Jack Miller – MotoGP
Australian Red Bull KTM star Jack Miller ended his 2023 MotoGP campaign in mixed fashion, with some solid efforts in Malaysia and Qatar before closing out his campaign with a DNF at Valencia in the finale.

Beginning the month of November with a strong display at Sepang, where his highlights included a third in Friday practice, a handy sixth in the Sprint and a crafty eighth in the race. Miller was, however, concerned with his lack of speed and how he couldn’t find any specific reasons as to why he was way back from the frontrunners.

Moving on to Qatar for the penultimate round of the campaign, a ninth in the race was actually a decent result considering he struggled throughout the weekend and was 12th in the Sprint. Then for the last stop on the calendar at Valencia, Miller showcased good speed all weekend, with him notably securing fourth in qualifying and scorching into the lead in the race before disappointingly crashing out with nine laps to go.

“Not much to say. I didn’t do much different compared to the previous lap. I’d had a few moments with the front so decided to take it easy and not do anything too savage and, yeah, she just got away from me. It could have been an amazing result, but we’ll take stock and bounce back,” he reflected.

“It has been a year of firsts in many ways and a bittersweet way to end because it’s nice to know we have pace and we’re heading in the right direction. We have been working our butts off. The rider is just one small part because there is so much going on behind the scenes. Everyone has worked tirelessly, so I thank them all for that.”

Ending the season 11th in the final MotoGP championship standings on his first year with Red Bull KTM, he’ll now enjoy a well-deserved break and then get straight back to work in his quest to enjoy an even better 2024 and get back up the front.

Joel Kelso – Moto3
Starting off his November in fine style, Joel Kelso bagged an excellent seventh in Sepang, with him thankfully surviving the carnage around him to finish where he began the race. Venturing to Qatar, there were many positives to be extracted from his output here despite enduring an untimely mistake during the main bout while in the top five. The Darwinian admirably recovered to 13th to still salvage some points, as he was ultimately left to rue what could have been at Losail.

Concluding his 2023 term at Valencia, it was great to see him finding his form in the early stages of the event, for he was third quickest on Friday and qualified fourth by virtue of his rapidity on the Saturday. Enjoying a successful body of work in his Pruestel GP team’s last race in Moto3 as the CFMOTO factory squad, Kelso transferred his speed over nicely into the main event and handled the occasion smartly to claim a credible seventh – crossing the line less than five seconds behind the winner.

“The second half of the season has been good; we moved up six places in the standings and were on the front row of the grid five times, almost six yesterday! Happy enough. This is motorsport so it can go anyway and I started off with a broken leg! Thankfully the second half of the year has been better and I hope I did the team proud. I always gave my maximum and I think they appreciated that. An emotional time,” Kelso explained.

The young Aussie sensation on the rise will now look to carry his momentum into 2024, where he’ll be lining up in Moto3 under the BOE Motorsports awning.

Remy Gardner – World Superbike
In what’s been an up and down debut season in WorldSBK, it was positive to see Remy Gardner end his crusade on a high. Looking the goods at Jerez from the outset, grabbing a fifth in Superpole was a nice way to kick things off. Frustratingly, while in podium contention in race one, a nasty crash not only dashed his chances but also saw him suffer a painful wrist contusion and a deep cut on his right elbow.

Bravely opting to fight through the pain to suit up, his decision paid off emphatically, for he got the ball rolling with a sixth in the Superpole race even though he had issues with rear grip. Coming out swinging for the finale, the #87 put in an outstanding shift aboard his GYTR GRT Yamaha to equal his season-best finish to secure fourth.

“To be honest, today I wasn’t even sure about racing due to the crash I suffered yesterday. After warm-up I felt I could do the races, but it was painful, I’m not going to lie. The Superpole race was a decent one, unfortunately due to the red flag our rear tyre was quite used, and I struggled with grip in the latter stages of the race,” he told the Yamaha Racing website.

“Then, in race two I could smell the podium, we finished so close, and I could catch the group fighting for the victory. Unfortunately, I missed a bit of pace in the end as I pushed a lot to close the gap and I felt a bit of pain as well, which maybe prevented me from doing more. Anyway, it’s not a bad way to finish the year, we’re aware we have good potential and that we can have a strong 2024. To finish on the top of the Independent Teams is also nice, and I would like to dedicate this win to Mirko (Giansanti), who sadly passed away a few months ago.”

It also warrants mention that Gardner impressively recorded the fastest lap time on both days of the post-season test at Jerez, which will certainly give him some crucial confidence heading into next year.

Oli Bayliss – World Supersport
Having been out since July when he tried to ride at Imola following a shoulder injury that he initially suffered at Donington Park, Oli Bayliss made his long-awaited return to action for D34G Racing at the season closer at Jerez.

While he inherently had a difficult time getting comfortable with the bike and the track, plus had to adapt to being back in the heat of the battle, concluding his 2023 with a pair of 18th place finishes wasn’t too bad at all considering the circumstances.

“That’s a wrap on the 2023 World Supersport Championship. Struggled a fair bit this weekend. Wasn’t exactly what I was after, but I have to remember that I have not been on a bike for quite some time due to my shoulder. So, looking at the bigger picture, it was nice to be able to just get back to racing and finish the year out with the D34G Racing team and build into the 2024 season from here,” he stated.

“Massive thanks to my team, sponsors and everyone who supports me. We’ll regroup, and now turn our attention to next year. Hopefully I can give you guys some news soon, but it’s looking like I’ll see you at round one at the end of February.”

Senna Agius – European Moto2 Championship and Moto2
Senna Agius rounded out his scintillating championship winning European Moto2 crusade in the best way possible by powering to an exceptional victory. His incredible feat was made all the more magnificent due to the fact he was forced to start from 17th courtesy of being handed a penalty for slow riding in qualifying two. Relishing the challenge ahead, the gifted hotshot rose to the occasion masterfully, as he carved through the field after a searing start that saw him launch up to eighth by the conclusion of lap one.

From there, he went from strength to strength to steadily pick up positions as the race progressed. Agius eventually propelled himself to within striking distance of leader Alberto Surra in the dying embers of the race before incisively getting past his rival to claim a phenomenal triumph against the odds.Having already inked a deal to move up to the Moto2 World Championship next term, more exciting times appear to be on the horizon for the 18-year-old ace.

Jacob Roulstone – Red Bull Rookies Cup & JuniorGP Moto3
Talented youngster Jacob Roulstone wrapped up his season with another accomplished performance in the JuniorGP series to bag upside-filled finishes of ninth and sixth to supplement his fifth in qualifying in the challenging cold and windy conditions.

“It has been a great year in the JuniorGP Championship, taking two podiums and front row starts. My goals going into the season were to be fighting at the front consistently and hard as well as to secure a Moto3 World Championship ride. I have achieved both,” he said.

“I would like to thank the Aspar Team for the past two years. It has been an honour to ride in these colours and for this successful team. I have come a long way as a racer and they have helped me develop. Thank you to Nico and Sergio for all you have done, as well as Amadeo and Pula for everything you do to get us there as a team. And the whole Aspar crew.”

“But most of all thank you to Santi and Fran for being two great mechanics and Antonio for all the hard work in the data area, and all three for being great mates. We made a fantastic team this year. As well thank you to my Dad, Mum and Sister who work their ass off to support me and make my dreams come true. Thank you to NHK Helmets and Furygan for supplying me with the best gear to wear. Can’t thank them, the rest of my family, my sponsors and everyone behind the scenes enough for everything that they do to contribute to my racing.”

With a hugely bright future ahead of him, it’ll be captivating watching how Roulstone fares in 2024, where he’ll be making the step up to the Moto3 World Championship with Red Bull KTM Tech3.

The post Aussies Racing Abroad: November 2023 appeared first on Racing, Riding, Motorcycle Reviews, Race bikes, Tech Tips, Rider Training....

On-Track

Jack Miller – MotoGP
The month of October has been a consistent one for Aussie MotoGP star Jack Miller. Bagging an impressive fourth in the Sprint and a sixth in the red-flagged race in Japan due to the brutal wet conditions, he backed this up with a solid ninth and a seventh in Indonesia to ensure he headed into his home GP with some handy momentum.

Venturing to the famed Phillip Island track in front of his adoring fans, there was much reason for positivity from his weekend in an event where the main race was run on Saturday due to the impending severe wind and rain on Sunday.

Banking eighth in qualifying ahead of the main race, this gave him a decent grid position to enjoy a strong body of work, where he finished seventh after engaging in some pulsating battles throughout.

“It was a decent Grand Prix. I had a bit of fun with the guys there. The bike was working good, and I cannot complain. I felt I was losing a bit too much time in the last sector but then also struggling a bit with the front tire. I had to try and nurse it. We learned from that today. We didn’t really want that result at our home GP but it was a solid finish and we were not too far away from the front guys. Happy enough and happy with the bike. We have a bit more work to do, but things are going good.”

Joel Kelso – Moto3
Joel Kelso marked his home race in memorable style by bagging his first-ever Moto3 podium. Having earned himself second on the grid, the Darwinian immediately got down to business in the race, displaying excellent speed and race-craft to keep pace with the frontrunners.

Putting on a wicked show for the supporters to eventually bag third despite a late moment, Kelso rightfully cut a delighted figure afterwards, stating: “Bloody brilliant! I’m over the moon. It was tricky conditions, but I just had to go for it at my home GP. I wanted the win but then made a little mistake, so I thought ‘Just put it in the bag’ and get it home safely. There was a lot of pressure, but now we’ll finish the year and try to bring the best results to CFMOTO,” he gleamed.

In another exciting piece of news for the ambitious Kelso, it’s been confirmed he’s signed with BOE Motorsports in Moto3 for 2024. “I am very happy to be able to join a great team like BOE Motorsports for another year in Moto3. I am very grateful for this opportunity; my goal will be to fight at the front and show everyone what we are capable of.”

Senna Agius – European Moto2 Championship and Moto2
The Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact team ace won’t be forgetting October in a hurry, for not only did Agius secure the European Moto2 Championship, but he also signed on the dotted line with his current team to step up to Moto2 on a full-time basis.

“I am feeling super-grateful to have the opportunity to step up with this team. I just have to say thank you for this incredible chance and thanks to everyone involved for believing in me,” he expressed. “It will be my rookie season, and I have so much to learn, but it’s already been a good time riding in Moto2, and I am so happy to be jumping up to Grand Prix now. I am just so excited.”

To shift the attention back to his title triumph, the way the 18-year-old handled the pressure and weight of expectation expertly to get the job done was nothing short of impressive, as he triumphed at Aragon after logging the quickest time in qualifying to underline his tremendous talent emphatically.

Harrison Voight – European Moto2 Championship
Back in action at Aragon, Harrison Voight once again showcased many glimpses of his undeniable class. Starting the opening race all the way back in 20th, it was eye-catching how he embarked on a scintillating charge through the field to work his way up to sixth. Disappointingly, though, while running close to the group of riders up to second, a mistake from a rival forced a collision, which saw him pull out courtesy of some subsequent pain in his leg that meant he was unable to change gears.

