1 it came undone, however, as the Ducati headed well wide and dropped from third to seenth – as Pol Espargaro also overcooked it and sailed into the run off. Both were able to slot back in, and at least kept in touch as just nine seconds covered the top 18.

The final five laps dawned and it remained the rookie steadfast in the lead, with Zarco on his tail. Just behind, Miller picked up Quartararo, but the Frenchman cut back to hold onto a vital third as the time to push was nigh. Viñales knew that too, slicing past Rins for fifth, but it was the number 20 Yamaha making up more ground this time around as Quartararo struck for second and dispatched Zarco, then soon past Martin and into the lead.

The course of anyone vs Ducati down the main straight never did run smooth, however, and Martin sailed back past. The answer was always going to come quick though and Quartararo hit back at Turn 3, into the lead and with a little more time to try and break clear of the Borgo Panigale grunt. The lead was soon half a second, and Viñales was stuck duelling Rins as his teammate got the hammer down.

As the last lap dawned, Quartararo’s lead was 0.7 seconds and it was El Diablo’s to lose, with Martin leading Zarco in the fight to complete the podium. Viñales ran wide at Turn 1, allowing Rins to slide on through in the battle for P4 too, so it looked like two Frenchmen and a rookie on the podium – but in what order?

Quartararo kept it pitch perfect to hammer round Losail for the last time in 2021, pulling out a few more tenths to cross the line for his first factory Yamaha win by a second and a half. Behind him, it was war at Pramac, but a clean war. Martin held it onto the last lap but Zarco struck at Turn 15, muscling past and making it stick. The number 89 flashed out to have a look at the final corner, but the rookie thought against it and it went down to the drag to the line – decided by just 0.043. Zarco takes it and the Championship lead, and Martin is forced to settle for third, if delight at an incredible first premier class podium can be called settling.

In the battle for fourth, Rins held on as he and Viñales tussled it out, the Spaniards separated by just 0.022 seconds at the flag. Bagnaia was a further half a second behind the Spanish duel, the Italian taking P6 after looking to threaten a little more earlier in the race. Mir eventually came home in P7 after a heated race, the reigning Champion losing out after the incident with Miller.

Binder cemented a brilliant P8 for himself and KTM as the South African stalked his way up to the Austrian factory’s best result at Losail by some margin. Miller took a tougher P9 for the second race in a row at Losail. The Aussie also said he was suffering arm pump and that’s first on his post-Qatar agenda. Aleix Espargaro completes the top ten, which isn’t where he started but it’s still closer than Aprilia have been before to the front after another impressive race.

Bastianini recovered from a more difficult qualifying to finish just 5.550 seconds adrift of the win in P11 in another memorable day from the reigning Moto2™ World Champion. He beat compatriot Franco Morbidelli (Petronas Yamaha SRT) by two tenths. Pol Espargaro, after his Turn 1 excursion, took P13 ahead of HRC test rider Stefan Bradl (Repsol Honda Team). Oliveira slipped down the order to pick up the last point after his stunning start.

And so, history is made. 8.928 second is the gap between winner Quartararo and 15th place Oliveira in the closest top 15 finish we’ve ever seen, with Doha delivering a stunner under the floodlights. Zarco heads to Europe with 40 points at the top of the standings, with Quartararo and Viñales on 36 points apiece but classified in that order. What will Portimao bring? We don’t have to wait long to find out!

Fabio Quartararo: “I’ve not won a lot of races but this one was such a special win. I came from eighth or seventh, and I saw the pace and track were totally different from FP4 and Warm Up and I decided to really keep the tyre for the end. Actually, when I saw Maverick coming I thought ‘ok now is the moment to push and start to overtake’. It’s such an amazing moment for me, it’s a dream. I always dreamed of winning in Qatar, unfortunately it was not the first but the second! Thanks to everyone who believed in me, I’ve worked a lot in this preseason to achieve this goal and the media always tell me it’s extra pressure to take the place of Valentino! I want to thank my family, Yamaha, my friends, and I’ll enjoy this moment with a nice McDonalds tonight!”

MotoGP™ podium (Full Results Here)

1 Fabio Quartararo – Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP – Yamaha – 42:23.997
2 Johann Zarco* – Pramac Racing – Ducati – +1.457
3 Jorge Martin* – Pramac Racing – Ducati – +1.500

Moto2
Sam Lowes (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) leaves Losail with a clean sweep after his second victory in as many weekends, the Brit impressing once again to become the first British rider to win the opening two races of an intermediate class campaign since Mike Hailwood did it in 1966.

