FIM, Dorna WorldSBK Organisation and MSVR to collaborate on evolution of the Supersport class
The FIM, International series organisers DWO and MSVR are to collaborate on the future evolution of the Supersport racing category. The production derived intermediate class is long established, but as the motorcycle market evolves it is clear that changes are required to allow more motorcycle models to become eligible.
Taking recent experience from the Junior Supersport 300 category, where motorcycles of varying displacement and architecture are balanced to ensure parity of competition, the same principle could be applied to the future direction of the senior Supersport class.
In recent years the Supersport class has been bound by regulations to incorporate 600cc 4 cylinder, 675cc 3 cylinder and 750cc twin cylinder machines. As the market changes, motorcycles outside of this parameters now form the Supersport sector.
Planned new regulations could allow machines from different manufacturers that currently are not eligible to compete in the Supersport class adding value either to the teams and the series organiser.
MSVR, as the organiser of the Quattro Group British Supersport Championship, will pilot the evolution of the class in 2021 with the introduction of a Triumph 765 three cylinder machine, and later in the season a Ducati 955 twin cylinder machine. In a view to evaluate if this new technical regulations could be the platform for the 2022 FIM Supersport World Championship organised by DWO.
Stuart Higgs – Series Director, British Superbike Championship said: “The Supersport class is tremendously important to the international and domestic racing structures. Previously multiple manufacturers and machine configurations have competitively raced together, but this has diminished given the changes in the market. To reset and redefine the category will provide a great stimulus and great future for the intermediate production derived class. I am very pleased and excited to be co-operating and working closely with our friends at the FIM and DWO on this project.”
Gregorio Lavilla – Executive Director, WorldSBK Sporting & Organization Department said: “We are always open for better ways to improve the sport and I’m happy to see that our ideas match with so many Promoters at national level and the FIM. To have the support of MSVR helping to develop this idea is great and we will work closely with all parts involved for this to be a success, with the future to have equal regulations in both Championships and maybe other national series.”
Franck Vayssié – FIM Circuit Racing Commission Director concluded: “Motorsport is a Worldwide big family, the FIM is more than happy to see all stakeholders working together to improve racing from National to World level. Since the creation of the class, Supersport has always offered a great show on track with some amazing fights for the title. Due to the current market situation, in order to keep this same level of interest and to keep the fairness for all teams and riders, it is absolutely necessary for FIM rules to be updated. All the FIM family support this idea and will work closely with promoters, organisers and manufacturers to move forward with this exciting project.”
For more information on the Bennetts British Superbike Championship visit www.britishsuperbike.com
The Japanese team – the 2017-2018 FIM Endurance World Championship winners – presented their rider line-up for 2012 at Suzuka. Japanese rider Yuki Takahashi joins Australia’s Josh Hook and Frenchman Mike di Meglio in the F.C.C. TSR Honda France ranks for the next season of the FIM EWC.
FIM Endurance World Championship factory team F.C.C. TSR Honda France will go into the 2021 season with a new three rider line-up.
Yuki Takahashi, who caught the eye in the GP250 (5th in 2008) and subsequently in Moto2, has also made his mark in the JSB 1000 Superbike championship (5th in 2018), and recently won the first All Japan Superstock 1000 title in the new category the Japanese championship introduced in 2020.
Most importantly, though, Yuki Takahashi has a strong track record in the Suzuka 8 Hours. He climbed the third step of the 2010 Suzuka 8 Hours podium with F.C.C. TSR Honda, and finished 2nd in 2012 in the saddle of Toho Racing with Moriwaki’s Honda. He then continued racing with Moriwaki, regularly finishing in the Top 10 at Suzuka.
Yuki Takahashi has now signed up to be a full-season FIM Endurance World Championship rider alongside another two of the sport’s great champions.
Josh Hook, who won the 2017-2018 FIM EWC title with F.C.C. TSR Honda France, stepped onto the Suzuka 8 Hours podium for the Japanese team in 2015 and 2017.
Mike di Meglio, the GP125 world champion in 2008, not to mention Moto2 and then MotoGP rider, has forged a brilliant career in endurance racing since 2017.
Goal: the title
Having won the 24 Heures Motos this past August on the 2020 CBR1000RR-R’s maiden outing, F.C.C. TSR Honda France are clearly aiming to reclaim the world title with their new line-up.
Masakazu Fujii, team manager of F.C.C. TSR Honda France
“Yuki Takahashi took part in our tests in Japan before the 24 Heures Motos. This project was not on the cards back then. But you have to make constant progress and try to improve the entire team – the riders, the machine and the technical crew – to win. Yuki Takahashi is an excellent rider, with a personality I relate to and appreciate. This project will further strengthen our East-West collaboration.”
Yuki Takahashi, rider for F.C.C. TSR Honda France
“I’m thrilled to join the F.C.C. TSR Honda France team. As a child, my dream was to become world champion. I have MotoGP and World Superbike experience. I’ll do my utmost to become the world champion in the FIM EWC with this team.”
Motorcycle Sales Up by Double Digits Through Third Quarter
IRVINE, Calif., Nov. 9, 2020 — The good news on sales keeps rolling. The MIC is reporting a new-model sales increase for the third quarter of this year. Year-to-date sales of new motorcycles and scooters through September increased 10.2 percent compared to the same period last year.
Erik Pritchard, president and CEO of the Motorcycle Industry Council, had a message for the thousands of people who work in powersports across the nation.
“Many of us have faced tremendous challenges and genuine hardship,” he said. “Think back on all the ways you’ve adapted your business to meet this crisis and get through the pandemic. Think back to how quickly you adapted to online commerce. Think back on your first home delivery. Recall all of your hard work. Recall the relief when the MIC’s government relations team persuaded the federal government to declare dealership employees essential. Our industry is enjoying the results of those efforts and you should enjoy the moment.”
More detailed information by model type is available in the MIC Retail Sales Unit Summary. All MIC members who have signed restricted use agreements may access the summary on the MIC.org website.
MIC members can also access the MIC Tire Sales Report, showing total September year-to-date motorcycle/scooter tire sales, compared to the same period last year. The quarterly report, an excellent indicator of industry tire sales trends, as well as motorcycle usage, vehicle population, and aftermarket sales trends is available on the MIC website.
The Motorcycle Industry Council exists to preserve, protect, and promote motorcycling through government relations, communications, media relations, statistics and research, aftermarket programs, data communications standards, and involvement in technical and regulatory issues. As a not-for-profit national industry association, the MIC seeks to support motorcyclists by representing manufacturers, distributors, dealers, and retailers of motorcycles, scooters, ATVs, ROVs, motorcycle/ATV/ROV parts, accessories, and related services, and members of allied trades such as insurance, finance and investment companies, media companies, and consultants.
The MIC is headquartered in Irvine, Calif., with a government relations office in metropolitan Washington, D.C. First called the MIC in 1970, the organization has been in operation since 1914. Keep up with the industry association on Twitter @followMIC and at MIC.org.
Holgado wins Valencia Race 2 – Acosta takes the Rookies Cup
Daniel Holgado (96), Pedro Acosta (37), and David Munoz (64) battle for the lead in Race Two. Photo courtesy Red Bull.
An intense three-way battle for the win was settled only at the final corner in favour of Daniel Holgado over Pedro Acosta and David Muñoz. It gave 15-year-old Spaniard Holgado his first Cup victory and the 2020 Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup went to 16-year-old Acosta.
It was an all Spanish podium with 14-year-old Muñoz just 9 thousandths behind at the line. The Cup points aren’t that close as Acosta ends the first Valencia weekend 59 points clear of David Alonso with only 50 on offer in the finale next weekend.
Alonso, the 14-year-old Colombian did put in another fine ride, taking 4th after a great fight back from his 13th place grid position.
Happy Holgado
Finally adding victory to his pairs of 2nds and 3rds Holgado shrugged off the bad luck that had infected the second half of his season. “I am so happy with my first victory in the Red Bull Rookies Cup. I had a really good feeling with the bike and I knew that I could race with Pedro all the way. I planned the last lap because I knew I had a good chance at the last corner and it worked out perfectly.”
“The bike setting wasn’t perfect because we didn’t have dry practice and the rear was sliding quite a lot but I had a good feeling for it so it was OK, I could control it.”
Acosta forgot to be careful
“It was a really good race because after the crash yesterday I was thinking about the championship. I got a good start but David and Dani came with me and we could get away. They were both riding really well, very fast today.”
“I was happy that it was just the three of us and then I forgot about the Cup and tried to win the race. Today, Dani was so so fast and I couldn’t win but I am happy with the championship.”
“We didn’t have any dry practice so the bike setting wasn’t good, we can improve it for sure for next weekend but I’m not complaining, I’m happy with the race.”
“It means so much to me to win the Rookies Cup because when I joined the Cup last year I had no other bike to ride and this has given me the chance to show what I can do.”
David Muñoz could do no more
“I am very happy for the race. The feeling for the bike was not so good after not having dry practice and I did the maximum I could. I was following Dani and Pedro and I really didn’t feel that I could beat them today, I didn’t have anything extra to try in the last laps. It will be different next weekend.”
Pedro Acosta, the 2020 Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup Champion. Photo courtesy Red Bull.
Alonso gave it everything
“It was not the best start and then at the second corner there was a big mess and I was then a long way behind the leaders.”
“The first three riders got away, then there was another group and I had to push very hard to catch them. I was a long way behind but finally with 5 laps to go I was close and I pushed so hard to get through the group and finish 4th.”
“It was an incredible race for me, like a victory, pushing so hard at every corner. The bike was good and I felt I could go faster and faster as I got more and more confident.”
The number 36 puts MotoGP™ on cloud nine as he becomes the ninth different winner and the fifth first time winner of the year, pulling clear in the Championship
Sunday, 08 November 2020
Joan Mir (36) leads Alex Rins (42) and Pol Espargaro (44) at Valencia #1. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Another race, another chapter written into the history books: Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar) is now a MotoGP™ race winner. The Suzuki rider was pitch perfect in the Gran Premio de Europa to make his first visit to the top step in the premier class, putting one hand on the crown in the process as he stretches his advantage in the Championship to 37 points. Mir is also the ninth different premier class winner of the year, seeing 2020 equal the record of most winners in a season, and the number 36 sets a new record as the fifth different maiden winner this year. With teammate Alex Rins following him home in second, the day also marked the first Suzuki 1-2 since 1982 and the Hamamatsu factory now lead in the fight for the riders’, constructors’ and teams’ Championships. Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) kept Rins honest as the number 44 took third though, back on the podium at the scene of both his and KTM’s first premier class rostrum finish in 2018.
It was close as the premier class riders roared away from the line, with both Rins and Pol Espargaro getting away well from the front row but the KTM ultimately taking the holeshot. Mir got away well from fifth too and was up to P4, just behind Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu). But not long after that, eyes would turn to some serious Lap 1 Championship drama.
Heading into Turn 8 at the end of the back straight, Fabio Quartararo (Petronas Yamaha SRT) was suddenly down and out of contention, the Frenchman reacting to Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) alongside him as the two both slid into the gravel. No contact was made and pure bad luck reigned, but it was monumental for the Championship. Luckily for Quartararo, he was able to pick the bike up and get running again but El Diablo re-joined behind Maverick Viñales (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP), who had started from pitlane due to exceeding his engine allocation. Early doors, it was advantage Mir near the front as some of his key rivals scrabbled to make up lost ground.
