More, from a press release issued by Dorna WorldSBK Press Office:
Razgatlioglu P1 at Estoril ahead of Redding after unpredictable Day 1
Razgatlioglu vs Redding may well be the battle to follow as the weekend unfolds in Portugal…
Toprak Razgatlioglu (54). Photo courtesy Dorna.
The 2021 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship takes to the Circuito Estoril this weekend and after a sunny opening Friday to start the Round, patterns are already emerging. Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with BRIXX WorldSBK) was shining brightly like in 2020, but the opposition are right behind him with very little to split them going into the remainder of the weekend, with three different manufacturers inside the top three.
Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with BRIXX WorldSBK) was once again on fine form in the hotter afternoon session at the Circuito Estoril, with the Turkish rider putting in a strong run of fast laps to head the majority of FP2 and therefore, both sessions, despite a closing-stages off-track excursion. Teammate Andrea Locatelli was also looking in good shape, with the Italian rookie quietly chipping away and making progress throughout day one, finishing 11th. With both the factory Yamahas looking in-form and one at the head of the field, it is a strong start to one of the favourite manufacturers this weekend.
Scott Redding (45). Photo courtesy Ducati.
Scott Redding (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) put together a 19-lap run on the SCX tyre throughout the afternoon, with numerous laps inside the 1’37s bracket. The British rider was second in FP2, and second overall on the combined times, as he aims to cement another challenge to the top this weekend. Teammate Michael Ruben Rinaldi had it a little bit quieter in the afternoon, as he improved his time and dipped into the 1’37s, placing third in FP2 with a final flying lap to propel him up the order and to fifth overall.
Jonathan Rea (1). Photo courtesy Dorna.
Championship leader and reigning six-time World Champion Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) placed third overall and fifth in the afternoon session, as he got about dialing himself into the Circuito Estoril layout. He had good company though, as Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) took fourth place overall behind teammate Rea, with the Kawasakis not on top after the opening day of action, much like MotorLand Aragon. Both riders are relying on their morning time, as neither improved in the afternoon session.
Leading the charge for the Independent riders was Garrett Gerloff (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team), with the American once again shining on his way to sixth overall. However, he was joined by three other Independent riders in an opening day that showcased great pace from the non-factory entrants. Eugene Laverty (RC Squadra Corse) had his best day of the season so far as he placed seventh overall, ahead of Chaz Davies (Team GoEleven) and Jonas Folger (Bonovo MGM Racing), both of whom were eighth and ninth combined. For Davies, the afternoon session saw him suffer a technical issue, meaning he missed the majority of the session. Completing the top ten overall was the top factory BMW and Tom Sykes (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team), although he crashed at Turn 1 in FP2. Axel Bassani (Motocorsa Racing) and Isaac Viñales (ORELAC Racing VerdNatura) will hope to be in the fight for the Independents as they were 17th and 19th respectively.
There were all sorts of issues for Michael van der Mark (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team), as he missed almost the entirety of Free Practice 1 in the morning, before having a clearer run at things in the afternoon to finish 12th overall. Alvaro Bautista (Team HRC) crashed not once, twice but three times throughout the course of the day, as he suffered one of his worst Fridays to finish 15th on the combined times. Teammate Leon Haslam didn’t do much better, as he was only 13th.
Tito Rabat crashed at Turn 4 in FP2 on his way to 14th overall, but it was Kohta Nozane (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) who was 18th but suffered a huge crash at Turn 13 which sent his motorcycle cartwheeling through the air. He went to the medical centre and was thankfully declared fit. Christophe Ponsson (Alstare Yamaha) also suffered a spill at Turn 9 but re-joined. Samuele Cavalieri (TPR Team Pedercini Racing) suffered technical issues in the afternoon session, although he finished ahead of teammate Loris Cresson, with both 21st and 22nd respectively.
More, from a press release issued by Team HRC:
Team HRC work on set-up to exploit the CBR1000RR-R FIREBLADE’s speed at Estoril
The 2021 Superbike World Championship continues this weekend at the Portuguese track of Estoril, where Team HRC and factory riders Alvaro Bautista and Leon Haslam have completed the day’s free practice sessions, concentrating on the setup of the bike.
Two small crashes in the morning session and one in the afternoon, all unexpected and without consequences, prevented Alvaro Bautista from doing better than 13th in FP2 and fifteenth in the combined standings with a best time of 1’38.469, despite the Spanish rider being among those who improved on their performance after the first session. Bautista had been working with his team on a set-up that appeared promising at the previous Aragón round but that needs to be adapted to the Portuguese track to allow him to take full advantage of the CBR1000RR-R FIREBLADE’s speed.
Leon Haslam worked in a similar direction with his technicians and was also able to improve on his best time of the morning by a fraction of a second during the afternoon’s session, despite higher track temperatures. The British rider rounded out FP2 in 12th position (1’38.427), which placed him thirteenth in the combined standings.
Alvaro Bautista (19). Photo courtesy Team HRC.
Alvaro Bautista 19
COMBINED P15
“I feel good physically and haven’t hurt myself but the day didn’t go as we expected or wanted. I started the first session fast and strong and felt I could push because my feeling with the bike was quite good. But then I crashed without any real reason; I just lost the front through turn 3 at full lean. The bike wasn’t too damaged, and the team did well to fix it quickly, but unfortunately I then had another crash. At Aragón we made some changes to the set-up that looked promising, and we wanted to try them again in the ideal conditions we had today. In the afternoon we reverted to a more standard set-up, but the session was kind of a repeat of the morning. Good feeling, good speed but I crashed in the first corner of the second lap without warning. At that point, I lost a little confidence and so although we were a bit faster than in session one, I rode a little more carefully. We will now try and understand what happened. We definitely have some ideas for tomorrow and can better understand the bike’s limit. A pity about today though as I felt so strong during the morning. Tomorrow is another day anyway, and we just have to put it all together and better exploit our potential”.
Leon Haslam (91). Photo courtesy Team HRC.
Leon Haslam 91
COMBINED P13
“It’s been a difficult day and unfortunately it looks like some of the Aragón setup issues have carried over to this round, at least today. On a positive side, we made a few steps towards the end of the second session but we still have work to do, I think. We will analyse the data carefully this evening and see what we can find during tomorrow’s final practice. Hopefully we can improve our feeling and take another step before the Superpole and Race 1”.
More, from a press release issued by Yamaha:
Clean Sweep As Razgatlıoğlu Tops Free Practice in Estoril
Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK rider Toprak Razgatlıoğlu took a clean sweep as the fastest rider in both Free Practice sessions, as the second round of the 2021 FIM Superbike World Championship began at Circuito Estoril today.
Razgatlıoğlu set a blisteringly-quick lap time at the end of Free Practice 1, more than half a second clear of his nearest rival, with a 1’36.920. As track surface temperatures rose this afternoon to 45°C – putting stress on tyre wear similar to that expected during Race 1 tomorrow – only Ducati’s Scott Redding came close, finishing the day 0.414s down on Razgatlıoğlu’s quickest time.
Teammate Andrea Locatelli continued to work diligently on the opposite side of the pit box, completing another promising race simulation in the afternoon session, providing plenty of data to analyse and improve as the young Italian gets further to grips with the Yamaha R1 WorldSBK.
With both points and podiums up for grabs tomorrow afternoon, the team will have one final Free Practice 3 session including 30 minutes of track time available to prepare for the Superpole at 11:10 (UTC+1) and Race 1 at 14:00.
Toprak Razgatlioglu (54). Photo courtesy Yamaha.
Toprak Razgatlıoğlu: P1 – 1’36.920
“It was a very good day in Estoril! We know from last year that me and my Yamaha R1 can be very strong at this circuit, but like I said at the start of the week – we are not coming here relaxed. Today we did some very good work with my team, which will be very important for the race. And also today we managed to be in first position in Free Practice, which I am happy about, we worked well to see how the performance is in the long run and how the bike reaction is after 15 laps. Speed and rhythm are both quite good, I’m happy with both so far and I think we are ready to race tomorrow.”
Andrea Locatelli (55). Photo courtesy Yamaha.
Andrea Locatelli: P11 – 1’38.254
“The first day was not so bad, we worked very well. It’s not easy this track for me, it is a little bit strange with the Yamaha R1 because I have a reference from last year with the R6. But okay, the feeling in general with the bike is very, very good, but we need to work tomorrow on the braking because it is a bit of a weak point where I don’t have a brilliant feeling. In general though, my confidence is good and I was able to make my fastest lap time during the long run which will be helpful during the race. I think we can make an improvement tomorrow morning during FP3, then for sure we will be ready for the race. It’s just the second full race weekend with the Yamaha R1 WorldSBK and I am sure we can get closer to the front.”
Paul Denning – Team Principal
“We came to Estoril hoping that last year’s performances would stand us in good stead for this race and, based on today’s potential, we’re very happy that the improvements to the 2021 Yamaha R1 WorldSBK have helped us to take another step at a track that was already good for the bike. Toprak has dominated proceedings today both in terms of best lap time and race simulation rhythm. However, Redding in particular also made a good long run and the Kawasaki riders showed good consistency and are bound to improve for the races. So, we need to stay focused and keep working on the small details. Andrea met his targets today, into the top 10 in FP2 less than a second from the best lap time, with another race simulation completed this afternoon. He’s chipping away all the time and we just need to see a little bit more raw pace on the fresh tyres and then he’ll be right there with the front group.”
More, from a press release issued by Kawasaki:
Rea And Lowes In The Early Top Spots
KRT riders Jonathan Rea and Alex Lowes finished third and fourth fastest respectively in the combined practice times after the opening day of action at the second round of the FIM Superbike World Championship at Estoril in Portugal.
With just under three minutes left on the clock in the afternoon’s FP2 practice session KRT riders Rea and Lowes were looking to move up the overall rankings, until a red flag was shown to stop the session to protect a fallen rider.
With just one chance to potentially improve their lap times in the three minutes that remained Rea and Lowes, like most of their rivals, did not find a faster lap but remained third and fourth fastest due to their morning FP1 session best laps.
Rea is now working on final set-up for an even better entry to the many corners at the almost stadium-style Estoril circuit to try and extend his championship lead after the three Aragon races.
Lowes spent a lot of Friday learning more about the new Ninja ZX-10RR on a track that the KRT duo has not testing at during the off-season.
Warm track temperatures well into the 40°C range have made the feedback from the track surface very different from when Jonathan and Alex previously raced at Estoril in the 2020 season finale, in October.
Final grid positions will be determined after FP3, in the Tissot Superpole session on Saturday 29 May. A 21-lap Race One will follow on Saturday and then the Tissot Superpole Race and Race Two will complete the Estoril weekend on Sunday 30 May.
Jonathan Rea (1). Photo courtesy Kawasaki.
Jonathan Rea, stated: “The red flag gave us a chance to try something different on the bike. I am struggling on the last part of braking to stop the bike. Trail braking into the corner is an area we need to focus on to improve for Saturday. Everything else felt quite good – mechanical traction, the agility of the bike, even turning, which was something I felt weak with last year. I am just not comfortable on the brakes, but I am sure if we find this it will put us closer to Toprak. He is really in his own race at the minute but I feel like I am in there in the battle for the podium. We need to improve a little bit to fight for better positions tomorrow. It is quite bumpy out there, especially the stadium section, after the little chicane, but I feel the bike is working quite well over the bumps.”
Alex Lowes (22). Photo courtesy Kawasaki.
Alex Lowes, stated: “We had a good day. The track conditions we had this afternoon were a lot hotter than the ones we had for the race weekend in October, and a lot hotter than we had this morning in FP1. I wanted them to be hot to be honest, to see how I feel on the bike. I felt quite good, I used the same tyres as I had this morning to start the second session and was still able to go quite fast. Then I put some new tyres on and tried to do a longer run. I struggled a bit with a full tank, on the bottom of the suspension a little bit. I was going to ride right to the end but then the red flag came out, so I came in and we made a small adjustment. Even on the very last lap, on the same tyres I had been riding on, I felt quite good. We have a bit of direction and I feel a lot better than I did last October, so I am looking forward to tomorrow. I understand where I can improve my riding, especially in the second sector.”
Kawasaki Puccetti Racing rider Lucas Mahias placed 16th today, while Orelac Racing VerdNatura Kawasaki rider Isaac Vinales went 19th fastest. Samuele Cavalieri and Loris Cresson (TPR Team Pedercini Racing Kawasaki) were 21st and 22nd in the timesheets, respectively.
More, from a press release issued by Aruba.it Racing Ducati:
#EstorilWSBK FP. Solid start for the Aruba.it Racing – Ducati team: Scott Redding and Michael Rinaldi respectively 2nd and 5th after Friday’s free practices
The second round of the 2021 WorldSBK season starts offering positive feelings to the Aruba.it Racing – Ducati team. Both Scott Redding and Michael Ruben Rinaldi work hard in the free practices and in the afternoon they manage to significantly improve the lap times set in the morning, to finish respectively in second and fifth position in the combined standings.
FP1
Solid session for Scott Redding who laps with an extremely incisive pace. With the same tire, the English rider completes a race simulation (23 laps against the 21 scheduled) remaining at the top of the provisional standings for a long time before the last run in which all the direct opponents take to the track with the new tire.
Michael Rinaldi starts FP1 with determination but the feeling is not the best yet and the soft tire put in the last part of the session does not give any advantage in terms of lap time, too
FP2
After the convincing FP1, also in FP2 Scott Redding takes the track for a second race simulation with the same tire, confirming the positive feelings of the morning. At the end of the session, the English rider tries a time attack with the soft tire but the red flag at 3 minutes to go does not allow him to find the ideal conditions.
Michael Rinaldi’s growth seems to be constant. The Italian rider works with his team on the set up of the Ducati Panigale V4 R and in the second session the feeling grows in a tangible way allowing him in the final run to close with the third time.
Scott Redding (45). Photo courtesy Dorna.
Scott Redding (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati #45)
“In the afternoon we tried the soft tires and the feeling was not bad. I still cannot say for sure what my choice will be for the race but in these two sessions, we have collected very important data. In any case, I’m confident to have a good race tomorrow because last year, despite the problems in qualifying and in Race-1, I felt very comfortable on this track. It’s clear that it will be important to do a good qualifying session to start in the front”.
Michael Ruben Rinaldi (21). Photo courtesy Ducati.
Michael Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati #21)
“We arrive in Portugal after the difficult weekend in Aragon. Since FP1, therefore, our approach has been different: we tried to learn from last week’s mistakes and I think this day has been positive. The third place in FP2 and the fifth in the combined standings are two encouraging results, especially on this track that I don’t consider one of my favorites. We still have FP3 to work on but I’m confident that we can do a good result in the race”.
More, from a press release issued by Team Go Eleven:
MORNING AT WORK ON USED TYRES, AFTERNOON WATCHING FROM THE PITS!
A positive Friday in the morning, difficult in the afternoon for the Go Eleven team on the Estoril track in Portugal.
In FP 1 Chaz entered the track to evaluate the race pace with a view to Saturday and Sunday. Lap after lap he improved his best lap, he always remains among the top of the standings. Over 20 laps always around 37 high / 38 low, carried out without changing tyres, have shown that the number seven has already entered race mode. At the end of the session, several riders put on the SCX soft tyre, making a clear step forward. Here, on the Portuguese ups and downs, it is to be considered whether the soft tyre will be able to complete all the laps of the race.
In the afternoon, the Go Eleven technicians had studied a busy schedule, both to test a new solution on the front, and to evaluate the SCX on the rear. Unfortunately, already from the first lap Chaz felt something strange on his V4-R, and, after four laps, he was forced to stop in the pits. A technical problem forced him to watch the whole session from the outside, without having the opportunity to express his potential. Really a shame, especially because FP 2 are important for the continuation of the weekend, as FP 2 normally take place in similar conditions to those of the two main races. That’s racing, and tomorrow it will be up to recover the time lost. FP 3 will be crucial to get ready for qualifying!
Tomorrow h11.10 to 11.25 it’s Superpole time and following, at 14.00 Portuguese time it will be Race 1 time!
