Gloves off: Granado defeats Zaccone and Casadei in an electrifying showdown at Le Mans
A freight train fight at the front sees the Brazilian seal the deal at the final corner, with even more drama to come after the flag
Eric Granado (51) takes victory in the MotoE race at Le Mans. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Sunday, 16 May 2021
The FIM Enel MotoE™ World Cup race at the SHARK Grand Prix de France was an instant classic, with One Energy Racing’s Eric Granado emerging victorious after a last lap and last corner attack on Alessandro Zaccone (Octo Pramac MotoE). Even more drama came after that, with Zaccone crossing the line second but then demoted a place for track limits and classified in third. Mattia Casadei (Ongetta SIC58 Squadra Corse) was promoted to second, the Italian’s stunning ride up from the fifth row of the grid to the podium boosted even more.
There was drama from the off as even before the start of the race, both Miquel Pons (LCR E-Team) – who was scheduled to start from P2 – and Andrea Mantovani (Indonesian E-Racing MotoE) crashed on their out-laps, causing them to miss the race.
Once the lights went out though, polesitter Granado got the best getaway but it was Zaccone who was bravest into Turn 3, the Jerez race winner into the lead. The Italian was out of shape as he squeezed on the power but he held on, with everyone else safely negotiating the tricky Turn 3 and 4 chicane on Lap 1 as well. Zaccone was then wide at Turn 8 though and that allowed Dominique Aegerter (Dynavolt Intact GP) to take over at the front. Granado was shoved down to P6 on the opening lap, the Brazilian taking it steady early on.
Then, seemingly out of nowhere, Hikari Okubo (Avant Ajo MotoE) was into P2 from 10th on the grid, and the Japanese rookie was into the lead at Turn 7. It was a sensational start to the race but drama was about to unfold at Turn 3 on the third lap between two rookies: Okubo and Fermin Aldeguer (Openbank Aspar Team). Coming into the chicane hot, Aldeguer was up the inside and both he and Okubo went down, riders ok.
Zaccone was then back in the lead at Turn 11 on Lap 3, as a MotoE™ freight train battled it out in spectacular fashion at Le Mans. The top eight were locked together but Granado was picking his way back through the pack, up to P3 and then swiftly P2 on the penultimate lap, passing Aegerter at Turn 13 – a move we’d see again a couple of minutes later…
Zaccone was the race leader on the last lap but went slightly deep into Turn 3, and that cost him a good exit heading down the hill into Turn 6. Granado pounced. In doing so though, he went wide and left a gap, which Zaccone gobbled up to gain the lead once more. Aegerter nearly tagged the back of Granado at Turn 7 as he and Lukas Tulovic (Tech3 E-Racing) were forced slightly wide, and that allowed Casadei to move into P3.
A move for the race lead didn’t come until Turn 13. Just as he did a lap earlier, Granado sliced his way up the inside, and this time Zaccone was the victim for the lead. The Italian snapped straight back though and shoved it up the inside at the final corner, but he was wide and Granado slipped back through. That was that and the Brazilian takes a stunning first win of the year after battling through in style. Zaccone crossed the line second, ahead of Casadei, but then the timing screens changed: the number 61 had a one position penalty and would take 16 points. Track limits, for which he’d already had a warning, bit late.
Zaccone is nevertheless still the points leader and now has an eight-point advantage, with Casadei level on points with fourth place finisher Aegerter now after his P2. Granado’s win beings him right back into the title frame having crashed in Jerez.
Reigning World Cup winner Jordi Torres (Pons Racing 40) and sixth place Yonny Hernandez (Octo Pramac MotoE) finished less than a second away from the win, and Tulovic crossed the line in seventh after having held P3 in the latter stages but getting sent wide. Matteo Ferrari (Indonesian E-Racing Gresini MotoE) made a mistake at Turn 10 on the penultimate lap that cost him a chance at fighting for a first rostrum of the year, the 2019 World Cup winner finished P8.
Corentin Perolari (Tech3 E-Racing) and Maria Herrera (Openbank Aspar Team) rounded out the top 10, with Kevin Zannoni (LCR E-Team), Andre Pires (Avintia Esponsorama Racing), teammate Xavi Cardelus, Jasper Iwema (Pons Racing 40) and Aldeguer completing the points.
So that’s that, arguably the best MotoE™ race there has been so far as 2021 continues in dazzling style. The next time we’ll see the MotoE™ riders heading into battle is at the Catalan GP at the start of June, so it’s not long to wait!
MotoE™ podium
1 Eric Granado – One Energy Racing – Energica – 14:33.776
Eric Granado: “I’m very happy! I made a mistake in Jerez and I really wanted redemption here. The weekend was good for me in dry and wet, yesterday I had a nasty crash. Today I was trying to take it easy. In the first laps I had some movements on the rear, I was really calm after that and trying to do clear overtakes and be consistent. Finally, it was good, I had a little more possibility than the others in the braking and I could overtake. I am very happy, this result is really special for me, after so many races with problems so yes very happy. I want to say thank you to my team, for trusting me in my job.”
Score settled! Miller wins wild flag-to-flag in France
Zarco and Quartararo complete the podium on home turf, but Miller reigns supreme as Le Mans delivers a flag-to-flag thriller
Jack Miller (43). Photo courtesy Dorna.
Sunday, 16 May 2021
It says Thriller on the back of his helmet and twice on the bounce that’s now been a fitting moniker for Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team). This time round at the SHARK Grand Prix de France it was a flag-to-flag spectacular that saw him come out on top, overcoming two Long Lap penalties to become the first Australian since Casey Stoner in 2012 to win back-to-back races in the premier class. He said on Thursday he had a score to settle with Le Mans, and settled it now very much is. Johann Zarco (Pramac Racing) hunted down compatriot Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) in the latter stages to take second place, with the French riders completing the podium on home turf and Quartararo now back in the points lead to boot.
Johann Zarco (5). Photo courtesy Dorna.
Ahead of lights out for the premier class, the race was declared dry. No rain had fallen since Warm Up but there were some looming dark clouds in the surrounding area, and tensions were understandably palpable on the grid. The entire field had selected the soft-soft slick Michelins to begin the race on, with some forecasts suggesting there might be some rain on the way…
It was dry for the time being though and as somewhat expected, Miller propelled his Ducati off the line for the holeshot from third on the grid, with both Maverick Viñales (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) and Quartararo holding firm ish to stay inside the top three. Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) had two bites of the cherry for P4 against Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu), first at Turn 7, then Turn 8.
