To build on the success so far and to further improve the performance and capability of the engine, Triumph will also develop a full new race gearbox, which will make its debut in the 2025 season. Some improvements are already underway, with the engineering team testing parts after use in this year’s Moto2 rounds in order to make improvements in gear selection for the 2024 season.

Steve Sargent, Chief Product Officer, Triumph Motorcycles: “Moto2 continues to be an excellent platform to showcase the performance and capability of our 765 triple engines, driving demand for our new Street Triple 765 range. Over the last five years, we’ve used the race engine programme to drive enhancements to the 765 engine, and gain insights and learnings that we’ve used to further develop and evolve our Street Triple 765 range. Our reputation for bulletproof durability, reliability and class-leading performance has grown, which in turn, drives our global sales.

“Just as the Moto2 teams make every lap count, our engineers have used every opportunity to enhance every dimension of the engine performance, from speed, power and torque, to revs, cylinder pressure and compression ratio. This has enabled us to deliver improvements on track each season, achieving shorter race times, faster top speeds and lap times, more winners and closer racing. The new race gearbox will make a big difference to the results that riders can achieve on track in Moto2, and in advance of this, our engineering team is already testing and developing improvements in gear selection, testing parts after use in this year’s Moto2 rounds.”

Carlos Ezpeleta, Chief Sporting Officer, Dorna Sports: “Our first five years working with Triumph are proving to be a real success, with great racing, riders achieving new Moto2 records across the board and impressive reliability from the off. We wanted this collaboration to help to define that step between Moto3 and the MotoGP class, and I think Triumph have achieved just that. We’re really happy with the way the partnership is evolving as well, with more innovation and development still to come, and we’re looking forward to five more exciting years together.”

As competition for the Triumph Triple Trophy heats up, the winner’s bike, an exclusive Street Triple 765 RS, was also unveiled at Silverstone on the Day of Champions in a special press conference announcing the new contract. Steve Sargent, Chief Product Officer of Triumph Motorcycles, was joined by Carlos Ezpeleta, Chief Sporting Officer of Dorna Sports, as well as Moto2 riders Jake Dixon (Tensite GASGAS Aspar Team) and Alonso Lopez (Beta Tools SpeedUp).

The Triumph Triply Trophy is designed to recognise impressive performances throughout the field and the 2023 competition has been fiercely fought so far. Pedro Acosta’s (Red Bull KTM Ajo) incredible lap times see him at the top of the leaderboard with 26 points, closely followed by rookie Dennis Foggia (Italtrans Racing Team) in 2nd place with 21 points, thanks to his excellent race progression. Sam Lowes (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) and Alonso Lopez (Beta Tools SpeedUp) share 3rd place on 17 points.  This year’s winner will follow in the footsteps of Moto2 greats Jeremy Alcoba, Raul Fernandez and Marco Bezzecchi. Follow the competition at Triumph.

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Q: How are you feeling arriving at Mugello as the World Cup leader?

Dominique Aegerter: “For sure, I’m very happy to be leading the championship. We have already had some great races this season. My goal is always to fight for the victory, but in MotoE, it’s seven or eight laps, and only six here, so it’s not so easy. But, we are always fighting in the front group, so when you make a small mistake or the tactics are not really going your way, it’s not so easy to win the race, but this is our goal. It’s very nice to be here in Mugello, in Italy. For sure, it’s a really fantastic track, there will be a lot of spectators cheering for us, and for the first time with the MotoE bikes. I hope we can get some dry track time tomorrow for a good qualifying session in the afternoon, and let’s see how it goes with MotoE around this track.”

Q: Will a new track be easier with a ‘different’ bike compared to last year?

DA77: “For every rider, it’s the same. We have the 20 minutes of track time, everybody has the same tyres, everybody has a fully charged battery, and then it’s just how fast you can adapt to the race track with the bike. Maybe your team can make some small changes to the suspension or with the gearing, and it’s just important to focus on your riding every lap, to find the limit of the bike on the track, and tomorrow we will see which rider can achieve this the best. For sure, in Le Mans and Jerez, we had a lot of track time and data from last year, but here everything is new, so we just need to go out and see how the bike reacts, and how the bike feels on this race track.”