Pol Espargaro led the first one and a half laps but it didn’t take long for Rins to pounce at Turn 11, the Suzuki slotting through to take the lead and a couple of laps later, Mir – who had passed Nakagami on the opening lap – copy and pasted his teammate’s move on KTM as the Hamamatsu factory made it formation flying at the front. Oliveira was now also past Nakagami as two KTMs chased the Suzukis, before more drama hit further back – once again for Yamaha.
On Lap 5, the returning Valentino Rossi (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) was shown stopped on track at Turn 5, the Doctor’s comeback from Covid-19 sadly over after just a handful of laps. Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda Castrol) then crashed unhurt not long after, bumping Viñales up to 15th and Quartararo on the verge of the points. How much more progress could they make?
Meanwhile, the front group remained in a tense as-you-were. An intriguing game of chess was beginning as Rins led teammate Mir, with Pol Espargaro and Oliveira not far off and Nakagami and Johann Zarco (Esponsorama Racing) still in fairly close pursuit to boot. After a slow start, Jack Miller (Pramac Racing) was regrouping and chasing Zarco down as well, with Franco Morbidelli (Petronas Yamaha SRT) going the opposite way as the Italian was shuffled back.
With 15 to go, there remained nothing to choose between the two Suzukis in the lead. Lap after lap, Rins and Mir were exchanging 1:32.1s. A few laps later, Mir was visibly closer and homing in, but a move wasn’t coming yet as the gameplan seemed to hint towards patience. But that was assuming it would all come down to tactics, and instead it was about to come down to a small but costly mistake for the man in the lead.
Rins, heading through Turn 11 with 11 to go, was ever-so-slightly wide – and a door ajar will soon become a door opened in MotoGP™. Mir needed no second invitation, sweeping through to take over at the front and face down 10 laps with a lot at stake. Next time around, the Mayorcan set the fastest lap. By seven to go, his lead had crept to over half a second.
Two laps later, Mir was over a second clear it that made it clear: a mistake was likely the only thing that was going to stop the Mayorcan finally taking to that top step. Rins was still getting hounded by an impressive Pol Espargaro, and Nakagami was lurking just behind with some great late race pace as well. Suzuki Team Manager Davide Brivio could barely watch, but it all came down to this: one more lap.
With 1.4 seconds in his pocket, just 4km stood between Mir and a historic maiden MotoGP™ win, as well as a whole load of Championship advantage. And the number 36 held firm, keeping everything calm and collected to the line to finally make it a reality: his first premier class win, taken in some style. Monkey off back, one hand on crown and debate silenced, all he needs next time out is a podium – regardless of anyone else’s results.
Rins held off Espargaro by six tenths in the end, enough to create that milestone Suzuki 1-2 and moving himself into third overall – equal on points with Quartararo. Another impressive podium for KTM was also Pol Espargaro’s fourth rostrum of 2020, putting him just nine points down on Dovizioso in the Championship.
Nakagami banished the Aragon demons with a great ride to P4, less than a second away from a first premier class podium and top Independent Team rider to earn a trip to parc ferme. Oliveira slipped back into the grasp of Miller but the Portuguese rider just got the better of the Australian for P5, relegating the Queenslander to sixth.
Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), meanwhile, took a superb P7 despite a long-lap penalty served for his Aragon mistake, and the South African regains a points advantage in the battle for Rookie of the Year after Alex Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) crashed out. Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) lost more ground in the title race after a P8 finish, but the Italian beat fellow Ducati rider Zarco by 0.7 seconds after the Frenchman’s pace dropped off in the latter stages. Ducati Team’s Danilo Petrucci completed the top ten, the Italian gaining an impressive eight places.
Morbidelli’s Sunday was a contrasting one to Teruel. A difficult day and P11 for the Italian sees him drop to 45 points behind Mir in the title race after a tough weekend on the whole for Yamaha. Stefan Bradl (Repsol Honda Team) crossed the line 12th after another good ride from the HRC test rider, just ahead of Viñales who, despite his pitlane start, was just over a second behind the German.
Quartararo took the flag in P14, his opening lap crash putting a serious dent in his title chances. He remains second overall, however, and looking to hit back against Rins too. There are still 50 points in play…
Tito Rabat (Esponsorama Racing), Lorenzo Savadori (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) and Francesco Bagnaia (Pramac Racing) crashed out, riders ok.
And so the curtains come down for another week, with another chapter safely filed in the annals of history. Valencia will host again as the paddock returns to action next weekend, and everything will now be on the line as the first match point appears on the horizon. Nine winners, five first timers, and one of them on the roll of his life. Can Mir make it a coronation? With a 37-point safety net, all he needs is a podium.
MotoGP™ podium
1Joan Mir -Team Suzuki Ecstar – Suzuki 41:37.297
2 Alex Rins -Team Suzuki Ecstar – Suzuki +0.651
3 Pol Espargaro -Red Bull KTM Factory Racing – KTM +1.203
Joan Mir: “It’s amazing. I don’t have words to describe the moment, it’s amazing that the victory came at the perfect moment. Obviously I would have liked to win in Austria too but it wasn’t the day. Today was the day! I’m happy but I was already happy before the race because we did a super good weekend. On Friday we worked on the bike, on Saturday I found something good in the rain to have a good qualifying in those conditions. It was pretty good, I made an improvement, and then in Warm Up we worked so well and the pace was not bad! That was the key to the victory today, I had something more than the others and I could show it. I’m also especially happy for the team, Suzuki, first and second is amazing. I have no words.”
Marco Bezzecchi (72). Photo courtesy Dorna.
Bezzecchi wins, Lowes crashes as Moto2™ takes another twist in Valencia
The Italian bounces back in style ahead of Martin and Gardner as more Championship shockwaves hit the intermediate class
Sky Racing Team VR46’s Marco Bezzecchi bounced back in style after a double DNF at MotorLand Aragon by taking a second career Moto2™ victory at the Gran Premio de Europa. It was a race filled with drama, with Jorge Martin (Red Bull KTM Ajo) and Remy Gardner (ONEXOX TKKR SAG Team) locking out the podium but many a headline focused on the title fight: Enea Bastianini (Italtrans Racing Team) now leads the World Championship once again, the Italian fighting through to fourth as former points leader Sam Lowes (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) crashed out.
Petronas Sprinta Racing’s Xavi Vierge made a dream start from pole position but immediately had Joe Roberts (Tennor American Racing) attacking him at Turn 4. The Tennor American Racing rider went wide on the exit, the Spaniard taking him back at Turn 5. It didn’t stay that way for long, however, with Roberts storming back through moments later to hold the lead at the close of Lap 1. But then disaster struck, Roberts suddenly sliding out at Turn 2 and the Californian unable to re-join.
That allowed Marco Bezzecchi to take the lead, but the Italian was under severe pressure from Gardner. Sam Lowes, meanwhile, avoided some early drama with a vital save at Turn 4, as Bastianini got well stuck in battling from 15th on the grid – up to sixth in five laps.
It was a few more laps before Lowes decided to pounce on Gardner for second, but it didn’t last long with the Aussie finding an immediate reply. The World Championship leader hit back only a few seconds later though, this time making it stick.
The knock on effect of that saw Bastianini push on again, taking fifth place from Vierge with ten to go. There was a change in the fight for third too as Martin managed to squeeze through on Gardner, demoting the Australian off the podium for the moment.
And then came the shockwave. Suddenly, Lowes’ weekend was over as the Brit crashed out at Turn 6, his title lead going up in smoke as Bastianini swooped through into fourth and consequently the lead of the World Championship.
The FlexBox HP 40 duo of Lorenzo Baldassarri and Hector Garzo began to put Bastianini under pressure though, Baldassarri making a move on his compatriot and a vital couple of points at stake for the ‘Beast’. That was motivation enough if any was needed, and the number 33 hit back to reclaim fourth.
At the front though, it was all about Bezzecchi. The Italian was back on the top step in style after stamping some real authority on Sunday, also keeping himself in title contention after starting the weekend 48 points down – and ending it 29 off. Martin made it two podiums in three races as he backed up his third place finish in the Aragon Grand Prix with second in Valencia and Gardner collected his third podium finish of the year after a fifth top five finish in six races.
Bastianini was able to hold off Baldassarri for what could be a pivotal fourth place finish, putting the ‘Beast’ six points clear of Lowes in the World Championship with only two rounds left of 2020. Sky Racing Team VR46’s Luca Marini took sixth for a solid result, proving he is far from out of the title chase too. His was a last lap move on Garzo moving him to within 19 points of the top of the Championship. Garzo’s seventh nevertheless equalled his best so far.
Federal Oil Gresini Moto2’s Nicolo Bulega clinched eighth after getting the better of poleman Vierge, who eventually drifted back to ninth, before HDR Heidrun Speed Up’s Jorge Navarro rounded out the top ten.
Another seismic shift hits Moto2™, with Bastianini now back on top and six points ahead. Can Lowes bounce back next time out? Time will tell, but not much of it as we get back on track on Friday.
Moto2™ podium
1 Marco Bezzecchi – Sky Racing Team VR46 – Kalex 40:06.441
2 Jorge Martin – Red Bull KTM Ajo – Kalex +1.941
3 Remy Gardner – ONEXOX TKKR SAG Team – Kalex +3.553
Marco Bezzecchi: “It was a difficult race, very long, but also wonderful. I started well, even if Gardner and Lowes were closing the line, in the middle I could overtake outside in the first corner. I risked a bit because it was still wet but I tried. Fortunately I was there. Then I passed Vierge on the straight and in braking, and when Roberts was in front I saw he was risking a lot and I thought I had to stay calm because I thought I could ride cleaner. Then unfortunately he made a mistake, I was in front and I was very focused to try to make my rhythm, so I started to ride as clean as I could, and I was gaining a bit; not much, losing a little bit; not much, there was a short distance between me and second. Then on the last three laps when I had a quite good advantage I started to feel something wrong on the bike, a problem I also had on Friday in Free Practice. In acceleration there was no power in second gear, I don’t know why, so I was scared but I started to speak to the bike and said please don’t give up now… fortunately she made it to the end! Very good, the team did an incredible job and this is for them and my family.”
Raul Fernandez (25) leads Sergio Garcia (11) and Ai Ogura (79) to the finish line. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Flawless Fernandez takes his first win as chaos reigns for key title contenders
Vietti crashes, McPhee crashes and Arenas ends the day with a 0 – as Ogura gains big with a return to the podium
Raul Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo) put in a stunner to take the lead early in the Gran Premio de Europa and then pull away, staying calm and collected to take to the top step for the first time in Grand Prix racing. Behind him a three-way battle royale raged on the final lap, with 2019 Valencia GP winner Sergio Garcia (Estrella Galicia 0,0) coming out on top to take second ahead of Ai Ogura (Honda Team Asia). The podium for Ogura boosts him up to within three points of the Championship lead as huge drama ripped through the standings for the majority of the other key contenders.
Celestino Vietti (Sky Racing Team VR46) took the holeshot from the front row as poelsitter John McPhee (Petronas Sprinta Racing) lost out, and early doors there was a group of four heading away… but the drama was quick to hit. First off, a crash for Vietti saw Alonso Lopez (Sterilgarda Max Racing Team) unable to avoid and get tangled up, both going down in the first Championship shockwave as the Italian lost serious ground. The incident also scattered the pack and left Fernandez out front after the Spaniard had taken the lead just before the crash.
The incident also caught Albert Arenas (Valresa Aspar Team Moto3) just enough to cause some damage, which then became apparent as the number 75 was upright but going backwards. Arenas eventually pulled into pitlane at the end of the lap, blowing the title fight wide open once again. And although he did manage to get back out, it was with a significant gap to the front and one that would haunt the Spaniard later.
