Luciano duels Gurecky to take hard-fought first win of the year
It all comes down to the wire as Race 1 at Le Mans begins the season in style
Lorenzo Luciano (81) leads Jakub Gurecky during NTC Race One at Le Mans. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Saturday, 15 May 2021
Lorenz Luciano (Junior Black Knights Team) is the first race winner of the 2021 Northern Talent Cup, the Belgian coming out on top in a race-long duel to take victory by less than a tenth in tricky conditions at Le Mans. Jakub Gurecky (JRT Brno Circuit) was the rider just denied in second, with his teammate Jonas Kocourek taking a lonelier but commendable third as Round 1 Race 1 started wet and then dried out throughout the 15 laps.
It was polesitter and rookie Rossi Moor (FAIRIUM Next Generation Riders Team) who took the holeshot, but the Hungarian was soon hit by bad luck in the first dose of drama: overcooking it out of the chicane, the number 92 slid out the lead, leaving Luciano to take over. From there, experience and speed from some familiar 2020 frontrunners started to show as Luciano led from Gurecky, and Kocourek, Jacopo Hosciuc (Hos Racing Team) and Niklas Kitzbichler (Racing-Team-Kitzbichler) squabbled it out.
As the laps ticked by, however, Luciano and Gurecky started to make a break for it. The gap extended and extended as the 59 led first before the 81 struck back, but by the final few laps it was an almost as-you-were, locked together and everything set for a duel to the flag.
That’s exactly what we got, as Gurecky steamed past for the ead at Turn 1 on the last lap and prepared to defend from the Junior Black Knights rider behind. The next lunge was a huge dive from Luciano early on the final lap, and the metres lost seemed almost insurmountable but not so. The number 81 somehow clawed his way back onto the rear of the Czech rider, so would he try it again and could he? Yes and yes, and this time he made it stick. The ball was in Gurecky’s court and as the final chance for a dive up the inside before the drag to the line approached, and the Czech rider looked tempted… but it wasn’t to be.
They crossed the line glued together but with Luciano ahead, the Belgian taking the first win of the season and by definition, the points lead. Gurecky’s P2 was impressive nevertheless, with teammate Kocourek completing the podium after pulling well clear of those on the chase.
They were led by an impressive ride from Lennox Phommara (Phommara Team) as the Swiss rookie took fourth place late on, coming back into it to overcome an impressive but slightly fading Kitzbichler, as did Dustin Schneider (PrüstelGP Junior Team) as the German completed the top five. Kitzbichler takes a solid sixth. Where’s Hosciuc? The Romanian sadly crashed out and will be another out for revenge on Sunday, along with Rossi Moor.
Seventh went to Kas Beekmans (Team KNMV) as the Dutchman had a solid first race of 2021, with Noel Willemsen (PrüstelGP Junior Team) taking P8. Tibor Varga (Forty Racing Team) took ninth, the Hungarian impressing to get back into the top ten despite a double Long Lap for a jump start. Compatriot rookie Kevin Farkas (FAIRIUM Next Generation Riders Team) completed the top ten.
That’s it from Sunday and it’s advantage Luciano after Race 1. Race 2 gives Gurecky chance to fight back and the likes of Moor and Hosciuc the stage to bounce back… but how will the conditions change? All will be revealed as the lights go out for Race 2 at the adjusted time of 16:25 (GMT +2)!
Granado takes the spoils in dramatic wet E-Pole at Le Mans
The Brazilian heads the grid from Pons and Ferrari as the weather takes a turn in France
Saturday, 15 May 2021
Eric Granado (One Energy Racing) is two from two on Saturdays so far in 2021, the Brazilian ultimately coming out on top in a wet, delayed and difficult E-Pole at Le Mans. If the session is declared wet it’s a maximum of six laps each, including in and out laps, with all riders on track in a shortened session. So after a delay, a number of crashes and then plenty Yellow Flag infringements, the number 51 takes it… and that despite his first MotoE™ highside! Second went to impressive rookie Miquel Pons (LCR E-Team), with 2019 Cup winner Matteo Ferrari (Indonesian E-Racing Gresini MotoE) emerging in third.
But let’s rewind back to the start. Just before most of the MotoE™ riders were about to head out, there was an almighty downpour and the Red Flags came out, with those who had headed out quickly making it back. The rain didn’t stay around long but it was certainly still wet, wet, wet on track by the time the session restarted, and it was Dynavolt Intact GP’s Dominique Aegerter’s 2:03.417 that proved the first benchmark time.
Lukas Tulovic (Tech3 E-Racing) then hit the deck at Turn 3 on his second flying lap, before Yonny Hernandez (Octo Pramac MotoE) crashed at the final corner. Granado next pulled out three seconds on his second lap to take over at the top with a real stunner, before the Brazilian was next to crash as he highsided at Turn 3. Thankfully he was back up on his feet quickly, but in the meantime rookie Pons had cut the advantage to 0.1s…
Aegerter was then at the summit with a 2:00.251, 0.064s ahead of Granado, but Pons then moved the goalposts to a 1:58.384. Aegerter, on his next lap, returned to P1 by 0.101s but just ahead of him, Mattia Casadei (Ongetta SIC58 Squadra Corse) crashed at the final corner.