Bravely lining up for the second race, 13th was the best he could manage in a bout that saw him toil on valiantly following a rough start. With one round left in the series, all eyes will be on the finale, where the Stylobike hotshot will be eager to close out his season in an uplifting fashion.

Josh Brookes – British Superbike
Josh Brookes ended his 2023 crusade with commendable efforts at the final two rounds at Donington Park and Brands Hatch. To start with the former, his 7-8-3 finishes were a tidy return, considering he qualified back in 17th. Although he wasn’t entirely satisfied with his output at the rain-interrupted round due to him posting great results and rides at the same venue earlier in the term, Brookes remained upbeat with his podium placing.

Even though a nasty spill in first practice and a bike issue in qualifying ensured he had to line up for the opening bout in 18th. It was an unsatisfactory way to begin the finale, but the way he salvaged his weekend was notable. Struggling with bike setup all weekend and never feeling comfortable, much credit must go to Brookes, who fought on doggedly to claim a seventh, an eighth and a ninth to conclude his campaign in a credible seventh in the standings.

“I’d like to thank everyone; all the supporters, the team, sponsors, the fans – everyone who has put something into the team and hopefully next year we can get some better results and fight for the championship,” he told the team’s website.

Jason O’Halloran –  British Superbike
Jason O’Halloran closed out his season with an outstanding showing on his way to a terrific victory at Donington before wrapping up his 2023 with a mixed weekend at Brands Hatch. Despite blasting out of the blocks to bank pole position with the fastest-ever BSB time at the circuit, the opener didn’t go to plan, for tyre issues ensured 17th was all he could muster.

A man on a mission in race two, the ‘O’Show’ scorched his way from 21st to fourth before the race was red-flagged just as a podium beckoned for the Aussie. The third duel was all about the McAMS Yamaha star, as he shot off the line to then ride to an accomplished win in what was a statement body of work ahead of Brands Hatch.

While this last stop on the calendar wasn’t one to remember, even if he bagged pole and was second in the opener, as a crash and a seventh scuppered any hopes he had of challenging for the title. Ultimately obtaining sixth in the standings to close his tenure with the team, who will no longer be running a BSB outfit, an emotional O’Halloran expressed his gratitude for all they’ve done for him and stated what a fantastic time he’s had under the awning over the years.

“I think together with the team, we can look back on what we’ve achieved with great pride. We’ve had an incredible journey over the last five years, and I wish everyone all the success in their next steps. A huge thanks to Steve Rodgers, Wendy, Tina and all the other people who make this happen,” 

Now moving to the Cheshire Mouldings Kawasaki, it’ll be intriguing to see how he fares with his new squad in 2024.

Off-Road

Jett Lawrence – MXoN for Australia
Flexing his muscles on the world stage on French soil, Jett Lawrence shone brightly for Team Australian at the prestigious Motocross of Nations. Playing an instrumental role in propelling his nation to their best-ever finish at the event in second!

After constructing some exceptional rides in the qualifying race and in his first moto to carve through the park on the rutty, hard surface, his final moto masterclass was a joy to behold, with him rising to the occasion to outfox the legendary Ken Roczen with aplomb to secure a magnificent victory.

“The first race, the start wasn’t too bad, I was there. I was in the top 10, and I thought I had a good chance of winning it, but I made an aggressive pass on the outside and went down. Starting dead last wasn’t ideal, but I had a pretty good flow around the track and felt fit, and didn’t get tired at all. My last six laps were the fastest, so I was happy with that,” 

“The second moto I wanted to go out and win… I had a decent start, around third, then I made a quick move for second and was chasing Kenny again like back in America. I felt at home, although he had a lot better lines than I did at the start, so I was following him for a bit, but once I was able to get around him, I put my head down and flowed just like home. It was good to get the win and finish on a high.”

Hunter Lawrence – MXoN for Australia
Coming into the showpiece dealing with a nerve issue in his back, Hunter Lawrence deserved plenty of praise for putting his body on the line for his country. Kicking things off with a third in his qualification race, it was impressive how he adjusted to the rugged conditions at Ernee. He then carried his form into the Sunday by securing a 10th and a fifth to bag second in the MX2 class behind Tom Vialle, with him overcoming the pain barrier strikingly to play a pivotal part in his team’s score.

“It was the best result ever for Australia, so it’s awesome, but I’m already looking forward to next year. It was a wild day, the track was super gnarly, it was brutal so we’re happy that everyone was able to do their best, and the boys gave their all, and left everything on the track. If everyone gives their 100% effort, you can’t ask for much more,” reflected the Honda wizard.

Dean Ferris – MXoN for Australia
Experienced campaigner Dean Ferris headed to Ernee fresh from winning the ProMX MX1 crown, eager to impress in what was his seventh MXoN. Surviving a savage crash on the Saturday unscathed, the aim for him was to produce just one sound ride to accompany the Lawrence brothers. And that’s exactly what he did by getting a 12th to stand up and be counted when his country needed him.

Relishing the opportunity and loving coming back to Europe, all eyes will now be on the 2024 season back home, which sees Ferris return to the CDR Yamaha Monster Energy in his quest for further glory.

The post Aussies Racing Abroad: October 2023 appeared first on Racing, Riding, Motorcycle Reviews, Race bikes, Tech Tips, Rider Training....

Jack Miller – MotoGP
Starting his September with a solid eighth in the heat at Catalunya, this was a good way for Jack Miller to end the weekend considering he missed Q2, meaning he had to start the Sprint and the main race 13th. Desperate for improvement on the Sunday after 16th in the Sprint, the team worked their wonders by making some crucial bike changes, with these the key catalyst to him being able to push through the pack to claim eighth.

Struggling again at Misano on the Saturday, 15th in the Sprint was the best he could muster. Frustratingly this was as good as it got for Miller, who was bundled out of the race by Michele Pirro when running 14th. The first ever Indian Grand Prix was next on the cards for the KTM ace, and Miller began the round strongly by charging from 16th on the grid to secure an admirable 7th in the Sprint.

The Sunday posed a new set of challenges for the number 43, as he battled for feel and grip, which ensured he wasn’t able to keep up with the frontrunners to ultimately come across the line in 14th.

“Not too high, not too low this weekend,” he reflected. “I struggled today. I didn’t have the grip I needed from the get-go both front and rear. I couldn’t carry any corner speed at all. I had a bit of contact into turn one as well, which wasn’t ideal and then tried to make up too many positions in one go on the second lap. It was an uphill battle from there and our pace wasn’t anything like Saturday. It is a bit of a head-scratcher. Fingers crossed we can work on what we found out this weekend and what we tried at the Misano test for Motegi.”

Joel Kelso – Moto3
Even though his 2023 campaign has been littered with ups and downs, Joel Kelso deserves credit for sticking at it, as he continues to illustrate his talent.

The highs this month have included him bagging another front row spot in qualifying at Catalunya and from how he had some fantastic early pace in Misano. Meanwhile, the negatives have arisen from him admitting he needs more aggression in the races and from him crashing out in India.

“I got caught up in turn one and then made four positions on the first lap  but I had contact with a rider into turn three and that ruined my exit. When I opened the gas – race over,” he told the team’s website. “I’ve been struggling a bit with being aggressive in races so that first period before the crash was a small positive from today. We’ll be ready for much better in Japan. We’ll be fighting.”

With plenty to work on and the Darwinian motivated to close the term on a good note in the upcoming outings, it’ll be intriguing seeing if he can piece it all together starting in Japan.

Senna Agius – Moto2
Back in action in Moto2 filling in for Darryn Binder on the Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact team, Senna Agius’ stint started in unsatisfactory fashion at Catalunya, with him falling short of his expectations on an eventful weekend that ended with him crashing out on the Sunday.

Eager to put that effort behind him, a fired up Agius demonstrated some notable pace in qualifying at Misano – coming in less than eight-tenths from the pole sitter. An early crash in the race ruined his momentum, however, with the youngster high siding to end his day. Leading the European Moto2 Championship, Agius will recalibrate his attention to this competition in his quest to reign supreme come season’s end.

Jacob Roulstone – Red Bull Rookies Cup & JuniorGP Moto3
Fresh from finishing fifth in the hugely competitive Red Bull Rookies Cup following his 6-10 race finishes at Misano, in a year that’s seen him make some brilliant progress, Jacob Roulstone has been rewarded by earning a ride in Moto3 for 2024 with the outstanding Red Bull KTM Tech3 outfit.

Following in the footsteps of the likes of Miller, Miguel Oliveira, Brad Binder, Deniz Oncu and Pedro Acosta, who have all come through this KTM pathway, the Aussie prospect is in good hands to continue along on his upward trajectory.

“I’m really excited to be joining Red Bull KTM Tech3. They are a very experienced and professional team that have brought through many great riders. Stepping up from the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup and FIM JuniorGP won’t be easy, but with the team, the people around me as well as my own determination, I believe we can have a decent rookie season,” a delighted Roulstone explained.

“Thanks to Herve, KTM and Red Bull for this amazing opportunity. I cannot thank my family enough for all their support so far. I want to end this year strong and then I cannot wait to get into the 2024 season already.”

Josh Brookes – British Superbike
After enduring some difficult rounds, plentiful positivity could be extracted from Josh Brookes’ round at Oulton Park. Kicking off this stop on the calendar with fifth in qualifying, this set the tone for him to enjoy a handy weekend at the office aboard his FHO Racing BMW. Going on to notch a trio of fifth place scores, this represented a quality, consistent event for Brookes, which was a much-needed uplift given his recent struggles.

Situated seventh in the championship hunt, Brookes offered some fantastic insight in his post-race debrief, stating: “We scored three fifths this weekend, which is an improvement on previous rounds; I wasn’t even going to be greedy, I was hoping for a podium this weekend rather than a win.

“The three fifth places are the best we could achieve, the last race was strong and I stayed close to the lead group for the longest period of time, but we’re still missing a couple of tenths, and we have to be realistic that the lap times I’m able to do aren’t good enough to rival the podium. We have got to keep our heads down, keep working away and improving. I think coming to a track we’ve been to already this season meant we didn’t have to make adjustments, we just set the bike up the way it was before and focused on the electronics.

“People forget we’ve got a new bike this year, so every time we go to a new track none of the information we have from years before is valuable, and in fact it does us an injustice as those settings compromise our progress because the bike is different now. I think people just assume you’re going to go to the next round and pick up where you expect and it’s proven not to be like that, as we’ve had a lot of work to do. But I think coming back to a circuit we’ve been to before has boosted our results and the next two rounds we’ve also been to before, which I anticipate to work in our favour.”

Jason O’Halloran –  British Superbike
While he was unable to carry over his sensational form from Thruxton to Oulton, Jason O’Halloran did his best throughout on his way to claiming two eighth places and a ninth. Aside from experiencing a minor bike issue, the team and rider were largely left searching for answers as to why they were missing that little something extra compared to their competitors.

