FIM Moto2 World Championship
Le Mans, France
May 18, 2014
Race Results (all using Honda engines and Dunlop tires):
1. Mika KALLIO, Finland (KALEX), 26 laps, 42:41.696
2. Simone CORSI, Italy (KALEX), -1.015 seconds
3. Esteve “Tito” RABAT, Spain (KALEX), -1.303
4. Maverick VIÑALES, Spain (KALEX), -2.187
5. Luis SALOM, Spain (KALEX), -3.619
6. Jonas FOLGER, Germany (KALEX), -3.918
7. Dominique AEGERTER, Switzerland (SUTER), -12.324
8. Thomas LUTHI, Switzerland (SUTER), -15.552
9. Sam LOWES, UK (SPEED UP), -17.627
10. Franco MORBIDELLI, Italy (KALEX), -28.704
11. Marcel SCHROTTER, Germany (TECH 3), -33.593
12. Sandro CORTESE, Germany (KALEX), -36.158
13. Randy KRUMMENACHER, Switzerland (SUTER), -36.227
14. Anthony WEST, Australia (SPEED UP), -36.547
15. Hafizh SYAHRIN, Malaysia (KALEX), -36.672
16. Takaaki NAKAGAMI, Japan (KALEX), -37.240
17. Jordi TORRES, Spain (SUTER), -37.572
18. Lucas MAHIAS, France (TRANSFIORMERS), -44.600
19. Gino REA, UK (SUTER), -48.311
20. Lorenzo BALDASSARRI, Italy (SUTER), -48.654
21. Nicolas TEROL, Spain (SUTER), -48.886
22. Josh HERRIN, USA (CATERHAM SUTER), -53.477
23. Roman RAMOS, Spain (SPEED UP), -69.106
24. Azlan SHAH, Malaysia (KALEX), -69.326
25. Robin MULHAUSER, Switzerland (SUTER), -69.550
26. Ricard CARDUS, Spain (TECH 3), -81.355, crash
27. Julian SIMON, Spain (KALEX), -6 laps, DNF, retired
28. Louis ROSSI, France (KALEX), -6 laps, DNF, crash
29. Axel PONS, Spain (KALEX), -13 laps, DNF, crash
30. Thitipong WAROKORN, Thailand (KALEX), -17 laps, DNF, crash
31. Alex DE ANGELIS, South Africa (SUTER), -20 laps, DNF, crash
32. Tetsuta NAGASHIMA, Japan (TSR), -21 laps, DNF, crash
33. Johann ZARCO, France (CATERHAM SUTER), -23 laps, DNF, retired
34. Mattia PASINI, Italy (KALEX), -24 laps, DNF, crash
35. Xavier SIMEON, Belgium (SUTER), -26 laps, DNF, crash
World Championship Point Standings (after 5 of 18 races):
1. Rabat, 99
2. Kallio, 92
3. Vinales, 62
4. Aegerter, 58
5. Corsi, 53
6. Luthi, 40
7. Salom, 39
8. Folger, 31
9. TIE, Simeon/Cortese, 29
More, from a press release issued by AirAsia Caterham Moto2 Team:
Le Mans Grand Prix Race Report
Circuit: Le Mans
Circuit Length: 4.185 m
Race Length: 26 laps
Weather
Race: Dry; (air temp) 23°, (track temp) 40°
As the lights turned green at the French circuit of Le Mans, the AirAsia Caterham Moto Racing Team watched both riders make a good start.
Returning from injury Moto2 rookie Josh Herrin steamed through the field from 30th place to 21st on lap one. Getting into a rhythm the American pushed on to finish his first Moto2 race in a respectable 22nd place.
Teammate Johann Zarco took care into the first corner determined to finish with a good result at his home Grand Prix. After finding a better set-up and feeling more comfortable on the bike, the Frenchman began to chip away at the Moto2 field taking him up to 16th place within the first few laps. However the promising end wasn’t to be as a technical problem on the #5 Caterham Suter forced him to retire just four laps into the race.
#5 Johann Zarco: DNF
“In warm up this morning we made a good step with the bike and then again just before the race. As I left pit lane it felt much better and as the race started I was the most comfortable I had been all weekend. After struggling from the beginning here in Le Mans we finally found the solution and it’s important for me and the team that we were able to do this.
“I started the race quietly because with the size of the Moto2 group and the tight chicane it can be very dangerous. The target was to finish the race and I was confident with my pace that I could fight for the points. I was feeling good on the bike and I had managed to move up to 16th place when suddenly the bike stopped. It’s disappointing because I know this was only the beginning.
“It’s strange how unlucky we are. I don’t know what we have done to have bad karma like this but we will keep going and when the opportunity is there, I will be ready to take it!