Initially it was Aegerter on top but there was post-session drama. Because of a number of crashes, a whole host of riders were having their laps cancelled for Yellow Flag infringements – including the Swiss rider. Pons and other parc ferme attendee Hikari Okubo (Avant Ajo MotoE) also had their laps chalked off, and so did fourth place Fermin Aldeguer (Openbank Aspar Team). This promoted Granado to P1, with all the other changes eventually seeing Pons hold onto P2, with 2019 Cup winner Ferrari completing the front row. The two veterans said of the drama that it’s nice to have the dice roll your way, but one day the luck won’t be on your side with the rule – and that overall, safety comes first with Yellow Flags.
So on Row 2, Xavi Cardelus (Avintia Esponsorama Racing) and title leader Alessandro Zaccone (Octo Pramac MotoE) will sit ahead of Aegerter, in P4 and P5 respectively, with the Swiss rider shuffled down to sixth.
Andrea Mantovani (Indonesian E-Racing MotoE) was another rider to profit from cancelled laps in P7 as Aldeguer slips to P8, and the 16-year-old is one place ahead of former MotoGP™ rider Hernandez. Okubo, who was in parc ferme, will be starting P10 in the end… just ahead of reigning Cup winner Jordi Torres (Pons Racing 40), who will be one rider especially eager to make short work of the start, as will Tulovic next to him.
Drama aplenty in MotoE™ on Saturday, what will Round 2 of the season bring on Sunday afternoon? Don’t forget the race is now after MotoGP™ at 15:30 local time (GMT+2), with another eight laps of stunning competition primed come rain or shine.
MotoE™ front row
1 Eric Granado – One Energy Racing – Energica – 2:00.315
2 Miquel Pons – LCR E-Team – Energica – +0.101
3 Matteo Ferrari – Indonesian E-Racing Gresini MotoE – Energica – +0.340
Eric Granado: “I’m ok, fortunately, I’m ok although it was a big crash! Finally the pole position came, to be honest… this is the rules and it had to be like this, but it’s good for me. My first highside on these bikes but happy I’m ok and ready for tomorrow.
“The feeling was very good, all weekend I had a good feeling in the dry and it was the first time in the wet with my new team. To be honest the setting wasn’t perfect, especially for the rear and I was struggling from the beginning. It was sliding a lot from the first touch of the gas, then I tried a bit of a different line and speed to improve…and crashed! It was good it was in wet E-Pole and I could do more than one lap, even if I crashed it was still enough for me to have a classification. If I crashed with just one lap it would have been very bad for me! So I’m happy, and confident for tomorrow. If it’s dry or wet, we’re ready.”
Possible Changes to the 2021 Season of California RoadRace Association [CRA]
[Buttonwillow, CA] Licensing for CRA opened in February and the response has been huge.
Unfortunately due to construction delays, the new track at Buttonwillow Raceway Park may not be completed in time for the September and October rounds. In the event the track is not ready, CRA will treat 2021 as an exhibition season. While there will be trophies and payouts for each round, overall championships will not be awarded. To be fair to the members, all 2021 licenses will be extended to the end of 2022.
“We’ve been pushing hard to get the new track completed. Last year, when we created the schedule for 2021, we were already deep in the process pushing dirt around. All of that went according to schedule but now we are stuck. We are waiting for the completion of a new asphalt plant that will be erected on site. Also, all building materials needed are on backorder. Like the steel for the three buildings. Even electrical components are out of stock. Almost everything we need is unavailable due to supply disruptions mostly traced to the Covid mess,” said Les Phillips, President of Buttonwillow Raceway Park. “I’ve been excited for CRA to start racing here since we discussed it last year and I bummed that this may compromise their first season.”
“We appreciate our sponsors,” said Gigi Chow, co-founder of California RoadRace Association. “All of them have expressed their understanding and are still excited to be a part of CRA’s inaugural season.”
CRA will continue to update everyone via email and social media as information becomes available. To get timely updates, sign up at www.race-cra.com
“Racers want to race. It sucks, but this isn’t going to stop us. We’re gonna have as many rounds as we can. We are hopeful the new track is done by fall,” said Dustin Coyner, co-founder of California RoadRace Association. “In the meantime, get licensed and sign up for our first event!”
Registration is available now for Round 1 that will be on the old track configuration 13 clockwise June 12 & 13.
Check out the website for the class breakdown, rules and schedule updates: www.race-cra.com
The rookie continues his roll, this time in qualifying, to head Bezzecchi and Roberts on Saturday
Raul Fernandez (25). Photo courtesy Dorna.
There’s something about Red Bull KTM Ajo rookies in 2021! Moto2™’s Raul Fernandez clinched his maiden intermediate class pole position thanks to a 1:50.135 in a damp Q2 at the SHARK Grand Prix de France, beating Marco Bezzecchi (SKY Racing Team VR46) to the top by over two tenths. Q1 graduate Joe Roberts (Italtrans Racing Team) completes the front row, the American pulling some pace out of the bag on Saturday after a difficult Day 1.
A dry Q1 saw Roberts, Ai Ogura (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia), Simone Corsi and MV Agusta Forward Racing teammate Lorenzo Baldassarri earn themselves a shot at pole position in Q2, but a spanner was thrown in the works before the green light. Rain once again started to fall at Le Mans, but once more, it didn’t stay around for long. It was in the air and the surface was damp but tyre choice was far from cemented.
Sam Lowes (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) was out on slick tyres at first and his closest Free Practice challenger Raul Fernandez initially went out on wet tyres, then got a box call, but the Spaniard went straight back out on the wets. Roberts ran straight into the gravel at Turn 8 in some early drama too, as then Lowes pulled into pitlane for… wets.
