While we all eagerly wait for international racing to come back to Australia, why not take a look at some great moments from 2013. Plenty of excitement at the top level of racing, local club events and Australian racing series’!
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2013 feels like it was worlds ago with the current COVID-19 pandemic. It was a great year for racing, so we have put together an album to throw back to all those memorable moments in Australian and international motorcycle racing!
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Taking the plunge from dirt to tar can often be a confusing experience. At first, bikes seem to handle like rubbish on the road. Steering is all out of whack, you run wide, all sorts of things. I’ll never forget the first time I rode a road bike.
It was an RZ250 and I went down the street and as soon as I got to the first corner I couldn’t make the bike turn! I ended up on the wrong side of the road and could not work out why. For this reason, it’s important to get some basic skills on tar and some coaching before making the transition to riding on the street or on a crowded track.
NICK’S EXPERIENCE
Nick Ware has been riding for four years, starting out on a minibike when he was 12, followed by a YZ85 big wheel and then his current bike, an RMZ250 motocross bike. Nick’s always been interested in tarmac but also enjoys trail riding and dirt track just for fun.
I’ve wanted to brush up on my dirt skills over the past year so we’ve been hitting the local track together on weekends and sharing the RMZ with the plan that once Nick is up to speed on the bike we can convert it to a motard and have a crack on the tarmac using the RMZ, starting off with a few track days before doing club racing in the 250cc single-cylinder class once he turned 16 and got his senior MA licence.
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After plenty of weekends on the dirt we were both doing the same almost identical lap times of the dirt track we were using. I knew then it was time for Nick to try tarmac so we gathered up the parts required and converted his RMZ250 to a motard overnights. We used Motosprint 17in wheels, a Motosprint sprocket and NG Racing oversize front rotor with caliper extender.
We also fitted Bendix carbon-matrix brake pads and Venhill brake lines. A set of Bridgestone slicks went on and we firmed up the suspension ourselves. The next issue was gearing but we eventually found that Link Int did a 16T front and 39T rear for the bike, easily giving us what was required for The Farm and Eastern Creek.
With an old set of my leathers plus my spare helmet, gloves and boots in his gear bag, Nick headed to The Farm to tag along with one of our tests. It was his first experience on tarmac and with only the three of us riding the pressure was off and he could relax and ease into it without fear of being run down by a 1000cc superbike at full tilt!
“The first thing I did was run wide everywhere,” says Nick, “As there is so much grip the bike does not slide around. When you open the throttle the bike wants to go wider than it does off road when the wheel spins.”
“Once I got used to the grip I started to push more but felt uncomfortable as I was sitting on the bike like I was still on the dirt. I felt uncomfortable and awkward hanging off and I was holding on too tight. Later in the day when I was going much faster, the hanging off came naturally and the g-forces from cornering supported my body and I could hang off and relax my arms. As soon as my knee touched down for the first time it all clicked and I was able to understand the way the bike was behaving more.”
“In the arvo I peeled into the first of the Esses and suddenly I was on my arse sliding down the road! The front just folded so quickly compared to on the dirt. I didn’t get hurt but got a shock. I hopped back on straight away and was back into it but could not bring myself to push in that corner or get my knee down for the rest of the day. It was the first time my confidence was rattled but Jeff talked me through my mistakes and I understand why I crashed now”…
The following week we headed to The Farm again for another afternoon where Nick just did lap after lap after lap, getting used to tarmac and limits. We also got a few hours there in the rain one day, which was fantastic as he really clicked in the wet and got plenty of laps in too.
Having turned 16 Nick was able to join St George MCC and get his Senior MA Road Racing Licence. The next step was to head to Sydney Motorsport Park for an Eastern Creek Ride Day. We both booked into White Group so Nick could follow me on our CBR250R Moriwaki on his RMZ250. We arrived early and set up the pits in time to make sure Nick did not miss the all-important rider’s briefing and special briefing for first timers. Once that was over and the bikes were scrutineered it was time to head out and Nick did the sighting laps with the other first timers behind an Eastern Creek Ride Day official. I then headed out and caught him and we rode together.
“I was so nervous before that first session it wasn’t funny,” admits Nick, “I’d never ridden with other riders so was really concerned as my bike only has a top speed of around 170km/h so I thought I was going to get run down! There also seems to be more pressure to know all of the rules and flags and there is a lot to take in. But once that first session was out of the way I was ready to go and had fun. Until I crashed and chopped my finger”
Yep. Unfortunately just when Nick was getting confident he lost the front end in the old T9 and his right hand pinkie got caught between the ‘bars and the tarmac. Ouch. Microsurgery and lots of skin grafts and recovery followed this, but as soon as he got the all clear he was back out there. This time learning to ride a road bike, the next step in our plan…
With a totally different riding position to the RMZ, our CBR250R Moriwaki gave Nick the experience required to get comfy in the road race body position and he immediately gelled more with the road bike than his RMZ.
“The first time I rode the Moriwaki was at SMSP and I was nervous about hurting myself again so took it very easy, just getting used to the seating position. I preferred it and liked tucking in down the straight as well as finding it easier to scrape my knee and use my knee as a third wheel. The next time I rode it was in the rain at The Farm and I did laps for three hours without crashing! I really got my confidence back that day and enjoy the wet”.
Road riding is a great social outlet and the best way to get around day to day. It also throws up exciting challenges on a sportsbike but, sadly, the cops are getting heavier and heavier and I hate to say it, rightly so…
Sportsbikes are fast and there are a lot of riders out there who should be sticking to ride days for a speed fix… Ride days are fantastic – everyone is going in the same direction, there is run-off areas, emergency medical help and no speed limits.
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Fines, injuries, jail, loss of licence… all these things happen at 200-plus on the street. Plus of course there is the fun factor. I’ve lost count of the amount of times I’ve met a rider at a track day that is grinning ear-to-ear after his or her very first session lapping a track. The feeling is one that none of us forget and, like that first knee slide moment, it becomes an addiction. Once you go track, you’ll never go back…
Unfortunately, I also, from time to time, meet riders that really want to experience the racetrack but are either too shy to head out there with experienced riders, are not sure they have the ability or think expenses mean it is out of their reach but it doesn’t have to be that way.
THE DAY HAS COME
Like anything, for sure, the first time can be a little nerve wrecking and a bit of a hurdle but, once that chequered flag signals the end of your very first session, all of those butterflies go away. It’s just the buzz that will stay with you for the whole day.
Getting in to ride days is easy. All you need to do is get your bike checked over by your mechanic, get the appropriate tyres on it, sort your riding gear and book the day. There are multiple ride day companies and all of them are accommodating, experienced and smart operators. You’ll be made to feel at home and you will receive expert advice and be treated with kid gloves on your very first day. Ride day operators have special Novice and First Timer briefings and groups for riding in and some will also ensure you have an instructor shadow you if required to help out with tips. There are strict overtaking rules to avoid you getting blasted off the track and fantastic signalling and flag systems that are universal and easy to understand.