Fabio Quartararo (20) and Jack Miller. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Not long after coming out of Turn 10, Pol Espargaro (Repsol Honda Team) then had a huge moment. The Spaniard stayed on but it gave Valentino Rossi (Petronas Yamaha SRT) and his teammate Franco Morbidelli a look up the inside at Turn 11, but three into one didn’t go and the door was closed on Morbidelli as the Italian ran wide before crashing in the gravel. That caused Rossi and Pol Espargaro to lose places too, with Morbidelli able to re-join but at the back.
Meanwhile at the front, Miller, Viñales and Quartararo were the top three, with fast-starting Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) and Marc Marquez inside the top five… but the rain had started falling. It was light to begin with and Quartararo made a phenomenal two-in-one move on Viñales and Miller at Turn 3, but then it got heavier. On Lap 5, the heavens properly opened and it was time for the field to come into pitlane for a bike swap. For the first time in four years, we had a flag-to-flag.
Miller ran wide at Turn 11 as the riders struggled to finish the lap on slicks, and reigning World Champion Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar) sadly found that out. The number 36 crashed on Lap 5 when the rain started bucketing down, and more drama followed elsewhere in pitlane. Both Miller and teammate Francesco Bagnaia were handed two Long Lap penalties each for speeding in pitlane, and Quartararo pulled into Viñales’ box slot by accident to earn himself a Long Lap. After that, Marc Marquez emerged as the race leader in the shuffle…
Rins was second as the riders re-entered the track too, but at Turn 4, the Spaniard was down. That left Marc Marquez and Quartararo clear of Miller at the front, but the eight-time World Champion was then down at the final corner in another bout of drama not long after. The 93 did manage to get back on track but that put Quartararo back in front as the race leader again. Miller was rapidly closing in but the Australian had two long laps to take. He did so quickly on Laps 9 and 10, getting back out and setting his sights back on Quartararo, soon able to home back in.
On Lap 12, Quartararo dived through the Long Lap penalty area but still came out in P2. His advantage over third place, who then was Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu), was 12 seconds and Miller was in the groove at the front to pull out a four second lead over Quartararo. Zarco was coming though, and the Pramac rider soon grabbed P3 from Nakagami at Turn 3. The Frenchman then started to close down compatriot Quartararo at a high rate of knots as well, nearly two seconds a lap as dry lines started to appear. There was no rain falling either, so could we actually see the riders come into pitlane for another bike swap?
Marc Marquez then crashed again at Turn 6, his second of the race, and he was out on Lap 18. We then saw Miller kick his right leg out on the front straight – was he signalling to get the dry bike ready? He and Quartararo were on the soft and Zarco on the medium, and the Pramac rider was reeling in his compatriot at least with the gap down to 2.5s with seven to go…
Astonishingly, the sun was shining too. Zarco was 1.8s quicker than Quartararo once again, as Alex Marquez (LCR Honda Castrol) and Danilo Petrucci (Tech3 KTM Factory Racing) got the better of Nakagami for P4 and P5 respectively, relegating the Japanese rider to sixth. Bagnaia was on his own charge too after a terrible start and two Long Laps, and he overtook the Japanese rider with six to go.
Further up the road, Zarco had arrived on the scene and blasted past Quartararo on the home straight to take P2, seven seconds behind Miller. In turn, Quartararo had 12 seconds in his pocket to Alex Marquez, so it seemed the podium could be decided, barring any more drama.
Five to go and Zarco was hunting Miller, and there wasn’t time left to come into pitlane, head back out and use the slick tyre advantage – not for the leaders anyway. Miller was holding on with a cracking effort though, his lead was staying just above the five second mark as Bagnaia climbed his way to P4 just down the road.
Three to go. Miller’s lead was 4.9s, Zarco was holding Quartararo at bay by nearly seven seconds, and Bagnaia was eight seconds off the final podium place in fourth. Heading onto Lap 26 of 27, the gap was down to 4.3s between the leading duo and Bagnaia was cutting the gap to Quartararo by nearly two seconds a lap. By the final lap though, it remained Miller’s to lose, his advantage still above the four second mark. Quartararo’s gap to Pecco was 3.4s, and so that was all she wrote after a tense, taught and fairly dramatic French GP.
After banishing the early season demons in Jerez, Miller now sits just 16 points away from the title lead as Zarco returns to the podium following a trickier couple of races in Portugal and Spain. He and Quartararo make it two Frenchman on the podium at the French GP – not bad from the latter who underwent arm pump surgery after the Spanish GP and faced heartbreak at the venue in the wet last year. Bagnaia’s fourth was a uper ride and result after his two Long Lap penalties and a P16 start that saw him lose a few places off the line to boot. He may have lost his World Championship lead, but only by a point…
Petrucci has had a tough start to life as a KTM rider, but the 2020 Le Mans race winner delivered by far his best ride of the season to finish in an impressive P5. LCR Honda’s Alex Marquez also grabs his best result of the season at a circuit he scored a podium at last year, the double World Champion leading teammate Nakagami over the line in sixth and seventh for LCR. Pol Espargaro equals his best finish of the campaign in P8, with Iker Lecuona (Tech3 KTM Factory Racing) snatching P9 off Viñales on the last lap to land a morale-boosting P9. Viñales had to settle for P10 at the chequered flag, a muted result after leading the race in the early stages.
Rossi lost some valuable time in the early stages and The Doctor wasn’t able to make up ground when the rain fell, taking P11 at Le Mans. Luca Marini (Sky VR46 Avintia) was 10 seconds behind his half brother in P12, and the Italian comfortably beat 13th place Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) after a tough weekend for the South African. Reigning Moto2™ World Champion Enea Bastianini (Avintia Esponsorama) and Tito Rabat (Pramac Racing) were the final point scorers, with Morbidelli managing to finish the race but in a lonely P16.
Both Aleix Espargaro and Aprilia Racing Team Gresini teammate Lorenzo Savadori suffered mechanical issues on Sunday afternoon, and Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) joined the Suzukis and Marc Marquez in crashing out.
That was another absolutely breathtaking MotoGP™ race, and our first flag-to-flag in four years. An unbelievable afternoon in northern France sees the top four in the title race sit just 16 points apart, and it’s now Quartararo leading the way from Bagnaia, Zarco and Miller. Next up: the spectacular Mugello… Ducati home turf.
MotoGP™ podium
1 Jack Miller – Ducati Lenovo Team – Ducati – 47:25.473
Jack Miller: “Hectic, very hectic, I mean, it was perfectly still just before but halfway through the race when the rain came, the wind came with it and it was…. honestly, as I came down pitlane, the barrier blew into pitlane and I said they are going to red flag this for sure, but then it dropped off relatively quickly. The first couple laps were dodgy on the wet tyres, but I got going and then I had the long laps, I wasn’t sure why, apparently for speeding. I generally do get speeding tickets in France, not the ones I want! I was able to bosh them out pretty quickly and get to work on Fabio and I got in front of him and I just felt comfortable to be honest, I was just riding into the conditions, I saw Johann was coming so I had to up her a bit for the last five laps but the track was pretty much dry again. I was thinking do I pit or not, because it such a long pit road here and you lose a lot of time so I was just counting down the laps but, yeah, absolutely amazing I can’t believe it. Back to back wins is just fantastic and I can’t thank the team enough, they’re awesome and yeah!”
