Honda extend contract with Takaaki Nakagami in MotoGP
On the eve of his home MotoGP race in Japan, Honda Racing Corporation confirm the one-year extension of Takaaki Nakagami in the LCR Honda IDEMITSU.
Now in his second year aboard the Honda RC213V run inside LCR Honda IDEMITSU, Takaaki Nakagami has demonstrated constant improvements in his riding and results in the MotoGP class. With nine top-ten finishes and a best result of fifth at the Italian Grand Prix in Mugello, the Japanese rider has already amassed more than double the points he scored in his rookie campaign.
Takaaki Nakagami arrives at his home race, the Japanese Grand Prix, with a new one-year contract with LCR Honda IDEMITSU. All involved are pleased to continue the relationship and look forward to more improvements from the 27-year old.
After the race in Motegi, Nakagami will undergo an operation on his shoulder to resolve an injury that has troubled him throughout the season. The nature of the operation warrants an extensive recovery period, forcing the Japanese rider to end his 2019 season early. By performing the operation now, Nakagami is aiming to be fully fit for the first test of the 2020 season in Sepang on February 07.
Takaaki Nakagami 30
Rider – MotoGP
“First of all I am delighted to stay with Honda and the LCR Team. I have been able to improve a lot this year and Honda have shown me great support and given me a very strong package. I am sure together we can continue this in 2020. About the injury, after the crash I had in Assen I found myself in some pain and lacking a bit of strength in my shoulder. I went to the doctor to fully understand the situation and while I have been able to ride with the injury, it has not been ideal so we made the difficult decision alongside Honda and the LCR Team to have this operation now.”
Tetsuhiro Kuwata
HRC Director – General Manager Race Operations Management Division
“We are proud to continue to support Takaaki Nakagami in the MotoGP class for the 2020 season. As a rider he has continued to develop and grow throughout all of 2019. He is someone who inspires many young talents in Japan and Asia with his hard work and focus. I wish him all the best in his recovery and look forward to the 2020 season.”
Dunlop Plans More INVITE Events In 2020 And Beyond
Buffalo, NY: Dunlop Motorcycle Tires made history with the recent inaugural running of The Invite, presented by Dunlop, at Hallett Motor Racing Circuit in Jennings, Oklahoma. The central location of the event drew competitors from a multitude of states across the country, from California to Florida and points in between.
The 2019 iteration of The Invite, presented by Dunlop, aims to be the start of a yearly event which will help revitalize motorcycle road racing in the United States and provide racers from all across the country a new platform to showcase their skills and ultimately enjoy more seat time on track.
“It was a really fun event,” said Dunlop Business Development Manager Chad Geer. “Everyone is saying they enjoyed it. Our goal is to go forward and get other (amateur road racing) organizations to work with us, hold qualifiers, and help develop this concept.”
The Champions of The Invite Presented by Dunlop 2019.
The idea and the format for the event are unprecedented, but Dunlop and CMRA Race Director Walter Walker and his crew stepped up to the plate, running the event and deploying Airfence soft barriers provided by the Roadracing World Action Fund. Things went off without a hitch over the course of the weekend, creating an atmosphere enjoyed by racers, families, and friends alike.
There was exceptional racing on Saturday and Sunday at Hallett and a few competitors stood head and shoulders above the rest. Track records were broken throughout the weekend thanks to Dunlop rubber and it started with Ryan Max Johnson. The Yamaha YZF-R3 rider came away with the Number One plate in the 300 Expert classification with four out of four wins and also broke the 300cc track record two separate times, with an eventual best time of 1:23.9 beating the previous record by half-a-second.
In the 400cc categories, 2019 MotoAmerica LiquiMoly Junior Cup Champion Rocco Landers, age 14, had a sensational weekend, winning all eight races that he entered and earning Number One plates in the (14-24) 400 Expert, 400 Expert, and 300/400 Shootout categories. In addition to his exceptional race results, Landers also broke the track record in the 400 class and continued to improve on his own time throughout the weekend, eventually clocking a 1:20.04 on the final day of racing.
In the 600cc classes, Texas native JC Camacho came out on top in the majority of the races. Camacho left himself a little bit of work to do off the starts which made for some exceptional battles in the closing laps, but more often than not he fought his way to the front of the pack and ended up coming away with the Number One plate in both the 600 Expert and 600 Shootout classes.
In the Twins and 1000cc divisions, local racer and the outright track record holder Dustin Dominguez dominated the competition. The Oklahoma native looked comfortable on his home track all weekend and never put a tire wrong, winning every race he entered by a healthy margin, with stylish wheelies across the finish line to boot. Dominguez was the winningest rider at the event and came away with a total of four Number One plates at the end of the weekend, taking the top spot in the Twins Expert, Twins Shootout, 1000 Expert, and 1000 Shootout classifications.