“It’s been a difficult weekend really. It’s not ideal but I did the best job I could – we’ve just been lacking something and no matter what we did we couldn’t improve the feeling,” he lamented.

“I finished all the races which is positive, so we’ll go through everything and try to understand. Donington is a different track compared to Oulton, so hopefully we can turn up there in a different place, reset after this weekend and go again.”

Onwards and upwards will be the order of the day as the series heads to Donington Park, where an uptick in performance will be on the cards for O’Halloran, who sits sixth in the standings, and the McAMS Yamaha squad.

Jett Lawrence – AMA Pro Motocross and SMX
Having achieved the absolutely remarkable feat of going undefeated in his debut campaign in the 450 class of AMA Pro Motocross, Jett Lawrence immediately altered his focus to the new SMX Playoffs. And he didn’t disappoint by reigning triumphant in the three race format, with his clutch effort at the finale at the LA Coliseum to go 1-1 ensuring he got the job done and took home the one million reserved for the winner.

“On the track it’s a one-man show, but behind the scenes it’s so many people,” he explained after his SMX success. “The team is awesome, and that’s what allows Chase, me and the other riders to have the best equipment we can. That also goes for my trainer O’Show [Johnny O’Mara], my dad was a big key, and also my brother – every day we were grinding to try and be better. To go out and get that [championship] is not only a massive achievement for me; it’s a big thank-you to the people who support me and helped me get to where I am now.”

Up next for the Aussie sensation is the Motocross of Nations in Ernee, where Australia, whose team consists of the Lawrence brothers and the immensely experienced Dean Ferris, head in as one of the favourites.

Hunter Lawrence – AMA Pro Motocross and SMX
After wrapping up the 250 AMA Pro Motocross title at the final round to accompany his 250 Supercross crown, Hunter Lawrence was ideally poised to join his elite sibling to claim SMX glory. But sadly it wasn’t to be for Hunter, as a nasty crash in qualifying at the LA Coliseum forced him to miss the night show due to him aggravating an existing back injury.

“Unfortunately, Hunter Lawrence will not take part in tonight’s motos at the Los Angeles SMX round. The reigning AMA Motocross 250 champ and 250SX East champ was already banged up from a hard fall in free practice yesterday. Then in today’s second timed qualifying session, he landed wrong from a jump and aggravated his back to the extent that he’s in too much pain to race. Get well soon and great job on an amazing season,” read the team’s statement.

His focus will now immediately shift to his recovery ahead of the MXoN at Ernee as well in his search to be at full fitness for the prestigious event.

Mitch Evans – MXGP
Mitch Evans’ MXGP season ended in disappointing fashion, with the superbly skilled pilot having to miss the last two rounds courtesy of his previously injured wrist flaring up. In immense pain and wisely opting to head to Belgium to begin treatment, sadly the injury also meant he had to take himself out of the running for the MXoN, which came as another brutal blow to end what’s been a hugely challenging term for the departing Kawasaki star.

“It’s a real shame to miss the final race of the season and my last race with the team; however it is time to take the right steps to heal correctly. I would like to thank Kawasaki and the team for their understanding and patience and for always believing in me this year. Unfortunately we weren’t able to achieve the results we both deserved, but I thoroughly enjoyed my time working with such professionals. I want to wish the team and Romain the best of luck for Matterley and the Motocross of Nations,” he insisted.

Have we missed anyone? Leave a comment letting us know who you’d like to see us keep you up to date with their international two wheeled successes! 

The post Aussies Racing Abroad, September 2023 appeared first on Racing, Riding, Motorcycle Reviews, Race bikes, Tech Tips, Rider Training....

Jack Miller – MotoGP
With MotoGP roaring back into action in August, Aussie star Jack Miller had mixed results in the first two outings since the resumption of the racing. Immediately looking good at Silverstone, the Red Bull KTM maestro began his weekend briskly on his way to claiming second in the sprint.

All the signs were positive that Miller was in for a great race when he shot off the line to lead the early exchanges, but he subsequently dropped back as he struggled with grip. His case wasn’t helped when a collision with Maverick Vinales caused him to have an off-track excursion. Miller crucially regrouped and recalibrated his focus to claim a solid eighth.

Next on the cards was the team’s home race in Austria, and things were positive on the Saturday again for the #43, who showed notable speed to power himself to fifth in the Sprint. Unfortunately, though, he couldn’t transfer his speed into the race, where he made a customarily fast start only to suffer rear traction issues, which caused him to fall all the way back to fifteenth.

“I started the race good and tried not to kill the tire in the first laps. I wanted to build up the temperature as smoothly as possible. It wasn’t to be. I noticed that I didn’t have the drive grip that I needed, so then I was just trying to manage the best I could with riding style and everything like that. I think the biggest thing for us is taking a step back, going back to our old setting and maybe finding a little bit of a different direction that works for myself,” he recalled.

Joel Kelso – Moto3
Returning to the track following the break, Joel Kelso didn’t find things easy at Silverstone and in Austria even though some encouragement could be extracted from his fifth and ninth in qualifying. Encountering issues in the dry conditions for the British GP and then getting his Spielberg scuppered by a long lap penalty when he was pushed wide by another rider to claim a pair of frustrating 16th places finishes, all eyes will turn to Catalunya, where improvement will be on the cards for the Darwinian.

“A tricky one. We got off to a good start and then I was happy with my pace, but I was missing just a little bit extra. At one point I had a track limits warning and then when I was passed by someone I was pushed onto the green zone. I wasn’t expecting a penalty because of the circumstances, but for some reason they gave me a long lap. That was disappointing because I could have stayed in the group ahead for the top ten. I felt strong on the bike, but lost four seconds for that lap. I didn’t deserve it, but we’ll keep working,” he mused after the Austrian Grand Prix.

Jacob Roulstone – Red Bull Rookies Cup & JuniorGP Moto3
Excited to get back to racing in the Red Bull Rookies Cup in Austria, young sensation Jacob Roulstone eased into the weekend while he adjusted to the bike and the conditions.

While banking sixth in qualifying was a fine reward for his methodical approach, sadly his opening race was ruined by a high side on the first lap. But, to his credit, he regathered himself for the second stanza to secure an admirable seventh to end the round on a bright note.

“Pretty difficult Sunday for me in race two of the Red Bull Rookies Cup. I got a poor start then that gave the main group a chance to get away, and I wasn’t quite able to match the pace in the early laps. Was able to finish ahead of the second group to finish in seventh,” he expressed.

“But there are always positives to take away from not the best of weekends. Another good qualifying and continuing to improve my race craft. Thanks to Santi Aparicio and all the Red Bull Rookies Cup crew as always for the amazing job. With only one round left in three weeks’ time in Misano, Italy, I’m going to be giving it all and try to secure third in the championship.”

Josh Brookes – British Superbike
Moving into the Thruxton round of BSB and keen for an excellent result, it disappointingly wasn’t to be for the Aussie, with grip problems plaguing him all weekend. Although he and his team pushed hard to find solutions to improve the situation, nothing they tried appeared to work for Brookes, who could only muster uncharacteristically poor finishes of 15th, 17th and 22nd.

“I can’t really explain what’s happened this weekend as I don’t really know. Obviously we would expect far better than the results this weekend, there’s no way that would be a result we could even imagine expecting to have. From the very first session of the weekend the BMW wasn’t performing to the level that it needs to in order to be competitive and I could feel that straight away. These things happen sometimes, and we work through processes and adjust the bike accordingly and make it work again, but it really didn’t improve at all. We made some small steps, but nothing that would have put us in a position to be competitive,” he lamented.

Jason O’Halloran –  British Superbike
Jason O’Halloran showed what an exceptional operator he is at Thruxton by enjoying a sublime day at the office, as he recorded victory in all three races. Having banked pole position, the experienced veteran then put on a masterclass on the Saturday, with him rarely troubled, as he coasted to the win.

The second race saw him put in an outstanding showing, for he carved through the field with precision and intelligence to reign triumphant.

The Aussie then saved the best for last by flexing his muscles emphatically. In scintillating form from the off, he put on a spectacular effort to come all the way from tenth to grab the win on the final lap to cap off his magical weekend perfectly. “That’s the best weekend of my career, coming off the back of a couple of average rounds to bounce back like this is exactly what we needed,” gleamed O’Halloran.

“We’ve clawed a lot of points back this weekend with pole position and three race wins, which is incredible. I’m now Yamaha’s most successful rider in terms of race wins and have 26 BSB wins, which is just incredible. And I’ve won eight of the last nine races at Thruxton which is another amazing stat! This is exactly what the team needed and I think we can carry this momentum forward now to Cadwell Park, which is my favourite race of the year.”

Jett Lawrence – AMA Pro Motocross
The mastery of the Aussie wonderkid continues, as the 20-year-old has not only wrapped up the 450 AMA Pro Motocross title in his rookie term in the class, but also maintained his remarkable unbeaten streak. With just one round remaining to complete the perfect season, all eyes will be on Ironman to see if Jett Lawrence can get the job done to round out a blistering crusade.

Rising to the top whenever challenged and typically getting his starts spot on, he’s hardly given his adversaries a sniff. The way he’s controlled races and keeps riding with a maturity and discipline that belies his tender years has also offered further reason for praise.

Pushing when he needs to and riding within himself to manage races, the moto world will be watching with anticipation to see if he can seal the deal and get through the campaign without dropping a single moto to etch his name in the history books.

Hunter Lawrence – AMA Pro Motocross
Stepping up when he needed to, Hunter Lawrence has overcome his recent adversity and the uprising from the hard-charging Haiden Deegan to be in the box seat to be crowned 250 MX champion. Boasting a 22 point lead over Justin Cooper heading into Ironman, there’s every reason to suggest he’ll stroll to victory if he can just keep it on two wheels.

Grabbing the overall victory in three of the last four rounds, it’d take a brave man to bet against the elder Lawrence brother, who’s fully focused and a mentality monster, getting it done in the finale.

“Going into the last race of the season, we know where we stand, and we know we won’t be changing anything drastic. We have a gameplan, and we’ll focus on running that out to the end. I’m looking forward to finishing this series strong and focusing on SuperMotocross,” he insisted.

Mitch Evans – MXGP
Despite not making the progress he desires in August by bagging a pair of 12th overalls, Mitch Evans deserves credit for sticking at it and keeping on striving for more. To start off with Sweden, and things actually began solidly in the opening moto, where he got a good jump out of the gate to find himself sixth, only for arm-pump to ensure ninth was the best he could muster.

The final moto was then annoyingly hindered by the wet conditions that forced him to come in for new goggles on two separate occasions. Venturing to the brutal sands of Arnhem was next on the agenda for the Kawasaki speedster, but this latest stop on the calendar was a tough one due to sickness for Evans. The technically proficient pilot still warrants applause for valiantly toiling on to achieve a respectable 12th overall courtesy of his 10-15 moto scores in a round where he also registered an impressive second in the warm-up.