A Red Bull KTM Ajo 1-2, Bezzecchi in third and a dramatic crash out for Lowes sees Le Mans mix up the standings
Raul Fernandez. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Raul Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo) just continues to impress in the intermediate class, with the Spanish rookie taking a second Moto2™ win in by-now signature style at the front. Teammate Remy Gardner (Red Bull KTM Ajo) kept him honest in the latter stages for another consistent top finish, with Marco Bezzecchi (Sky Racing Team VR46) completing the podium to continue his rostrum run. Sam Lowes (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) crashed out in an early DNF.
With no rain falling since Moto2™ Warm Up, the circuit had a clear dry line after the Moto3™ race. That meant everyone was starting on slicks, and it was Bezzecchi who pounced into the lead from the start as Raul Fernandez managed to cement P2, the field safely negotiating Turns 3 and 4 on Lap 1. There was contact between Gardner and Xavi Vierge (Petronas Sprinta Racing), but disaster was avoided. Not for Aron Canet (Inde Aspar Team) though, who was making early progress before the Spaniard went down hard at Turn 9 on the opening lap, rider ok.
Lap 2 saw Augusto Fernandez (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) crash out of the top three as Raul Fernandez bridged the early gap that Bezzecchi had pulled on the field. World Championship leader Gardner and then-nearest challenger Lowes were P9 and P8 respectively, with the top three – Bezzecchi, Raul Fernandez and Joe Roberts (Italtrans Racing Team) – enjoying a second lead over the gaggle of riders from P4 to P11.
Lap 4 then witnessed three riders all go off the road at Turn 8 – including Lowes. Up the inside of Vierge, Lowes tucked the front as both went down, with Lorenzo Baldassarri (MV Agusta Forward Racing) running wide just ahead of the duo. Unable to get going again, Lowes’ French GP was over. Then, running P2, Roberts was down at Turn 9 after running in too hot on the brakes and clipping Bezzecchi. meanwhile, Raul Fernandez picked up the baton and took over at the front after a dramatic opening handful of laps in the Moto2™ race.
Bo Bendsneyder (Pertamina Mandalika SAG Team) was occupying P3 with Gardner now up to 4th, but he had hard-charging rookie Tony Arbolino (Liqui Moly Intact GP) on his tail. More drama hit just behind too, as Hector Garzo (Flexbox HP40) crashed out from P6 at Turn 11 with a little helping hand from Fabio Di Giannantonio (Federal Oil Gresini Moto2), the Italian handed a Long Lap penalty. Which he took quickly but overcooked so had to do a second.
At the front though, Raul Fernandez was edging his lead up to a second over Bezzecchi, the latter slowly falling into the grasps of the Bendsneyder, Gardner and Arbolino squabble. The leading quintet were six seconds ahead of sixth place Marcel Schrötter (Liqui Moly Intact GP), the German entangled in a fight with rookies Cameron Beaubier (American Racing), Ai Ogura (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) and his teammate Somkiat Chantra (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia), up from well down on the grid.
Raul Fernandez was keeping his advantage around the one second mark, with Bezzecchi pulling nearly a second clear of the trio behind him. On Lap 14, the race leader set a 1:36.993 to stretch his lead to 1.2s over Bezzecchi. However, a lap later it was back down to below a second as Fernandez’s teammate Gardner poached third off Bendsneyder at Turn 11 – the Aussie then 2.2s behind the race leader. A lap later, Arbolino then slipped past Bendsneyder too.
Now in clean air, the Gardner charge was on. A fastest lap of the race came in from the Red Bull KTM Ajo rider but it was only narrowly quicker than Bezzecchi ahead of him, the gap separating the top three set at 1.7s with seven to go. Bezzecchi then made a mistake at Turn 8, running wide onto the green, allowing Gardner to stroll through into P2. With the bit between his teeth, Gardner started to reel in teammate Fernandez by four tenths on Lap 20 of 25, setting up a very intriguing final five laps between two title contenders.
Undeterred though, Raul Fernandez was holding his nerve. As he clocked another lap and headed onto Lap 23, the Spaniard set his fastest lap of the race and his lead was now 1.8s. And with one lap remaining in France, it went up another tenth. No mistakes were made from the rookie sensation on the final lap, and Fernandez crossed the line to win his second race of 2021. Gardner made it a Red Bull KTM Ajo 1-2 as a single point splits Gardner and Raul Fernandez in the overall standings, and Bezzecchi pockets his second podium in a row with a solid P3 ride.
Arbolino landed his best Moto2™ result with a fantastic P4 at Le Mans, just ahead of an impressive ride from Bendsneyder as the Dutch rider earns his best result of the season, the same can be said for sixth place Schrötter. Ogura cements another top 10 in P7 as three rookies finish inside the top 10, Di Giannantonio took P8 after his two Long Laps, a solid salvage job.
Veteran Simone Corsi (MV Agusta Forward Racing) produced his best ride of the season to finish P9, with Jorge Navarro (MB Conveyors Speed Up) completing the top 10. Somkiat Chantra, Nicolo Bulega (Federal Oil Gresini Moto2), Marcos Ramirez (American Racing), reigning Moto3™ World Champion Albert Arenas (Inde Aspar Team) and Hafizh Syahrin (NTW RW Racing GP) are the remaining point scorers.
Beaubier crashed out of sixth place at Turn 3 in the latter stages, Tom Lüthi (Pertamina Mandalika SAG Team) was another rider to crash out of the points.
And so it’s another day that belongs to Red Bull KTM Ajo, as Gardner and Raul Fernandez now sit P1 and P2 in the World Championship. Lowes loses crucial ground as Bezzecchi keeps tabs on his title rivals, with the latter’s home race at Mugello now next up. Tune in for more in a fortnight!
Moto2™ podium:
1 Raul Fernandez – Red Bull KTM Ajo – Kalex – 40:46.101
2 Remy Gardner- Red Bull KTM Ajo – Kalex – +1.490
3 Marco Bezzecchi – Sky Racing Team VR46 – Kalex – +4.599
Raul Fernandez: “It was a really difficult race, especially the second sector was wet, the front tyre was too cool at the start and I waited four or five laps behind Marco. When I thought the tyre was warmer I pushed a bit more, overtook Marco and pushed like in FP2, and it was really good. In the end I could do a good race and I’m really happy. It’s amazing to win again and in difficult conditions. I like this track a lot I remember I got second in the Junior World Championship here in 2018. Incredible, I want to thank my team as they keep me calm in difficult moments and that’s the most important.”