When you arrive you generally look for a garage and set up, just ask the others in there if there is room. Once you unload and set-up, you’ll find there will be a quick briefing where all new riders will be pulled aside for a bit of extra help. You’ll then be allocated in to the appropriate riding group for your ability and given a wristband. There will usually be timetables up around the place with your session times. So it is a matter of keeping your bike fuelled up and suiting up with 10 minutes or so to spare. Getting leathers on in a panic at the last minute before you ride is a disaster waiting to happen…
Aside from the odd ego tripper (they show up everywhere not just at the track) the pits on ride days are full of like-minded riders sharing a fun day and socially, ride days can be brilliant – lunch time is always a laugh…
At the end of a good ride day, you will feel completely mentally and physically exhausted and at the same time invigorated and on a massive high. And when you get home and crack that first beer – the grin will be immense.
Which Bike?
It really doesn’t matter what you ride really. If it has an engine, brakes, suspension and tyres then it’ll be fun. However, sportsbikes and sports-slanted nakedbikes are more suitable due to ground clearance. Once you get in to ride days more, you can get serious about your bike. But first up, even on a little 250, you will be packing bricks so showing up on a 1000 on slicks is not the go – trust me…
Make sure you have new brake fluid and plenty of meat on your brake pads, no oil leaks, new or very good tyres and excellent condition chain and sprockets and good suspension with no oil seals leaking. There will be scrutineering on the day so to avoid disappointment of a knock back, get your bike in order before you go.
What To Wear
OK, this is important. You need really good leathers, good gloves and boots and a top quality helmet. No point showing up in jeans and a leather jacket, as you won’t be allowed on the track. You will also be knocked back if your helmet shows signs of a previous drop, your gear is torn or in bad condition, and you are not allowed on tracks without a back protector. It is recommended that you wear a chest protector.
No Limits Motor Team claimed their first EWC Dunlop Independent Trophy win. The Italian team – third place in Superstock at the Bol d’Or – pocketed the €7,000 prize awarded for the 24-hour race. OG Motorsport by Sarazin and Maco Racing Team were the other two teams on the EWC Independent Trophy podium.
Kevin Calia, Luca Scassa and Alexis Masbou were able to steer clear of the traps in store at the Bol d’Or and the rainy night. They took No Limits Motor Team’s Suzuki to 5th place at the finish and climbed onto the 3rd step of the Superstock podium. If it hadn’t been for a selector issue towards the end they might have claimed the win in the category. This is No Limits Motor Team’s first win in the EWC Dunlop Independent Trophy, with an accompanying €7,000 prize.
OG Motorsport by Sarazin were in 4th place in the Superstock class. A crash on Sunday morning deprived them of the Superstock podium. Their excellent performance at the Bol d’Or won them 2nd place in the EWC Dunlop Independent Trophy. The French team on Yamaha with a cosmopolitan line-up comprising Frenchman Alex Plancassagne, British rider Stefan Hill and Japanese rider Kokoro Atsumi received €6,000 in prize money.
Maco Racing Team had a tough race, with a crash and technical issues. The Slovakian team and their trio of riders, the Australian Anthony West, Germany’s Marc Moser and Czech rider Ondřej Ježek, were 10th past the finish line and climbed onto the third step of the EWC Dunlop Independent Trophy podium, receiving a €5,000 purse.
Six other independent teams using Dunlop tyres were awarded prizes at this year’s tough and highly selective Bol d’Or. Only 20 machines managed to make it to the finish. The six teams received amounts ranging from €4,000 down to €1,800 for the team ranked 9th in the EWC Dunlop Independent Trophy.
Renewed for the 6th successive season by FIM EWC promoter Eurosport Events, the organizers of each race in the FIM Endurance World Championship and tyre manufacturer Dunlop, the EWC Dunlop Independent Trophy gives backing to privateer teams using Dunlop tyres who do not receive direct support from a constructor. €120,000 will be awarded this season to support teams participating in the EWC Independent Trophy.
Check out the full results from Bol d’Or here…
After a damp morning at the 2021 Misano Official MotoGP™ Test, conditions improved and a busy and intriguing afternoon of action got underway. San Marino GP winner Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) finished fastest!
At Ducati, both Bagnaia and teammate Jack Miller were testing some new aero on the front of their machinery. ‘Pecco’ suffered a crash at Turn 10 while sporting the new aero, but the Italian was perfectly uninjured and came back out, very much proven by then setting the fastest time of the opening day. Miller was eighth, half a second back.
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Jorge Martin (Pramac Racing) also completed some laps with the new aero package, with Ducati in fact having two new aero designs – the second of which divides one part into two elements. Martin’s Pramac teammate Johann Zarco had a new chassis to test, and then the Frenchman headed home and will be replaced by test rider Michele Pirro on Wednesday, as Zarco undergoes arm pump surgery.
After a crash early at Turn 6 in the afternoon session, San Marino GP podium finisher Enea Bastianini (Avintia Esponsorama) ended his day early having completed just 11 laps. Teammate Luca Marini (Sky VR46 Avintia) managed to set a 1:31.998 to grab P7, and that time is a couple of tenths quicker than the Italian set in Q1 last weekend.
Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) described the Misano Test as “very important” for Honda, and test rider Stefan Bradl headed on track with a new RC213V. Eight-time World Champion Marquez – like a lot of riders – understandably waited until the afternoon to get some laps in, with the number 93 making the most of the better conditions to get some laps on the new bike on the board. The differences that can be seen on the new Honda range from the new aero and new air intake at the front, to the seat, tail unit and exhaust.
Marc Marquez completed 46 laps in the afternoon and finished P15. Pol Espargaro was second, with Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) just behind in fourth. They set their fastest laps of the day on their 63rd and 57th laps, respectively. Alex Marquez (LCR Honda Castrol) got 55 laps in and tried the chassis recently raced by Pol Espargaro.
Over at Team Suzuki Ecstar, both Joan Mir and Alex Rins had the 2022-spec engine to test again – like we saw at the pre-season Qatar Tests. In addition, the Spaniards were testing some set-up and electronic improvements that are meant to go hand in hand with the new engine, with Mir and Rins also doing some work to gear up for the second race at the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli this season.
The big news over in the Aprilia garage was the 2022 aero that test rider Lorenzo Savadori was seen testing. It’s a smaller, thinner package than the one being used this year. Meanwhile, Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) was continuing his adaptation to the RS-GP, but a crash at Turn 15 while on a personal best lap hampered his afternoon running. Aleix Espargaro finished P3 on the opening day after accomplishing 51 laps in the dry afternoon session.
After a bit of early morning operating in the damp conditions to get some weather wet time in, World Championship leader Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) was lapping on a 2022 prototype in the afternoon. A new chassis was visible and the Frenchman also had a new tail unit to try, with teammate Franco Morbidelli mainly focussing on working his way back to full fitness and getting to grips with the 2021 machine as he returns following knee surgery.
Valentino Rossi (Petronas Yamaha SRT) was another rider who was able to go faster than he did in qualifying at the San Marino GP. The Doctor finished 11th with a 1:32.170. New teammate Andrea Dovizioso continued to get to grips with the YZR-M1 after his debut weekend at Misano, the experienced Italian ended the day 19th, 1.1s shy of Bagnaia. An important and – from the outside – successful day for Dovizioso, who needs as much track time as possible to get back up to speed on very different machinery.
Test rider Dani Pedrosa was on track for KTM, with Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team Manager Mike Leitner explaining that the MotoGP™ Legend was testing some future ideas. Brad Binder, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing teammate Miguel Oliveira and Tech3 KTM Factory Racing’s Danilo Petrucci and Iker Lecuona were working on the current bikes.
