More, from a press release issued by Isle of Man TT Press Office:
HICKMAN WINS THE RST SUPERBIKE TT RACE
Peter Hickman (10). Photo courtesy Isle of Man TT Press Office.
In the first race of the 2022 Isle of Man TT Races fuelled by Monster Energy, Peter Hickman appears to be starting as he means to go on as he led the six-lap RST Superbike race from start to finish on his Gas Monkey Garage by FHO Racing BMW, coming home 39.9s clear of Dean Harrison (DAO Racing Kawasaki) and Michael Dunlop (Hawk Racing) for his sixth TT victory.
With sunshine bathing the island, Hickman set the fastest lap of the race at 133.461mph but there was disappointment for several of the leading runners including the Milenco by Padgett’s Motorocycles duo of Davey Todd and Conor Cummins and Lee Johnston (Ashcourt Racing), all of whom were early retirements.
That meant it was Ian Hutchinson (Milwaukee BMW Motorrad) who came through for fourth ahead of John McGuinness MBE (Honda Racing UK) on his 100th TT race start and Jamie Coward (KTS Racing powered by Steadplan). Glenn Irwin (Honda Racing UK) finished in a brilliant eighth place and became the fastest ever newcomer with a final lap speed of 129.849mph.
Moved back 15 minutes for a 12.15pm start, Hickman led through Glen Helen on the opening lap with Todd 0.6s adrift and Harrison a further 0.3s in arrears. Cummins was in fourth, 1.2s behind Harrison, with Dunlop and James Hillier (RICH Energy OMG Racing Yamaha) completing the top six.
By Ballaugh, Hickman had pulled 3.1s clear of Todd but he had Harrison and Cummins for close company, just 1.5s covering the trio, Dunlop and Hillier were still in fifth and sixth but some eight and 11 seconds behind the pace setting Hickman.
By Ramsey, Harrison was leading on the road and up to second albeit just as Todd was only 0.004s further back in third. Cummins was still well in touch though, only seven tenths behind teammate Todd but it was still Hickman in the lead and, indeed, he’d extended his lead to six seconds.
The BMW rider continued to build on his lead and with an opening lap of 133.17mph, he’d soared 9.3s clear of Harrison and it was now Cummins in third, just under half a second clear of Todd. Dunlop was in fifth and it was now Johnston in sixth, the last rider to lap in excess of 130mph. Hillier, Hutchinson, Coward and McGuinness rounded out the top ten with Irwin just outside in 11th after a first lap speed of 128.12mph.
By Glen Helen on lap two, Hickman had increased his lead over Harrison to 11.9s and he, in turn, had eked out a bit more time over Cummins, the gap between the two now 2.5s. There was little to choose between the Manxman and Todd but the latter’s race soon ended in a retirement at Sulby Bridge. That promoted Dunlop up to fourth with Johnston and Hillier now in fifth and sixth.
None of them could do anything about Hickman though who was stretching his advantage at each and every timing sector. Indeed, with a lap of 133.461mph, he arrived at the pits for his first pit stop at the end of lap two with a lead of 16.8s over Harrison.
Dunlop was third though as Cummins was out having stopped just after the Creg and fourth to sixth was now occupied by Johnston, Hillier and Coward. Irwin had moved up to ninth after lapping at 128.32mph but Johnston didn’t get much further as he retired at Quarter Bridge at the start of lap three. In what was proving to be a race of attrition, there were further retirements from Gary Johnson, Phil Crowe, Sam West, Brian McCormack and Derek Sheils.
Back on track and Hickman’s lead at Glen Helen on lap three was 18.1s but although Harrison and Dunlop were still in second and third, the retirements and pit stops saw a shuffle further back with Hutchinson up to fourth from McGuinness and Hillier, Coward had slipped back to seventh with Irwin now eighth.
At half race distance, Hickman was up to second on the road having overtaken Dunlop at Windy Corner and his lead over Harrison had moved out again to 22.8s. Dunlop was a further 18.5s back and McGuinness was up to fourth albeit only three quarters of a second ahead of Hutchinson. Hillier was still holding onto sixth from Coward, Irwin, Shaun Anderson and Michael Rutter.
Just outside the top ten were Dominic Herbertson, local rider Nathan Harrison, Rob Hodson, Craig Neve and Paul Jordan all of whom were having strong rides.
At the sharp end, and with a comfortable advantage, Hickman was controlling his lead, extending it to more than half a minute with two laps to go, but Dunlop tracked him for the entire fourth lap and that helped him cut the gap to Harrison from 18s down to just 6s. The battle for fourth was still wide open too with only 13s separating McGuinness, Hutchinson, Coward and Hillier. Irwin continued to hold on to eighth after another new personal best of 128.49mph.