More, from a press release issued by Italtrans Racing:
Best performance in Moto2 for Lorenzo Dalla Porta.
Joe Roberts crashes out fighting for the victory.
Fifth round of the season for the MotoGP World Championship, today on track at Le Mans on the Bugatti Circuit, well known throughout the world for the historic 24 Hours.
A tough French Grand Prix due to the uncertain weather conditions, with positive prospects for Italtrans Racing Team, third in qualifying with Joe Roberts.
Starting from the first row, the American rider immediately searched the lead, but unfortunately he crashed after only four laps while he was 2nd and was pushing to catch the lead.
Best performance in Moto2 for Lorenzo Dalla Porta. Starting 21st on the grid, the Tuscan rider was consistent, riding a comeback race until the 6th position. Unfortunately, in the last five laps, some problems to his arm made him slow down and finish 11th, close to the top ten.
Lorenzo Dalla Porta (19). Photo courtesy Italtrans Racing.
Lorenzo Dalla Porta
11°
“Today the top 6 was within our reach: I was 7th but problems with my arm made my slow down. It’s a shame because the weekend started badly, but it was finishing better. I still got some important points. Now let’s think about our home race”.
Joe Roberts (16) battling Marco Bezzecchi (72) and Raul Fernandez for the lead in the Moto2 race at Le Mans. Photo courtesy Italtrans Racing.
Joe Roberts
nc
“It’s a pity for today. I felt really strong and from the first lap we had the pace to try win the race. I was trying to get close to Bezzecchi to make a pass but he broke a little bit more than I expected and I had to avoid him losing the front. It’s a big shame. We have to take the positive side from this weekend, because we showed we can turn the tide. I’m looking for the test we have in Barcelona and the race in Mugello”.
Giovanni Sandi, Technical Director
“We were better than the others, but Joe made a mistake. On the other hand, Lorenzo had a good race starting from the back and rose to 6th place. It’s a shame about his forearm problem, otherwise he would have had the top six. Today we could have done more: we go home reflecting on these results and preparing for the home GP”.
More, from a press release issued by American Racing Team:
Cameron Beaubier crashes out of top six Moto2 finish in France
Marcos Ramirez earns valuable championship points at Le Mans
LE MANS, France (May 16, 2021) — American Racing faced an uphill battle at Le Mans after Marcos Ramirez and Cameron Beaubier qualified deep in the 31-rider field for the Grand Prix of France, Round 5 of the FIM Moto2 World Championship.
Located southwest of Paris, the 2.6-mile Le Mans Bugatti Grand Prix Race Circuit has 14 corners, nine rights and five lefts. Beaubier, who last raced at Le Mans in 2009, struggled to reacquaint himself with the track amid rapidly changing weather conditions.
“It’s been pretty wild—wet, dry, wet, dry,” said the 28-year-old American. “That made it a little bit tough to learn the track in dry conditions, because everyone just lays the hammer down when it’s full dry. I’m just trying to improve step by step.”
Following the cold, wet morning warmup, partly cloudy skies, temperatures in the low 60s and a light wind greeted riders on the starting grid for the 25-lap race. The track surface was drying quickly, and all the three-cylinder Triumph 765-powered machines were fitted with Dunlop slicks.
Cameron Beaubier (6). Photo courtesy American Racing Team.
Beaubier took advantage of early attrition, marching quickly from his 23rd starting spot into the top 15. By lap 7, he was ninth. Three laps later, the five-time MotoAmerica Superbike champion was seventh.
Beaubier was sixth, leading a group of five and lapping in the low- to mid-1:38s, when he crashed at Turn 3 with five laps remaining in the race.
“Thanks to the team,” he said, “I’ve been getting more comfortable on the bike and making some progress, but sorry at the same time, because we were so close to a good result.”
Marcos Ramirez (42). Photo courtesy American Racing Team.
Ramirez didn’t move forward as quickly as his teammate, even going backward in the opening laps. The 23-year-old Spaniard steadily worked his way into the top 20 and all the way to 14th at the checkers, dipping into the 1:37s on the final lap.
“After some problems yesterday for the qualifying, I’m happy about taking two points,” said Ramirez. “The race was strange: I lost so much time in the beginning. Then, I started to recover a lot. The last 10 laps were so good.”
KTM Ajo rider Raul Fernandez won the race. His teammate, Remy Gardner, was second and leads the title chase by one point. After five rounds, Beaubier is 16th in the championship standings. Ramirez is 21st.
Round 6 of the FIM Moto2 World Championship, the Grand Prix of Italy at the Autodromo Internazionale del Mugello, is May 28-30.
About the American Racing Team
The American Racing Team is owned by Avner Kass and Eitan Butbul and competes in the FIM MotoGP World Championship. Based in California, the team fields two riders in the Moto2 class: American Cameron Beaubier (No. 6) and Spaniard Marcos Ramirez (No. 42). American Racing has grown under Butbul’s guidance and is a respected member of the MotoGP paddock.
South Beloit, IL – It was a cool overcast day with intermittent light rain at Blackhawk Farms Raceway when 16 teams lined up to start Round 4 of the ASRA Team Challenge by presented Michelin Tire for the 2021 season.
Once again Farrell Performance (Jason Farrell, Calvin Martinez) entered their ZX-6R in both GTO and GTU classes and started the race with the GTU machines from the sixth row of the grid. The surprise for the first 40 laps of the race was the Birch Racing/B&D House team (Dorsey Birch, Jody Barry) hung with the leader and even passed the favorite at one point before they crashed and brought out the lone red flag of the event.
Once cleanup was done, the only question was who would finish second as Fast Lane Racing (Jason Gibbens) put up a strong fight before succumbing to TSE Wolfpack (Stefan Dolipski, Carl Soltisz) after the restart.
With the win, Farrell Performance continued its push for another ASRA Team Challenge Overall Championship, opening the point lead to 36 points over 7-time Champion Grease Monkey Racing (Stephen Hoffman, Eric Helmbach) with 3 rounds left in the Series.
For more racing information visit www.asraracing.com or call us at (817) 246-1127. Join ASRA in the greatest road racing experience available today!
The ASRA Team Challenge overall podium (from left): TSE Wolfpack’s Stefan Dolipski and Carl Soltisz, Farrell Performance’s Calvin Martinez and Jason Farrell, and Fast Lane Racing’s Jason Gibbens. Photo courtesy ASRA.
Editorial Note: Use the scroll and zoom tools in the bottom left corner of the PDF viewer to better see all of the results.
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.”