Tomorrow, meanwhile, is a big day for the Austrian factory and their new 2022 recruits. Moto2™ World Championship leader Remy Gardner and Red Bull KTM Ajo teammate Raul Fernandez will be getting their first taste of a MotoGP™ machine, a “treat” from the factory ahead of their full-time debuts.
Just over a week ago, Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) was still patiently waiting for that first MotoGP™ win. He was second in the standings and a consistent podium threat, but that box remained unticked. So he had the momentum, but could he do it again on home turf?
After another all-time lap record set on Saturday for pole, the signs looked good and the Italian bolted away immediately to make a solid bit of breathing space at the front on race day. But lap by lap, Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) brought the Jaws music and the Frenchman was glued to his exhaust by the final lap. Pecco remained impervious under pressure however, and the Italian pulled the pin to cross the line for his second win in a week – in some style on home turf.
Quartararo was forced to settle for second but takes a valuable 20 points, with the podium completed by another incredible ride: rookie Enea Bastianini (Avintia Esponsorama) blasted through from P12 on the grid to third, making his first visit to the rostrum in the premier class and at the venue that saw him take his first ever Grand Prix win back in Moto3™.
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As the lights went out there was nervy moment as the number 63 Ducati moved right on the limit, but not forward, and Bagnaia kept calm thereafter to take the holeshot from pole. The Italian put the pedal to the metal immediately too as teammate Jack Miller stayed second and the two gained some early breathing space. Quartararo duelled Jorge Martin (Pramac Racing) for third just behind, before the Spaniard then fell early at Turn 14, although he was able to get back in it initially.
Bagnaia, Miller, Quartararo remained in an evenly-spaced top three, with Marc Marquez fighting Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) just behind. But Bastianini had something to say about that, the Italian rookie blasting through to pass first the Aprilia and then home in on the Honda. And he made it stick on first time of asking, taking fourth but as the podium fight pulled away into the distance… for now.
As Bagnaia pushed on at the front, Quartararo was homing in on Miller, aided a little as the Aussie headed slightly wide at Turn 13. By 14 to go the Frenchman was on the scene and sliced past, with the gap to Bagnaia up to 2.7 and Miller remaining on his rear wheel. It didn’t take long for the Yamaha to pull away and Bastianini to close down the number 43 though, the rookie gaining over two and a half seconds to take over in third.
Lap by lap, Quartararo was able to home in on Bagnaia as Bastianini was able to pull away from Miller. Marc Marquez had Aleix Espargaro and Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar) for company in the fight for fifth too, but Miller held firm in fourth for the moment.
As the laps ticked down, the gap between Bagnaia and Quartararo did too and there was a frisson of tension for the race leader on the horizon: by four to go, El Diablo got within eight tenths and then half a second, making it game on.
The Yamaha kept pushing and pushing, gaining here and there and really tagging onto the back of the Ducati as the final few kilometres dawned. It was just over a tenth as the two crossed the line to start the last lap, with Quartararo setting his sights on victory. But he couldn’t make the move early and Pecco was impeccable through Curvone, stretching the gap back out and laying down the gauntlet with one final push. Could Quartararo go for a lunge? Not in the end, Bagnaia once again proving impervious under pressure, painting Misano red and taking his second win in a week.
Behind that duel, it was beauty from the ‘Beast’. Bastianini kept his stunning pace to the end, taking a comfortable third place. Comfortable is an understatement, however, as the rookie put together a truly stunning race on best lap record pace to take his first premier class podium, and on home turf to boot.
The fight for fourth became Miller vs Marquez vs Mir and it was a last gasp thriller. The reigning Champion attacked the number 93 first to move through onto the back of Miller, and the Suzuki then punched his way through on the Ducati at Turn 14. But both went wide and Marquez swept through into fourth. They stayed glued together but out the penultimate corner, Marquez just kept it in but Mir touched the green. So the eight-time World Champion keeps fourth, and Mir crossed the line fifth but is classified as sixth as Miller gains back that P5.
Behind that shuffle, Aleix Espargaro lost some ground and also lost out to brother Pol Espargaro (Repsol Honda Team) after a tougher last few laps for the former, with the 44 in seventh and the 41 in eighth. Ninth was another Sunday charge from Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) as the South African shot through from P17 on the grid, only four tenths off the Aprilia ahead by the flag.
Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) completed the top ten ahead of Michele Pirro wildcarding for Ducati in P11, and he had Johann Zarco (Pramac Racing) close behind after the Frenchman also did a Long Lap for having shortcutted Turns 1 and 2. Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) scored some points in P13 and close behind the number 5, with HRC test rider Stefan Bradl and Alex Marquez (LCR Honda Castrol) completing those points. Martin retired in the end despite rejoining, and Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) crashed out with 10 to go.
Francesco Bagnaia: “I knew with the soft rear maybe I would struggle a bit but I tried to push like hell in the first two or three laps to open the gap, then on the last laps when I saw Fabio was recovering it was very difficult but I tried to push, in the last part the pace was quite constant. With the medium he was a bit better in the last part but we were incredible today, the team worked so perfectly and two victories in a row is incredible for me. I was struggling to win my first race, missing something, and now already two!”
MotoGP™ podium (Full Results Here)
1 Francesco Bagnaia – Ducati Lenovo Team – Ducati – 41:48.305
2 Fabio Quartararo – Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP – Yamaha – +0.364
3 Enea Bastianini* – Avintia Esponsorama – Ducati – +4.789
Moto2
Raul Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo) put in another stunner at Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli, taking his sixth win of the season and securing Rookie of the Year. But it was a pretty close run affair, with teammate and Championship leader Remy Gardner (Red Bull KTM Ajo) taking second and four tenths off, hindered by a moment on a last lap charge for victory.
Any hopes Raul Fernandez had of an instant breakaway win after taking the holeshot were quickly dashed, going wide at Turn 9 as he tried to fight off a challenge from Sam Lowes (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team), but the Brit nudged ahead and led at the end of the first lap. There were also strong starts from Canet, Xavi Vierge (Petronas Sprinta Racing) and Marco Bezzecchi (Sky Racing Team VR46) as they occupied the top five spots, with Gardner and front row starter Augusto Fernandez (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) dropping a little further down the field.
After four laps, the race lost Simone Corsi (MV Augusta Forward Racing) after an incident with Jorge Navarro, which earned the +Ego Speed Up rider a Long Lap penalty. But back at the front, Canet got the gloves off as he moved ahead of Raul Fernandez and set a race lap record in the process, while he soon had Lowes’ number to boot. A mistake from the Brit then let the number 44 through for the lead and Lowes dropped to third, with Gardner working his way back into the top four.
As the laps were chalked off, the front four formed a breakaway group and the Red Bull KTM Ajos began to find some pace, with Raul Fernandez eating away at Canet’s advantage until he eventually made what would prove the race winning overtake on Lap 15 at Turn 1. That prompted Championship leader Gardner to take action, the Aussie making his move on the outside of Lowes at the same corner.
Some small specks of rain threatened but it didn’t affect the on-track action, with Raul Fernandez soon responding to pressure from Canet with the first ever 1:36 lap around Misano. Despite his impressive speed, he couldn’t shake off the close attention of the men in P2 and P3 though.
