On-Track
Jack Miller – MotoGP

Jack Miller endured a frustrating start to November in Portugal, salvaging just 14th in the Sprint after what had promised to be a competitive weekend. The Prima Pramac Yamaha ace had shown genuine pace in qualifying, progressing through Q1 with the second-fastest time to lock down eighth on the grid. But any hopes of a points finish evaporated almost immediately, as Miller haemorrhaged five positions on the opening lap and never recovered, ultimately bringing it home 14th.

Sunday’s Grand Prix offered little respite. Despite starting with renewed optimism, Miller found himself wrestling with severe grip issues throughout the race, eventually crossing the line a distant P12.

“Sunday went a little better than yesterday. I had a decent start and tried to challenge the guys ahead of me, but there were some areas where I was really struggling – especially on the exit of turns 14 and 15, and also through turn six. When the tyre started to drop, it just got harder and harder; the bike was pumping like hell, and I was just trying to do the best I could. So, not happy with the day,” Miller lamented.

Onto the finale, and after topping FP1 and running sixth in practice before qualifying P8, Miller’s weekend was looking promising. A rapid launch in the Sprint then put him in a tight battle with Fermín Aldeguer for eighth, but contact between the two on lap three derailed his charge. Miller was handed a three-position penalty which went unserved, leading to a long-lap penalty that dropped him to 12th.

In the main dance, Miller claimed a credible ninth. After spending much of the race in sixth and seventh with an attacking yet controlled ride, a late tyre drop forced him onto the defensive, which consequently cost him two positions to Luca Marini and Brad Binder.

“Over the season we‘ve been up and down – some good highlights and some decent lowlights too – but in the last couple of races, since Australia, we‘ve managed to understand the front end a bit more. Maybe we lost a little in terms of outright performance, but we gained good feedback in stability and in managing the tyre. Now I understand this bike more and more. Next year’s bike will be different, but the DNA is the same,” reflected the popular veteran.

Senna Agius – Moto2

Senna Agius began the weekend in fine form at Portimao by posting third in FP1 before backing it up with fifth in Friday afternoon’s practice session. While qualifying 13th represented a slight dip in fortunes, he remained optimistic about his race prospects.

Come Sunday, Agius demonstrated the pace that had served him well in practice, but a sluggish getaway off the line proved damaging. Although he recovered to bag ninth at the chequered flag, a result he was satisfied with given the circumstances, the young maestro knew a stronger launch could have yielded a considerably better finish.

“It wasn’t a bad race, even though I didn’t get off to the best start and the first lap didn’t go perfectly. That’s why I fell back a few positions. I also had a little trouble finding my speed at the start of the race, which is why I ended up losing a few positions. I think if I had been able to attack at the beginning, I would have made some really good progress, because I had good pace at the end of the race. In the last three laps, I overtook some good riders and made it into the top ten. So, let’s take the positives, because we have a strong race pace,” Agius explained.

Agius brought his campaign to a solid close with seventh in the season finale at Valencia. Having qualified an impressive third on the grid, the Australian ran inside the leading group for much of the distance. However, fading grip in the closing stages saw him slip back to eighth at the flag.

A post-race time penalty for Filip Salac ultimately promoted Agius to seventh, which was a solid way to draw the curtain on his campaign.

“Once again, a big thank you to Jürgen, Stefan and Wolfgang for giving me the opportunity to be here, because without them I wouldn’t have gotten this far. I really felt their support this year, and they believed in me during difficult moments. On the other hand, the good moments motivate us for the future. Now we’re going home and set for next year. I have a lot to do in the winter. Fortunately, that keeps me busy so I can come back in good shape in 2026. Finally, I would also like to thank everyone involved in this project for their work and help this year,” commented the gifted talent.

Joel Kelso – Moto3

Joel Kelso produced a masterclass in qualifying at Portimao, securing pole position with a composed and confident display that saw him top the timesheets with aplomb.

Starting from the prime grid slot on race day, he fought valiantly but found himself on the back foot as the laps ticked by. Mounting tyre wear in the latter stages hampered his charge, thus leaving him to settle for seventh.

“Took a gamble in yesterday’s race and tried my hardest to break away. Unfortunately the soft front just faded towards the end. Overall it was a super positive weekend, and we will leave it all on the line in Valencia next week,” posted Kelso.

Joel Kelso saw his crusade come to a premature and annoying end at Valencia, with him crashing out after qualifying 12th. It was far from the conclusion he’d hoped for. However, despite his disappointment, Kelso looked back with satisfaction on what had been his strongest season at this level to date, stating: “Not the way I wanted to end our final race of the year. A crash brought my progress to a halt quite early, but this year I’ve had my best season yet and was lucky to share it with the Level Up MTA team. We created some great memories together, and I wish them all the best for the future. Now we turn our eyes to 2026.”

Jacob Roulstone – Moto3

Jacob Roulstone was forced to sit out the penultimate round in Portugal after undergoing surgery on a fractured left hand sustained in Malaysia. The Australian’s focus quickly shifted to returning for the last stop on the calendar. And that he did, despite carrying that injury into his final outing with Tech3, as Roulstone put in a gutsy performance at Valencia. Starting 23rd on the grid, he wasted no time carving through the field, reaching 16th by lap three and climbing as high as 13th at the race’s midpoint.

The compromised hand inevitably took its toll as the laps wore on, and Roulstone gradually dropped back down the order. Nevertheless, he held on to cross the line 16th.

“Sunday’s race had to be the hardest of the season. Finishing P16, it was the only race this season where when finishing a race I wasn’t able to score points. I took some painkillers and held on for as long as I could. I managed to work my way up to P13 from P23 and battled till the end. But once they wore off, I struggled to keep going with only three fingers working the left bar and holding on.

Considering I still had pins in my hand on Wednesday, I didn’t think I’d be able to say that. It wasn’t the way I wanted to wrap up the season, but I’m proud I was able to put the helmet on and do the last race of the season. The team and I worked very hard these past days to get a comfortable and competitive feeling on the bike. Which I’m proud we were able to do. And I really want to thank the boys for those efforts,” insisted Roulstone.

Off-Track
Jett Lawrence – Paris Supercross

Jett Lawrence certainly endured an eventful time of it at the 2025 Paris Supercross. Night one was nothing short of a catastrophe, for he was taken out by Tom Vialle and then crashed in both Superpole and the third final to cap off a disastrous opening day. To his credit, the phenom responded emphatically on Sunday, as the #18 dominated proceedings with victories in two of the three races and a third in the other, ensuring he left the French capital on a decidedly high note.

Hunter Lawrence – Paris Supercross

Hunter Lawrence also had a wild ride at Paris Supercross, mixing the ups with the downs in dramatic fashion. Beginning with first place in Saturday’s Superpole before going 4-2 in the opening two motos, things were looking promising for the #96. But a nasty spill in the whoops derailed his evening and threatened to rule him out for the rest of the event. Thankfully, the banged-up star was able to compete on Sunday, where he bravely fought through the pain to go 4-5-4, which was a gutsy showing given the circumstances.

“I’m happy I could ride today as well. I wasn’t sure how I’d be. Thankful to keep Eric [Peronnard] happy. Rule number one at these races, keep the promoters happy. Yeah, we were just, I mean, you’ve seen it, compared to yesterday,” he told RacerX.

“I could do enough, you know, get out there and still get some good practice laps in, and no, it was good. I take the riding from yesterday, Superpole, even the motos and how I was riding up until the crash. The crash was just one of those things. The whoops were abnormally large this year, and, just going into them, had a bit of a bad run out of the corner – the rut kind of caved in – and then trying to drive through the first three, and I think on like the fourth one, my front wheel just missed the tip of it. And as I’ve gone to extend, like, commit to putting it on the next one, as you do, the rear wheel spun as I’ve pretty much pushed all my chips in on that one to get traction. So, yeah, it was pretty scary.”

Luke Clout – Paris Supercross

Luke Clout delivered a brilliant performance at the 2025 Paris Supercross to clinch second in SX2 after a weekend in which he came so close to reigning supreme.

The Australian was nothing short of excellent across the two nights, reeling off an impressive string of 2-1-1-1 finishes in the opening four motos to establish himself as the man to beat. His speed and consistency had him firmly in control of the overall classification heading into the final day.

Read our October Aussies Racing Abroad column here…

Heartbreak struck in the penultimate moto, though, when Clout was caught up in a first-turn incident beyond his control, thus seeing him limp home 13th to watch his title hopes slip through his fingers. The experienced Aussie bounced back strikingly to win the final race, but the damage had been done. Even though he missed out on the overall triumph by a narrow margin, Clout could hold his head high after a tremendous display.

The post Aussies Racing Abroad | November 2025 appeared first on Racing, Riding, Motorcycle Reviews, Race bikes, Tech Tips, Rider Training....

On-Track
Jack Miller – MotoGP

Jack Miller’s July began on a positive note at the iconic Sachsenring, for he put in his finest Sprint race performance of the season, charging to an impressive fifth after a gritty comeback. Having got off the line well, he struck a tear-off while shifting into second gear that caused the rear tyre to slip, which frustratingly dropped him back to 11th. Undeterred, Miller clawed his way back through the pack to ultimately bank a solid top-five finish.

Read previous Aussie’s Abroad here...

Then, in Sunday’s main race, despite struggling with tyre degradation over the final eight laps, Miller again displayed resilience to battle hard to clinch eighth.

Heading to Brno for the next stop on the calendar, the popular Aussie powered to 10th in qualifying even though he suffered a crash that threatened to hamper his GP. His Sprint was compromised right from the outset, though, for he got caught behind a slow-starting Alex Marquez, meaning he was forced to roll off the throttle, thus seeing him drop to 14th. Regrouping admirably, there was much to admire about how he recovered to 12th.

Making a solid beginning to Sunday’s race, the Australian propelled himself to eighth on the opening lap and settled in behind Jorge Martin. However, a late-race engine brake issue disrupted his rhythm, allowing Brad Binder, Fermin Aldeguer and Pol Espargaro to slip past, leaving Miller to finish 10th.

“It was a long and tough race. I had a decent start – better than in the Sprint race – and was feeling pretty good. We were very conservative, not being completely sure about the tyres. I found a good rhythm behind Jorge, and everything was fine until about seven laps from the end. I changed the engine brake setting, and pretty much at the same time, I started to struggle in Turn 3. The clutch was kind of binding up, basically not giving me any engine braking. It was even difficult to tell which gear I was in, as I couldn’t really feel the downshifts. So, I had to reinvent my riding in those final laps, which was tough. I had been able to brake pretty late to defend against overtaking moves, but once the issue started, I had to leave some margin and became vulnerable to Brad and Pol catching me. I’m not happy with the last three laps, but it is what it is,” explained Jack Miller.