Quite a stat, but the sailing wasn’t perfectly smooth as Remy Gardner (Red Bull KTM Ajo) was his key challenger once again, this time around even closer than the first. The Aussie pushed the number 22 to the wire, and just lost out by two tenths after hanging back from being too optimistic at the final corner despite temptation. In third, rookie sensation Raul Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo) turned his increasing experience into his first Moto2™ podium after another impressive ride.

Marco Bezzecchi (Sky Racing Team VR46) took the holeshot after some shuffling off the line, with Lowes in second and Gardner third. Raul Fernandez was a little wide and had to settle for fourth, but the quartet in the lead immediately started to haul Kalex and make a gap back to the chasing pack led by Aron Canet (Solunion Aspar Team).

Heading onto Lap 4, the lead changed. Lowes tucked in behind Bezzecchi on the straight and made a Turn 1 move stick, and the Brit put the pedal to the metal to move half a second clear. But Gardner, seeing Lowes getting into his groove, started making moves too and just about scraped past Fernandez after losing out to his teammate.

Bezzecchi soon went from P2 to P4 as both Red Bull KTM Ajos drafted the Italian and set their sights on Lowes, who wasn’t pulling any further clear. Soon enough, Gardner was hounding the Brit, and Raul Fernandez and Bezzecchi were just waiting in the wings…

By Lap 13, Lowes was asking questions of Gardner, although Raul Fernandez was still sticking with the two elder Moto2™ statesmen. Bezzecchi was losing touch though, the Italian 1.5 seconds back from Raul Fernandez. With six to go, it looked like it was Lowes vs Red Bull KTM Ajo for victory under the lights.

The fastest lap of the race, a 1:59.131, was then set by Gardner as the race entered the final five laps. 0.7s split the trio, of which only 0.2s sat between Lowes and Gardner. The Qatar race winner looked to have the edge in the opening half of the lap, the Qatar GP runner-up looked quicker in the latter. But there was still no change though with three laps to go as a trio of 1:59.1s for Gardner still wasn’t enough. Raul Fernandez was clinging on, but the Spaniard was 0.7s away from his teammate’s tailpipes as the leaders swept over the line.

Lowes responded to Gardner’s pressure, but the Australian always seemed to find an answer in return. Heading into the latter half of the last lap, it was now or never and Gardner was right up behind Lowes. Coming out of Turn 14, they were closer than ever. The number 87 looked tempted as he looked down the inside, but no move came there or just after and it was down to the final corner and drag to the line. Lowes braked late into Turn 16, Gardner tried to get on the gas early but the number 22 got the power down. The Brit took the chequered flag 0.190s ahead after a classic game of chess, and both riders set their best laps on the last lap… Gardner’s the fastest of the race.

Raul Fernandez lost touch in the end but it was nevertheless a phenomenal ride from the rookie to claim his maiden Moto2™ podium, turning promise last weekend to an even bigger delivery of results this time out. Bezzecchi eventually had a lonely ride home to P4 and a podium evades one of the pre-season favourites, but he has never loved Doha.

Behind that leading quartet, rookie Ai Ogura (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) put in a stunner as he shot up the timesheets second time out in Moto2™. Battling with the best of them, the Japanese rider just beat Augusto Fernandez (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) to fifth place and will now have his sights set on even more in Portimao. Augusto Fernandez, after a tougher start to the year, will also be happier with a top six.

Yet another rookie in the form of Celestino Vietti (Sky Racing Team VR46) picked up a second consecutive point-scoring ride, taking an impressive P7. Stefano Manzi (Flexbox HP40) was just 0.029s behind his fellow VR46 Academy member in P8, with Xavi Vierge (Petronas Sprinta Racing) picking up a P9 from P19 on the grid. He beats 10th place Fabio Di Giannantonio (Federal Oil Gresini Moto2) by six tenths as Diggia faded after an initial charge.

Rookie Tony Arbolino (Liqui Moly Intact GP) was 11th for his first Moto2™ points, and the Italian led Bo Bendsneyder (Pertamina Mandalika SAG Team), Jorge Navarro (MB Conveyors Speed Up), Lorenzo Dalla Porta (Italtrans Racing Team) and reigning Moto3™ World Champion Albert Arenas (Solunion Aspar Team) over the line.