And so Fernandez led, gassing it to over two seconds clear as the second group battled it out. And then even more drama hit. McPhee crashed out at Turn 1, likely ending his charge for the crown, and only a few laps later, Jaume Masia (Leopard Racing) took a tumble too. That left Arbolino – the man leading the chase to catch Fernandez – and Ogura as the two key challengers near the top, joined by Garcia. And the gap to Fernandez was coming down ever so slightly…
Arbolino, Garcia and Ogura pushed on to catch the Red Bull KTM Ajo machine in the lead, but soon they would have even more to contend with than just the two-second gap to the front as well. Arenas was back out on track and soon the second group were on the scene, creating another little. Things got close and the number 75 was shown the black flag not long after, having got a little too into the battle despite being laps down.
That left Arbolino and Ogura as the two key men with something big to gain. With six to go, Arbolino had got the gap to Fernandez more than just a little below two seconds as Garcia and Ogura duelled just behind the Italian. The countdown was on for Fernandez, although the Spaniard looked solid. could he hang on? He could. Despite some late nerves about a possible bike problem, the Red Bull KTM Ajo rider kept it clean to complete his impeccable day at the office in style: on the top step.
The battle behind went down to the final lap, as ever in Moto3™. Arbolino had a twitch at Turn 1 and Garcia was up the inside of the Italian and into P2. Then Ogura picked Arbolino’s pocket at Turn 6 and the Italian, after a fair bit of leg work to lead the trio throughout, was now off the podium.
Garcia had broken the two title contenders and kept a little breathing space to the line to take his first first podium of the season, bouncing back from some tougher outings. Behind him, the duel stayed close but Ogura kept the door slammed shut at the final corner to get back on the podium for the first time since the Emilia Romagna GP. That cuts the gap in the Championship to just three points, with Arenas’ margin seriously cut.
Arbolino was forced to settle for fourth and remains 23 points down on Arenas, although he did gain, with Vietti’s 0 leaving him only three points ahead of Arbolino. Darryn Binder (CIP – Green Power) had another solid ride to a top finish as the South African came home in fifth, unable to quite get back the ground lost earlier in the race but taking more solid points. Carlos Tatay (Reale Avintia Moto3) duelled the number 40 late on, but was forced to settle for sixth.
The next group up was led over the line by Stefano Nepa (Valresa Aspar Team) as he charged up to seventh, beating Jeremy Alcoba (Kömmerling Gresini Moto3) and Filip Salač (Rivacold Snipers Team). Ayumu Sasaki (Red Bull KTM Tech 3) was next up after storming through from P26 on the grid, with Riccardo Rossi (BOE Skull Rider Facile Energy), Andrea Migno (Sky Racing Team VR46) and Romano Fenati (Sterilharda Max Racing Team) completed that group down to P13 – Fenati having had to take two long laps for track limits. Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Tech 3) wasn’t too far back either, with Gabriel Rodrigo (Kömmerling Gresini Moto3) – another who did a Long Lap – completing the points scorers.
A huge day for the Championship comes to a close with the margin back at just three points, and it’s everything on the line once again. Don’t miss the Valencia GP next time out – more drama awaits!
Moto3™ podium
1 Raul Fernandez – Red Bull KTM Ajo – KTM 38:29.140
2 Sergio Garcia – Estrella Galicia 0,0 – Honda +0.703
3 Ai Ogura – Honda Team Asia – Honda +1.005
Raul Fernandez: “It’s the first time victory and I’ll never forget it here in Valencia. I remember in 2016 I got my first victory here in the Junior World Championship, maybe it’s the track! I like MotorLand and Valencia, they’re my bets tracks. I want to thank my family one year ago was a difficult moment, a difficult family situation, and in those moments you know who your family and friends are. The people who help you in the difficult moments. I want to say thanks to my family and my team, it was difficult at the start of the season I had a lot of pressure and Aki helped me, especially with pressure, now I don’t have pressure and I enjoy it more and I want to say thanks because he helped me in every aspect, as a rider and person and I want to say thanks. I have no words, I want to enjoy this victory with my family and team.”
Salvador in front when it counted – Rookies Race 1 in Valencia
David Salvador (38). Photo courtesy Red Bull.
David Salvador by 15 seconds over Mario Aji and Billy van Eerde. But only after 3 of the leading, incredibly intense, quartet crashed out when David Alonso moved onto a damp patch to avoid Salvador’s rear wheel, highsided and both Pedro Acosta and Daniel Holgado went down with him.
The drying track held a good number of damp patches through the 15 laps and they were not the only fallers in the most desperately difficult conditions.
None of the top three in the championship chase finished and Salvador’s victory propelled the 16-year-old Spaniard into 4th place in the title chase but he is still 77 short of Acosta with 75 on offer from the remaining 3 races.
Colombian 14-year-old Alonso is still 2nd, 52 behind 16-year-old Spaniard Acosta. Third is Spanish 16-year-old Iván Ortolá 10 points adrift of Alonso after also sliding off in Race 1.
Salvador kept it all together to win
“It’s amazing to finally get this win this year. On the podium is where I believe I should be, it has been a frustrating season but finally it has happened.”
“It was a very difficult race because the track conditions are so tricky but my feeling with the bike is very good and I enjoyed the race so much. Of course the other guys were fast but I was happy to race them all the way, I am glad that no one is hurt and we can have another race tomorrow.”
“I am so happy that after last week here where I had a big crash at the last corner I can get the good feeling back and have this result. On the bike I just focused completely and forgot all about that.”
Aji takes a huge step to 2nd
“It was quite tricky conditions,” explains the 16-year-old Indonesian who turned his best every Cup Qualifying, P4, into a great result. “I made a good start but into Turn 1 I was so scared and slow. But then, lap by lap I was getting better. Many riders crashed and made mistakes, I also made mistakes but I managed to calm myself down and control things to the end.”
“I got my first podium and it has really given me more confidence and tomorrow I want to make another podium.”
Van Eerde ends a run of bad luck with 3rd
“I am so happy to get back on the podium,” enthused the 18-year-old Australian quietly. “It has been such a difficult year with injuries and it’s great to be back. By the end of the race my lap times were not so different to the guys at the front and it has given me a lot of confidence so I am really looking forward to the last 3 races starting with tomorrow.”
Acosta accusing no one
“I’m happy because I am fine after the crash and I was going well in the race. After this you can’t criticise the other rider because certainly he is the first one who didn’t want to crash. That’s racing.”
“I am happy because this race didn’t change the situation in the championship. Thinking about the race tomorrow I now have to consider the championship points and not just the race.”
Alonso very positive
“I crashed in turn 12, I was quicker than David (Salvador) through turn 11 and so I didn’t touch him I moved to the left and went onto the wet paint, the sun was going down and I didn’t see it at all.”
“Apart from the crash I was very happy about the race, it was the best race I have done. I was 13th on the grid, made a perfect start and could pass people and get with the leaders quickly. I improved a lot on this track and also was as aggressive as I needed to be, I think we did a step forward and we are ready for tomorrow.”
Broadcast
This weekend’s Rookies Cup races can be seen live on www.redbull.tv and on TV stations around the world.
Race 2 is on Sunday at 15:30 CET, the show starts 10 minutes before the race.
Pole for Pol! Espargaro heads Rins and Nakagami as a tenth covers the front row in Valencia
Rins second, Mir fifth, Morbidelli ninth, Quartararo 11th, Dovizioso 12th and Viñales in pitlane sets us up for a rollercoaster race day
Saturday, 07 November 2020
Pol Espargaro (44). Photo courtesy Dorna.
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Pol Espargaro picked up a phenomenal second pole position of 2020 after mastering the wet conditions in Q2 at the Gran Premio de Europa, the Spaniard slamming in a late 1:40.434 to head a front row covered by less than a tenth. Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) starts second as the top title challenger, just 0.041 back, with Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) claiming the final front row slot despite a late crash. The grid is a fascinating one ahead of lights out, with Championship challengers scattered throughout and, of course, Maverick Viñales (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) also starting from pitlane due to exceeding his engine allocation.
First, FP4 pacesetter Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Tech3) and FP3 leader Johann Zarco (Esponsorama Racing) emerged through the Q1 shootout on top in wet but drying conditions. The sun was shining for Q2 but the asphalt still wet; a dry line appearing but nowhere near dry enough to risk slicks. High stakes, anyone?
Franco Morbidelli (Petronas Yamaha SRT) pulled straight back into pitlane after his out lap, a tyre change on for the Italian, but it wasn’t to slicks. Rins then set a 1:42.420 and the first time of the session, but that was going to be beaten fairly quickly as some of the Q1 contenders dipped into the 1:41s, already dialled in. The number 42 Suzuki did then set a 1:41.714 to extend his lead though, and teammate Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar) was next up as he went quicker by a tenth to sit on provisional pole.
The Suzuki stranglehold was then beaten by Nakagami as Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) peeled into the pitlane despite being on a great lap, but the lead then changed again. Morbidelli was back on top, but Rins was on a roll and topped the session for the third lap in a row; the Aragon GP winner in fine form.
Nakagami was then on another flyer. The Japanese rider was 0.3 seconds faster at the second split and over half a second up through Sector 3, coming round the final corner and firing his RC213V to the line to take over by seven tenths – goalposts well and truly moved. Jack Miller (Pramac Racing) was the first man trying to respond, the Australian straight down to business to take P2 despite waiting to head out, but a mistake at the final corner cost him time.
Meanwhile, Mir then improved his time to go P3 as Dovizioso’s next time was only good enough for P12 as the wet weather form book seemed to take a hit. There was time left yet though and Rins was through the third split 0.041 up, the number 42 just pipping Nakagami by 0.005 seconds over the line. The Japanese rider then crashed at the final corner though, so that was his session over…
In the end, it all came down to a tense final minute. Rins was once again going faster and faster, 0.079 seconds under and looking set to challenge, but there was a flying KTM about to join the party at the top: Pol Espargaro. The Spaniard, who picked up both his and KTM’s first MotoGP™ podium at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo in 2018, crossed the line to take provisional pole and show yet more wet weather mastery. Could Rins ruin KTM’s afternoon? Not quite – but it was close. 0.041 was the gap between the two and next attention turned to Zarco, because the Frenchman was flying.
0.196 up through Sector 3 looked like it might be the two-time Moto2™ World Champion’s time to shine, but a mistake at the final corner then saw the Ducati man lose time. Just enough, although it was only covered by a tenth, to lose out on the front row. The number 5 went fourth, and it all came down to Rins. Could the Suzuki rider make one last ditch attempt to snatch pole? Not quite. It was another good lap but the Spaniard had to settle for P2, the search for premier class pole continuing.
And so, another breathless wet qualifying session ends with Pol Espargaro and KTM on top. The number 44 earns his second pole position of the season as Rins claims his second consecutive front row, and that can also be said for Nakagami. Three manufacturers in the top three positions, and all three are looking strong in Valencia. Two could also become the ninth different winner of 2020 on Sunday…
So could Zarco, who was unlucky to miss out on the front row but after negotiating Q1, heading up the second row is a solid Saturday afternoon. Championship leader Mir will launch from P5 after some good work on home soil, and he’s another big candidate to become that ninth winner. Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) completes Row 2 and that’s the Aprilia rider’s best Saturday afternoon outing since his P4 at the Czech GP earlier this year, and Aprilia’s best at Valencia in the MotoGP™ era.