Senna Agius – Moto2

Senna Agius showed blistering pace to open the weekend in Germany, clocking a 1:39.588 to briefly hold provisional pole. However, a dramatic late-session crash, which he thankfully walked away unscathed from, saw him bumped off the front row, meaning he began the main dance fourth on the grid.

Race day brought further challenges, with Agius forced to serve two long-lap penalties. Starting a distant 23rd, the determined Aussie carved his way through the field in a tremendous comeback. When the race was red-flagged on lap 20, he had surged to 11th – an exceptional ride that highlighted his composure, racecraft and unshakeable resolve.

Onto Brno, and after qualifying sixth to secure a second-row position, Senna Agius slipped back to 12th early and struggled to find his groove. Despite a robust effort, he could only salvage 15th and a single championship point.

“Sunday here in Brno didn’t go as expected, because I had inexplicable problems from the first lap. It was strange because it was something I hadn’t felt before this season. It destroyed my race, even though I tried to adapt to the problems as best I could, but nothing worked. I couldn’t overtake, I couldn’t open the throttle and I couldn’t ride my pace like I showed on Saturday. It’s very frustrating, and I’m quite disappointed with today because we had great potential,” he lamented.

The 20-year-old now enters the summer break sitting seventh in the standings, poised to bounce back with gusto when the campaign resumes.

Joel Kelso – Moto3

Joel Kelso displayed remarkable determination in the Moto3 race in Germany, bravely pushing through the pain after a heavy Saturday crash that required thorough medical attention. While he managed the discomfort early on, the injury took its toll in the closing laps. To his credit, Kelso valiantly fought on to secure a courageous sixth, which was an eye-catching showing given the circumstances.

The Czech Republic round also proved a tough one for the talented Kelso, who was sidelined following a nasty qualifying crash left him with a fractured right foot.

Fortunately, the upcoming three-week summer break offers valuable recovery time as Kelso aims to return fit and ready for Austria.

Jacob Roulstone – Moto3

Although he launched from 19th on the grid in Germany, Sunday’s race proved to be a breakthrough day for Jacob Roulstone, who charged through the field to finish eighth, just 0.8 seconds off the win to bank his best result of the crusade so far.

Though he battled rear tyre issues in the closing laps, Roulstone handled the challenge with aplomb, drawing on his flat track experience to manage the situation. Buoyed by the performance, all eyes were on carrying this surge of confidence into the next round at Brno.

Sadly, it wasn’t to be for the youngster, as he endured a rough weekend in the Czech Republic. Getting off on the wrong foot, with an engine issue in FP2 cutting short his track time, before his best lap in Q2 was controversially cancelled due to a questionable yellow flag.

Hitting the grid 15th, the Red Bull KTM Tech3 rider’s toils spilt into the race, with persistent front-end issues preventing him from finding the pace needed to fight at the front.

“Disappointed with this weekend, to be completely honest. It started off looking promising, but after just five decent laps yesterday, I was left with little track time for the race. We have some pretty big things to change before the next race in just under a month,” Roulstone commented.

Remy Gardner – World Superbike

Remy Gardner qualified 16th at Donington with a 1:25.953 after a small misstep on what could have been his quickest lap. But when the lights went out in race one, he made amends in style – slicing through the field to claim a terrific ninth.

Sunday brought more consistency, with Gardner securing 12th in the Superpole race before notching another solid ninth in race two. All in all, it was a confidence-boosting weekend for the Aussie, who exhibited speed and fight throughout.

“The long race was definitely better than the sprint. I had a good start in the Superpole race and felt strong early on, but we struggled a bit in the second half and couldn’t challenge for the top nine. In the main race, though, I felt much better and managed to recover from 15th on the grid to ninth. The pace was solid throughout. It’s a decent result, and we’ll aim for more at Balaton in a few days,” Gardner stated.

Oli Bayliss – World Supersport

Oli Bayliss delivered his strongest performance of the season aboard his Triumph in race one, charging up to seventh and hunting for a top-six spot before a crash at Turn 12 on lap nine brought his run to an early conclusion.

Determined to bounce back in race two, the Aussie made a lightning start and briefly ran with the lead group. However, grip issues began to surface, forcing him to drop back and eventually settle for 12th – a result that didn’t reflect the potential and speed he’d demonstrated.

“Bit of a difficult race. Good start and first lap, but I just got dropped and couldn’t catch up to the group. I struggled a little bit with grip and was just in salvage mode for the race. We’ll try again in two weeks,” recalled Bayliss.

Off-Track
Jett Lawrence – AMA Pro Motocross

Jett Lawrence’s July has been littered with upside and success as the phenom’s won two of the three AMA Pro Motocross overalls on offer and placed second in the other. Reigning supreme at RedBud and Spring Creek before getting second at Washougal, the gifted Jett has been a cut above his competition more often than not.

With his jumps out of the gate dialled and him comfortable on the bike, the technically sublime Honda superstar holds a 61-point lead over older brother Hunter Lawrence.

“This has always been one of my tougher tracks, so I knew coming in it would be a challenge – especially with guys like Chase and Eli riding well here. In the first moto, I made a mistake and lost some time trying to get back into a flow, and by then Eli had already built a gap. I’m still happy with second overall, though, you can’t win everything, and eventually a streak ends. I was proud to rebound in the second moto and grab the win there,” he insisted after the recent round at Washougal.

Watch for more when the series resumes next month at Ironman in his quest to claim his second 450 Pro Motocross crown.

Hunter Lawrence – AMA Pro Motocross

Going 2-2-4 in his last trio of races, Hunter Lawrence’s consistency and speed continue to make him a force to be reckoned with in Pro Motocross. While he hasn’t been able to take home that elusive overall triumph, the fact he won a moto at Spring Creek served as a testament to how brilliantly he’s been riding.

“Another top-five overall – fourth on the day. I kept the top-five streak alive; that makes 19 in a row, so that’s pretty cool. And I’m happy to leave here in one piece. The visibility was really tough today, with the shadows; I might need to see an eye doctor to make sure I’m not partially blind! But it was the same for everyone, and I’m glad to make it through.”

Desperate to bring home a win, expect him to come out swinging at Ironman, as he hopes to best his masterful sibling and the likes of Chase Sexton and Eli Tomac.

Jake Cannon – EMX250

Jake Cannon kicked off his EMX250 outing in Finland with a fantastic body of work in the opening moto. While he was running steady in eighth in the first laps, he really found his form in the second half of the bout, blasting through the stacked field to log an excellent fourth.

Disappointingly, his Sunday didn’t go to plan, with a crash over the bars on the sandy circuit scuppering his second race. A tenacious Cannon notably remounted and put on a charge to cross the line in 20th to earn the final point on offer.

“I got off to a good start in the first moto, but my first few laps were terrible, and I quickly dropped back to eighth before settling down. The track was very rough, there were no breaks. It was surprisingly hot too, but I never gave up and finished strong for a solid fourth place. Sunday was a different story with that crash costing me so much time, it was a different experience,” he told the Bud Racing website.

Liam Owens – EMX250

Liam Owens yet again underlined his class in the latest EMX250 round in Finland by registering seventh overall on a weekend where a podium was on the cards if only he had avoided a penalty and some mistakes.

Qualifying P5 and looking fast, the Husqvarna ace appeared destined to be in the mix from the off, showing promising speed heading into the races. Initially finishing seventh in race one, this result wasn’t to be upheld, though, for a post-race penalty for a sound control infringement saw him demoted five positions to 12th.

Race two saw an even better performance for Owens, as he logged fifth and was hauling in the sandy conditions even if a few errors cost him a shot at the podium.

“A bit of a weird weekend for me, to be honest, not much to say. Starts are heading in the right direction and started around the top 10 in both races this weekend,” Owens posted.

The post Aussies Racing Abroad | July 2025 appeared first on Racing, Riding, Motorcycle Reviews, Race bikes, Tech Tips, Rider Training....

On-Track
Jack Miller – MotoGP

The most recent stop on the MotoGP calendar in Qatar was one to forget for Jack Miller, as tyre issues and a crash in the race ensured it was a tough encounter for the popular Aussie. Beginning his weekend with a crash, this wasn’t ideal for Miller, who was also dealing with a bout of food poisoning during the event.

Read last month’s Aussie’s Abroad here...

His disappointment frustratingly carried over to the race under the lights at Losail, where an early spill ended his chances of getting a positive result. “That was the best I‘d felt all weekend – the bike was working well until it suddenly wasn‘t. My rhythm was strong, and I was feeling pretty comfortable catching back up to the group ahead. I switched the map, and then just before the crash, coming into Turn 15 on what could have been my best lap, the bike suddenly started vibrating violently at the rear, so much so that my legs came off the pegs,” reflected Miller.

“I lost the front. I managed to keep the bike up with my elbow, but when I pushed in deeper, it started vibrating again”…

“I had to slow down, and even then my time was a 1‘53.9. Martin passed me, and I followed him into Turn 1, but at Turn 2, another left-hander, as soon as I leaned in, I lost the front. I managed to keep the bike up with my elbow, but when I pushed in deeper, it started vibrating again. I was off-line and onto the dirty part of the track, and the bike just slid out from under me. We saw very clearly in the data that something changed from one lap to the next.

“Why, we don‘t know. The tyre looked fine; everything seemed okay, so we need to understand more about what happened. Honestly, it ended the way the whole weekend had been going. I‘m happy to be heading to Jerez; I think this bike will work well there.”Miller will now immediately shift his focus to round five in Jerez in his pursuit of a much better outcome.

Senna Agius – Moto2

Forced to undertake three Long Lap penalties in Qatar, mustering 14th was a decent result in the trying circumstances by Senna Agius. Kicking things off with a 13th in qualifying, which was a solid effort given he was working hard to find an ideal setup, he then proceeded to bank 14th in the race. Disaster struck from the off for Agius, for he was instantly handed a double Long Lap penalty for a jump start before receiving another Long Lap for not executing his initial penalty adequately. To his credit, the #81 fought back remarkably to register two points following a strong comeback from the aforementioned adversity.

“I apologise because I made a rookie mistake today. I don’t think I’ve ever jumped a start before”…

“I apologise because I made a rookie mistake today. I don’t think I’ve ever jumped a start before, so I’m angry with myself. I’m sorry because we worked really hard this weekend and made a step with both my feeling and my riding, and I threw it all away with my mistake. I tried to come back and get some points to take something home. In the end, it was my mistake. I’m sorry for my crew because they work really hard, and I work hard too to get the results I know we can achieve. I am now focusing on Jerez, but all in all, I would like to apologise to everyone,” he lamented.