#2 Josh Herrin: P22
“The start of the race was good. The feeling I got in that race was kind of like how I used to feel when I raced in AMA. I wasn’t up to pace in practice or qualifying so when we started my heart rate just went really high because I wasn’t used to going that hard and doing those times. It took a couple of laps to adapt but once I got going I was able to get into a rhythm.
“My shoulder didn’t hurt too much but after not being able to use it 100% to putting all my weight on my legs to compensate for it, it started to get harder towards the end of the race, which is when I lost a place. I’m a little disappointed in myself but I’ve been working hard at home so I can’t say that I haven’t been preparing. I’m pleased that we’ve finally finished a race and now I know what it takes. My confidence is a lot higher so I will go home feeling more positive but also really determined to come back even stronger for Mugello.”
Johan Stigefelt – Team Manager:
“It’s been another hard Grand Prix for us here in Le Mans.
“We saw at the start of the race that Johann’s bike was working better after trying throughout the weekend to improve the set-up. In the end we found the right step for him and he said in the few laps that he did, he felt a lot more comfortable. He was catching a lot of the riders and was up to sixteenth position when he had to stop with a technical problem. We are looking into what happened but it appears to be something to do with the electronics and the loom.
“I’m very sorry for Johann as it has been a disappointing time for him at his home race but as always he has continued to stay positive and worked incredibly hard.
“For Josh this was his first time back after injury and I’m pleased that he was finally able to finish a race, which was the target for the day. He now has a full race under his belt which is good for him and the team. To be able to do all the laps in his condition showed how he is physically and hopefully now we can continue to progress with him in Mugello.
“We have struggled all weekend to find good settings but we will continue to work hard and in Mugello we need to take a step forward and show where we belong.”
More, from a press release issued by Marc VDS Racing Team:
Kallio claims fantastic French Moto2 win
Le Mans, France – 18 May 2014: Mika Kallio strengthened his Moto2 World Championship challenge with a fantastic French Grand Prix victory today, handing the Marc VDS Racing Team a fourth win in five races to continue a dominant 2014 campaign.
Kallio took the lead from Simone Corsi on lap 19 and the ice cool Finn rode a faultless final phase of the race to take a second successive win by just over a second.
It was a double celebration for the Marc VDS Racing squad in Le Mans today in front of proud team owner Marc van der Straten.
Spanish rider Tito Rabat secured his fourth podium of the season after winning an exciting battle for third against Maverick Viñales and Luis Salom.
A second double podium of 2014 for the Marc VDS Racing squad sees Rabat and Kallio split by just seven-points in the Championship chase heading to the next round in Mugello.
Today’s 24-lap Moto3 race ended in disappointment for Livio Loi after he moved up from 25th on the grid to finish outside of the points in 20th.
Mika Kallio // Race Winner
“I am so happy to win this race because the start of the weekend wasn’t easy. We used the same setting we used to win the race at Jerez, but the bike didn’t work on this track. I couldn’t stop the bike on the brakes, but from Friday we have made the bike better and better and it felt great in the race. I pushed at the start but couldn’t open a gap like in Jerez. I decided to cool down when Corsi passed me and waited for the right time to attack. I pushed very hard in the final laps and when I saw I had a one second gap I knew I could manage it, even though it is never easy to win in Moto2. It is a great win for me but also for my crew, who were brilliant all weekend.”
Tito Rabat // 3rd
“The weekend went really well until the race. From FP1 I had a good rhythm and the team did a great job. In the race I didn’t make a good start and many riders passed me. I tried to push but it wasn’t possible to go, even with my usual smooth style. At the end I tried to overtake Corsi, but I made a mistake at Turn Four and went wide and that denied me second. I’m happy because this is the first time I’ve finished at Le Mans for many years but we have some work to do because Mika has had two really good races and he is looking very strong.”
Livio Loi // 20th
“I am not happy with the whole weekend here in Le Mans. I came here very confident I could achieve a positive result after a good test in Almeria. But from Friday I’ve not had any confidence with the bike to push comfortably at the limit. I need to re-group for Mugello and come back strong because the potential of the package that I have here with the Marc VDS Racing Team is much higher, as we saw in Argentina.”
Michael Bartholemy: Team Principal
“That was another phenomenal ride from Mika. The way he managed the gap to Corsi in the final laps was very impressive, and it feels fantastic to take our fourth win of the season. It is even more special with Marc here again to share in our success. Tito’s podium could be very important in the final reckoning, but to see both our riders on the rostrum for the third time this season makes me incredibly proud to be part of this project. It was another disappointing result for Livio today, well below what we expected from him after his performance in Argentina. When his feeling with the bike is perfect he’s happy to race, but that perfect feeling is very rare indeed at this level and he needs to understand that we expect 100% commitment from him all the time, not just when it suits him. We’re not getting that at the moment and this needs to change, and fast.”