“Today started with a good feeling in warm-up and I got two decent starts, but just didn’t have the flow. That was okay for P10 in moto one, but the sickness I’ve been dealing with all week kicked in halfway through race two; I just didn’t have anything left in the tank and was riding round with my tongue in the chain. I showed good speed considering I was laid up all week so now it’s time to recover and carry the momentum into the last three rounds,” Evans said.

Have we missed anyone? Leave a comment letting us know who you’d like to see us keep you up to date with their international two wheeled successes! 

The post Aussies Racing Abroad: August 2023 appeared first on Racing, Riding, Motorcycle Reviews, Race bikes, Tech Tips, Rider Training....

Jack Miller – MotoGP
Jack Miller began the month of May in scintillating style by bagging his first podium with Red Bull KTM at Jerez. Having kicked off his weekend with an outstanding podium in the Sprint on the Saturday, he then backed that up with an exceptional third in the race.

“I had to work for that one today. I had a great start and, like most of the boys, I was struggling with the right side of the tyre by mid-race,” he insisted. “I don’t quite know how, but we started putting in some really fast laps at the end and I just couldn’t quite close up to two in front. Brad rode awesome, so did Pecco, there was some fun racing going on and I’m stoked to be a part of it and put Red Bull KTM up here again. It’s an amazing feeling and I hope we are here to stay.”

Disappointingly the Aussie couldn’t carry his momentum into the next round at the famous Le Mans, where untimely crashes in the Sprint and the main race ruined his weekend despite him showing good speed throughout.

“We had great pace all weekend and led a decent handful of laps. Really disappointing for myself and the team, they have been doing an amazing job and the bike was so good all weekend. It’s a bummer to come away with no points but we’ll re-group for Mugello,” he recalled.

Now sitting eighth in the MotoGP standings, next up for Miller is Mugello, where he’ll be eager to put his best foot forward and get back on the box.

Joel Kelso – Moto3
Joel Kelso encouragingly returned to action at Jerez following his unfortunate accident at round one with a couple of solid rides to obtain some crucial saddle time in his quest to get back to full fitness and health. Securing an admirable 18th in Spain, the Darwinian then made another step in the right direction with an 11th at Le Mans, as he valiantly battled on even though he’s some way off being fully recovered. His focus will now turn to Mugello, with him set to be far closer to his best as he aims to get back to duking it out inside the top 10.

Remy Gardner – World Superbike
Coming into the WorldSBK round at Catalunya, the tremendously talented Remy Gardner was eager to build on his decent outing at Assen. But sadly this wasn’t the case, for he endured a difficult weekend at the office.

Although he qualified in a solid seventh, this was as good as it got for the Aussie, who struggled to replicate this, with issues outside of his control ensuring he couldn’t translate his speed into results. While he rode to a credible 10th in the first race in Spain, an issue forced him out of the Superpole race. Then, to round out his weekend, he mustered a 13th in the closing bout.

“To be honest, that was a tough weekend. We struggled to find a competitive pace, but we got to improve the qualifying, which was helpful for the feature race. Unfortunately, I was forced to retire in the Superpole race due to a technical issue and had to start from P11 in the last feature race,” he reflected.

Oli Bayliss – World Supersport
Oli Bayliss bravely fought on in Catalunya after he’d broken some toes in Assen to get some valuable track time under his belt. Knowing he’d be far from his best and finding it uncomfortable when it came to changing gears, it was just good to see him get through the weekend unscathed in a round where he went 17th in the opening race before crashing in the second.

“Well I can’t really say much other than I expected a lot more from this weekend. After the crash in Assen I didn’t expect a couple of fractured toes to impact my riding so much. In race one I made a good start and was comfortably racing in the top ten before I started to run into issues changing gears at a quick rate. The same thing happened in race two but a little bit earlier on forcing me to hit a false neutral and going into the gravel laying it over. I really think we showed some pace and that we can race with these guys. A bit of a break now until Misano so time to get to 100 per cent and keep on cracking on. Big thank you to all of my sponsors and supporters,” Bayliss asserted.

Jacob Roulstone – Red Bull Rookies Cup & JuniorGP Moto3
It’s been a busy May for immensely gifted Jacob Roulstone, who continues to go from strength to strength in both the Red Bull Rookies Cup and Moto3 JuniorGP. Beginning the month with a memorable Red Bull Rookies podium and a sixth at Jerez, this gave him a massive confidence boost and served as a fine reward for all his hard work. Carrying his form into the season opening JuniorGP round in Portugal, Roulstone backed up with a polished fifth in a red flag interrupted race.

Le Mans was the next stop on his schedule for the Red Bull Rookies. And further progress was made here, as the hotshot secured 11th and sixth place finishes. Then, just last weekend, there was much reason for excitement at the JuniorGP in Valencia too, for he claimed second and fourth in the races to punctuate what a force to be reckoned with he is at present.

Harrison Voight – JuniorGP Moto2
Embarking on the leap up to the Moto2 JuniorGP class, there’s already been some fantastic signs of progress from Harrison Voight. Aside from learning plenty while he familiarises himself with it all, massive upside can be extracted from how he’s had the speed to mix it with the frontrunners in the first two rounds.

Holding his own in both the races and in the timed sessions while not looking out of place at all, the way he’s battled up front and risen to the occasion on his way to notably grabbing a third at Estoril and putting in some wicked qualifying laps certainly bodes well for the future.

Josh Brookes – British Superbike
Keeping along his upward trajectory in BSB, Josh Brookes has enjoyed some more solid bodies of work in the subsequent two events to accompany his victory at the first round of the series.

Jumping out of the blocks to bag pole position and then win the first duel at Oulton Park, he then managed the remainder of the second round intelligently to come over the line in sixth and fifth in race two and three respectively.

Donington Park then followed and even if the round didn’t go entirely to plan due to issues finding his rhythm and brake problems in the final race, a classy third in the second stanza saw him cut a reasonably content figure at the resumption of the weekend. The result leaves him sitting third in the standings and still well and truly in the title hunt.

“We’ve got to put this weekend behind us a little, take the points and the podium as a positive but move forward to the next round at Knockhill and put things right there,” Brookes said.

Jason O’Halloran –  British Superbike
Wanting to put his forgettable round at Oulton Park in the rear vision mirror, the ‘O Show’ got back on track with an overwhelmingly positive weekend at Donington Park. Fast, consistent and feeling good although tire and power issues prevented him from doing even better, the McAMS Yamaha pilot took his maiden victory of the season in the first race on his way to going 14-1-7.

“I’m really chuffed to get our first win of the year, it’s obviously been a bit of a roller coaster these first three rounds but we know we’ve had the speed, we’ve just had to put it together. I settled into the race really well, the safety car came out and then we made the most of the last four or five laps and managed to get our first win of the year. I’m disappointed with the last race, I felt like we had good speed and the bike felt good but we had an overheating issue which hurt our straight line speed. I’m sure the guys will get on top of that and fix it for the next one. All in all a positive weekend, three finishes, competitive throughout and our first win of the year,’’ he commented.

Jett and Hunter Lawrence – AMA Supercross
Superstar brothers Jett and Hunter Lawrence ended their respective 250 regional seasons in fine style by both winning their championships in emphatic fashion. Clearly the finest in their coasts, it was a joy to watch them flex their muscles and ride with such composure, intelligence and discipline.

Managing their title chases masterfully and rarely flustered by their foes, they deserve huge praise for navigating their campaigns with aplomb while still racking up the points and wins. Their focus now switches to the outdoors, where Jett will be stepping up to the 450, and Hunter looms as the favourite in the 250 class. Set to excite in AMA Pro Motocross as well, all eyes will be firmly fixed on this sensational Team Honda HRC duo to see if they can reign triumphant again.

Mitch Evans – MXGP
It’s been great to see Mitch Evans back behind the gate for the last three rounds of MXGP aboard his factory Kawasaki. Getting there gradually as he searches to recover his fitness, adapts to the bike and settles back into the competitive class, there’s been much to admire about his measured approach.

Delighted to get valuable race time in while he recalibrates himself to the ultra-demanding elite level, the fact he’s already shown flashes of his undeniable speed has been a big source of positivity. Feeling happy with the team and building steadily within an environment that’s so conducive for success, expect the results to come sooner rather than later for the highly skilled #43.

Have we missed anyone? Leave a comment letting us know who you’d like to see us keep you up to date with their international two wheeled successes! 

The post Aussies Racing Abroad: May 2023 appeared first on Racing, Riding, Motorcycle Reviews, Race bikes, Tech Tips, Rider Training....

Tissot Sprint Race
There’s racing, and there’s racing. MotoGP is in the business of the latter, and the Tissot Sprint at Jerez was another sublime showdown as 2023 continues to deliver. The same can be said of Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) as with the South African went toe-to-toe with teammate Jack Miller over the slightly shortened 11-lap dash, just able to edge clear on the final lap to his second Sprint win in four. Miller certainly made it a Thriller at the front, but the Australian was ultimately pipped to second by reigning Champion Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) on the final lap, heading ever-so-slightly wide and Pecco needing no second invitation.

The first start saw a crash bring out the red flag as Championship leader Marco Bezzecchi was caught out by an incident between Franco Morbidelli (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) and Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP), with Augusto Fernandez (GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3) also unable to avoid it. The riders were all ok and able to head back for the restart, but damaged bikes needed moving. Morbidelli was also then given a Long Lap for the contact, to be served on Sunday.

Ready to race? You bet. The KTMs attacked straight away on take two, with Binder grabbing the lead from Miller and both Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) and Bagnaia also slicing past polesitter Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing). Martin then went for Miller, but it wasn’t long before the Aussie struck back, and the squabble offered Bagnaia his first pickpocketing opportunity of the afternoon as he slotted into third: Binder, Miller, Bagnaia and Martin were locked together.

Drama hit then for Alex Marquez as hit the gravel trap, and just one lap later and disaster struck for another Spaniard as Aleix Espargaro crashed out of a point-scoring position for the 3rd time in 2023. The polesitter was out of it, and both will try and reset for Sunday.

Miller took to the front by eight to go, however, and the duel was on. The KTMs still began to pull away from the two Ducatis though, and by four laps to go the gap was half a second. Meanwhile, Martin was riding all over the rear wheel of Bagnaia’s factory Ducati, as the reigning Champion seemed to struggle to hold onto the leading duo. Martin was desperate to find a way past the Italian as the number #1 was proving a tricky hurdle.

Miller and Binder were ragged perfection in the lead though, sliding their way around Jerez circuit in a two-man show for a few laps. Binder looked ready to pounce, Miller held him off, the two blasted round in tandem and then the South African tried it once, denied, but twice, absolutely not shy. It looked like a lot to ask as the number 33 machine squirreled and headed in a little deep, but on the exit Binder sealed the deal, back into the lead with a lap and half to go.

From there, Binder had it pinned. There was no catching the South African this time, and instead the duel was now for second. The Ducatis had gained ground and Bagnaia lined up a move on Miller into the Pedrosa corner, with the Australian trying to resist on the brakes but overshooting it, giving the reigning Champion an opportunity he wouldn’t turn down.