In the closing laps, the number 25 looked like he’d finally pulled the pin and he extended his lead to nearly a second, but Gardner wasn’t done. Disposing of Canet on the penultimate lap, the Australian then began taking huge chunks out of his teammate’s time and we were set for a grandstand finish. The gap was down to less than half a second, and with a track limits warning not helping matters for Raul Fernandez it was game on.
Gardner was pushing to the absolute limit and setting up a move, but the decisive moment came at Turn 11. A wobble – at the scene of a crash last year – forced him from attack to defence, but he clung onto P2 and 20 crucial Championship points. Canet was forced to settle for third but took another podium, with Lowes fading slightly to fourth as Raul Fernandez took his incredible sixth win of the season.
Home hero Bezzecchi, on his fabulous pink-liveried machine, headed what had been a hard-fought group, the Italian holding off front row starter Augusto Fernandez as the number 37 was forced to settle for sixth. Ai Ogura (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) got right in that mix fighting for fifth and ultimately took seventh.
Vierge was a little further back in P8, but had some seriously close company from Fabio Di Giannantonio (Federal Oil Gresini Moto2) as the two crossed the line split by less than a tenth. Celestino Vietti (Sky Racing Team VR46) made some good progress up to tenth on Sunday. Tom Lüthi (Pertamina Mandalika SAG Team), Marcel Schrötter (Liqui Moly Intact GP), Navarro, who served that Long Lap, Marcos Ramirez (American Racing) and Tony Arbolino (Liqui Moly Intact GP) completed the points.
Moto2™ podium (Full Results Here)
1 Raul Fernandez – Red Bull KTM Ajo – Kalex – 40’40.563
2 Remy Gardner – Red Bull KTM Ajo – Kalex – +0.402
3 Aron Canet – Inde Aspar Team – Boscoscuro – +0.569
Moto3
Dennis Foggia (Leopard Racing) remains the man with the momentum in Moto3™ as the Italian took another home win, this time in the Gran Premio Octo di San Marino e della Riviera di Rimini as he made up yet more ground in the Championship fight.
Niccolo Antonelli (Avintia VR46) took another impressive second place, with Andrea Migno (Rivacold Snipers Team) completing an all-Italian podium on the Riviera di Rimini. It was nearly an Italian 1-2-3-4 too as Romano Fenati (Sterilgarda Max Racing Team) had looked on for victory as the Italian disappeared in the lead, but a heartbreaker of a crash ended his chances of a near-certain win.
Fenati took the holeshot from pole, off like a shot with Antonelli in second and Migno duelling Foggia just behind, a reshuffled Italian armada at the front with Jaume Masia (Red Bull KTM Ajo) shadowing early on.
Fenati had the hammer down at the front though, setting a new best race lap with a few ticked off, and Antonelli was the rider on the chase as the two kept some clean air between themselves and the chasing group. But the number 55 was stretching his legs and his lead, with fellow Championship players Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Ajo), Sergio Garcia (Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team) and Foggia all stuck in the second group.
Bit by bit though, Acosta was losing some ground and by 15 to go, the Spaniard was in the fringes of the top ten as Migno, Foggia, Masia, Garcia and Darryn Binder (Petronas Sprinta Racing) bolted on the chase behind Fenati and Antonelli. The latter then headed wide soon after though, slotting back into the group and leaving Fenati with a sizeable – by Moto3™ standards – gap at the front.
With 10 to go though, heartbreak struck. Fenati suddenly went down out the lead, the Italian sliding off into the gravel and rider ok, but a near-certain win gone from his grasp. That left Foggia at the front of what was now a fight for victory, and the Leopard rider took over in the task of trying to break away.
Six riders were fighting for three places on the podium, and for two it was also chance to gain huge ground on Acosta as the Spaniard fought it out for seventh in the second group. By a handful to go, Foggia had got it done and pulled out a small gap back to Migno, Antonelli, Garcia and Masia, with Binder having dropped off the back into a ride for sixth.
Onto the final lap, Foggia was in free air and just needed to keep it clean to take another victory, and a very different one to Aragon. Antonelli had got past Migno and only had to keep the hammer down and the door closed there too, and that they all did. Foggia crossed the line half a second clear for his fourth win of the season, taking back more ground in the title fight and tasting the top step on home turf once again. The tricolore delight continued as Antonelli held off Migno but both were back on the podium, making it an Italian 1-2-3.
The fight for fourth had some elbows further out, with Garcia and Masia nearly side-by-side over the line to start the final lap and the number 11 heading through. As Masia tried to hang in there there was a touch of contact, leaving him back in fifth and with no time left to get back on terms with Garcia. So the GASGAS rider took P4, Masia completed the top five, and Binder took P6.
Acosta managed to take seventh and limit the damage, with Carlos Tatay (Avintia Esponsorama Moto3), Stefano Nepa (BOE Owlride) and Ayumu Sasaki (Red Bull KTM Tech3) completing the top ten in a big group fight, Riccardo Rossi (BOE Owlride) in touch with them in P11. Just behind, another group of Izan Guevara (Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team), John McPhee (Petronas Sprinta Racing), Kaito Toba (CIP Green Power) and Tatsuki Suzuki (SIC58 Squadra Corse) completed the points.
Moto3™ podium (Full Results Here)
1 Dennis Foggia – Leopard Racing – Honda – 39’17.002
2 Niccolo Antonelli – Avtina VR46 Academy – KTM – +0.565
3 Andrea Migno – Rivacold Snipers Team – Honda – +0.817
Race 1 at Misano was a big one for the 2021 FIM Enel MotoE™ World Cup, with the crown at stake already – and certainly a hotseat in the standings for the final race of the season on Sunday.
As the dust settles, it’s Jordi Torres (HP Pons 40) who emerges as the winner and the new points leader, with the Spaniard playing it to perfection in a wily last corner. Dominique Aegerter (Dynvolt Intact GP) was just pipped to it and was forced to settle for second after seeing off a late lunge from Eric Granado (ONE Energy Racing), with the Brazilian going in too hot and sliding out. Mattia Casadei (Ongetta SIC58 Squadra Corse), meanwhile, rounded out the podium after an impressive return to action.
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There was drama from the off as points leader going in, Alessandro Zaccone (Octo Pramac MotoE), crashed early on Lap 1, out of contention and also taken to the medical centre after the Italian suffered post-crash contact from Hikari Okubo (Avant Ajo MotoE). Zaccone was then transferred to hospital for further checks and was found to have an iliac wing fracture in his pelvis. He’s unfit, so will sit out Race 2, and everyone at the FIM Enel MotoE™ World Cup wishes him a quick recovery.
As Zaccone sadly lost his chance to fight for the crown, that battle raged on at the front and was getting tight. Torres had made a great start, joined in a breakaway group by Casadei, Aegerter and Granado, the latter making up some ground, as the four bolted just over a second free of Matteo Ferrari (Indonesian E-Racing Gresini MotoE). The pace was hot and the elbows out, with some stunning moves and certainly a scare for Torres as the Spaniard just clipped the rear wheel of Aegerter. But no harm done, and he slotted back in.