Chaz Davies (7). Photo courtesy Team Go Eleven.
Chaz Davies (Rider):
“This morning was ok, in the FP 1 we were more or less in the right area. I had a few things to try for FP 2; unfortunately I had a problem from the beginning of the session and it didn’t allowed me to get going and then we had a technical problem and I just had to stop. So, I had zero chance to evaluate anything this afternoon, which is a shame because obviously the race will be run in these temperature, at least the two main races. It’s a big shame not to take any data from the session. But, it is what it is, now we have to work well tomorrow morning in FP 3, even in the cooler conditions, then do a great Superpole and then hopefully we can have a good race. Obviously without data the set-up of the bike is a bit difficult, but we have to try our best!”
More, from a press release issued by Barni Racing Team:
Bittersweet day for Barni Racing Team after Free Practice sessions at Estoril
Estoril (POR), 28 May 2021. For Barni Racing Team and his rider Tito Rabat it was a bittersweet day the opening day at Circuito de Estoril, Portugal. After good lap times and good pace showed in the Free Practice 1, ended in P11 in a very tight timesheet, the Catalan rider lose his positive feelings with the bike in Free Practice 2, where he suffered a crash.
Tito started the second round of WorldSBK Championship improving his best time lap by lap until a positive 1’38.469 that placed him in P11, but the timesheet saw ten riders packed in less than a second from P2 to P11.
During the afternoon session the temperatures rose, especially on tarmac, and Rabat lose the feeling with his Ducati Panigale V4 R. In the first part of the session he suffered a crash losing the front, but he was able to come back to the box where mechanics put him back on track in few minutes. Tito completed the session but he was not able to improve his faster lap. The time signed in 1’38.710 saw him in P17 in FP2 but in the combined results he was P14.
Tito Rabat (53). Photo courtesy Barni Racing Team.
Tito Rabat, #53
“We are looking for a path allowing us to be fast even in with hotter temperatures. In that condition I can’t ride confortably, and that’s why I crashed today. We know where to work, but we definitely need to take a step forward to be competitive in every situation.”
Marco Barnabò – Team Principal
“During this morning’s session Tito found the right feeling, so we made very few changes on the bike’s setup but, as happened at Aragon, we are struggling when the temperatures rise. Now it is clear that our bike suffers more than others from these changes and we are working to find a good base on the setup even in this condition.”
More, from a press release issued by GRT Yamaha:
Gerloff takes GRT into the Top-5, Nozane runs his first laps at Estoril on Day 1
Five days after the chequered flag flew in Aragón, the FIM Superbike World Championship teams were back on track today at the Circuito do Estoril for the start of the second round of the season. The long sweeping corners of the Portuguese track tend to favour the Yamaha R1, a bike which excels at carrying high speeds through the turns, as proven by the all-Yamaha podium of the Superpole Race last October.
For the GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team, the approach to the weekend took two different directions: on Garrett Gerloff’s side of the garage, the focus lay on fine-tuning the setup of his bike in order to fight for the top positions, as the American wants to repeat last year’s stellar performance. It was not all smooth sailing for him, though, as at the end of the first day he was not fully satisfied with the bike’s setup, despite some solid laptimes. Kohta Nozane’s crew, instead, worked on getting him acquainted with yet another brand-new track on what is his second-ever WorldSBK weekend. After a solid first round in Aragón, the Japanese wants to keep improving, but his work plan was hampered by a crash suffered during the FP2.
Today, Gerloff showed yet again that he has the speed and raw talent to fight for the top, but some setup problems did not allow him to extract the R1’s full potential. In the morning session he was eighth thanks to a 1’38.074, and he still could not feel completely comfortable with the bike in the FP2, which was affected by much higher track temperatures (43°C compared to the morning’s 31°C). He still managed to set a 1’37.826, fast enough for fourth position, demonstrating that, if tomorrow’s setup adjustments prove to be effective, he will be in the hunt for the podium again.
It was not an easy Friday for Nozane either. The rookie’s plan for the day was to progressively get more comfortable on the new circuit in order to get quicker and quicker on the stopwatch. After a 1’39.607 put him in the 18th position in the FP1, the Japanese was not able to improve as much as he expected in the afternoon, and a highside in turn 13 cut his session short. He was uninjured, but the bike required extensive repairs. He therefore ended the FP2 yet again in 18th place, but his 1’39.036 still represented a step in the right direction. Running more laps tomorrow will undoubtedly help him get closer to the front.
Garrett Gerloff: 8th / 4th (1’37.826, 34 laps)
“We were not bad today, but it was a bit confusing. I was expecting to have a better feeling with the bike and the track right away, but the conditions were hotter than last year, and this made it more difficult for us. We made some progress throughout the day and we are still in the top 6, but both me and Les (Pearson, chief engineer) are slightly confused by the situation. We need to work on the bike some more and I have to work on myself, but this track suits the Yamaha very well and, if we figure our problems out, we can head into tomorrow’s race with confidence. Our troubles were different from session to session and it is hard to pinpoint one main issue, and that’s what is confusing me. Today we ended up spending more time in the pits than I would have liked, so tomorrow we will take full advantage of the FP3 to run more laps.”
Kohta Nozane: 18th / 18th (1’39.036, 36 laps)
Today was my absolute first time here in Estoril, so it was a big challenge. I focused on learning as much as possible since the beginning and on doing my best, but in the FP2 the conditions were much hotter and my pace did not improve, which is not what I was expecting. We tried the SCX tyre to go faster, but I made a mistake and crashed. The bike is damaged and the team is fixing it, and I feel really sorry. I really appreciate their effort to support me, and tomorrow I want to bring home the best possible result to thank them.”
Our riders will be back on track tomorrow morning for another session of Free Practice at 9 AM, followed by the Superpole at 11:10 AM and by Race 1 at 2 PM, local time.
More, from a press release issued by BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team:
BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team complete the opening day of the WorldSBK Estoril Round.
Following on from an impressive opening round at the MotorLand Aragon circuit, the BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team duo of Tom Sykes (GBR) and Michael van der Mark (NED) today completed day 1 of the WorldSBK round in Estoril.
In the opening FP1 session Michael van der Mark’s BMW M1000 RR unfortunately had some technical issues which forced him to miss most of the session, only completing 4 laps and as a result finishing in P16. Team-mate Tom Sykes completed 16 laps in the first free practice session, with the fastest lap time of a 1’38.170, putting him in P9.
The afternoons FP2 session saw an increase in track temperature, which made the session difficult for all competitors. Despite that, it held better fortune for Michael van der Mark as he managed to gain some valuable laps around the 4.182 km circuit lapping his best of a 1’38.293 in P12, narrowly missing out on the top 10 combined places.
Tom Sykes had a small crash at T1 during the final session of the day, however, was able to bring the bike back to the garage with only cosmetic damage. In the final moments of FP2 a crash from Yamaha rider Kohta Nozane (JPN) brought out the red flag with 3 minutes remaining, leaving a short 3-minute revised session. Tom was able to capitalize on this as he improved his lap time on the last lap with a 1’38.039, putting him in P10 overall.
Marc Bongers, BMW Motorrad Motorsport Director
“Of course, this morning in FP1 was not very promising. With Michael we had an issue with electronics which meant he lost most of FP1 unfortunately. The progression he made into FP2 however was good and made up the lost time from the morning, he did a good couple of runs and although the conditions in the afternoon were very hot from this morning, still managed to be close to the top 10. Tom had an OK FP1. Then in FP2 he pressed out a good lap at the end on the used “X” tyre to put him into the top 10, so overall fairly satisfied with the opening day.”
Tom Sykes
“We stayed on the same tyre during this morning’s FP1 session which meant we significantly dropped down the order in the latter stages of the session. Then this afternoon in the hot conditions it was tricky, we needed to do some trial-and-error tests but in the end, we found some positive information which was good. We had a small crash during the session, but big credit to the boys as they soon put the beauty back together again, so we were back on track with fairly limited track time lost. Overall good information today, we do know its going to be difficult track conditions for everybody tomorrow, but certainly now we hope to make some good improvements tomorrow.”
Michael van der Mark
“It was not an easy Friday, unfortunately this morning we lost most of the session with a technical problem, which was a lot of important time lost. Then this afternoon’s session we went out, but in the opening stages I struggled with the grip of the bike. We made some changes during the session which was a big improvement, and I was able to improve my lap time which I was happy about. For us, the most important thing is to complete a full session tomorrow morning and make some progress from today.”
Bagnaia denies Rins by just 0.071 as action opens at Mugello
Ducati lead Suzuki lead Yamaha, with KTM stealing some of the spotlight in hot pursuit on Day 1
Francesco Bagnaia (63). Photo courtesy Dorna.
Friday, 28 May 2021
Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) is the man to beat after Day 1 of the Gran Premio d’Italia Oakley, the Italian just pipping Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) to the top by 0.071 by the end of play. Franco Morbidelli (Petronas Yamaha SRT) continued impressing to lock out the top three and end Friday as the top Independent Team rider, with a sunny day’s work at the stunning Autodromo Internazionale del Mugello welcoming MotoGP™ back to Italy.
FP1
The first man at the top was Ducati test rider and, this weekend, Pramac Racing replacement rider Michele Pirro as the Italian was fastest out the box. From there though, Yamaha started to put the hammer down as Maverick Viñales (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) and teammate Fabio Quartararo traded fast laps, pretty close together on track to boot. A new front start device was also spotted on Iwata marque machinery Day 1.
Alex Rins enjoyed a brief stint at the top before Viñales then hit back, the number 12 eventually ending FP1 two tenths clear of Johann Zarco (Pramac Racing). Rins was third ahead of teammate and reigning Champion Joan Mir, with Morbidelli 0.008 further back and Bagnaia only a further 0.002 in arrears.
No one crashed in the session, but Rins did have a run off at Arrabbiata 1, getting straight back onto the track.
FP2
In the afternoon, KTM stole a few headlines. A new chassis first spotted by pitlane reporter Simon Crafar at the Jerez Test was spotted again as the day began, and FP2 saw a show of serious form from the Austrian factory. Bagnaia was fastest first for Ducati, but the Italian was soon deposed by Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing). Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) hit the top next before Oliveira returned the favour, the Portuguese rider then beating his own best to stay fastest a lap later. And there he stayed for more than half an hour, before the final push – with an eye on Q2 – got underway.
Alex Rins (42). Photo courtesy Dorna.
That’s when Rins struck to lead the way, but Bagnaia hit back on his last lap of the day to go fastest by less than a tenth. Morbidelli slotted into third, with Quartararo making his way back up to fourth. Binder had one of his best efforts scrubbed for track limits, but the South African was able to get the job done on take two to complete the top five – just pipping his teammate by the flag as the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing form held firm in the face of a concerted onslaught from the rest, taking fifth and sixth.
Once again, no one crashed in the session, although Valentino Rossi (Petronas Yamaha SRT) had an excursion at Turn 1, the ‘Doctor’ able to rejoin.
Combined timesheets
The majority improved in the afternoon, with the top seven in FP2 – Bagnaia, Rins, Morbidelli, Quartararo, Binder, Oliveira and, in seventh, top Honda Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) – the top seven overall. Eighth place on the combined times is FP1’s fastest man Maverick Viñales, with the Spaniard’s best in the morning his best overall and absolutely identical to that of Nakagami in FP2.
Franco Morbidelli. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) ends Day 1 in ninth place, with Jerez and Le Mans winner Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) down in tenth and the second Ducati on the timesheets at a venue many would consider to be increasingly their turf. Miller voiced some frustrations over traffic in FP2 however, something that could mean there’s a fair bit more to come in FP3.
Pramac Racing’s Johann Zarco (Pramac Racing) is the first looking to reiterate Ducati’s recent dominance in Mugello and move up the timesheets in FP3 as he finds himself a tenth outside the Q2 graduation zone on Friday, and by only a tenth. He was the second rider to not improve in the afternoon, along with Viñales.
Reigning Champion Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar) ends the day down in P12, just ahead of returning eight-time World Champion Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) as the latter takes on one of the fastest and most physical challenges of the season. They’ll want to put in a push in FP3, as will Valentino Rossi after a tough day on the timesheets for the ‘Doctor’ down in P21.
That’s it from Friday, with the weather in Tuscany looking a little more stable than that in Le Mans and FP3 likely to give the field a chance to push forward. Tune in for that, before qualifying from 14:10 (GMT +2).
More, from a press release issued by Tech3 KTM Factory Racing:
Tech3 KTM Factory Racing duo kicks off Italian GP with improvements
Sunny Friday started with some decent steps forward for Danilo Petrucci. The latest MotoGP race winner at the Mugello circuit made up 1.19 seconds from FP1 to FP2 today, which also lifted him up from P18 to the top 15 in Free Practice two, although the Italian concluded day one 16th in the overall standings. Yet, he missed out on a possible Q2 entry by just 0.441 seconds in the ultra-competitive premier class field.
On the other side of the Tech3 KTM Factory Racing garage, Iker Lecuona was riding at the famous track in the Tuscan hills for the first time on a MotoGP machine and likewise got closer to the top throughout day one. In FP2, he went 1.205 seconds quicker than this morning, however, there is still room to do further steps in Free Practice three at 9:55 local time on Saturday.
“It’s always a very nice feeling to ride a bike at this track. We did some good progress, but we are still working to find a decent setup. I have the feeling, we already found something good, but we still miss some speed. We will see tomorrow. At least today, we have a clear situation of what we need. The gap to the front is still not as we want. But we have some ideas for tomorrow and we’ll hopefully manage to do a good Qualifying.”
“I struggled quite a lot today. First of all, it was my debut with the MotoGP bike here, but I also don’t have very much experience at this track at all and as it is quite technical, I needed many laps to understand. In FP1, I was pretty lost, took the wrong lines, so I had to improve a lot in FP2. I learned quite well and went way quicker. My fastest lap time was cancelled because I missed the track limits. I don’t know exactly where, but it was still ok. We are still far from the top, so I’m not really happy. When I went out alone, I couldn’t go faster, so we’ve got quite some things to do for tomorrow.”
More, from a press release issued by SKY Racing Team VR46:
17th PLACE FOR LUCA MARINI AFTER THE FIRST FREE PRACTICES AT MUGELLO
The riders of the Sky VR46 Avintia has a gap of just a second behind the very first guys.
Scarperia (Italy), May 28th 2021 – The Italian weekend at the start for Luca Marini at Mugello which this Sunday will host the ItalianGP. First positive approach on the Tuscan track, favorable to the Ducati of the Sky VR46 Avintia, with a 17th final place in the combined standings of the day of Day1.
Good feelings and an important step forward between the two sessions for Luca who closes with a gap of just a second from the strongest guys (Bagnaia, 1’46.147) and a best lap time of 1’47.154.
Luca Marini (10). Photo courtesy SKY Racing Team VR46.
Luca Marini:
An overall positive first day: we have worked well even though I expected to be further ahead in the standings. They have all been really strong, the tires allow us to push hard and for sure tomorrow we will go below the track record. A second of gap from the very first guy is not bad at all, a pity because in the last run nobody wanted to push at 100% and I then put myself in front of everyone. A good step forward also on the setting so now let’s focus on the data to be even closer tomorrow.
Ruben Xaus, Team Manager
Perhaps the best Friday since the beginning of the year: managed with solidity and characterised by a suitable temperature. The level is really high, but Luca is not far away and tomorrow I’m sure he will be able to get closer to the Q2. He will continue to work on the data, this is a track where you need to have a good feeling also in terms of electronics and ride with very precise lines.
More, from a press release issued by Esponsorama Racing:
BASTIANINI AND MARINI’S FIRST DAY OF ADAPTATION AT MUGELLO
Mugello (Italy), 28th May 2021
Enea Bastianini and Luca Marini completed the first day of the Gran Premio d’Italia Oakley. Both riders had their first runs with the Ducati Desmosedici GP19 at Mugello and did an intense work on the set-up of their bikes to face the rest of the weekend. At the end of the day Bastianini and Marini were 19th and 17th respectively in the combined sessions results.
Tomorrow the action returns to the Italian track for the third and fourth free practice sessions before qualifying for the Gran Premio d’Italia Oakley.