Miller gathered it back up to avoid another duel with Martin, and the Australian didn’t quite get that win or make it a 1-2, but he definitely still stormed Jerez. Bagnaia’s second is an impressive turnaround from where his Saturday started in Q1.

Fifth was also an incredibly close finish. Miguel Oliveira (CryptoDATA RNF MotoGP Team) and Dani Pedrosa (Red Bull KTM Racing Team) also had viewers glued to their screens as the Portuguese rider fended off the MotoGP Legend for 5th place… just.

Just 1.5 seconds further back Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) had his hands full trying to defend his 7th place from Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing Ducati), but the Spaniard came out on top in that scrap leaving the Frenchman to settle for P8. The Mooney VR46 Racing riders were involved in an intense fight for the final point-scoring position in the Sprint too, in the end it was Bezzecchi who won the battle against Luca Marini to bag 9th place. Bezzecchi is now only three points clear of Pecco in the title fight…

MotoGP Jerez Tissot Sprint Podium (Full Results Here)

1 Brad Binder – Red Bull KTM Factory Racing
2 Francesco Bagnaia – Ducati Lenovo Team (+0.428)
3 Jack Miller – Red Bull KTM Factory Racing (+0.680)

Sunday
Two KTMS, one Ducati, and one hell of a race. Reigning Champion Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) pounced in style to deny Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) the spoils at the Gran Premio Gran Premio MotoGP Guru by Gryfyn de España, but it went right to the wire – and was far from a two-man show. Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) was right up in the mix as the podium battle tested out the adage rubbing is racing, but the Australian said it himself: “I love this so much.” And so do we!

It wasn’t without a dash of chaos, drama and, for some, bad luck, however, with former points leader Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) losing that moniker as he slid out. And before the race – that counts – even got going, the first start was Red Flagged after a crash for Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha) and Miguel Oliveira (CryptoDATA RNF Team), with Bezzecchi also “involved”, or rather the rider just to the inside of both. The Portuguese rider was a completely innocent party as he got caught up on the outside, and suffered a dislocated shoulder since treated at the Medical Centre. Quartararo? For the team he was certainly innocent of anything more than racing and running out of space. For the FIM MotoGP Stewards the Frenchman deserved a Long Lap…

He was fine to restart though, and as it had been on take one, take two was another KTM show from lights out as they slotted into a 1-2, with Binder leading Miller as Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) slotting into third. Polesitter Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) lost out once again, with Bagnaia also past and into fourth, and he didn’t waste time attacking Martin either. A stylish swoop around Martin at Pedrosa corner and he was through.

It didn’t take long for Miller to decide he was heading through either, sliding down the inside of teammate Binder at the final corner on his mission for Sunday glory. The KTMs then got the hammer down in tandem too, starting to pull away, before Binder returned the favour and Bagnaia set the fastest lap so far to start reeling them in.

Once on the scene, Bagnaia wasted no time in getting past the Aussie, putting his factory Ducati in the tiniest of gaps at Pedrosa corner to sit up the KTM and making a little contact in the process. He raised his had to apologise, Miller raised his to say pfff. The number 43 was then under attack from Martin as well, but snapped straight back at the final corner. That pushed the Pramac well well wide, but no contact there as he slotted back in just behind Aleix Espargaro into fifth…

A lap later, more penalty drama. Bagnaia was forced to drop one position after that earlier contact though, and the Italian dropped anchor to let Miller past. It was a KTM one-two once again, but Martin soon got back past Aleix Espargaro to start bothering Miller again.

Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing) then crashed out from behind Martin, joining earlier faller Alex Rins (LCR Honda Castrol) as a DNF. And Bezzecchi was just about to join them, the Italian sliding out at Pedrosa, rider ok but ceding that points lead.

Back at the front, Binder was now six tenths ahead of Bagnaia, but as the final few laps dawned the Ducati was gaining, gaining and gaining. At the final corner with four to go, Pecco pounced to perfection and headed over the line with three to go in the lead. Could Binder respond?

At first it seemed like a no, but the number 33 dragged the speed from somewhere. He closed back in, and by the final lap it looked plausible if not likely that Binder would get close enough. By the final sector it looked like one motorcycle in the lead, and the last Lorenzo corner was coming.

The stage was set for a lunge, but Bagnaia was having none of it. The reigning Champion was incredibly strong on the brakes and shut the door to perfection, leaving Binder to have a brief look but find no way through. Split by just two tenths over the line, it was fitting it went to the wire after a stunning race.

Miller took third place and that’s now premier class podiums with three different bikes, as well as his first GP rostrum visit with KTM. Martin takes fourth place and was fuming at the Australian for his move, and Aleix Espargaro completed the top five.

Luca Marini (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) took sixth in a close, close finish with KTM wildcard and MotoGP Legend Dani Pedrosa (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing). The number 26 was thousandths off but took another top ten after an incredible weekend on his return to competition. Behind them, Alex Marquez(Gresini Racing MotoGP) took eighth ahead of Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu). One bit of late drama saw Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) lose out on that as a technical problem caused him a last lap DNF.

On Quartararo watch, the Frenchman was classified tenth after even more drama. He made progress, did the Long Lap but actually didn’t quite stay in the lines, and then had to do another Long Lap. So the comeback into the top ten was something to write home about. Will we see Yamaha make a statement about the penalty as they did after Assen last season? It seems a story likely to roll on.

With the Championship plot ever-changing in MotoGP, there’s no telling what the next chapter holds as the paddock moves to the SHARK Grand Prix de France on the 12th – 14th of May. It’s no ordinary race weekend either: it’s the 1000th Grand Prix in history. Home heroes Quartararo and Zarco may have had different ideas of how they’d want to arrive into the weekend, but anything can happen – we’ve already had 10 riders on the GP podium this season and they’re both among them. It’s a date with destiny and history, and you don’t want to miss it!

MotoGP Jerez Race Podium (Full Results Here)

1 Francesco Bagnaia – Ducati Lenovo Team
2 Brad Binder – Red Bull KTM Factory Racing  (+0.221)
3 Jack Miller – Red Bull KTM Factory Racing (+1.119)

PECCO BAGNAIA: “I’m really happy, sincerely. The progress we made this weekend is the best we’ve ever had. Friday I was in quite a bit of trouble with the front feeling, yesterday was better but today was unbelievable, my team did another step. I was looking at the bike yesterday and I saw something, we tried it, and everything was perfect today. We managed the tyres perfectly and finally we won in difficult conditions after two 0s. I was trying to understand if it was possible or not, and then to finish first… just want to say thanks to my team because they did an incredible job.”

Moto2
Sam Lowes (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) smashed it out the park in Spain, with the Brit back on top for the first time since Emilia-Romagna 2021. No one had an answer for the Brit’s stunning pace, with the number 22 pulling away once in the lead and coming home with time for a huge wheelie over the line.  Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Ajo) came home in second after initially leading the way, now equal with Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) on points at the top of the Championship, with Alonso Lopez (CAG Speed Up) back on the podium in third.

After getting the holeshot into Turn 1 to get ahead of Lowes, Acosta led the field around most of the first lap until the Brit pounced at the final corner. Arbolino made a lightning start from P10 too, and the Italian was battling Lopez for P3 on the opening lap.

Back-to-back fastest laps of the race saw Lowes pull 0.4s clear of Acosta, who in turn had 1.1s in hand over Lopez. Arbolino was getting beaten up a bit after a good start though, the title chaser embroiled in a battle with Ai Ogura (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia), Filip Salač (QJMOTOR Gresini Moto2) and Aron Canet (Pons Wegow Los40).

By 14 laps to go, Lowes had stretched his lead out to 0.8s. The top two were in a league of their own at this stage, with Lopez 2.2s off Acosta’s rear wheel. With 11 to go, the leader’s gap was up to 1.7s as Lowes got the hammer down, with Acosta still pulling clear of third place Lopez. Ogura was leading the P4 battle with Arbolino tucked right in behind the Japanese star, before Turn 1 on Lap 13 saw Ogura crash out after very, very slight contact with Arbolino’s rear wheel.

Lap 16 of 21 passed by as Lowes continued to stretch his advantage out over Acosta. With five laps left, 2.3s was Lowes’ margin for error, with Lopez holding off Arbolino for the final podium spot by just over a second. And heading onto the final lap, 2.9s was the gap. Lowes managed to bring his Triumph Kalex machine home for a pitch-perfect Spanish GP victory, as Acosta claimed P2 on home turf to bring himself level on points at the top of the overall standings. Lopez managed to hold off Arbolino by half a second to grab his second rostrum of the season.

Arbolino finished P4 from 10th on the grid, he’s now tied on points with Acosta at the summit of the Championship table. Canet picks up a valuable P5 from a P12 grid slot, ahead of Jake Dixon (Autosolar GASGAS Aspar M2), Somkiat Chantra (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia), Albert Arenas (Red Bull KTM Ajo), Salač and Fermin Aldeguer (CAG SpeedUp) in the top 10.

Moto2 Jerez Race Podium (Full Results Here)

1 Sam Lowes – Elf Marc VDS Racing Team
2 Pedro Acosta – Red Bull KTM Ajo (+2.841)
3 Alonso Lopez – CAG SpeedUp +(9.618)

Moto3
Ivan Ortola (Angeluss MTA Team) has done it again! After taking a maiden win at the Americas GP, the Spaniard doubled down on home turf with another impressive charge to win the Gran Premio MotoGP Guru by Gryfyn de España. It went to the wire in another Moto3 classic at Jerez, with Ortola followed home by some close company from rookie David Alonso (Gaviota GASGAS Aspar), the first Colombian to take a podium in Grand Prix racing, and veteran home hero Jaume Masia(Leopard Racing).

Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Ajo) took the holeshot off the line and fended off attacks from an eager-starting Ortola, but Championship leader Daniel Holgado (Red Bull KTM Tech3) and Ryusei Yamanaka (Gaviota GASGAS Aspar) soon joined the fight. The front two of Holgado and Ortola began to break away at the front, however, with Öncü next up before Masia made his way past in style at Turn 11 to get on the chase. Yamanaka joined him and the two reeled in the leaders before heartbreak for the Japanese rider as he suffered a technical issue, forced to drop back. 

It then became a six-bike battle for victory as Xavier Artigas (CFMOTO Racing PruestelGP) joined the fray, followed by Alonso and fellow rookie Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) into the mix. By six to go, Masia decided it was his turn to lead his home Grand Prix, taking over from Holgado at the front. The second group, by now including Öncü as well as Ayumu Sasaki (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) and Tatsuki Suzuki (Leopard Racing), was on the scene, creating a nine-rider battle for Spanish Grand Prix victory. The race was on!

The order continued to change from corner to corner, but it was Masia leading over the line as the last lap got underway with Alonso in 2nd, Ortola 3rd, Sasaki 4th, and Holgado 5th. But in the course of two corners, Masia dropped from the lead to 4th place as the group barrelled into the final sector. Into the stunning final Jorge Lorenzo corner, Ortola was back in front after a stunning move for the front, and he held off the shuffle behind as he gassed it to the line for a second win in two.