Cameron Beaubier (American Racing), Tom Lüthi (Pertamina Mandalika SAG Team) and Aron Canet crashed out on their own, with Jake Dixon (Petronas Sprinta Racing) and Marcel Schrötter (Liqui Moly Intact GP) crashing out together at the final corner. Joe Roberts (Italtrans Racing Team) also crashed out from the battle behind the top four.

Moto2™ podium (Full Results Here)

1 Sam Lowes – Elf Marc VDS Racing Team – Kalex – 39:52.702
2 Remy Gardner – Red Bull KTM Ajo – Kalex – +0.190
3 Raul Fernandez – Red Bull KTM Ajo – Kalex – +3.371

Moto3
From pitlane to the top step had never been done before in Moto3™, but it has now. A stunning ride from rookie – yes, rookie – Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Ajo) saw the Spaniard put in the work from pitlane reeling in the freight train, fight his way through it and then pull the pin on the final two laps to just escape the clutches of Darryn Binder (Petronas Sprinta Racing) and take his first ever win in imperious style.

Initially it was Gabriel Rodrigo (Indonesian Racing Gresini Moto3) off out front, but Binder struck quick to take the lead on Lap 1, somewhere the South African is becoming more and more comfortable. It was a huge freight train, however, with Acosta 10 seconds off the lead as the seven riders in pitlane got out on track and the melee only just beginning. Tatsuki Suzuki (SIC58 Squadra Corse) led next, with Kaito Toba (CIP Green Power) getting in the mix alongside Andrea Migno (Rivacold Snipers Team), teammate Filip Salač and Qatar GP winner Jaume Masia (Red Bull KTM Ajo).

The first drama then hit for John McPhee (Petronas Sprinta Racing) not long after as the Scot got contact from rookie Izan Guevara (GASGAS Gaviota Aspar Team), but he got back into the freight train although outside the points.

On Acosta watch, the Spaniard was doing the majority of the legwork to catch the leaders, followed by fellow pitlane starters Sergio Garcia (GASGAS Gaviota Aspar Team) and Romano Fenati (Sterilgarda Max Racing Team) as the three took huge chunks out of the gap in between themselves and the huge group at the front. It was clear they’d make it, but when?

The answer was: seven laps to go. Acosta arrived and immediately began to conquer too, making short work of the first few riders as he sliced his way into the top ten. And from there, he only pushed forward. By three to go, he’d cracked the top five, and over the line to start the last lap the number 37 had muscled his way into the lead. Could he hold it? 

Pulling the pin and pushing to the limit, the rookie sensation kept his head as the Jaws music intensified from Binder; the South African gaining and gaining round that final lap. Over the line there was almost nothing it in, but history was made: the first ever Moto3™ winner from pitlane. If last week’s debut podium was impressive, the word for this week’s debut win is a few miles further into superlatives.

For Binder, second is a solid results as he retains his 100% podium record this season, the South African looking unflappable and like a serious contender. Behind him, Antonelli fought through on the final lap too, going from sixth to third as he pipped Migno, Toba and Izan Guevara.

There was then a small gap back behind the rookie number 28, with some serious drama ricocheting for key frontrunners: Jeremy Alcoba (Indonesian Racing Gresini Moto3) got it all wrong at Turn 1 and hit Binder, although the South African escaped, but Alcoba’s optimistic move then saw him swipe out McPhee on the way to the gravel. Riders ok, moods very much not and the ensuing scuffle earning both pitlane start and time penalties for Portugal, as well as a fine each.

Ayumu Sasaki (Red Bull KTM Tech 3) got some redemption after a difficult qualifying as he took seventh at the head of the next group, the Japanese rider impressing despite what was deemed a racing incident with Salač that saw the Czech rider crash out. Ryusei Yamanaka (CarXpert PrüstelGP) took eighth and was only hundredths off Sasaki, losing out to his compatriot at the line but taking his best GP finish by some margin. Almost equally close came the man in ninth, Masia, after some drama saw the Spaniard tangle with Rodrigo and both get sent wide.

A tenth behind Masia came Fenati as the veteran turned pitlane into a top ten, just getting the better of another solid performance from Jason Dupasquier (CarXpert PrüstelGP). Tatsuki Suzuki got pushed down to P12 in the end, wheading another group. Rodrigo was only a single thousandth back in P13, with Maximilian Kofler (CIP Green Power) and Yuki Kunii (Honda Team Asia) completing the points by tiny margins too.