#23 ENEA BASTIANINI
“It’s been a bit of a difficult day to tell the truth. This morning I felt pretty good. This afternoon I tried to keep working and improve, but I didn’t feel very good. It was a bit unexpected because we thought we would be better, but it was a set-up problem. By the time we realised the problem it was a bit late and I managed to do only two laps. The important thing is that I improved and we know the direction to work in. Tomorrow I hope to do a good FP3 and try to get a position for Q2”
#10 LUCA MARINI
“An overall positive first day: we worked well even though I was hoping to be further ahead in qualifying. Everyone was really strong; the tires allow you to push hard and I’m sure we’ll be under the track record tomorrow. To be one second behind the first is not bad at all, a pity because on the last attempt nobody wanted to push, and I was in front of everyone. A good step forward also in the set-up, so we will focus on the data to be even closer tomorrow”
More, from a press release issued by Pramac Racing:
Italian GP – Positive first day of practice for Johann Zarco and Michele Pirro
Johann Zarco (5). Photo courtesy Pramac Racing.
The long-awaited Grand Prix of Italy is finally underway this morning after the first day of free practice sessions. Johann Zarco and Michele Pirro arrive in eleventh and fifteenth place in the combined standings. Johann marked his best time in FP1 – a time of 1:46.802 earns him the second-best time. In FP2 he was not able to express himself as he would have liked to and finished the session in the tenth position. A good performance by Michele Pirro, who ended the first free practice session in seventh place. His personal best lap-time is 1:47.555. In FP2, the Italian rider lowered his morning-session lap-time by 4 tenths. He stands in fourteenth place.
Michele Pirro
I am happy, it has been a good first day. We need to work to improve a few things if we want to take a step forwards tomorrow, but regardless I am truly satisfied.
Johann Zarco
I am very happy with this morning’s session; however, I am a bit disappointed to not have been able to lower the lap times in the afternoon. I will take this as a challenge to improve tomorrow morning. I need to be able to make the most out of the bike’s potential because on this track, it is extremely fast. If I can find the right solution, it will help me for the rest of the season.
More, from a press release issued by PETRONAS Yamaha Sepang Racing Team:
Third on home GP opening day for Morbidelli at Mugello
Franco Morbidelli begins ItalianGP with third in Free Practice; Valentino Rossi 21st
The opening day of the Gran Premio d’Italia proved to be a mixed one for home heroes Franco Morbidelli and Valentino Rossi. A masterful lap from Morbidelli around Mugello saw the PETRONAS Yamaha SRT rider end the day third, just 0.184secs shy of first, while team-mate Rossi was 21st.
Morbidelli had a good start to his home GP, staying inside the top-ten during his first few laps of the Mugello circuit in FP1. Dropping outside of this slightly as the session wore on, the Italian put in a series of quicker laps towards the end of the 45 minutes, the fastest of which – 1min 47.184secs – placed him fifth. The start of FP2 saw Franco once again inside the top-ten, however he then chose to focus on a longer run on used tyres. Biding his time until the final moments to complete his time attack, Morbidelli’s final lap of 1min 46.331secs saw him jump up the timing screens to end the day third.
Team-mate Rossi also had a strong start to FP1, holding fifth place on the timing screens momentarily. The Italian then had a steadier end to the opening practice session and rounded out FP1 in 17th, with a fastest lap time of 1min 48.302secs. Valentino had a tougher time in FP2 and found himself running wide at Turn 1 on a couple of laps. Opting to try the harder compound tyres in the afternoon session, Rossi was unable to lap at the pace he wanted. Switching to the soft tyre for his final run, his best time of 1min 47.719secs placed him 21st in the combined times.
Tomorrow will see Free Practice 3 begin at 9.55am local time (3.55pm MYT) for the Italian duo, with the first of the MotoGP qualifying sessions due to get underway at 2.10pm local time (8.10pm MYT).
First of all it feels great to be back in Mugello. This track is unique and it is such a huge pleasure to be riding on it again, you always forget how nice it is and it feels even better to be fast here. I was able to do some good laps on used tyres and we were able to understand some more things with the bike. I was also able to do a good lap on the soft tyre and be in the top three. We still need to figure out which tyre we will use in the race, but we have been looking at all the tiny details of the bike and I’ve been giving my maximum when I ride; I think with this combination we can do well. This home GP has a different feel and there is extra motivation to do well, although it is a big pity that there isn’t going to be a big crowd on the hill this weekend.
It was a difficult day, especially in the afternoon. First of all we tried the hard tyres, but that was not the right choice so my pace wasn’t the best. At the end I did one lap with the soft tyre and I improved my lap time, but it is not a good position. I had some problems when trying to stop the bike; I was not the quickest when changing direction and I made some mistakes, so tomorrow we need to try something different. We tried the new front start device today too and, although the feeling wasn’t perfect, it looks alright for a first test of it. We’ll now look at changing the setting of the bike to improve the balance and hopefully be stronger tomorrow.
More, from a press release issued by Repsol Honda:
Nothing to choose between Repsol Honda Team riders on Friday in Mugello
Marc Marquez and Pol Espargaro were hunting improvements on day one as a late charge moved them to 13th and 14th on the overall timings, just 0.013s splitting them as the Gran Premio d’Italia Oakley begins.
The MotoGP World Championship returned to the Mugello circuit for the first time since 2019 as round six of the 2021 season got underway in Tuscany on Friday. Free Practice Friday was held under clear skies with 25°C air temperature and 46°C track temperature, both Marc Marquez and Pol Espargaro able to make the most of available track time on their respective Repsol Honda Team RC213V machines.
It proved to be a trying Friday for Marc Marquez as he worked steadily throughout the day as he worked through his own plan and assessed his condition. Marquez and his team were aware it would not be a straightforward weekend around the 5.2-kilometer-long circuit and his physical condition remained the major limit on Friday. A late fly lap moved the eight-time World Champion up to 13th overall and just 0.013s ahead of his Repsol Honda Team team-mate.
For Pol Espargaro, Friday in Mugello offered the chance to try the Honda RC213V around another new circuit. Cutting almost a full second from his best time between the two practice sessions, Espargaro continues to make improvements with more and more bike time. Grip during corner entry and at high lean angles is the area Espargaro and his team are aiming to improve over the coming sessions. Espargaro remains confident under braking, feeling comfortable and fast through the first sector of the Tuscan track. Alongside his team-mate, Espargaro’s final lap of Free Practice 2 proved to be his best of the day as his 1’46.986 placed him 14th overall on the combined times.
Forecasts are predicting similar weather conditions on Saturday which should result in an exciting Free Practice 3 session as the 22-strong field vie for position in the combined top ten. The session is scheduled to begin at 09:55 Local Time.
Marc Marquez (93). Photo courtesy Repsol Honda.
Marc Marquez
13TH 1’46.973
“We did not change the setting of the bike a lot today, we worked more on small things and the position of the bike to help my riding. We need to be patient; I am not riding like I want to be riding and we could understand our limitations quite quickly. I knew it would be a hard weekend before we started. Tomorrow we will see the situation but for the moment we are focusing on ourselves, doing our laps and working on what we need to do. At the end of FP2 we did a bit of a time attack and were able to improve our position a bit.”
Pol Espargaro (44). Photo courtesy Repsol Honda.
Pol Espargaro
14TH 1’46.986
“Today we were working a lot to improve the grip, we are struggling on corner entry – not on the brakes but on the last part where you release and turn the bike. Also with a lot of lean we are looking for something more. Under braking, the first corner and the first sector I feel good, even if our fastest lap didn’t show it. We need to clarify some things for tomorrow and try what’s possible. A night for the brain to process everything will help a lot after not coming here last year. Tomorrow we will come back with fresh ideas and more energy.”
More, from a press release issued by Monster Energy Yamaha:
MONSTER ENERGY YAMAHA MOTOGP SHOW COMPETITIVE PACE IN MUGELLO ON FRIDAY
Scarperia (Italy), 28th May 2021
GRAND PRIX OF ITALY
FREE PRACTICE
Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP’s Fabio Quartararo and Maverick Viñales successfully completed the first two free practice sessions at the Autodromo Internazionale del Mugello today. Though traffic on track spoiled their fastest laps in FP2, the pair ended the day in 4th and 8th place respectively in the combined session times.
4th FABIO QUARTARARO 1’46.372 (FP2) / 18 + 18 LAPS
8th MAVERICK VIÑALES 1’46.593 (FP1) / 20 + 21 LAPS
Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP’s Fabio Quartararo and Maverick Viñales were quickly up to speed at the start of the Gran Premio d‘Italia Oakley weekend. The duo made the most of the sunny Day-1 track time to get refamiliarised with the technically challenging and physically demanding Autodromo Internazionale del Mugello. They secured the 4th and 8th fastest time respectively in the combined free practice results.
Quartararo didn‘t linger in the Tuscan sunshine this morning. He soon got into the groove and slotted into first place with a 1’47.566s, set on lap 6/18, making it an early Factory Yamaha 1-2. The Frenchman went on to improve the feeling with his medium rear tyre. His earlier red-hot time kept him in the top 3 for most of FP1, but he ultimately finished in 8th place, 0.973s off the fastest time.
El Diablo was all fired up and ready to make further improvements in FP2. He used most of the session to further fine-tune his bike‘s settings in preparation for the typical last-minute Friday afternoon shoot-out. Once he had a soft rear tyre fitted, he was on course to take over the top spot. However, heavy traffic on track spoiled his flying lap. On his second try he still managed to better his best morning lap by 1.194s, to take fourth place in the FP2 and the combined timesheets, with a 1‘46.372s, 0.225 from the top.
Viñales is known to be a big fan of the Mugello track, and it clearly showed in FP1. The Spaniard was immediately happy with the base setting of his YZR-M1 and soon took over the top spot, before shifting his attention to the race set-up. Top Gun kept on improving and set a 1‘46.593s on lap 19/20, to keep hold of first place with a 0.209s advantage over second.
In the afternoon, the number-12 rider focused on race tyre selection. He used the first half of the session to try a hard-hard option and later switched to a hard-medium, that moved him into the provisional top 5. Then with ten minutes remaining, it was time for action in the mini time attack and to change from medium-medium to medium-soft. Viñales was unlucky to hit traffic on track whilst setting red sectors, and he also had a small run off in Turn 9. He had time for two more attempts and wrapped up FP2 with a 1‘47,195s lap, that saw him in 17th position, 1.048s from first. However, his fastest morning time kept him in joint seventh place in the combined FP results.
MASSIMO MEREGALLI
TEAM DIRECTOR
The end result of today doesn‘t actually tell the full story of what we have achieved at Mugello so far. Fabio and Maverick are both really fast here and were feeling quite comfortable with their bikes right from the start of FP1. In FP2, we already spent some time testing different tyre choices for Sunday and we have a good idea of which options we do and do not like. It’s positive that the bike is working well, and we are already working on the fine-tuning to achieve a consistent pace for the race. It‘s a shame that both our riders hit traffic on track when they were on their fast laps. It was unfortunate timing, but it is clear that we have a competitive pace. Tomorrow we will focus on getting a top-10 position in FP3, and then we’ll do some further preparations for the race in FP4.
Fabio Quartararo (20). Photo courtesy Monster Energy Yamaha.
FABIO QUARTARARO
Honestly, I had a bad feeling in the morning with the rear tyre. But this afternoon, with the same compound, I made great laps with great consistency. My second run was really good. I was doing 1’47-low on five laps. Our pace is looking really good, and I’m feeling comfortable. We still have some little things to improve. Things like tweaking the electronics and my riding rather than the setting of the bike. Overall, I’m feeling good, and I think we have great potential at this track. I made a good lap in FP2, but I honestly don’t know how, because there were so many riders cruising in sector 1, 3, and 4.
Maverick Vinales (12). Photo courtesy Monster Energy Yamaha.
MAVERICK VIÑALES
I felt good straight away in FP1. I just felt really good on the track. I was feeling on point both in the morning and in the afternoon. I think tomorrow we will make a big jump in terms of lap time, because today we didn’t do a good time attack. It wasn’t good at all, so for sure we can be faster. But, anyway, what’s most important is our rhythm, and we are building up the confidence step by step, like in Le Mans, where I felt really good on the first laps of the race. I feel like I had the potential to win there, had it stayed dry. We need to keep going forwards.
More, from a press release issued by LCR Honda Idemitsu:
TAKA SHOWS HIS POTENTIAL ON DAY ONE AT MUGELLO
LCR Honda IDEMITSU rider Takaaki Nakagami made an encouraging start to the Italian Grand Prix as free practice got underway at a sunny Mugello on Friday. The Japanese star finished the day in 7th position on the timesheets and looks on track to progress directly to Q2 when the MotoGP class reconvene for qualifying on Saturday.
Arriving on the back of three successive top-10 finishes, Taka again demonstrated the potential to challenge at the front of the field at what is one of his favourite circuits. The LCR man ended FP1 in 11th spot, but he improved by over a second in FP2 to comfortably break into the top 10 and is confident about his chances this weekend.
Takaaki Nakagami (30). Photo courtesy LCR Honda.
Takaaki Nakagami – 7th
(1’46.593)
“So, in FP2 I was able to follow behind Bagnaia, he was P1 , it was a good distance to be and helped us understand our potential. It was very interesting and I’m happy about our pace as we did many laps in the low 47s which is pretty good. Of course, we need to improve in some areas, especially sector 2, as we didn’t have the best performance there and some corners I was not in a good shape. So, we’ll try to improve there and prepare for FP3 as we have the potential to fight at the front. I’m confident for tomorrow and let’s see what FP3 brings.”
More, from a press release issued by Ducati Lenovo Team:
Italian GP. Pecco Bagnaia sets the fastest time at the end of Friday’s free practices at Mugello. Tenth place for Jack Miller
Francesco Bagnaia leads the way at the end of Day 1 of free practices for the MotoGP Grand Prix of Italy, the home race of the Ducati Lenovo Team, that is held this weekend on the fascinating ups and downs of the Mugello Circuit. Sixth, at the end of this morning’s first run, Pecco was able to put into practice the excellent work done with his team in today’s two sessions, as he set the fastest time of the day at the end of FP2 in 1:46.147.
Jack Miller had positive sensations today, as he closed Friday with the tenth time overall in 1:46.688, just 541 thousandths behind his teammate. The Australian rider has focused mainly on fine-tuning his Desmosedici GP, primarily working with the different tyre options available for Sunday’s race. With the weather forecasted to be clear tomorrow, Miller aims to attempt his time attack in FP3 to confirm his place in the top ten and move directly into Q2.
Francesco Bagnaia (63). Photo courtesy Ducati.
Francesco Bagnaia (#63 Ducati Lenovo Team) – 1st (1:46.147)
“I’m delighted with this first day at Mugello! Compared to previous GPs, here I have felt much more comfortable right from the start! We did a great job on the setup of the Desmosedici, which allowed me to immediately find the feeling with the bike and set my best time ever on this track! The Italian GP is our home race, and it was crucial to get a good start. Tomorrow, after the time-attack in FP3, we’ll also have the FP4 session available to confirm some choices and, if we continue in this direction, I’m sure that we can fight for the top positions in the race”.
Jack Miller (43). Photo courtesy Ducati.
Jack Miller (#43 Ducati Lenovo Team) – 10th (1:46.688)
“It’s really nice to finally be back on track at Mugello, a truly fantastic track! Today, we focused mainly on understanding how the three different tyres we have for the race work. We valued the characteristic of each option, also finding the modifications that we need to do on the bike’s setup. Tomorrow in the FP3, I will try my real time attack with the soft tyre to secure a spot directly in Q2. All in all, I’m delighted with this first day here”.
The Ducati Lenovo Team will be back on track tomorrow at 9:55 am local time (CEST) for the third free practice session, while qualifying will take place in the afternoon, starting at 2:10 pm, at the end of FP4
More, from a press release issued by LCR Honda Castrol:
ÁLEX MÁRQUEZ LOOKING FOR MORE INTENSITY AT MUGELLO
Álex Márquez is targeting constant progress at the Italian Grand Prix this weekend after his first outing around Mugello on MotoGP machinery. The LCR Honda CASTROL rider improved throughout free practice on Friday, but still has work to do ahead of qualifying after finishing a competitive first day of free practice in 18th.