Joel Kelso – Moto3

Aussie flyer Joel Kelso enjoyed a brilliant performance in Losail, as not only did he secure P2 in qualifying, but he also went on to produce a fine display to cross the line in fourth. Rapid from the outset in Qatar, Kelso laid down a marker by claiming P2 in qualifying to earn his spot on the front row.

In the hunt for the win throughout the thrilling race on a night full of drama and action, the gifted Aussie eventually grabbed P4, just 0.097s off the win in what was a crazy surge to the line. “A little bittersweet, that one. Really happy with how the weekend went. We fought super hard but just came up a little short. Feeling really good heading into the European rounds and ready to fight for that podium in Jerez.” said Joel. Hungry for more in Jerez, watch for Kelso, who occupies third in the standings, to come out swinging in Spain too.

Jacob Roulstone – Moto3

On his return to racing following a brutal injury, Jacob Roulstone logged a respectable 14th in the hugely competitive Moto3 class. Despite feeling confident and good on the bike, 22nd was all he could do in qualifying, which was more than reasonable in the situation.

“Quite a decent race today. Was able to get a better first few laps and be more aggressive. Lost touch with the second group but could close a 3.0s gap to catch them to be in P9. Unfortunately, I chewed up my tyres a bit too much doing this, so I couldn’t fight at the end and fell back to P14,” stated Roulstone. “Huge thanks to the boys and the team for the work over the weekend. Time to get stuck into some hard training this week ahead of Jerez.”

Remy Gardner – World Superbike

Remy Gardner produced an outstanding effort in Assen in what was a terrific weekend by the Australian ace. Getting off on firm footing, the GYTR GRT Yamaha pilot’s eighth in the opening race and P7 in the Superpole race were quality results. Not content with this, Gardner capped off his tremendous weekend by storming to third in race two at the historic circuit after blasting off the line to put himself in a promising spot to succeed.

“What a relief! The Superpole race wasn’t too bad in the wet, though the last laps were tough to manage. Still, I held on to secure a decent spot on the race two grid. In the final race, I got a great start and was able to battle for the win early on, staying up front until the end. We did get a bit lucky with Nicolò’s retirement, but it was still a strong race and a big improvement over Saturday. Hopefully we can keep this momentum going into the next rounds,” insisted a delighted Gardner.

Oli Bayliss – World Supersport

Even though he demonstrated many glimpses of his excellent speed, a crash in race one and a technical issue in the second stanza meant Assen was a rough round for Oli Bayliss aboard his PTR Factory Triumph machine. While there wasn’t too much upside to be extracted from his outing, the fact he launched off to a nice start in the second race was something to take away from an unsatisfactory Assen.

“Difficult day today, I struggled with the bike overheating in warm up, and then for the race on the first lap, it happened again. I rode the bike until it cut out and I unfortunately had to retire. Difficult to end the weekend like this as in qualifying/warm ups we had good speed. Thanks to my team and supporters,” recalled Bayliss.

“With Oli, when you have instances where you crash there can be problems. It was a new engine that went in the bike, and it overheated and he had to stop in the race. Another disappointing weekend for him, but we know the results will come so we just have to stay positive. We’ve a test coming up at Donington next week and we’ll look to the next round at Cremona,” said TR Triumph Racing Factory Team Manager Simon Buckmaster.

Luke Power – World Supersport

Having missed Portimao, Luke Power was back for Assen. And while his shoulder injury was still giving him grief, getting P2 in the warm up and 17th in Race 2 were highlights. Able to log some vital laps and get back in the groove, plus engage in plenty of fights for supremacy on track, this was a valuable building round for him in his search to get back to firing on all cylinders.

“Overall, it wasn’t a bad weekend after missing Portimão,” commented Power. “I started a little bit behind, but we worked through the plan on Friday and were able to qualify. I made a good start in Saturday’s first race and was aggressive, which was my focus before going into the race. I struggled a bit with pace and strength in the shoulder towards the end of the race, but it wasn’t the worst result we could have had. Finishing P2 in the warm on Sunday was really cool, and I felt I had plenty in reserve if it had continued to rain. It dried out for race two, and I made a big step with my riding to finish P17. I know on paper it doesn’t look that good, but we’re close to the points, and we showed some good speed, especially at the end of the race, which is encouraging for the rest of the year. Thanks to the team for their hard work and for sticking by me. I am already looking forward to Cremona.”

Jason O’Halloran – EWC

The Yamalube YART Yamaha EWC Official Team of Marvin Fritz, Karel Hanika and Australian legend Jason O’Halloran impressively reigned supreme at the first round of 2025 FIM Endurance World Championship (EWC) at Le Mans. The 48th edition of the legendary 24 Heures Motos definitely lived up to the hype, and O’Halloran played a key role in the memorable victory. Making a dream start to this new beginning, it was little wonder the O’Show cut a delighted figure when speaking after this pulsating triumph.

“My first race with YART and my first 24-hour race…so to win here at Le Mans is incredible! The whole team has done an amazing job throughout the week. Due to the conditions, it is certainly the trickiest race I have ever been involved in. We had to think on our feet on the bike all race, deciding whether you needed to pit to swap tyres or what strategy we needed to adapt. It was a long race, but my teammates were incredible. I actually enjoyed riding during the night because you can get your head down and work away at it, but when the sun comes up, you realise there is still a long way to go. The final ten minutes were probably the longest ten minutes of my life, but we did it. The whole team should be so proud, and I want to thank each and every one of them; they worked so hard, and we deserved the victory,” he explained.

Off-Track

Jake Cannon – EMX250

Trentino and Switzerland were next on the agenda for Jake Cannon, as he looked to make further strides in the demanding EMX250 class. While he’s adapted admirably to making the massive switch to Europe and already taken home some top results, the last couple of rounds have posed many challenges. Suffering some unfortunate crashes and bad luck, the Bud Racing Kawasaki speedster missed out on the points in Trentino.

Bouncing back outstandingly in Switzerland, a seventh in the first race was a fantastic result to breathe life back into his campaign. While a frustrating first-turn crash in the second moto ruined his hopes, Cannon notably recovered to bag 17th to get 12th overall.

Liam Owens – EMX250

Liam Owens’ up-and-down crusade continues in EMX250. But there have importantly been many signs of him making desired progress, which was illustrated by his pair of 15ths in Trentino even though he was caught up in an early crash and had goggle issues.

Relishing heading to Switzerland for his Cat Moto Bauerschmidt Husqvarna’s home GP, Owens eye-catchingly banked P2 in time practice and was running in fourth in the opening race before a bike problem scuppered his chances and meant he had to retire. Undeterred by this misfortune, the talented youngster posted a superb seventh in the second moto to clinch 13th overall.

The post Aussies Racing Abroad April 2025 appeared first on Racing, Riding, Motorcycle Reviews, Race bikes, Tech Tips, Rider Training....

On-Track
Jack Miller – MotoGP

While the first two rounds of MotoGP haven’t all been plain sailing for Jack Miller aboard his Prima Pramac Yamaha, there’s still been many positives to be extracted from his season so far. Kicking things off with an 11th in Thailand, this was a strong effort by the Aussie, especially considering a problem with his fairing arose on lap eight.

Read last month’s Aussie’s Abroad here...

“Overall, it was a good day for me. I felt pretty decent, but I had a small issue with the fairing around lap eight, which caused me to lose touch with the front group. Unfortunately, one of the clips popped out, and the whole fairing started coming loose. As you know, aerodynamics are crucial these days, and I started struggling with turning and carrying corner speed – especially in what was my strongest sector, Turns 4 and 5,” Miller remarked.

“On top of that, I was cooking out there because all the air was being directed straight at me. It made the race even hotter, and I actually burned my inner arms trying to hold the fairing in place on the straights. But I managed to make it to the finish line. In the end, I lost a few positions because of that, but I kept it together and brought home some points. Overall, it was a positive weekend. We‘re focused on building a solid foundation, and we‘ll keep working hard.”

“Overall, it was a positive weekend. We‘re focused on building a solid foundation, and we‘ll keep working hard.”

Miller then headed to Argentina and banked 11th in the Sprint, in a race where the result didn’t reflect his speed due to him being held up in the pack after an average start. Although he got off the line poorly in the Sunday bout, Miller, to his credit, kept fighting to eventually claim 14th, on a weekend where the dirty track, some tyre issues and the circuit proving hard to pass on hindered him.

Typically honest when speaking afterwards, all eyes now turn to the GP of the Americas for Miller, where he’ll be looking for an improved outing.

“The release at the start of the race wasn‘t too bad, but then I had a bit of wheel spin – maybe I was a little too aggressive on the clutch, or the track was quite dirty – which caused me to lose a few positions. Fortunately, I was able to recover them fairly quickly. However, we struggled with grip. We opted for the medium rear tyre, and I‘m not sure if it was the right decision, but it‘s always easier to say that after the race,” Miller stated.

“Anyway, I tried to be as gentle as possible and find my rhythm. With 11 laps to go, I felt like I was catching up to the other riders, but in the end, our tyre degradation was similar, so I wasn‘t able to move forward as much as I had expected. Overall, it‘s been a valuable learning weekend for us. Of course, we want to be closer to the front, and I‘m confident that we‘ll come back stronger in Texas.”

Senna Agius – Moto2

Senna Agius began his 2025 campaign with a bang by securing a superb podium at the opener in Thailand. After showing sensational speed early in the weekend before qualifying fourth, this put him in a quality position to enjoy a brilliant race, which is precisely what he did. Blasting off the line smartly, the 19-year-old quickly surged into third. Although he received a long lap penalty following contact with Celestino Vietti, he didn’t let this scupper his race, for he copped his penalty and immediately recalibrated his focus to set his sights on a top-three finish.

All his hard work and determination paid off, as the youngster prevailed in a thrilling duel with Diogo Moreira to ultimately claim third in fine style.

“We have to keep doing everything right, stay consistent, keep working hard and to do this as much as we can.”

“I am over the moon! I had a good start, stayed calm and learnt a lot at the beginning. Unfortunately, the moment with Vietti came, but I saw the chance. It is what it is. So, I did the long lap and then I was on a mission to catch Moreira. In the last few laps, I was on his rear wheel and passed him. It was the most physically demanding race I could have imagined. I’m so grateful to everyone working with me because I have such a strong mentality this year and the other side of our garage has the same ambition to win this year. Today’s double podium for the team means so much to them. I can see it in their eyes and that makes me happy. But we still have 21 races to go, where we have to keep doing everything right, stay consistent, keep working hard and to do this as much as we can,” commented an overjoyed Agius.