Q: You took that long-awaited victory in France; what has made the difference this year so far?

Mattia Casadei: “Honestly, I don’t know! I was fast last year but in one race, I had COVID and couldn’t fight for the championship, but I finish only 20 points from the winner and it’s good. This year, it’s a new team and I am working very well with them. It’s fantastic, I am fast, and this is my goal. I’m very happy.”

Q: Have some of the performances on the grid surprised you this year?

MC27: “No, all these guys are fast, and whoever works better with the bike goes faster than the others. I have to work on the final lap of the race because, in Le Mans, after the first drop of the tyre, I’m not very fast. But now, we’re working on it, we’ll go better. I’ll try to get the best result here in this fantastic Mugello track. The Italian fans are fantastic and I’m happy to be here.”

Q: You are the MotoE king of Misano, but what do you expect from this very different fast, flowing Italian venue?

Matteo Ferrari: “It’s fantastic to be here for the first time. I was here in the World Championship in Moto3 in 2015, and it’s incredible, because the fans in the stands are incredible every day. I think it will be another feeling with MotoE, because the feeling when you go in a new track with MotoE is incredible, so I think that will also be the case here…”

Q: What is your goal to improve this weekend, after a good weekend in Jerez but a tricky one at Le Mans?

MF11: “I was fast on Saturday in Le Mans because I improved my lap time from last year, and also I had really good pace. I lost the grip on the rear on the first lap so I didn’t achieve the podium for this reason but I had a good race. In the second race, I lost a little bit of feeling with the bike, so I didn’t overtake too much during the race and I finished only seventh, but it was good points for the championship. Of course, here we have to improve a little bit in qualifying, because we started the first round on the second row, and the second round on the third row. So, I think we have to improve this for tomorrow, and then we’ll see in the race, because it’s only six laps this weekend and it will be important to start very fast like Mattia did in Le Mans.”

Q: It was a first podium in France, what made the difference for you?

Niccolo Canepa: “I feel like the team did an amazing job on the bike, on the set-up, and I felt like, from the beginning of the weekend, I was really strong and could be faster. Then unfortunately we had the accident with Torres crashing in front of me in the first race, and I lost so many positions, so the first race didn’t go as planned. But the second race went really well and I’m really happy because I also enjoyed passing, I made many overtakes and it was a really nice race for me. I have to say that I really enjoyed being on the podium and I will try my best to be on the podium again this weekend.”

Q: What do you expect from a MotoE bike here, given your Mugello experience?

NC07: “For sure, it will be really exciting to ride here on the MotoE bike. I think I’ve ridden here on any kind of bike since I was 12 years old, so I can say I have a lot of experience on this track as well, but it will be really exciting to try the MotoE, to see what sort of lap time we can do, to see how fast we can be in the corners. I want to see how we will do the Arrabbiatta, Casanova, Savelli, these kind of corners that are unique in the world, and it will be really exciting for sure to see how we can ride the MotoE on this track.”

Q: You must be happy to have been at the front in France and show that speed, even if you just missed out on the podium?

Kevin Zannoni: “Yes, I’m very happy about Le Mans, because I was fast. Unfortunately, I did not finish on the podium, but I was fast all weekend, from free practice to the races. In Race 1, I tried to win but I crashed. In Race 2, Niccolo passed me very close to the finish line. But okay, we need to do another weekend like Le Mans here.”

Q: Did the weekend help you learn a lot?

KZ21: “Yes, I understand the bike better, race by race. Because I come from Moto3, last year was a little bit difficult for me, but the last race was not so bad. Every race, I can improve something and understand from the other riders. Here in Mugello, I know the track very well, because we race a lot here in the Italian championship. But with MotoE, for sure it will be different, because MotoE is heavy. So, the change of direction on this track, I don’t know, but for sure, it will be amazing.”

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Q: What would represent a good result from Mugello and Catalunya?

Fabio Quartararo: “It’s difficult to say because it’s not bad tracks for us but if we are in bad positions then it will be bad, I would say if we get a great start and great first lap it can change our race, the qualifying and first lap. Let’s see how it goes but I think the next two will be tough.”

Q: What is it that you can make up with your style and what are the strong points of the Yamaha at this track that help you be strong?