As the final sector of the final lap dawned, Aegerter was holding on in the lead as he put on another masterclass in door-closing, but Granado was close and Torres too. And Granado went for it right at the final corner, all-in and briefly edging ahead. But then hit the heartbreak as the Brazilian slid out, losing a key chance to gain big in the standings.
The attack left Aegerter slightly on the back foot and Torres capitalised to perfection, sweeping past and just able to beat the Swiss rider to the line. For the reigning Cup winner it’s the first victory of the season and it couldn’t have come at a better time, seeing him head into Sunday eight points clear of Aegerter at the top.
Casadei completed the podium after an impressive return for the final round, with Ferrari then classified fourth as he found his podium record at Misano take a dent. He was followed by rookie Miquel Pons (LCR E-Team). The final positions in the top 10 went to Kevin Zannoni (LCR E-Team); an impressive best yet, Fermín Aldeguer (OpenBank Aspar Team), Lukas Tulovic (Tech3 E-Racing), Yonny Hernández (Octo Pramac MotoE) and Xavi Cardelús (Avintia Esponsorama Racing).
It’s now eight points in it between Torres and Aegerter, with Zaccone a further nine behind the Swiss rider and sidelined too. Granado remains in contention, just, but now 24 off the top. Race 2 will see the grid do battle for the final time in 2021, and that could all shuffle.
MotoE™ Race One Podium (Full Results Here)
1 Jordi Torres – HP Pons 40 – Energica – 12’11.858
2 Dominique Aegerter – Dynavolt Intact GP – Energica – +0.160
3 Mattia Casadei – Ongetta SIC58 Squadra Corse – Energica – +0.405
Race Two
The final race of the 2021 FIM Enel MotoE™ World Cup had everything on the line. On the way in, Jordi Torres (HP Pons 40) had eight points in hand over Dominique Aegerter (Dynavolt Intact GP), and the two at the top in the standings would also prove the key protagonists in the drama.
After an almighty duel between the duo, with the crown on the line, the contest ended in contact as Aegerter dived up the inside. Torres fell, although he remounted, and in parc ferme the verdict from the Stewards was in: Aegerter was given a Ride Through penalty, or the equivalent time, which was 38 seconds. That put him just ahead of Torres after the Spaniard made it to the line.. which wasn’t enough for the Swiss rider. So it’s #TwoTimeTorres at Misano.
That drama also decided the podium, with what had been a fight for third becoming the fight for victory. And it was King of Misano Matteo Ferrari (Indonesian E-Racing Gresini MotoE) who came out on top, winning the last race of the season to get back on the podium for the first time in 2021 – and extending his record at Misano to 5 wins from 7 races. Mattia Casadei (Ongetta SIC58 Squadra Corse) took second after more impressive speed, the only rider on the rostrum in both races at the season finale, with Miquel Pons (LCR E-Team) rounding out the year in third.
It was Casadei who got the holeshot going into the first corner, with Aegerter attacking Eric Granado (ONE Energy Racing) and Ferrari taking the long way around the outside to jump both and slot into third. He duelled Aegerter briefly, with Granado just behind, as Torres took the lead and then took off in the lead too.
On the second lap, the race leader had begun to open up a considerable gap, jolting Aegerter into action and the Swiss rider moving past Ferrari into P2. He then got the hammer down, and was able to close back up on his race-leading rival.
From there, a duel for the ages erupted as Aegerter threw the kitchen sink at trying to take over at the front, and it was spectacular as the two exchanged the lead. Torres wasn’t backing down and Aegerter was putting it all on the line. But with just a handful of corners to go, it hit boiling point. Aegerter lunged for it, the two made contact, and Torres found himself on the floor… leaving Aegerter free in the lead to cross the line first. The Spaniard managed to remount and finish in P13, but it seemed the Cup was decided.
The incident was immediately put under investigation, however. After a tense wait in parc ferme, a penalty was announced and 38 seconds were added to Aegerter’s race time for irresponsible riding. That’s the equivalent of a ride through penalty in MotoE™ as Misano as per the regulations, and it dropped him to 12th – just ahead of Torres. The Spaniard had, therefore, taken the crown after all.
Behind all that drama for the overall Cup, there was a race to be decided too. The trio who’d been locked in their own battle for much of the race; Ferrari, Casadei and Pons, were on the podium. The Gresini rider was back on top, just ahead of Casadei, with Pons a few more tenths back but the rookie fast once again.
Fourth went to the absolute wire, with Kevin Zannoni (LCR E-Team) putting in a stunner but only just, just, holding off the final electric samba of the season from Granado. Hikari Okubo (Avant Ajo MotoE) was next up, with Fermín Aldeguer (Openbank Aspar Team), Xavi Cardelus (Avintia Esponsorama Racing), Andrea Mantovani (Indonesian E-Racing Gresini MotoE) and Corentin Perolari (Tech 3 E-Racing) completing the top ten.
Aegerter was P12 and Torres P13, and with a helping hand from his teammate. Jasper Iwema saw the Spaniard had crashed, waited for him, and followed him home. Every point can count.
In the end, it was a one-point swing as the dust settles, with Torres ending the season seven clear of Aegerter. Ferrari leapfrogged Granado by just two points to take third overall, with Alessandro Zaccone (Octo Pramac MotoE) ending the year in fifth overall after his Race 1 crash and sitting Sunday out. And that’s a wrap on a dramatic, thrilling and truly electric season. We hope you enjoyed it… now recharge for 2022!
MotoE™ Race 2 Podium (Full Results Here)
1 Matteo Ferrari – Indonesian E-Racing Gresini MotoE – Energica – 13’54.140
2 Mattia Casadei – Ongetta SIC58 Squadra Corse – Energica – +0.348
3 Miquel Pons – LCR E-Team – Energica – +1.038
He’s won in Moto2™, he’s won in WorldSBK, and last season he took on a new challenge in the FIM Enel MotoE™ World Cup. And it went pretty well as Jordi Torres took the crown despite being a rookie, putting together a consistent season and a fast one too. The Spaniard returned to the field in 2021, and he’s now become the first rider to win the Cup twice, back-to-back no less.
Torres’ ascent to the Grand Prix paddock was preceded by two titles in the Moto2™ class in the CEV, and he became a popular face in the intermediate class of Grand Prix racing thereafter. He took his maiden Grand Prix win at the Sachsenring in 2013, and that season took two more podiums too.
From Moto2™ he moved to WorldSBK for 2015 and added another feather to his cap with a race win at the end of the season in Qatar, impressing once again. 2018 then saw ‘Spanish Elvis’ make five appearances in MotoGP™ as a replacement rider, and he scored a point in the season finale – no mean feat in one of the closest eras in Grand Prix history.
2020 saw Torres take on MotoE™ for the first time, and the Spaniard got first podium on home turf in the second race of the season at Jerez. He took two more podiums at Misano and then, in France, tasted the top step for the first time in the electric series. He wrapped up the crown the next day.
This year, the rookie had become the reigning Cup winner and Torres had a target on his back. But he kept it calm – and fast – and started the season with a podium in Jerez. Another came at Catalunya, and Assen, and the Spaniard arrived at the double-header finale with a very real shot at the crown. In Race 1 the gloves came off and he battled for the win, able to sneak through at the final corner amid some drama, and that saw him heading into the last showdown of the season ahead.