After showing strong pace all weekend, Miller was forced to settle for P7 and the head of the third row, ahead of Oliveira. The Portuguese rider was the last man within a second of Pol Espargaro after improving on his last lap. Next up is top Yamaha rider Morbidelli in ninth and the Italian has some work to do on Sunday afternoon, with Mir and Rins ahead of him. Crucially, however, there are three title contenders behind him…
Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) rounds out the top 10, the South African just over a tenth faster than one of said title challengers: 11th place Fabio Quartararo (Petronas Yamaha SRT). It wasn’t the ideal Saturday for the man second in the standings but thankfully for El Diablo, Sunday looks like it will be dry – he’ll likely be hoping so. Dovizioso’s Q2 didn’t go to plan either, the Italian well adrift of Pol Espargaro by the flag and set to start P12.
And then, in terms of the top six in the standings, there’s Viñales. The Spaniard will start from pitlane on Sunday, looking to do some damage limitation. His returning teammate Valentino Rossi (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) starts from P17 too… so what can they each do?
The scene is set with a grid that promises another truly stunning Sunday. Will it be a ninth winner? More Championship drama? Another maiden winner? Some history-making is entirely possible, with Pol Espargaro, Nakagami, Zarco and Mir all starting in the top five and on the verge of some serious stats. Tune in for the MotoGP™ race at 14:00 local time (GMT+1) on Sunday for another unmissable twist in the tale of 2020!
MotoGP™ front row
1 Pol Espargaro – Red Bull KTM Factory Racing – KTM – 1:40.434
2 Alex Rins – Team Suzuki Ecstar – Suzuki – +0.041
Pol Espargaro: “That qualifying was crazy, we have not so much to lose, we’re not fighting for so much in the Championship. We’re not far but not close enough which is a pity but a reality. Today was difficult because we have three races in a row and these conditions made it so so so difficult to make a good laptime and so easy to crash, so I wanted to finish that session and with a good result, especially after seeing Miguel in Q1 who was very fast. I’m super pleased, I couldn’t believe it when I crossed the line and my mechanic put P1 on the board, it’s difficult to believe because when it comes in difficult situations it’s even more tasty!”
Xavi Vierge. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Vierge strikes late to deny Roberts in Valencia
The Spaniard takes it in a last dash on a drying track, ahead of Roberts and Championship leader Lowes
On a drying Circuit Ricardo Tormo that saw the Moto2™ riders attack Q2 on slicks, Xavi Vierge (Petronas Sprinta Racing) produced the goods to bag his first pole position of the season. The Spaniard’s last lap was good enough to see him beat Joe Roberts (Tennor American Racing) by just under two tenths, with Championship leader Sam Lowes an infinitesimal 0.002 back in P3. The British rider’s main title rival, Enea Bastianini (Italtrans Racing Team), will start from 15th.
Hafizh Syahrin (Inde Aspar Team Moto2) topped a tricky Q1 from Andi Izdihar (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia), with Championship contender Luca Marini (Sky Racing Team VR46) and Bo Bendsneyder (NTS RW Racing GP) also moving through. A dry line had appeared in Valencia, meaning it was just about time for slicks although it was by no means a fully dry qualifying session for the intermediate class.
Marco Bezzecchi (Sky Racing Team VR46) was fastest after the first flurry of laps in Q2, but as everyone got going, the lap times tumbled. Roberts set a 1:44.604 to sit on provisional pole with eight minutes to go but once more, the time wouldn’t be quickest for long. Vierge was the first man into the 1:43s as Lowes slotted into P2, three tenths off the Spaniard.
Bezzecchi then went back to P1 with Roberts going a tad slower to take second, but Lowes went quicker than the lot of them to go top by three tenths. Again though, the lead changed. Roberts once more took provisional pole and this time, Lowes didn’t beat his time – but it was close between the Brit and American.
Red sectors for Bezzecchi, Roberts and Lowes lit up the screens, but the latter was on a different planet. A 1:39.790 saw the Championship leader soar to 1.1 seconds clear of anyone else, decimating the competition. And yet, the gap was soon cut by Vierge, although Lowes hit back once again to extend it to seven tenths.
It remained far from over though. Bezzecchi, Roberts, Vierge, Remy Gardner (ONEXOX TKKR SAG Team) and Lowes all had red sectors. First it was Roberts who took provisional pole, but Vierge demoted the American to second almost immediately. Could Lowes respond to get back on top? Not this time! The points leader stayed third despite improving his laptime, advantage overcome and Vierge securing pole position in Valencia, his first since the 2019 Argentina GP. Roberts stayed second, too, just 0.002 ahead of Lowes as the duo finish just under two tenths down.
Gardner spearheads the second row in P4, the Aussie pipping Bezzecchi by just 0.033 to demote the Italian to fifth. Jorge Martin (Red Bull KTM Ajo) completes the second row in P6 as the front two rows are split by 0.520 seconds, with seventh place Marini next up but 1.3 seconds back from pole. The newly-announced 2021 Ducati rider needs a big result on Sunday to keep tabs on Lowes and Bastianini in the title race, and P7 is a solid place to start.
Flexbox HP 40 teammates Lorenzo Baldassarri and Hector Garzo picked up P8 and P9 respectively, both a good day’s work, with Nicolo Bulega (Federal Oil Gresini Moto2) closing out the top 10.
So where’s Bastianini? The number 33 produced a miraculous save in Q2 to keep himself upright but he couldn’t keep himself nearer the front, set to start P15. What can he do on race day? We’ve seen him bounce back before…
Tune in for a crucial Moto2™ encounter at 12:20 local time (GMT+1) on Sunday!
The Moto2 front-row qualifiers (from left): Joe Roberts, Xavi Vierge, and Sam Lowes. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Moto2™ front row
1 Xavi Vierge – Petronas Sprinta Racing – Kalex 1:38.936
2 Joe Roberts – Tennor American Racing – Kalex +0.181
3 Sam Lowes – EG 0,0 Marc VDS – Kalex +0.183
Xavi Vierge: “I’m so happy, again difficult times and injuries, it wasn’t easy to ride but these conditions mean it doesn’t affect it. The weekend was tricky conditions, in the rain I never felt comfortable so when I saw the conditions I wanted to start on slicks because I knew on the dry line I could go fast. I went step-by-step and lap-by-lap, and like always on the last lap you have to give it all and I made it this time. Super happy, thanks so much to the team they’re always supporting me and working so hard.”
John McPhee (17). Photo courtesy Dorna.
McPhee reigns wet qualifying for first pole of 2020
The Brit has Fernandez and title rival Vietti for company on the front row as the heavens open again in Valencia
John McPhee (Petronas Sprinta Racing) claimed his first pole position of 2020 in a wet Moto3™ qualifying session at the Gran Premio de Europa, the British rider’s 1:52.252 enough to pull over three tenths clear of second place Raul Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo). Title rival Celestino Vietti (Sky Racing Team VR46) completes the front row, just ahead of Championship leader Albert Arenas (Valresa Aspar Team) as the grid promises another Sunday stunner.
Ahead of Q1, very dark clouds were threatening at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo. Three title contenders were in the opening qualifying session, Arenas, Ai Ogura (Honda Team Asia) and Jaume Masia (Leopard Racing). It was a crucial and tense start to the session as the riders piled out on slick tyres, and Arenas had a big moment on his out-lap as the rain started falling – albeit lightly. But after overnight rain as well, there were still plenty of wet patches on track.
Ogura and Arenas were the early leaders in the session, the rain just about holding off, with Masia struggling. Gabriel Rodrigo (Kömmerling Gresini Moto3) then crashed before CarXpert PrüstelGP’s Barry Baltus and Jason Dupasquier went down as well, and then Jeremy Alcoba (Kömmerling Gresini Moto3) took a tumble too as the rain came down at Turn 14. Rodrigo crashed again at said corner to make it a hugely dramatic start to the afternoon. Masia remained three seconds off Ogura’s time at the top, the double MotorLand winner heading back out on wet tyres… but to no avail. He finished P14 in the session, which is P28 on the grid and quite a mountain to climb on Sunday.
Ogura, Rodrigo, Arenas and Dennis Foggia (Leopard Racing) were the four contenders going through to Q2 by the flag, and it would be a wet session to decide pole. The heavens had fully opened for the second part of qualifying and it was Darryn Binder (CIP – Green Power) who set the first banker time. That was immediately beaten by Sergio Garcia (Estrella Galicia 0,0), Arenas and Riccardo Rossi (BOE Skull Rider Facile Energy), but there were going to be plenty of changes in the next 10 minutes.
At the front, Alonso Lopez (Sterilgarda Max Racing Team) had taken over ahead of Binder and McPhee, but the provisional polesitter was the next man down as he crashed unhurt at Turn 4. McPhee then went three tenths clear of Arenas with a 1:52.514, with Garcia tumbling at Turn 9 and Carlos Tatay (Reale Avintia Moto3) at Turn 12 – proving the conditions were continuing to get trickier.
Nevertheless, Fernandez then threatened McPhee’s time to take second, just over a tenth off with two minutes to go. McPhee was responding though, the Scotsman 0.3 under his best time by Sector 3 and as the sun started to pierce through the clouds, the number 17 extended his advantage by another two tenths. Just ahead of McPhee on the road, title contender Vietti crashed at Turn 6 while occupying P3 – the end of his session, but with a good lap in the bank beforehand.
It came down to the final push. Could Fernandez spoil McPhee’s party? On his final lap the Spaniard gave it a cracking shot and coming across the line, he was just 0.064 off the Petronas rider. But then drama hit, with that lap cancelled for the Spaniard. Ultimately, his second best lap was enough, however, giving the Red Bull KTM Ajo rider second on the grid.
He’ll start alongside polesitter McPhee after the Scot took his first pole since the 2019 Austrian GP, with Vietti completing the front row. Arenas heads up Row 2 after coming through Q1, late laptime shuffle not bumping him forward in the end.
The Championship leader will be joined by Lopez, who crashed twice in Q2 but took P5, with Rossi completing the second row. Garcia spearheads Row 3 ahead of the man second in the standings, Ai Ogura, with Darryn Binder taking P9. Kaito Toba (Red Bull KTM Ajo) rounds out the top 10.
A hugely dramatic Saturday afternoon in Moto3™ sees one title contender suffer as Masia is left with a mountain to climb on Sunday afternoon – and his main rivals all sit inside the top 10. What will the weather bring for another crucial showdown? Find out at 11:00 local time (GMT+1) on Sunday morning!
Moto3™ front row
1 John McPhee – Petronas Sprinta Racing – Honda 1:52.252
2 Celestino Vietti – Sky Racing Team VR46 – KTM +0.411
3 Albert Arenas – Valresa Aspar Team Moto3 – KTM +0.569
John McPhee: “It was a tricky session for us because with the conditions looking like it would be dry we had the bike ready to go with slicks and dry settings, and then part-way through Q1 when the other guys were on track we saw it was getting wet and we didn’t know whether to go half-half or fully wet. When the rain started to come down we went for fully wet, which was a good call from the team to do that. It was difficult because the first couple of flaps weren’t so wet and then lap-by-lap there was more and more water to the point where at end of the session there was even some standing water. It was hard to improve but we got a good banker in at the beginning and were able to improve at the end which I was more happy with, because like I said with more water it was more difficult. Overall we’ve been strong in all conditions, in the small dry part we had although it wasn’t fully dry, we were strong as well so I’m looking forward to the race tomorrow. I think we can have a good day.”
The 955cc V-Twin-powered Ducati Panigale V2, like the one ridden here by Francesco Bagnaia, will be eligible for the new-look FIM Supersport class. Photo courtesy Ducati.