There was to be no late drama for Hickman and, after two more trouble free laps he duly took the chequered flag by almost 40s whilst Harrison responded to Dunlop’s threat to get the better of the Ulsterman by more than 17 seconds.
The race for fourth went the way of Hutchinson from McGuinness and Coward with Hillier, Irwin, Anderson and Michael Rutter completing the top ten. Herbertson took 11th with Nathan Harrison finishing in a fine 12th in his first TT race, lapping at more than 127mph on his final lap.
A new all-time Lap Record sees the Aprilia rider take pole on home turf, with Bagnaia and Quartararo alongside
Aleix Espargaro (41). Photo courtesy Dorna.
Saturday, 04 June 2022
Aprilia Racing’s Aleix Espargaro reset his own All Time Lap Record to claim pole position for the Gran Premi Monster Energy de Catalunya, coming out on top in a three-way fight for pole in MotoGP™ Q2 at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. The Aprilia rider’s 1:38.742 saw him prevail by just 0.031 seconds over Ducati Lenovo Team’s Francesco Bagnaia, with World Championship leader Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) also set to start from the front row on Sunday afternoon after ending Q2 less than two tenths further back.
Q1
Q1 saw Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) prevail, with the fight going right to the wire and Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) snatching second, and the final spot in Q2, from rookie sensation and Mugello front row starter Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team). From there, it was on to Q2 with both Aprilias…
Q2
It was tight at the end of the first runs, with Quartararo top on a 1:39.055, Bagnaia second at just a hundredth of a second off the pace, and Aleix Espargaro only two thousandths slower again in third.
While track temperature was approaching 60 degrees Celsius, the pace was just as hot when riders came back out for their second runs. Bagnaia raised the stakes when he punched out a 1:38.787, only 0.016 seconds away from the lap record which Aleix Espargaro had achieved in FP3, before taking an excursion through the run-off area at Turn 1. The Aprilia rider then snatched provisional pole back with that 1:38.742, while Quartararo consolidated third spot with a 1:38.959.
Aleix Espargaro was still pushing on his final lap when he outbraked himself at Turn 10, and Bagnaia was also continuing to chase time. This was it as the Ducati rider continued to find the pace to challenge, but it wasn’t quite enough as he crossed the line and was forced to settle for second. Quartararo, meanwhile, secured third but two tenths off the top.
The Grid
Behind three of the top four in the Championship as Aleix Espargaro heads Bagnaia and Quartararo, it’s a horde of Bologna bullets on Row 2. Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing) finished Q2 with a 1:39.027 to claim fourth, and he was just 0.072 seconds up on Mugello’s sensational rookie polesitter: Fabio Di Giannantonio. ‘Diggia’ impressed once more, taking another top five on the grid.
Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) was sixth-quickest courtesy of the 1:39.142 he set on his first run, likewise Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) in seventh on a 1:39.145.
While 0.403 seconds separated first from seventh in qualifying, Viñales was 0.252 seconds further back in eighth spot, with Luca Marini (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) also making it onto Row 3. The fourth row will be headed up by Pol Espargaro (Repsol Honda Team), from Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) and the second of Q1 graduate in Nakagami.
So where’s Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing MotoGP™)? The sole top five title contender out in Q1 lines up in P14, just behind Bezzecchi.
Row 5 is completed by Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), who took a detour through the Turn 10 gravel trap on his final lap.
Then it’s Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) in 16th, ahead of 2020 Champion Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar) and Franco Morbidelli (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™). Alex Marquez (LCR Honda Castrol) missed the session after a nasty-looking crash in FP4 which saw the Spaniard taken to the medical centre for an x-ray on his left wrist, rider to be reviewed before Warm Up.
That’s a wrap on Saturday, with a title contender showdown sitting on the front row and plenty of challengers looking to move forward and join the party. Can Aleix Espargaro take a second MotoGP™ win? Will Bagnaia and Quartararo have more in the locker on race pace? We’ll find out at 14:00 (GMT +2), so don’t miss it!
Aleix Espargaro: “I have no idea how I broke the lap record. Sincerely, it has been the most difficult lap of the whole season so far. The conditions were super, super tricky. I was talking with the team and I was not sure about going under 39, so then with the first time attack I saw many riders in 39.0, and I said, ‘You have to do 38 if you want the pole position.’ So, it was all or nothing, I did an absolutely crazy lap, sliding everywhere… Actually, I didn’t really enjoy the lap, I was on the limit in every single corner, and when I activated the rear height device on the last straight, I said, ‘You finish, you close the lap, so you are a lucky man,’ and then when I saw 8.7, P1, I was so happy. So, yep, very happy, and let’s see if this can give me some advantage for tomorrow’s race.”