California’s Brian Bartlow separated himself from the rest of the field in the 300 & 400 age classes, taking the top spot in 30+ (300 & 400), 40+ (300 & 400), and 50+ (300 & 400).
The last race on the schedule was the Grom and Z125 World Championship. After a six-lap battle, the Number One plate went to Josiah Burleson. The 13-year-old rode a flawless race and celebrated at the finish line by emphatically raising both fists into the air, putting the cap on a fantastic weekend of grassroots motorcycle racing at The Invite, presented by Dunlop.
DAYTONA TT and DAYTONA 200 Combine for 2020 Doubleheader Event on Saturday, March 14
Inaugural event to combine American Flat Track and American Sportbike Racing Association at Daytona International Speedway
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (October 15, 2019) –American Flat Track (AFT) announced today another big evolution of its jaw-dropping DAYTONA TT season opener by moving to a weekend date on Saturday, March 14. The 2020 running of this Bike Week At DAYTONA spectacle has America’s Original Extreme Sport joining forces with another motorcycle racing staple: the iconic DAYTONA 200. With a multi-year agreement between AFT and Daytona International Speedway (DIS), the doubleheader event will usher in a new level of excitement for motorsports enthusiasts.
Traditionally racing two days apart, the DAYTONA TT and DAYTONA 200, sanctioned by the American Motorcyclist Association and operated by the American Sportbike Racing Association (ASRA), will now run together on the second Saturday of the historic Daytona Bike Week festivities. Fans will be able to enjoy the 79th DAYTONA 200 during the day and stay into the evening to cheer on the athletes of American Flat Track at their season-opening DAYTONA TT.
“2020 is shaping up to be a breakout season for AFT,” said Michael Lock, CEO of American Flat Track. “After incorporating the Start-Finish banking for the first time at the TT in 2019, we are further enhancing the track design to encourage even more passing into Turn 1 for our season opener in 2020. All this and now combining the historic DAYTONA 200 with the incredible action of the DAYTONA TT is sure to deliver a can’t-miss day of action for race fans. We are delighted to be partnering with DIS and ASRA to bring an unparalleled experience to Daytona Bike Week.”
The 2019 running of the DAYTONA TT made history as AFT introduced a multi-surface racetrack by incorporating the front stretch of the historic Daytona International Speedway tri-oval into its purpose-built dirt TT course. 2020 will see this taken to the next level with further track enhancements.
Coupled with the back-to-back motorcycle race action will be a myriad of activities in the UNOH Fanzone including live music, Kids Zone, Rider Meet & Greet, official merchandise and more.
“This will be a doubleheader unlike any other in the history of Daytona International Speedway,” said Chip Wile, President of Daytona International Speedway. “Combining the longstanding Bike Week At DAYTONA traditions of the DAYTONA 200 and American Flat Track into one day will deliver the ultimate experience for fans of motorcycle racing. Bike Week At DAYTONA will be even more exciting and in the process, even more memorable.”
Tickets for the first-ever doubleheader – DAYTONA 200 and DAYTONA TT – at the legendary Daytona International Speedway are on sale now for a special early bird discount. Watch both historic motorcycle racing events for just $30 when you purchase a General Admission ticket online. Early bird pricing valid now through October 31, 2019. Get yours at tickets.americanflattrack.com.
A variety of upgraded and VIP experiences are available, including the always-sold out Trackside Seating area. For more information visit tickets.americanflattrack.com.
The remainder of the provisional schedule for the 2020 season of American Flat Track will be announced in the near future. An announcement regarding track design and additional fan activities for the doubleheader eventwill be made in the coming weeks.
For the latest information and exciting developments, stay tuned to www.americanflattrack.com and AFT’s social media channels.
NBCSN andFansChoice.tv are the official homes for coverage of American Flat Track. For the 2019 season, NBCSN’s coverage of AFT maintains its highly-coveted, weekend afternoon programming slots within two weeks of each event. The complete schedule for AFT on NBCSN can be viewed athttp://www.americanflattrack.com/events-nbcsn/. FansChoice.tv remains a cornerstone of AFT’s digital strategy, providing live streaming coverage of every event onAFT’s live page while previous events and exclusive features are available onAFT’s VOD page.
About American Flat Track:
American Flat Track is the world’s premier dirt track motorcycle racing series and one of the longest-running championships in the history of motorsports. Sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing in Daytona Beach, Fla., the series is highly regarded as the most competitive form of dirt track motorcycle racing on the globe. For more information on American Flat Track, please visit http://www.americanflattrack.com, like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, check us out on Instagram, live stream the events at FansChoice.tv and catch all the American Flat Track racing action on NBCSN.
Several riders refused to participate in the Saturday Superbike World Championship race in Argentina, arguing that the newly-laid track surface—already notorious for being slick with dust and dirt–was coming apart and was unsafe.