Moto3™ podium (Full Results Here)

1 Pedro Acosta – Red Bull KTM Ajo – KTM – 38:22.430
2 Darryn Binder – Petronas Sprinta Racing – Honda – +0.039
3 Niccolo Antonelli – Avtintia Esponsorama Moto3 – KTM – +0.482

 

MotoGP Saturday: Martin storms to stunning maiden pole in Doha

By
PB
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Jorge Martin (Pramac Racing) achieved something special on Saturday at the TISSOT Grand Prix of Doha. After stealing the headlines early last Sunday with his stunning start, this time around it was a stunning qualifying session as the Spaniard took his first ever premier class pole position.

He joins an exclusive club in doing so for only his second MotoGP™ race, with the other members comprising only Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) and MotoGP™ Legend Casey Stoner, so the Pramac Racing rookie is in some fast company. Martin also has a tenth and a half in hand over teammate Johann Zarco as Pramac Racing made it a 1-2 on the grid for the Doha GP, with Maverick Viñales (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) taking third – as he did last week on his way to the win…

Stay up to date with MotoGP news here…

On a windy day in Doha, Q1 saw some big names fighting to move through, including – once again – reigning MotoGP™ World Champion Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar). But Mir got the job done and with a more clinical show of speed this time around, topping the session to head through alongside Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing). And so, the time to fight it out for pole was nigh.

As Q2 began, it was a familiar name making his presence felt. Martin put in a 1:53.892 straight out the traps to impress early, before Franco Morbidelli (Petronas Yamaha SRT) briefly deposed him. Shadowing Mir, however, Martin hit back quick with a 1:53.597 as Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) slotted himself into P2, just 0.017s behind Martin’s early benchmark.

After the first couple of flying laps, Martin, Quartararo and Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) was the provisional front row, with Morbidelli and the Ducati Lenovo Team duo of Francesco Bagnaia and Jack Miller on the second row with just over five minutes remaining. World Championship leader and Qatar GP winner Viñales was a whole nine tenths off in P9 – just behind Mir, who was down in P8. But soon the field rumbled back out for their second runs, and it was Viñales first on a mission. 

Despite a couple of moments for the number 12, he shot from P9 to P1 with under two minutes to go and it was clear there was more in the locker. Sure enough, Viñales was over a quarter of a second up on his next flying lap. He then nailed Sector 2, nailed Sector 3 and taking the chequered flag, the Qatar GP winner extended his advantage to 0.330s. 

Attention then turned to Martin, however, as the rookie was up by 0.015s in Sector 2. It was his final shot at it too, and he seemed the last rider on the roll needed to depose Viñales. In the final sector though, Zarco suddenly gained over two tenths to snatch provisional pole by an absolute whisker – 0.004s – but Martin wasn’t done yet. Out on his own without a tow, in classic Martin style, the new kid on the MotoGP™ block stormed across the line and did it. A tenth and a half clear, it was provisional pole with only Miller and Quartararo in the hunt. Could either spoil the party? Not quite. Firing their way to the chequered flag, neither worried the front row although both improved their times to grab P4 and P5 respectively.

A little history is therefore made in Doha as the ‘Martinator’ shows us how it’s done, with Zarco making it Saturday Night Fever for Pramac Racing in a 1-2 for the team. Viñales once again lines up P3 at Losail, and he’ll be looking to repeat his season opening feat – just maybe this time without the Ducati armada swamping everyone at the start.

Spearheading Row 2 is Miller, who will have wanted more but already proved how quickly he can make up that ground last week. The Australian also suffered a wobble in Q2, so a Row 2 start is a job well done. Quartararo’s fifth place was less than the Frenchman would have expected, but it’s another solid session for the number 20 to get back in the fight at the front. Sixth was another rider who would have wanted a little more after taking pole last week: Pecco Bagnaia. He’ll want to get the most from Ducati’s stellar starts and move up from there.

Leading the third row is Aleix Espargaro after another fantastic performance. With the Yamahas and Ducatis looking strong in Qatar, starting P7 – one place higher than last week – is yet another job well done for the Noale factory. Joining the Aprilia rider on Row 3, meanwhile, are both Team Suzuki Ecstar riders: Alex Rins sits 0.040s ahead of teammate Mir as the GSX-RR duo finish 0.6s shy from pole position. Judging by their progress last weekend on race day, there’s plenty to come from the Hamamatsu factory.

Rounding out the top 10 is Morbidelli, the Italian just 0.009s from the third row, with leading Honda rider Stefan Bradl (Repsol Honda Team) and fastest KTM Oliveira completing the Q2 graduates in P11 and P12 respectively. So where’s Valentino Rossi (Petronas Yamaha SRT)? P21 after one of the Doctor’s worst days at the office, so he’ll be looking for a lot more on Sunday.