Round six of the 2021 World Championship got underway with the famous Tuscan circuit bathed in sunshine today. Fresh from his confidence-boosting 6th place at Le Mans, Álex finished FP1 in 19th position – just a tenth behind brother Marc Márquez. He then bettered his time by a second in FP2 as he ended in 18th, but was only a second behind top spot in a typically bunched session.
Alex Marquez (73). Photo courtesy LCR Honda.
Álex Márquez – 18th
(1’47.326)
“It’s the first day at Mugello and first time here on a MotoGP bike. It’s a long track, a tricky track and was difficult at the beginning. We made a good step from the morning to the afternoon, but there are still many things to improve. We are only 1.1 seconds behind the top rider, so everything is so close and tomorrow we need to keep pushing and making steps. It’s a weekend where we need to make constant progress, so this afternoon I will try to analyse everything to try to improve everywhere or identify which points we need to improve most. Tomorrow from the morning we need to be more competitive and show the intensity we did today in the afternoon.”
More, from a press release issued by Team Suzuki ECSTAR:
TEAM SUZUKI ECSTAR KICK OFF MUGELLO WITH STRONG FORM
Italian GP Day 1:
Alex Rins: 2nd – 1’46.218 (+ 0.071)
Joan Mir: 12th – 1’46.847 (+ 0.700)
The lush green hills of Tuscany welcomed Team Suzuki Ecstar and the MotoGP™ World Championship for Round 6 at Mugello circuit.
Alex Rins and Joan Mir quickly found form on the technical and high speed track in the morning, placing themselves in the Top five and bringing their times down lap after lap. The pair closed FP1 in third and fourth respectively, with Rins featuring highly in three out of the four lap sectors.
The afternoon’s FP2 saw the mercury rise and the lap times continue to fall. Rins and Mir maintained their good feelings on board their GSX-RRs and were determined to keep themselves within the Top 10. They managed this well, although towards the end of the session Mir didn’t have the optimum feeling and he also lost a couple of fast laps due to traffic on the track and he was knocked to 12th in the combined standings. Meanwhile Rins was able to top the session, only slipping to second place right at the last moment, and just +0.071 from first.
Ken Kawauchi – Technical Manager:
“Today went well, a better start than some weekends. As you know, this track has a long straight, so we thought we might struggle a bit, but our base settings are working very well and we’re feeling quite confident. Alex got second today and Joan’s performance was also good, but he lost some laps when he was stuck in traffic. We’re looking forward to tomorrow’s FP3, where we’re hoping to get direct passage into Q2.”
Alex Rins (42). Photo courtesy Team Suzuki ECSTAR.
Alex Rins:
“Today was a good and productive day in the office! From FP1 I tried to find the flow needed to get the most out of Mugello. I managed to get that feeling quickly and I felt strong when trying different tyre options. I was able to set good lap times in both sessions, especially in FP2, but we will continue to work because it’s sure to be a close race. We’ve made some improvements in terms of electronics and so far the bike feels good and we feel pretty confident about the coming days.”
Joan Mir (36). Photo courtesy Team Suzuki ECSTAR.
Joan Mir:
“This track is really special; high speed, hard braking, and fast corners. My feelings are good, and the bike has nice potential here. I feel like I could’ve finished a bit higher today because I had a few small issues with my setup, and I felt like I was fighting against the bike a bit, I wasn’t flowing and smooth. I also lost some laps at the end of FP2 which was a bit frustrating. Tomorrow I’ll try to find a better flow and see what I can do, but overall it’s been a good day.”
More, from a press release issued by Aprilia Gresini Racing:
ALEIX WORKS ON PACE AT MUGELLO AND PLACES IN THE TOP 10
LORENZO ON HIS MAIDEN MOTOGP ROUND AT THE TUSCAN TRACK
At a Mugello racetrack bathed in an almost summer sun, the first day of MotoGP practice got underway. The script was the one we’ve all become accustomed to for the category: two fiercely competitive sessions, minimum gaps and, in the combined standings, 17 riders all within one second of one another.
Aleix Espargaró work on pace in the morning session, using only one rear tyre and developing his feeling on a track where, although he knows it well, he last competed in 2019. The afternoon FP2 session heated up in the final moments, with repeated time attacks aimed at taking a top-10 placement and, with it, provisional access to the second qualifying session (Q2). Mission accomplished for the Aprilia standard bearer, with a time of 1’46.655, just over one half of a second behind the leader.
Lorenzo Savadori, on the other hand, underwent his “baptism of fire”, astride a MotoGP bike for the first time here at Mugello. Therefore, he needed the first day to establish his references, which are vastly different for this category. In any case, the Italian rookie kept the gap down to 1.5 seconds, improving between the morning and afternoon by more than one second.
Aleix Espargaro (41) leading teammate Lorenzo Savadori (32). Photo courtesy Aprilia.
ALEIX ESPARGARO’
“I am satisfied with the way the RS-GP is performing in Mugello. It is definitely an important test bench for our project, which is consistently proving to be competitive. I have never been this fast on this track. I am truly very happy. I had some problems with my right arm which I had surgery on recently. I knew that this would be a demanding track and having the operation was undoubtedly the right decision. We’ll be managing the issue over the coming days, but I don’t think it will be a limitation.”
Lorenzo Savadori (32). Photo courtesy Aprilia.
LORENZO SAVADORI
“Turning laps at Mugello with a MotoGP bike is incredible. Not only because of the speed, which is extremely high on the straight, but also because of the way you tackle the braking sections. Personally, I am happy with the way it went. Of course, the right moment to try for good times will be tomorrow morning, but I’m not far from the best. This is also taking into consideration that I made a mistake on the last turn during my attempt with a new tyre, losing a lot of time. I feel like we can improve a bit coming out of turns, but the bike is working extremely well and it is improving constantly.”
Featured In the May 2021 issue of Roadracing World:
In the 1978 movie Hooper, actors Burt Reynolds and Jan-Michael Vincent portrayed Hollywood stuntmen working in the film industry. Vehicle crashes, high falls, fight scenes, and huge car jumps highlighted the action/comedy and the real work done by stunt performers every day in the entertainment industry.
But where do stuntmen come from? In the case of Tom McComas, they come from the streets of Chicago and the world of road racing. “I was just fascinated with motorcycles from a young age,” said McComas. “My dad had an old BMW R 60 that I used to take out without his knowledge and taught myself how to ride. I amazingly never crashed that, and I still don’t know how that’s possible…”
—Hanging With Racer-Turned-Hollywood-Stuntman Tom McComas
Tom McComas honed his skills on two wheels racing on the streets and on the track, then used those skills on the silver screen. Read the story of a motorcyclist whose work you are most likely familiar with, even if you don’t know his name – it’s in the latest issue of Roadracing World!
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2021 Yamaha R3 bLU cRU European Cup Gets Underway with Misano Test
The 2021 Yamaha R3 bLU cRU European Cup officially got underway with pre-season testing at Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli (23 – 24 May), where the 25 promising young talents got a first taste of their Yamaha R3 bikes and received their race kits for the season.
Designed to provide a route from national to international racing, the Yamaha R3 bLU cRU European Cup is a new series open to riders aged between 12 and 20 years. The championship will be contested over six rounds, with two races per weekend, in support of the FIM Superbike World Championship.
Yamaha R3 bLU cRU European Cup participants with American Kayla Yaakov at the far right. Photo courtesy Yamaha Racing.
On the first day in Misano, the riders were issued with their KYT helmets, Gaerne Boots and Gimoto leathers, and were given a Welcome Brief to introduce them to the series. The youngsters were also presented with their Yamaha R3 machinery, which they would be riding for the first time on the second day.
Before the riders got going, they took part in a technical workshop in the morning of day two, to gain a better understanding for how to set-up and work with their bikes, while they also attended a riders’ briefing.
On-track action was split into six 20-minute sessions, with the ever-changing conditions meaning the competitors got to experience riding with both the slick and rain compound Pirelli tyres. After a wet first session, the track continued to dry until the rain returned ahead of the fifth session, which was forced to be cancelled, before it dried up again for the final run ahead of the 2021 campaign.
American Kayla Yaakov (69) testing at Misano. Photo courtesy Yamaha Racing.
The young riders will return to the Italian venue on 11 – 12 June for the opening round of the season, where they will go head-to-head to become the first winners of the Yamaha R3 bLU cRU European Cup. As well as the 25 permanent riders, there’s still an opportunity for youngsters to join the series at various rounds as wildcards after the Misano opener.
Alberto Barozzi
Yamaha Motor Europe bLU cRU Racing Manager
Exciting! A simple word that perfectly describes the awesome atmosphere that was created during this first official test. We have already got to know all of the bLU cRU riders during the three Yamaha R3 bLU cRU European Cup digital Masterclass sessions, but to meet all of them live was great. During the two intensive days in Misano, the reaction was perfect, and immediately they have welcomed the bLU cRU spirt and its philosophy of respect. On the performance side, the level that all of them showed on track was very encouraging considering their young age and limited experience. Of course, they have room to continue to improve under our guidance. Thanks to all the parents that followed the riders during the two days, they all showed great attention and passion to support them in the right way. The staff had a really big task in getting everything prepared ahead of this first meeting, they did a great job and everything ran very smoothly. A personal thanks to the JIR Organization, all the partners that were able to be there: Pirelli, Sutter, Ohlins, Gimoto, and to everyone else that has supported this new project, including Pata, NL and Dorna, who have all come together to support the new racing generation. We now look forward to the first round in Misano to see our bLU cRU riders in competition and around the WorldSBK paddock.
Lowes leads Raul Fernandez as Moto2™ get down to business at Mugello
Once again it’s the Brit on top and the rookie in hot pursuit, with Navarro P3 after a big move up the timesheets in FP2
Sam Lowes (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) was top of the pile on Friday at the Gran Premio d’Italia Oakley, the Brit pulling 0.184 clear of rookie sensation Raul Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo) to once again prove the man to beat on Day 1. Jorge Navarro (MB Conveyors Speed Up) completed the top three, 0.308 off the top.
FP1
Joe Roberts (Italtrans Racing Team) ruled the morning session, the American striking late to take over at the top by just over two tenths. Championship leader Remy Gardner (Red Bull KTM Ajo) slotted into second, the Australian also enjoying some close company from Sam Lowes as the Brit was just 0.020 back.
Raul Fernandez, despite having only ridden round Mugello in the World Championship as a Moto3™ rookie, left no doubt he’d once again be a threat near the front as he started off his weekend in fourth too, just ahead of fellow Moto2™ rookie Tony Arbolino (Liqui Moly Intact GP) as the 2019 Moto3™ winner completed the top five.
There was one faller in the morning, wildcard Tommaso Marcon (MV Agusta Forward Racing), as he took a tumble at Scarperia aka Turn 10.
FP2
The afternoon was when Lowes hit back to take over. Raul Fernandez ruled for most of the session but the Brit pulled a fast one on his 13th and 17th laps to take over at the top and beat his own best, respectively. Raul Fernandez was forced to settle for second, with Navarro going from P20 in FP1 to complete the top three in the afternoon and overall. Marco Bezzecchi (Sky Racing Team VR46) was fourth in FP2, with Arbolino completing the top five with more good speed.
Roberts went from quickest in FP1 to first crasher of the session in FP2, but rider ok, with Tom Lüthi (Pertamina Mandalika SAG Team), Somkiat Chantra (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) and Marcos Ramirez (American Racing) also taking tumbles, riders ok.
Combined timesheets
Overall it’s the FP2 top three who reign: Lowes, Raul Fernandez and Navarro. Roberts’ best from FP1 puts the American into fourth on the combined timesheets though, relegating Bezzecchi to fifth. Arbolino is sixth.
Championship leader Remy Gardner (Red Bull KTM Ajo) ends the day in P7 thanks to his FP1 best, with the Australian also fluffing a faster effort in the afternoon that says there’s likely more to come. Fabio Di Giannantonio (Federal Oil Gresini Moto2) slots into P8 ahead of Xavi Vierge (Petronas Sprinta Racing), with Augusto Fernandez (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) completing the top ten courtesy of his FP1 best.
Marcel Schrötter (Liqui Moly Intact GP), Aron Canet (Kipin Energy Aspar Team), Somkiat Chantra and Hector Garzo (Flexbox HP 40) are the last set to move through to Q1 as it stands, although FP3 gives the grid another shot at the top. Tune in for that on Saturday morning before qualifying for the intermediate class from 15:10 (GMT +2).
Binder pulls a fast one to go two tenths clear on Friday
The South African leads the way, with Foggia and McPhee for closest company as Moto3™ get reacquainted with Mugello
Darryn Binder (Petronas Sprinta Racing) leads the way after Friday at the Gran Premio d’Italia Oakley, the South African timing it to perfection to slipstream to the line and end the day two tenths clear at the top. Dennis Foggia (Leopard Racing) slotted into second even later in FP2, with John McPhee (Petronas Sprinta Racing) completing the top three overall on Friday.
Championship leader Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Ajo) ended the day in P16, the rookie getting his first taste of Mugello on Moto3™ machinery this weekend.
FP1
Under the Tuscan sun of the Mugello morning it was Gabriel Rodrigo (Indonesian Racing Gresini Moto3) moving the goalposts furthest mid-session, but 2014 winner Romano Fenati (Sterilgarda Max Racing Team) was flexing his pace with a consistent run of speed in the latter stages of FP1. Compatriot and 2017 Mugello winner Andrea Migno (Rivacold Snipers Team) hit back though, nearly half a second clear by the end of the session. Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Jaume Masia took third, a tenth and a half off Fenati.
Niccolo Antonelli (Avintia Esponsorama Moto3) was another two tenths down in fourth, but it tightened up just behind the number 23. Binder was within 0.014 of the Italian and Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Tech3) within 0.015 of the South African, which is no mean feat from the Turk as he rides at the track for the first time in the Moto3™ World Championship.
There were no crashes in FP1.
FP2
The afternoon was when Binder took over on top, the South African tucking in behind Andrea Migno to set his fastest effort, completing a consistent day of speed in Italy from the number 40. Foggia and McPhee struck late in the rush to complete the top three, with Fenati taking fourth and Rodrigo completing the top five in the session with more good speed.
In the afternoon, and with no one having crashed in FP1, Championship leader Acosta took the dubious honour of the only crasher of the day, but the rookie sensation was up and ok; more focused on a solid step forward made in the afternoon despite a more difficult FP1.
Combined Timesheets
Everyone improved in the afternoon, so the FP2 timesheets and the combined timesheets are one and the same. That leaves Binder leading the way from Foggia, McPhee, Fenati and Rodrigo.
Tatsuki Suzuki (SCI58 Squadra Corse) is sixth overall after a P12 in FP1, with the top ten on the combined times completed by Öncü, Antonelli, Migno and Masia.
Riccardo Rossi (BOE Owlride) ends the day in a solid P11 fresh from his first podium, with 2019 Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup Mugello race winner Carlos Tatay (Avintia Esponsorama Moto3) in P12 on his first race weekend in Moto3™ at the track. Stefano Nepa (BOE Owlride) and Jason Dupasquier (CarXpert PrüstelGP) are the last two currently on for a place in Q2, with Ayumu Sasaki (Red Bull KTM Tech3) pipped to it by just 0.017 in fifteenth. The Japanese rider is on a consistent run on race day and is the first name looking to move forward in FP3.
The second, who was also second to Tatay in that Rookies race at the venue in 2019, is rookie Pedro Acosta. The Championship leader, Sasaki, Le Mans winner Sergio Garcia (Valresa GASGAS Aspar Team) and French GP first time podium finisher Filip Salač (Rivacold Snipers Team) are just some of those looking to move up on Saturday morning, with FP3 set to begin at 9:00 (GMT +2) to decide who goes straight through to Q2.