After an incredible duel against closest rival Dominique Aegerter, Torres had contact from the Dynavolt Intact GP rider and slid out – remounting for P13. And in the end that was just enough for the crown, with the Swiss rider receiving the equivalent of a ride-through penalty to drop him to P12.
Jordi Torres: “When I saw the result and the flag I started to cry, I felt down, I felt like I was a loser and lost the title. I tried to squeeze the maximum in this race and focus 100% to do my pace, and when Domi tried to overtake me I tried to be calm to not make a mistake and manage well the situation. But all this work I did, and the work my team did all this year to arrive here, it’s like well.. all this in the rubbish and start again! I cried and arrived to my people, when I entered the pits they all said ‘ok take a break, don’t worry, we’ll see what happens’. I was still crying, and then when I saw the result from Race Direction it became happy tears, a rollercoaster of emotion, and I’m tired now after that!”
A pre-race rain downpour provided the perfect prelude for Saturday’s race one of the 2021 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship at Barcelona’s Catalunya circuit as Scott Redding (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) late surged late to claim victory ahead of Italian rookie Axel Bassani (Motocorsa Racing).
In the title fight, points leader Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha) retired with an electronics issue on lap 15, while Jonathan Rea (Kawasaking Racing) despite a bad start took fourth in the race, and goes into Sunday racing with a six-point lead in the championship. (Rea – 376 points, Razgatlioglu 370 points, Redding 323 points).
Despite a bad start that saw him back to 10th at the first timing point, world champion Rea fought back to lead the field while behind rookie Bassani was Eventually the warring duo found their way past Rea before Bassani took the lead when Razgatlioglu pulled over with an electronics mishap. As the 20-lap race progressed, the two factory Ducati riders of Michael Ruben Rinaldi and Scott Redding (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) found pace.
In the closing stages, Redding passed teammate Rinaldi for second before making a move on the independent Ducati of Bassani for the lead, with a handful of laps to go. Redding was the eventual winner, ahead of Bassani and Rinaldi, to claim Ducati’s first 1-2-3 finish since Assen 2012. Rea came in fourth grasping valuable championship points after Razgatlioglu’s demise.
Michael van der Mark (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) claimed fifth place despite applying late pressure to Rea as he looked to claim a podium finish for BMW. He was two seconds clear of former teammate Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) who claimed sixth place.
There was a strong showing for Team HRC with Leon Haslam finishing in seventh place and Alvaro Bautista in ninth, sandwiching polesitter Tom Sykes (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team), with the British rider falling down the order at the start of the race, but managing a fight back for eighth. Chaz Davies (Team GoEleven) completed the top ten, finishing just 0.008s ahead of Kohta Nozane (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) who finished as the lead Yamaha rider. Nozane got a great start from 12th to fight in the lead group in the early stages of the race.
Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) finished in 12th place after falling down through the order, finishing four tenths clear of French rider Lucas Mahias (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) in 13th place. Isaac Viñales (Orelac Racing VerdNatura) was 14th place with Leandro Mercado (MIE Racing Honda Team) taking the final point from Race 1 with 15th.
Samuele Cavalieri (Barni Racing Team) took home 16th place on his first start of 2021 with the Barni Racing Team with Christophe Ponsson (Gil Motor Sport-Yamaha) in 17th. Loris Cresson (OUTDO TPR Team Pedercini Racing) came home in 18th place ahead of Jonas Folger (Bonovo MGM Action) and Lachlan Epis (OUTDO TPR Team Pedercini Racing) in 20th on his WorldSBK debut in difficult conditions.
Garrett Gerloff (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) did not take the race start after a crash on the Sighting Lap as he lost the rear of his Yamaha YZF R1 machine on the kerbs on the exit of turn 10 and on the run through turn 11, damaging his bike and preventing him from taking the start of the 20-lap encounter.
Scott Redding: “It was one of those races I didn’t expect to win. I thought I was going to finish today a little bit upset because I didn’t make a step. Then it all just started turning around. I got more and more hungry as it went on. At the beginning of the race, off the start, I got big wheelspin as we crossed the start line and made me drop back. I had no grip in the beginning. In one moment, I said ‘you’ve got to do something. If you go down, you go down, but it is what it is’. I planned a little bit what I could do, and I had Michael as a target which was quite good for me.”
Race One Podium (Full Results Here)
1 Scott Redding (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati)
2 Axel Bassani (Motocorsa Racing) +1.577s
3 Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +2.326s
Tissot Sprint Race
There was action aplenty in the Superpole Sprint at this weekend’s round 9 of the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship at Barcelona’s Catalunya circuit as Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) claimed a hard-fought victory over Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) to win by two tenths.
Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) led into turn one but was soon fending off challenges from Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) and Scott Redding (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati), with Rea on Pirelli’s SC1 tyre while his rivals were on the SCX.
The battle continued through the first three laps before a Red Flag on lap four following an incident at turn 11 involving Lucas Mahias (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) and Chaz Davies (Team GoEleven), with Davies taken to the medical centre. Davies was stable and conscious following the incident but was declared unfit, before he was transferred to Catalunya Hospital for further assessment. Mahias took to the grid for the restarted race but brought his bike back to the pits three laps in.
The grid for the restarted race was based on the last completed timing point for each rider, with Razgatlioglu, Rea and Redding starting the five-lap race from the front row, with Rea starting the restarted race on the SCX tyre. The first lap of the five lap restart saw fierce racing between the lead group, but it was Rea who beat home Razgatlioglu.
Alvaro Bautista (Team HRC) was in third place after starting the restarted race from sixth place, fighting his way up to claim his first podium since Aragon 2020, a wait of 37 races, and to claim a front row start for this afternoon’s race two. Bautista had been running second ahead of Razgatlioglu but was overtaken by the Turkish star, before battling Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) for the podium.
Lowes claimed fourth place in the Superpole Race to secure a second row start and he will be joined by Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) and Axel Bassani (Motocorsa Racing); Bassani starting race two from sixth place after the highs of his Saturday podium dampened by a big crash in Sunday’s warm-up.
Two Hondas will start from inside the top seven with Leon Haslam (Team HRC) claiming seventh place with American Garrett Gerloff (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) recovering from a crash yesterday to take eighth place in the Sprint. Christophe Ponsson (Gil Motor Sport-Yamaha) took his best ever WorldSBK result with ninth after a battle with Leandro Mercado (MIE Racing Honda Team) and Samuele Cavalieri (Barni Racing Team); the Italian also claiming his best WorldSBK result.
The Tissot Superpole Race proved to be one to forget for the BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team with both riders retiring from the race after an incident between the two on the opening lap, with Michael van der Mark coming off his bike in the gravel while Sykes was able to bring his bike back to the pits. Van der Mark lost the front of his BMW M 1000 RR going through turn six and made contact with Sykes. Neither rider was able to take to the grid for the restarted race.
Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) and Kohta Nozane (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) retired from the restarted race on the opening lap after an incident at turn 11, with Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) and Scott Redding (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) also involved; the incident placed under investigation by the FIM WorldSBK Stewards with no further action required. Redding had to take to the gravel with that incident and lost considerable time, finishing the race in 15th place.
