Friday
Prima Pramac Racing’s Jorge Martin heads into Saturday’s action at the Gran Premio Animoca Brands de Aragón with the time to beat after his 1:47.402 proved just enough to pip World Championship leader Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) to the top. Johann Zarco made it two Prima Pramac Racing Ducatis in the top three but some headlines were stolen as Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) enjoyed a successful Friday back in the office – the Spaniard ended Day 1 in P8, 0.359s off P1.

The times tumbled straight away in the afternoon as FP1 pacesetter Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) went from P1 down to P11, with Marc Marquez briefly sitting fastest before Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) climbed to the summit.

Then, after rising to P4, Aleix Espargaro crashed for the second time on Friday. The title chaser tucked the front at Turn 14 and was thankfully unhurt, but it wasn’t the start to FP2 Espargaro needed. Halfway through the afternoon stint, Marc Marquez, as we saw at the Misano Test, ventured out on the much talked about Kalex swingarm HRC have been testing, with Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) then leading the way at the top.

Heading into the final 10 minutes, the top four riders – Viñales, Bagnaia, Quartararo and Luca Marini (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) – were split by just 0.051s. But the time attacks were about to come in. Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) set a 1:47.665 to go fastest before both Quartararo and then Martin bettered Rins’ time, with Martin leading the way by 0.074.

Marc Marquez was then shadowing Martin and the eight-time World Champion set three red sectors. However, a small mistake at the final corner saw the number 93 climb higher into the top 10 as the likes of Zarco and Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing MotoGP) improved late on.

Behind Quartararo in the Pramac sandwich, Bastianini’s last lap in FP2 saw the Italian claim fourth on the combined timesheets, one place ahead of compatriot and 2023 teammate Pecco. The 2021 MotorLand Aragón GP race winner settled for P5 on the opening day, a couple of tenths shy of Martin. Rins and Viñales head into Saturday P6 and P7 on the timesheets, with Marc Marquez a very impressive P8 – and there was a beaming smile when he arrived back in the box at the end of the session.

Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) and Marini close out the top 10, but a big story of the day is Aleix Espargaro – one of the pre-race favourites – finishing outside the top 10 after his two crashes. A crucial FP3 lies ahead for the Aprilia star in his pursuit of an automatic place in Q2…

MotoGP MotorLand Aragón Friday Top Three (Full Results Here)

1 Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) – Ducati – 1’47.402
2 Fabio Quartararo (Ducati Lenovo Team) – Ducati – +0.074
3 Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing) – Ducati – +0.107

Saturday
With so many big names starting Q1, someone was bound to be disappointed and it turned out that Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) would be one of them. He was quickest after the first runs on a 1:46.909 before Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing) went to the top on a 1:46.843, but then then Aleix Espargaro usurped both with a 1:46.569. Eight-time World Champion Marquez was unable to improve as a Yellow Flag came out too, and he will start 13th, sharing Row 5 with Luca Marini (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) and Fabio Di Giannantonio (Gresini Racing MotoGP).

Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) had his first crash of the year, the usual front-end wash-out at Turn 2, and is set to start 16th alongside Alex Marquez (LCR Honda Castrol) and Pol Espargaro (Repsol Honda Team). The latter was the crasher late in the Q1 session at Turn 5, the yellow flag cancelling a faster lap from team-mate Marc Marquez, among others.

As Q2 got underway, it was Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing MotoGP) who bolted out of the blocks with a 1:46.580 on his initial flying lap, and that would still be the benchmark when the first runs came to an end. As the track went quiet at the midway point, Bagnaia was still second on a 1:46.633 and Miller – one of two with a soft Michelin slick on the front as well as the rear (the other being Team Suzuki Ecstar’s Alex Rins) – was third. Quartararo was only seventh on a 1:46.952 and Aleix Espargaro sat 11th with a 1:48.742, but having reused a rear tyre after coming through Q1.

Once Espargaro got a new soft Michelin slick onto the back of his RS-GP, he was able to go second-quickest on a 1:46.590. That became third when Bagnaia set the 1:46.069 – 0.253 seconds up on his year-old lap record – before Bastianini clocked a 1:46.313 and then Miller a 1:46.159. Those laps decided the front row – a Ducati lockout – and Espargaro would be classified fourth.

At a tougher track for man and machine, Quartararo was pushing hard to make up the deficit to Bagnaia and company when he was forced into a super save at Turn 2 on his penultimate lap, which ruined that flyer but gave ‘El Diablo’ a fighting chance. Quartararo was only 10th when the chequered flag came out and dug ever so deep with his final attempt, but the 1:46.802 was only able to move him up to sixth. Starting between Espargaro and Yamaha’s Frenchman on Row 2 will be another Frenchman in Zarco, who also advanced from Q1 before setting a 1:46.646 in Q2.

Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team), Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) and Rins lock out Row 3, the latter a place ahead of where he started when he won at MotorLand. Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) is in tenth ahead of teammate Miguel Oliveira and Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu).

MotoGP MotorLand Aragón Front Row (Full Results Here)

1 Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) – Ducati – 1’46.069
2 Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) – Ducati –  +0.090
3 Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing MotoGP) – Ducati – +0.244

Sunday
The Gran Premio Animoca Brands de Aragón may well prove a truly pivotal day in the 2022 season, with the headlines overflowing almost from lights out and the top three in the title fight now split by only 17 points. By the flag, Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing MotoGP) had served some Misano-flavoured revenge on Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) as the two duelled it out on the final lap for the win, and Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) was both back on the podium and back in serious Championship contention.

Before all that, Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) hit some serious bad luck as he made contact with Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) after a slide for the number 93. The Championship leader crashed out, Marquez continued and then suffered a technical problem from the prior contact that saw Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) caught in the crossfire. From there, the pitboards went out for the other key Championship protagonists – Quartararo out – and the lay of the land after MotorLand is now a whole different story as the paddock heads to Japan.