FIM, Dorna WorldSBK Organisation and MSVR to collaborate on evolution of the Supersport class
The FIM, International series organisers DWO and MSVR are to collaborate on the future evolution of the Supersport racing category. The production derived intermediate class is long established, but as the motorcycle market evolves it is clear that changes are required to allow more motorcycle models to become eligible.
Taking recent experience from the Junior Supersport 300 category, where motorcycles of varying displacement and architecture are balanced to ensure parity of competition, the same principle could be applied to the future direction of the senior Supersport class.
In recent years the Supersport class has been bound by regulations to incorporate 600cc 4 cylinder, 675cc 3 cylinder and 750cc twin cylinder machines. As the market changes, motorcycles outside of this parameters now form the Supersport sector.
Planned new regulations could allow machines from different manufacturers that currently are not eligible to compete in the Supersport class adding value either to the teams and the series organiser.
MSVR, as the organiser of the Quattro Group British Supersport Championship, will pilot the evolution of the class in 2021 with the introduction of a Triumph 765 three cylinder machine, and later in the season a Ducati 955 twin cylinder machine. In a view to evaluate if this new technical regulations could be the platform for the 2022 FIM Supersport World Championship organised by DWO.
Stuart Higgs – Series Director, British Superbike Championship said: “The Supersport class is tremendously important to the international and domestic racing structures. Previously multiple manufacturers and machine configurations have competitively raced together, but this has diminished given the changes in the market. To reset and redefine the category will provide a great stimulus and great future for the intermediate production derived class. I am very pleased and excited to be co-operating and working closely with our friends at the FIM and DWO on this project.”
Gregorio Lavilla – Executive Director, WorldSBK Sporting & Organization Department said: “We are always open for better ways to improve the sport and I’m happy to see that our ideas match with so many Promoters at national level and the FIM. To have the support of MSVR helping to develop this idea is great and we will work closely with all parts involved for this to be a success, with the future to have equal regulations in both Championships and maybe other national series.”
Franck Vayssié – FIM Circuit Racing Commission Director concluded: “Motorsport is a Worldwide big family, the FIM is more than happy to see all stakeholders working together to improve racing from National to World level. Since the creation of the class, Supersport has always offered a great show on track with some amazing fights for the title. Due to the current market situation, in order to keep this same level of interest and to keep the fairness for all teams and riders, it is absolutely necessary for FIM rules to be updated. All the FIM family support this idea and will work closely with promoters, organisers and manufacturers to move forward with this exciting project.”
For more information on the Bennetts British Superbike Championship visit www.britishsuperbike.com
Yuki Takahashi (left) and F.C.C. TSR Honda France Team Manager Masakazu Fujii (right). Photo courtesy Eurosport Events.
YUKI TAKAHASHI JOINS F.C.C. TSR HONDA FRANCE
The Japanese team – the 2017-2018 FIM Endurance World Championship winners – presented their rider line-up for 2012 at Suzuka. Japanese rider Yuki Takahashi joins Australia’s Josh Hook and Frenchman Mike di Meglio in the F.C.C. TSR Honda France ranks for the next season of the FIM EWC.
FIM Endurance World Championship factory team F.C.C. TSR Honda France will go into the 2021 season with a new three rider line-up.
Yuki Takahashi, who caught the eye in the GP250 (5th in 2008) and subsequently in Moto2, has also made his mark in the JSB 1000 Superbike championship (5th in 2018), and recently won the first All Japan Superstock 1000 title in the new category the Japanese championship introduced in 2020.
Most importantly, though, Yuki Takahashi has a strong track record in the Suzuka 8 Hours. He climbed the third step of the 2010 Suzuka 8 Hours podium with F.C.C. TSR Honda, and finished 2nd in 2012 in the saddle of Toho Racing with Moriwaki’s Honda. He then continued racing with Moriwaki, regularly finishing in the Top 10 at Suzuka.
Yuki Takahashi has now signed up to be a full-season FIM Endurance World Championship rider alongside another two of the sport’s great champions.
Josh Hook, who won the 2017-2018 FIM EWC title with F.C.C. TSR Honda France, stepped onto the Suzuka 8 Hours podium for the Japanese team in 2015 and 2017.
Mike di Meglio, the GP125 world champion in 2008, not to mention Moto2 and then MotoGP rider, has forged a brilliant career in endurance racing since 2017.
Goal: the title
Having won the 24 Heures Motos this past August on the 2020 CBR1000RR-R’s maiden outing, F.C.C. TSR Honda France are clearly aiming to reclaim the world title with their new line-up.
Masakazu Fujii, team manager of F.C.C. TSR Honda France
“Yuki Takahashi took part in our tests in Japan before the 24 Heures Motos. This project was not on the cards back then. But you have to make constant progress and try to improve the entire team – the riders, the machine and the technical crew – to win. Yuki Takahashi is an excellent rider, with a personality I relate to and appreciate. This project will further strengthen our East-West collaboration.”
Yuki Takahashi, rider for F.C.C. TSR Honda France
“I’m thrilled to join the F.C.C. TSR Honda France team. As a child, my dream was to become world champion. I have MotoGP and World Superbike experience. I’ll do my utmost to become the world champion in the FIM EWC with this team.”
A red and silver MV Agusta Superveloce 800. Photo courtesy MV Agusta.
Motorcycle Sales Up by Double Digits Through Third Quarter
IRVINE, Calif., Nov. 9, 2020 — The good news on sales keeps rolling. The MIC is reporting a new-model sales increase for the third quarter of this year. Year-to-date sales of new motorcycles and scooters through September increased 10.2 percent compared to the same period last year.
Erik Pritchard, president and CEO of the Motorcycle Industry Council, had a message for the thousands of people who work in powersports across the nation.
“Many of us have faced tremendous challenges and genuine hardship,” he said. “Think back on all the ways you’ve adapted your business to meet this crisis and get through the pandemic. Think back to how quickly you adapted to online commerce. Think back on your first home delivery. Recall all of your hard work. Recall the relief when the MIC’s government relations team persuaded the federal government to declare dealership employees essential. Our industry is enjoying the results of those efforts and you should enjoy the moment.”
More detailed information by model type is available in the MIC Retail Sales Unit Summary. All MIC members who have signed restricted use agreements may access the summary on the MIC.org website.
MIC members can also access the MIC Tire Sales Report, showing total September year-to-date motorcycle/scooter tire sales, compared to the same period last year. The quarterly report, an excellent indicator of industry tire sales trends, as well as motorcycle usage, vehicle population, and aftermarket sales trends is available on the MIC website.
The Motorcycle Industry Council exists to preserve, protect, and promote motorcycling through government relations, communications, media relations, statistics and research, aftermarket programs, data communications standards, and involvement in technical and regulatory issues. As a not-for-profit national industry association, the MIC seeks to support motorcyclists by representing manufacturers, distributors, dealers, and retailers of motorcycles, scooters, ATVs, ROVs, motorcycle/ATV/ROV parts, accessories, and related services, and members of allied trades such as insurance, finance and investment companies, media companies, and consultants.
The MIC is headquartered in Irvine, Calif., with a government relations office in metropolitan Washington, D.C. First called the MIC in 1970, the organization has been in operation since 1914. Keep up with the industry association on Twitter @followMIC and at MIC.org.
Holgado wins Valencia Race 2 – Acosta takes the Rookies Cup
Daniel Holgado (96), Pedro Acosta (37), and David Munoz (64) battle for the lead in Race Two. Photo courtesy Red Bull.
An intense three-way battle for the win was settled only at the final corner in favour of Daniel Holgado over Pedro Acosta and David Muñoz. It gave 15-year-old Spaniard Holgado his first Cup victory and the 2020 Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup went to 16-year-old Acosta.
It was an all Spanish podium with 14-year-old Muñoz just 9 thousandths behind at the line. The Cup points aren’t that close as Acosta ends the first Valencia weekend 59 points clear of David Alonso with only 50 on offer in the finale next weekend.
Alonso, the 14-year-old Colombian did put in another fine ride, taking 4th after a great fight back from his 13th place grid position.
Happy Holgado
Finally adding victory to his pairs of 2nds and 3rds Holgado shrugged off the bad luck that had infected the second half of his season. “I am so happy with my first victory in the Red Bull Rookies Cup. I had a really good feeling with the bike and I knew that I could race with Pedro all the way. I planned the last lap because I knew I had a good chance at the last corner and it worked out perfectly.”
“The bike setting wasn’t perfect because we didn’t have dry practice and the rear was sliding quite a lot but I had a good feeling for it so it was OK, I could control it.”
Acosta forgot to be careful
“It was a really good race because after the crash yesterday I was thinking about the championship. I got a good start but David and Dani came with me and we could get away. They were both riding really well, very fast today.”
“I was happy that it was just the three of us and then I forgot about the Cup and tried to win the race. Today, Dani was so so fast and I couldn’t win but I am happy with the championship.”
“We didn’t have any dry practice so the bike setting wasn’t good, we can improve it for sure for next weekend but I’m not complaining, I’m happy with the race.”
“It means so much to me to win the Rookies Cup because when I joined the Cup last year I had no other bike to ride and this has given me the chance to show what I can do.”
David Muñoz could do no more
“I am very happy for the race. The feeling for the bike was not so good after not having dry practice and I did the maximum I could. I was following Dani and Pedro and I really didn’t feel that I could beat them today, I didn’t have anything extra to try in the last laps. It will be different next weekend.”
Pedro Acosta, the 2020 Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup Champion. Photo courtesy Red Bull.
Alonso gave it everything
“It was not the best start and then at the second corner there was a big mess and I was then a long way behind the leaders.”
“The first three riders got away, then there was another group and I had to push very hard to catch them. I was a long way behind but finally with 5 laps to go I was close and I pushed so hard to get through the group and finish 4th.”
“It was an incredible race for me, like a victory, pushing so hard at every corner. The bike was good and I felt I could go faster and faster as I got more and more confident.”
The number 36 puts MotoGP™ on cloud nine as he becomes the ninth different winner and the fifth first time winner of the year, pulling clear in the Championship
Sunday, 08 November 2020
Joan Mir (36) leads Alex Rins (42) and Pol Espargaro (44) at Valencia #1. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Another race, another chapter written into the history books: Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar) is now a MotoGP™ race winner. The Suzuki rider was pitch perfect in the Gran Premio de Europa to make his first visit to the top step in the premier class, putting one hand on the crown in the process as he stretches his advantage in the Championship to 37 points. Mir is also the ninth different premier class winner of the year, seeing 2020 equal the record of most winners in a season, and the number 36 sets a new record as the fifth different maiden winner this year. With teammate Alex Rins following him home in second, the day also marked the first Suzuki 1-2 since 1982 and the Hamamatsu factory now lead in the fight for the riders’, constructors’ and teams’ Championships. Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) kept Rins honest as the number 44 took third though, back on the podium at the scene of both his and KTM’s first premier class rostrum finish in 2018.
It was close as the premier class riders roared away from the line, with both Rins and Pol Espargaro getting away well from the front row but the KTM ultimately taking the holeshot. Mir got away well from fifth too and was up to P4, just behind Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu). But not long after that, eyes would turn to some serious Lap 1 Championship drama.
Heading into Turn 8 at the end of the back straight, Fabio Quartararo (Petronas Yamaha SRT) was suddenly down and out of contention, the Frenchman reacting to Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) alongside him as the two both slid into the gravel. No contact was made and pure bad luck reigned, but it was monumental for the Championship. Luckily for Quartararo, he was able to pick the bike up and get running again but El Diablo re-joined behind Maverick Viñales (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP), who had started from pitlane due to exceeding his engine allocation. Early doors, it was advantage Mir near the front as some of his key rivals scrabbled to make up lost ground.