Alonso brought home his first Grand Prix podium in only his sixth race, with Masia able to snap back at Sasaki to take the final podium spot. Still, after incredible speed but some high profile crashes so far in 2023, fourth is some precious points. Rueda rounded out the top 5 after an impressive display on home soi,  with Holgado dropping down to 6th place on the final lap. Still, he retains the points lead.

Suzuki takes eighth after fading slightly late on, but the Japanese rider is also still recovering from his crash last time out. Polesitter Öncü, after getting a Long Lap penalty in the last couple of laps for exceeding track limits, didn’t do it in time and therefore got a 3-second penalty, classified ninth. Diogo Moreira (MT Helmets – MSI) completed the top ten after a tougher weekend for the Brazilian, just ahead of Romano Fenati (Rivacold Snipers Team) and Scott Ogden (VisionTrack Racing Team).

Moto3 Jerez Podium (Full Results Here)

1 Ivan Ortola – Angeluss MTA Team
2 David Alonso – Gaviota GASGAS Aspar M3 (+0.034)
3 Jaume Masia – Leopard Racing (+0.215)

The post MotoGP Race Reports: Miller Back On The Podium! Rd4 Jerez appeared first on Racing, Riding, Motorcycle Reviews, Race bikes, Tech Tips, Rider Training....

Jack Miller – MotoGP
Having started his season off in positive style with a seventh in the opener in Portugal, Jack Miller’s continued to make solid progress. Keeping his momentum going into the second stop on the calendar in Argentina, much upside could be extracted from his weekend in hugely challenging conditions.

After claiming 10th in the sprint race on Saturday in the dry, the weather turned on the Sunday, which suited the highly skilled Aussie nicely. Making moves briskly from way back on the grid, the #43 rose to the occasion to power through the pack to eventually bag sixth. Not bad at all considering the circumstances. Heading to America for round three, things didn’t go to plan despite the signs looking promising for Miller, with a crash in the race while in third and looking fast a source of frustration for the popular pilot.

“Unfortunate one. I felt really good from the get-go. I made a decent start, felt comfortable and was settled into the race,” Miller mused. “I swapped a map and then she let go of me. I was really trying to manage the tires and I felt we had a great chance of being there until the end. The positive part was the speed and how we were up there with the guys. We’ll take that from the weekend. We’ll learn from the negatives and go towards Jerez with a clean mind.”

Next up for Miller and his Red Bull KTM team is Jerez, where he’ll be hoping to build on his largely encouraging start to the campaign.

Joel Kelso – Moto3
After banking a quality ninth in the season opener, disaster struck for Joel Kelso just after the race had finished when he and another rider collided in a clash that saw the Darwinian devastatingly suffer a broken ankle. Forced to sit out all the rounds since, Kelso’s aiming to return at Jerez this weekend, where he’ll be eager to pick up where he left off.

Remy Gardner – World Superbike
Back on the grid for the WorldSBK stop at Assen, there was much room for upside to be gained from Remy Gardner’s weekend, as he continued making headway in his rookie term in the class.

Not only did he top the timesheets in FP3, but he also recorded a solid eighth in the first race before claiming a superb sixth in the second. Although his 11th in qualifying and 12th in the Superole were not ideal, the GYTR GRT Yamaha hotshot still left the iconic Dutch venue content with his efforts, knowing precisely where improvement is needed.

“Not a bad race two, although unfortunately, we had bad luck in the sprint race. For sure we need to work on our qualifying sessions, once again starting from behind didn’t help. In the last feature race, our pace was fine and I enjoyed it,” he explained. “The tyre choice was the correct one in my opinion, it was just a shame I lost a lot of time in the opening laps as I got forced wide, but we were still able to perform a good recovery. Let’s keep rolling and progress further, we know there’s potential.”

Oli Bayliss – World Supersport
Oli Bayliss suffered an unfortunate setback at Assen, with a crash that broke a couple of toes in the first free practice session ensuring he ultimately had to pull out despite valiantly trying to soldier on in FP2, qualifying and race one. Unable to shift gears and clearly in pain, Bayliss is now doing all he can to get back as soon as possible.

“Definitely not how I wanted the weekend in Assen to go. After a crash in FP1 I broke a couple of toes on my left foot and I was declared unfit Sunday morning. Really disappointing after the potential we had. Time to get some recovery and training in before Barcelona and come back strong. Thank you to my sponsors and supporters,” the gifted speedster said.

Josh Hook – FIM World Endurance Championship
Josh Hook and his TSR Honda France team started off their FIM World Endurance Championship title defence in fine fashion by reigning triumphant at the Le Mans 24 hours. The Aussie and his teammates, Mike Di Meglio and Alan Techer, managed the challenging surface masterfully to navigate the race with aplomb. Getting their pit stops spot on and sustaining excellent speed across the event, it was impressive to see Hook and co. maintain their focus and concentration in the gruelling conditions on their way to a memorable victory.

“We were champions last year without winning a race, but we want to win, we want to show that we are the best, so to win here in the first race of the season is incredible,” stated Hook. “Congratulations go to the team who have put together a winning package. We couldn’t have asked for anything better; the bike was perfect. We were also lucky, but with the work done this winter it is a deserved result. It’s not often that you can do a 24-hour race without any problems, neither in the box nor on the track, it’s an exceptional day for us.”

Jacob Roulstone – Red Bull Rookies Cup
Young Aussie Jacob Roulstone kicked off his Red Bull Rookies Cup campaign with an encouraging ride at the picturesque Portimao. Even though qualifying didn’t go as he envisaged due to the headwind and him admitting he positioned himself poorly in the pack, Roulstone got things back on track in the races. Storming through the field from 20th to claim 13th in the first hit-out, he then backed this up admirably with a wonderful ninth in the second, as he underlined his immense talent and race pace.

“In both races, I was very happy with myself and the way I rode from where I started so far back in P20. But made good opening laps and finished P13 on Saturday afternoon. And then with the quick turnaround on Sunday morning finished in P9 and ended the round at P10,” he explained in his insightful Red Bull Rookies blog.

Josh Brookes – British Superbike
Josh Brookes couldn’t have dreamt of a better way to begin his BSB crusade, as the experienced pilot rode sublimely to guarantee he holds the championship lead after the season opener at Silverstone. Commencing his weekend ideally by bagging a podium in Saturday’s sprint race, this served as a fine precursor for what was to come on Sunday. Stamping his mark in the first race emphatically and settling into his groove quickly, Brookes grabbed the lead five laps in and never looked back to register an outstanding win.

The final race was another one littered with upside for Brookes, who let his riding do all the talking again by securing a polished second to cap off his brilliant body of work that saw him notch his first win since 2020. “I’ve spent a long time speaking about this moment, when I was winning regularly I used to think the next one is at the next race and then the last two years have been quite hard to accept knowing I can’t get the results,” the ecstatic BMW rider asserted.

“People start to doubt you and I don’t blame anyone for that. It’s only natural, whether it’s fans or other teams, maybe they’re thinking you’re slipping and you’re getting old. I have thought about this moment a lot the past couple of years, so I don’t really have quite the emotional words to say, but it certainly feels good to win for myself and for the team.”

 “It’s perfect leading the championship after the first round. We are always optimistic that we are going to have a good bike, a good package, but to get into the opening round and already have three podiums it’s just ideal! We are in a perfect place to build for the rounds to come.”

Jason O’Halloran –  British Superbike
The likeable Aussie contender got his 2023 BSB series off to a consistent start by going 4-5-4 at Silverstone. Raking in a tidy points haul on a weekend where he highlighted his speed and all-round skills, he left feeling content with his output even if he knows there’s room for refinement.

“The weekend hasn’t been too bad. I felt pretty good in myself and felt like I was riding well and I was in the front group in all of the races. We’re just struggling a little bit with a few things so we have to keep working at it,” disclosed the ‘O Show’. “We’ve got a test coming up this week so we need to work through a few things as quick as we can and turn up to Oulton with the hope of being a bit stronger.”

Jett Lawrence – AMA Supercross
The sensational young hotshot is one step closer to claiming another title Stateside, with his April efforts seeing him flex his muscles over his competitors.

On top of winning his first Triple Crown at Glendale by virtue of 1-3-1 moto scores, he also registered a handy second in the mud at East Rutherford, where a last lap charge almost saw him reel in Max Anstie before an overzealous RJ Hampshire took him out. Thankfully, he was able to remount and not lose any positions in the 250 East/West Showdown.

“The ending of the race changed pretty quickly. I tried to cut down on Max [Anstie] but ended up spinning. I figured that was gone but at least I had second locked up. In the last turn I just saw this giant wave come towards me; I had no chance to react,” Lawrence revealed. “Luckily, I kept the bike running and could get going right away. Tonight was a race where taking a risk for two points could cost you 20 points, so I just wanted to race my race and stay off the ground. We’re happy to make it through to the chequered flag.”

Hunter Lawrence – AMA Supercross
In excellent form and having won six of the eight races he’s competed in, Hunter Lawrence is within touching distance of claiming his maiden title in America. Having raced to another superb victory in Atlanta and grabbed a third in treacherous conditions at the Showdown at East Rutherford despite dealing with a groin injury, only a miracle can stop him now.

“My mechanic had put on the board ‘P5, calm,’ so I knew to just take it easy where I was. The worst thing to do in a mud race is to fall—your gloves get all muddy and slippery and just make riding a nightmare. I saw RJ and Jett start to battle a little, and just capitalised on how it all unfolded somehow. I’m pretty happy to stay off the ground and finish the race,” he explained after East Rutherford.

Riding exceptionally and in the form of his life, if all goes to plan this weekend in Nashville, Hunter will be crowned 250SX East champion, which would be a fitting reward for all his hard work and the resilience he’s displayed to overcome all the adversity he’s faced since moving to America.

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Jack Miller – MotoGP
Having made the high-profile switch to Red Bull KTM for 2023 and with excitement high that Jack Miller can achieve big things this year, the fact his latest test didn’t go so well in Sepang has tempered expectations. With Miller only able to record a pair of 16ths and a 19th in the fastest times charts, this doesn’t bode well for the crusade ahead.

“The expectation was quite high. We missed something, to be completely honest and fair. In the next few weeks we have to work to get the best potential from what we tested,” said team manager Francesco Guidotti. “But I’m not trying to find excuses. We are working hard to give our riders the best possible [bike]. The expectation was a little bit too high, maybe. I don’t know.”

Miller then shared his typically honest thoughts on how things went, expressing: “We sort of hit a wall a little bit, so just understanding the geometry and getting myself more comfortable. We made a step right before lunch and were pretty happy with that. We’re making another step just to understand what is the limit and to basically gauge where we’re at in terms of balance.”

“We can see on the data that I’m struggling quite a bit compared to the other boys mid corner and just getting things to rotate and to get it off the corner. It’s all about going through these motions and trying to understand the bike and to adapt with it the best we can. No one likes seeing themselves in the bottom half of the timing screen. But that’s not the main focus for us. The focus is to try and build this thing up and get it somewhere reasonable for Portimao.”