Where do we start? Bagnaia headed the field into Turn 1 after a dream start off pole position but it was a nightmare for several riders behind him. From 13th on the grid, Marquez was already up to sixth when he then had a moment exiting Turn 3 and closed the throttle, leaving Quartararo with nowhere to go. The Frenchman rammed the back of the RC213V and was thrown off, sliding into the run off. Rider ok, but a 0 on the board. Next the Marquez-Nakagami contact that saw the Japanese rider slide off and a host of riders forced into avoiding action, a second shot of huge drama. Not long after, Marc Marquez would also pit.

After all that, Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) had jumped from 10th on the grid to fifth and then somehow threaded his way past another three bikes to be running an incredible second midway through Lap 1, ahead of Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team), Bastianini, and Aleix Espargaro. Miller then overtook the South African on Lap 3 at Turn 1 and Bastianini did likewise exactly a lap later, putting the KTM back to fourth, but he wasn’t done yet.

Bastianini wasn’t either and he continued his progress with a move on Miller for second on Lap 6 at Turn 15, before Binder executed an impressive overtake on the Australian through Turn 4 on Lap 7. In the blink of an eye, Miller was all the way back to fifth as Espargaro also got through, at Turn 7.

Bad news for one Ducati rider, then, but the Bologna marque’s future factory pairing was about to engage in combat over first position – just as they did two weeks earlier at Misano. Bastianini got the move done at Turn 1 on Lap 9 and it looked like the Gresini rider might be able to pull away, given the pace advantage he seemed to have over Pecco. Instead, he outbraked himself half a lap later at Turn 12 and went very deep, handing the lead back to Bagnaia and barely holding off Binder through the chicane.

From there, however, Bagnaia and Bastianini started to put the hammer down, their margin over Binder up to one full second on Lap 12, two seconds on Lap 18, and three seconds after just one more. The Bologna bullets were trading quick laps around MotorLand Aragón, and there was still no certainty over who would prevail. Bastianini twice had looks at Turn 16 and thought better of it, but would there be one last attack?

There sure would be! Bastianini sprung a surprise move on his works counterpart on the final lap at the tight Turn 7 right-hander and he was through, cuing up some sweet revenge for home race defeat at Misano. Bagnaia did give chase and when he got a better run off the final corner, it was still in the balance, but the finish line was close enough to the exit of Turn 17 that Bastianini was just able to cling on by a margin of just 0.042 seconds. Another stunning duel, and in the last two races, that means the total of the gaps between those two at the chequered flag totals a mere 0.076 seconds.

As for the other podium position, that went to Espargaro but it was a late attack as Binder held station for much of the race. The Aprilia and Miller tailed Binder for much of the contest before Aprilia’s ‘Captain’ pulled off the block pass at the start of the penultimate lap, and that was decisive. Espargaro finished six seconds behind the top two but Binder was just 0.240 seconds behind him at the chequered flag, and Miller only another 0.585 seconds in arrears in fifth.

Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) took sixth after a late battle with fellow Ducati rider Luca Marini (Mooney VR46 Racing Team), who got home in seventh ahead of Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing), Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar), and Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team). Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) earned 11th, with the rest of the points finishers being Alex Marquez (LCR Honda Castrol) – who dusted himself off after a Warm Up crash – Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing), Cal Crutchlow (WithU Yamaha RNF MotoGP team), and Pol Espargaro (Repsol Honda Team).

A total of 20 riders made the chequered flag with Marc Marquez, Quartararo, and Nakagami the only retirements. Nakagami escaped fairly unscathed from the drama but was declared unfit for Japan for a finger injury, so he’ll need to pass a medical ahead of his home race.

And so the paddock says goodbye to MotorLand as we head for Motegi for the first time since 2019. The dust will take some time to settle but it’s a quick turnaround for the paddock heading into the Motul Grand Prix of Japan, and there’s not too much time to catch your breath before actions gets back underway next weekend. 

Enea Bastianini: “Another good race and good battle like in Misano! My start was difficult, when Aleix overtook me I went a bit long and lost some positions compared to where I started but on Lap 9 I was back on top and then made a mistake at turn 10 and went off, but I thought ‘ok, now I have to stay clam to close the gap to Pecco’. He was really fast like Misano and made no mistakes, like Misano, but on the last lap I was closer and I won! It’s amazing for me to be back on top, and I’m happy. I didn’t think about which corner to try and make the overtake, but when I saw Pecco really close Turn 5, I thought then was the time to overtake and at Turn 7 I was really strong in this race.”

MotoGP MotorLand Aragón Podium (Full Results Here)

1 Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing MotoGP) – Ducati – 41:35.462
2 Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) – Ducati – +0.042
3 Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) – Aprilia – +6.139

Moto2 MotorLand Aragón
Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Pedro Acosta was back on top at the Gran Premio Animoca Brands de Aragón, picking up his second Moto2 win and the first since breaking his left femur in a training accident. Flexbox HP40 rider Aron Canet took the chequered flag 2.612 seconds back in second, just edging out Augusto Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo) – but the number 37 extended his lead by three points as Ai Ogura (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) took fourth.

At the start, Fernandez got the jump from pole position and led the Shimoku GASGAS Aspar Team duo of Jake Dixon and Albert Arenas through the opening corners. San Marino GP winner Alonso Lopez (CAG Speed Up) launched well, but then drama hit as he crashed out and mayhem unfolded behind as Marcel Schrötter (Liqui Moly Intact GP) hit the deck as well, with a number of other riders forced into avoiding action too.

At the front, as Dixon gave chase to Fernandez, Canet passed Arenas on Lap 1, and so did Acosta at the start of Lap 2. Hopes of a fightback were dashed just half a lap later when Arenas crashed at Turn 12 – with both Manuel Gonzalez (Yamaha VR46 Master Camp Team) and Jeremy Alcoba (Liqui Moly Intact GP) joining him on the floor there just moments later in a separate incident.

Fernandez had pulled a second clear of Dixon on Lap 3 as Canet and Acosta traded third position amongst themselves. In a flash, Dixon dropped from second to fifth on Lap 4 when Acosta went past at Turn 12, Canet at Turn 14, and Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) through the sweeping Turn 16/Turn 17 left-hander. Ogura – who started eighth – tried to join the party on Lap 6 at Turn 1, and while he could not make the move stick at that point in time, the Japanese rider was not going to let the Briton off the hook.