Pol Espargaro led the first one and a half laps but it didn’t take long for Rins to pounce at Turn 11, the Suzuki slotting through to take the lead and a couple of laps later, Mir – who had passed Nakagami on the opening lap – copy and pasted his teammate’s move on KTM as the Hamamatsu factory made it formation flying at the front. Oliveira was now also past Nakagami as two KTMs chased the Suzukis, before more drama hit further back – once again for Yamaha.
On Lap 5, the returning Valentino Rossi (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) was shown stopped on track at Turn 5, the Doctor’s comeback from Covid-19 sadly over after just a handful of laps. Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda Castrol) then crashed unhurt not long after, bumping Viñales up to 15th and Quartararo on the verge of the points. How much more progress could they make?
Meanwhile, the front group remained in a tense as-you-were. An intriguing game of chess was beginning as Rins led teammate Mir, with Pol Espargaro and Oliveira not far off and Nakagami and Johann Zarco (Esponsorama Racing) still in fairly close pursuit to boot. After a slow start, Jack Miller (Pramac Racing) was regrouping and chasing Zarco down as well, with Franco Morbidelli (Petronas Yamaha SRT) going the opposite way as the Italian was shuffled back.
With 15 to go, there remained nothing to choose between the two Suzukis in the lead. Lap after lap, Rins and Mir were exchanging 1:32.1s. A few laps later, Mir was visibly closer and homing in, but a move wasn’t coming yet as the gameplan seemed to hint towards patience. But that was assuming it would all come down to tactics, and instead it was about to come down to a small but costly mistake for the man in the lead.
Rins, heading through Turn 11 with 11 to go, was ever-so-slightly wide – and a door ajar will soon become a door opened in MotoGP™. Mir needed no second invitation, sweeping through to take over at the front and face down 10 laps with a lot at stake. Next time around, the Mayorcan set the fastest lap. By seven to go, his lead had crept to over half a second.
Two laps later, Mir was over a second clear it that made it clear: a mistake was likely the only thing that was going to stop the Mayorcan finally taking to that top step. Rins was still getting hounded by an impressive Pol Espargaro, and Nakagami was lurking just behind with some great late race pace as well. Suzuki Team Manager Davide Brivio could barely watch, but it all came down to this: one more lap.
With 1.4 seconds in his pocket, just 4km stood between Mir and a historic maiden MotoGP™ win, as well as a whole load of Championship advantage. And the number 36 held firm, keeping everything calm and collected to the line to finally make it a reality: his first premier class win, taken in some style. Monkey off back, one hand on crown and debate silenced, all he needs next time out is a podium – regardless of anyone else’s results.
Rins held off Espargaro by six tenths in the end, enough to create that milestone Suzuki 1-2 and moving himself into third overall – equal on points with Quartararo. Another impressive podium for KTM was also Pol Espargaro’s fourth rostrum of 2020, putting him just nine points down on Dovizioso in the Championship.
Nakagami banished the Aragon demons with a great ride to P4, less than a second away from a first premier class podium and top Independent Team rider to earn a trip to parc ferme. Oliveira slipped back into the grasp of Miller but the Portuguese rider just got the better of the Australian for P5, relegating the Queenslander to sixth.
Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), meanwhile, took a superb P7 despite a long-lap penalty served for his Aragon mistake, and the South African regains a points advantage in the battle for Rookie of the Year after Alex Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) crashed out. Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) lost more ground in the title race after a P8 finish, but the Italian beat fellow Ducati rider Zarco by 0.7 seconds after the Frenchman’s pace dropped off in the latter stages. Ducati Team’s Danilo Petrucci completed the top ten, the Italian gaining an impressive eight places.
Morbidelli’s Sunday was a contrasting one to Teruel. A difficult day and P11 for the Italian sees him drop to 45 points behind Mir in the title race after a tough weekend on the whole for Yamaha. Stefan Bradl (Repsol Honda Team) crossed the line 12th after another good ride from the HRC test rider, just ahead of Viñales who, despite his pitlane start, was just over a second behind the German.
Quartararo took the flag in P14, his opening lap crash putting a serious dent in his title chances. He remains second overall, however, and looking to hit back against Rins too. There are still 50 points in play…
Tito Rabat (Esponsorama Racing), Lorenzo Savadori (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) and Francesco Bagnaia (Pramac Racing) crashed out, riders ok.
And so the curtains come down for another week, with another chapter safely filed in the annals of history. Valencia will host again as the paddock returns to action next weekend, and everything will now be on the line as the first match point appears on the horizon. Nine winners, five first timers, and one of them on the roll of his life. Can Mir make it a coronation? With a 37-point safety net, all he needs is a podium.
MotoGP™ podium
1Joan Mir -Team Suzuki Ecstar – Suzuki 41:37.297
2 Alex Rins -Team Suzuki Ecstar – Suzuki +0.651
3 Pol Espargaro -Red Bull KTM Factory Racing – KTM +1.203
Joan Mir: “It’s amazing. I don’t have words to describe the moment, it’s amazing that the victory came at the perfect moment. Obviously I would have liked to win in Austria too but it wasn’t the day. Today was the day! I’m happy but I was already happy before the race because we did a super good weekend. On Friday we worked on the bike, on Saturday I found something good in the rain to have a good qualifying in those conditions. It was pretty good, I made an improvement, and then in Warm Up we worked so well and the pace was not bad! That was the key to the victory today, I had something more than the others and I could show it. I’m also especially happy for the team, Suzuki, first and second is amazing. I have no words.”
Marco Bezzecchi (72). Photo courtesy Dorna.
Bezzecchi wins, Lowes crashes as Moto2™ takes another twist in Valencia
The Italian bounces back in style ahead of Martin and Gardner as more Championship shockwaves hit the intermediate class
Sky Racing Team VR46’s Marco Bezzecchi bounced back in style after a double DNF at MotorLand Aragon by taking a second career Moto2™ victory at the Gran Premio de Europa. It was a race filled with drama, with Jorge Martin (Red Bull KTM Ajo) and Remy Gardner (ONEXOX TKKR SAG Team) locking out the podium but many a headline focused on the title fight: Enea Bastianini (Italtrans Racing Team) now leads the World Championship once again, the Italian fighting through to fourth as former points leader Sam Lowes (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) crashed out.
Petronas Sprinta Racing’s Xavi Vierge made a dream start from pole position but immediately had Joe Roberts (Tennor American Racing) attacking him at Turn 4. The Tennor American Racing rider went wide on the exit, the Spaniard taking him back at Turn 5. It didn’t stay that way for long, however, with Roberts storming back through moments later to hold the lead at the close of Lap 1. But then disaster struck, Roberts suddenly sliding out at Turn 2 and the Californian unable to re-join.
That allowed Marco Bezzecchi to take the lead, but the Italian was under severe pressure from Gardner. Sam Lowes, meanwhile, avoided some early drama with a vital save at Turn 4, as Bastianini got well stuck in battling from 15th on the grid – up to sixth in five laps.
It was a few more laps before Lowes decided to pounce on Gardner for second, but it didn’t last long with the Aussie finding an immediate reply. The World Championship leader hit back only a few seconds later though, this time making it stick.
The knock on effect of that saw Bastianini push on again, taking fifth place from Vierge with ten to go. There was a change in the fight for third too as Martin managed to squeeze through on Gardner, demoting the Australian off the podium for the moment.
And then came the shockwave. Suddenly, Lowes’ weekend was over as the Brit crashed out at Turn 6, his title lead going up in smoke as Bastianini swooped through into fourth and consequently the lead of the World Championship.
The FlexBox HP 40 duo of Lorenzo Baldassarri and Hector Garzo began to put Bastianini under pressure though, Baldassarri making a move on his compatriot and a vital couple of points at stake for the ‘Beast’. That was motivation enough if any was needed, and the number 33 hit back to reclaim fourth.
At the front though, it was all about Bezzecchi. The Italian was back on the top step in style after stamping some real authority on Sunday, also keeping himself in title contention after starting the weekend 48 points down – and ending it 29 off. Martin made it two podiums in three races as he backed up his third place finish in the Aragon Grand Prix with second in Valencia and Gardner collected his third podium finish of the year after a fifth top five finish in six races.
Bastianini was able to hold off Baldassarri for what could be a pivotal fourth place finish, putting the ‘Beast’ six points clear of Lowes in the World Championship with only two rounds left of 2020. Sky Racing Team VR46’s Luca Marini took sixth for a solid result, proving he is far from out of the title chase too. His was a last lap move on Garzo moving him to within 19 points of the top of the Championship. Garzo’s seventh nevertheless equalled his best so far.
Federal Oil Gresini Moto2’s Nicolo Bulega clinched eighth after getting the better of poleman Vierge, who eventually drifted back to ninth, before HDR Heidrun Speed Up’s Jorge Navarro rounded out the top ten.
Another seismic shift hits Moto2™, with Bastianini now back on top and six points ahead. Can Lowes bounce back next time out? Time will tell, but not much of it as we get back on track on Friday.
Moto2™ podium
1 Marco Bezzecchi – Sky Racing Team VR46 – Kalex 40:06.441
2 Jorge Martin – Red Bull KTM Ajo – Kalex +1.941
3 Remy Gardner – ONEXOX TKKR SAG Team – Kalex +3.553
Marco Bezzecchi: “It was a difficult race, very long, but also wonderful. I started well, even if Gardner and Lowes were closing the line, in the middle I could overtake outside in the first corner. I risked a bit because it was still wet but I tried. Fortunately I was there. Then I passed Vierge on the straight and in braking, and when Roberts was in front I saw he was risking a lot and I thought I had to stay calm because I thought I could ride cleaner. Then unfortunately he made a mistake, I was in front and I was very focused to try to make my rhythm, so I started to ride as clean as I could, and I was gaining a bit; not much, losing a little bit; not much, there was a short distance between me and second. Then on the last three laps when I had a quite good advantage I started to feel something wrong on the bike, a problem I also had on Friday in Free Practice. In acceleration there was no power in second gear, I don’t know why, so I was scared but I started to speak to the bike and said please don’t give up now… fortunately she made it to the end! Very good, the team did an incredible job and this is for them and my family.”
Raul Fernandez (25) leads Sergio Garcia (11) and Ai Ogura (79) to the finish line. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Flawless Fernandez takes his first win as chaos reigns for key title contenders
Vietti crashes, McPhee crashes and Arenas ends the day with a 0 – as Ogura gains big with a return to the podium
Raul Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo) put in a stunner to take the lead early in the Gran Premio de Europa and then pull away, staying calm and collected to take to the top step for the first time in Grand Prix racing. Behind him a three-way battle royale raged on the final lap, with 2019 Valencia GP winner Sergio Garcia (Estrella Galicia 0,0) coming out on top to take second ahead of Ai Ogura (Honda Team Asia). The podium for Ogura boosts him up to within three points of the Championship lead as huge drama ripped through the standings for the majority of the other key contenders.
Celestino Vietti (Sky Racing Team VR46) took the holeshot from the front row as poelsitter John McPhee (Petronas Sprinta Racing) lost out, and early doors there was a group of four heading away… but the drama was quick to hit. First off, a crash for Vietti saw Alonso Lopez (Sterilgarda Max Racing Team) unable to avoid and get tangled up, both going down in the first Championship shockwave as the Italian lost serious ground. The incident also scattered the pack and left Fernandez out front after the Spaniard had taken the lead just before the crash.