On track meanwhile, Championship leader Remy Gardner (Red Bull KTM Ajo) was the early pacesetter from Ogura, but there was plenty of drama to come. Ogura crashed unhurt on the exit of Turn 7, Marcel Schrötter (Liqui Moly Intact GP) went down at Turn 14 shortly afterwards and then Jorge Navarro (MB Conveyors Speed Up) was the next to crash at Turn 8. Raul Fernandez was just behind his compatriot and ran straight on too. Nicolo Bulega (Federal Oil Gresini Moto2) and Corsi were the next riders to crash as the field tried to find the limit.
All that while at the top, Roberts was provisional pole, but it didn’t last too long. Raul Fernandez pulled out 1.2s on the American with four and a half minutes to go, but the number 16 soon returned the favour to go back to P1 by 0.6s. Roberts improved his lap again thereafter to go a second clear of the competition, but Gardner was on a charge and was next to take over. Lowes, back out on the wets, moved himself into third in the meantime… but Raul Fernandez was lighting up the timing screens. This time round, it was seventh tenths in his pocket at the top.
With conditions continually improving, Roberts then slotted back into P2 as Gardner made a mistake in the third sector to end his hopes of a pole position. No such mistake came from his teammate. Raul Fernandez pulled out even more time to take over at the top once more, with Bezzecchi then shooting up the timesheets to slot into second. Roberts was demoted to third, but holds on to an impressive front row after a tougher Friday. And Raul Fernandez? No one had an answer for the Moto2™ rookie sensation and the young Spaniard claimed his first intermediate class pole position.
Aron Canet (Inde Aspar Team) left it late to claim P4 in qualifying, his best of the year, and the Spaniard is joined by compatriot Augusto Fernandez (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) and Bo Bendsneyder (Pertamina Mandalika SAG Team) on the second row. Gardner slipped down to P7 in the closing stages and was over a second adrift of his teammate after running wide at Turn 8 on his last lap.
Hector Garzo (Flexbox HP40) recovered from his big Friday crash to pick up a best Saturday result of the season in eighth, just ahead of his teammate Stefano Manzi. And Lowes? There’s work to do for the man second in the Championship after his worst Q2 of the season, the Brit starting down in 10th.
That’s it from a tricky Saturday at Le Mans, with the weather likely to change again on Sunday! Can the rookie hold on, or will it be another shuffle come race day? Find out at 12:20 (GMT +2) local time.
Moto2™ front row:
1 Raul Fernandez – Red Bull KTM Ajo – Kalex – 1:50.135
2 Marco Bezzecchi – Sky Racing Team VR46 – Kalex – +0.240
3 Joe Roberts – Italtrans Racing Team – Kalex – +0.379
Raul Fernandez: “I’m very happy because yesterday was really difficult and today I had two practices in these conditions and I said please no… one maybe ok but two is more difficult! But I’m happy because in FP3 and qualifying was good, the feeling wasn’t the best but I was on top and that’s the most important. Tomorrow we’ll see!”
More, from a press release issued by Italtrans Racing:
Third position and first row for Joe Roberts at Le Mans.
Lorenzo Dalla Porta will start 21st.
Joe Roberts. Photo courtesy Italtrans Racing.
From Spain to France. This weekend the MotoGP World Championship stop at the historic 24 Hours Circuit for the fifth round of the season.
Two weeks on from the Spanish Grand Prix, and having rested and recovered, Italtrans Racing Team is hungry for more at the French GP after a good top ten for Joe Roberts and a race close to the points for Lorenzo Dalla Porta.
A weekend with uncertain weather conditions and a mixed track, which did not stop the hard work of the team in search of the best set up in view of tomorrow’s race.
With a great pace since the free practices, but with several fast laps cancelled due to yellow flags, Joe Roberts was forced to pass from Q1, where he recorded the best time in dry conditions. The American rider set the pace in a wet Q2 too, showing his good feeling with the French track: with a best lap of 1’50”514 he reached the third position on the grid and tomorrow he will start the French GP from the first row.
Dalla Porta didn’t make it thru Q1 with a time of 1’37”231 in wet conditions, finishing 21st the qualifying. Now the Tuscan rider, together with the team, will continue the work to shorten the gap.
Lorenzo Dalla Porta
21° | 1’37”231
“It’s certainly not the position I wanted, but yesterday’s practice went wrong: I was almost 2 seconds behind and we had to make several changes. The weather didn’t help us and today it’s the best I could do. Now we keep on working for tomorrow. The feeling with the bike is good and I can make a comeback race”.
Joe Roberts
3° | 1’50”514
“The weather made this weekend really crazy: on Friday a series of crashes and the yellow flags cancelled my best laps, so I was at the bottom of the standings. We worked hard and today I made a great time in Q1, continuing with the excellent pace in the wet of Q2. I’m very happy with the front row and I’m looking forward to tomorrow’s race: I feel strong in both conditions”.
Giovanni Sandi, Technical Director
“Good qualifying for Joe. Actually, Di Giannantonio slowed him down, otherwise we could have been in pole position: in fact, the ideal time sees us as first. Anyway, we are on the front row and we had a better day after yesterday’s yellow flags. We are ready for both a wet and dry race. Lorenzo struggled more with the conditions, but we are working to make him comfortable”.
Home run: Quartararo takes Le Mans by storm to pip Viñales to pole
The first factory Yamaha team 1-2 since 2017 heads Miller on the front row as qualifying goes down to the wire in France
Fabio Quartararo (20). Photo courtesy Dorna.