The following round in Argentina proved far more challenging for Agius, as beginning the race from 22nd was always going to be tough for him on an unfamiliar track. His resilient body of work warranted plenty of praise, however, with him overcoming his struggles and lack of flow to bag 13th, which means he sits fifth in the standings ahead of the GP of the Americas.

“We’ll take home a few points. But we have to reset and prepare well for Austin. Nevertheless, I would like to thank the team, because they worked tirelessly this weekend. We showed good speed, but something was missing today. We have to analyse that and think about it for America,” Agius lamented.

Joel Kelso – Moto3

LevelUp-MTA’s Joel Kelso injected life into his crusade with a solid eighth in Argentina, following a disappointing first round that saw him crash out and trigger a massive pile-up while in the running for a top-10 finish.

“Massive apologies to [Angel Piqueras] for ruining his race.”

“Gutted about that one,” said Kelso on the unfortunate incident. “After a tough weekend, we dug deep as a team and came into the race with a good feeling. I started off trying to position myself in the best spot to avoid the carnage. As the tyres dropped off, I kept a little in reserve to make a late push toward the podium. I saw my opportunity to move forward as the pace slowed, but no one’s fault but mine – I misjudged the last corner and just couldn’t pull up the bike. Massive apologies to [Angel Piqueras] for ruining his race.”

Delivering a strong comeback performance at the Autodromo Termas de Rio Hondo circuit, bagging eighth in qualifying afforded him a decent platform for the main event. Knowing he had to undertake two long lap penalties in the race, much upside could be gained from how he didn’t let this completely ruin his race, for he let his riding and powers of recovery shine to clinch eighth.

“On paper, P8 doesn’t sound amazing, but after serving two double long laps today, we’re happy with our progress! We made around 13 passes throughout the race, caught the front group, and closed a five-second gap. We’re working well and ready to get stuck into COTA in a couple of weeks,” he expressed.

Remy Gardner – World Superbike

Remy Gardner hit the track for another valuable test, which occurred on the 14th and 15th of March in Portugal, as this two-day hit-out gave him and the GYTR GRT Yamaha some vital data ahead of the second stop on the calendar at the same track. Despite being forced to wait for conditions to dry out on the opening day, Gardner wasted little time in getting up to speed, for he clocked the sixth fastest time and logged 57 laps. While the rain interfered with day two, it was another productive one for Gardner, who posted the fifth best time while importantly getting 33 laps in.

“It was a positive test, and we managed to try some new things ahead of the race. Unfortunately, we missed some valuable track time due to the weather, but we were still able to complete a good number of laps and gather useful data. The lap time was strong, considering it came on a race tyre, and the overall pace was promising, which gives us confidence for the race weekend. That said, we know there’s still work to do, and we’ll make sure to be fully prepared for the second round of the season,” Gardner insisted.

Jason O’Halloran – World Superbike

It’s been confirmed Jason O’Halloran will replace the injured Jonathan Rea in the Pata Maxus Yamaha WorldSBK Official Team for the second round of the World Superbike Championship at Portimao this weekend. Having signed with the Yamalube YART Yamaha EWC Official Team for 2025 and set to start his role as Yamaha’s WorldSBK test rider as well, plenty of exciting times are ahead for the popular Aussie. Ready for the challenge, the experienced legend, who notably spent five seasons aboard an R1 in the British Superbike Championship from 2019-2023 and became the brand’s most successful rider in the category with his 26 race wins, is set to be a tremendous asset.

“I’m excited to get the opportunity to ride for the Pata Maxus Yamaha team in Portimao while Jonathan continues to recover. I have really enjoyed being back on the R1 in pre-season testing with YART, it’s a bike I’ve always gelled well with. And I had a lot of success with the R1 in BSB, so to try it in full WorldSBK spec is something I’m looking forward to,” explained O’Halloran.

“I will give it my best for the team and for Yamaha while also remembering that the EWC season starts in just a few weeks”…

“Of course, heading into a race weekend with no testing is jumping in at the deep end a little bit, but I will give it my best for the team and for Yamaha while also remembering that the EWC season starts in just a few weeks. I’d like to thank Yamaha and the team for the opportunity and wish Jonathan a speedy recovery.”

Off-Road
Jake Cannon

Jake Cannon has made an impressive start to life in the fiercely competitive EMX250 class, as the reigning Australian MX3 champion’s displayed many glimpses of his immense talent in the opening two rounds of the series. Looking fast and right at home in this stacked class against many of the finest young riders in Europe on his Bud Racing Kawasaki, Cannon’s recorded some handy results already.

“I felt comfortable riding in the mud both days, but I just need to get round the first turn, stay off the ground and minimise those mistakes.”

Really catching the eye in his first race in Spain by crossing the line second in the first moto, this served as a testament to what an exceptional prospect he is. Although the second race in the brutal mud didn’t go as planned, he, like many others, grappled with the conditions and faced goggle issues, ultimately finishing 21st and securing 12th overall.

“I was over the moon with my first race in EMX, particularly after I saw the track when I arrived. It was just crazy for practice and I only managed four laps. I wasn’t sure how the day was going to go, but I executed a good start in the first race and rode smart and came good at the end. I saw fourth trying to put a charge on me, but I found some good lines and all of a sudden I was behind second and could pass him on the last lap. In the second moto, I crashed off the start and then I lost another minute when I needed to stop in the pits for fresh goggles and gloves. I felt comfortable riding in the mud both days, but I just need to get round the first turn, stay off the ground and minimise those mistakes,” he told the Bud Racing website.

Even though his 15th overall in France at the subsequent round may not jump off the page, this doesn’t tell the whole story, for there were again many examples of his speed. Not only did he qualify third fastest in his group, but he also battled up front in the first moto before being eliminated in the closing stages and claimed ninth in moto two after a wicked ride through the field, to demonstrate his skills.

Liam Owens

Similarly to Cannon, Liam Owens has mixed the highs with the lows in EMX250, as he continues his adaptation to the demanding category. Beginning the series in a wet and wild Spain, a bike failure while running fifth in the first race, and problems with his gloves and goggles in the second, ensured it was one to forget for the hotshot.

Relishing the chance to venture to France for round two in his quest to enjoy a better weekend, the early signs were promising when he went third in free practice and fifth in the first qualifying session. Sadly, it all went downhill from there, for Owens endured a torrid time in the miserable conditions, with him unable to translate his speed into the races and avoid mistakes, meaning 24th overall was all he could achieve. Ready for more in Trentino in April, watch for him to come out swinging in his pursuit to piece everything together.

The post Aussies Racing Abroad March 2025 appeared first on Racing, Riding, Motorcycle Reviews, Race bikes, Tech Tips, Rider Training....

On-Track
Jack Miller – MotoGP

In February, MotoGP conducted five days of testing in Malaysia and Thailand, allowing all five manufacturers to fine-tune their new bikes ahead of the start of the season this month. And Jack Miller made some decent steps in preparation for the 2025 campaign.

“I feel as prepared as possible, obviously. The bike works quite well, I’m happy with where we are”.

Relishing getting in some valuable time on the bike with his Prima Pramac Yamaha team, there were many positives to be extracted for the #43. “I feel as prepared as possible, obviously. The bike works quite well, I’m happy with where we are,” stated the popular Aussie.

“I managed to put on two tyres, something we hadn’t done in the whole test session. Yes, that was good. It’s always stressful, but fun at the same time, the bike seems to behave well. It’s understanding what you have to do in terms of preparing the bike for the lap time.

Read previous Aussies Racing Abroad columns here…

“In the Sprint simulation I was quite happy with my pace, it wasn’t too bad. We had a problem starting with one of the maps, let’s say the race map. So we had a qualifying map by default; and it became quite difficult to hold on in the last laps.” Typically honest and full of insight, it’ll be interesting to see how he stacks up at the season opening round of MotoGP.

Senna Agius – Moto2

Pre-season testing for 2025 got underway for Senna Agius and the Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact squad in Portugal, and the gifted Aussie impressed on his way to claiming fourth on day one before clinching 13th on day two in a rain interrupted hit-out. “It was good to be back on the bike. Overall, it was a good shakedown test and I felt comfortable with everyone and everything. So we will start again in Jerez and do our best to be as prepared as possible for the first race,” Agius reflected.

“It was good to be back on the bike. Overall, it was a good shakedown test”…

Although ninth was all he could put together at the Jerez test, this was still a solid final event for the #81. Having banked his first Moto2 podium on home soil at Phillip Island last season, this crusade promises to be another one littered with highs for the tremendously talented 19-year-old.

Jacob Roulstone – Moto3

Aussie rising star Jacob Roulstone suffered a fractured and displaced C3 vertebrae in his neck just weeks before the Moto3 season following a heavy training crash. Expected to miss the first rounds of the Moto3 term, this came as a huge blow to the young star on the rise, for Roulstone had been making fine strides in pre-season. Having quickly undergone surgery, he’s now fully focused on his recovery in his quest to get back to racing as soon as possible.

“Yesterday I had a very positive check-up back at the hospital with my surgeon Dr Mireia. Things are all moving in the right direction and I am now able to remove the rigid neck brace and replace it with a softer one. Also able to start to do some small amounts of safe exercise,” he posted.

“Due to the way the surgery was carried out, no muscles, tendons or neurological areas were affected”…

“Due to the way the surgery was carried out, no muscles, tendons or neurological areas were affected, meaning my recovery will be better than first expected. Another check-up in 10 days and then off to Red Bull Athlete Performance Centre for more follow-up and monitoring to be best prepared for when it’s safe to be back on the bike. Thanks again to everyone for the support.”

Joel Kelso – Moto3

Moving to the Level Up-MTA team for 2025, watch for Joel Kelso to be right up there, as he aims to reign supreme in Moto3 in 2025.

“It was an easy decision for me to join the Level Up-MTA team”.

“It was an easy decision for me to join the Level Up-MTA team. The team consistently demonstrates professional and sporting excellence. I thank manager Alessandro Tonucci for the mutually desired agreement we’ve reached. The 2025 season promises to be exciting as we aim for the Moto3 class crown with a team ready to meet such ambitious goals,” Kelso said on his delight at joining the Level Up squad. Beginning his 2025 with a solid body of work to register sixth in the test at Portimao, this was a nice outcome in an event that was hampered by wet weather.”