Gloves off: Granado defeats Zaccone and Casadei in an electrifying showdown at Le Mans
A freight train fight at the front sees the Brazilian seal the deal at the final corner, with even more drama to come after the flag
Eric Granado (51) takes victory in the MotoE race at Le Mans. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Sunday, 16 May 2021
The FIM Enel MotoE™ World Cup race at the SHARK Grand Prix de France was an instant classic, with One Energy Racing’s Eric Granado emerging victorious after a last lap and last corner attack on Alessandro Zaccone (Octo Pramac MotoE). Even more drama came after that, with Zaccone crossing the line second but then demoted a place for track limits and classified in third. Mattia Casadei (Ongetta SIC58 Squadra Corse) was promoted to second, the Italian’s stunning ride up from the fifth row of the grid to the podium boosted even more.
There was drama from the off as even before the start of the race, both Miquel Pons (LCR E-Team) – who was scheduled to start from P2 – and Andrea Mantovani (Indonesian E-Racing MotoE) crashed on their out-laps, causing them to miss the race.
Once the lights went out though, polesitter Granado got the best getaway but it was Zaccone who was bravest into Turn 3, the Jerez race winner into the lead. The Italian was out of shape as he squeezed on the power but he held on, with everyone else safely negotiating the tricky Turn 3 and 4 chicane on Lap 1 as well. Zaccone was then wide at Turn 8 though and that allowed Dominique Aegerter (Dynavolt Intact GP) to take over at the front. Granado was shoved down to P6 on the opening lap, the Brazilian taking it steady early on.
Then, seemingly out of nowhere, Hikari Okubo (Avant Ajo MotoE) was into P2 from 10th on the grid, and the Japanese rookie was into the lead at Turn 7. It was a sensational start to the race but drama was about to unfold at Turn 3 on the third lap between two rookies: Okubo and Fermin Aldeguer (Openbank Aspar Team). Coming into the chicane hot, Aldeguer was up the inside and both he and Okubo went down, riders ok.
Zaccone was then back in the lead at Turn 11 on Lap 3, as a MotoE™ freight train battled it out in spectacular fashion at Le Mans. The top eight were locked together but Granado was picking his way back through the pack, up to P3 and then swiftly P2 on the penultimate lap, passing Aegerter at Turn 13 – a move we’d see again a couple of minutes later…
Zaccone was the race leader on the last lap but went slightly deep into Turn 3, and that cost him a good exit heading down the hill into Turn 6. Granado pounced. In doing so though, he went wide and left a gap, which Zaccone gobbled up to gain the lead once more. Aegerter nearly tagged the back of Granado at Turn 7 as he and Lukas Tulovic (Tech3 E-Racing) were forced slightly wide, and that allowed Casadei to move into P3.
A move for the race lead didn’t come until Turn 13. Just as he did a lap earlier, Granado sliced his way up the inside, and this time Zaccone was the victim for the lead. The Italian snapped straight back though and shoved it up the inside at the final corner, but he was wide and Granado slipped back through. That was that and the Brazilian takes a stunning first win of the year after battling through in style. Zaccone crossed the line second, ahead of Casadei, but then the timing screens changed: the number 61 had a one position penalty and would take 16 points. Track limits, for which he’d already had a warning, bit late.
Zaccone is nevertheless still the points leader and now has an eight-point advantage, with Casadei level on points with fourth place finisher Aegerter now after his P2. Granado’s win beings him right back into the title frame having crashed in Jerez.
Reigning World Cup winner Jordi Torres (Pons Racing 40) and sixth place Yonny Hernandez (Octo Pramac MotoE) finished less than a second away from the win, and Tulovic crossed the line in seventh after having held P3 in the latter stages but getting sent wide. Matteo Ferrari (Indonesian E-Racing Gresini MotoE) made a mistake at Turn 10 on the penultimate lap that cost him a chance at fighting for a first rostrum of the year, the 2019 World Cup winner finished P8.
Corentin Perolari (Tech3 E-Racing) and Maria Herrera (Openbank Aspar Team) rounded out the top 10, with Kevin Zannoni (LCR E-Team), Andre Pires (Avintia Esponsorama Racing), teammate Xavi Cardelus, Jasper Iwema (Pons Racing 40) and Aldeguer completing the points.
So that’s that, arguably the best MotoE™ race there has been so far as 2021 continues in dazzling style. The next time we’ll see the MotoE™ riders heading into battle is at the Catalan GP at the start of June, so it’s not long to wait!
MotoE™ podium
1 Eric Granado – One Energy Racing – Energica – 14:33.776
Eric Granado: “I’m very happy! I made a mistake in Jerez and I really wanted redemption here. The weekend was good for me in dry and wet, yesterday I had a nasty crash. Today I was trying to take it easy. In the first laps I had some movements on the rear, I was really calm after that and trying to do clear overtakes and be consistent. Finally, it was good, I had a little more possibility than the others in the braking and I could overtake. I am very happy, this result is really special for me, after so many races with problems so yes very happy. I want to say thank you to my team, for trusting me in my job.”
Score settled! Miller wins wild flag-to-flag in France
Zarco and Quartararo complete the podium on home turf, but Miller reigns supreme as Le Mans delivers a flag-to-flag thriller
Jack Miller (43). Photo courtesy Dorna.
Sunday, 16 May 2021
It says Thriller on the back of his helmet and twice on the bounce that’s now been a fitting moniker for Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team). This time round at the SHARK Grand Prix de France it was a flag-to-flag spectacular that saw him come out on top, overcoming two Long Lap penalties to become the first Australian since Casey Stoner in 2012 to win back-to-back races in the premier class. He said on Thursday he had a score to settle with Le Mans, and settled it now very much is. Johann Zarco (Pramac Racing) hunted down compatriot Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) in the latter stages to take second place, with the French riders completing the podium on home turf and Quartararo now back in the points lead to boot.
Johann Zarco (5). Photo courtesy Dorna.
Ahead of lights out for the premier class, the race was declared dry. No rain had fallen since Warm Up but there were some looming dark clouds in the surrounding area, and tensions were understandably palpable on the grid. The entire field had selected the soft-soft slick Michelins to begin the race on, with some forecasts suggesting there might be some rain on the way…
It was dry for the time being though and as somewhat expected, Miller propelled his Ducati off the line for the holeshot from third on the grid, with both Maverick Viñales (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) and Quartararo holding firm ish to stay inside the top three. Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) had two bites of the cherry for P4 against Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu), first at Turn 7, then Turn 8.
Fabio Quartararo (20) and Jack Miller. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Not long after coming out of Turn 10, Pol Espargaro (Repsol Honda Team) then had a huge moment. The Spaniard stayed on but it gave Valentino Rossi (Petronas Yamaha SRT) and his teammate Franco Morbidelli a look up the inside at Turn 11, but three into one didn’t go and the door was closed on Morbidelli as the Italian ran wide before crashing in the gravel. That caused Rossi and Pol Espargaro to lose places too, with Morbidelli able to re-join but at the back.