Celestino Vietti (13). Photo courtesy Dorna.
Q1 to pole: Vietti denies Canet at the flag
The Championship leader heads the grid despite a trip through Q1
Mooney VR46 Racing Team’s Celestino Vietti has taken a precious Moto2™ pole position at the Gran Premi Monster Energy de Catalunya. The Italian has seen his World Championship lead whittled down to a countback in recent rounds, but his last-gasp 1:43.823 at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya gives him a great platform to start rebuilding his margin in the points table. Missing out on pole by just 0.008 seconds was Aron Canet (Flexbox HP40), while Joe Roberts (Italtrans Racing Team) qualified third despite setting his fastest lap in ‘traffic’.
Q1
Vietti had dropped into Q1 after missing the top 14 by just 0.034 seconds following an ultra-tight FP3 earlier in the day, but safely got himself out of the opening stanza of qualifying with the second-fastest lap time of that session, a 1:44.490. It was Canet, however, who was the early pace-setter in Q2, with a 1:44.210 on his first flyer and a 1:43.831 on his second.
Q2
That was the fastest lap time of the weekend to that point, and it was still the quickest that anyone had gone when the chequered flag started to fly. Roberts had topped FP3 with a 1:44.154 but did even better than that on his final lap of qualifying, logging a 1:44.002 despite coming across considerable traffic as he started the fourth sector of the Catalunya circuit. That put the American onto the middle of the front row, before he was shifted back a spot when Vietti came through with the 1:43.823 which elevated the Italian from ninth on the timing screen to the very top.
The Grid
Vietti, Canet and Roberts head the grid, with plenty more fast faces on the chase. Jake Dixon set good early pace, holding second at one point on a 1:44.045, and he was also content to help fellow Inde GASGAS Aspar Team rider Albert Arenas too. Dixon spread his limbs as wide as he could to enhance the slipstream for Arenas, and the Spaniard clocked a 1:44.049 at the halfway mark of Q2. By the flag, those times putt the Briton and Spaniard fourth and fifth respectively. They will be joined on Row 2 of the grid by Sam Lowes (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team).
Row 3 will comprised Bo Bendsneyder (Pertamina Mandalika SAG Team), Augusto Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo), and Marcel Schrötter (Liqui Moly Intact GP).
Ai Ogura (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia), who is behind Vietti in the World Championship only because he has one win, rounded out the top 10 in qualifying, ahead of Q1 pace-setter Alonso Lopez (Lightech Speed Up) and Mugello winner Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Ajo). The latter’s Q2 pace was something of a surprise considering he was only 0.002 seconds away from the top in FP3, yet only got onto Row 4 at the end of his next session with a 1:44.691.
It could be a classic at Catalunya for the intermediate class, with Vietti in the hot seat, Canet fast once again and Roberts showing he’s right back in the mix. Join us at 12:20 (GMT +2) to see who takes the spoils in Barcelona!
Moto2™ FRONT ROW
1 Celestino Vietti (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) – Kalex – 1’43.823
2 Aron Canet (Flexbox HP 40) – Kalex – +0.008
3 Joe Roberts (Italtrans Racing Team) – Kalex – +0.179
Celestino Vietti: “For sure, I think going through Q1 helped us because we made a little set-up change from Q1 to Q2 that helped us a bit with the grip. For sure also, with the windy conditions, it helped us to better understand the situation. So, good work by the team, and we hope to have a good race tomorrow.”
Dennis Foggia (7). Photo courtesy Dorna.
Foggia heads a fast front row in Moto3™
The Leopard rider is joined by Öncü and Guevara on the front row, with Garcia seventh
For only the second time in his career, Leopard Racing’s Dennis Foggia will start a Grand Prix from pole position, taking over on top in the final seconds of Q2 at the Monster Energy Catalan Grand Prix. The Italian will be joined on the front row by Red Bull KTM Tech3’s Deniz Öncü and Valresa GASGAS Aspar Team’s Izan Guevara.
Q2
After setting the fastest lap of the weekend in FP3 earlier on Saturday, Foggia was the favourite and he quickly got to work. As the final runs began, the Leopard rider was three tenths clear of another happy to go it alone: Guevara.
Despite a smattering of red sectors elsewhere, the Italian never looked like being knocked off top spot in the final flurry of fast laps. And he improved again, getting down to a 1:48.290, to secure a second pole of his lightweight class career. Öncü got to within a tenth and a half to secure second, whilst Guevara left it very late to bag the final spot on the front row.