Saturday, 15 May 2021
Rain, shine, or something in between? Saturday at the SHARK Grand Prix de France presented quite a challenge for the MotoGP™ grid, but the final few minutes of Q2 eventually delivered a stunning shootout for pole on a dry track. And who came out on top? Home hero Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP), the Frenchman taking back-to-back poles at Le Mans to pip teammate Maverick Viñales to the top and make it a factory Yamaha team 1-2 on the grid for the first time since 2017. Third went to Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team), the Jerez winner just a tenth off pole.
In Q1, a drying track made it anyone’s game and there were a few spills, some thrills and definitely a couple of surprises. Crashing early on despite his impressive pace in a damp FP3, Lorenzo Savadori (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) was jogging back to the pits as the rest got down to really testing out the conditions… but there was a real phoenix moment on the way.
As the track improved more and more, so did the laptimes at the top. But none more than Savadori. The Italian was back out and flexing his wet weather prowess once again as the clock ticked down, and crossing the line the Italian topped the session by a whopping eight tenths of a second. From whom? Fellow rookie Luca Marini (Sky VR46 Avintia). Tagged on to the back of Championship leader and compatriot Francesco Bagnaia, Marini improved and then improved again on his final push to top the session, just before Savadori’s final wonder.
The two rookies moved through then, leaving Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) just knocked out by his teammate, as well as reigning Champion Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar) next up and his teamma Alex Rins. Championship leader Bagnaia? He’ll be 16th on the grid…
And so Q2 began, with no more rain having come down. Decisions needed to be made for the Q2 runners at the beginning of the pole position fight, and we witnessed Valentino Rossi and Petronas Yamaha SRT teammate Franco Morbidelli gamble on slick tyres. Had they taken inspiration from fellow VR46 Acadamy rider Andrea Migno (Rivacold Snipers Team) after his stunning Moto3™ qualifying gamble?
It looked like the Petronas Yamaha SRT squad had made the right call as Miller, Quartararo and Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) pulled straight back in to switch. Pol Espargaro (Repsol Honda Team), Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) and Savadori were also all on slicks, but Johann Zarco (Pramac Racing) wasn’t and was soon on his way back to pitlane for a tyre change – as was Viñales.
By then, the riders on slick tyres were lighting up the timing screens. Rossi was out of the seat at the final corner; his lap was ruined and Morbidelli eclipsed Zarco’s best wet tyre lap, but then Miller demolished them all to go 1.2s quicker than anyone. Pol Espargaro slotted into an early P2 as Quartararo and Savadori clocked into P3 and P4, Morbidelli next to improve to move back up to second. Incredibly though, Miller then cut his best by a second again, and Pol Espargaro once more came through as the Aussie’s closest challenger.
It was far from over. Everyone was constantly improving, and Zarco briefly went provisional pole, Miller beat him by nine tenths and then Pol Espargaro finally demoted Miller to second by 0.157s. Marc Marquez then joined his teammate on the front row with four minutes to go, and Nakagami made it three Hondas in the top four for the time being.
Morbidelli hit back next for second, but not for long. Marc Marquez beat teammate Pol Espargaro by 0.113s, before Nakagami split the two to make it a Honda 1-2-3… and rain then started to fall at Turn 1. It looked like the three HRC men had timed their laps to perfection, but no. Suddenly, Viñales and Zarco set red sectors, before Quartararo did too.
Viñales was the first to cross the line and break Repsol Honda hearts to grab provisional pole position off Marc Marquez, Zarco then took second and Morbidelli also got the better of the number 93’s time. Quartararo was the rider to watch though and, laying it all on the line in the final sector, it was going down to Yamaha vs Yamaha for pole. Could he hold on? he could. El Diablo beat his teammate’s time by 0.081s, and a shadowing Miller came through to snatched a late front row as well.
The first factory Yamaha 1-2 since 2017, when a certain Viñales went on to win, joined by the most recent race winner? Another stellar Saturday that – for the third time in a row – belonged to Quartararo. Arm pump surgery to home GP pole is the story of his last couple of weeks, that’s two in a row for Quartararo at Le Mans to boot.
Morbidelli and Zarco’s final flying laps ensure they have solid grid positions for the French GP, in fourth and fifth, with Marc Marquez left down on the outside of the second row by the end of the shuffle. Nakagami and Pol Espargaro – who suffered a late crash at Turn 7 – will also have to settle for les than it seemed had been promised, taking P7 and P8 respectively.
Rossi was able to better his time on the last lap to earn P9 and his best grid position since the season opener with Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) completing the top 10, despite a crash, ahead of Q1 graduates Savadori and Marini. With Bagnaia and the Suzukis looking for quick progress too… Sunday promises plenty.
A French GP qualifying session for the ages, with a Frenchman on pole again. What will Sunday bring? 14:00 local time (GMT+2) is when we’ll find out, with Ducati primed with their holeshot devices, the skies uncertain… and history at stake once again.
Fabio Quartararo: “It feels amazing, because I was so nervous before QP, before it was the first time I was gonna to use medium rear and thought it would be difficult, but on the out lap it was dry and I thought straight away I needed to go back into pitlane, we had a strategy. And then on the last lap I thought… ok, crash or front row. In the last sector I pushed myself to the limit. I didn’t even know I had pole before I arrived here. I saw three bikes in here and thought, ah that’s a shame, I didn’t make it on the front row… that was before I saw my mechanics! But so happy to get pole two years in a row at my home GP.”