More, from a press release issued by Dorna WorldSBK Press Office:
Razgatlioglu P1 at Estoril ahead of Redding after unpredictable Day 1
Razgatlioglu vs Redding may well be the battle to follow as the weekend unfolds in Portugal…
Toprak Razgatlioglu (54). Photo courtesy Dorna.
The 2021 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship takes to the Circuito Estoril this weekend and after a sunny opening Friday to start the Round, patterns are already emerging. Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with BRIXX WorldSBK) was shining brightly like in 2020, but the opposition are right behind him with very little to split them going into the remainder of the weekend, with three different manufacturers inside the top three.
Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with BRIXX WorldSBK) was once again on fine form in the hotter afternoon session at the Circuito Estoril, with the Turkish rider putting in a strong run of fast laps to head the majority of FP2 and therefore, both sessions, despite a closing-stages off-track excursion. Teammate Andrea Locatelli was also looking in good shape, with the Italian rookie quietly chipping away and making progress throughout day one, finishing 11th. With both the factory Yamahas looking in-form and one at the head of the field, it is a strong start to one of the favourite manufacturers this weekend.
Scott Redding (45). Photo courtesy Ducati.
Scott Redding (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) put together a 19-lap run on the SCX tyre throughout the afternoon, with numerous laps inside the 1’37s bracket. The British rider was second in FP2, and second overall on the combined times, as he aims to cement another challenge to the top this weekend. Teammate Michael Ruben Rinaldi had it a little bit quieter in the afternoon, as he improved his time and dipped into the 1’37s, placing third in FP2 with a final flying lap to propel him up the order and to fifth overall.
Jonathan Rea (1). Photo courtesy Dorna.
Championship leader and reigning six-time World Champion Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) placed third overall and fifth in the afternoon session, as he got about dialing himself into the Circuito Estoril layout. He had good company though, as Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) took fourth place overall behind teammate Rea, with the Kawasakis not on top after the opening day of action, much like MotorLand Aragon. Both riders are relying on their morning time, as neither improved in the afternoon session.
Leading the charge for the Independent riders was Garrett Gerloff (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team), with the American once again shining on his way to sixth overall. However, he was joined by three other Independent riders in an opening day that showcased great pace from the non-factory entrants. Eugene Laverty (RC Squadra Corse) had his best day of the season so far as he placed seventh overall, ahead of Chaz Davies (Team GoEleven) and Jonas Folger (Bonovo MGM Racing), both of whom were eighth and ninth combined. For Davies, the afternoon session saw him suffer a technical issue, meaning he missed the majority of the session. Completing the top ten overall was the top factory BMW and Tom Sykes (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team), although he crashed at Turn 1 in FP2. Axel Bassani (Motocorsa Racing) and Isaac Viñales (ORELAC Racing VerdNatura) will hope to be in the fight for the Independents as they were 17th and 19th respectively.
There were all sorts of issues for Michael van der Mark (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team), as he missed almost the entirety of Free Practice 1 in the morning, before having a clearer run at things in the afternoon to finish 12th overall. Alvaro Bautista (Team HRC) crashed not once, twice but three times throughout the course of the day, as he suffered one of his worst Fridays to finish 15th on the combined times. Teammate Leon Haslam didn’t do much better, as he was only 13th.
Tito Rabat crashed at Turn 4 in FP2 on his way to 14th overall, but it was Kohta Nozane (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) who was 18th but suffered a huge crash at Turn 13 which sent his motorcycle cartwheeling through the air. He went to the medical centre and was thankfully declared fit. Christophe Ponsson (Alstare Yamaha) also suffered a spill at Turn 9 but re-joined. Samuele Cavalieri (TPR Team Pedercini Racing) suffered technical issues in the afternoon session, although he finished ahead of teammate Loris Cresson, with both 21st and 22nd respectively.
More, from a press release issued by Team HRC:
Team HRC work on set-up to exploit the CBR1000RR-R FIREBLADE’s speed at Estoril
The 2021 Superbike World Championship continues this weekend at the Portuguese track of Estoril, where Team HRC and factory riders Alvaro Bautista and Leon Haslam have completed the day’s free practice sessions, concentrating on the setup of the bike.
Two small crashes in the morning session and one in the afternoon, all unexpected and without consequences, prevented Alvaro Bautista from doing better than 13th in FP2 and fifteenth in the combined standings with a best time of 1’38.469, despite the Spanish rider being among those who improved on their performance after the first session. Bautista had been working with his team on a set-up that appeared promising at the previous Aragón round but that needs to be adapted to the Portuguese track to allow him to take full advantage of the CBR1000RR-R FIREBLADE’s speed.
Leon Haslam worked in a similar direction with his technicians and was also able to improve on his best time of the morning by a fraction of a second during the afternoon’s session, despite higher track temperatures. The British rider rounded out FP2 in 12th position (1’38.427), which placed him thirteenth in the combined standings.
Alvaro Bautista (19). Photo courtesy Team HRC.
Alvaro Bautista 19
COMBINED P15
“I feel good physically and haven’t hurt myself but the day didn’t go as we expected or wanted. I started the first session fast and strong and felt I could push because my feeling with the bike was quite good. But then I crashed without any real reason; I just lost the front through turn 3 at full lean. The bike wasn’t too damaged, and the team did well to fix it quickly, but unfortunately I then had another crash. At Aragón we made some changes to the set-up that looked promising, and we wanted to try them again in the ideal conditions we had today. In the afternoon we reverted to a more standard set-up, but the session was kind of a repeat of the morning. Good feeling, good speed but I crashed in the first corner of the second lap without warning. At that point, I lost a little confidence and so although we were a bit faster than in session one, I rode a little more carefully. We will now try and understand what happened. We definitely have some ideas for tomorrow and can better understand the bike’s limit. A pity about today though as I felt so strong during the morning. Tomorrow is another day anyway, and we just have to put it all together and better exploit our potential”.
Leon Haslam (91). Photo courtesy Team HRC.
Leon Haslam 91
COMBINED P13
“It’s been a difficult day and unfortunately it looks like some of the Aragón setup issues have carried over to this round, at least today. On a positive side, we made a few steps towards the end of the second session but we still have work to do, I think. We will analyse the data carefully this evening and see what we can find during tomorrow’s final practice. Hopefully we can improve our feeling and take another step before the Superpole and Race 1”.
More, from a press release issued by Yamaha:
Clean Sweep As Razgatlıoğlu Tops Free Practice in Estoril
Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK rider Toprak Razgatlıoğlu took a clean sweep as the fastest rider in both Free Practice sessions, as the second round of the 2021 FIM Superbike World Championship began at Circuito Estoril today.
Razgatlıoğlu set a blisteringly-quick lap time at the end of Free Practice 1, more than half a second clear of his nearest rival, with a 1’36.920. As track surface temperatures rose this afternoon to 45°C – putting stress on tyre wear similar to that expected during Race 1 tomorrow – only Ducati’s Scott Redding came close, finishing the day 0.414s down on Razgatlıoğlu’s quickest time.
Teammate Andrea Locatelli continued to work diligently on the opposite side of the pit box, completing another promising race simulation in the afternoon session, providing plenty of data to analyse and improve as the young Italian gets further to grips with the Yamaha R1 WorldSBK.
With both points and podiums up for grabs tomorrow afternoon, the team will have one final Free Practice 3 session including 30 minutes of track time available to prepare for the Superpole at 11:10 (UTC+1) and Race 1 at 14:00.
Toprak Razgatlioglu (54). Photo courtesy Yamaha.
Toprak Razgatlıoğlu: P1 – 1’36.920
“It was a very good day in Estoril! We know from last year that me and my Yamaha R1 can be very strong at this circuit, but like I said at the start of the week – we are not coming here relaxed. Today we did some very good work with my team, which will be very important for the race. And also today we managed to be in first position in Free Practice, which I am happy about, we worked well to see how the performance is in the long run and how the bike reaction is after 15 laps. Speed and rhythm are both quite good, I’m happy with both so far and I think we are ready to race tomorrow.”
Andrea Locatelli (55). Photo courtesy Yamaha.
Andrea Locatelli: P11 – 1’38.254
“The first day was not so bad, we worked very well. It’s not easy this track for me, it is a little bit strange with the Yamaha R1 because I have a reference from last year with the R6. But okay, the feeling in general with the bike is very, very good, but we need to work tomorrow on the braking because it is a bit of a weak point where I don’t have a brilliant feeling. In general though, my confidence is good and I was able to make my fastest lap time during the long run which will be helpful during the race. I think we can make an improvement tomorrow morning during FP3, then for sure we will be ready for the race. It’s just the second full race weekend with the Yamaha R1 WorldSBK and I am sure we can get closer to the front.”
Paul Denning – Team Principal
“We came to Estoril hoping that last year’s performances would stand us in good stead for this race and, based on today’s potential, we’re very happy that the improvements to the 2021 Yamaha R1 WorldSBK have helped us to take another step at a track that was already good for the bike. Toprak has dominated proceedings today both in terms of best lap time and race simulation rhythm. However, Redding in particular also made a good long run and the Kawasaki riders showed good consistency and are bound to improve for the races. So, we need to stay focused and keep working on the small details. Andrea met his targets today, into the top 10 in FP2 less than a second from the best lap time, with another race simulation completed this afternoon. He’s chipping away all the time and we just need to see a little bit more raw pace on the fresh tyres and then he’ll be right there with the front group.”
More, from a press release issued by Kawasaki:
Rea And Lowes In The Early Top Spots
KRT riders Jonathan Rea and Alex Lowes finished third and fourth fastest respectively in the combined practice times after the opening day of action at the second round of the FIM Superbike World Championship at Estoril in Portugal.
With just under three minutes left on the clock in the afternoon’s FP2 practice session KRT riders Rea and Lowes were looking to move up the overall rankings, until a red flag was shown to stop the session to protect a fallen rider.
With just one chance to potentially improve their lap times in the three minutes that remained Rea and Lowes, like most of their rivals, did not find a faster lap but remained third and fourth fastest due to their morning FP1 session best laps.
Rea is now working on final set-up for an even better entry to the many corners at the almost stadium-style Estoril circuit to try and extend his championship lead after the three Aragon races.
Lowes spent a lot of Friday learning more about the new Ninja ZX-10RR on a track that the KRT duo has not testing at during the off-season.
Warm track temperatures well into the 40°C range have made the feedback from the track surface very different from when Jonathan and Alex previously raced at Estoril in the 2020 season finale, in October.
Final grid positions will be determined after FP3, in the Tissot Superpole session on Saturday 29 May. A 21-lap Race One will follow on Saturday and then the Tissot Superpole Race and Race Two will complete the Estoril weekend on Sunday 30 May.
Jonathan Rea (1). Photo courtesy Kawasaki.
Jonathan Rea, stated: “The red flag gave us a chance to try something different on the bike. I am struggling on the last part of braking to stop the bike. Trail braking into the corner is an area we need to focus on to improve for Saturday. Everything else felt quite good – mechanical traction, the agility of the bike, even turning, which was something I felt weak with last year. I am just not comfortable on the brakes, but I am sure if we find this it will put us closer to Toprak. He is really in his own race at the minute but I feel like I am in there in the battle for the podium. We need to improve a little bit to fight for better positions tomorrow. It is quite bumpy out there, especially the stadium section, after the little chicane, but I feel the bike is working quite well over the bumps.”
Alex Lowes (22). Photo courtesy Kawasaki.
Alex Lowes, stated: “We had a good day. The track conditions we had this afternoon were a lot hotter than the ones we had for the race weekend in October, and a lot hotter than we had this morning in FP1. I wanted them to be hot to be honest, to see how I feel on the bike. I felt quite good, I used the same tyres as I had this morning to start the second session and was still able to go quite fast. Then I put some new tyres on and tried to do a longer run. I struggled a bit with a full tank, on the bottom of the suspension a little bit. I was going to ride right to the end but then the red flag came out, so I came in and we made a small adjustment. Even on the very last lap, on the same tyres I had been riding on, I felt quite good. We have a bit of direction and I feel a lot better than I did last October, so I am looking forward to tomorrow. I understand where I can improve my riding, especially in the second sector.”
Kawasaki Puccetti Racing rider Lucas Mahias placed 16th today, while Orelac Racing VerdNatura Kawasaki rider Isaac Vinales went 19th fastest. Samuele Cavalieri and Loris Cresson (TPR Team Pedercini Racing Kawasaki) were 21st and 22nd in the timesheets, respectively.
More, from a press release issued by Aruba.it Racing Ducati:
#EstorilWSBK FP. Solid start for the Aruba.it Racing – Ducati team: Scott Redding and Michael Rinaldi respectively 2nd and 5th after Friday’s free practices
The second round of the 2021 WorldSBK season starts offering positive feelings to the Aruba.it Racing – Ducati team. Both Scott Redding and Michael Ruben Rinaldi work hard in the free practices and in the afternoon they manage to significantly improve the lap times set in the morning, to finish respectively in second and fifth position in the combined standings.
FP1
Solid session for Scott Redding who laps with an extremely incisive pace. With the same tire, the English rider completes a race simulation (23 laps against the 21 scheduled) remaining at the top of the provisional standings for a long time before the last run in which all the direct opponents take to the track with the new tire.
Michael Rinaldi starts FP1 with determination but the feeling is not the best yet and the soft tire put in the last part of the session does not give any advantage in terms of lap time, too
FP2
After the convincing FP1, also in FP2 Scott Redding takes the track for a second race simulation with the same tire, confirming the positive feelings of the morning. At the end of the session, the English rider tries a time attack with the soft tire but the red flag at 3 minutes to go does not allow him to find the ideal conditions.
Michael Rinaldi’s growth seems to be constant. The Italian rider works with his team on the set up of the Ducati Panigale V4 R and in the second session the feeling grows in a tangible way allowing him in the final run to close with the third time.
Scott Redding (45). Photo courtesy Dorna.
Scott Redding (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati #45)
“In the afternoon we tried the soft tires and the feeling was not bad. I still cannot say for sure what my choice will be for the race but in these two sessions, we have collected very important data. In any case, I’m confident to have a good race tomorrow because last year, despite the problems in qualifying and in Race-1, I felt very comfortable on this track. It’s clear that it will be important to do a good qualifying session to start in the front”.
Michael Ruben Rinaldi (21). Photo courtesy Ducati.
Michael Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati #21)
“We arrive in Portugal after the difficult weekend in Aragon. Since FP1, therefore, our approach has been different: we tried to learn from last week’s mistakes and I think this day has been positive. The third place in FP2 and the fifth in the combined standings are two encouraging results, especially on this track that I don’t consider one of my favorites. We still have FP3 to work on but I’m confident that we can do a good result in the race”.
More, from a press release issued by Team Go Eleven:
MORNING AT WORK ON USED TYRES, AFTERNOON WATCHING FROM THE PITS!
A positive Friday in the morning, difficult in the afternoon for the Go Eleven team on the Estoril track in Portugal.
In FP 1 Chaz entered the track to evaluate the race pace with a view to Saturday and Sunday. Lap after lap he improved his best lap, he always remains among the top of the standings. Over 20 laps always around 37 high / 38 low, carried out without changing tyres, have shown that the number seven has already entered race mode. At the end of the session, several riders put on the SCX soft tyre, making a clear step forward. Here, on the Portuguese ups and downs, it is to be considered whether the soft tyre will be able to complete all the laps of the race.
In the afternoon, the Go Eleven technicians had studied a busy schedule, both to test a new solution on the front, and to evaluate the SCX on the rear. Unfortunately, already from the first lap Chaz felt something strange on his V4-R, and, after four laps, he was forced to stop in the pits. A technical problem forced him to watch the whole session from the outside, without having the opportunity to express his potential. Really a shame, especially because FP 2 are important for the continuation of the weekend, as FP 2 normally take place in similar conditions to those of the two main races. That’s racing, and tomorrow it will be up to recover the time lost. FP 3 will be crucial to get ready for qualifying!
Tomorrow h11.10 to 11.25 it’s Superpole time and following, at 14.00 Portuguese time it will be Race 1 time!
Chaz Davies (7). Photo courtesy Team Go Eleven.