The incident also caught Albert Arenas (Valresa Aspar Team Moto3) just enough to cause some damage, which then became apparent as the number 75 was upright but going backwards. Arenas eventually pulled into pitlane at the end of the lap, blowing the title fight wide open once again. And although he did manage to get back out, it was with a significant gap to the front and one that would haunt the Spaniard later.
And so Fernandez led, gassing it to over two seconds clear as the second group battled it out. And then even more drama hit. McPhee crashed out at Turn 1, likely ending his charge for the crown, and only a few laps later, Jaume Masia (Leopard Racing) took a tumble too. That left Arbolino – the man leading the chase to catch Fernandez – and Ogura as the two key challengers near the top, joined by Garcia. And the gap to Fernandez was coming down ever so slightly…
Arbolino, Garcia and Ogura pushed on to catch the Red Bull KTM Ajo machine in the lead, but soon they would have even more to contend with than just the two-second gap to the front as well. Arenas was back out on track and soon the second group were on the scene, creating another little. Things got close and the number 75 was shown the black flag not long after, having got a little too into the battle despite being laps down.
That left Arbolino and Ogura as the two key men with something big to gain. With six to go, Arbolino had got the gap to Fernandez more than just a little below two seconds as Garcia and Ogura duelled just behind the Italian. The countdown was on for Fernandez, although the Spaniard looked solid. could he hang on? He could. Despite some late nerves about a possible bike problem, the Red Bull KTM Ajo rider kept it clean to complete his impeccable day at the office in style: on the top step.
The battle behind went down to the final lap, as ever in Moto3™. Arbolino had a twitch at Turn 1 and Garcia was up the inside of the Italian and into P2. Then Ogura picked Arbolino’s pocket at Turn 6 and the Italian, after a fair bit of leg work to lead the trio throughout, was now off the podium.
Garcia had broken the two title contenders and kept a little breathing space to the line to take his first first podium of the season, bouncing back from some tougher outings. Behind him, the duel stayed close but Ogura kept the door slammed shut at the final corner to get back on the podium for the first time since the Emilia Romagna GP. That cuts the gap in the Championship to just three points, with Arenas’ margin seriously cut.
Arbolino was forced to settle for fourth and remains 23 points down on Arenas, although he did gain, with Vietti’s 0 leaving him only three points ahead of Arbolino. Darryn Binder (CIP – Green Power) had another solid ride to a top finish as the South African came home in fifth, unable to quite get back the ground lost earlier in the race but taking more solid points. Carlos Tatay (Reale Avintia Moto3) duelled the number 40 late on, but was forced to settle for sixth.
The next group up was led over the line by Stefano Nepa (Valresa Aspar Team) as he charged up to seventh, beating Jeremy Alcoba (Kömmerling Gresini Moto3) and Filip Salač (Rivacold Snipers Team). Ayumu Sasaki (Red Bull KTM Tech 3) was next up after storming through from P26 on the grid, with Riccardo Rossi (BOE Skull Rider Facile Energy), Andrea Migno (Sky Racing Team VR46) and Romano Fenati (Sterilharda Max Racing Team) completed that group down to P13 – Fenati having had to take two long laps for track limits. Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Tech 3) wasn’t too far back either, with Gabriel Rodrigo (Kömmerling Gresini Moto3) – another who did a Long Lap – completing the points scorers.
A huge day for the Championship comes to a close with the margin back at just three points, and it’s everything on the line once again. Don’t miss the Valencia GP next time out – more drama awaits!
Moto3™ podium
1 Raul Fernandez – Red Bull KTM Ajo – KTM 38:29.140
2 Sergio Garcia – Estrella Galicia 0,0 – Honda +0.703
3 Ai Ogura – Honda Team Asia – Honda +1.005
Raul Fernandez: “It’s the first time victory and I’ll never forget it here in Valencia. I remember in 2016 I got my first victory here in the Junior World Championship, maybe it’s the track! I like MotorLand and Valencia, they’re my bets tracks. I want to thank my family one year ago was a difficult moment, a difficult family situation, and in those moments you know who your family and friends are. The people who help you in the difficult moments. I want to say thanks to my family and my team, it was difficult at the start of the season I had a lot of pressure and Aki helped me, especially with pressure, now I don’t have pressure and I enjoy it more and I want to say thanks because he helped me in every aspect, as a rider and person and I want to say thanks. I have no words, I want to enjoy this victory with my family and team.”
Salvador in front when it counted – Rookies Race 1 in Valencia
David Salvador (38). Photo courtesy Red Bull.
David Salvador by 15 seconds over Mario Aji and Billy van Eerde. But only after 3 of the leading, incredibly intense, quartet crashed out when David Alonso moved onto a damp patch to avoid Salvador’s rear wheel, highsided and both Pedro Acosta and Daniel Holgado went down with him.
The drying track held a good number of damp patches through the 15 laps and they were not the only fallers in the most desperately difficult conditions.
None of the top three in the championship chase finished and Salvador’s victory propelled the 16-year-old Spaniard into 4th place in the title chase but he is still 77 short of Acosta with 75 on offer from the remaining 3 races.
Colombian 14-year-old Alonso is still 2nd, 52 behind 16-year-old Spaniard Acosta. Third is Spanish 16-year-old Iván Ortolá 10 points adrift of Alonso after also sliding off in Race 1.
Salvador kept it all together to win
“It’s amazing to finally get this win this year. On the podium is where I believe I should be, it has been a frustrating season but finally it has happened.”
“It was a very difficult race because the track conditions are so tricky but my feeling with the bike is very good and I enjoyed the race so much. Of course the other guys were fast but I was happy to race them all the way, I am glad that no one is hurt and we can have another race tomorrow.”
“I am so happy that after last week here where I had a big crash at the last corner I can get the good feeling back and have this result. On the bike I just focused completely and forgot all about that.”
Aji takes a huge step to 2nd
“It was quite tricky conditions,” explains the 16-year-old Indonesian who turned his best every Cup Qualifying, P4, into a great result. “I made a good start but into Turn 1 I was so scared and slow. But then, lap by lap I was getting better. Many riders crashed and made mistakes, I also made mistakes but I managed to calm myself down and control things to the end.”
“I got my first podium and it has really given me more confidence and tomorrow I want to make another podium.”
Van Eerde ends a run of bad luck with 3rd
“I am so happy to get back on the podium,” enthused the 18-year-old Australian quietly. “It has been such a difficult year with injuries and it’s great to be back. By the end of the race my lap times were not so different to the guys at the front and it has given me a lot of confidence so I am really looking forward to the last 3 races starting with tomorrow.”
Acosta accusing no one
“I’m happy because I am fine after the crash and I was going well in the race. After this you can’t criticise the other rider because certainly he is the first one who didn’t want to crash. That’s racing.”
“I am happy because this race didn’t change the situation in the championship. Thinking about the race tomorrow I now have to consider the championship points and not just the race.”
Alonso very positive
“I crashed in turn 12, I was quicker than David (Salvador) through turn 11 and so I didn’t touch him I moved to the left and went onto the wet paint, the sun was going down and I didn’t see it at all.”
“Apart from the crash I was very happy about the race, it was the best race I have done. I was 13th on the grid, made a perfect start and could pass people and get with the leaders quickly. I improved a lot on this track and also was as aggressive as I needed to be, I think we did a step forward and we are ready for tomorrow.”
Broadcast
This weekend’s Rookies Cup races can be seen live on www.redbull.tv and on TV stations around the world.
Race 2 is on Sunday at 15:30 CET, the show starts 10 minutes before the race.
Pole for Pol! Espargaro heads Rins and Nakagami as a tenth covers the front row in Valencia
Rins second, Mir fifth, Morbidelli ninth, Quartararo 11th, Dovizioso 12th and Viñales in pitlane sets us up for a rollercoaster race day
Saturday, 07 November 2020
Pol Espargaro (44). Photo courtesy Dorna.
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Pol Espargaro picked up a phenomenal second pole position of 2020 after mastering the wet conditions in Q2 at the Gran Premio de Europa, the Spaniard slamming in a late 1:40.434 to head a front row covered by less than a tenth. Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) starts second as the top title challenger, just 0.041 back, with Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) claiming the final front row slot despite a late crash. The grid is a fascinating one ahead of lights out, with Championship challengers scattered throughout and, of course, Maverick Viñales (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) also starting from pitlane due to exceeding his engine allocation.
First, FP4 pacesetter Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Tech3) and FP3 leader Johann Zarco (Esponsorama Racing) emerged through the Q1 shootout on top in wet but drying conditions. The sun was shining for Q2 but the asphalt still wet; a dry line appearing but nowhere near dry enough to risk slicks. High stakes, anyone?
Franco Morbidelli (Petronas Yamaha SRT) pulled straight back into pitlane after his out lap, a tyre change on for the Italian, but it wasn’t to slicks. Rins then set a 1:42.420 and the first time of the session, but that was going to be beaten fairly quickly as some of the Q1 contenders dipped into the 1:41s, already dialled in. The number 42 Suzuki did then set a 1:41.714 to extend his lead though, and teammate Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar) was next up as he went quicker by a tenth to sit on provisional pole.
The Suzuki stranglehold was then beaten by Nakagami as Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) peeled into the pitlane despite being on a great lap, but the lead then changed again. Morbidelli was back on top, but Rins was on a roll and topped the session for the third lap in a row; the Aragon GP winner in fine form.
Nakagami was then on another flyer. The Japanese rider was 0.3 seconds faster at the second split and over half a second up through Sector 3, coming round the final corner and firing his RC213V to the line to take over by seven tenths – goalposts well and truly moved. Jack Miller (Pramac Racing) was the first man trying to respond, the Australian straight down to business to take P2 despite waiting to head out, but a mistake at the final corner cost him time.
Meanwhile, Mir then improved his time to go P3 as Dovizioso’s next time was only good enough for P12 as the wet weather form book seemed to take a hit. There was time left yet though and Rins was through the third split 0.041 up, the number 42 just pipping Nakagami by 0.005 seconds over the line. The Japanese rider then crashed at the final corner though, so that was his session over…
In the end, it all came down to a tense final minute. Rins was once again going faster and faster, 0.079 seconds under and looking set to challenge, but there was a flying KTM about to join the party at the top: Pol Espargaro. The Spaniard, who picked up both his and KTM’s first MotoGP™ podium at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo in 2018, crossed the line to take provisional pole and show yet more wet weather mastery. Could Rins ruin KTM’s afternoon? Not quite – but it was close. 0.041 was the gap between the two and next attention turned to Zarco, because the Frenchman was flying.
0.196 up through Sector 3 looked like it might be the two-time Moto2™ World Champion’s time to shine, but a mistake at the final corner then saw the Ducati man lose time. Just enough, although it was only covered by a tenth, to lose out on the front row. The number 5 went fourth, and it all came down to Rins. Could the Suzuki rider make one last ditch attempt to snatch pole? Not quite. It was another good lap but the Spaniard had to settle for P2, the search for premier class pole continuing.
And so, another breathless wet qualifying session ends with Pol Espargaro and KTM on top. The number 44 earns his second pole position of the season as Rins claims his second consecutive front row, and that can also be said for Nakagami. Three manufacturers in the top three positions, and all three are looking strong in Valencia. Two could also become the ninth different winner of 2020 on Sunday…
So could Zarco, who was unlucky to miss out on the front row but after negotiating Q1, heading up the second row is a solid Saturday afternoon. Championship leader Mir will launch from P5 after some good work on home soil, and he’s another big candidate to become that ninth winner. Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) completes Row 2 and that’s the Aprilia rider’s best Saturday afternoon outing since his P4 at the Czech GP earlier this year, and Aprilia’s best at Valencia in the MotoGP™ era.