That’s it from a history-making qualifying, and if Martin gets anything like the start he did last Sunday, then he’ll be into Turn 1 with a couple of hours in hand. He says he’s aiming for the top six though, whereas Zarco is very definitely aiming for the win from second. With Viñales exactly where he was last week though, will history repeat itself?

MotoGP™ front row (Full Results Here)

1 Jorge Martin* – Pramac Racing – Ducati – 1:53.106
2 Johann Zarco* – Pramac Racing – Ducati – +0.157
3 Maverick Viñales – Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP – Yamaha – +0.161

Moto2
Last weekend’s race winner Sam Lowes (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) once again brought his A-game to the table when it mattered at the TISSOT Grand Prix of Doha, with the British rider and Remy Gardner (Red Bull KTM Ajo) going head-to-head for pole position and the number 22 coming out on top.

Lowes’ 1:59.055 sees him head the grid by nearly a tenth and a half, but with Gardner in second on take two in the desert it’s the man who proved Lowes’ closest rival last weekend starting right alongside him. Another familiar face from the fight at the front in the Qatar GP, Marco Bezzecchi (Sky Racing Team VR46), completes the front row in P3.

There was early drama in Moto2™ Q1 as Xavi Vierge (Petronas Sprinta Racing) missed out on a place in the top four, with reigning Moto3™ World Champion Albert Arenas (Solunion Aspar Team) slamming in a personal best lap on his final flyer that was enough for P3. That demoted Vierge to P5 and out of Q2. Jorge Navarro (MB Conveyors Speed Up) topped the first part of qualifying with a 1:59.592 though, moving through ahead of Bo Bendsneyder (Pertamina Mandalika SAG Team), Arenas and Jake Dixon (Petronas Sprinta Racing).

Gardner was the early pacesetter once Q2 got underway, but the times were down on Q1’s best efforts. Red sectors then lit up the timing screens as a big reshuffle took place, with Aron Canet (Solunion Aspar Team) leading the field from Bendsneyder. Bezzecchi took control of the session next with a 1:59.736, but the times would tumble again.

Gardner hit back, Lowes did the same and Dixon made his way up into second. Raul Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo) soon split the Brits to grab P2, but the Free Practice pacesetter was three tenths down on Lowes – and just 0.002s ahead of Dixon. Fighting back, Bezzecchi slipped into P2 with just over two minutes left, before Gardner muscled his way back into second. A red second split then popped up for Gardner as Lowes backed out, so all eyes turned to the number 87…

Gardner was also up in Sector 3, but could he keep it going all the way to the line? Not quite! The Aussie just lost ground and despite improving his time, pole went to Lowes for the second week in a row. After Gardner started much further back on his way to second in the Qatar GP however, a front row is mission accomplished, as it is for Bezzecchi in P3.

Raul Fernandez ends his second Moto2™ qualifying session in P4, another fantastic job by the rookie, and he’s joined on Row 2 by Q1 graduate Dixon. A late charge from rookie Ai Ogura (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) seals a brilliant P6 for the Japanese rider as he makes a big leap up the timesheets on take two in Doha, even getting the better of third place Qatar GP finisher Fabio Di Giannantonio (Federal Oil Gresini Moto2) as the Italian is forced to head up Row 3. Joe Roberts (Italtrans Racing Team) and Canet slot in behind Diggia, with Augusto Fernandez (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) completing the top 10 in Q2.

Stefano Manzi (Flexbox HP 40), Arenas, Nicolo Bulega (Federal Oil Gresini Moto2), American rookie Cameron Beaubier (American Racing) and Bendsneyder complete the fastest 15 on Saturday.

Moto2™ front row (Full Results Here)

1 Sam Lowes – Elf Marc VDS Racing Team – Kalex – 1:59.055
2 Remy Gardner – Red Bull KTM Ajo – Kalex – +0.137
3 Marco Bezzecchi – Sky Racing Team VR46 – Kalex – +0.272

Moto3
He left it late but Qatar GP race winner Jaume Masia (Red Bull KTM Ajo) will start from pole at the TISSOT Grand Prix of Doha after a last dash to the top, the Spaniard taking it from Sergio Garcia (GASGAS Gaviota Aspar) by less than a tenth as the Championhip leader proved the only rider under the 2:06 mark.