FQ20: “I hope I will have more or less the same km difference than last year because we know the other manufacturers have improved a lot. I think Sector 2 and 3 are one of our strong points, our bike is really strong there and I feel good in these corners, putting yourself to the limit is a good help.”

Q: With this being Aprilia’s home Grand Prix and the next being yours, is this your most important week of the season so far? 

Aleix Espargaro: “Yes, which means more pressure, but it’s okay. It’s two very important races for us. Mugello is very important for Aprilia, I’m very happy to ride in Italy in this way, with good results. We are actually leading the teams’ championship for the first time in Italy for Aprilia, so it’s fantastic and next week it will, be my home GP. It’s two very important races, but it’s 50 points, no more than Germany and Assen, for example, so I am trying to work in the same way as the previous weekends. I have the same feeling that Fabio does, that the first laps of the race will be very, very important, especially against the fast Ducatis here at Mugello with the long straight. So, trying to be focused from the first lap tomorrow morning will be very, very important.”

Q: Do you have new parts on the bike from the Jerez test, and how do you hope they will improve the RS-GP?

AE41: “Yeah, we have a couple of new things. We have a new engine for this weekend, we also have quite big aerodynamic things. I think I will not be the first one to test it tomorrow, maybe it will be Sava on the test team. But, it looks promising and I will try it tomorrow afternoon. Hopefully, it can give us some tenths to fight for the top.”

Q: How special will it be if you get that fourth victory this weekend? 

Enea Bastianini: “Mugello is always special. This year again with a lot of fans is amazing for everybody and we will see how it is. We made a really good race in Le Mans but here is another story. We need to stay concentrated in the Free Practices, many riders are fast – Fabio and Pecco here – and Aleix is also very consistent this year. It will be really hard but I’m prepared and ready for this Grand Prix.”

Q: You’ve never had a podium at Mugello, do you think this weekend is the best chance of the first podium? 

EB33: “We will try to be on the podium at my home Grand Prix. I’ve tried a lot but it’s not easy, we will see if we can do this but also to stay in the top five is a good result. We will see tomorrow.

Q: Is your best opportunity to put a Ducati on the podium at Mugello? 

Jack Miller: “I’d like to think so. It’s kind of a love-hate relationship here. At least I finished the race here last year, so that’s nice, but not where we wanted to be. But we’ve been strong ever since Argentina, we’ve been there fighting for the podium every week, so we’re in good form. I feel like we’re at a really solid place with the bike and I feel like the improvements that we’ve made from the 21 to the 22 should really benefit us here in Mugello with a lot of fast changes of direction, a lot of fast corners. So, I’m excited for what the weekend holds, and having the fans back here should be really good.”

Q: Do you think your top speed record might go this weekend? 

JM43: “I’d like to hope not. The jumps are already pretty scary, so we don’t need to be doing 365 over that thing, I don’t think. But, you never know, the bikes are getting faster and faster every year, that wall on the inside of Turn 1’s getting closer and closer every year, so it’s a possibility, but we have to wait and see. We talk about the Ducati speed and all that but it’s been equalled by KTM, so we’re not the only ones out there.

Q: How much are you looking forward to putting France behind you here? 

Francesco Bagnaia: “Yeah it’s normal sometimes you can make mistakes and my one was a bit too big… I had time at home to learn from that and I think the best place to re-join is Mugello. I’m really looking forward to riding tomorrow, last year was good to me, everything went well apart from the race, but Sunday was one of the worst days we had during the season. Let’s think from the Championship and try to enjoy tomorrow.”

Q: How was it riding with the fans to Mugello?

FB63: “It was good but the only thing was we were too slow, we had three hours to arrive here in Mugello but it was good. It was the first time I did the Futa Pass and I enjoyed it.”

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Question: How are you feeling and what are your expectations for the weekend as title leader?

Enea Bastianini: “My feeling is fantastic. Here at this track I won the 2020 Moto2 title but also I’m the leader of the Championship for the moment. It’s only been four races, but it’s been really nice for me, the team and everybody, it’s fantastic. Now we have to reset, the European races are different. The levels of the bikes and riders are very close, and it will be really difficult to stay out front, but we are really motivated and can’t wait to start the weekend.”