“It was an interesting first day. We had to make some adjustments to optimise the work on track, but overall I’m happy with the bike, the team and the final time. I can’t wait to get back on the bike,” he expressed. Next up for Kelso was the Jerez test, where he excelled to record the second fastest time, which sets him up beautifully for the start of the new term in Thailand.

Remy Gardner – World Superbike

Remy Gardner successfully completed a productive two-day Test in Portimao to kick-off his year. Even though the mixed conditions made things tough, much upside could be gained from how he and the team were able to try out many different components, with the Aussie notably logging 52 laps on the opening day. Meanwhile, the rain on the second day gave Gardner and his teammate Aegerter the opportunity to gather important data on slick and wet tyre setups.

Eager to put his best foot forward at the opener on the familiar confines of Phillip Island, it sadly wasn’t the weekend Gardner was hoping for. Getting the ball rolling by securing a credible ninth in the Superpole qualifier, crashes, misfortune and adversity then struck in the races, meaning he endured a weekend to forget.

“Not the weekend we wanted. In the sprint race, we managed to stay close to the top nine, but it was a tough fight in a very tight pack. And unfortunately, we just missed out by a small margin. That meant I had to start 13th in the final race, where I pushed as much as possible early on. Unfortunately, a tyre issue held me back in the first half, making it a challenging race.

“We’ll reset and come back stronger in Portimao.”

After the flag-to-flag, our pace wasn’t too bad, but catching the riders ahead to score more points was difficult. Sadly, I crashed in the latter stages, which wasn’t the way we wanted to end the weekend. Now, we’ll reset and come back stronger in Portimao,” he lamented.

Oli Bayliss – World Supersport

PTR Triumph Factory Racing finalised their squad for next season with the addition of Oli Bayliss, who teamed up with British rider Tom Booth-Amos in the 2025 World Supersport Championship. The switch to PTR Triumph sees Bayliss embark on a fresh adventure, as he changes manufacturer for the first time. And he made a fine start to life in his new environment by notching a pair of sevenths on home turf at Phillip Island.

“Not a bad first weekend with PTR Triumph Factory Racing”…

“Not a bad first weekend with PTR Triumph Factory Racing. Two seventh place finishes. Wish I could’ve done a bit better in race two, but after a mistake in the first stint and not the best pit stop we were sitting around 15th position. Not a bad comeback back to seventh. The feeling and data we get on the bike improves each session so we need to keep working for Portimao. Big thanks to my team and my sponsors.”

While his progress has been severely impacted by injuries over the last few years, it’s important to note Bayliss has evidenced his speed and skill on many occasions when fit and firing, as he’ll be determined to stay healthy and enjoy a fruitful term aboard his Triumph following his promising start to 2025.

Luke Power – World Supersport

Motozoo Me Air Racing’s Luke Power wrapped up a vital four days of testing to get his new MV Agusta machine up to speed ahead of the 2025 World Supersport season. Gaining valuable data and insights, Power is hoping this will hold him in good stead for a quality year, which will be his third with this outfit in the ultra-competitive class.

“I’m thrilled to be back on the track with the team as we gear up for this new season. I’m really pleased with the hard work we’ve put in; we tested a lot of different aspects and made excellent progress during the sessions, achieving some great lap times. I’m especially happy to have prepared for the Phillip Island race in the best way possible, ensuring I feel good on the bike for the first race. A big thank you to the team for their outstanding effort over these past few days,” reflected Power.

“Overall, it was a positive weekend and a positive start to this year’s world championship”…

Venturing to Phillip Island for the first round of WorldSSP, much optimism could be found from his 12th and 11th in the two races in the stacked category, in a weekend where he made terrific headway despite injuring his shoulder on the Friday.

“Overall, it was a positive weekend and a positive start to this year’s world championship. A big crash that left me injured wasn’t the ideal way to start, but we did a good job given the circumstances when it came to Superpole and the races. I managed to claw my way back to P12 on Saturday and P11 on Sunday, which are my two best results in the dry to date in the world championship,” Power shared.

“I want to thank the team for all their hard work, not just in repairing the bike after the crash, but for doing such a great job in the pit stops. We recorded the third best time, which shows how well we are all working together. I want to thank all the medical staff that got me in a condition that meant I could race. The fans trackside were amazing and it was so nice to see my merchandise in the paddock being worn by fans. I will now spend the weeks before Portimao in March making sure I am fully fit for the first European race of the season. Thanks again to everyone supporting me – it means a lot.”

Currently just outside the top 10 in the championship hunt, watching how he fares at round two will be intriguing in his pursuit to power into the top 10 on a consistent basis.

Off-Track

Jett Lawrence – AMA Supercross

Reigning 450 AMA Supercross champion Jett Lawrence will miss the rest of the 2025 supercross crusade after tearing his ACL and meniscus in Glendale at round four. Dabbing his right foot in a corner, this was all it took for Jett to sustain this ailment that appears set to keep him out for roughly four months.

“I’m not exactly sure when I’ll be able to return, but rehabbing will be my new full-time job”…

“I found out today that I tore my ACL and am having surgery tomorrow to repair it. I’m not exactly sure when I’ll be able to return, but rehabbing will be my new full-time job, so I hope to see you guys as soon as possible! I’m super-bummed to let the fans down and I can’t wait to get back out there,” the phenom told the HRC website.

With his title defence now over, all eyes will be on seeing if he can return in time for the AMA Pro Motocross opener on May 25.

Hunter Lawrence – AMA Supercross

Hunter Lawrence’s Supercross campaign also came to a disappointing end, for it was confirmed the older Lawrence brother suffered a raised and partially torn labrum in his right shoulder, along with multiple cracks in his humerus bone, which will sideline him for around three months. Doing the damage in a brutal spill in Tampa, the early signs were good that he might be okay to continue, but scans revealed the bad news.

Thank you to all my amazing partners, who continually are the reason all this is possible”…

“I’m going to get this fixed and come back 100% to go and battle for the outdoor and SMX title again. Thank you to all my amazing partners, who continually are the reason all this is possible. We will get this 2025 turned around soon enough,” Hunter commented.

Also gunning to make it back for the Pro Motocross series, it’ll be a case of channeling all his energy into his rehabilitation to make a full recovery for round one at Fox Raceway in May.

The post Aussies Racing Abroad | February 2025 appeared first on Racing, Riding, Motorcycle Reviews, Race bikes, Tech Tips, Rider Training....

On-Track
Jack Miller – MotoGP

Ready for a fresh start after a frustrating 2024 aboard his Red Bull KTM, where he finished 14th in the MotoGP standings, Jack Miller’s move to Pramac Yamaha offers him a perfect chance to go again. Having struggled to find comfort on the bike and been forced to ride around many issues that he and the team couldn’t find solutions for, it’ll be intriguing seeing how he fares with his new team.

Already gaining some valuable insight and information from the recent test on the Yamaha, he’ll be hoping for a smooth adaptation in his quest to get back in the mix. Seeing as Yamaha know they need major improvements if they’re to compete with the likes of Ducati and Aprilia, much positivity could be extracted from the fact they’re ready to test their new V4 engine. Given the Iwata marque has hired a host of talented and experienced engineers to ensure they can close the gap, watching their progress will be fascinating.

Read our previous Aussies Racing Abroad columns here…

Courtesy of Miller’s vast knowledge and time working with many teams and manufacturers, he’ll back himself to adjust and get the bike at a competitive level sooner rather than later. All eyes will now shift to the first tests in 2025, where Miller, and his fellow Yamaha pilots, will get their first chance to try out this potentially game-changing package.

Off-Road
Luke Clout – World Supercross

Racing the World Supercross Championship with Rick Ware Racing, Luke Clout had a mixed WSX campaign that was full of highs and lows. Getting the ball rolling with a challenging opener in Canada, where, despite qualifying fourth fastest, crashes and bad luck ensured he had a tough night at the office on a very difficult track.

The well-travelled star then enjoyed an excellent home round in Perth, as he secured fourth and fifth overall finishes in the double-header. While things didn’t go entirely to plan to close out his WSX exertions in Abu Dhabi, with him, and many more, enduring issues with the tight start, he still clinched 11th overall to power him into sixth in the final SX1 standings.

“WSX done, ended the championship P6 overall,” recalled Clout. “Last night’s first turn into a wall jump got me every race, so we won’t go into that. Massive thank you to Rick Ware Racing, I had an awesome time with you guys. And to Aaron Clout for the hard work as always! Let’s do it again. Looking forward to some time off now and doing some more cool things in 2025!”

Matt Moss – World Supercross

Despite Matt Moss’ WSX campaign being littered with hurdles, the popular legend still produced many glimpses of his class. Teaming up with superstar Eli Tomac, who went on to reign supreme in the elite WSX class, under the CDR Yamaha Monster Energy awning, the veteran relished the opportunity to test himself against some of the world’s best. Holding his own and getting some excellent starts, Moss eventually bagged 10th in the SX1 standings, as untimely mistakes and adversity prevented him from finishing any higher.

“That’s a wrap on 2024 SX! Definitely not the season I wanted lots of crashes and just not myself. I would like to thank everyone involved with the CDR Yamaha Monster Energy Team for the season. Special thanks to Troy Moynihan – you’re an amazing mechanic and person. Sorry I didn’t deliver, but I’m glad I had you by my side. Now to spend time with the family and sit down and see what’s next but for now thank you to friends and family and all my supporters,” Moss reflected.

Ryder Kingsford – World Supercross

Young speedster Ryder Kingsford flew the flag for the Aussie 250 contingent impressively in WSX by recording some brilliant results on the big stage. Heading in full of determination and chomping at the bit to showcase his skills on this platform, observing him handle the step up in quality with aplomb was a testament to all his hard work and talent.

“WSX has an international grid of very talented riders, and I’m excited to put myself up against some of the best in the world. With third in the ProMX SX2 series, 2024 has been good for me so far and so much of our sport is based on form and momentum. I feel like momentum is with me, but I know I can’t take anything for granted. I just want to maximise every opportunity, do the best that I can on track, and see what that leads to,” Kingsford commented ahead of the series beginning.

Rising to the occasion strikingly on his CDR 250, there was plenty to get excited about when he grabbed a superb second in the first SX2 final in Canada on his way to securing seventh overall. Next on the agenda were the final rounds in Perth and Abu Dhabi, where his highlights were a ninth and an eighth overall to propel him to eighth in the SX2 championship.

Kaleb Barham – World Supercross

After banking a solid eighth in the first round in Vancouver, rotten luck struck Kaleb Barham in Perth, as he suffered a devastating broken arm. Ending his season right there, just when he was gaining momentum, was a real blow to the likeable ace, especially seeing how much he was loving his time racing with the CDR squad.