The Grid
Frenchman Lorezno Fellon (SIC58 Squadra Corse) was unlucky to miss out on the front row after Guevara’s late attack but had one of his best Saturdays yet. He’ll be joined on Row 2 of the grid by Q1 graduates Ryusei Yamanaka (MT Helmets – MSI) and Riccardo Rossi (SIC58 Squadra Corse).
World Championship leader Sergio Garcia (Valresa GASGAS Aspar Team) heads Row 3 in seventh, ahead of the CIP Green Power duo of Kaito Toba and rookie Australian Joel Kelso. Completing a top ten split by just over half a second was Leopard Racing’s Tatsuki Suzuki.
The stage is set for another classic at Catalunya, so tune in on Sunday at 11:00 (GMT+2)!
Moto3™ FRONT ROW
1 Dennis Foggia (Leopard Racing) – Honda – 1:48.290
Dennis Foggia: “I’m really happy, and I think we have done good work this weekend. In FP3, I made some modifications to the bike and finally, in qualifying, I’m happy because I got my second pole position, and happy because I did my lap time alone. It was difficult to manage the tyre because the conditions were so hot, so I’m happy. For sure, I think it will be a race with a big group, but I think tomorrow we’ll be ready for the battle, to take the most points possible for the world championship.”
MONSTER ENERGY COMPANY AND YAMAHA FACTORY RACING MOTOGP TEAM ANNOUNCE MULTI-YEAR TITLE SPONSOR RENEWAL
Montmeló (Spain), 4th June 2022
Monster Energy Company and Yamaha Motor continue their global alliance by confirming a second consecutive multi-year agreement. Monster Energy will continue as the Title Sponsor of the Yamaha Factory Racing MotoGP Team.
Yamaha is pleased to announce that Monster Energy Company will remain the Title Sponsor of the Yamaha Factory Racing MotoGP Team and will therefore continue to race as the Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Team.
The multi-year agreement sees Monster Energy extend their Title Sponsor contract and further strengthen their long-standing partnership with Yamaha‘s Factory MotoGP Team. Monster Energy have been an Official Sponsor to the team since 2013 and became Title Sponsor in 2019. During this time, the factory Yamaha squad secured the MotoGP Triple Crown in 2015, the Team Title in 2016, and won the 2021 MotoGP World Championship Title.
Both Fabio Quartararo and Franco Morbidelli are established Monster Energy athletes. Reigning World Champion Quartararo, who is confirmed to stay with the team for two more years, is in championship contention again. He‘s currently leading the standings by 8 points. Meanwhile, ahead of tomorrow‘s Gran Premi Monster Energy de Catalunya, the team is in third position in the team rankings, 10 points from first.
The Title Sponsorship renewal means the iconic Monster Energy ‘claw’ will continue to feature prominently in the coming years on the factory YZR-M1, all the Yamaha Factory Racing MotoGP Team‘s assets, and the riders‘ leathers.
The Monster Energy-Yamaha global alliance also extends to other racing disciplines such as Monster Energy Supercross, AMA Motocross, and FIM Motocross World Championships, underlining that Monster Energy and Yamaha are key-players and partners in the motorcycle racing world.
LIN JARVIS
MANAGING DIRECTOR, YAMAHA MOTOR RACING
“The Gran Premi Monster Energy de Catalunya is the perfect occasion to announce the continuation of our team‘s strong partnership with Monster Energy Company. They will be the Title Sponsor of our Factory MotoGP Team for several MotoGP seasons to come.
“Yamaha and Monster Energy have been close partners in various motorsport disciplines for numerous years. Monster Energy have a great understanding of the motorsports industry and MotoGP – the pinnacle activity of the motorcycle racing world – which allows us both to work together very smoothly. They became our team‘s Official Sponsor in 2013 and Title Sponsor in 2019.
“This Title Sponsorship renewal is a testament to the great trust and respect we‘ve built over the years as well as the shared drive of both organisations to continue supporting motorcycle sports and promoting our brand values in the top series of global racing.
“The new Agreement signifies the intention of both Yamaha and Monster Energy to further strengthen our partnership in the years to come.”
RODNEY SACKS
CHAIRMAN AND CO-CEO OF MONSTER ENERGY COMPANY
“Monster Energy and Yamaha have had a long history of racing together at the very pinnacle of motorcycle racing and during that time we have forged a successful partnership both on and off the racetrack.
“Watching Fabio win the MotoGP World Championship last year on board his Monster Energy Yamaha YZR-M1 was one of many highlights we have enjoyed in our time together, and we look forward to several more years of racing together with Yamaha in MotoGP.
“We are delighted to be able to announce this extension at our title sponsorship round in Barcelona and wish both Franco, Fabio, and the entire team success for the weekend and for the remainder of the season.”