Luciano duels Gurecky to take hard-fought first win of the year
It all comes down to the wire as Race 1 at Le Mans begins the season in style
Lorenzo Luciano (81) leads Jakub Gurecky during NTC Race One at Le Mans. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Saturday, 15 May 2021
Lorenz Luciano (Junior Black Knights Team) is the first race winner of the 2021 Northern Talent Cup, the Belgian coming out on top in a race-long duel to take victory by less than a tenth in tricky conditions at Le Mans. Jakub Gurecky (JRT Brno Circuit) was the rider just denied in second, with his teammate Jonas Kocourek taking a lonelier but commendable third as Round 1 Race 1 started wet and then dried out throughout the 15 laps.
It was polesitter and rookie Rossi Moor (FAIRIUM Next Generation Riders Team) who took the holeshot, but the Hungarian was soon hit by bad luck in the first dose of drama: overcooking it out of the chicane, the number 92 slid out the lead, leaving Luciano to take over. From there, experience and speed from some familiar 2020 frontrunners started to show as Luciano led from Gurecky, and Kocourek, Jacopo Hosciuc (Hos Racing Team) and Niklas Kitzbichler (Racing-Team-Kitzbichler) squabbled it out.
As the laps ticked by, however, Luciano and Gurecky started to make a break for it. The gap extended and extended as the 59 led first before the 81 struck back, but by the final few laps it was an almost as-you-were, locked together and everything set for a duel to the flag.
That’s exactly what we got, as Gurecky steamed past for the ead at Turn 1 on the last lap and prepared to defend from the Junior Black Knights rider behind. The next lunge was a huge dive from Luciano early on the final lap, and the metres lost seemed almost insurmountable but not so. The number 81 somehow clawed his way back onto the rear of the Czech rider, so would he try it again and could he? Yes and yes, and this time he made it stick. The ball was in Gurecky’s court and as the final chance for a dive up the inside before the drag to the line approached, and the Czech rider looked tempted… but it wasn’t to be.
They crossed the line glued together but with Luciano ahead, the Belgian taking the first win of the season and by definition, the points lead. Gurecky’s P2 was impressive nevertheless, with teammate Kocourek completing the podium after pulling well clear of those on the chase.
They were led by an impressive ride from Lennox Phommara (Phommara Team) as the Swiss rookie took fourth place late on, coming back into it to overcome an impressive but slightly fading Kitzbichler, as did Dustin Schneider (PrüstelGP Junior Team) as the German completed the top five. Kitzbichler takes a solid sixth. Where’s Hosciuc? The Romanian sadly crashed out and will be another out for revenge on Sunday, along with Rossi Moor.
Seventh went to Kas Beekmans (Team KNMV) as the Dutchman had a solid first race of 2021, with Noel Willemsen (PrüstelGP Junior Team) taking P8. Tibor Varga (Forty Racing Team) took ninth, the Hungarian impressing to get back into the top ten despite a double Long Lap for a jump start. Compatriot rookie Kevin Farkas (FAIRIUM Next Generation Riders Team) completed the top ten.
That’s it from Sunday and it’s advantage Luciano after Race 1. Race 2 gives Gurecky chance to fight back and the likes of Moor and Hosciuc the stage to bounce back… but how will the conditions change? All will be revealed as the lights go out for Race 2 at the adjusted time of 16:25 (GMT +2)!
Granado takes the spoils in dramatic wet E-Pole at Le Mans
The Brazilian heads the grid from Pons and Ferrari as the weather takes a turn in France
Saturday, 15 May 2021
Eric Granado (One Energy Racing) is two from two on Saturdays so far in 2021, the Brazilian ultimately coming out on top in a wet, delayed and difficult E-Pole at Le Mans. If the session is declared wet it’s a maximum of six laps each, including in and out laps, with all riders on track in a shortened session. So after a delay, a number of crashes and then plenty Yellow Flag infringements, the number 51 takes it… and that despite his first MotoE™ highside! Second went to impressive rookie Miquel Pons (LCR E-Team), with 2019 Cup winner Matteo Ferrari (Indonesian E-Racing Gresini MotoE) emerging in third.
But let’s rewind back to the start. Just before most of the MotoE™ riders were about to head out, there was an almighty downpour and the Red Flags came out, with those who had headed out quickly making it back. The rain didn’t stay around long but it was certainly still wet, wet, wet on track by the time the session restarted, and it was Dynavolt Intact GP’s Dominique Aegerter’s 2:03.417 that proved the first benchmark time.
Lukas Tulovic (Tech3 E-Racing) then hit the deck at Turn 3 on his second flying lap, before Yonny Hernandez (Octo Pramac MotoE) crashed at the final corner. Granado next pulled out three seconds on his second lap to take over at the top with a real stunner, before the Brazilian was next to crash as he highsided at Turn 3. Thankfully he was back up on his feet quickly, but in the meantime rookie Pons had cut the advantage to 0.1s…
Aegerter was then at the summit with a 2:00.251, 0.064s ahead of Granado, but Pons then moved the goalposts to a 1:58.384. Aegerter, on his next lap, returned to P1 by 0.101s but just ahead of him, Mattia Casadei (Ongetta SIC58 Squadra Corse) crashed at the final corner.