Tissot Superpole Race (Full Results Here)
1 Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK)
2 Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) +0.211s
3 Alvaro Bautista (Team HRC) +2.771s
Race Two
A tyre gamble played into Michael Ruben Rinaldi’s hands in world superbike’s race two at the Barcelona circuit of Catalunya, with the Italian Ducati rider running Pirelli’s SC0 tyre to take the weekend’s final victory over Yamaha’s Toprak Razgatlioglu with Ducati’s Scott Redding, also SC0 shod, in third.
Defending champion, Kawasaki’s Jonathan Rea who ran Pirelli’s SCX A0557 development option (as did the rest of the field) , could not maintain the pace of the front runners and crossed the line in sixth. Coupled with a win in the midday Sprint and a 4th on Saturday, Rea has closed the gap on points leader Razgatlioglu to one point in the 2021 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship, with Razgatlioglu on 399 points and Rea on 398 points. The next round is at Spain’s Jerez circuit next weekend (Sept 24-26) followed by Portugal’s Algarve on October 1-3 to make for a triple-header of intense competition.
Race two started with drama, the red flags out on lap two of the 20-lap race following an incident involving Lucas Mahias (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) and Tom Sykes (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK) at turn one. Although conscious, Sykes was taken to the medical centre and was diagnosed with a head injury and concussion and transferred to Catalunya Hospital for further assessments.
In the 19-lap restart, Rinaldi made a fast start and moved into the lead ahead of Razgatlioglu and Rea. Razgatlioglu went with Rinaldi throughout the 19-lap encounter but Rea dropped back with ailing tyres. Early on Razgatlioglu held the early lead over Rinaldi, but the Turk’s dominance lasted for just a handful of laps before the Italian took control, extending his charge to the finish line to claim victory by more than 3 seconds.
With Rea battling for a podium spot, he fought to keep Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) at bay, but his attempts were in vain with the Italian rookie passing him on lap 10 before Scott Redding (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) and Alvaro Bautista (Team HRC) followed through.
At the start of lap 18, Redding made a move on Locatelli into turn one for third place with Redding using the SC0 tyre, along with Rinaldi, while his rivals were on the SCX rubber. Bautista followed Redding through a lap later at the same corner. It meant Rinaldi claimed his first win since the Tissot Superpole Race at Misano.
Rea came home in sixth place, more than four seconds down on the battle for the podium, but three seconds clear of American star Garrett Gerloff (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) in seventh. Gerloff was the top independent rider and finished ahead of Axel Bassani (Motocorsa Racing) in eighth. Michael van der Mark (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) claimed ninth place with Japanese rookie Kohta Nozane (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) taking his first top-ten finish in a full-length race with tenth.
Honda secured a points finish with both riders as Leon Haslam (Team HRC) crossed in 11th place, five seconds clear of Samuele Cavalieri (Barni Racing Team) in 12th. Christophe Ponsson (Gil Motor Sport-Yamaha) was 13th in race two after a strong weekend for the French rider.
Leandro Mercado (MIE Racing Honda Team) and Isaac Viñales (Orelac Racing VerdNatura) had an incredible battle for 14th place with Argentinean rider finishing just 0.081s clear of rookie Viñales. Jonas Folger (Bonovo MGM Action) was the last classified rider in 16th.
Alex Lowes’ (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) came to an end at turn two on lap one after he came off his Kawasaki ZX-10RR, and headed to medical centre where he was diagnosed with a left wrist contusion.
Jonas Folger (Bonovo MGM Action) and Sydney’s Lachlan Epis (OUTDO TPR Team Pedercini Racing) were mixed up in a back grid drama, with Epis retiring from the race after 7 laps. Mahias joined the restarted race but brought his bike back to the pits and retired from the race, while Loris Cresson (OUTDO TPR Team Pedercini Racing) also did not finish the race.
Michael Ruben Rinaldi: “I’m really happy about this win because we arrived from a difficult moment. Yesterday after the rain I was a little bit upset because I knew we had a strong pace in the dry. We managed third which wasn’t bad. I said, ‘today is my day, I need to go for it’. The tyre choice was difficult actually because everyone was going for the soft, but last year I saw there was too much drop at the end of the race. I took a risk, but it worked, so really happy about that.”
Race Two Podium (Full Results Here)
1 Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati)
2 Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) +3.030s
3 Scott Redding (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +3.207s
Current Championship standings (Full Standings Here)
1 Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) 399
2 Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) 398
3 Scott Redding (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) 339
Back in 1987 the Bimota YB5 was one of the most amazing, expensive, out of this world and radical motorcycles on the planet. It was fast, real fast. It was draped in the highest specification grand prix quality running gear!
Almost 35-years later the YB5 numbers don’t even count but the legend of the bike remains and with only 208 units originally made, is as rare as it gets…
Check out our other bike tests here…
So rare, in fact, it took Australia’s T-Rex Racing’s Rex Wolfenden (International Island Classic Team Captain), an eternity to find himself an immaculate low mileage example. But he did it. He got hold of one and landed it on the bench in his immaculate Melbourne, Australia, workshop that is famous Down Under for building championship winning motorcycles, particularly specialising in Honda 750 Fours of the classic Forgotten Era class.
The Barry Sheene Festival Of Speed here features many of Rex’s bikes, which usually win a few classes including the Barry Sheene trophy with rider Chas Hern taking the weekend on this very bike. So Rex got his hands on the immaculate and rare YB5 and, as you do, stripped it immediately and began the process of turning into what we think is the only YB5 racebike in the entire world. If there is another, we can’t find it!
Rex first of all removed the standard FJ1200 engine and built it to his specification, which is already tested and proven with an FJ1200 racer that is very successful over here, which you may have read about in Classic Racer.
The engine was bored 1mm oversize and JE forged pistons fitted to Carrillo conrods, which swing off a lightened and balanced crankshaft on oversized main bearings. The cylinder-head was reshaped and ported by Rex, who also installed oversized IN and EX valves and the appropriate springs and retainers. Rex had some camshafts made to his specification as well. The original five-speed gearbox was undercut and a slipper clutch was fitted to the bike post my test.
Feeding the FJ engine are four Keihin 37mm CR carburettors. Mixture is fired by a Dyna 2000 ignition system and gasses exit via a stunning Over Racing Titanium four-into-one exhaust system and T-Rex alloy muffler. The sound is out of this world… at both ends! With a comfortable 150-horsepower the chassis now needed setting up. Rex braced the spindly chro-mo swingarm heavily but aside from that the amazing YB5 frame is standard.
Kayaba 43mm units with T-Rex valving and 1kg springs, slotted back into the original YB5 triple-clamps, replaced the Marzocchi forks. At the back end a custom made to order Ohlins shock was fitted via T-Rex linkages. Wheels at both ends are cast alloy ZX12 items, while the old Brembo brakes were given the flick in exchange for more modern four-piston Brembo calipers. These squeeze SBS race compound brake pads onto semi-floating stainless steel NG rotors via Venhill brake lines – at both ends of the bike.
The original fairing was cut up (ouch!) and molds were taken off it to make a set of race fairings. These are wafer thin and ultra lightweight. The single seat unit is a work of art and the way Rex has retained the profile of the original fuel cell cover is a nice touch. The steel fuel tank was replaced by an aluminium item made by Rex’s equally as talented brother and ex long term Honda Factory Superbike Team Manager Clyde Wolfenden, at C&C Motorcycle Engineering. Clyde also knocked up the rearsets, ‘bars and other billet bits and pieces. His work is stunning.