Meanwhile, Acosta was catching Fernandez, reducing the margin to less than a second on Lap 7. Even when he ran wide exiting the Reverse Corkscrew on Lap 8 and gifted second place to Canet, they were still catching the pole-sitter. Acosta made up for his error by re-passing Canet at the end of Lap 9, but by then both were on the tail of Fernandez.

On Lap 10, Acosta blazed past his team-mate Fernandez as they ran up the back straight, while it was Arbolino’s Turn to get into a battle with Canet over third . That would ultimately be resolved when ‘Tiger Tony’ ran wide through the Turn 16/Turn 17 sweeper on Lap 11 and let Canet back through.

Acosta was a full second clear of Fernandez on Lap 14, and two seconds up on the World Championship leader after just three laps more, but Canet was stalking Fernandez. He made his move into the Reverse Corkscrew on Lap 19, and never looked back. Forward of him, however, was three seconds’ worth of fresh air with just a handful of kilometres remaining and that was the podium places settled.

Far from settled was the battle for fourth. Ogura had finally passed Dixon for good at Turn 16 back on Lap 15, and set about throwing down the challenge to Arbolino. They chopped and changed position in the final laps, with Ogura going down the inside yet again at Turn 12 on Lap 21. As he did so, Dixon threw away sixth when he slid out, but the Ogura-Arbolino duel raged on. Into the Turn 16/Turn 17 left-hander at the end of the lap, the Italian sent his Marc VDS entry down the inside but could not make the move stick and had to settle for fifth, just 0.067 seconds behind the Japanese rider.

Sixth went to Fermin Aldeguer (CAG Speed Up), from Somkiat Chantra (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia), Jorge Navarro (Flexbox HP40), Joe Roberts (Italtrans Racing Team), and Celestino Vietti (Mooney VR46 Racing Team), the latter of whom inherited 10th as a result of Dixon’s late spill. The rest of the points finishers, from 11th onwards, were Cameron Beaubier (American Racing), Lorenzo Dalla Porta (Italtrans Racing Team), Barry Baltus (RW Racing GP), Alessandro Zaccone (Gresini Racing Moto2), and Bo Bendsneyder (Pertamina Mandalika SAG Team).

Fernandez might have missed out on victory, but a MotoGP contract to ride for GASGAS Factory Racing, a Moto2 pole position, and a podium which built his World Championship lead is not bad. His margin over Ogura is now seven points, with Canet third at another 30 points behind. Vietti faded further into fourth, with the Italian’s deficit blowing out to 52 points with just five rounds to go.

Moto2 MotorLand Aragón Podium (Full Results Here)

1 Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Ajo) – Kalex – 39’35.337
2 Aron Canet (Flexbox HP40) – Kalex – +2.612
3 Augusto Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo) – Kalex – +3.799

Moto3 MotorLand Aragón
Izan Guevara (Autosolar GASGAS Aspar Team) remains undefeated on home turf in 2022 after the Championship leader put in an imperious performance at MotorLand Aragón. With only Ayumu Sasaki (Sterilgarda Husqvarna Max) able to stay in the same postcode, it became a duel for the win before Guevara pulled clear for those valuable 25 points and a 33 point lead. Sasaki took second and another MotorLand podium, moving him closer to the top three overall, with Daniel Holgado (Red Bull KTM Ajo) completing the rostrum for his first ever Grand Prix podium.

Off the line it was as-you-were at the front, with Guevara leading Sasaki and Holgado away and the trio building a gap, too. John McPhee (Sterilgarda Husqvarna Max) was on the charge leading a chasing quintet, along with Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Tech3), Ivan Ortola (Angeluss MTA Team) and Tatsuki Suzuki (Leopard Racing), before another gap back to a group that included Sergio Garcia (Autosolar GASGAS Aspar Team) and Dennis Foggia (Leopard Racing).

By 10 to go, the top trio pounded on but the group behind had closed up. Öncü was leading it but continuing to lose ground, with David Muñoz (BOE Motorsports) next up and starting to make some moves. That gaggle was a classic freight train battle, but one of Muñoz’ moves was deemed too much as he got a Long Lap for a move making contact with Adrian Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Tech3) a few laps later. 

Meanwhile at the front, Guevara and Sasaki had got the hammer down. Holgado started to lose touch with the duo as the gap grew to over a second and then beyond that, with the fight for the win quickly becoming a duel.

Onto the last lap though, Guevara had some time in hand, turning the screw even further to pull out a few tenths. The last final kilometers of racing saw Sasaki shadow the number 28 but find no answer for his pace, leaving Guevara to cross the line with just under a second of advantage for an imperious win – and a big advantage in the standings. Sasaki takes second and gains points on all his key rivals except the rider just ahead, with Holgado putting in an impressive ride to take his first ever GP podium in third.

Öncü was able to pull away from the freight train fight to take a comfortable fourth, leaving the battle behind to get decided on the drag to the line. Despite getting pushed off earlier in the race by Muñoz, Fernandez came back to take fifth place and his best ever result, just ahead of Ivan Ortola (Angeluss MTA Team) as the rookie likewise took his best finish. Muñoz was just a tenth behind them, with Jaume Masia (Red Bull KTM Ajo) in eighth, Carlos Tatay (CFMoto Racing PrüstelGP) and McPhee completing the top ten.

Xavier Artigas (CFMoto Racing PrüstelGP) pipped Suzuki to P11, with Garcia struggling in the latter stages to move forward and the former points leader finishing the race in P13 – just ahead of Foggia after tough day for two key protagonists in the title fight. The final point went to Diogo Moreira (MT Helmets – MSI) despite a Long Lap for track limits.

Guevara now leads the field to Motegi with a 33-point lead as Garcia and Foggia are left licking their wounds after a tough start to the triple-header. Sasaki moves up to 13 behind Foggia before his first race on home soil since 2019, and with his experience that could prove crucial too. Tune in for more next weekend!