Meanwhile at the front, Miller, Viñales and Quartararo were the top three, with fast-starting Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) and Marc Marquez inside the top five… but the rain had started falling. It was light to begin with and Quartararo made a phenomenal two-in-one move on Viñales and Miller at Turn 3, but then it got heavier. On Lap 5, the heavens properly opened and it was time for the field to come into pitlane for a bike swap. For the first time in four years, we had a flag-to-flag.
Miller ran wide at Turn 11 as the riders struggled to finish the lap on slicks, and reigning World Champion Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar) sadly found that out. The number 36 crashed on Lap 5 when the rain started bucketing down, and more drama followed elsewhere in pitlane. Both Miller and teammate Francesco Bagnaia were handed two Long Lap penalties each for speeding in pitlane, and Quartararo pulled into Viñales’ box slot by accident to earn himself a Long Lap. After that, Marc Marquez emerged as the race leader in the shuffle…
Rins was second as the riders re-entered the track too, but at Turn 4, the Spaniard was down. That left Marc Marquez and Quartararo clear of Miller at the front, but the eight-time World Champion was then down at the final corner in another bout of drama not long after. The 93 did manage to get back on track but that put Quartararo back in front as the race leader again. Miller was rapidly closing in but the Australian had two long laps to take. He did so quickly on Laps 9 and 10, getting back out and setting his sights back on Quartararo, soon able to home back in.
On Lap 12, Quartararo dived through the Long Lap penalty area but still came out in P2. His advantage over third place, who then was Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu), was 12 seconds and Miller was in the groove at the front to pull out a four second lead over Quartararo. Zarco was coming though, and the Pramac rider soon grabbed P3 from Nakagami at Turn 3. The Frenchman then started to close down compatriot Quartararo at a high rate of knots as well, nearly two seconds a lap as dry lines started to appear. There was no rain falling either, so could we actually see the riders come into pitlane for another bike swap?
Marc Marquez then crashed again at Turn 6, his second of the race, and he was out on Lap 18. We then saw Miller kick his right leg out on the front straight – was he signalling to get the dry bike ready? He and Quartararo were on the soft and Zarco on the medium, and the Pramac rider was reeling in his compatriot at least with the gap down to 2.5s with seven to go…
Astonishingly, the sun was shining too. Zarco was 1.8s quicker than Quartararo once again, as Alex Marquez (LCR Honda Castrol) and Danilo Petrucci (Tech3 KTM Factory Racing) got the better of Nakagami for P4 and P5 respectively, relegating the Japanese rider to sixth. Bagnaia was on his own charge too after a terrible start and two Long Laps, and he overtook the Japanese rider with six to go.
Further up the road, Zarco had arrived on the scene and blasted past Quartararo on the home straight to take P2, seven seconds behind Miller. In turn, Quartararo had 12 seconds in his pocket to Alex Marquez, so it seemed the podium could be decided, barring any more drama.
Five to go and Zarco was hunting Miller, and there wasn’t time left to come into pitlane, head back out and use the slick tyre advantage – not for the leaders anyway. Miller was holding on with a cracking effort though, his lead was staying just above the five second mark as Bagnaia climbed his way to P4 just down the road.
Three to go. Miller’s lead was 4.9s, Zarco was holding Quartararo at bay by nearly seven seconds, and Bagnaia was eight seconds off the final podium place in fourth. Heading onto Lap 26 of 27, the gap was down to 4.3s between the leading duo and Bagnaia was cutting the gap to Quartararo by nearly two seconds a lap. By the final lap though, it remained Miller’s to lose, his advantage still above the four second mark. Quartararo’s gap to Pecco was 3.4s, and so that was all she wrote after a tense, taught and fairly dramatic French GP.
After banishing the early season demons in Jerez, Miller now sits just 16 points away from the title lead as Zarco returns to the podium following a trickier couple of races in Portugal and Spain. He and Quartararo make it two Frenchman on the podium at the French GP – not bad from the latter who underwent arm pump surgery after the Spanish GP and faced heartbreak at the venue in the wet last year. Bagnaia’s fourth was a uper ride and result after his two Long Lap penalties and a P16 start that saw him lose a few places off the line to boot. He may have lost his World Championship lead, but only by a point…
Petrucci has had a tough start to life as a KTM rider, but the 2020 Le Mans race winner delivered by far his best ride of the season to finish in an impressive P5. LCR Honda’s Alex Marquez also grabs his best result of the season at a circuit he scored a podium at last year, the double World Champion leading teammate Nakagami over the line in sixth and seventh for LCR. Pol Espargaro equals his best finish of the campaign in P8, with Iker Lecuona (Tech3 KTM Factory Racing) snatching P9 off Viñales on the last lap to land a morale-boosting P9. Viñales had to settle for P10 at the chequered flag, a muted result after leading the race in the early stages.
Rossi lost some valuable time in the early stages and The Doctor wasn’t able to make up ground when the rain fell, taking P11 at Le Mans. Luca Marini (Sky VR46 Avintia) was 10 seconds behind his half brother in P12, and the Italian comfortably beat 13th place Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) after a tough weekend for the South African. Reigning Moto2™ World Champion Enea Bastianini (Avintia Esponsorama) and Tito Rabat (Pramac Racing) were the final point scorers, with Morbidelli managing to finish the race but in a lonely P16.
Both Aleix Espargaro and Aprilia Racing Team Gresini teammate Lorenzo Savadori suffered mechanical issues on Sunday afternoon, and Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) joined the Suzukis and Marc Marquez in crashing out.
That was another absolutely breathtaking MotoGP™ race, and our first flag-to-flag in four years. An unbelievable afternoon in northern France sees the top four in the title race sit just 16 points apart, and it’s now Quartararo leading the way from Bagnaia, Zarco and Miller. Next up: the spectacular Mugello… Ducati home turf.
MotoGP™ podium
1 Jack Miller – Ducati Lenovo Team – Ducati – 47:25.473
Jack Miller: “Hectic, very hectic, I mean, it was perfectly still just before but halfway through the race when the rain came, the wind came with it and it was…. honestly, as I came down pitlane, the barrier blew into pitlane and I said they are going to red flag this for sure, but then it dropped off relatively quickly. The first couple laps were dodgy on the wet tyres, but I got going and then I had the long laps, I wasn’t sure why, apparently for speeding. I generally do get speeding tickets in France, not the ones I want! I was able to bosh them out pretty quickly and get to work on Fabio and I got in front of him and I just felt comfortable to be honest, I was just riding into the conditions, I saw Johann was coming so I had to up her a bit for the last five laps but the track was pretty much dry again. I was thinking do I pit or not, because it such a long pit road here and you lose a lot of time so I was just counting down the laps but, yeah, absolutely amazing I can’t believe it. Back to back wins is just fantastic and I can’t thank the team enough, they’re awesome and yeah!”