“Sucks to be making this post, but unfortunately I had a crash at WSX resulting in a dislocated wrist with a couple of breaks. Obviously I am gutted, but as we all know, this is how the sport goes sometimes,” Barham explained.

“Thankfully the Race Safe crew had me sorted until I was able to fly home and now I’m getting ready for surgery with Dr. Steve Andrews to let the body heal. Thank you to the CDR Yamaha Monster Energy Team, Yamaha Motor Australia and the Yamalube Yamaha team for this opportunity. Met some people I have looked up to my whole life, raced some of the baddest dudes on the planet and made some cool mates along the way.” Barham has now turned his attention to his recovery in preparation for 2025.

Gus Riordan – GNCC

It’s been another successful season for Australian Gus Riordan, who flexed his muscles yet again in America by becoming the 2024 U.S Sprint Enduro Pro 2 Champion for the second consecutive campaign. The man who also represented Australia at the ISDE and raced a round of EnduroGP in Wales will be gunning for more glory in 2025 too, with him contesting the GNCC XC2 Class and debuting in the National Enduro NE Pro2 Class.

“This year was good and we’re swapping it up for next season, switching to the National Enduro Series. I’m looking forward to that and GNCC as well, so hopefully we can get some wins and challenge for those titles,” Riordan stated.

The FMF KTM Factory Racing Team Landers hotshot is currently enjoying some time back home in Australia before heading Stateside again to get dialled in ahead of a busy 2025.

Josh Strang – GNCC

Heavy hitter in the American off-road scene for nearly two decades, former XC1 champion Josh Strang has been named East Coast Off-Road Team Manager for the Liqui Moly Beta Race Team. Not only will Strang manage the day-to-day operations for the team, but he’ll also compete in the XC1 class on a Beta 480 RR, as he’ll be eager to add to his 87 podiums and 24 wins in the category.

“I’m excited to join the Beta Off-Road Team as a racer and East Coast Manager. I have been looking for an opportunity to move into a position like this for some time and I believe I can learn and do a good job representing the Beta brand in our community. I’m also very excited to enter into my 19th season of GNCC racing,” insisted Strang.

Stoked at the challenge ahead and set to be a huge asset to the Beta squad, both he and team are fully focused on making 2025 a terrific one, where his expertise, knowledge and experience will be a real game-changer.

Lyndon Snodgrass – GNCC

Although former XC2 GNCC Champion Lyndon Snodgrass has confirmed he’s without a ride for next season, he promisingly expects to still be lining up. Leaving Team Babbitt’s after five years and many good times, it’ll be a case of watch this space to see what he figures out for 2025. Positively, he finished his time with the squad by claiming a podium at the finale at Ironman to wrap up what was an up and down campaign for the Aussie.

“Five years with Team Babbitt’s has come to an end. I want to thank the whole crew for their efforts. We achieved a lot over the years, including the 2022 GNCC XC2 Championship, which was a goal of mine from the moment I stepped foot in the U.S. It’s hard to accept that I don’t have a ride for the 2025 season, but I’m not going to give in yet. I have another goal to chase. I’ll see you all at round one,” he posted.

Editor’s Note – If you would like someone included in Aussie’s Racing Abroad, contact us via our contact page…

The post Aussies Racing Abroad | January 2025 appeared first on Racing, Riding, Motorcycle Reviews, Race bikes, Tech Tips, Rider Training....

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The post Racing News | Aussies Racing Abroad June 2024 appeared first on Racing, Riding, Motorcycle Reviews, Race bikes, Tech Tips, Rider Training....

Oli Bayliss – World Supersport
Despite a tough start to his weekend at Donington Park that meant he started from 20th on the grid, Oli Bayliss admirably worked through the field in race one to claim a solid 11th. Wanting to better his result for race two, unfortunately it wasn’t to be for the Barni Racing star, with the pressure in his front tyre dropping steadily as the race wore on, forcing him to settle for 13th.

“The Barni Racing Team and I had a fair weekend all in all. In race two we struggled with an issue with the front tyre dropping pressure throughout the race, and that kept me from pushing, especially from the front half,” Bayliss recalled. “It was a big learning weekend but we can take a lot of positives from here to Autodrom Most in two weeks’ time.”

Currently sitting 16th in the championship and gaining vital experience with every passing race, the talented Bayliss will now shift his attention to round six in the Czech Republic.

Jason O’Halloran – British Superbike
Jason O’Halloran impressively moved to the top of the British Superbike standings after another wonderful weekend of action. Going 1-2-2 at Brands Hatch, the “O Show” stamped his authority early by winning the qualification race .Riding exceptionally and consistently to take home two second place finishes on Sunday, this rounded out an outstanding weekend for the Yamaha maestro.

The second race was particularly exciting, as O’Halloran went head-to-head with McAMS Yamaha teammate Tarran Mackenzie in a race-long battle. In the end, though, following some entertaining back and forth, Mackenzie edged O’Halloran at the line to secure victory by a measly 0.0037 seconds.

“A really good weekend for us, I was really happy to win yesterday,” he explained. “I’ve finished no worse than second in nine races now and won five of them. We needed to make a step forward at Brands from last year and I think we’ve done that.”

Harrison Voight – Moto3 Junior World Championship
Continuing his fine progress in 2022, Harrison Voight keeps producing the goods in the Moto3 Junior World Championship. Beginning the month with an impressive sixth in race one and ninth in race two at Jerez, the youngster battled hard in this fiercely competitive class to earn two deserved top 10s.

Although he couldn’t replicate these results at the Algarve due to him being taken out on the last lap, the fact he qualified on the front row and was in the group battling for second and holding his own offered plenty of reason for encouragement. 

“What a pity to end a great weekend! I was strong being up in the front of the group battling for second. Unfortunately starting the last lap, a rider made a stupid move making contact with another rider to then hitting me,” the man in 13th in the championship insisted. Taking the positives about this race, it was well and truly the best race I’ve had until this situation. I’ll keep chipping at it, soon we will arrive back on the podium.”

Jacob Roulstone – Moto3 Junior World Championship
While the results haven’t matched his speed in the Moto3 Junior World Championship, Jacob Roulstone’s still on the right path as he gains valuable experience. Securing a decent 18th in the opening race at Jerez, things then took a turn for the worse in race two, for he endured a nasty crash while attempting to avoid a rider who’d highsided. As a result, Roulstone, who was travelling at 180kph had nowhere to go, with him ultimately colliding with a wall.

Heading into the Algarve round, a battered and bruised Roulstone left feeling happy with his output from the weekend, where he escaped unscathed and put in some consistent lap times on his way to finishing 21st in this stacked class.

“We are taking more steps each time and I feel good results are coming. I’ve worked out a few things I need to work on and I just need to sort out the qualifying and first lap aggression. Thank you to all my team for the ongoing hard work,” said the upbeat hotshot.

Mitch Evans – MXGP
Almost back to a level resembling his best, Mitch Evans’ recent form has been extremely positive, for he’s shown he can take it to the frontrunners and hold his own. Having gone 6-7 for seventh overall at the Czech GP, Evans backed that up by running third in the qualifying race in the sand of Lommel.

Disaster then struck near the end, with the likeable Aussie enduring a horror crash over the triple. Although he bravely attempted to race on Sunday, Evans was forced to retire 15 minutes into the moto, with the ramifications of his incident seeing him withdraw. The HRC rider then wisely sat out the second moto, as he now turns his attention to the Swedish GP in two weeks.

Jed Beaton – MXGP
F&H Kawasaki mounted Jed Beaton is steadily getting better with every round, in his quest to get back to full race fitness. Running in seventh for a large part of the second moto at the Czech GP was a massive boost for him, in a race where he spent some crucial time battling with some of the elite riders in MXGP.

While last weekend at Lommel was a tough one at the office for Beaton, the bike time and experience he gained will serve him nicely moving ahead. Hoping to land some more top 10 finishes in the remaining four rounds is now the goal for Beaton to close out his injury interrupted debut MXGP campaign in style.

Jett Lawrence – AMA Pro Motocross
Jett Lawrence continues his dominance of the AMA 250 Pro Motocross series, as the inordinately talented youngster appears destined to claim another outdoor crown. Although his July started cruelly with a DNF in moto one at RedBud when his bike let go, he remained focused to salvage the day by winning the second moto.

Having lost his red plate at RedBud, Lawrence emphatically reclaimed it at Southwick by going 1-1 in the sand to earn a dominant overall win. He then flexed his muscles to round out the taxing four race stretch by bagging overall wins at Millville and Washougal to extend his championship lead to 28 points heading into the three week break.

Hunter Lawrence – AMA Pro Motocross
Still in the championship mix and proving he can match Jett for speed frequently, Hunter Lawrence isn’t giving up on the title yet. Sitting 28 points behind his younger brother and clearly feeling confident with four rounds to go, the older brother will be doing everything in his power to close the gap.

With his last eight moto scores reading 2-2-6-8-2-5-1-4, it’s obvious he’s got the quality, he just needs to avoid the small mistakes and keep pushing for better starts if he’s to truly be in the hunt.

Wil Ruprecht – Enduro GP
Heading into the EnduroGP in Portugal at the beginning of the month leading the championship and stamping his mark as the man to beat, things frustratingly took a turn for the worse for the Aussie. 

Starting the round with a disappointing crash, this put Ruprecht on the back foot from the off, with him only able to muster five points from the weekend. Consequently, he also dropped back to second in the standings behind Andrea Verona.

“Bonehead mistake on my part in the supertest set the tone for the weekend really,” Ruprecht lamented. Was going to work in the first enduro test of day one, just hitting my marks but ended up laying it down. Tried to gather every point I could following that but I couldn’t bring home anything worth talking about. So that hurt the championship a bit but with plenty still to play for it’s all hands on deck for the upcoming GPs.”

Daniel Milner – Enduro GP
Getting on the podium in just his fourth EnduroGP, Daniel Milner deserves immense credit for his exceptional performance in Portugal. Looking comfortable and fast aboard his Fantic, the consistent Australian proved he’s adjusted smoothly to the class and can match it with the best of them.

“To get on the overall podium in my fourth EnduroGP was a good feeling. Feel like I’m adapting and feeling more and more comfortable every race,” he explained.

The post Aussies Racing Abroad: July 2022 Update appeared first on Racing, Riding, Motorcycle Reviews, Race bikes, Tech Tips, Rider Training....