Garcia was second quickest but will start from pitlane due to a penalty, with third quickest in Q2, Jeremy Alcoba (Indonesian Racing Gresini Moto3), therefore set to start second. His teammate Gabriel Rodrigo was fourth fastest but bumps up onto the front row.

The pitlane start penalties played their part deciding the Moto3™ grid even before qualifying did, with seven riders – including Garcia – given the punishment for their riding in FP2 on Friday evening. The rest are Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Ajo), Romano Fenati (Sterilgarda Max Racing Team), Dennis Foggia (Leopard Racing), Stefano Nepa (BOE Owlride), Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Tech 3) and Riccardo Rossi (BOE Owlride), with a few in Q2 and a few in Q1, complicating life somewhat for those looking to move through.

Once Q1 was underway though, it was the experienced head of Andrea Migno (Rivacold Snipers Team) who topped the first qualifying session with a 2:06.925, a tenth faster than Leopard Racing’s Dennis Foggia and Xavier Artigas. Jason Dupasquier (CarXpert PrüstelGP) got the job done to earn the final place in the top four and with the windy conditions making a big difference, slipstreaming – an ever-present factor in the lightweight class – was even more important than before.

Once they headed back out for Q2, Garcia was the early pacesetter but Migno was soon at the summit. The Italian, lapping with the Leopard duo and Dupasquier, then improved on his second lap to go over a tenth clear of Garcia with seven minutes to go. Izan Guevara (GASGAS Gaviota Aspar) was provisionally on the front row too, with the likes of John McPhee, his Petronas Sprinta Racing teammate Darryn Binder and World Championship leader Masia languishing outside the top 10.

The fun and games started as the riders headed out for their second runs though, with everything coming down to the final three minutes and a one-lap dash for the entire 18-strong field. As they thundered over the line, Garcia was the first to take to the top but almost immediately, Masia snatched it back by less than a tenth. Just behind them, Indonesian Racing Gresini Moto3 duo Alcoba and Gabriel Rodrigo were able to propel themselves to P3 and P4, with McPhee and Binder also improving in the same gaggle of riders. But no one could beat Masia’s laptime.

That leaves the Championship leader top of the pile in the perfect position to try and complete the double on Sunday, although pole is nearly two seconds off last week, the challenge was a different one in the conditions. Garcia heads for pitlane despite going second fastest, with Alcoba and Rodrigo therefore locking out the front row. 

Tatsuki Suzuki (SIC58 Squadra Corse) heads the second row, with Andrea Migno alongside him as the Italian slipped to sixth fastest but fifth on the grid. Last week’s polesitter Binder and teammate McPhee didn’t have the best Q2 but were P7 and P8, and both move up a place in the penalty shuffle: Binder completes Row 2 as McPhee spearheads Row 3.

Rookie Pedro Acosta was the ninth fastest man in Q2, but the Red Bull KTM Ajo rider also has a pitlane start so it’s two positions gained for those directly behind him. The first of those was 10th fastest Izan Guevara who will start eighth, ahead of Jason Dupasquier as the Q1 graduate was 11th quickest and moves up to complete the third row.

Moto3™ top three (Full Results Here)

1 Jaume Masia – Red Bull KTM Ajo – KTM – 2:05.913
2 Sergio Garcia – GASGAS Gaviota Aspar Team – GASGAS – +0.099
3 Jeremy Alcoba – Indonesian Racing Gresini Moto3 – Honda – +0.245

 

MotoGP Firday: Miller heads Ducati armada in Doha

By
PB
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0

Day 1 of the TISSOT Grand Prix of Doha saw one marque very much lay down a marker, with four Ducatis ending the day in the top five. The fastest was Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) as the Australian topped the timesheets, putting in a 1:53.145 to pull three tenths ahead of teammate Francesco Bagnaia in second.

Third went to Qatar GP podium finisher Johann Zarco (Pramac Racing), with the Frenchman less than a tenth further back and top Independent Team rider. His rookie teammate Jorge Martin impressed in fifth to make it that four out of five for Ducati, with only Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) able to spoil the Borgo Panigale party as he took fourth.

Stay up to date with MotoGP news here…

With conditions likely to make improvements difficult in the afternoon heat of FP3, gaining automatic entry to Q2 was the name of the game and that led to a classic last dash shootout at the end of FP2. First though, there was setup work to be done and after a couple of faster efforts from Bagnaia and Martin, most settled into working for the race. With just under 20 minutes to go, however, Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) shot first as the Japanese rider started making moves on brand-new rubber, taking over in P2 and less than a tenth away from Bagnaia.