Initially it was Aegerter on top but there was post-session drama. Because of a number of crashes, a whole host of riders were having their laps cancelled for Yellow Flag infringements – including the Swiss rider. Pons and other parc ferme attendee Hikari Okubo (Avant Ajo MotoE) also had their laps chalked off, and so did fourth place Fermin Aldeguer (Openbank Aspar Team). This promoted Granado to P1, with all the other changes eventually seeing Pons hold onto P2, with 2019 Cup winner Ferrari completing the front row. The two veterans said of the drama that it’s nice to have the dice roll your way, but one day the luck won’t be on your side with the rule – and that overall, safety comes first with Yellow Flags.
So on Row 2, Xavi Cardelus (Avintia Esponsorama Racing) and title leader Alessandro Zaccone (Octo Pramac MotoE) will sit ahead of Aegerter, in P4 and P5 respectively, with the Swiss rider shuffled down to sixth.
Andrea Mantovani (Indonesian E-Racing MotoE) was another rider to profit from cancelled laps in P7 as Aldeguer slips to P8, and the 16-year-old is one place ahead of former MotoGP™ rider Hernandez. Okubo, who was in parc ferme, will be starting P10 in the end… just ahead of reigning Cup winner Jordi Torres (Pons Racing 40), who will be one rider especially eager to make short work of the start, as will Tulovic next to him.
Drama aplenty in MotoE™ on Saturday, what will Round 2 of the season bring on Sunday afternoon? Don’t forget the race is now after MotoGP™ at 15:30 local time (GMT+2), with another eight laps of stunning competition primed come rain or shine.
MotoE™ front row
1 Eric Granado – One Energy Racing – Energica – 2:00.315
2 Miquel Pons – LCR E-Team – Energica – +0.101
3 Matteo Ferrari – Indonesian E-Racing Gresini MotoE – Energica – +0.340
Eric Granado: “I’m ok, fortunately, I’m ok although it was a big crash! Finally the pole position came, to be honest… this is the rules and it had to be like this, but it’s good for me. My first highside on these bikes but happy I’m ok and ready for tomorrow.
“The feeling was very good, all weekend I had a good feeling in the dry and it was the first time in the wet with my new team. To be honest the setting wasn’t perfect, especially for the rear and I was struggling from the beginning. It was sliding a lot from the first touch of the gas, then I tried a bit of a different line and speed to improve…and crashed! It was good it was in wet E-Pole and I could do more than one lap, even if I crashed it was still enough for me to have a classification. If I crashed with just one lap it would have been very bad for me! So I’m happy, and confident for tomorrow. If it’s dry or wet, we’re ready.”
The new course under construction at Buttonwillow Raceway Park. Photo by CaliPhotography, courtesy CRA.
Possible Changes to the 2021 Season of California RoadRace Association [CRA]
[Buttonwillow, CA] Licensing for CRA opened in February and the response has been huge.
Unfortunately due to construction delays, the new track at Buttonwillow Raceway Park may not be completed in time for the September and October rounds. In the event the track is not ready, CRA will treat 2021 as an exhibition season. While there will be trophies and payouts for each round, overall championships will not be awarded. To be fair to the members, all 2021 licenses will be extended to the end of 2022.
“We’ve been pushing hard to get the new track completed. Last year, when we created the schedule for 2021, we were already deep in the process pushing dirt around. All of that went according to schedule but now we are stuck. We are waiting for the completion of a new asphalt plant that will be erected on site. Also, all building materials needed are on backorder. Like the steel for the three buildings. Even electrical components are out of stock. Almost everything we need is unavailable due to supply disruptions mostly traced to the Covid mess,” said Les Phillips, President of Buttonwillow Raceway Park. “I’ve been excited for CRA to start racing here since we discussed it last year and I bummed that this may compromise their first season.”
“We appreciate our sponsors,” said Gigi Chow, co-founder of California RoadRace Association. “All of them have expressed their understanding and are still excited to be a part of CRA’s inaugural season.”
CRA will continue to update everyone via email and social media as information becomes available. To get timely updates, sign up at www.race-cra.com
“Racers want to race. It sucks, but this isn’t going to stop us. We’re gonna have as many rounds as we can. We are hopeful the new track is done by fall,” said Dustin Coyner, co-founder of California RoadRace Association. “In the meantime, get licensed and sign up for our first event!”
Registration is available now for Round 1 that will be on the old track configuration 13 clockwise June 12 & 13.
Check out the website for the class breakdown, rules and schedule updates: www.race-cra.com
The rookie continues his roll, this time in qualifying, to head Bezzecchi and Roberts on Saturday
Raul Fernandez (25). Photo courtesy Dorna.
There’s something about Red Bull KTM Ajo rookies in 2021! Moto2™’s Raul Fernandez clinched his maiden intermediate class pole position thanks to a 1:50.135 in a damp Q2 at the SHARK Grand Prix de France, beating Marco Bezzecchi (SKY Racing Team VR46) to the top by over two tenths. Q1 graduate Joe Roberts (Italtrans Racing Team) completes the front row, the American pulling some pace out of the bag on Saturday after a difficult Day 1.
A dry Q1 saw Roberts, Ai Ogura (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia), Simone Corsi and MV Agusta Forward Racing teammate Lorenzo Baldassarri earn themselves a shot at pole position in Q2, but a spanner was thrown in the works before the green light. Rain once again started to fall at Le Mans, but once more, it didn’t stay around for long. It was in the air and the surface was damp but tyre choice was far from cemented.
Sam Lowes (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) was out on slick tyres at first and his closest Free Practice challenger Raul Fernandez initially went out on wet tyres, then got a box call, but the Spaniard went straight back out on the wets. Roberts ran straight into the gravel at Turn 8 in some early drama too, as then Lowes pulled into pitlane for… wets.