The bike debuted at the 2016 Phillip Island World Superbike round, where Rex slotted it up the back of his garage and quietly entered it in the support races. His hope of anonymity was short lived as soon the bike was the talk of the paddock and there were swarms of people looking at it.
A few months later after some more development the bike was raced in anger at the 2016 Barry Sheene Festival Of Speed. Originally pencilled in as a back up bike for rider Chas Hern, who planned on running Rex’s Harris Honda, Chas soon found he was faster on the Bimota so chose that and won the weekend convincingly. No mean feat. The lap times were only seven seconds off domestic factory superbike record times…
THE RIDE
Having ridden Rex’s Harris Honda, I knew the bike would be good. Plus, with such an exclusive and irreplaceable bike, I was not too nervous about the test and damaging the machine as, like the Harris Honda, I could tell by watching it in action that I was going to feel comfortable on the bike within three or four corners. And I was right.
Hopping on, the bike feels narrower than it looks, although it is still wide. The recess in the fuel tank cell cover is immediately annoying. The ‘pegs are high and wide and feel good, the ‘bars really wide but with a good angle and draw. The screen is enormous – when you are used to the miniscule screens these days.
“Rex has an ability to make a bike behave in a way that makes the rider confident and comfortable. It’s a knack that takes most of the hard work out of going fast before even sitting on the bike.”
With the bike fired up on the roller (starter motor removed) I select first via the reverse shift lever and head out of pit lane. The engine idles high as at this stage there is no slipper clutch fitted. The exhaust note is deep and angry.
The bike is actually a little intimidating to be honest! However, I roll out onto the circuit and as expected within four corners my knee is on the ground and I feel like I have ridden this bike many, many times. I’m at home.
Check out Jeffs on-board footage!
Before I can fully explore the glorious torque of the T-Rex FJ engine I start to get a feel for the chassis dynamics and immediately feel there is a problem at the back with the tyre. The rear feels like it is sitting low and there is a hesitation on initial turn-in, caused by the rear tyre shape. It is also spinning up in a big way off turns.
I stay out for the session to get photographs for the test and try to use the time to test the brakes, suspension and that stunning engine.On return Rex agrees that the tyre is probably not right and swaps it for a new slick. The profile lifts the bike and transforms it to heaven on two wheels. It’s a little taller at the back but the tyre is also more triangulated.
Stability on the brakes is impressive aside from some rear chatter caused by engine braking, remember my test is pre slipper clutch. The brake package is fantastic and I’m surprised how good the Nissin mater-cylinder works, with good initial bite, feel and modulation at the lever right on lock-up point through the braking process.
Braking hard on turn-in is the best way to get the ultra stable set-up into the turn quickly, along with a heap of muscle. But once that initial turn and commitment is made, the YB5 falls very gracefully on its side with absolute surprise-free progression. If I could get forward more it’d help but I would not sacrifice that original tank profile myself.
It thrives on old school fast lines, which suits me fine. Cracking the quick-action throttle is just a real pleasure as the perfectly set-up Keihin CRs gently feed on, the cams coming in nicely, plenty of compression and all that together bringing the big 1200 to life. Just before the apex, I could wind it on hard and have it at full throttle exiting the turn. The Pirelli hooking up and driving the YB5 forward. It was like being fired out of a canon!
The front wheel paws for the sky in this situation and as I tuck in and grab another gear on the slick shifting ‘box I can’t help but smile. It reminds me of watching the on board footage of early era superbike races. I just love these bikes so much. They have true character.
The power and torque is proper old school no electronics grow a beard and some big balls type of power that is gone these days in most bikes. It is serious fun. Clicking through the gears at full throttle, with a sharp pop to the next gear after a roll off of the throttle, I’m amazed at just how quickly the bike accelerates. It would eat any modern Japanese 1000 for lunch, sucking it up in the intake and spitting it out the exhaust pipe.
The riding experience of the T-Rex Racing YB5 was a memorable one and a true pleasure. I would not change it much at all, if anything, a tiny bit more raceable in the steering but that might take away the rock solid stability. Rex is already working on this with Chas and they are on the money.
I would rate this bike as one of the best handling motorcycles I have ridden in my career and it is not that much younger than I am! If only Rex was mass-producing these amazing motorcycles – I’m sure there’d be 40-something year-old riders whipping credit cards out all over the world… Stunning.
T-Rex Racing Bimota YB5 Specifications
ENGINE: 1988 Yamaha FJ1200 engine, standard 63.8mm stroke, 1mm over 78mm bore, 11:1 compression up from 9:1, polished and modified standard crankcases, lightened and balanced crankshaft, Carrillo conrods, JE forged pistons, T-Rex Racing camshafts, T-Rex Racing cylinder-head porting and reshaping, oversized EX and IN valves, standard oil cooler and galleries, standard five-speed gearbox with gears undercut, slipper clutch, Dyna 2000 ignition system, Keihin 37mm CR carburettors, Over Racing Ti exhaust system, T-Rex Racing muffler.
CHASSIS & BODYWORK: 1988 Bimota YB5 double cradle chro-mo frame and swingarm with T-Rex swingarm bracing, 43mm KYB forks with T-Rex valving, 1kg springs, 7wt oil, Ohlins custom made shock, 11kg spring, Brembo four-piston calipers, NG semi-floating rotors, SBS brake pads, Venhill line, Nissan master-cylinder (f), Brembo caliper, NG rotor, Venhill line (r), Kawasaki ZX12 wheels 3.5 x 17in, 6.00 x 17in, Pirelli slicks, C&C Engineering levers, rearsets, handlebars, fairing brackets, alloy fuel tank, remade Bimota bodywork
PERFORMANCE: 150hp-plus at the wheel, 182kg dry
THE ORIGINAL
The Bimota YB5 was tagged as the fastest, maddest, most expensive hyperbike on the planet when it was rolled out in 1987. With 130-horsepower from the amazing FJ1200 engine the YB5 was what the Hayabusa is now, only with the flair and exclusivity that comes with a bike that is hand built and one from a run of only 208 units, 12 of which were sold as kits and assembled by the owners.
The original YB5 was very trick for the era; with a double closed chrome moly steel cradle frame running machined billet aircraft alloy sideplates. It ran high end Marzocchi 42mm forks, a single Marzocchi shock, 280mm Brembo rotors, Brembo calipers, braided stainless steel lines, weighed just 463lbs and had a genuine top speed of 250km/h thanks to the FJ powerplant that was lightly tuned but still featured 9.7:1 compression ratio, a five speed gearbox and 36mm Mikuni CV carburettors.
By 1988 the production run was over and lucky collectors had a true piece of history.
The YB5 was designed for a pillion and Bimota, when releasing the bike at the 1986 Cologne Show, stated it was a bike designed as a two-up sportster.
The wheelbase was very close to an era 750 but the steering geometry was closer to a 250 with 23.5 degrees of steering angle and 112mm trail. It also ran 18in lightweight wheels but they were wrapped in ultra low profile Michelins that gave an aspect ratio closer to a 17in wheel anyway.
The YB5 cost close to a year’s salary in 1987 at approx $11,000 USD and was much faster in acceleration than the GSX-R1100 and CBR1000. It could well have been the fastest production bike in the world back then.
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