The popular #43 did also importantly mention improvements are still being made all the time and he’s excited about the process of making further strides in their quest to ensure the bike is as competitive as possible come the season opener.

Remy Gardner – World Superbike
Even though Remy Gardner’s World Superbike debut on home soil at Phillip Island will be remembered mostly for him accidentally taking out teammate Dominique Aegerter in the Superpole race, he still enjoyed a decent weekend under the GRT Yamaha awning.

Showcasing his impressive skills and speed, his race finishes of 12th and 10th respectively were admirable to begin his season in light of the circumstances.

“It’s been a complicated weekend, not just for the races, but because of the weather. We didn’t expect to have a wet race in Race One and I struggled a lot in the wet yesterday,” he explained. “I was hoping for dry [weather] and we had a good start to the Superpole Race and I felt quite strong to be honest. But then I made a mistake in turn four and went in too deep and made contact with Domi.”

“First of all, I would like to apologise to Domi and the Team for the Tissot Superpole Race crash. I’m really sorry, we both could have made a good result. Anyway, we have to be happy with our pace; and we were fighting for the podium positions, which was beyond our expectations before this weekend. Starting from so far back on the grid in Race Two with a long lap penalty didn’t help, but that’s a lesson for the future.”

Gardner will now shift his attention to the second round in Indonesia, where he’ll be keen to enjoy a drama-free second stop on the calendar.

Oli Bayliss – World Supersport
Oli Bayliss endured a lively day in World Supersport to start his season on the home confines of Phillip Island. Grabbing sixteenth in race one, this wasn’t what he had in mind as a gamble on using slick tyres didn’t come to fruition courtesy of the rain returning. But there was a marked improvement in the second stanza, with him well and truly in the mix for a top five finish before ultimately dropping to tenth in the red flagged race when another rider suffering a mechanical issue got in his way.

“It’s a pity how the weekend went results-wise, because I felt good on the bike and we had the potential to do much better. We worked well together and showed good speed, but unfortunately the two races were quite eventful and surely not favourable to us,” the Team D34G Racing talent said. “We have to keep working hard in the same direction and try to capitalise in Indonesia in less than a week.”

Jett Lawrence – AMA Supercross
The inordinately gifted Aussie phenom keeps on flexing his muscles Stateside, as he looks set to add another 250 title to his list of honours before moving up to the 450 when AMA Pro Motocross begins in May. Currently sitting atop the 250SX West standings by 20 points over R.J Hampshire having won three of the four main events and bagged second in the other, it’ll take something special to stop the 19-year-old grabbing the title.

Clearly a cut above the competition and riding with a maturity and skill that belies his tender years, the Team Honda HRC star continues to take the sport by storm.

A massive hit on and off the track, it’s easy to see why the likeable youngster is such a drawcard already. Despite all the noise surrounding him, it’s important to note that his dad and trainer, the legendary Johnny O’Mara, keep him on the right path needed to fulfil his immense potential.

Hunter Lawrence – AMA Supercross
Hunter Lawrence has been in similarly excellent form, as he’s following his brother’s lead impressively on his way to winning two of the three 250SX East rounds. Producing the goods and well placed to win his first championship in America, Hunter’s leading the title chase by 11 points from Max Anstie.

Taking his game to another level in 2023 and riding with tremendous confidence, composure and speed, it’s been a joy to watch him strut his stuff, with his last corner win in Tampa especially catching the eye.

Wilson Todd – AMA Supercross
Making his AMA Supercross debut at the start of the year, Wilson Todd deserves enormous credit for putting in all the hard work to reach this milestone. Although things haven’t gone entirely to plan for the talented pilot, there’s vitally been signs of his undeniable speed.

Racing in the 250SX West division, crashes, bad luck and injury have frustratingly scuppered his progress despite his pace in qualifying and practice underlining he has what it takes to mix it inside the top 10. While a torn ligament in his thumb hindered him, Todd’s focus now shifts to the Australian ProMX series, where the reigning MX2 Champion will be back in action on the 250 for the start of the season this weekend in Wonthaggi.

Matt Moss – AMA Supercross
Securing a fill-in ride with the BarX Suzuki squad to race 250SX West, experienced veteran Matt Moss showed his class in his first race for the team in Oakland.

Kicking off his day in fine style by bagging the sixth fastest time in combined qualifying before transferring comfortably to the main by virtue of his third place heat race finish, this was an exceptional way to stamp his mark. Disappointingly, he couldn’t carry his momentum into the main event, for an early crash that injured his thumb ended his night due to him unable to grip the bike well enough.

“I was feeling really good all night, and finished third in my heat. Got an okay start (in the main). I was sitting in fourth when I landed awkwardly on my thumb. I could barely hang on. Disappointing, but overall happy with my speed, a few things to work on. Looking forward to being back behind the gates at the next round. Thanks for the support legends,” he insisted.

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Persistently showing he could mix it with the frontrunners, his one win and five podiums underlined his class in a year where his Ducati Lenovo teammate, Francesco Bagnaia, secured the championship. Moreover, his 12 top six finishes, 10 top five qualifying results and the fact he still did so well despite DNF’ing four races accentuates what a solid crusade he enjoyed.

While Miller, who finished fourth in MotoGP in 2021 and had two wins that term, didn’t replicate these feats in 2022, it was interesting to hear him state he feels this year was actually his best season in the elite class.

“I finished fourth last year in the championship and fifth this time, but this has probably been my strongest season,” he insisted after the finale at Valencia. “Most podiums I’ve ever had, and definitely my best MotoGP win in Japan. Especially after the Catalunya test [in June] the results have been really strong, apart from the mistakes here and at Misano and then getting cleaned out at Phillip Island. Apart from those ones, it’s been pretty solid and I’m really happy with how the second half finished off for me, even if we couldn’t sign it off how I wanted to here.”

Consistently fast and handling the pressure and weight of expectation that inherently comes with riding for factory Ducati, the #43 deserves immense credit for doing so admirably despite the relentless speculation surrounding his future with the Bologna marque that followed him for large swathes of the season. Forced to endure so much chat about him being replaced for 2023 and with his every move under the microscope, the charismatic Aussie handled the situation with aplomb, as he rarely got flustered and instead let his riding do most of the talking.

There was, however, the odd instance where the frustration got the better of him, with him at one point taking a pop at Enea Bastianini, who was later confirmed as the man who’ll replace him in 2023, earlier in the campaign. “Taking photos and celebrating after one podium? I don’t think that means anything,” Miller asserted.

“I’ve been working with these people for five years. When the results come, they come. I do the best I can for the company. I am a liked person, people like me a lot. I sell a lot more motorcycles than other people do. And that’s a big thing in this business. So, for sure, I have a lot of factors coming in my way.”

Seeing as Miller was such an exceptional teammate to Bagnaia, who’s preference was clearly for him to stay, it’ll be interesting keeping an eye on the dynamics with two Italians under the coveted factory Ducati awning next year. “He‘s been criticised too much lately, and I’m very happy for him too,” Bagnaia told Sky Sport Italia when asked about Miller.

“Keep him and touch nothing, now that there is this perfect harmony? I feel very, very good with him; we also work a lot together, and I don‘t think we can do it with other riders. In addition, I think he is very strong as a rider. On this track he helped me a lot; I improved too by looking at his data. I think it‘s a difficult balance to repeat if a new rider comes along.”

After all the rumours and innuendo, Miller ultimately announced he’d be joining Red Bull KTM Factory Racing in 2023, where he’ll join forces with Brad Binder, in a move that also sees him reunite with former Pramac boss Francesco Guidotti.

While his Ducati departure was tinged with sadness, Miller leaves having forged fantastic relationships with the team and the brand, plus displayed what a terrific team member and what a positive person he is to be around.

“Having Jack alongside Brad in our team means we have another strong asset. I know him well, I know how he likes to work and what he can bring to the box,” Guidotti noted. “I believe his character and the way he will ride and push our KTM RC16 will help us a lot at this stage of our project. Like Brad, Jack is a pure racer: he will find the limits and the maximum of any condition and any package and still go for it to get the result and that is quite a rare quality. The next two seasons will be exciting!”

Joining on a two-year deal following a five-year spell with Ducati, seeing how he fares on the Austrian bike will be fascinating. Encouragingly, the early signs were positive after his first test on the RC16, with him commenting that he adapted more smoothly than expected, which bodes well for the future, especially considering the issues that plagued the KTM riders last term.

Set for another test in February next year, getting further time on the bike will be crucial as he looks to perform even better and build on his excellent 2021 and 2022 campaigns. All things considered, 2022 was definitely a year to remember for the 27-year-old, where he yet again proved he has what it takes to win races and mix it with the best of them in the elite division while further cementing his status as one of the most populars riders on the grid due to his engaging, fun-loving and likeable personality.

The post Aussie Racing Abroad: Jack Miller’s 2022 Season appeared first on Racing, Riding, Motorcycle Reviews, Race bikes, Tech Tips, Rider Training....

It’s Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) who took an emotional win, the number 42 fighting at the front throughout and then fending off Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) on the final lap. Marquez, who was forced to settle for second but got back on the box, secured his 100th premier class podium.

Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team), meanwhile, took third, and with it a fair margin of Championship lead as some serious dramas unfolded behind.

The first saw former points leader Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) run on and face a fight back from outside the top twenty, and his drama wouldn’t end there but the next was for home hero Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team). Alex Marquez (LCR Honda Castrol) overcooked it and made contact with the Australian, sending both down and after both had made stellar starts. With that Miller is out of the Championship hunt, and the title fight got another shake up not long after.

Trying to come back through and at least into the points at the time, Quartararo then suddenly slid out of contention at the Southern Loop, lowsiding off into the gravel in another huge twist. That left an open goal for the contenders still battling it out, with Bagnaia on course to claim the lead… but by how much?

The first leaders were polesitter Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) and Marquez, before Rins and Bagnaia reeled them in. As the laps ticked down the overtakes kept coming, and the troops were forming for the podium fight: Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) and teammate Luca Marini were arriving on the scene as Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) started to fade, watching the chance to capitalise on Quartararo’s error get a little smaller.

The opposite was true of Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing MotoGP) as the ‘Beast’ homed in on the fight at the front. As the final showdown started to commence, there were seven riders locked together: Bagnaia, Rins, Marquez, Bezzecchi, Marini, Martin and Bastianini. Who was going to take it?

Bagnaia led them onto the final lap but with ’20 out’ loud and clear on the pit board, the risk vs reward balance was something to consider. But not for Rins and Marquez. Marquez had passed Rins for second at the Southern Loop on the penultimate lap, but the Suzuki rider hit back straight away at Stoner Corner, and that was how they commenced Lap 27 of 27. Rins went a corner earlier this time with a move on Bagnaia for the lead, and Marquez followed to push Pecco down to third. Could the number 93 cook up one final attack?