Moto3 Motorland Aragón Podium (Full Results Here)

1 Izan Guevara (Autosolar GASGAS Aspar Team) – GASGAS – 37:29.944
2 Ayumu Sasaki (Sterilgarda Max Racing Team) – Husqvarna – +0.987
3 Daniel Holgado (Red Bull KTM Ajo) – KTM –  +6.536

The post MotoGP Reports: All The Action From Motorland Aragón! appeared first on Racing, Riding, Motorcycle Reviews, Race bikes, Tech Tips, Rider Training....

As the lights went out, Bautista got the holeshot into turn one but he soon found himself demoted to second as Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) forced his way through at turn two. Rea was pushed back to third place, but he soon worked himself to the front as the trio took on their race one battle. Throughout the 18-lap race, Razgatlioglu, Bautista and Rea, traded blows each rider using their bike’s strengths in the search for victory. The trio were overtaking each other down the back straight while Rea’s preferred option to make moves was into turn seven.

At the end of lap nine, Bautista had a huge moment which allowed Rea back through into turn one and the pair continued to fight through the final two corners in the battle for victory. On lap 14, Bautista used the power of his Ducati to move into the lead of the race before Rea responded into turn seven. Bautista tried a move on the last lap into the final two corners, but Rea was able to defend the position before winning a drag race to the line. Despite Rea and Bautista battling, they were able to pull a gap to Razgatlioglu who finished third place. Rea’s victory gave him his 21st consecutive podium at Aragon and his 22nd in total, the most any rider has at a single circuit for his 216th podium in his career.

Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) claimed fourth place as he finished around five seconds back from Razgatlioglu. The Italian fought in the lead group in the first half of the race, but soon found himself on track on his own as he finished five seconds clear of fellow Italian Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK). Both Team HRC riders finished inside the top seven with Iker Lecuona and Xavi Vierge finishing sixth and seventh respectively –  a strong start for the two Spanish rookies who will spearhead the Honda factory effort in 2022. Illia Mykalchyk (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) scored eighth place on his debut as he scored Ukraine’s first points in WorldSBK after becoming the first rider from Ukraine to race in WorldSBK. He finished just 0.084s behind Vierge.

American star Garrett Gerloff (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) finished in ninth place, just three-tenths away from Mykalchyk in eighth place. Irish rider Eugene Laverty (Bonovo Action BMW) rounded out the top ten on his first race with the Bonovo BMW squad, finishing half a second clear teammate Loris Baz. Luca Bernardi (BARNI Spark Racing Team) scored his first points in his first WorldSBK race as he came home in 12th place, scoring the first points for San Marino since Alex De Angellis finished 13th at Laguna Seca in 2017. Bernardi finished just three-tenths clear of fellow rookie Philipp Oettl (Team Goeleven) in 13th as five of the seven debutants on the grid at Aragon scored points.

Frenchman Lucas Mahias (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) scored 14th on his return to competitive action following an injury-hit 2021 season, just 0.389s behind Oettl and 0.520s clear of Scott Redding (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) in 15th place; the British rider scoring a single point on his BMW debut. Axel Bassani (Motocorsa Racing) had been running towards the top ten but a trip through the gravel at turn 15 dropped him down the order and he narrowly missed out on points as he finished in 16th place. He was less than a second clear of Roberto Tamburini (Yamaha Motoxracing WorldSBK Team) in 17th place.

Starting his second season in WorldSBK, Kohta Nozane (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) finished in 18th place as he finished clear of Christophe Ponsson in the family-run Gil Motor Sport-Yamaha squad. Leandro Mercado (MIE Racing Honda Team) finished in 20th place, ahead of teammate Hafizh Syahrin, while Oliver Konig (Orelac Racing VerdNatura) and Loris Cresson (TPR Team Pedercini Racing) rounded out the classified finishers.

WorldSBK Aragon Race 1 (Full Results Here)

1 Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK)
2 Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +0.090s
3 Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) +5.416s

Tissot Sprint Race
Alvaro Bautista is back with Ducati for 2022 and back in the winners’ circle, with the Spanish rider taking the lead on lap one of the Tissot Superpole Sprint, streaking to the lead and crossing the line first to claim victory in just the second race of the 2022 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship. 

His last win in WorldSBK was at San Juan in 2019 in his first season with world supers aboard the Ducati. But he left the Bologna marque at the end of 2019, and spent two years with Honda where success alluded him. He returned to Ducati for 2022, and in just his second outing for Ducati, has whitewashed the competition for the Sprint win. 

Once Bautista was able to hit the front, he used the power of his Ducati Panigale V4 R to maintain his lead at the front of the field as he pulled out a gap of over one second to the chasing pack at the start of Lap 4, being able to hold on to claim his first victory since returning to Ducati. It meant it Bautista claimed his first win in two years and 181 days and the 17th win of his WorldSBK career.

Behind Bautista, three riders – Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK), Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) and Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) – battled for the remaining two front row starting positions for race two.  Rea was able to claim second place with Razgatlioglu third, after a last lap fight to the line with Rinaldi. Razgatlioglu passed Rinaldi into the left hander at turn 15 before the Italian tried to respond into the final corner. Razgatlioglu was able to hold position before crossing the line with just 0.059s separating the pair after a drag race to the line. 

Rinaldi will lead the second row from fourth place with fellow Italian rider Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) alongside him from fifth place. Locatelli had a battle with Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) in the closing stages of the race, with Lowes missing out on fifth place by just 0.091s. Italian rider Axel Bassani (Motocorsa Racing) charged through from ninth on the grid to claim seventh place and he will lead the way from the third row in race two, ahead of Team HRC duo Iker Lecuona and Xavi Vierge. Both Lecuona and Vierge used Pirelli’s new SCQ tyre in the 10-lap Superpole Race to finish inside the top nine, finishing as the highest-placed riders using this compound; the top seven riders used the SCX tyre.