More, from a press release issued by Isle of Man TT Press Office:
HICKMAN WINS THE RST SUPERBIKE TT RACE
Peter Hickman (10). Photo courtesy Isle of Man TT Press Office.
In the first race of the 2022 Isle of Man TT Races fuelled by Monster Energy, Peter Hickman appears to be starting as he means to go on as he led the six-lap RST Superbike race from start to finish on his Gas Monkey Garage by FHO Racing BMW, coming home 39.9s clear of Dean Harrison (DAO Racing Kawasaki) and Michael Dunlop (Hawk Racing) for his sixth TT victory.
With sunshine bathing the island, Hickman set the fastest lap of the race at 133.461mph but there was disappointment for several of the leading runners including the Milenco by Padgett’s Motorocycles duo of Davey Todd and Conor Cummins and Lee Johnston (Ashcourt Racing), all of whom were early retirements.
That meant it was Ian Hutchinson (Milwaukee BMW Motorrad) who came through for fourth ahead of John McGuinness MBE (Honda Racing UK) on his 100th TT race start and Jamie Coward (KTS Racing powered by Steadplan). Glenn Irwin (Honda Racing UK) finished in a brilliant eighth place and became the fastest ever newcomer with a final lap speed of 129.849mph.
Moved back 15 minutes for a 12.15pm start, Hickman led through Glen Helen on the opening lap with Todd 0.6s adrift and Harrison a further 0.3s in arrears. Cummins was in fourth, 1.2s behind Harrison, with Dunlop and James Hillier (RICH Energy OMG Racing Yamaha) completing the top six.
By Ballaugh, Hickman had pulled 3.1s clear of Todd but he had Harrison and Cummins for close company, just 1.5s covering the trio, Dunlop and Hillier were still in fifth and sixth but some eight and 11 seconds behind the pace setting Hickman.
By Ramsey, Harrison was leading on the road and up to second albeit just as Todd was only 0.004s further back in third. Cummins was still well in touch though, only seven tenths behind teammate Todd but it was still Hickman in the lead and, indeed, he’d extended his lead to six seconds.
The BMW rider continued to build on his lead and with an opening lap of 133.17mph, he’d soared 9.3s clear of Harrison and it was now Cummins in third, just under half a second clear of Todd. Dunlop was in fifth and it was now Johnston in sixth, the last rider to lap in excess of 130mph. Hillier, Hutchinson, Coward and McGuinness rounded out the top ten with Irwin just outside in 11th after a first lap speed of 128.12mph.
By Glen Helen on lap two, Hickman had increased his lead over Harrison to 11.9s and he, in turn, had eked out a bit more time over Cummins, the gap between the two now 2.5s. There was little to choose between the Manxman and Todd but the latter’s race soon ended in a retirement at Sulby Bridge. That promoted Dunlop up to fourth with Johnston and Hillier now in fifth and sixth.
None of them could do anything about Hickman though who was stretching his advantage at each and every timing sector. Indeed, with a lap of 133.461mph, he arrived at the pits for his first pit stop at the end of lap two with a lead of 16.8s over Harrison.
Dunlop was third though as Cummins was out having stopped just after the Creg and fourth to sixth was now occupied by Johnston, Hillier and Coward. Irwin had moved up to ninth after lapping at 128.32mph but Johnston didn’t get much further as he retired at Quarter Bridge at the start of lap three. In what was proving to be a race of attrition, there were further retirements from Gary Johnson, Phil Crowe, Sam West, Brian McCormack and Derek Sheils.
Back on track and Hickman’s lead at Glen Helen on lap three was 18.1s but although Harrison and Dunlop were still in second and third, the retirements and pit stops saw a shuffle further back with Hutchinson up to fourth from McGuinness and Hillier, Coward had slipped back to seventh with Irwin now eighth.
At half race distance, Hickman was up to second on the road having overtaken Dunlop at Windy Corner and his lead over Harrison had moved out again to 22.8s. Dunlop was a further 18.5s back and McGuinness was up to fourth albeit only three quarters of a second ahead of Hutchinson. Hillier was still holding onto sixth from Coward, Irwin, Shaun Anderson and Michael Rutter.
Just outside the top ten were Dominic Herbertson, local rider Nathan Harrison, Rob Hodson, Craig Neve and Paul Jordan all of whom were having strong rides.
At the sharp end, and with a comfortable advantage, Hickman was controlling his lead, extending it to more than half a minute with two laps to go, but Dunlop tracked him for the entire fourth lap and that helped him cut the gap to Harrison from 18s down to just 6s. The battle for fourth was still wide open too with only 13s separating McGuinness, Hutchinson, Coward and Hillier. Irwin continued to hold on to eighth after another new personal best of 128.49mph.