Q: What about the possibility of a wet race on the GP21?

EB23: “The conditions will be strange this weekend. There will be a lot of win and the possibility of rain. In Indonesia we made a good step in the race in the wet conditions. Also, Pecco was really fast here and I can check his data to see something but I want to start this weekend from zero and after we will see what happens.”

Q: Do you have a good feeling after Austin, and hitting 500 podiums for Suzuki? 

Alex Rins: “As you say Suzuki made history in Austin with 500 podiums. I’m so happy to be part of that. Since 2017 when I joined the team we’ve worked hard to achieve big things so now we’re in great shape. We finished 2nd in Austin but we’ve done many great weekends. Let’s see this weekend, the weather could be tricky. Friday and Saturday we might have rain and wind. We’re in good shape so let’s see where we end up.”

Q: What about the future?

AR42: “We haven’t started talking yet. The good thing and the thing that keeps me calm is that already Livio and the Japanese guys have told me that they want to continue so I’m calm. I can ride in a better way because of that. My manager will start talking in the next races about an extension.”

Q: There are some potentially good races coming up for you, what’s the importance of building momentum?

Jack Miller: “Yeah that’s the plan at this point in time. It’s nice to come into the European season let’s say with the ball rolling a little bit. Bumpy start as it generally is for me and the Championship but like you say, got the ball rolling now we’ve got some good tracks coming up. Starting to really gel with my bike, understanding it more and more every weekend. You know what we need to do, where we need to work on that kind of thing but all in all just happy, going through the motions trying to do the same thing we did in Austin which was just put together a solid weekend and I think that gives you the confidence. It brings you the confidence for Sunday’s race you know, we ran out of steam a little bit there but it was definitely a building block on what we need to do for the races coming forward.”

On the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve:

JM43: “It’s so different to any other track we got on the calendar that makes it nice you know, we gotta negotiate the hill, the elevation, you’ve got corners off camber, on camber. It throws a bit of everything at you so it’s definitely a refreshing track to ride after you know, a lot of the tracks nowadays are built very similar, so it’s kind of nice to go to something that’s completely left field. We’ve had a pretty good record around here so yeah hopefully we can find you know the speed that we had this time last year and well not this time, the one at the end of the year, so we’ll will try to find that and yeah build a solid weekend. As the boys said the Championship sort of really starts kicking off here and starts heating up now so hopefully we’ll be in the forefront.”

Q: Are any problems now solved heading into Portugal? 

Marc Marquez: “Yeah of course Austin was a good weekend. The target was to find confidence and we did it. We approached the weekend in a good way and did a solid weekend. It’s true I always want more, to finish in sixth position, the comeback was very good but we were looking for something more. Yeah we had a technical issue at the start, and it’s something that can happen with a new bike and the most important thing is Honda found the problem and resolved it for the future. It’s important and it’s time to think of this weekend and to continue our progression.”

Q: Now with the new bike and fit again, what are your expectations?

MM93: “It was a nice comeback one year ago here in Portimão after the long injury. It hasn’t been an easy year with ups and downs and some injuries but anyways we are in Portimão to compete. It’s true that inside our box we don’t have a lot of reference because I competed only one time and it was half and half. The last GP here, Alex and Pol were quite fast. We need to understand with this new bike if we can continue the same way we did in Austin, it’s time to reconfirm here in Portimão. The best thing is to approach the weekend without expectation and just try to understand, try to feel the bike and after Warm Up we will understand where we are.”

On a more up and down start to the season:

Miguel Oliveira: “The start wasn’t what we wanted because we wanted to be inside the top ten and close to the top five. We come here and being a home GP we can reset the mind and everything. My motivation is high. We want to find the speed we had in the past and try be competitive here in Portugal again.”

And it was a warm welcome with the pre-event parade proving a huge hit:

MO88: “I think it was around 700 bikes. Maybe more! Every year there’s something going on, so this year we managed to get KTM involved and bring the MotoGP bike to the street. Every time you take the bike out of its natural environment it’s amazing. A privilege to be involved and to be surrounded by this great support. Let’s hope I can give something back.” he finished. 

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