Tissot Superpole Race Aragon (Full Results Here)

1 Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati)
2 Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) +5.141s
3 Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) +6.008s

New Lap Record: Torpak Razgatlioglu, Yamaha – 1’49.375ss

Race Two
After two years in the wilderness with Honda, Bautista has returned to Aruba.it Ducati for the season and from the get-go is banking victories and points. Sunday saw the Spaniard take command. From the box seat start, he fought off early challenges but streaked ahead to take victory by more than four seconds from Kawasaki’s Jonathan Rea with Toprak Razgatlioglu in third.

The fight for victory was another thrilling affair with Bautista doubling up for victories on Sunday with a win in race two as he withstood early challenges from teammate Michael Ruben Rinaldi, Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) and Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK). Bautista hit the front on lap 3 of 18 before looking to pull away at the front of the field.

He was able to take advantage of Rea and Rinaldi battling over second place, including Rea running wide at  lap four which allowed Rinaldi through to second place with Razgatlioglu third and Rea fourth. Two laps later and Rea outbraked Razgatlioglu at turn one to move up to third, while on lap 11 Rinaldi ran wide which allowed Rea back into second place.

Razgatlioglu initially dropped back but he then closed the gap to Rinaldi in the closing stages of the race, trying a move at turn 16-17 where Rinaldi defended around the outside to maintain position. On the next lap, Razgatlioglu made his move into turn one to move into third place before setting his eyes on Rea. Although he could close the gap across the final four laps, Rea held on for second place with Razgatlioglu and Rinaldi behind.

With victory, Bautista leads the Championship standings for the first time since Misano in 2019, as he claimed the 18th win of his WorldSBK career. Rea and Razgatlioglu claimed second and third respectively and for the first time the same three riders shared three podiums at the opening round of the season.

Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) finished in fifth place as he bounced back from his race one crash to claim a top-five finish. Independent rider Axel Bassani (Motocorsa Racing) was sixth after the Italian made a good start to jump up the order.

The battle for seventh featured four riders with Loris Baz (Bonovo Action BMW), Xavi Vierge (Team HRC), Garrett Gerloff (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) and Iker Lecuona (Team HRC). Baz was able to get ahead at around half distance, and stayed there as the lead BMW rider in race two. He was 0.865s clear of Spanish rookie Vierge who finished as the lead Honda rider, although he was just 0.616s ahead of Gerloff. Lecuona had been ahead of Gerloff until the last lap but found himself demoted to tenth on last lap.

French rider Lucas Mahias (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) came home in 11th place and only two seconds away from the battle for seventh on a strong comeback weekend for the Frenchman. Eugene Laverty (Bonovo Action BMW) ensured both Bonovo BMW riders scored points in race two as he claimed 12th place after a late-race battle with rookie Philipp Oettl (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) as Laverty’s WorldSBK experience helped him up the order.

Laverty and Oettl were both closely followed by rookie Roberto Tamburini (Yamaha Motoxracing WorldSBK Team) after the Italian, who received a late call-up to race in the 2022 season, claimed 14th place on his first WorldSBK round. Another debutant, Illia Mykhalchyk (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team), scored points with 15th place; the Ukrainian was the only factory BMW rider to score points in race two.

Luca Bernardi (BARNI Spark Racing Team) dropped down the order on the opening lap of the race but was able to battle back to claim 16th place although he was some 11 seconds away from claiming points. He was more than two seconds clear of wildcard Gabriele Ruiu (Bmax Racing) in 17th place who withstood the challenge from French rider Christophe Ponsson (Gil Motor Sport-Yamaha) with just 0.615s between them.

Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) was 19th after he had a crash at turn nine in the early stages of the race, but he battled back to finish four seconds clear of Hafizh Syahrin (MIE Racing Honda Team) in 20th place.  Syahrin’s teammate, Leandro Mercado, was 1.6s back in 21sth place with Oliver Konig (Orelac Racing VerdNatura) and Loris Cresson (TPR Team Pedercini Racing) rounding out the classified runners.

Kohta Nozane’s (GYRT GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) race came to an end on lap 14 when he had a crash on the exit of the turn seven right-hander. Scott Redding (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) was the only other rider not classified in the race. The British rider had a couple of off-track excursions before he brought his M 1000 RR machine into the pits after completing 11 laps.

WorldSBK Aragon Race 2 (Full Results Here)

1 Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati)
2 Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) +4.393s
3 Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) +6.223s

Fastest Lap: Alex Lowes, Kawasaki – 1’50.334s

Oli’s Update
In his World Supersport season debut, Australia’s Oli Bayliss on the Barni Ducati Panigale V2 took a 21st in WorldSSP’s Saturday race, and improved for a 19th place in the Sunday’s race two.  Race wins went to Lorenzo Baldassari (Yamaha) on Saturday and on Sunday reigning champion, Swiss rider Dominique Aegerter (Yamaha) took the flag.  They both lead the championship after round one on 45 points. Bayliss is yet to bank any points.  

“A good debut weekend. The team and I worked hard and improved session by session, also collecting important data and making constant progress. I learned a lot in today’s race and am sure we can grow and will be able to fight for the positions that count. Now we need to focus on Assen in two weeks’ time, an unknown for me as we’ve never tested there, but I think I have good feeling with my Ducati and so hope to do well” said Oli.

Championship Standings After Round One (Full Standings Here) 

1 Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) 57 points
2 Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) 54
3 Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) 39

The post WorldSBK Reports: Bautista Back On Top In Aragon appeared first on Racing, Riding, Motorcycle Reviews, Race bikes, Tech Tips, Rider Training....

Reigning champion Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) continued his off-season testing ahead of his title defence by topping the timesheets in Alcañiz with a 1’49.746s. The Turkish star completed 84 laps on Thursday throughout the day, adding to his 26 laps from Wednesday for a total of 110. Razgatlioglu’s fastest lap was faster than any race lap from the 2021 Aragon Round and quicker than any previous Yamaha race lap at the venue.

 Teammate Andrea Locatelli was third fastest, two tenths away from his teammate, but put in the most laps of everybody at the test as he racked up 30 on Wednesday and 85 on Thursday for a total of 115. 