Chaz Davies (Rider):
“This morning was ok, in the FP 1 we were more or less in the right area. I had a few things to try for FP 2; unfortunately I had a problem from the beginning of the session and it didn’t allowed me to get going and then we had a technical problem and I just had to stop. So, I had zero chance to evaluate anything this afternoon, which is a shame because obviously the race will be run in these temperature, at least the two main races. It’s a big shame not to take any data from the session. But, it is what it is, now we have to work well tomorrow morning in FP 3, even in the cooler conditions, then do a great Superpole and then hopefully we can have a good race. Obviously without data the set-up of the bike is a bit difficult, but we have to try our best!”
More, from a press release issued by Barni Racing Team:
Bittersweet day for Barni Racing Team after Free Practice sessions at Estoril
Estoril (POR), 28 May 2021. For Barni Racing Team and his rider Tito Rabat it was a bittersweet day the opening day at Circuito de Estoril, Portugal. After good lap times and good pace showed in the Free Practice 1, ended in P11 in a very tight timesheet, the Catalan rider lose his positive feelings with the bike in Free Practice 2, where he suffered a crash.
Tito started the second round of WorldSBK Championship improving his best time lap by lap until a positive 1’38.469 that placed him in P11, but the timesheet saw ten riders packed in less than a second from P2 to P11.
During the afternoon session the temperatures rose, especially on tarmac, and Rabat lose the feeling with his Ducati Panigale V4 R. In the first part of the session he suffered a crash losing the front, but he was able to come back to the box where mechanics put him back on track in few minutes. Tito completed the session but he was not able to improve his faster lap. The time signed in 1’38.710 saw him in P17 in FP2 but in the combined results he was P14.
Tito Rabat (53). Photo courtesy Barni Racing Team.
Tito Rabat, #53
“We are looking for a path allowing us to be fast even in with hotter temperatures. In that condition I can’t ride confortably, and that’s why I crashed today. We know where to work, but we definitely need to take a step forward to be competitive in every situation.”
Marco Barnabò – Team Principal
“During this morning’s session Tito found the right feeling, so we made very few changes on the bike’s setup but, as happened at Aragon, we are struggling when the temperatures rise. Now it is clear that our bike suffers more than others from these changes and we are working to find a good base on the setup even in this condition.”
More, from a press release issued by GRT Yamaha:
Gerloff takes GRT into the Top-5, Nozane runs his first laps at Estoril on Day 1
Five days after the chequered flag flew in Aragón, the FIM Superbike World Championship teams were back on track today at the Circuito do Estoril for the start of the second round of the season. The long sweeping corners of the Portuguese track tend to favour the Yamaha R1, a bike which excels at carrying high speeds through the turns, as proven by the all-Yamaha podium of the Superpole Race last October.
For the GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team, the approach to the weekend took two different directions: on Garrett Gerloff’s side of the garage, the focus lay on fine-tuning the setup of his bike in order to fight for the top positions, as the American wants to repeat last year’s stellar performance. It was not all smooth sailing for him, though, as at the end of the first day he was not fully satisfied with the bike’s setup, despite some solid laptimes. Kohta Nozane’s crew, instead, worked on getting him acquainted with yet another brand-new track on what is his second-ever WorldSBK weekend. After a solid first round in Aragón, the Japanese wants to keep improving, but his work plan was hampered by a crash suffered during the FP2.
Today, Gerloff showed yet again that he has the speed and raw talent to fight for the top, but some setup problems did not allow him to extract the R1’s full potential. In the morning session he was eighth thanks to a 1’38.074, and he still could not feel completely comfortable with the bike in the FP2, which was affected by much higher track temperatures (43°C compared to the morning’s 31°C). He still managed to set a 1’37.826, fast enough for fourth position, demonstrating that, if tomorrow’s setup adjustments prove to be effective, he will be in the hunt for the podium again.
It was not an easy Friday for Nozane either. The rookie’s plan for the day was to progressively get more comfortable on the new circuit in order to get quicker and quicker on the stopwatch. After a 1’39.607 put him in the 18th position in the FP1, the Japanese was not able to improve as much as he expected in the afternoon, and a highside in turn 13 cut his session short. He was uninjured, but the bike required extensive repairs. He therefore ended the FP2 yet again in 18th place, but his 1’39.036 still represented a step in the right direction. Running more laps tomorrow will undoubtedly help him get closer to the front.
Garrett Gerloff: 8th / 4th (1’37.826, 34 laps)
“We were not bad today, but it was a bit confusing. I was expecting to have a better feeling with the bike and the track right away, but the conditions were hotter than last year, and this made it more difficult for us. We made some progress throughout the day and we are still in the top 6, but both me and Les (Pearson, chief engineer) are slightly confused by the situation. We need to work on the bike some more and I have to work on myself, but this track suits the Yamaha very well and, if we figure our problems out, we can head into tomorrow’s race with confidence. Our troubles were different from session to session and it is hard to pinpoint one main issue, and that’s what is confusing me. Today we ended up spending more time in the pits than I would have liked, so tomorrow we will take full advantage of the FP3 to run more laps.”
Kohta Nozane: 18th / 18th (1’39.036, 36 laps)
Today was my absolute first time here in Estoril, so it was a big challenge. I focused on learning as much as possible since the beginning and on doing my best, but in the FP2 the conditions were much hotter and my pace did not improve, which is not what I was expecting. We tried the SCX tyre to go faster, but I made a mistake and crashed. The bike is damaged and the team is fixing it, and I feel really sorry. I really appreciate their effort to support me, and tomorrow I want to bring home the best possible result to thank them.”
Our riders will be back on track tomorrow morning for another session of Free Practice at 9 AM, followed by the Superpole at 11:10 AM and by Race 1 at 2 PM, local time.
More, from a press release issued by BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team:
BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team complete the opening day of the WorldSBK Estoril Round.
Following on from an impressive opening round at the MotorLand Aragon circuit, the BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team duo of Tom Sykes (GBR) and Michael van der Mark (NED) today completed day 1 of the WorldSBK round in Estoril.
In the opening FP1 session Michael van der Mark’s BMW M1000 RR unfortunately had some technical issues which forced him to miss most of the session, only completing 4 laps and as a result finishing in P16. Team-mate Tom Sykes completed 16 laps in the first free practice session, with the fastest lap time of a 1’38.170, putting him in P9.
The afternoons FP2 session saw an increase in track temperature, which made the session difficult for all competitors. Despite that, it held better fortune for Michael van der Mark as he managed to gain some valuable laps around the 4.182 km circuit lapping his best of a 1’38.293 in P12, narrowly missing out on the top 10 combined places.
Tom Sykes had a small crash at T1 during the final session of the day, however, was able to bring the bike back to the garage with only cosmetic damage. In the final moments of FP2 a crash from Yamaha rider Kohta Nozane (JPN) brought out the red flag with 3 minutes remaining, leaving a short 3-minute revised session. Tom was able to capitalize on this as he improved his lap time on the last lap with a 1’38.039, putting him in P10 overall.
Marc Bongers, BMW Motorrad Motorsport Director
“Of course, this morning in FP1 was not very promising. With Michael we had an issue with electronics which meant he lost most of FP1 unfortunately. The progression he made into FP2 however was good and made up the lost time from the morning, he did a good couple of runs and although the conditions in the afternoon were very hot from this morning, still managed to be close to the top 10. Tom had an OK FP1. Then in FP2 he pressed out a good lap at the end on the used “X” tyre to put him into the top 10, so overall fairly satisfied with the opening day.”
Tom Sykes
“We stayed on the same tyre during this morning’s FP1 session which meant we significantly dropped down the order in the latter stages of the session. Then this afternoon in the hot conditions it was tricky, we needed to do some trial-and-error tests but in the end, we found some positive information which was good. We had a small crash during the session, but big credit to the boys as they soon put the beauty back together again, so we were back on track with fairly limited track time lost. Overall good information today, we do know its going to be difficult track conditions for everybody tomorrow, but certainly now we hope to make some good improvements tomorrow.”
Michael van der Mark
“It was not an easy Friday, unfortunately this morning we lost most of the session with a technical problem, which was a lot of important time lost. Then this afternoon’s session we went out, but in the opening stages I struggled with the grip of the bike. We made some changes during the session which was a big improvement, and I was able to improve my lap time which I was happy about. For us, the most important thing is to complete a full session tomorrow morning and make some progress from today.”
Bagnaia denies Rins by just 0.071 as action opens at Mugello
Ducati lead Suzuki lead Yamaha, with KTM stealing some of the spotlight in hot pursuit on Day 1
Francesco Bagnaia (63). Photo courtesy Dorna.
Friday, 28 May 2021
Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) is the man to beat after Day 1 of the Gran Premio d’Italia Oakley, the Italian just pipping Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) to the top by 0.071 by the end of play. Franco Morbidelli (Petronas Yamaha SRT) continued impressing to lock out the top three and end Friday as the top Independent Team rider, with a sunny day’s work at the stunning Autodromo Internazionale del Mugello welcoming MotoGP™ back to Italy.
FP1
The first man at the top was Ducati test rider and, this weekend, Pramac Racing replacement rider Michele Pirro as the Italian was fastest out the box. From there though, Yamaha started to put the hammer down as Maverick Viñales (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) and teammate Fabio Quartararo traded fast laps, pretty close together on track to boot. A new front start device was also spotted on Iwata marque machinery Day 1.
Alex Rins enjoyed a brief stint at the top before Viñales then hit back, the number 12 eventually ending FP1 two tenths clear of Johann Zarco (Pramac Racing). Rins was third ahead of teammate and reigning Champion Joan Mir, with Morbidelli 0.008 further back and Bagnaia only a further 0.002 in arrears.
No one crashed in the session, but Rins did have a run off at Arrabbiata 1, getting straight back onto the track.
FP2
In the afternoon, KTM stole a few headlines. A new chassis first spotted by pitlane reporter Simon Crafar at the Jerez Test was spotted again as the day began, and FP2 saw a show of serious form from the Austrian factory. Bagnaia was fastest first for Ducati, but the Italian was soon deposed by Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing). Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) hit the top next before Oliveira returned the favour, the Portuguese rider then beating his own best to stay fastest a lap later. And there he stayed for more than half an hour, before the final push – with an eye on Q2 – got underway.
Alex Rins (42). Photo courtesy Dorna.
That’s when Rins struck to lead the way, but Bagnaia hit back on his last lap of the day to go fastest by less than a tenth. Morbidelli slotted into third, with Quartararo making his way back up to fourth. Binder had one of his best efforts scrubbed for track limits, but the South African was able to get the job done on take two to complete the top five – just pipping his teammate by the flag as the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing form held firm in the face of a concerted onslaught from the rest, taking fifth and sixth.
Once again, no one crashed in the session, although Valentino Rossi (Petronas Yamaha SRT) had an excursion at Turn 1, the ‘Doctor’ able to rejoin.
Combined timesheets
The majority improved in the afternoon, with the top seven in FP2 – Bagnaia, Rins, Morbidelli, Quartararo, Binder, Oliveira and, in seventh, top Honda Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) – the top seven overall. Eighth place on the combined times is FP1’s fastest man Maverick Viñales, with the Spaniard’s best in the morning his best overall and absolutely identical to that of Nakagami in FP2.
Franco Morbidelli. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) ends Day 1 in ninth place, with Jerez and Le Mans winner Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) down in tenth and the second Ducati on the timesheets at a venue many would consider to be increasingly their turf. Miller voiced some frustrations over traffic in FP2 however, something that could mean there’s a fair bit more to come in FP3.
Pramac Racing’s Johann Zarco (Pramac Racing) is the first looking to reiterate Ducati’s recent dominance in Mugello and move up the timesheets in FP3 as he finds himself a tenth outside the Q2 graduation zone on Friday, and by only a tenth. He was the second rider to not improve in the afternoon, along with Viñales.
Reigning Champion Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar) ends the day down in P12, just ahead of returning eight-time World Champion Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) as the latter takes on one of the fastest and most physical challenges of the season. They’ll want to put in a push in FP3, as will Valentino Rossi after a tough day on the timesheets for the ‘Doctor’ down in P21.
That’s it from Friday, with the weather in Tuscany looking a little more stable than that in Le Mans and FP3 likely to give the field a chance to push forward. Tune in for that, before qualifying from 14:10 (GMT +2).
More, from a press release issued by Tech3 KTM Factory Racing:
Tech3 KTM Factory Racing duo kicks off Italian GP with improvements
Sunny Friday started with some decent steps forward for Danilo Petrucci. The latest MotoGP race winner at the Mugello circuit made up 1.19 seconds from FP1 to FP2 today, which also lifted him up from P18 to the top 15 in Free Practice two, although the Italian concluded day one 16th in the overall standings. Yet, he missed out on a possible Q2 entry by just 0.441 seconds in the ultra-competitive premier class field.
On the other side of the Tech3 KTM Factory Racing garage, Iker Lecuona was riding at the famous track in the Tuscan hills for the first time on a MotoGP machine and likewise got closer to the top throughout day one. In FP2, he went 1.205 seconds quicker than this morning, however, there is still room to do further steps in Free Practice three at 9:55 local time on Saturday.
“It’s always a very nice feeling to ride a bike at this track. We did some good progress, but we are still working to find a decent setup. I have the feeling, we already found something good, but we still miss some speed. We will see tomorrow. At least today, we have a clear situation of what we need. The gap to the front is still not as we want. But we have some ideas for tomorrow and we’ll hopefully manage to do a good Qualifying.”
“I struggled quite a lot today. First of all, it was my debut with the MotoGP bike here, but I also don’t have very much experience at this track at all and as it is quite technical, I needed many laps to understand. In FP1, I was pretty lost, took the wrong lines, so I had to improve a lot in FP2. I learned quite well and went way quicker. My fastest lap time was cancelled because I missed the track limits. I don’t know exactly where, but it was still ok. We are still far from the top, so I’m not really happy. When I went out alone, I couldn’t go faster, so we’ve got quite some things to do for tomorrow.”
More, from a press release issued by SKY Racing Team VR46:
17th PLACE FOR LUCA MARINI AFTER THE FIRST FREE PRACTICES AT MUGELLO
The riders of the Sky VR46 Avintia has a gap of just a second behind the very first guys.
Scarperia (Italy), May 28th 2021 – The Italian weekend at the start for Luca Marini at Mugello which this Sunday will host the ItalianGP. First positive approach on the Tuscan track, favorable to the Ducati of the Sky VR46 Avintia, with a 17th final place in the combined standings of the day of Day1.
Good feelings and an important step forward between the two sessions for Luca who closes with a gap of just a second from the strongest guys (Bagnaia, 1’46.147) and a best lap time of 1’47.154.
Luca Marini (10). Photo courtesy SKY Racing Team VR46.
Luca Marini:
An overall positive first day: we have worked well even though I expected to be further ahead in the standings. They have all been really strong, the tires allow us to push hard and for sure tomorrow we will go below the track record. A second of gap from the very first guy is not bad at all, a pity because in the last run nobody wanted to push at 100% and I then put myself in front of everyone. A good step forward also on the setting so now let’s focus on the data to be even closer tomorrow.
Ruben Xaus, Team Manager
Perhaps the best Friday since the beginning of the year: managed with solidity and characterised by a suitable temperature. The level is really high, but Luca is not far away and tomorrow I’m sure he will be able to get closer to the Q2. He will continue to work on the data, this is a track where you need to have a good feeling also in terms of electronics and ride with very precise lines.
More, from a press release issued by Esponsorama Racing:
BASTIANINI AND MARINI’S FIRST DAY OF ADAPTATION AT MUGELLO
Mugello (Italy), 28th May 2021
Enea Bastianini and Luca Marini completed the first day of the Gran Premio d’Italia Oakley. Both riders had their first runs with the Ducati Desmosedici GP19 at Mugello and did an intense work on the set-up of their bikes to face the rest of the weekend. At the end of the day Bastianini and Marini were 19th and 17th respectively in the combined sessions results.
Tomorrow the action returns to the Italian track for the third and fourth free practice sessions before qualifying for the Gran Premio d’Italia Oakley.