A Red Bull KTM Ajo 1-2, Bezzecchi in third and a dramatic crash out for Lowes sees Le Mans mix up the standings
Raul Fernandez. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Raul Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo) just continues to impress in the intermediate class, with the Spanish rookie taking a second Moto2™ win in by-now signature style at the front. Teammate Remy Gardner (Red Bull KTM Ajo) kept him honest in the latter stages for another consistent top finish, with Marco Bezzecchi (Sky Racing Team VR46) completing the podium to continue his rostrum run. Sam Lowes (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) crashed out in an early DNF.
With no rain falling since Moto2™ Warm Up, the circuit had a clear dry line after the Moto3™ race. That meant everyone was starting on slicks, and it was Bezzecchi who pounced into the lead from the start as Raul Fernandez managed to cement P2, the field safely negotiating Turns 3 and 4 on Lap 1. There was contact between Gardner and Xavi Vierge (Petronas Sprinta Racing), but disaster was avoided. Not for Aron Canet (Inde Aspar Team) though, who was making early progress before the Spaniard went down hard at Turn 9 on the opening lap, rider ok.
Lap 2 saw Augusto Fernandez (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) crash out of the top three as Raul Fernandez bridged the early gap that Bezzecchi had pulled on the field. World Championship leader Gardner and then-nearest challenger Lowes were P9 and P8 respectively, with the top three – Bezzecchi, Raul Fernandez and Joe Roberts (Italtrans Racing Team) – enjoying a second lead over the gaggle of riders from P4 to P11.
Lap 4 then witnessed three riders all go off the road at Turn 8 – including Lowes. Up the inside of Vierge, Lowes tucked the front as both went down, with Lorenzo Baldassarri (MV Agusta Forward Racing) running wide just ahead of the duo. Unable to get going again, Lowes’ French GP was over. Then, running P2, Roberts was down at Turn 9 after running in too hot on the brakes and clipping Bezzecchi. meanwhile, Raul Fernandez picked up the baton and took over at the front after a dramatic opening handful of laps in the Moto2™ race.
Bo Bendsneyder (Pertamina Mandalika SAG Team) was occupying P3 with Gardner now up to 4th, but he had hard-charging rookie Tony Arbolino (Liqui Moly Intact GP) on his tail. More drama hit just behind too, as Hector Garzo (Flexbox HP40) crashed out from P6 at Turn 11 with a little helping hand from Fabio Di Giannantonio (Federal Oil Gresini Moto2), the Italian handed a Long Lap penalty. Which he took quickly but overcooked so had to do a second.
At the front though, Raul Fernandez was edging his lead up to a second over Bezzecchi, the latter slowly falling into the grasps of the Bendsneyder, Gardner and Arbolino squabble. The leading quintet were six seconds ahead of sixth place Marcel Schrötter (Liqui Moly Intact GP), the German entangled in a fight with rookies Cameron Beaubier (American Racing), Ai Ogura (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) and his teammate Somkiat Chantra (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia), up from well down on the grid.
Raul Fernandez was keeping his advantage around the one second mark, with Bezzecchi pulling nearly a second clear of the trio behind him. On Lap 14, the race leader set a 1:36.993 to stretch his lead to 1.2s over Bezzecchi. However, a lap later it was back down to below a second as Fernandez’s teammate Gardner poached third off Bendsneyder at Turn 11 – the Aussie then 2.2s behind the race leader. A lap later, Arbolino then slipped past Bendsneyder too.
Now in clean air, the Gardner charge was on. A fastest lap of the race came in from the Red Bull KTM Ajo rider but it was only narrowly quicker than Bezzecchi ahead of him, the gap separating the top three set at 1.7s with seven to go. Bezzecchi then made a mistake at Turn 8, running wide onto the green, allowing Gardner to stroll through into P2. With the bit between his teeth, Gardner started to reel in teammate Fernandez by four tenths on Lap 20 of 25, setting up a very intriguing final five laps between two title contenders.
Undeterred though, Raul Fernandez was holding his nerve. As he clocked another lap and headed onto Lap 23, the Spaniard set his fastest lap of the race and his lead was now 1.8s. And with one lap remaining in France, it went up another tenth. No mistakes were made from the rookie sensation on the final lap, and Fernandez crossed the line to win his second race of 2021. Gardner made it a Red Bull KTM Ajo 1-2 as a single point splits Gardner and Raul Fernandez in the overall standings, and Bezzecchi pockets his second podium in a row with a solid P3 ride.
Arbolino landed his best Moto2™ result with a fantastic P4 at Le Mans, just ahead of an impressive ride from Bendsneyder as the Dutch rider earns his best result of the season, the same can be said for sixth place Schrötter. Ogura cements another top 10 in P7 as three rookies finish inside the top 10, Di Giannantonio took P8 after his two Long Laps, a solid salvage job.
Veteran Simone Corsi (MV Agusta Forward Racing) produced his best ride of the season to finish P9, with Jorge Navarro (MB Conveyors Speed Up) completing the top 10. Somkiat Chantra, Nicolo Bulega (Federal Oil Gresini Moto2), Marcos Ramirez (American Racing), reigning Moto3™ World Champion Albert Arenas (Inde Aspar Team) and Hafizh Syahrin (NTW RW Racing GP) are the remaining point scorers.
Beaubier crashed out of sixth place at Turn 3 in the latter stages, Tom Lüthi (Pertamina Mandalika SAG Team) was another rider to crash out of the points.
And so it’s another day that belongs to Red Bull KTM Ajo, as Gardner and Raul Fernandez now sit P1 and P2 in the World Championship. Lowes loses crucial ground as Bezzecchi keeps tabs on his title rivals, with the latter’s home race at Mugello now next up. Tune in for more in a fortnight!
Moto2™ podium:
1 Raul Fernandez – Red Bull KTM Ajo – Kalex – 40:46.101
2 Remy Gardner- Red Bull KTM Ajo – Kalex – +1.490
3 Marco Bezzecchi – Sky Racing Team VR46 – Kalex – +4.599
Raul Fernandez: “It was a really difficult race, especially the second sector was wet, the front tyre was too cool at the start and I waited four or five laps behind Marco. When I thought the tyre was warmer I pushed a bit more, overtook Marco and pushed like in FP2, and it was really good. In the end I could do a good race and I’m really happy. It’s amazing to win again and in difficult conditions. I like this track a lot I remember I got second in the Junior World Championship here in 2018. Incredible, I want to thank my team as they keep me calm in difficult moments and that’s the most important.”