Martin, not looking like a rookie at all on the GP21, then moved back into P3 with 15 minutes to go and it was game on for time attacks. The Spanish rookie then put in another impressive lap and improved his time to go P1, but the Pramac rider’s time at the summit lasted about five seconds as Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) then landed the first 1:53 of the day and we strapped in for a barnstorming final 13 or so minutes of action on Friday.

Quartararo soon demoted Rins to P2 before Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) moved the goalposts, a 1:53.646 putting the RS-GP rider nearly three tenths clear of the pack. Despite two mechanical issues in FP1, Franco Morbidelli (Petronas Yamaha SRT) next slotted himself into P2 before Miller, who was on a quick lap, stole the spotlight. Not for all the right reasons though, as the Australian was up with red sectors before having a huge moment out of Turn 14 that rattled him out the seat. He stayed on but headed into pitlane, down in P19 with only five minutes to go.

The turnaround was quick, however, and once back out Miller was firing on all cylinders. Half way around his flying lap, the number 43 was four tenths up and looking to lay down a serious benchmark, with the advantage only getting bigger in the latter half of the lap as Miller put himself 0.501s clear with a minute to go, luckily just avoiding the yellow flags waved for a Nakagami crash at Turn 7.

The final flying laps then saw plenty of movement, but none of it would be in front of Miller. Bagnaia, Zarco and Martin propelled themselves into the top five as the two Qatar podium finishers also avoided the yellow flags, this time for an Alex Marquez (LCR Honda Castrol) crash at the final corner. Further back on the road there was bad news for World Champion Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar) and nine-time World Champion Valentino Rossi (Petronas Yamaha SRT) too, with both needing to find time to break into the top 10… and both failing to find enough.

At the end of the shuffle then, it’s advantage Ducati with Miller, Bagnaia and Zarco at the top, with Jorge Martin hanging on to an impressive fifth. Quartararo slips into P4 as top Yamaha, with FP1 pacesetter Aleix Espargaro taking sixth despite not heading out for a final time attack, that first flier enough.

Morbidelli enjoyed a better evening to end up P7, and there were no issues for the Italian in FP2 as he got in some smoother sailing. Just 0.014 behind the Petronas Yamaha SRT rider is Rins, with the top eight covered by half a second. 

World Championship leader Maverick Viñales (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) only just squeezed into the top 10 in P9 with a late effort, with Marc Marquez’s replacement – and Honda test rider – Stefan Bradl (Repsol Honda Team) doing another fine job in P10 to break some hearts, not least those of Mir and Rossi. The reigning World Champion is P13, and Rossi exactly a tenth behind him in P14 as Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) and Danilo Petrucci (Tech3 KTM Factory Racing) slotted into 11th and 12th respectively.

With Saturday afternoon conditions likely to make a laptime harder to find, the likes of Mir and Rossi face a challenging Day 2 in Doha. Will they be heading through to Q1? Tune into MotoGP™ FP3 at 15:15 local time (GMT+3) to see if anyone is able to find improvements, before the fight for pole position gets underway at 20:00 local time.

MotoGP Friday Top Three (Full results here)

1 Jack Miller – Ducati Lenovo Team – Ducati – 1:53.145
2 Francesco Bagnaia – Ducati Lenovo Team – Ducati – +0.313
3 Johann Zarco* – Pramac Racing – Ducati – +0.392

Moto2
Raul Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo) continues to take the Moto2™ class by storm as the rookie ended Friday at the TISSOT Grand Prix of Doha over half a second clear of his rivals, a sensational 1:58.541 seeing the Spaniard pull clear of second-placed Fabio Di Giannantonio (Federal Oil Gresini Moto2). Fernandez’s teammate and Qatar GP podium finisher Remy Gardner (Red Bull KTM Ajo) completed the top three.

It didn’t take long for the times to immediately be quicker than a very warm FP1, and leading the way in the early stages were two rookies: Celestino Vietti (Sky Racing Team VR46) and Raul Fernandez. It didn’t last long though, as FP1 pacesetter Di Giannantonio stuck in a 1:59.058, with Joe Roberts (Italtrans Racing Team) and Marco Bezzecchi (Sky Racing Team VR46) joining the Italian in the top three.

The session was then fairly quiet in terms of improvements, with plenty of riders figuring out race settings rather than searching for a quick lap time. The ever-impressive Raul Fernandez then went two tenths quicker than Sam Lowes’ (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) pole time from last weekend with just under four minutes to go though, a lap that put him over half a second clear of the pack. Ai Ogura (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) made it two rookies inside the top five too as there were a few movers down the bottom end of the top 14, but no one was troubling Raul Fernandez at the top.