Pata Yamaha worked on the mechanical side of their Yamaha YZF-R1 machine throughout the test, including electronic changes.  They also focussed on the acceleration of the bike to help improve the all-round performance of the engine and spent the entire test using Pirelli’s SC0 tyre. Locatelli’s side of the garage was also working on the suspension of his machine including different links.

It was a strong test for Garrett Gerloff (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) on the team’s first test of the 2022 off-season. The American posted a time of 1’49.820s, only 0.074s away from Razgatlioglu’s pace setting time and racked up 106 laps across the two days of testing: 21 on Wednesday and 85 on Thursday. As he embarks on his third year in world superbike, Gerloff hopes his strong pace in testing transfers into racing when the action gets underway at Aragon on April 8-10. 

Gerloff’s teammate, Kohta Nozane, was fourth fastest as he made his first appearance in 2022 testing with a time of 1’51.238s. The Japanese rider, entering his second season in WorldSBK, completed 90 laps; 16 on Wednesday before adding 74 on Thursday. GRT Yamaha were able to test the same tank that Razgatlioglu used in the Portimao test with their main focus throughout the two days on rider position and the balance of the bike.

Christophe Ponsson rounded out the field for Gil Motor Sport-Yamaha as the Frenchman completed 84 laps across the two days, adding 74 on day two of the test to the 10 he completed on Wednesday. Now in his second season with the family-run team, Ponsson posted a best time of 1’52.341s throughout the test as he goes in search of consistent top-10 finishes.

WorldSBK times from Aragon test

1 Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) 1’49.746s, 110 laps
2 Garrett Gerloff (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) 1’49.820s, 106 laps
3 Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) 1’50.021s, 115 laps
4 Kohta Nozane (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) 1’51.238s, 90 laps
5 Christophe Ponsson (Gil Motor Sport-Yamaha) 1’52.341s, 84 laps

The post Yamaha Try New Tech At WSBK Aragon Test appeared first on Racing, Riding, Motorcycle Reviews, Race bikes, Tech Tips, Rider Training....

He’s been close before, but Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) is now a MotoGP race winner. In a true all-time classic at the Gran Premio TISSOT de Aragon, the Italian went toe-to-toe with Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) in a stunner of a duel, finding an answer for every attack as the eight-time World Champion tried, tried and tried again.

Repelling the final assault as the number 93 headed through but wide, Bagnaia was able to cross the line with just over half a second in hand to take his first premier class win in impeccable style. Marquez nevertheless got back on the podium for the second time this year and gave us an incredible show, with reigning Champion Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar) locking out the rostrum in third.

As the lights went out, polesitter Bagnaia got away well and held on for the holeshot, with teammate Jack Miller going in a bit deep at Turn 1 and that allowing Marc Marquez to grab P2 after a lightning start for the number 93. Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) was up to P4, with Championship leader Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) losing out and down to fifth 5th. Alex Marquez (LCR Honda Castrol) then crashed at Turn 5, rider ok.

As Bagnaia and Marc Marquez led the train away, Quartararo was struggling. Both Mir and Jorge Martin (Pramac Racing) passed the Frenchman next as he slipped towards the clutches of eighth place Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), but nobody in the early stages was showing their cards, with only 2.2 seconds covering the top six.

Just outside that top six remained Quartararo, however. By now, the Frenchman had the rapid starting Iker Lecuona (Tech3 KTM Factory Racing) climbing all over him, and at the end of Lap 6, the number 27 was through. A couple of laps later, another KTM was ahead as Binder followed Lecuona after the Spaniard had despatched him too, and Quartararo was suddenly down to P9.

With eight laps gone, the cards were beginning to appear on the table. Bagnaia and Marquez were just over a second clear of Miller in third, and that advantage was soon up to nearly two with 13 to go. Miller headed wide at Turn 16 not long after too, allowing Aleix Espargaro and Mir to cut through. The reigning World Champion then managed to despatch the Aprilia to take over in third, but the gap to Pecco and Marquez was now nearly three and a half seconds.

To compound the gap, the pace was far from slowing. The two leaders were exchanging 1:48s lap after lap, with the rest in the 1:49s and below. They’d carved out a 4.3s lead over Mir and Aleix Espargaro with nine laps to go, but then it was into tyre life territory. Would that play a role? With five to go though, there was no change, with both riders still in the 1:48s… and it seemed it was going to the finish.

With four laps left, the pressure from Marquez was ramping up. Getting closer and closer until he was glued on, a lap later the first move finally came. The Honda rider went for a lunge into Turn 5, but he was in a little hot and slightly wide, Pecco replying unflustered to get back into the lead. So Marquez next shoved his RC213V up the inside at Turn 15, but again, the Italian got the cutback and held P1. Two down, how many to go?

On the penultimate lap, another. An exact copy and paste at Turn 5, Marquez again lunged late and again got a quick reply. The exact same thing happened at Turn 15 too, and again, Bagnaia carved back past. And so it was going down to some final lap fireworks…

This time, Marquez tried his luck at Turn 1, but that didn’t stick either. So, of course, Turn 5 saw another lunge for the third lap in a row, with the exact same result. That made six attempts from the number 93, each of which had been on to try but each of which had been greeted with a swift reply.

Marquez is Marquez though, so a seventh attempt then came at Turn 12. The number 93 got a great run out of his own namesake Marc Marquez Corner and was up the inside at the downhill left-hander, not a move he’d tried yet but ultimately one that wasn’t going to work either. Struggling to get it hooked up to the apex, Marquez was wide and onto the green, and Pecco needed no second invitation to sweep back past, keep it pinned and finally gain a few metres of breathing space.

From there the Italian made no mistake and crossed the line to complete a perfect weekend: pole position to maiden MotoGP victory, the eighth winner of 2021, defeating Marc Marquez on his home turf. His victory is also the 250th for Italy in the premier class, adding Francesco Bagnaia next to a little chapter of a rich history. Emotional in parc ferme, Bagnaia was just sublime on Sunday at Aragon.

Marquez threw absolutely everything at it as he sought that seventh win at MotorLand though, coming up just six tenths short. Still, it’s another podium and a leading role in an all-time classic, as well 20 points to add to his tally – and he’ll likely sleep rather well knowing he left it all out there, seven times.