Alex: “I had become friendly with a local Isle of Man based team when I was at the Manx GP in 2013. TC Racing is a family-based team that specialises in up and coming racers, especially ones from overseas. Cam Donald and Dave Johnson both had their first TT starts with TC Racing. Often, over the years, you’d find the three of us Aussie riders chilling out in the TC tent. It’s a real family atmosphere and they are in fact still like family to me. All decisions within the team are made as a team and they approached me to ride for them in the 2014 TT, getting sponsorship from the IOM government. I had to get myself there and pay for tyres. Everything else was covered.”

Read volume one of Between The Hedges here…

Chris: “TC Racing is not only a great team but a great bunch of people. John and Liz Taubman, their daughters Alana and Sam Taubman and their partners Gas Knight and Mick Charnock. Mick himself was a very experienced roads racer but a couple of big crashes at the the TT stopped Mick’s career. They looked after us like family, even after my mate Dave dropped a brand new Magnesium Dymag rim on the ground. Dave is no longer with us, but gave us some great laughs at the TT in 2014. Little did we know he had a brain tumour at the time and was losing the plot a little.”

Alex had a full schedule at the 2014 TT.
Alex: “I was entered in all five races in 2014. I had a Honda CBR600RR for the Supersport class, a CBR1000RR superstocker and a full house CBR1000RR for the Superbike and Senior TTs. Practice week went ok, but not without a few dramas. The super stocker fried a fuel pump fuse and left me stranded near Sulby Bridge, and I crashed the same bike at Creg Ny Baa on another lap during practice week. I say crashed but it wasn’t as bad as that really. I had been on a flyer of a lap. I couldn’t understand why I was passing bikes so easily, thinking they were going slow. Turns out I was going fast, wheel standing everywhere and having a blast.”

“That bike was so easy to ride but as I hit the brakes for Creg Ny Baa I found I didn’t have any. All the wheel standing and head shaking had forced the front pads back in the calipers and by the time I realised what was happening I ran out of road, nose diving into the air fence at the pub on the corner. The bike plopped back down and fell over, breaking a brake lever. When I got back to the pits the team was jumping up and down, saying I was on for a 125mp/h lap until my little ‘incident’.

Chris: “Alex was going well in practice and qualifying but was struggling with the Superbike. It was a beast of a thing, with a 24-litre tank, lots of horsepower and a front end off Carlos Checa’s world superbike CBR. I think he was actually faster on the super stock 1000. A couple of times he came in with grass on the fairing where he’d nearly ran out of road, so that was a bit scary for me at least. Overall though, especially in the Supersport class, he qualified much higher than the start number the TT organisers had given him.”

Alex: “We were running hard compound Dunlops that year, they could do six laps. The top blokes had quick change rear axles so would change two rear tyres during the race. I had to manage my tyre wear. Turned out it didn’t matter in this race anyway. The six lap race started well but on the second lap I lost the front on a left hander just up from the Gooseneck. I was doing at least 160km/h at the time. I lost the front but managed to keep it upright, but then of course I ran out of road. I ran up the embankment and somehow managed to jump across a two car wide gap in the embankment where there was a gate for the paddock. Somehow, I managed to stay on and rode back to the pits. I was pretty shaken up but still managed a well over 120mp/h lap. There was grass and dirt everywhere on the bike, even between the tyres and the rim. How I didn’t crash I don’t know.”

Chris: “I was watching the pit crew getting ready for Alex’s first stop. Gaz Knight from TC Racing was next to me and said, “There’s something wrong”, as soon as Alex pulled up. You could see from his body language that his race was over then and there. To this day he doesn’t know if he hit something slippery on the road or just made a mistake. Luckily, he stayed upright. It was pretty scary for all of us.”

Alex: “The rest of race week was a shit-fight really. The team bent over backwards for me but we just had issue after issue. I was going great in the first Supersport race until the engine blew. In the Superstock race I was pumped up more than ever before. I was flying on the first lap but the fuel pump fuse blew again. We put a used stock engine from the wreckers in the CBR600RR for the second Supersport race and it held together. I came around 30th out of near 100 riders but I knew I could have gone better. The best bit was dicing with my mate Dominic Herbertson for the entire race. I had qualified one place ahead of him but we were evenly matched. Dom went on to be a well-known sponsored TT racer in the UK. We are both from ‘Newcastle’, on opposite sides of the world.”

“The last race of the week was the Senior TT, the one every rider wants to win. Of course that wasn’t going to happen for me but I wanted to give it everything. It all went well enough on a bike I struggled to tame, but I ended up around 50th place. Then it was all over for that year.”

Chris: “One of the highlights was seeing Alex get some good airtime on the TT coverage. He was flat out and Michael Dunlop eased past him on top of the mountain. The commentators gave him a big rap which was nice. FOX Sports usually runs the coverage of the TT but it’s a huge thing over there. ITV4 does the coverage and you see it each night. There are something like 300 people from ITV4 working on the TT, and the night’s show starts only one hour after practice stops, for example.

“Another surreal thing happened that year and a photo was taken of Alex that went viral. Guy Martin was chasing Michael Dunlop in one of the big bike races and Martin had an onboard camera. They both caught Alex near a big jump at Ballacrye. A still shot was taken from Martin’s bike showing Alex getting big air on the CBR1000RR. Fantastic stuff.”

Alex was disappointed with his results, though much of it was out of his control.
Alex: “I was very disappointed in my 2014 results. I feel I could have gone better, especially in the Superstock race. To this day that CBR1000RR is one of the best bikes I have ever ridden, if not the best. It was so easy to ride fast and I was on a mission that day until it broke down. That one, more than any of the others, really hurt.”

Chris: “Not much was on the radar for 2015 at the TT for Alex until I got an email from Paul Phillips, the head man at the TT, saying there could be something with Ice Valley BMW. We didn’t have the money to do something ourselves from this side of the world, so the deal was not a bad one for us. The ride was paid for by the IOM government and Ice Valley with us having to pay for tyres, getting ourselves there, and crash damage. What could go wrong I though. Lots as it turned out.”

Alex: “This was the team that gave Peter Hickman his start in 2014. He did a 129 or 130mp/h lap in his rookie year so the team had some pedigree. There were three riders in the team, myself, team principal Paul Shoesmith, and French rider Franck Petricola. All of us were on BMW S1000RRs with customer superbike kitted engines. They had around 215rwhp so were fast. It all turned to crap before practice week even started. We were at Jurby Airfield to get a feel for the bikes and I managed to highside the bike big time. I was pissing blood for a week and nothing went right after that. I knew the old man wasn’t happy when I was lying in the back of the ambulance and the door came flying open, him giving me a spray and slamming the door shut. The nurse said, “who’s that?” … “My Dad,” I replied.

Chris: “I could see someone was going to crash that day at Jurby. It was so cold and Alex was showing everyone he was the fastest. I wanted to grab the red flag and stop the session but sure enough, Alex had a massive highside. Sometimes you can see things happening before they do and that was me that day. I still maintain there was no point being out there in those conditions. The risk was much higher than any gains to be had. As they say, you can’t put an old head on young shoulders.”

Some tool time was required…
Chris: “Alex only had the one bike, which was now well damaged. I somehow became his default mechanic and had to borrow tools to get the bike back on track. From then on we chased electrical gremlins, that even factory staff from BMW head office in Germany couldn’t fix. It had a habit of cutting out and then chiming back in. We changed all sorts of stuff to no avail, so Alex had to practice on an older S1000RR while we tried to fix his bike, partly held up from waiting for parts from the mainland.”

Then practice week got worse.
Alex: “We were struggling to get our six laps of practice due to these bike issues and also poor weather. Finally I was able to get out on my bike after the team got it back together. I was running out of time to qualify so out I went. I nearly lost the front under brakes as I was braking for Ballaugh Bridge on the first lap. That was weird I thought and should have stopped to see what the issue was, but being under pressure to get my laps in I pressed on. Little did I realise my front tyre was going down. I got onto Sulby Straight and as I tipped into the right hand kink at the end of the straight I lost control of the bike. I remember just hitting the limiter in top gear as I tipped in, a millisecond before the bike went into a massive tank slapper.

“I was heading for the wall of a house and was about to jump off when the bike hit the kerb and bounced me straight. You can imagine how fast all of this happened, as I had just hit around 300km/h when I had the tank slapper. Somehow I held onto it and came to a stop at Sulby Bridge. By this stage the front tyre was off the rim.”

Chris: “I knew something had happened because live timing showed Alex hadn’t progressed beyond a certain sector of the course. Then he called me from a Marshall’s phone and told me he had a flat. We were able to borrow a van from James Whitham, ex WSBK/TT racer and TT commentator, and I went out with Dan Harrison, one of Alex’s mates from Australia, to pick him up. We had to wait until the roads were declared open and while we were doing this I got a text from Cam Donald, asking if there was anything he could do, just to ask. All good I replied, he’s just got a flat tyre. When the roads were opened up after practice we joined the course at Kirkmichael. As we came onto Sulby Straight Dan said, “someone’s crashed there, pointing to a hole in the hedge.” We only had to go another kilometre or so to get Alex but when we arrived he was very agitated, asking us how his team-mate Franck was (sadly, Franck had died as a result). Little did we know it was Franck who had crashed and created the hole in the hedge, and that was the bike Cam had seen. He thought it was Alex because all the Ice Valley bikes were painted the same.”

Alex: “That was hard to accept. Frank and I had gotten on very well and this was his first big race after crashing at the NW200 in Northern Ireland 12 months earlier. You could tell he wasn’t over his injuries as he was tired all the time. This had happened a couple of times now. In 2014 I had enjoyed a coffee with multi-British Supersport champion Karl Harris. He was a real friendly guy who had noticed me and wanted to give me some tips. I met his wife and kids and they were very nice and helpful to me. Later that day after our coffee together he was killed. We still don’t know what happened.”

“We still don’t know what caused Franck to crash either. In my situation we believe the gyroscopic forces of the wheel caused the valve to pushed down releasing air. In Australia we have to fit steel valve caps to prevent this but at the TT they use rubber caps with seals. When dad looked at the valve on my front tyre he noticed the cap was cross threaded and not on properly. Because I was riding for a well know team, Dunlop technicians would check our tyres before the race. They are no doubt under the pump time wise and to this day I believe that was the case with us. The cap wasn’t fitted properly. I should have stopped at Ballaugh when I had a big slide but I felt under lots of pressure to get a lap in to qualify so I pushed on. Then a photo of me turned up when my front tyre went flat, with me in a full on tank slapper, the actual rim on the road and the tyre only being held on by the fork leg. This caused a major stir around the paddock, including the course secretary.”