There was to be no late drama for Hickman and, after two more trouble free laps he duly took the chequered flag by almost 40s whilst Harrison responded to Dunlop’s threat to get the better of the Ulsterman by more than 17 seconds.
The race for fourth went the way of Hutchinson from McGuinness and Coward with Hillier, Irwin, Anderson and Michael Rutter completing the top ten. Herbertson took 11th with Nathan Harrison finishing in a fine 12th in his first TT race, lapping at more than 127mph on his final lap.
A new all-time Lap Record sees the Aprilia rider take pole on home turf, with Bagnaia and Quartararo alongside
Aleix Espargaro (41). Photo courtesy Dorna.
Saturday, 04 June 2022
Aprilia Racing’s Aleix Espargaro reset his own All Time Lap Record to claim pole position for the Gran Premi Monster Energy de Catalunya, coming out on top in a three-way fight for pole in MotoGP™ Q2 at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. The Aprilia rider’s 1:38.742 saw him prevail by just 0.031 seconds over Ducati Lenovo Team’s Francesco Bagnaia, with World Championship leader Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) also set to start from the front row on Sunday afternoon after ending Q2 less than two tenths further back.
Q1
Q1 saw Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) prevail, with the fight going right to the wire and Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) snatching second, and the final spot in Q2, from rookie sensation and Mugello front row starter Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team). From there, it was on to Q2 with both Aprilias…
Q2
It was tight at the end of the first runs, with Quartararo top on a 1:39.055, Bagnaia second at just a hundredth of a second off the pace, and Aleix Espargaro only two thousandths slower again in third.
While track temperature was approaching 60 degrees Celsius, the pace was just as hot when riders came back out for their second runs. Bagnaia raised the stakes when he punched out a 1:38.787, only 0.016 seconds away from the lap record which Aleix Espargaro had achieved in FP3, before taking an excursion through the run-off area at Turn 1. The Aprilia rider then snatched provisional pole back with that 1:38.742, while Quartararo consolidated third spot with a 1:38.959.
Aleix Espargaro was still pushing on his final lap when he outbraked himself at Turn 10, and Bagnaia was also continuing to chase time. This was it as the Ducati rider continued to find the pace to challenge, but it wasn’t quite enough as he crossed the line and was forced to settle for second. Quartararo, meanwhile, secured third but two tenths off the top.
The Grid
Behind three of the top four in the Championship as Aleix Espargaro heads Bagnaia and Quartararo, it’s a horde of Bologna bullets on Row 2. Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing) finished Q2 with a 1:39.027 to claim fourth, and he was just 0.072 seconds up on Mugello’s sensational rookie polesitter: Fabio Di Giannantonio. ‘Diggia’ impressed once more, taking another top five on the grid.
Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) was sixth-quickest courtesy of the 1:39.142 he set on his first run, likewise Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) in seventh on a 1:39.145.
While 0.403 seconds separated first from seventh in qualifying, Viñales was 0.252 seconds further back in eighth spot, with Luca Marini (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) also making it onto Row 3. The fourth row will be headed up by Pol Espargaro (Repsol Honda Team), from Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) and the second of Q1 graduate in Nakagami.
So where’s Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing MotoGP™)? The sole top five title contender out in Q1 lines up in P14, just behind Bezzecchi.
Row 5 is completed by Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), who took a detour through the Turn 10 gravel trap on his final lap.
Then it’s Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) in 16th, ahead of 2020 Champion Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar) and Franco Morbidelli (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™). Alex Marquez (LCR Honda Castrol) missed the session after a nasty-looking crash in FP4 which saw the Spaniard taken to the medical centre for an x-ray on his left wrist, rider to be reviewed before Warm Up.
That’s a wrap on Saturday, with a title contender showdown sitting on the front row and plenty of challengers looking to move forward and join the party. Can Aleix Espargaro take a second MotoGP™ win? Will Bagnaia and Quartararo have more in the locker on race pace? We’ll find out at 14:00 (GMT +2), so don’t miss it!
Aleix Espargaro: “I have no idea how I broke the lap record. Sincerely, it has been the most difficult lap of the whole season so far. The conditions were super, super tricky. I was talking with the team and I was not sure about going under 39, so then with the first time attack I saw many riders in 39.0, and I said, ‘You have to do 38 if you want the pole position.’ So, it was all or nothing, I did an absolutely crazy lap, sliding everywhere… Actually, I didn’t really enjoy the lap, I was on the limit in every single corner, and when I activated the rear height device on the last straight, I said, ‘You finish, you close the lap, so you are a lucky man,’ and then when I saw 8.7, P1, I was so happy. So, yep, very happy, and let’s see if this can give me some advantage for tomorrow’s race.”