Behind, Mir kept it tidy in third to take his fifth rostrum of 2021, in some space alone as he escaped Aleix Espargaro but couldn’t get onto terms with Bagnaia and Marquez. Aleix Espargaro’s P4 is another excellent ride from the Spaniard though, and he’s the top Independent Team rider. Miller couldn’t recover ground later on and finished a lonely fifth.

Reigning Moto2 World Champion Enea Bastianini (Avintia Esponsorama) claims sixth for his best premier class result, putting the cherry on top of an impressive weekend. The rookie beat Binder by just 0.3s, and both escaped Quartararo by a good margin. A tricky day at the office for the World Championship leader and his second worst result of the season sees his lead cut, but it’s still a healthy 53 points with five races to go.

Martin took P9 less than a tenth behind Quartararo too, with Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) 10th in the same pack as Bastianini, an earlier sparring partner, was able to break away from the Japanese rider. Lecuona made a mistake with a handful of laps to go that saw the Spaniard slip outside the top 10, but it was nevertheless a great ride from the 21-year-old and a stunning early charge.

Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) pocketed P12 from P20 on the grid, gaining some ground, and it was a quieter day for Pol Espargaro (Repsol Honda Team) in P13, just ahead of Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) and 15th place Danilo Petrucci (Tech3 KTM Factory Racing).

Cal Crutchlow (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) and Johann Zarco (Pramac Racing) were P16 and P17 respectively, with Maverick Viñales taking P18 on his Aprilia Racing Team Gresini debut. Valentino Rossi (Petronas Yamaha SRT) and Luca Marini (Sky VR46 Avintia) were the final finishers, with Jake Dixon (Petronas Yamaha SRT) joining Alex Marquez in the DNFs, crashing out on Lap 2 and rider ok.

So, a magnificent MotorLand battle sees Bagnaia finally claim that illustrious first MotoGP win. Next up: his home race at Misano. Remember that time he disappeared in the lead and then crashed? The Italian will be looking for a replay of the first half, and has never seemed less likely to recreate the second… save the date as MotoGP gets ready to take on the Riviera di Rimini.

Francesco Bagnaia: “A lot of emotion today. I’m so happy. We worked a lot to achieve this result, every time we were close, something happened and this dream to take my first victory, every time it was far. So to win today is a great liberation. I’m so happy, I have to say thanks to all the team, my family, my fantastic girlfriend, who are with me every day. It’s difficult to say something now, but it was not easy. I knew it wasn’t easy to stay in front of Marc at this track. His body isn’t at 100% but I think today with the hunger to win he was very, very competitive, and… I just tried to do my best and finish first. It’s a dream come true.”

MotoGP podium (Full Results Here)

1 Francesco Bagnaia – Ducati Lenovo Team – Ducati – 41:44.422
2 Marc Marquez – Repsol Honda Team – Honda – +0.673
3 Joan Mir – Team Suzuki Ecstar – Suzuki – +3.911

Moto2
Raul Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo) pulled another sensational win out of the hat at Aragon, despite a crash at Silverstone leaving him on the back foot and a crash cycling for which he needed surgery on his hand just before the race weekend. Nevertheless, he dominated to equal Marc Marquez’ record of five wins as a Moto2 rookie, with teammate and Championship leader Remy Gardner taking second. With that, Red Bull KTM Ajo wrapped up the Teams’ Championship, and the win was also their hundredth too. Augusto Fernandez (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) completed the podium for another rostrum finish as he shows more good 2021 form, storming through from 12th on the grid.

Off the line it was Sam Lowes (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) who held firm from pole from Gardner and Raul Fernandez, opening up an advantage of 0.6 on the opening lap as Raul Fernandez then passed title rival Gardner for second at Turn 12. Just behind, Ai Ogura (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) grabbed P4 from Hector Garzo (FlexBox HP 40). The fastest lap of the race on Lap 2 for Raul Fernandez saw him cut Lowes’ lead to just 0.2, with Gardner sitting twice that down on his teammate, in third.

The number 25 then decided to attack for the lead at the beginning of Lap 4, with Gardner exchanging P3 with Ogura just behind. The Australian was having a scrappy opening handful of laps, wide at Turn 12 and once again conceding P3 to Ogura. Soon after, Garzo was also ahead of Gardner. It was a fascinating scrap the Aussie found himself in, but in getting caught up with the likes of Ogura and Garzo – who crashed at Turn 8 on Lap 5 – the gap to Lowes and Fernandez was up to 1.9s. By 10 laps down, Raul Fernandez was still holding Lowes at bay by just over a second and Gardner was over three seconds down on them, with Jorge Navarro (+EGO Speed Up) and Aron Canet (Kipin Energy Aspar Team) in hot pursuit.

On Lap 12, the first drama for a frontrunner: Marco Bezzecchi’s (Sky Racing Team VR46) quiet weekend came to a premature end at Turn 8, putting a dent in his standings.  And then, after seeing Raul Fernandez stretch his lead to nearly one and a half seconds, a gift was handed to both Red Bull KTM Ajo riders as Lowes was the next to slide out. Rider ok, the Brit stacked it at Turn 7 with nine laps to go, leaving Raul Fernandez with a huge, six-second lead over Gardner. Despite the pain barrier, the number 25 was unstoppable. Keeping that gap to the end, Raul Fernandez took his fifth win to take back to the top step in style, with the deficit to Gardner in the Championship down to 39 points as they swept the Teams’ title too.

In even more good news for Aki Ajo, future Red Bull KTM Ajo rider Augusto Fernandez took the final place on the podium. After starting 12th the Spaniard make good progress to slice his way up to the fight for the rostrum, with Navarro his final obstacle. The two had a good duel before the number 37 was able to just pull away to take that third.

Navarro nevertheless took another strong result in fourth, with Canet finishing three seconds down on the rostrum fight in P5. P6 went the way of Fabio Di Giannantonio (Federal Oil Gresini Moto2), as newly crowned Moto2 European Champion Fermin Aldeguer (+EGO Speed Up) claimed a stunning P7 – his best yet despite already having made quite an impression. Ogura faded slightly and took P8, with fellow rookie Tony Arbolino (Liqui Moly Intact GP) finishing P9 in a much improved race day for the Italian.