#23 ENEA BASTIANINI
“It’s been a bit of a difficult day to tell the truth. This morning I felt pretty good. This afternoon I tried to keep working and improve, but I didn’t feel very good. It was a bit unexpected because we thought we would be better, but it was a set-up problem. By the time we realised the problem it was a bit late and I managed to do only two laps. The important thing is that I improved and we know the direction to work in. Tomorrow I hope to do a good FP3 and try to get a position for Q2”
#10 LUCA MARINI
“An overall positive first day: we worked well even though I was hoping to be further ahead in qualifying. Everyone was really strong; the tires allow you to push hard and I’m sure we’ll be under the track record tomorrow. To be one second behind the first is not bad at all, a pity because on the last attempt nobody wanted to push, and I was in front of everyone. A good step forward also in the set-up, so we will focus on the data to be even closer tomorrow”
More, from a press release issued by Pramac Racing:
Italian GP – Positive first day of practice for Johann Zarco and Michele Pirro
Johann Zarco (5). Photo courtesy Pramac Racing.
The long-awaited Grand Prix of Italy is finally underway this morning after the first day of free practice sessions. Johann Zarco and Michele Pirro arrive in eleventh and fifteenth place in the combined standings. Johann marked his best time in FP1 – a time of 1:46.802 earns him the second-best time. In FP2 he was not able to express himself as he would have liked to and finished the session in the tenth position. A good performance by Michele Pirro, who ended the first free practice session in seventh place. His personal best lap-time is 1:47.555. In FP2, the Italian rider lowered his morning-session lap-time by 4 tenths. He stands in fourteenth place.
Michele Pirro
I am happy, it has been a good first day. We need to work to improve a few things if we want to take a step forwards tomorrow, but regardless I am truly satisfied.
Johann Zarco
I am very happy with this morning’s session; however, I am a bit disappointed to not have been able to lower the lap times in the afternoon. I will take this as a challenge to improve tomorrow morning. I need to be able to make the most out of the bike’s potential because on this track, it is extremely fast. If I can find the right solution, it will help me for the rest of the season.
More, from a press release issued by PETRONAS Yamaha Sepang Racing Team:
Third on home GP opening day for Morbidelli at Mugello
Franco Morbidelli begins ItalianGP with third in Free Practice; Valentino Rossi 21st
The opening day of the Gran Premio d’Italia proved to be a mixed one for home heroes Franco Morbidelli and Valentino Rossi. A masterful lap from Morbidelli around Mugello saw the PETRONAS Yamaha SRT rider end the day third, just 0.184secs shy of first, while team-mate Rossi was 21st.
Morbidelli had a good start to his home GP, staying inside the top-ten during his first few laps of the Mugello circuit in FP1. Dropping outside of this slightly as the session wore on, the Italian put in a series of quicker laps towards the end of the 45 minutes, the fastest of which – 1min 47.184secs – placed him fifth. The start of FP2 saw Franco once again inside the top-ten, however he then chose to focus on a longer run on used tyres. Biding his time until the final moments to complete his time attack, Morbidelli’s final lap of 1min 46.331secs saw him jump up the timing screens to end the day third.
Team-mate Rossi also had a strong start to FP1, holding fifth place on the timing screens momentarily. The Italian then had a steadier end to the opening practice session and rounded out FP1 in 17th, with a fastest lap time of 1min 48.302secs. Valentino had a tougher time in FP2 and found himself running wide at Turn 1 on a couple of laps. Opting to try the harder compound tyres in the afternoon session, Rossi was unable to lap at the pace he wanted. Switching to the soft tyre for his final run, his best time of 1min 47.719secs placed him 21st in the combined times.
Tomorrow will see Free Practice 3 begin at 9.55am local time (3.55pm MYT) for the Italian duo, with the first of the MotoGP qualifying sessions due to get underway at 2.10pm local time (8.10pm MYT).
First of all it feels great to be back in Mugello. This track is unique and it is such a huge pleasure to be riding on it again, you always forget how nice it is and it feels even better to be fast here. I was able to do some good laps on used tyres and we were able to understand some more things with the bike. I was also able to do a good lap on the soft tyre and be in the top three. We still need to figure out which tyre we will use in the race, but we have been looking at all the tiny details of the bike and I’ve been giving my maximum when I ride; I think with this combination we can do well. This home GP has a different feel and there is extra motivation to do well, although it is a big pity that there isn’t going to be a big crowd on the hill this weekend.
It was a difficult day, especially in the afternoon. First of all we tried the hard tyres, but that was not the right choice so my pace wasn’t the best. At the end I did one lap with the soft tyre and I improved my lap time, but it is not a good position. I had some problems when trying to stop the bike; I was not the quickest when changing direction and I made some mistakes, so tomorrow we need to try something different. We tried the new front start device today too and, although the feeling wasn’t perfect, it looks alright for a first test of it. We’ll now look at changing the setting of the bike to improve the balance and hopefully be stronger tomorrow.
More, from a press release issued by Repsol Honda:
Nothing to choose between Repsol Honda Team riders on Friday in Mugello
Marc Marquez and Pol Espargaro were hunting improvements on day one as a late charge moved them to 13th and 14th on the overall timings, just 0.013s splitting them as the Gran Premio d’Italia Oakley begins.
The MotoGP World Championship returned to the Mugello circuit for the first time since 2019 as round six of the 2021 season got underway in Tuscany on Friday. Free Practice Friday was held under clear skies with 25°C air temperature and 46°C track temperature, both Marc Marquez and Pol Espargaro able to make the most of available track time on their respective Repsol Honda Team RC213V machines.
It proved to be a trying Friday for Marc Marquez as he worked steadily throughout the day as he worked through his own plan and assessed his condition. Marquez and his team were aware it would not be a straightforward weekend around the 5.2-kilometer-long circuit and his physical condition remained the major limit on Friday. A late fly lap moved the eight-time World Champion up to 13th overall and just 0.013s ahead of his Repsol Honda Team team-mate.
For Pol Espargaro, Friday in Mugello offered the chance to try the Honda RC213V around another new circuit. Cutting almost a full second from his best time between the two practice sessions, Espargaro continues to make improvements with more and more bike time. Grip during corner entry and at high lean angles is the area Espargaro and his team are aiming to improve over the coming sessions. Espargaro remains confident under braking, feeling comfortable and fast through the first sector of the Tuscan track. Alongside his team-mate, Espargaro’s final lap of Free Practice 2 proved to be his best of the day as his 1’46.986 placed him 14th overall on the combined times.
Forecasts are predicting similar weather conditions on Saturday which should result in an exciting Free Practice 3 session as the 22-strong field vie for position in the combined top ten. The session is scheduled to begin at 09:55 Local Time.
Marc Marquez (93). Photo courtesy Repsol Honda.
Marc Marquez
13TH 1’46.973
“We did not change the setting of the bike a lot today, we worked more on small things and the position of the bike to help my riding. We need to be patient; I am not riding like I want to be riding and we could understand our limitations quite quickly. I knew it would be a hard weekend before we started. Tomorrow we will see the situation but for the moment we are focusing on ourselves, doing our laps and working on what we need to do. At the end of FP2 we did a bit of a time attack and were able to improve our position a bit.”
Pol Espargaro (44). Photo courtesy Repsol Honda.
Pol Espargaro
14TH 1’46.986
“Today we were working a lot to improve the grip, we are struggling on corner entry – not on the brakes but on the last part where you release and turn the bike. Also with a lot of lean we are looking for something more. Under braking, the first corner and the first sector I feel good, even if our fastest lap didn’t show it. We need to clarify some things for tomorrow and try what’s possible. A night for the brain to process everything will help a lot after not coming here last year. Tomorrow we will come back with fresh ideas and more energy.”
More, from a press release issued by Monster Energy Yamaha:
MONSTER ENERGY YAMAHA MOTOGP SHOW COMPETITIVE PACE IN MUGELLO ON FRIDAY
Scarperia (Italy), 28th May 2021
GRAND PRIX OF ITALY
FREE PRACTICE
Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP’s Fabio Quartararo and Maverick Viñales successfully completed the first two free practice sessions at the Autodromo Internazionale del Mugello today. Though traffic on track spoiled their fastest laps in FP2, the pair ended the day in 4th and 8th place respectively in the combined session times.
4th FABIO QUARTARARO 1’46.372 (FP2) / 18 + 18 LAPS
8th MAVERICK VIÑALES 1’46.593 (FP1) / 20 + 21 LAPS
Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP’s Fabio Quartararo and Maverick Viñales were quickly up to speed at the start of the Gran Premio d‘Italia Oakley weekend. The duo made the most of the sunny Day-1 track time to get refamiliarised with the technically challenging and physically demanding Autodromo Internazionale del Mugello. They secured the 4th and 8th fastest time respectively in the combined free practice results.
Quartararo didn‘t linger in the Tuscan sunshine this morning. He soon got into the groove and slotted into first place with a 1’47.566s, set on lap 6/18, making it an early Factory Yamaha 1-2. The Frenchman went on to improve the feeling with his medium rear tyre. His earlier red-hot time kept him in the top 3 for most of FP1, but he ultimately finished in 8th place, 0.973s off the fastest time.
El Diablo was all fired up and ready to make further improvements in FP2. He used most of the session to further fine-tune his bike‘s settings in preparation for the typical last-minute Friday afternoon shoot-out. Once he had a soft rear tyre fitted, he was on course to take over the top spot. However, heavy traffic on track spoiled his flying lap. On his second try he still managed to better his best morning lap by 1.194s, to take fourth place in the FP2 and the combined timesheets, with a 1‘46.372s, 0.225 from the top.
Viñales is known to be a big fan of the Mugello track, and it clearly showed in FP1. The Spaniard was immediately happy with the base setting of his YZR-M1 and soon took over the top spot, before shifting his attention to the race set-up. Top Gun kept on improving and set a 1‘46.593s on lap 19/20, to keep hold of first place with a 0.209s advantage over second.
In the afternoon, the number-12 rider focused on race tyre selection. He used the first half of the session to try a hard-hard option and later switched to a hard-medium, that moved him into the provisional top 5. Then with ten minutes remaining, it was time for action in the mini time attack and to change from medium-medium to medium-soft. Viñales was unlucky to hit traffic on track whilst setting red sectors, and he also had a small run off in Turn 9. He had time for two more attempts and wrapped up FP2 with a 1‘47,195s lap, that saw him in 17th position, 1.048s from first. However, his fastest morning time kept him in joint seventh place in the combined FP results.
MASSIMO MEREGALLI
TEAM DIRECTOR
The end result of today doesn‘t actually tell the full story of what we have achieved at Mugello so far. Fabio and Maverick are both really fast here and were feeling quite comfortable with their bikes right from the start of FP1. In FP2, we already spent some time testing different tyre choices for Sunday and we have a good idea of which options we do and do not like. It’s positive that the bike is working well, and we are already working on the fine-tuning to achieve a consistent pace for the race. It‘s a shame that both our riders hit traffic on track when they were on their fast laps. It was unfortunate timing, but it is clear that we have a competitive pace. Tomorrow we will focus on getting a top-10 position in FP3, and then we’ll do some further preparations for the race in FP4.
Fabio Quartararo (20). Photo courtesy Monster Energy Yamaha.
FABIO QUARTARARO
Honestly, I had a bad feeling in the morning with the rear tyre. But this afternoon, with the same compound, I made great laps with great consistency. My second run was really good. I was doing 1’47-low on five laps. Our pace is looking really good, and I’m feeling comfortable. We still have some little things to improve. Things like tweaking the electronics and my riding rather than the setting of the bike. Overall, I’m feeling good, and I think we have great potential at this track. I made a good lap in FP2, but I honestly don’t know how, because there were so many riders cruising in sector 1, 3, and 4.
Maverick Vinales (12). Photo courtesy Monster Energy Yamaha.
MAVERICK VIÑALES
I felt good straight away in FP1. I just felt really good on the track. I was feeling on point both in the morning and in the afternoon. I think tomorrow we will make a big jump in terms of lap time, because today we didn’t do a good time attack. It wasn’t good at all, so for sure we can be faster. But, anyway, what’s most important is our rhythm, and we are building up the confidence step by step, like in Le Mans, where I felt really good on the first laps of the race. I feel like I had the potential to win there, had it stayed dry. We need to keep going forwards.
More, from a press release issued by LCR Honda Idemitsu:
TAKA SHOWS HIS POTENTIAL ON DAY ONE AT MUGELLO
LCR Honda IDEMITSU rider Takaaki Nakagami made an encouraging start to the Italian Grand Prix as free practice got underway at a sunny Mugello on Friday. The Japanese star finished the day in 7th position on the timesheets and looks on track to progress directly to Q2 when the MotoGP class reconvene for qualifying on Saturday.
Arriving on the back of three successive top-10 finishes, Taka again demonstrated the potential to challenge at the front of the field at what is one of his favourite circuits. The LCR man ended FP1 in 11th spot, but he improved by over a second in FP2 to comfortably break into the top 10 and is confident about his chances this weekend.
Takaaki Nakagami (30). Photo courtesy LCR Honda.
Takaaki Nakagami – 7th
(1’46.593)
“So, in FP2 I was able to follow behind Bagnaia, he was P1 , it was a good distance to be and helped us understand our potential. It was very interesting and I’m happy about our pace as we did many laps in the low 47s which is pretty good. Of course, we need to improve in some areas, especially sector 2, as we didn’t have the best performance there and some corners I was not in a good shape. So, we’ll try to improve there and prepare for FP3 as we have the potential to fight at the front. I’m confident for tomorrow and let’s see what FP3 brings.”
More, from a press release issued by Ducati Lenovo Team:
Italian GP. Pecco Bagnaia sets the fastest time at the end of Friday’s free practices at Mugello. Tenth place for Jack Miller
Francesco Bagnaia leads the way at the end of Day 1 of free practices for the MotoGP Grand Prix of Italy, the home race of the Ducati Lenovo Team, that is held this weekend on the fascinating ups and downs of the Mugello Circuit. Sixth, at the end of this morning’s first run, Pecco was able to put into practice the excellent work done with his team in today’s two sessions, as he set the fastest time of the day at the end of FP2 in 1:46.147.
Jack Miller had positive sensations today, as he closed Friday with the tenth time overall in 1:46.688, just 541 thousandths behind his teammate. The Australian rider has focused mainly on fine-tuning his Desmosedici GP, primarily working with the different tyre options available for Sunday’s race. With the weather forecasted to be clear tomorrow, Miller aims to attempt his time attack in FP3 to confirm his place in the top ten and move directly into Q2.
Francesco Bagnaia (63). Photo courtesy Ducati.
Francesco Bagnaia (#63 Ducati Lenovo Team) – 1st (1:46.147)
“I’m delighted with this first day at Mugello! Compared to previous GPs, here I have felt much more comfortable right from the start! We did a great job on the setup of the Desmosedici, which allowed me to immediately find the feeling with the bike and set my best time ever on this track! The Italian GP is our home race, and it was crucial to get a good start. Tomorrow, after the time-attack in FP3, we’ll also have the FP4 session available to confirm some choices and, if we continue in this direction, I’m sure that we can fight for the top positions in the race”.
Jack Miller (43). Photo courtesy Ducati.
Jack Miller (#43 Ducati Lenovo Team) – 10th (1:46.688)
“It’s really nice to finally be back on track at Mugello, a truly fantastic track! Today, we focused mainly on understanding how the three different tyres we have for the race work. We valued the characteristic of each option, also finding the modifications that we need to do on the bike’s setup. Tomorrow in the FP3, I will try my real time attack with the soft tyre to secure a spot directly in Q2. All in all, I’m delighted with this first day here”.
The Ducati Lenovo Team will be back on track tomorrow at 9:55 am local time (CEST) for the third free practice session, while qualifying will take place in the afternoon, starting at 2:10 pm, at the end of FP4
More, from a press release issued by LCR Honda Castrol:
ÁLEX MÁRQUEZ LOOKING FOR MORE INTENSITY AT MUGELLO
Álex Márquez is targeting constant progress at the Italian Grand Prix this weekend after his first outing around Mugello on MotoGP machinery. The LCR Honda CASTROL rider improved throughout free practice on Friday, but still has work to do ahead of qualifying after finishing a competitive first day of free practice in 18th.