Celestino Vietti (13). Photo courtesy Dorna.
Q1 to pole: Vietti denies Canet at the flag
The Championship leader heads the grid despite a trip through Q1
Mooney VR46 Racing Team’s Celestino Vietti has taken a precious Moto2™ pole position at the Gran Premi Monster Energy de Catalunya. The Italian has seen his World Championship lead whittled down to a countback in recent rounds, but his last-gasp 1:43.823 at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya gives him a great platform to start rebuilding his margin in the points table. Missing out on pole by just 0.008 seconds was Aron Canet (Flexbox HP40), while Joe Roberts (Italtrans Racing Team) qualified third despite setting his fastest lap in ‘traffic’.
Q1
Vietti had dropped into Q1 after missing the top 14 by just 0.034 seconds following an ultra-tight FP3 earlier in the day, but safely got himself out of the opening stanza of qualifying with the second-fastest lap time of that session, a 1:44.490. It was Canet, however, who was the early pace-setter in Q2, with a 1:44.210 on his first flyer and a 1:43.831 on his second.
Q2
That was the fastest lap time of the weekend to that point, and it was still the quickest that anyone had gone when the chequered flag started to fly. Roberts had topped FP3 with a 1:44.154 but did even better than that on his final lap of qualifying, logging a 1:44.002 despite coming across considerable traffic as he started the fourth sector of the Catalunya circuit. That put the American onto the middle of the front row, before he was shifted back a spot when Vietti came through with the 1:43.823 which elevated the Italian from ninth on the timing screen to the very top.
The Grid
Vietti, Canet and Roberts head the grid, with plenty more fast faces on the chase. Jake Dixon set good early pace, holding second at one point on a 1:44.045, and he was also content to help fellow Inde GASGAS Aspar Team rider Albert Arenas too. Dixon spread his limbs as wide as he could to enhance the slipstream for Arenas, and the Spaniard clocked a 1:44.049 at the halfway mark of Q2. By the flag, those times putt the Briton and Spaniard fourth and fifth respectively. They will be joined on Row 2 of the grid by Sam Lowes (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team).
Row 3 will comprised Bo Bendsneyder (Pertamina Mandalika SAG Team), Augusto Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo), and Marcel Schrötter (Liqui Moly Intact GP).
Ai Ogura (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia), who is behind Vietti in the World Championship only because he has one win, rounded out the top 10 in qualifying, ahead of Q1 pace-setter Alonso Lopez (Lightech Speed Up) and Mugello winner Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Ajo). The latter’s Q2 pace was something of a surprise considering he was only 0.002 seconds away from the top in FP3, yet only got onto Row 4 at the end of his next session with a 1:44.691.
It could be a classic at Catalunya for the intermediate class, with Vietti in the hot seat, Canet fast once again and Roberts showing he’s right back in the mix. Join us at 12:20 (GMT +2) to see who takes the spoils in Barcelona!
Moto2™ FRONT ROW
1 Celestino Vietti (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) – Kalex – 1’43.823
2 Aron Canet (Flexbox HP 40) – Kalex – +0.008
3 Joe Roberts (Italtrans Racing Team) – Kalex – +0.179
Celestino Vietti: “For sure, I think going through Q1 helped us because we made a little set-up change from Q1 to Q2 that helped us a bit with the grip. For sure also, with the windy conditions, it helped us to better understand the situation. So, good work by the team, and we hope to have a good race tomorrow.”
Dennis Foggia (7). Photo courtesy Dorna.
Foggia heads a fast front row in Moto3™
The Leopard rider is joined by Öncü and Guevara on the front row, with Garcia seventh
For only the second time in his career, Leopard Racing’s Dennis Foggia will start a Grand Prix from pole position, taking over on top in the final seconds of Q2 at the Monster Energy Catalan Grand Prix. The Italian will be joined on the front row by Red Bull KTM Tech3’s Deniz Öncü and Valresa GASGAS Aspar Team’s Izan Guevara.
Q2
After setting the fastest lap of the weekend in FP3 earlier on Saturday, Foggia was the favourite and he quickly got to work. As the final runs began, the Leopard rider was three tenths clear of another happy to go it alone: Guevara.
Despite a smattering of red sectors elsewhere, the Italian never looked like being knocked off top spot in the final flurry of fast laps. And he improved again, getting down to a 1:48.290, to secure a second pole of his lightweight class career. Öncü got to within a tenth and a half to secure second, whilst Guevara left it very late to bag the final spot on the front row.
The Grid
Frenchman Lorezno Fellon (SIC58 Squadra Corse) was unlucky to miss out on the front row after Guevara’s late attack but had one of his best Saturdays yet. He’ll be joined on Row 2 of the grid by Q1 graduates Ryusei Yamanaka (MT Helmets – MSI) and Riccardo Rossi (SIC58 Squadra Corse).