The experienced Simone Corsi (MV Agusta Forward Racing) rounded out the top 10, the Italian beating Marcel Schrötter (Liqui Moly Intact GP), Marcos Ramirez (American Racing), Joe Roberts (Italtrans Racing Team), Cameron Beaubier (American Racing) and Celestino Vietti (Sky Racing Team VR46) as they locked out the remaining point scoring positions.

That’s a wrap on MotorLand as the paddock packs up and heads to Misano for another showdown next weekend. Can Bezzecchi and Lowes bounce back? Will Raul Fernandez show the same incredible form? Or will it be another win for Gardner as he enjoys that 39-point lead? We don’t have to wait long to find out!

Moto2 podium (Full Result Here)

1 Raul Fernandez – Red Bull KTM Ajo – Kalex – 39:49.990
2 Remy Gardner – Red Bull KTM Ajo – Kalex – +5.408
3 Augusto Fernandez – Elf Marc VDS Racing Team – Kalex – +6.824

Moto3
Moto3 brought the serious drama at MotorLand, with three Championship contenders all finding bad luck or trouble on race day. The first was for Romano Fenati (Sterilgarda Max Racing Team) as he was forced into the gravel, then Championship leader Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Ajo) crashed and, right as he seemed set to make huge gains, so did second overall Sergio Garcia (Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team). But one contender held firm and avoided it all, with Dennis Foggia (Leopard Racing) pulling off a tactical masterclass to take his third win of the year and move back into third overall.

The Italian just defeated another stunner from Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Tech3), the Turkish rider impressing once again but forced to wait for that first win. Completing the podium was Ayumu Sasaki (Red Bull KTM Tech3), the Japanese rider digging deep and taking an emotional second rostrum after a difficult few months of injury.

Darryn Binder (Petronas Sprinta Racing) kept the lead initially as the South African held on for the holeshot, but Garcia was quick to attack. As ever though, the moves came thick and fast and a leading freight train formed. Öncü took over at the front, with Acosta, Garcia and Binder shadowing in the early stages.

Drama hit on Lap 5 for Silverstone winner Fenati. Front row starter Gabriel Rodrigo (Indonesian Racing Gresini Moto3) suddenly crashed in front of the Italian, and he was forced to take avoiding action into the gravel – rejoining well down the order, a postcode off the points. There was also an early touch between Xavier Artigas (Leopard Racing) and Acosta but no harm done. Meanwhile Öncü rolled on at the front, able to stay ahead down the back straight too as a group of nine formed at the front followed by SIC58 Squadra Corse duo Lorenzo Fellon and Tatsuki Suzuki. 

After chipping away at it, they tagged onto the back to make it 11 riders fighting for the win, but it was a costly push for Fellon as the French rookie then got a Long Lap penalty for track limits. Taking it dropped him back in behind the chasing trio of Niccolo Antonelli (Avintia VR46 Academy), double 2020 winner at the track Jaume Masia (Red Bull KTM Ajo) and Stefano Nepa (BOE Owlride).

Antonelli and Nepa were next to tag on, but then drama whittled the group down again… and key drama. After a season of history making, Acosta made his first big race day error of the year, heading up the inside of Artigas and then losing it, skittling both out. And he couldn’t rejoin, leaving Garcia with an open goal…

Starting the final lap, Foggia led Öncü led the two GASGAS machines of Garcia and Izan Guevara (Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team). Öncü then hit the front, the Turk digging in on the search for that elusive first victory, and even more drama soon hit just behind. Despite the huge chance to home in on Acosta, it just wasn’t to be. Garcia suddenly slid out as he fought to gain more ground, rider ok and able to rejoin but no points coming his way. 

Meanwhile, Öncü remained ahead and the Turk led heading onto the back straight – as he had a good few times during the race, able each time to keep it too. But this time, Foggia had the legs and the incredible straight-line speed of the Leopard Honda struck, the number 7 slicing past. Öncü tried to reply on the drag to the line and almost did, but he’s forced to settle for another second, just 0.041 off the win.

After a weekend of more muted timesheets at times from Sasaki, the Japanese rider played his cards to perfection on race day. Making moves through the group late on, the number 71 took his second Grand Prix podium by just 0.064, denying Guevara as the Spanish rookie was forced to wait for that first podium once again, just as at Silverstone.

Antonelli stormed the latter stages the come home in fifth, able to pull out a few tenths on compatriot Andrea Migno (Rivacold Snipers Team), who nevertheless bounced back after a tough-to-take technical DNF at Silverstone. Binder took seventh nearly a second further back, with Nepa half a second behind him. Suzuki lost out to the Italian by 0.101 as he took ninth, with Masia completing the top ten a couple of seconds off the front group, not finding his 2020 MotorLand magic this time around.

Ryusei Yamanaka (CarXpert PrüstelGP) took P11 with a little breathing space ahead of Adrian Fernandez (Sterilgarda Max Racing Team), with Syarifuddin Azman (Petronas Sprinta Racing) only a tenth and a half off the number 31 by the flag. No mean feat, and the Malaysian impressively scores points on his Grand Prix debut.

Rather stunningly, behind him came Fenati. The veteran Italian dug in to try and gain ground back after being forced wide, and gain ground he did. Making up the gap to the next riders, passing them, and then rinsing and repeating, the number 55 took 2 points for 14th. Riccardo Rossi (BOE Owlride) just pipped Kaito Toba (CIP Green Power) to the final point, with a late crash seeing Jeremy Alcoba (Indonesian Racing Gresini Moto3) and Fellon both fail to make the flag.

Moto3 podium (Full Results Here)

1 Dennis Foggia – Leopard Racing – Honda – 37.53.710
2 Deniz Öncü – Red Bull KTM Tech3 – KTM – +0.041
3 Ayumu Sasaki – Red Bull KTM Tech3 – KTM – +0.644

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