Round six of the 2021 World Championship got underway with the famous Tuscan circuit bathed in sunshine today. Fresh from his confidence-boosting 6th place at Le Mans, Álex finished FP1 in 19th position – just a tenth behind brother Marc Márquez. He then bettered his time by a second in FP2 as he ended in 18th, but was only a second behind top spot in a typically bunched session.
Alex Marquez (73). Photo courtesy LCR Honda.
Álex Márquez – 18th
(1’47.326)
“It’s the first day at Mugello and first time here on a MotoGP bike. It’s a long track, a tricky track and was difficult at the beginning. We made a good step from the morning to the afternoon, but there are still many things to improve. We are only 1.1 seconds behind the top rider, so everything is so close and tomorrow we need to keep pushing and making steps. It’s a weekend where we need to make constant progress, so this afternoon I will try to analyse everything to try to improve everywhere or identify which points we need to improve most. Tomorrow from the morning we need to be more competitive and show the intensity we did today in the afternoon.”
More, from a press release issued by Team Suzuki ECSTAR:
TEAM SUZUKI ECSTAR KICK OFF MUGELLO WITH STRONG FORM
Italian GP Day 1:
Alex Rins: 2nd – 1’46.218 (+ 0.071)
Joan Mir: 12th – 1’46.847 (+ 0.700)
The lush green hills of Tuscany welcomed Team Suzuki Ecstar and the MotoGP™ World Championship for Round 6 at Mugello circuit.
Alex Rins and Joan Mir quickly found form on the technical and high speed track in the morning, placing themselves in the Top five and bringing their times down lap after lap. The pair closed FP1 in third and fourth respectively, with Rins featuring highly in three out of the four lap sectors.
The afternoon’s FP2 saw the mercury rise and the lap times continue to fall. Rins and Mir maintained their good feelings on board their GSX-RRs and were determined to keep themselves within the Top 10. They managed this well, although towards the end of the session Mir didn’t have the optimum feeling and he also lost a couple of fast laps due to traffic on the track and he was knocked to 12th in the combined standings. Meanwhile Rins was able to top the session, only slipping to second place right at the last moment, and just +0.071 from first.
Ken Kawauchi – Technical Manager:
“Today went well, a better start than some weekends. As you know, this track has a long straight, so we thought we might struggle a bit, but our base settings are working very well and we’re feeling quite confident. Alex got second today and Joan’s performance was also good, but he lost some laps when he was stuck in traffic. We’re looking forward to tomorrow’s FP3, where we’re hoping to get direct passage into Q2.”
Alex Rins (42). Photo courtesy Team Suzuki ECSTAR.
Alex Rins:
“Today was a good and productive day in the office! From FP1 I tried to find the flow needed to get the most out of Mugello. I managed to get that feeling quickly and I felt strong when trying different tyre options. I was able to set good lap times in both sessions, especially in FP2, but we will continue to work because it’s sure to be a close race. We’ve made some improvements in terms of electronics and so far the bike feels good and we feel pretty confident about the coming days.”
Joan Mir (36). Photo courtesy Team Suzuki ECSTAR.
Joan Mir:
“This track is really special; high speed, hard braking, and fast corners. My feelings are good, and the bike has nice potential here. I feel like I could’ve finished a bit higher today because I had a few small issues with my setup, and I felt like I was fighting against the bike a bit, I wasn’t flowing and smooth. I also lost some laps at the end of FP2 which was a bit frustrating. Tomorrow I’ll try to find a better flow and see what I can do, but overall it’s been a good day.”
More, from a press release issued by Aprilia Gresini Racing:
ALEIX WORKS ON PACE AT MUGELLO AND PLACES IN THE TOP 10
LORENZO ON HIS MAIDEN MOTOGP ROUND AT THE TUSCAN TRACK
At a Mugello racetrack bathed in an almost summer sun, the first day of MotoGP practice got underway. The script was the one we’ve all become accustomed to for the category: two fiercely competitive sessions, minimum gaps and, in the combined standings, 17 riders all within one second of one another.
Aleix Espargaró work on pace in the morning session, using only one rear tyre and developing his feeling on a track where, although he knows it well, he last competed in 2019. The afternoon FP2 session heated up in the final moments, with repeated time attacks aimed at taking a top-10 placement and, with it, provisional access to the second qualifying session (Q2). Mission accomplished for the Aprilia standard bearer, with a time of 1’46.655, just over one half of a second behind the leader.
Lorenzo Savadori, on the other hand, underwent his “baptism of fire”, astride a MotoGP bike for the first time here at Mugello. Therefore, he needed the first day to establish his references, which are vastly different for this category. In any case, the Italian rookie kept the gap down to 1.5 seconds, improving between the morning and afternoon by more than one second.
Aleix Espargaro (41) leading teammate Lorenzo Savadori (32). Photo courtesy Aprilia.
ALEIX ESPARGARO’
“I am satisfied with the way the RS-GP is performing in Mugello. It is definitely an important test bench for our project, which is consistently proving to be competitive. I have never been this fast on this track. I am truly very happy. I had some problems with my right arm which I had surgery on recently. I knew that this would be a demanding track and having the operation was undoubtedly the right decision. We’ll be managing the issue over the coming days, but I don’t think it will be a limitation.”
Lorenzo Savadori (32). Photo courtesy Aprilia.
LORENZO SAVADORI
“Turning laps at Mugello with a MotoGP bike is incredible. Not only because of the speed, which is extremely high on the straight, but also because of the way you tackle the braking sections. Personally, I am happy with the way it went. Of course, the right moment to try for good times will be tomorrow morning, but I’m not far from the best. This is also taking into consideration that I made a mistake on the last turn during my attempt with a new tyre, losing a lot of time. I feel like we can improve a bit coming out of turns, but the bike is working extremely well and it is improving constantly.”
Ready For Action: Tom McComas suited up on location for Deadpool 2.
Featured In the May 2021 issue of Roadracing World:
In the 1978 movie Hooper, actors Burt Reynolds and Jan-Michael Vincent portrayed Hollywood stuntmen working in the film industry. Vehicle crashes, high falls, fight scenes, and huge car jumps highlighted the action/comedy and the real work done by stunt performers every day in the entertainment industry.
But where do stuntmen come from? In the case of Tom McComas, they come from the streets of Chicago and the world of road racing. “I was just fascinated with motorcycles from a young age,” said McComas. “My dad had an old BMW R 60 that I used to take out without his knowledge and taught myself how to ride. I amazingly never crashed that, and I still don’t know how that’s possible…”
—Hanging With Racer-Turned-Hollywood-Stuntman Tom McComas
Tom McComas honed his skills on two wheels racing on the streets and on the track, then used those skills on the silver screen. Read the story of a motorcyclist whose work you are most likely familiar with, even if you don’t know his name – it’s in the latest issue of Roadracing World!
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American Kayla Yaakov (69) in action at Misano. Photo courtesy Yamaha Racing.
2021 Yamaha R3 bLU cRU European Cup Gets Underway with Misano Test
The 2021 Yamaha R3 bLU cRU European Cup officially got underway with pre-season testing at Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli (23 – 24 May), where the 25 promising young talents got a first taste of their Yamaha R3 bikes and received their race kits for the season.
Designed to provide a route from national to international racing, the Yamaha R3 bLU cRU European Cup is a new series open to riders aged between 12 and 20 years. The championship will be contested over six rounds, with two races per weekend, in support of the FIM Superbike World Championship.
Yamaha R3 bLU cRU European Cup participants with American Kayla Yaakov at the far right. Photo courtesy Yamaha Racing.
On the first day in Misano, the riders were issued with their KYT helmets, Gaerne Boots and Gimoto leathers, and were given a Welcome Brief to introduce them to the series. The youngsters were also presented with their Yamaha R3 machinery, which they would be riding for the first time on the second day.
Before the riders got going, they took part in a technical workshop in the morning of day two, to gain a better understanding for how to set-up and work with their bikes, while they also attended a riders’ briefing.
On-track action was split into six 20-minute sessions, with the ever-changing conditions meaning the competitors got to experience riding with both the slick and rain compound Pirelli tyres. After a wet first session, the track continued to dry until the rain returned ahead of the fifth session, which was forced to be cancelled, before it dried up again for the final run ahead of the 2021 campaign.
American Kayla Yaakov (69) testing at Misano. Photo courtesy Yamaha Racing.
The young riders will return to the Italian venue on 11 – 12 June for the opening round of the season, where they will go head-to-head to become the first winners of the Yamaha R3 bLU cRU European Cup. As well as the 25 permanent riders, there’s still an opportunity for youngsters to join the series at various rounds as wildcards after the Misano opener.
Alberto Barozzi
Yamaha Motor Europe bLU cRU Racing Manager
Exciting! A simple word that perfectly describes the awesome atmosphere that was created during this first official test. We have already got to know all of the bLU cRU riders during the three Yamaha R3 bLU cRU European Cup digital Masterclass sessions, but to meet all of them live was great. During the two intensive days in Misano, the reaction was perfect, and immediately they have welcomed the bLU cRU spirt and its philosophy of respect. On the performance side, the level that all of them showed on track was very encouraging considering their young age and limited experience. Of course, they have room to continue to improve under our guidance. Thanks to all the parents that followed the riders during the two days, they all showed great attention and passion to support them in the right way. The staff had a really big task in getting everything prepared ahead of this first meeting, they did a great job and everything ran very smoothly. A personal thanks to the JIR Organization, all the partners that were able to be there: Pirelli, Sutter, Ohlins, Gimoto, and to everyone else that has supported this new project, including Pata, NL and Dorna, who have all come together to support the new racing generation. We now look forward to the first round in Misano to see our bLU cRU riders in competition and around the WorldSBK paddock.
Lowes leads Raul Fernandez as Moto2™ get down to business at Mugello
Once again it’s the Brit on top and the rookie in hot pursuit, with Navarro P3 after a big move up the timesheets in FP2
Sam Lowes (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) was top of the pile on Friday at the Gran Premio d’Italia Oakley, the Brit pulling 0.184 clear of rookie sensation Raul Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo) to once again prove the man to beat on Day 1. Jorge Navarro (MB Conveyors Speed Up) completed the top three, 0.308 off the top.
FP1
Joe Roberts (Italtrans Racing Team) ruled the morning session, the American striking late to take over at the top by just over two tenths. Championship leader Remy Gardner (Red Bull KTM Ajo) slotted into second, the Australian also enjoying some close company from Sam Lowes as the Brit was just 0.020 back.
Raul Fernandez, despite having only ridden round Mugello in the World Championship as a Moto3™ rookie, left no doubt he’d once again be a threat near the front as he started off his weekend in fourth too, just ahead of fellow Moto2™ rookie Tony Arbolino (Liqui Moly Intact GP) as the 2019 Moto3™ winner completed the top five.
There was one faller in the morning, wildcard Tommaso Marcon (MV Agusta Forward Racing), as he took a tumble at Scarperia aka Turn 10.
FP2
The afternoon was when Lowes hit back to take over. Raul Fernandez ruled for most of the session but the Brit pulled a fast one on his 13th and 17th laps to take over at the top and beat his own best, respectively. Raul Fernandez was forced to settle for second, with Navarro going from P20 in FP1 to complete the top three in the afternoon and overall. Marco Bezzecchi (Sky Racing Team VR46) was fourth in FP2, with Arbolino completing the top five with more good speed.
Roberts went from quickest in FP1 to first crasher of the session in FP2, but rider ok, with Tom Lüthi (Pertamina Mandalika SAG Team), Somkiat Chantra (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) and Marcos Ramirez (American Racing) also taking tumbles, riders ok.
Combined timesheets
Overall it’s the FP2 top three who reign: Lowes, Raul Fernandez and Navarro. Roberts’ best from FP1 puts the American into fourth on the combined timesheets though, relegating Bezzecchi to fifth. Arbolino is sixth.
Championship leader Remy Gardner (Red Bull KTM Ajo) ends the day in P7 thanks to his FP1 best, with the Australian also fluffing a faster effort in the afternoon that says there’s likely more to come. Fabio Di Giannantonio (Federal Oil Gresini Moto2) slots into P8 ahead of Xavi Vierge (Petronas Sprinta Racing), with Augusto Fernandez (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) completing the top ten courtesy of his FP1 best.
Marcel Schrötter (Liqui Moly Intact GP), Aron Canet (Kipin Energy Aspar Team), Somkiat Chantra and Hector Garzo (Flexbox HP 40) are the last set to move through to Q1 as it stands, although FP3 gives the grid another shot at the top. Tune in for that on Saturday morning before qualifying for the intermediate class from 15:10 (GMT +2).
Binder pulls a fast one to go two tenths clear on Friday
The South African leads the way, with Foggia and McPhee for closest company as Moto3™ get reacquainted with Mugello
Darryn Binder (Petronas Sprinta Racing) leads the way after Friday at the Gran Premio d’Italia Oakley, the South African timing it to perfection to slipstream to the line and end the day two tenths clear at the top. Dennis Foggia (Leopard Racing) slotted into second even later in FP2, with John McPhee (Petronas Sprinta Racing) completing the top three overall on Friday.
Championship leader Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Ajo) ended the day in P16, the rookie getting his first taste of Mugello on Moto3™ machinery this weekend.
FP1
Under the Tuscan sun of the Mugello morning it was Gabriel Rodrigo (Indonesian Racing Gresini Moto3) moving the goalposts furthest mid-session, but 2014 winner Romano Fenati (Sterilgarda Max Racing Team) was flexing his pace with a consistent run of speed in the latter stages of FP1. Compatriot and 2017 Mugello winner Andrea Migno (Rivacold Snipers Team) hit back though, nearly half a second clear by the end of the session. Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Jaume Masia took third, a tenth and a half off Fenati.
Niccolo Antonelli (Avintia Esponsorama Moto3) was another two tenths down in fourth, but it tightened up just behind the number 23. Binder was within 0.014 of the Italian and Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Tech3) within 0.015 of the South African, which is no mean feat from the Turk as he rides at the track for the first time in the Moto3™ World Championship.
There were no crashes in FP1.
FP2
The afternoon was when Binder took over on top, the South African tucking in behind Andrea Migno to set his fastest effort, completing a consistent day of speed in Italy from the number 40. Foggia and McPhee struck late in the rush to complete the top three, with Fenati taking fourth and Rodrigo completing the top five in the session with more good speed.
In the afternoon, and with no one having crashed in FP1, Championship leader Acosta took the dubious honour of the only crasher of the day, but the rookie sensation was up and ok; more focused on a solid step forward made in the afternoon despite a more difficult FP1.
Combined Timesheets
Everyone improved in the afternoon, so the FP2 timesheets and the combined timesheets are one and the same. That leaves Binder leading the way from Foggia, McPhee, Fenati and Rodrigo.
Tatsuki Suzuki (SCI58 Squadra Corse) is sixth overall after a P12 in FP1, with the top ten on the combined times completed by Öncü, Antonelli, Migno and Masia.
Riccardo Rossi (BOE Owlride) ends the day in a solid P11 fresh from his first podium, with 2019 Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup Mugello race winner Carlos Tatay (Avintia Esponsorama Moto3) in P12 on his first race weekend in Moto3™ at the track. Stefano Nepa (BOE Owlride) and Jason Dupasquier (CarXpert PrüstelGP) are the last two currently on for a place in Q2, with Ayumu Sasaki (Red Bull KTM Tech3) pipped to it by just 0.017 in fifteenth. The Japanese rider is on a consistent run on race day and is the first name looking to move forward in FP3.
The second, who was also second to Tatay in that Rookies race at the venue in 2019, is rookie Pedro Acosta. The Championship leader, Sasaki, Le Mans winner Sergio Garcia (Valresa GASGAS Aspar Team) and French GP first time podium finisher Filip Salač (Rivacold Snipers Team) are just some of those looking to move up on Saturday morning, with FP3 set to begin at 9:00 (GMT +2) to decide who goes straight through to Q2.
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