After showing strong pace all weekend, Miller was forced to settle for P7 and the head of the third row, ahead of Oliveira. The Portuguese rider was the last man within a second of Pol Espargaro after improving on his last lap. Next up is top Yamaha rider Morbidelli in ninth and the Italian has some work to do on Sunday afternoon, with Mir and Rins ahead of him. Crucially, however, there are three title contenders behind him…
Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) rounds out the top 10, the South African just over a tenth faster than one of said title challengers: 11th place Fabio Quartararo (Petronas Yamaha SRT). It wasn’t the ideal Saturday for the man second in the standings but thankfully for El Diablo, Sunday looks like it will be dry – he’ll likely be hoping so. Dovizioso’s Q2 didn’t go to plan either, the Italian well adrift of Pol Espargaro by the flag and set to start P12.
And then, in terms of the top six in the standings, there’s Viñales. The Spaniard will start from pitlane on Sunday, looking to do some damage limitation. His returning teammate Valentino Rossi (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) starts from P17 too… so what can they each do?
The scene is set with a grid that promises another truly stunning Sunday. Will it be a ninth winner? More Championship drama? Another maiden winner? Some history-making is entirely possible, with Pol Espargaro, Nakagami, Zarco and Mir all starting in the top five and on the verge of some serious stats. Tune in for the MotoGP™ race at 14:00 local time (GMT+1) on Sunday for another unmissable twist in the tale of 2020!
MotoGP™ front row
1 Pol Espargaro – Red Bull KTM Factory Racing – KTM – 1:40.434
2 Alex Rins – Team Suzuki Ecstar – Suzuki – +0.041
Pol Espargaro: “That qualifying was crazy, we have not so much to lose, we’re not fighting for so much in the Championship. We’re not far but not close enough which is a pity but a reality. Today was difficult because we have three races in a row and these conditions made it so so so difficult to make a good laptime and so easy to crash, so I wanted to finish that session and with a good result, especially after seeing Miguel in Q1 who was very fast. I’m super pleased, I couldn’t believe it when I crossed the line and my mechanic put P1 on the board, it’s difficult to believe because when it comes in difficult situations it’s even more tasty!”
Xavi Vierge. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Vierge strikes late to deny Roberts in Valencia
The Spaniard takes it in a last dash on a drying track, ahead of Roberts and Championship leader Lowes
On a drying Circuit Ricardo Tormo that saw the Moto2™ riders attack Q2 on slicks, Xavi Vierge (Petronas Sprinta Racing) produced the goods to bag his first pole position of the season. The Spaniard’s last lap was good enough to see him beat Joe Roberts (Tennor American Racing) by just under two tenths, with Championship leader Sam Lowes an infinitesimal 0.002 back in P3. The British rider’s main title rival, Enea Bastianini (Italtrans Racing Team), will start from 15th.
Hafizh Syahrin (Inde Aspar Team Moto2) topped a tricky Q1 from Andi Izdihar (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia), with Championship contender Luca Marini (Sky Racing Team VR46) and Bo Bendsneyder (NTS RW Racing GP) also moving through. A dry line had appeared in Valencia, meaning it was just about time for slicks although it was by no means a fully dry qualifying session for the intermediate class.
Marco Bezzecchi (Sky Racing Team VR46) was fastest after the first flurry of laps in Q2, but as everyone got going, the lap times tumbled. Roberts set a 1:44.604 to sit on provisional pole with eight minutes to go but once more, the time wouldn’t be quickest for long. Vierge was the first man into the 1:43s as Lowes slotted into P2, three tenths off the Spaniard.
Bezzecchi then went back to P1 with Roberts going a tad slower to take second, but Lowes went quicker than the lot of them to go top by three tenths. Again though, the lead changed. Roberts once more took provisional pole and this time, Lowes didn’t beat his time – but it was close between the Brit and American.
Red sectors for Bezzecchi, Roberts and Lowes lit up the screens, but the latter was on a different planet. A 1:39.790 saw the Championship leader soar to 1.1 seconds clear of anyone else, decimating the competition. And yet, the gap was soon cut by Vierge, although Lowes hit back once again to extend it to seven tenths.
It remained far from over though. Bezzecchi, Roberts, Vierge, Remy Gardner (ONEXOX TKKR SAG Team) and Lowes all had red sectors. First it was Roberts who took provisional pole, but Vierge demoted the American to second almost immediately. Could Lowes respond to get back on top? Not this time! The points leader stayed third despite improving his laptime, advantage overcome and Vierge securing pole position in Valencia, his first since the 2019 Argentina GP. Roberts stayed second, too, just 0.002 ahead of Lowes as the duo finish just under two tenths down.
Gardner spearheads the second row in P4, the Aussie pipping Bezzecchi by just 0.033 to demote the Italian to fifth. Jorge Martin (Red Bull KTM Ajo) completes the second row in P6 as the front two rows are split by 0.520 seconds, with seventh place Marini next up but 1.3 seconds back from pole. The newly-announced 2021 Ducati rider needs a big result on Sunday to keep tabs on Lowes and Bastianini in the title race, and P7 is a solid place to start.
Flexbox HP 40 teammates Lorenzo Baldassarri and Hector Garzo picked up P8 and P9 respectively, both a good day’s work, with Nicolo Bulega (Federal Oil Gresini Moto2) closing out the top 10.
So where’s Bastianini? The number 33 produced a miraculous save in Q2 to keep himself upright but he couldn’t keep himself nearer the front, set to start P15. What can he do on race day? We’ve seen him bounce back before…
Tune in for a crucial Moto2™ encounter at 12:20 local time (GMT+1) on Sunday!
The Moto2 front-row qualifiers (from left): Joe Roberts, Xavi Vierge, and Sam Lowes. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Moto2™ front row
1 Xavi Vierge – Petronas Sprinta Racing – Kalex 1:38.936
2 Joe Roberts – Tennor American Racing – Kalex +0.181
3 Sam Lowes – EG 0,0 Marc VDS – Kalex +0.183
Xavi Vierge: “I’m so happy, again difficult times and injuries, it wasn’t easy to ride but these conditions mean it doesn’t affect it. The weekend was tricky conditions, in the rain I never felt comfortable so when I saw the conditions I wanted to start on slicks because I knew on the dry line I could go fast. I went step-by-step and lap-by-lap, and like always on the last lap you have to give it all and I made it this time. Super happy, thanks so much to the team they’re always supporting me and working so hard.”
John McPhee (17). Photo courtesy Dorna.
McPhee reigns wet qualifying for first pole of 2020
The Brit has Fernandez and title rival Vietti for company on the front row as the heavens open again in Valencia
John McPhee (Petronas Sprinta Racing) claimed his first pole position of 2020 in a wet Moto3™ qualifying session at the Gran Premio de Europa, the British rider’s 1:52.252 enough to pull over three tenths clear of second place Raul Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo). Title rival Celestino Vietti (Sky Racing Team VR46) completes the front row, just ahead of Championship leader Albert Arenas (Valresa Aspar Team) as the grid promises another Sunday stunner.
Ahead of Q1, very dark clouds were threatening at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo. Three title contenders were in the opening qualifying session, Arenas, Ai Ogura (Honda Team Asia) and Jaume Masia (Leopard Racing). It was a crucial and tense start to the session as the riders piled out on slick tyres, and Arenas had a big moment on his out-lap as the rain started falling – albeit lightly. But after overnight rain as well, there were still plenty of wet patches on track.
Ogura and Arenas were the early leaders in the session, the rain just about holding off, with Masia struggling. Gabriel Rodrigo (Kömmerling Gresini Moto3) then crashed before CarXpert PrüstelGP’s Barry Baltus and Jason Dupasquier went down as well, and then Jeremy Alcoba (Kömmerling Gresini Moto3) took a tumble too as the rain came down at Turn 14. Rodrigo crashed again at said corner to make it a hugely dramatic start to the afternoon. Masia remained three seconds off Ogura’s time at the top, the double MotorLand winner heading back out on wet tyres… but to no avail. He finished P14 in the session, which is P28 on the grid and quite a mountain to climb on Sunday.
Ogura, Rodrigo, Arenas and Dennis Foggia (Leopard Racing) were the four contenders going through to Q2 by the flag, and it would be a wet session to decide pole. The heavens had fully opened for the second part of qualifying and it was Darryn Binder (CIP – Green Power) who set the first banker time. That was immediately beaten by Sergio Garcia (Estrella Galicia 0,0), Arenas and Riccardo Rossi (BOE Skull Rider Facile Energy), but there were going to be plenty of changes in the next 10 minutes.
At the front, Alonso Lopez (Sterilgarda Max Racing Team) had taken over ahead of Binder and McPhee, but the provisional polesitter was the next man down as he crashed unhurt at Turn 4. McPhee then went three tenths clear of Arenas with a 1:52.514, with Garcia tumbling at Turn 9 and Carlos Tatay (Reale Avintia Moto3) at Turn 12 – proving the conditions were continuing to get trickier.
Nevertheless, Fernandez then threatened McPhee’s time to take second, just over a tenth off with two minutes to go. McPhee was responding though, the Scotsman 0.3 under his best time by Sector 3 and as the sun started to pierce through the clouds, the number 17 extended his advantage by another two tenths. Just ahead of McPhee on the road, title contender Vietti crashed at Turn 6 while occupying P3 – the end of his session, but with a good lap in the bank beforehand.
It came down to the final push. Could Fernandez spoil McPhee’s party? On his final lap the Spaniard gave it a cracking shot and coming across the line, he was just 0.064 off the Petronas rider. But then drama hit, with that lap cancelled for the Spaniard. Ultimately, his second best lap was enough, however, giving the Red Bull KTM Ajo rider second on the grid.
He’ll start alongside polesitter McPhee after the Scot took his first pole since the 2019 Austrian GP, with Vietti completing the front row. Arenas heads up Row 2 after coming through Q1, late laptime shuffle not bumping him forward in the end.
The Championship leader will be joined by Lopez, who crashed twice in Q2 but took P5, with Rossi completing the second row. Garcia spearheads Row 3 ahead of the man second in the standings, Ai Ogura, with Darryn Binder taking P9. Kaito Toba (Red Bull KTM Ajo) rounds out the top 10.
A hugely dramatic Saturday afternoon in Moto3™ sees one title contender suffer as Masia is left with a mountain to climb on Sunday afternoon – and his main rivals all sit inside the top 10. What will the weather bring for another crucial showdown? Find out at 11:00 local time (GMT+1) on Sunday morning!
Moto3™ front row
1 John McPhee – Petronas Sprinta Racing – Honda 1:52.252
2 Celestino Vietti – Sky Racing Team VR46 – KTM +0.411
3 Albert Arenas – Valresa Aspar Team Moto3 – KTM +0.569
John McPhee: “It was a tricky session for us because with the conditions looking like it would be dry we had the bike ready to go with slicks and dry settings, and then part-way through Q1 when the other guys were on track we saw it was getting wet and we didn’t know whether to go half-half or fully wet. When the rain started to come down we went for fully wet, which was a good call from the team to do that. It was difficult because the first couple of flaps weren’t so wet and then lap-by-lap there was more and more water to the point where at end of the session there was even some standing water. It was hard to improve but we got a good banker in at the beginning and were able to improve at the end which I was more happy with, because like I said with more water it was more difficult. Overall we’ve been strong in all conditions, in the small dry part we had although it wasn’t fully dry, we were strong as well so I’m looking forward to the race tomorrow. I think we can have a good day.”
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