On track meanwhile, Championship leader Remy Gardner (Red Bull KTM Ajo) was the early pacesetter from Ogura, but there was plenty of drama to come. Ogura crashed unhurt on the exit of Turn 7, Marcel Schrötter (Liqui Moly Intact GP) went down at Turn 14 shortly afterwards and then Jorge Navarro (MB Conveyors Speed Up) was the next to crash at Turn 8. Raul Fernandez was just behind his compatriot and ran straight on too. Nicolo Bulega (Federal Oil Gresini Moto2) and Corsi were the next riders to crash as the field tried to find the limit.
All that while at the top, Roberts was provisional pole, but it didn’t last too long. Raul Fernandez pulled out 1.2s on the American with four and a half minutes to go, but the number 16 soon returned the favour to go back to P1 by 0.6s. Roberts improved his lap again thereafter to go a second clear of the competition, but Gardner was on a charge and was next to take over. Lowes, back out on the wets, moved himself into third in the meantime… but Raul Fernandez was lighting up the timing screens. This time round, it was seventh tenths in his pocket at the top.
With conditions continually improving, Roberts then slotted back into P2 as Gardner made a mistake in the third sector to end his hopes of a pole position. No such mistake came from his teammate. Raul Fernandez pulled out even more time to take over at the top once more, with Bezzecchi then shooting up the timesheets to slot into second. Roberts was demoted to third, but holds on to an impressive front row after a tougher Friday. And Raul Fernandez? No one had an answer for the Moto2™ rookie sensation and the young Spaniard claimed his first intermediate class pole position.
Aron Canet (Inde Aspar Team) left it late to claim P4 in qualifying, his best of the year, and the Spaniard is joined by compatriot Augusto Fernandez (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) and Bo Bendsneyder (Pertamina Mandalika SAG Team) on the second row. Gardner slipped down to P7 in the closing stages and was over a second adrift of his teammate after running wide at Turn 8 on his last lap.
Hector Garzo (Flexbox HP40) recovered from his big Friday crash to pick up a best Saturday result of the season in eighth, just ahead of his teammate Stefano Manzi. And Lowes? There’s work to do for the man second in the Championship after his worst Q2 of the season, the Brit starting down in 10th.
That’s it from a tricky Saturday at Le Mans, with the weather likely to change again on Sunday! Can the rookie hold on, or will it be another shuffle come race day? Find out at 12:20 (GMT +2) local time.
Moto2™ front row:
1 Raul Fernandez – Red Bull KTM Ajo – Kalex – 1:50.135
2 Marco Bezzecchi – Sky Racing Team VR46 – Kalex – +0.240
3 Joe Roberts – Italtrans Racing Team – Kalex – +0.379
Raul Fernandez: “I’m very happy because yesterday was really difficult and today I had two practices in these conditions and I said please no… one maybe ok but two is more difficult! But I’m happy because in FP3 and qualifying was good, the feeling wasn’t the best but I was on top and that’s the most important. Tomorrow we’ll see!”
More, from a press release issued by Italtrans Racing:
Third position and first row for Joe Roberts at Le Mans.
Lorenzo Dalla Porta will start 21st.
Joe Roberts. Photo courtesy Italtrans Racing.
From Spain to France. This weekend the MotoGP World Championship stop at the historic 24 Hours Circuit for the fifth round of the season.
Two weeks on from the Spanish Grand Prix, and having rested and recovered, Italtrans Racing Team is hungry for more at the French GP after a good top ten for Joe Roberts and a race close to the points for Lorenzo Dalla Porta.
A weekend with uncertain weather conditions and a mixed track, which did not stop the hard work of the team in search of the best set up in view of tomorrow’s race.
With a great pace since the free practices, but with several fast laps cancelled due to yellow flags, Joe Roberts was forced to pass from Q1, where he recorded the best time in dry conditions. The American rider set the pace in a wet Q2 too, showing his good feeling with the French track: with a best lap of 1’50”514 he reached the third position on the grid and tomorrow he will start the French GP from the first row.
Dalla Porta didn’t make it thru Q1 with a time of 1’37”231 in wet conditions, finishing 21st the qualifying. Now the Tuscan rider, together with the team, will continue the work to shorten the gap.
Lorenzo Dalla Porta
21° | 1’37”231
“It’s certainly not the position I wanted, but yesterday’s practice went wrong: I was almost 2 seconds behind and we had to make several changes. The weather didn’t help us and today it’s the best I could do. Now we keep on working for tomorrow. The feeling with the bike is good and I can make a comeback race”.
Joe Roberts
3° | 1’50”514
“The weather made this weekend really crazy: on Friday a series of crashes and the yellow flags cancelled my best laps, so I was at the bottom of the standings. We worked hard and today I made a great time in Q1, continuing with the excellent pace in the wet of Q2. I’m very happy with the front row and I’m looking forward to tomorrow’s race: I feel strong in both conditions”.
Giovanni Sandi, Technical Director
“Good qualifying for Joe. Actually, Di Giannantonio slowed him down, otherwise we could have been in pole position: in fact, the ideal time sees us as first. Anyway, we are on the front row and we had a better day after yesterday’s yellow flags. We are ready for both a wet and dry race. Lorenzo struggled more with the conditions, but we are working to make him comfortable”.
Home run: Quartararo takes Le Mans by storm to pip Viñales to pole
The first factory Yamaha team 1-2 since 2017 heads Miller on the front row as qualifying goes down to the wire in France
Fabio Quartararo (20). Photo courtesy Dorna.