Race week was no better
Alex: “I was only doing the big bike classes in 2015 but never got to finish any of the three races, with a breakdown in the Superbike TT, and a crash in the Superstock TT. We’d had no end of electrical problems due to my crash at Jurby and the bike would cut out momentarily while you were on full song, then as you are shutting the throttle it would then chime back in, making it very difficult and dangerous to ride. As I was coming up to Black Hut during the Superstock TT, the bike had a hiccup again, I looked down for a moment and by the time I looked up again I had run out of road. I slipped the wall at over 200km/h and came off. I was apparently knocked out and slid for some 150 metres. I regained consciousness pretty quickly and was able to get off the track without being run over. I was lucky, only hurting my wrist and badly spraining my ankle. The bike didn’t get off so lightly.”

Chris: “That was pretty scary. I knew Alex should have come through by now, so something was wrong. I then saw one of the pit lane officials coming towards me, locking his eyes on me. I didn’t know what to think, but none of it was good. He got to me and said, “your rider’s down but he’s ok, he walked to the chopper and is heading to Nobles Hospital now.” And that was that for 2015. Alex convalesced in hospital for a few days, we flew home via Dublin where we did a tour of the Guinness factory and he managed to set his wrist bandage on fire in a pub. Then came the task of paying for the crash damage. I worked for a few months for free to pay that off.”

Had Alex run over a black cat? It certainly seems this way. He went it alone in 2016 to race in the Supersport class on his own Kawasaki ZX-6R and managed to win his class in the Classic TT that year too on a TC Racing owned Kawasaki ZXR750. Keep an eye out for the next volume of Between The Hedges…

Words: Stuart Woodberry 

The post Between The Hedges Pt2: Alex Pickett’s Unlucky Years At The Isle Of Man appeared first on Racing, Riding, Motorcycle Reviews, Race bikes, Tech Tips, Rider Training....

Watching King Carlos dominate on what is essentially an old superseded customer spec RS11 race bike that anyone could buy for just shy of $200,000 AUD as a base model had been great from a fan point of view. And even when speed deficits on the ultra fast Alitalia Aprilia or Yamaha machines was as big as 18km/h at the fast tracks, Carlos would still win.

Check out our other race bike tests here…

With this in mind and after studying his sector times on the infield of all the tracks this year, it was clear that this machine is a weapon in the parts that count… and with my own 1198 project in Australia at the time, I was keen to see how much of an animal a WSBK championship winning machine really was.

THE RIDE
It’s a warm Monday morning at Algarve International Circuit, a place that feels like my second home such is its popularity for tyre tests, bike launches and other events. It’s a long haul 40-hour trip from home, though, but I’ve had the weekend to recover and soak up the WorldSBK atmosphere…

Once the team fire the beast up and start warm-up my heart gets beating. I’m rarely nervous or intimidated by a motorcycle but the pulsing of massive two-ring 106mm pistons is getting the heart racing. I’m focussed today as I have 11 bikes to test in a row. All of the top WorldSBK and WorldSSP machines. No time to be worried… just get on and go…

Climbing onto Checa’s machine, the first thing I notice is how flat the bike feels. I expected some radically jacked up machine, particularly with Checa’s Grand Prix past, however, the bike is surprisingly conservative feeling. The seat is low.

The ‘bars are also low and dropped down the forks old-school style and I really feel in the bike rather than on it. It’s a great seating position that feels like and old-fashioned racer… The bike is super narrow as expected but aside from the obvious things like the Marelli dash and race ‘bars, seat etc, it feels like a regular road 1198… very familiar to me.

Checa is small of stature like many racers but I found the footpeg position roomy and overall the riding position just gave instant confidence and control. Years of experience means Carlos has nailed the riding possie on this bike and he looked comfortable in all situations on the Ducati during 2011…

I head off, needing mega revs and a good push to get going as first gear is really tall. I exit pit lane and short-shift to third gear for the run down to turn one. Wow! Serious torque. All the other bikes have needed second gear through turns one and two but the Ducati stomps off the turns with ferocious punch. In fact I can’t keep it from wheel-standing and need to get the revs up once I settle down.

I settle in and feel really confident and comfortable on the bike. It feels agile and light and nimble. Initial turning is so quick and accurate. Change of direction from full lean to full lean is not as fast as the fours, however, here at Portimao that is not an issue. It is only out of turn 13 (left) and into 14 (right) that I notice that slightly heavier direction change.

The torque is incredible and not easy to get used to. Carlos rides with such finesse and grace that I was convinced this would be a big pussycat to ride. But it is not. The acceleration can only be described as violent and the throttle response instant in every sense of the word. In the lower gears I found I had to really spend attention on cracking the throttle smoothly with a bit of rear brake on.

Once open the bike jumps off the turns like you would not believe. Do it with urgency or lack of care and the bike responds by bucking, shaking and trying to twist its trellis frame into knots. Smooth is the key and once I calmed down and got settled on the bike I started to ‘get it’.

Power is linear and acceleration so strong that the bike feels faster than the other superbikes. But once the revs reach 11,500rpm the power drops away rapidly. The bike is very flat up top so early shifting and long gears are required, which takes time to get used to after riding all of the fours and some 600s.

One surprise on the Checa bike is the level of engine braking Carlos likes. It helps him get the bike turned and jammed into corners but caught me out a few times. Most racers like a lot of clutch slip however the number 7 machine has more engine braking than a Mack truck! Back shift into turns above 9000rpm and the rear wheel will hop and the bike shudder. I found myself having to downshift one less gear and/or later than usual. I even gave the bike a big old school rev on backshifting into some of the tighter turns.

With so much torque and drive the bike is not the easiest to control in a quick test and would take some time to learn to ride smoothly and to not upset the bike with inputs. It’s clear Checa has that nailed but I can see why many riders never adapt to Ducati motorcycles.

The brakes on the Althea Ducati are simply stunning. I’m glad I had ridden a few other machines the morning I rode Checa’s as I thought I knew what strong brakes were! Well, as incredible as some of the others are, the set-up Carlos runs is incredible. Braking in anger is an experience right up there with the thrill of the acceleration from the engine. And the feel is incredible. As is the grip from the SC1 Pirelli slicks, which were not grooves as they are in the static imagery.

The suspension on the Althea Ducati is surprisingly plush, although I do weigh in at 18kg more than Checa! The bike sits so balanced on the springs and the level of feel from the stunning Ohlins forks is out of this world. The wheels and tyres remain firmly on the tarmac and the bike settles so, so quickly as proven in Carlos’ amazing 170km/h 24m slide coming onto the chute in the race on Sunday.

Overall an experience to remember and one of the biggest thrills of my life…

TECH TALK
Sitting on the scales, Ducati’s 1198 Testastretta evoluzione engine weighs in at just 56kg and the 90-degree L-twin desmo engine generates a claimed 200CV or 197hp at 11,000rpm at the crankshaft with a 50mm air restrictor in place. Restrictors vary from 46 to 52mm.

Internally, this engine includes a pair of two-ring Omega pistons that reduce weight and frictional losses. Obviously, the crankshaft is also lighter than the stocker and was re-balanced accordingly. If you had x-ray vision, you’d see that the pistons have very short skirts and extra ribbing under the crown. Very similar in design to what’s used in the MotoGP Desmosedici.

When asked about the compression ratio, engineers looked out the window but did confirm that the stock heads receive love and attention in the ports to make intake and exhaust flow happy. Camshafts offer the same lift as stock but longer duration to allow deeper breathing. Imparting motion to the valves is a set of ultra-polished rocker arms that offer longer life expectancy at the 12,400rpm redline.

Each cylinder head carries a pair of standard injectors. Control of these is the domain of the Magneti Marelli ECU that determines the exact amount of fuel required to keep each cylinder in its happy place at every combination of throttle opening and rpm.

Removing exhaust gases is a Termignoni exhaust. The two-into-one-into-two kit item uses 52 and 57mm tubing with a wall thickness of just 0.8mm! Mufflers are made of titanium and carbon-fibre.

Transferring power is the dry slipper-clutch and the cartridge-style six-speed transmission from the Ducati race kit. The pinions from the gearbox are all shot-peened before fitting to lengthen their life.

All of this is loaded into a frame that’s as stock as the day it left the factory. Fitting a 6.25×16.5-inch wheel and 190/65-16.5 slick into the stock swingarm doesn’t work so a new, stronger replacement is part of the kit. Linkages for the Ohlins RSP40 shock also differ to stock.

Holding the 3.50×16.5-inch front wheel is an Ohlins TRVP25 42mm fork that is race-only. At the lower end, they carry fully-machined assemblies to hold the front axle clamps as well as the mounts for the front calipers and pressure accumulators.

Front brake calipers are P4X34-38, matched with a pair of 320mm rotors also from Brembo. The differential-piston caliper bodies are machined from solid blocks of lithium-aluminium. Indicating how little it is used, the rear brake rotor is 218mm, smaller than the stock 245mm jobbie but still gripped by a P2X34 twin-piston caliper.

ALTHEA RACING DUCATI RS11 1198 Specifications

Power: Over 200hp@11,000rpm (with 50mm restrictor)
Wet weight: 162 – 171kg (variable, managed by FIM pending results)
Fuel capacity:  23.9L

Engine: 90-degree L-twin Desmodromic four-valve per-cylinder liquid-cooled four-stroke
Bore and stroke: 106mm x 67.9mm
Displacement: 1198cc
Fuel delivery: Magneti Marelli Marvel4 ECU, elliptical throttle-bodies with air restrictor between 46 and 52mm diameter (FIM regulations), Magneti Marelli 162 + 189 twin injectors per cylinder
Exhaust: Termignoni, stainless and titanium, two-into-one-into-two with titanium/carbon-fibre mufflers
Gearbox: Six-speed cassette with straight cut gears
Clutch: Dry, multi-plate slipper clutch, hydraulic actuation

Frame type: Tubular steel trellis frame
Wheelbase: 1435m
Rake: Adjustable
Trail: Adjustable
Front suspension: 43mm pressurised Ohlins TRVP25/TTX25 fork
Rear suspension: Single-sided swingarm, Ohlins RSP40 shock
Front brakes: Brembo radial P4X34-38 calipers and 320mm rotors
Rear brake: Brembo P2X34 caliper and 218mm rotor
Front wheel: Marchesini, 3.50×16.5
Rear wheel: Marchesini, 6.25×16.5
Front tyre: Pirelli Slick, 120/75 – 16.5
Rear tyre: Pirelli Slick, 190/65 – 16.5
Instruments: Magneti Marelli

ALTHEA RACING DUCATI RS11 1198 Gallery 

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