The young Spaniard remained over half a second clear of Di Giannantonio to head into qualifying day as the rider to beat and by some distance, with Qatar GP podium finisher Diggia enjoying a good day at the office to take P2. Gardner beat fourth place Bezzecchi by just 0.020s, and then it’s only 0.005s back to fifth place Roberts as the timesheets got incredibly tight. Two more rookies impressed next up, with sixth-placed Ogura and eighth-placed Vietti sandwiching World Championship leader Lowes as the Qatar GP winner ended the day in seventh.

Marcel Schrötter (Liqui Moly Intact GP) and Nicolo Bulega (Federal Oil Gresini Moto2) – despite an early crash at Turn 6 – were able to comfortably grab places in the all-important top 14 as they complete the top ten, with those provisionally on for a place in Q2 concluded by Stefano Manzi (Flexbox HP 40), Aron Canet (Solunion Aspar Team), Augusto Fernandez (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) and rookie Cameron Beaubier (American Racing), who recovered from a small tumble in FP1.

That means some big name riders may miss out on an automatic place in Q2, with conditions likely to be more difficult for a time attack in FP3. Petronas Sprinta Racing pair Xavi Vierge and Jake Dixon are two of those, with Somkiat Chantra (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia), Jorge Navarro (MB Conveyors Speed Up), Tom Lüthi (Pertamina Mandalika SAG Team) and his teammate Bo Bendsneyder also having tricky Friday evenings.

Moto2™ Top Three (Full results here)

1 Raul Fernandez – Red Bull KTM Ajo – Kalex – 1:58.541
2 Fabio Di Giannantonio – Federal Oil Gresini Moto2 – Kalex – +0.517
3 Remy Gardner – Red Bull KTM Ajo – Kalex – +0.647

Moto3
With an automatic slot in Q2 on their minds, the Moto3™ field left it late to try and make one last dash count in FP2 at the TISSOT Grand Prix of Doha… but many didn’t even make it to the line in time. That left Darryn Binder (Petronas Sprinta Racing) on top of the pile, although the South African held onto it by 0.040 ahead of Sergio Garcia (GASGAS Gaviota Aspar Team) as the Spaniard just made it over the line to improve.

Pretty good conditions welcomed Moto3™ back on track at Losail International Circuit, and after a scorching FP1 it all came down to pushing for that laptime in FP2. Binder did just that to put in a time around seven tenths off his Qatar GP pole lap, with quiet then falling in the final few minutes as the field filed back into pitlane. Filing back out, however, is where the idea of a last dash came undone as many didn’t manage to cross the line in time to set that final fast lap. The result? A few key names out of position, including Dennis Foggia (Leopard Racing) set to miss the cut in P15 and Qatar GP frontrunner Ayumu Sasaki (Red Bull KTM Tech 3) in P27.

Behind Binder, Garcia and Rodrigo at the top though, John McPhee (Petronas Sprinta Racing) ends Friday in fourth as he got back up to the sharp end following bad luck in the Qatar GP, and fellow veteran Tatsuki Suzuki (SIC58 Squadra Corse) completes the top five. Qatar winner Jaume Masia (Red Bull KTM Ajo) slots into sixth overall ahead of rookie sensation Izan Guevara (GASGAS Gaviota Aspar Team), with 2020 Rookie of the Year Jeremy Alcoba (Indonesian Racing Gresini Moto3) in P8 as he moved up from ending FP1 very out of position in last place.

Second superstar rookie and Qatar GP podium finisher Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Ajo) was ninth and safely holding onto a provisional place in Q2, with Romano Fenati (Sterilgarda Max Racing Team) – the first rider out in the freight train dash – completing the top ten. Stefano Nepa (BOE Owlride) and Ryusei Yamanaka (CarXpert PrüstelGP) were 11th and 12th, with the last of those currently moving through to Q2 comprising two former Qatar GP winners: Kaito Toba (CIP Green Power) and Niccolo Antonelli (Avintia Esponsorama Moto3).

Moto3™ Top Three (Full results here)

1 Darryn Binder – Petronas Sprinta Racing – Honda –  2:04.781
2 Sergio Garcia – GASGAS Gaviota Aspar Team – GASGAS –  +0.040
3 Gabriel Rodrigo – Indonesian Racing Gresini Moto3 – Honda – +0.112

 

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