In the end, Rins was unstoppable. The Suzuki rider kept the door closed to the line as Marquez hung in there looking for a way through, and right behind the focus shifted to Bezzecchi. Would the Italian, Ducati rider and VR46 Academy member launch a late attack on Bagnaia? He wouldn’t. Bagnaia held them off to secure another podium and homed in on Marquez in a big way on the drag to the line, just 0.224 off Rins’ by the flag.

Bezzechi’s fourth place secures him top Independent Team rider in the race and Rookie of the Year for 2022, as he was left to hold off Bastianini and did so – just. The ‘Beast’ was incredibly close by the flag, taking fifth ahead of Marini. Martin took seventh after leading early on from pole, and he creates the stat of the top seven within a second.

Next up came Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing), who had a comeback on his hands after a tough start but made his way through to an impressive eighth. Aleix Espargaro, on a day that could have paid a few more dividends, faded to ninth place, with Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) rounding out the top ten after earlier having charged as far forward as seventh.

Pol Espargaro (Repsol Honda Team) took P11 ahead of a solid comeback for Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing). Cal Crutchlow (WithU Yamaha RNF MotoGP), after losing a few positions off the start, finished 13th and contributes a few more Constructors’ points, with rookie teammate Darryn Binder impressing just behind to take a couple of his own points. Speaking of rookies, home hero Remy Gardner (Tech3 KTM Factory Racing) scored on home turf too, taking P15.

After drama Down Under, it’s just a few days until the paddock heads to Sepang and the Petronas Grand Prix of Malaysia. Bagnaia now leads by a sizeable 14 points ahead of Quartararo, having pulled off that amazing, record-breaking comeback in the standings. Aleix Espargaro is now 27 back and Bastianini is the last contender after Miller’s 0, with the Italian facing a 42-point deficit with two to go. The first of those is contested next weekend, so tune in for more at Sepang for Bagnaia’s first match point!

MotoGP Top Three (Full results here)
1 Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) – Suzuki – 40’50.654
2 Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) – Honda – +0.186
3 Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) – Ducati – +0.224

Alex Rins: “First of all, thanks to everyone who’s come to to support us! Last time here with the Suzuki is special, I have the feeling and it’s amazing to go out with the victory. Thank you so much and see you next year, Phillip Island!”

Marc Marquez: “We chose the correct tyre with the soft rear tyre, I felt good and I was managing the race a lot in the beginning, then later on I was struggling a bit with grip but I enjoyed it a lot, that race. It doesn’t matter what position, I finished second and I tried to win. I gave everything, but Alex did a really good last lap. I gave everything I had, I enjoyed it a lot, so many overtakes. In some areas we still need to improve but Honda is working, and step by step we’re getting better and better.

“For me, the second place was so important, when I came back after the injury, the test in Misano, then the race in Japan, the race in Thailand. Why? Because it was important to understand that, inside me, the speed is there, and when I feel okay, the speed is there. But it’s true that now we need to work hard and the body needs to follow that speed, so step-by-step, it’s getting better and better. Here is a left circuit, so it helps a lot, and it’s true that it’s only two right corners where you push really hard – that is 4 and 10 – and in Malaysia, we will struggle more, I know. But, we will have time in winter so, step-by-step, we are getting better and it was the best way to keep the motivation for me, for the team, for Honda, because Honda is also in a difficult situation. They are working hard, as we see this weekend, and it’s getting better and better.”

On 100 premier class podiums:

“I’m really happy with this podium. It means a lot to me, it means a lot to the people who have helped me in this tough season, and to all the doctors, to all the physios that I work with. We are getting better and better, and Honda is working hard. Nothing has been gained now, but they are working really hard for 2023. This podium means a lot, to keep the motivation, to show to them that this rider that can win six titles with Honda is there.”

Francesco Bagnaia: “I had some difficulties to engage the front device, but in any case, the start wasn’t so good. Then I tried in the first laps to overtake many riders, and then when i saw on the pit board that Fabio was out, a win is ok but if they overtake me on the final lap, it’s ok. I’m happy and we’re leading the Championship… so keep going like this!

How do you feel about 91-point deficit to now, how are you different?

“It’s a Pecco that has learnt more lessons possible, and I said, there are 250 points remaining after Sachsenring. I think we took a lot of that. Our bike is the same from Jerez and from that moment, we demonstrated that we were so competitive. So, keep going, keep going. I don’t want to think about the Championship now. Just focus on the main goal, which is doing good races, and then we’ll see. But, I don’t want to think about it.”

Fabio Quartararo: “I was struggling a lot at Turn 4 and I already made a mistake at the beginning of the race. Then I tried to push, I was quite far and I could overtake three riders but then I pushed too much in Turn 2. Let’s see how we can handle the next ones. I think Malaysia is a good track, I like it, so let’s see how we can do it.”

Is today the day where the championship really changed?

“Yeah, it has changed for him since the Sachsenring, so it can change also for us in the last two. I feel that we can have a great last two races. We need to be focused, to work well, and see, but it can be worse for both of us.”

What went wrong at Turn 4? Is it a move that you felt you should have made?

“No, it was not even a move, and I think there was a tailwind, so it pushed me quite fast, and I’ve made a mistake. But, in the end, I think it will be important to analyse it well – I think we already know what happened – and then go to Malaysia with full motivation.”

Will we see a change in strategy?

“A change of strategy is difficult but I think that, in the end, we need to do our best and, more than that, enjoy it. Because, in the recent races, I couldn’t really enjoy it, and I feel like we need to enjoy the last two races. That, for me, will be the most important thing, because I know that when I enjoy it, I feel like we can go fast!”

Aleix Espargaro: “I made a good start, I felt good, I felt I had the speed to fight for the podium but, suddenly in the middle of the race, the traction control started to cut so much power. I couldn’t accelerate, I couldn’t go forward, and it was very frustrating, because I lost a lot of ground in acceleration and tried to recover under brakes but it was impossible to stay with the leading group.”

Was it an issue with bike or electronics?

“I mean, we have the same tyre as most of the riders in the front group, so I guess it’s our problem. We have to understand what happened. Maverick had exactly the same problem, so it was very frustrating because it’s difficult to have the speed to fight for the victory but we had it today and we couldn’t really profit from it.”

Is the disappointment worse because of opportunity from Quartararo crash?

“I mean, he made a mistake and crashed, so we didn’t really profit from it and Pecco jumped onto the podium also, so now we are a bit far. It’s still possible but more difficult.”

27-point deficit; how do you look at last two races?

“The first thing is that I’m very proud to arrive at the last two races still with a chance of winning the title and this is fantastic, unbelievable. But, now it’s a little bit more difficult than before because with Pecco and Ducati’s form, and a one-race advantage, it’s not going to be easy, but anyway, everything can happen, so let’s keep fighting.”

Moto2 Sunday
Alonso Lopez (Beta Tools SpeedUp) played a figurative and literal ace at the Animoca Brands Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix, escaping from the front row to pull out enough gap to serve his Long Lap penalty given in practice and still emerge in the lead – putting the hammer down from there on out to enjoy a track day experience at Phillip Island, winning with over 3.5 seconds in hand. Second went to Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Ajo), another two-time rookie race winner this year, with Jake Dixon (Inde GASGAS Aspar Team) completing the podium after a comeback from P14.

The huge headline beyond the podium saw former Championship leader Augusto Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo) crash out from behind teammate Acosta. Ai Ogura (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) is the therefore the new points leader, although the Japanese rider could only manage 11th and his advantage is therefore only 3.5 points with two races to go. There are also now only those two contenders remaining, as Aron Canet (Flexbox HP 40) is now 50 points back and without a win.

Lopez was in charge as he bolted immediately, maintaining the plan to push at the limit from the off. That gave him enough advantage to dive in to take his Long Lap penalty and still emerge in the lead, and then he was gone.

After a crash out of podium contention for Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) and Fermin Aldeguer (Beta Tools SpeedUp) fading back from the podium fight, the battle between Acosta and Fernandez was heating up. The rookie was ahead when his teammate suddenly slid out, losing the front and with it chance to create quite a gap. But rider ok and ultimately only losing four points.

Dixon gained the podium with that, but after having put in quite a comeback to slice through the pack from well outside the top ten. Behind him, Aldeguer held off an impressive charge from Manuel Gonzalez (Yamaha VR46 Master Camp Team), with Jeremy Alcoba (Liqui Moly Intact GP) and Cameron Beaubier (American Racing) for close company. Somkiat Chantra (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia), Canet and Bo Bendsneyder (Pertamina Mandalika SAG Team) completed the top ten ahead of Ogura.

Alonso Lopez: “To be honest I don’t know what I did, but yesterday I was working really hard on the data, I had bad luck because I missed out on pole because of a Red Flag and I knew I had the pace but today the track was completely different. I did my best with the Long Lap, I felt really comfortable. I want to thank my team and also Casey! It’s his birthday and I learned a lot from watching him. Thank you to all the sponsors, and thanks everyone!”

Moto2 Top Three (Full results here)
1 Alonso Lopez (Beta Tools SpeedUp) – Boscoscuro – 39’14.947
2 Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Ajo) – Kalex – +3.556
3 Jake Dixon (Inde GASGAS Aspar Team) – Kalex – +9.583

Garcia took the early lead as polesitter Ayumu Sasaki (Sterilgarda Max Racing Team) lost a couple of positions from pole, but all eyes were on Guevara as the Championship leader had some distance to make up from Row 3. He got that done quickly though, slotting into a top six joined by Garcia, Diogo Moreira (MT Helmets – MSI), Sasaki, Öncü and home hero Joel Kelso (CIP Green Power). Bit by bit two riders on the chase were able to close in, too: John McPhee (Sterilgarda Max Racing Team) and Stefano Nepa (Angeluss MTA Team).

By 10 to go, four remained in the front group as Guevara, Sasaki, Öncü and Garcia pulled away, and there they stayed. On the start of the last lap, it was Öncü ahead over the line, but that didn’t last long as Guevara hit back to take the lead. From there, the number 28 got the hammer down and kept a few precious metres in hand to take what’s fast becoming a signature win, sealing the Championship in the process.

Sasaki was forced to settle for fourth, ahead of a tight group of Nepa, McPhee, Moreira and Kelso. Moreira and Kelso were separated by just 0.001, with video verification deployed.

Dennis Foggia (Leopard Racing) headed up the next group after a tougher race for the Italian, who has fallen back to third overall, with Riccardo Rossi (SIC58 Squadra Corse) completing the top ten. Close behind them in the group came David Muñoz (BOE Motorsports), Carlos Tatay (CFMoto Racing PrüstelGP) and front row starter Ivan Ortola (Angeluss MTA Team).

Izan Guevara: “In the start of the race today it was really complicated with the slightly wet conditions, but the track dried quickly and I felt really comfortable. It was possible to push in the lead group with my pace, I’m so happy with this moment, this Championship… I’d like to thank my team, my family for the support, and all my friends.”

Moto3 Top Three (Full results here)
1 Izan Guevara (Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team) – GASGAS – 37’52.331
2 Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Tech3) – KTM – +0.345|
3 Sergio Garcia (Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team) – GASGAS – +0.460

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