More, from a press release issued by Italtrans Racing:
Best performance in Moto2 for Lorenzo Dalla Porta.
Joe Roberts crashes out fighting for the victory.
Fifth round of the season for the MotoGP World Championship, today on track at Le Mans on the Bugatti Circuit, well known throughout the world for the historic 24 Hours.
A tough French Grand Prix due to the uncertain weather conditions, with positive prospects for Italtrans Racing Team, third in qualifying with Joe Roberts.
Starting from the first row, the American rider immediately searched the lead, but unfortunately he crashed after only four laps while he was 2nd and was pushing to catch the lead.
Best performance in Moto2 for Lorenzo Dalla Porta. Starting 21st on the grid, the Tuscan rider was consistent, riding a comeback race until the 6th position. Unfortunately, in the last five laps, some problems to his arm made him slow down and finish 11th, close to the top ten.
Lorenzo Dalla Porta (19). Photo courtesy Italtrans Racing.
Lorenzo Dalla Porta
11°
“Today the top 6 was within our reach: I was 7th but problems with my arm made my slow down. It’s a shame because the weekend started badly, but it was finishing better. I still got some important points. Now let’s think about our home race”.
Joe Roberts (16) battling Marco Bezzecchi (72) and Raul Fernandez for the lead in the Moto2 race at Le Mans. Photo courtesy Italtrans Racing.
Joe Roberts
nc
“It’s a pity for today. I felt really strong and from the first lap we had the pace to try win the race. I was trying to get close to Bezzecchi to make a pass but he broke a little bit more than I expected and I had to avoid him losing the front. It’s a big shame. We have to take the positive side from this weekend, because we showed we can turn the tide. I’m looking for the test we have in Barcelona and the race in Mugello”.
Giovanni Sandi, Technical Director
“We were better than the others, but Joe made a mistake. On the other hand, Lorenzo had a good race starting from the back and rose to 6th place. It’s a shame about his forearm problem, otherwise he would have had the top six. Today we could have done more: we go home reflecting on these results and preparing for the home GP”.
More, from a press release issued by American Racing Team:
Cameron Beaubier crashes out of top six Moto2 finish in France
Marcos Ramirez earns valuable championship points at Le Mans
LE MANS, France (May 16, 2021) — American Racing faced an uphill battle at Le Mans after Marcos Ramirez and Cameron Beaubier qualified deep in the 31-rider field for the Grand Prix of France, Round 5 of the FIM Moto2 World Championship.
Located southwest of Paris, the 2.6-mile Le Mans Bugatti Grand Prix Race Circuit has 14 corners, nine rights and five lefts. Beaubier, who last raced at Le Mans in 2009, struggled to reacquaint himself with the track amid rapidly changing weather conditions.
“It’s been pretty wild—wet, dry, wet, dry,” said the 28-year-old American. “That made it a little bit tough to learn the track in dry conditions, because everyone just lays the hammer down when it’s full dry. I’m just trying to improve step by step.”
Following the cold, wet morning warmup, partly cloudy skies, temperatures in the low 60s and a light wind greeted riders on the starting grid for the 25-lap race. The track surface was drying quickly, and all the three-cylinder Triumph 765-powered machines were fitted with Dunlop slicks.
Cameron Beaubier (6). Photo courtesy American Racing Team.
Beaubier took advantage of early attrition, marching quickly from his 23rd starting spot into the top 15. By lap 7, he was ninth. Three laps later, the five-time MotoAmerica Superbike champion was seventh.
Beaubier was sixth, leading a group of five and lapping in the low- to mid-1:38s, when he crashed at Turn 3 with five laps remaining in the race.
“Thanks to the team,” he said, “I’ve been getting more comfortable on the bike and making some progress, but sorry at the same time, because we were so close to a good result.”
Marcos Ramirez (42). Photo courtesy American Racing Team.
Ramirez didn’t move forward as quickly as his teammate, even going backward in the opening laps. The 23-year-old Spaniard steadily worked his way into the top 20 and all the way to 14th at the checkers, dipping into the 1:37s on the final lap.
“After some problems yesterday for the qualifying, I’m happy about taking two points,” said Ramirez. “The race was strange: I lost so much time in the beginning. Then, I started to recover a lot. The last 10 laps were so good.”
KTM Ajo rider Raul Fernandez won the race. His teammate, Remy Gardner, was second and leads the title chase by one point. After five rounds, Beaubier is 16th in the championship standings. Ramirez is 21st.
Round 6 of the FIM Moto2 World Championship, the Grand Prix of Italy at the Autodromo Internazionale del Mugello, is May 28-30.
About the American Racing Team
The American Racing Team is owned by Avner Kass and Eitan Butbul and competes in the FIM MotoGP World Championship. Based in California, the team fields two riders in the Moto2 class: American Cameron Beaubier (No. 6) and Spaniard Marcos Ramirez (No. 42). American Racing has grown under Butbul’s guidance and is a respected member of the MotoGP paddock.
Jason Farrell (86) on his Farrell Performance Kawasaki. Photo by Ryan Nolan/RyHNoFoto, courtesy of ASRA/CCS.
South Beloit, IL – It was a cool overcast day with intermittent light rain at Blackhawk Farms Raceway when 16 teams lined up to start Round 4 of the ASRA Team Challenge by presented Michelin Tire for the 2021 season.
Once again Farrell Performance (Jason Farrell, Calvin Martinez) entered their ZX-6R in both GTO and GTU classes and started the race with the GTU machines from the sixth row of the grid. The surprise for the first 40 laps of the race was the Birch Racing/B&D House team (Dorsey Birch, Jody Barry) hung with the leader and even passed the favorite at one point before they crashed and brought out the lone red flag of the event.
Once cleanup was done, the only question was who would finish second as Fast Lane Racing (Jason Gibbens) put up a strong fight before succumbing to TSE Wolfpack (Stefan Dolipski, Carl Soltisz) after the restart.
With the win, Farrell Performance continued its push for another ASRA Team Challenge Overall Championship, opening the point lead to 36 points over 7-time Champion Grease Monkey Racing (Stephen Hoffman, Eric Helmbach) with 3 rounds left in the Series.
For more racing information visit www.asraracing.com or call us at (817) 246-1127. Join ASRA in the greatest road racing experience available today!
The ASRA Team Challenge overall podium (from left): TSE Wolfpack’s Stefan Dolipski and Carl Soltisz, Farrell Performance’s Calvin Martinez and Jason Farrell, and Fast Lane Racing’s Jason Gibbens. Photo courtesy ASRA.
Editorial Note: Use the scroll and zoom tools in the bottom left corner of the PDF viewer to better see all of the results.
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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