Saturday, 15 May 2021
Rain, shine, or something in between? Saturday at the SHARK Grand Prix de France presented quite a challenge for the MotoGP™ grid, but the final few minutes of Q2 eventually delivered a stunning shootout for pole on a dry track. And who came out on top? Home hero Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP), the Frenchman taking back-to-back poles at Le Mans to pip teammate Maverick Viñales to the top and make it a factory Yamaha team 1-2 on the grid for the first time since 2017. Third went to Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team), the Jerez winner just a tenth off pole.
In Q1, a drying track made it anyone’s game and there were a few spills, some thrills and definitely a couple of surprises. Crashing early on despite his impressive pace in a damp FP3, Lorenzo Savadori (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) was jogging back to the pits as the rest got down to really testing out the conditions… but there was a real phoenix moment on the way.
As the track improved more and more, so did the laptimes at the top. But none more than Savadori. The Italian was back out and flexing his wet weather prowess once again as the clock ticked down, and crossing the line the Italian topped the session by a whopping eight tenths of a second. From whom? Fellow rookie Luca Marini (Sky VR46 Avintia). Tagged on to the back of Championship leader and compatriot Francesco Bagnaia, Marini improved and then improved again on his final push to top the session, just before Savadori’s final wonder.
The two rookies moved through then, leaving Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) just knocked out by his teammate, as well as reigning Champion Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar) next up and his teamma Alex Rins. Championship leader Bagnaia? He’ll be 16th on the grid…
And so Q2 began, with no more rain having come down. Decisions needed to be made for the Q2 runners at the beginning of the pole position fight, and we witnessed Valentino Rossi and Petronas Yamaha SRT teammate Franco Morbidelli gamble on slick tyres. Had they taken inspiration from fellow VR46 Acadamy rider Andrea Migno (Rivacold Snipers Team) after his stunning Moto3™ qualifying gamble?
It looked like the Petronas Yamaha SRT squad had made the right call as Miller, Quartararo and Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) pulled straight back in to switch. Pol Espargaro (Repsol Honda Team), Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) and Savadori were also all on slicks, but Johann Zarco (Pramac Racing) wasn’t and was soon on his way back to pitlane for a tyre change – as was Viñales.
By then, the riders on slick tyres were lighting up the timing screens. Rossi was out of the seat at the final corner; his lap was ruined and Morbidelli eclipsed Zarco’s best wet tyre lap, but then Miller demolished them all to go 1.2s quicker than anyone. Pol Espargaro slotted into an early P2 as Quartararo and Savadori clocked into P3 and P4, Morbidelli next to improve to move back up to second. Incredibly though, Miller then cut his best by a second again, and Pol Espargaro once more came through as the Aussie’s closest challenger.
It was far from over. Everyone was constantly improving, and Zarco briefly went provisional pole, Miller beat him by nine tenths and then Pol Espargaro finally demoted Miller to second by 0.157s. Marc Marquez then joined his teammate on the front row with four minutes to go, and Nakagami made it three Hondas in the top four for the time being.
Morbidelli hit back next for second, but not for long. Marc Marquez beat teammate Pol Espargaro by 0.113s, before Nakagami split the two to make it a Honda 1-2-3… and rain then started to fall at Turn 1. It looked like the three HRC men had timed their laps to perfection, but no. Suddenly, Viñales and Zarco set red sectors, before Quartararo did too.
Viñales was the first to cross the line and break Repsol Honda hearts to grab provisional pole position off Marc Marquez, Zarco then took second and Morbidelli also got the better of the number 93’s time. Quartararo was the rider to watch though and, laying it all on the line in the final sector, it was going down to Yamaha vs Yamaha for pole. Could he hold on? he could. El Diablo beat his teammate’s time by 0.081s, and a shadowing Miller came through to snatched a late front row as well.
The first factory Yamaha 1-2 since 2017, when a certain Viñales went on to win, joined by the most recent race winner? Another stellar Saturday that – for the third time in a row – belonged to Quartararo. Arm pump surgery to home GP pole is the story of his last couple of weeks, that’s two in a row for Quartararo at Le Mans to boot.
Morbidelli and Zarco’s final flying laps ensure they have solid grid positions for the French GP, in fourth and fifth, with Marc Marquez left down on the outside of the second row by the end of the shuffle. Nakagami and Pol Espargaro – who suffered a late crash at Turn 7 – will also have to settle for les than it seemed had been promised, taking P7 and P8 respectively.
Rossi was able to better his time on the last lap to earn P9 and his best grid position since the season opener with Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) completing the top 10, despite a crash, ahead of Q1 graduates Savadori and Marini. With Bagnaia and the Suzukis looking for quick progress too… Sunday promises plenty.
A French GP qualifying session for the ages, with a Frenchman on pole again. What will Sunday bring? 14:00 local time (GMT+2) is when we’ll find out, with Ducati primed with their holeshot devices, the skies uncertain… and history at stake once again.
Fabio Quartararo: “It feels amazing, because I was so nervous before QP, before it was the first time I was gonna to use medium rear and thought it would be difficult, but on the out lap it was dry and I thought straight away I needed to go back into pitlane, we had a strategy. And then on the last lap I thought… ok, crash or front row. In the last sector I pushed myself to the limit. I didn’t even know I had pole before I arrived here. I saw three bikes in here and thought, ah that’s a shame, I didn’t make it on the front row… that was before I saw my mechanics! But so happy to get pole two years in a row at my home GP.”
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