World Championship leader Sergio Garcia (Valresa GASGAS Aspar Team) heads Row 3 in seventh, ahead of the CIP Green Power duo of Kaito Toba and rookie Australian Joel Kelso. Completing a top ten split by just over half a second was Leopard Racing’s Tatsuki Suzuki.
The stage is set for another classic at Catalunya, so tune in on Sunday at 11:00 (GMT+2)!
Moto3™ FRONT ROW
1 Dennis Foggia (Leopard Racing) – Honda – 1:48.290
Dennis Foggia: “I’m really happy, and I think we have done good work this weekend. In FP3, I made some modifications to the bike and finally, in qualifying, I’m happy because I got my second pole position, and happy because I did my lap time alone. It was difficult to manage the tyre because the conditions were so hot, so I’m happy. For sure, I think it will be a race with a big group, but I think tomorrow we’ll be ready for the battle, to take the most points possible for the world championship.”
Fabio Quartararo (20) on his Monster Energy Yamaha YZR-M1 at Catalunya. Photo courtesy Monster Energy Yamaha.
MONSTER ENERGY COMPANY AND YAMAHA FACTORY RACING MOTOGP TEAM ANNOUNCE MULTI-YEAR TITLE SPONSOR RENEWAL
Montmeló (Spain), 4th June 2022
Monster Energy Company and Yamaha Motor continue their global alliance by confirming a second consecutive multi-year agreement. Monster Energy will continue as the Title Sponsor of the Yamaha Factory Racing MotoGP Team.
Yamaha is pleased to announce that Monster Energy Company will remain the Title Sponsor of the Yamaha Factory Racing MotoGP Team and will therefore continue to race as the Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Team.
The multi-year agreement sees Monster Energy extend their Title Sponsor contract and further strengthen their long-standing partnership with Yamaha‘s Factory MotoGP Team. Monster Energy have been an Official Sponsor to the team since 2013 and became Title Sponsor in 2019. During this time, the factory Yamaha squad secured the MotoGP Triple Crown in 2015, the Team Title in 2016, and won the 2021 MotoGP World Championship Title.
Both Fabio Quartararo and Franco Morbidelli are established Monster Energy athletes. Reigning World Champion Quartararo, who is confirmed to stay with the team for two more years, is in championship contention again. He‘s currently leading the standings by 8 points. Meanwhile, ahead of tomorrow‘s Gran Premi Monster Energy de Catalunya, the team is in third position in the team rankings, 10 points from first.
The Title Sponsorship renewal means the iconic Monster Energy ‘claw’ will continue to feature prominently in the coming years on the factory YZR-M1, all the Yamaha Factory Racing MotoGP Team‘s assets, and the riders‘ leathers.
The Monster Energy-Yamaha global alliance also extends to other racing disciplines such as Monster Energy Supercross, AMA Motocross, and FIM Motocross World Championships, underlining that Monster Energy and Yamaha are key-players and partners in the motorcycle racing world.
LIN JARVIS
MANAGING DIRECTOR, YAMAHA MOTOR RACING
“The Gran Premi Monster Energy de Catalunya is the perfect occasion to announce the continuation of our team‘s strong partnership with Monster Energy Company. They will be the Title Sponsor of our Factory MotoGP Team for several MotoGP seasons to come.
“Yamaha and Monster Energy have been close partners in various motorsport disciplines for numerous years. Monster Energy have a great understanding of the motorsports industry and MotoGP – the pinnacle activity of the motorcycle racing world – which allows us both to work together very smoothly. They became our team‘s Official Sponsor in 2013 and Title Sponsor in 2019.
“This Title Sponsorship renewal is a testament to the great trust and respect we‘ve built over the years as well as the shared drive of both organisations to continue supporting motorcycle sports and promoting our brand values in the top series of global racing.
“The new Agreement signifies the intention of both Yamaha and Monster Energy to further strengthen our partnership in the years to come.”
RODNEY SACKS
CHAIRMAN AND CO-CEO OF MONSTER ENERGY COMPANY
“Monster Energy and Yamaha have had a long history of racing together at the very pinnacle of motorcycle racing and during that time we have forged a successful partnership both on and off the racetrack.
“Watching Fabio win the MotoGP World Championship last year on board his Monster Energy Yamaha YZR-M1 was one of many highlights we have enjoyed in our time together, and we look forward to several more years of racing together with Yamaha in MotoGP.
“We are delighted to be able to announce this extension at our title sponsorship round in Barcelona and wish both Franco, Fabio, and the entire team success for the weekend and for the remainder of the season.”
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