About one-third of the riders on the grid refused to ride, although some of those who did not race argued that it was only an immense amount of last-minute pressure that resulted in more than a handful of riders on the grid at all.
“We shouldn’t be in this situation in 2019. Full stop. It’s a bit of a crap situation,” said Aruba.it Racing – Ducati’s Chaz Davies, one of the riders who refused to race on Saturday.
Racers found a dusty and dirty track on Friday that left practice times several seconds slower than expected, with some riders complaining that the surface was so slick that they could not even lean over enough to get a knee down.
But the real problems surfaced on Saturday. An indication that not all was well came at the end of qualifying, when riders put on Pirelli qualifying slicks for their time attacks and were unable to go any faster than on race tires.
As ambient temperatures increased, oil and tar oozed out of the surface of the track. Riders met with organizers and asked for both races to be run on Sunday, when temperatures were expected to be much cooler.
“The temperature’s gone up and up and up today. The circuit is just not in a stable condition at the moment,” Davies said. “80 to 90% of the riders agreed before the race that it was incredibly risky to do it. Unfortunately, there’s always pressure to go out there and race.”
There was disagreement between the riders as to what to do, with Davies, Sandro Cortese (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK), Marco Melandri (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK), Leon Camier (Moriwaki Althea Honda Team), Ryuichi Kiyonari (Moriwaki Althea Honda Team) and Eugene Laverty (Team Goeleven) ultimately not starting.
“I would like to thank the Moriwaki Althea Honda team for supporting my decision,” Camier posted on Twitter.
While on the grid prior to the race, Kawasaki Racing Team’s Leon Haslam said he thought the circuit was too dangerous, but that he was going to race anyway. “You’ve got a contract and you’ve agreed to race. I probably agree that it’s too dangerous and we shouldn’t race. It’s a shame that they (organizers) didn’t listen to the rider majority,” Haslam said. “But we’re here to race and we’ve got to do what we’ve got to do.”
In the race, Ducati’s Alvaro Bautista won with a best lap time of 1:40.919, compared to Jonathan Rea’s best race lap time of 2018 of 1:39.175. To underscore how bad the track surface was on Saturday, in the Tissot Superpole race on Sunday, Bautista was a full three seconds quicker than he was on Saturday, and Rea turned a 1:37.462 to set a new overall lap record.
FIM officials issued a statement saying that riders were happy with the circuit after the extended practice session on Saturday morning, and that was when the decision to continue with the day’s activity was made.
“The FIM wishes to remind that the safety of all riders is its priority and wish to emphasize that neither the scorching conditions nor the condition of the track surface at that precise moment justified the cancellation of the race,” the statement said. The statement did not include who ultimately made the decision to run the race over rider objections, nor how they came to that decision.
The Grand Prix Commission, composed of Messrs. Carmelo Ezpeleta (Dorna, Chairman), Paul Duparc (FIM), Herve Poncharal (IRTA) and Takanao Tsubouchi (MSMA), in an electronic meeting held on 7 October 2019, made the following decision:
Sporting Regulations
MotoGP CLASS – TEST RESTRICTIONS
With the introduction of additional events in the Grand Prix calendar, the MotoGP class teams have been examining ways to offset the additional workload on riders and team staff by reducing the number of tests.
Agreement was reached between the teams to propose cancellation of the November 2020 test after the Valencia GP and the traditional March 2021 test prior to the Qatar GP.
The proposal was approved by the GPC and will become effective in the regulations from Season 2020, which starts the day after the 2019 Valencia GP.
Implementation of the new regulations will result in the following programme of MotoGP class tests:
SEASON 2020 (STARTING 18 NOVEMBER 2019)
Valencia 19-20 November Two-day official test.
Jerez 25-26 November Two-day joint private test
Sepang 02-04 February Three-day shakedown test.
Sepang 07-09 February Three-day official test.
Qatar 22-24 February Three-day official test
Jerez 04 May One-day official test after the GP
Barcelona 08 June One-day official test after the GP
Finland 15-16 June Two-day Michelin tyre test – test teams only
Misano 15-16 September Two-day joint private test
SEASON 2021 (STARTING 16 NOVEMBER 2020)
Jerez 19-20 November Two-day official test
Sepang 01-03 February (prov) Three-day shakedown test
Sepang 06-08 February (prov) Three-day official test
On dates to be confirmed when 2021 calendar is known:
Possible three-day, pre-season test at Lombok, Indonesia if circuit is in 2021 calendar.
Two of one-day official tests on Mondays after events. Circuits to be confirmed.
Two-day official test at a circuit to be confirmed – probably Misano.
With two rounds still to run in the WorldSSP Championship in 2019 the Kawasaki Puccetti Racing team is now in a position to announce its 2020 rider line-up.
Lucas Mahias, a recent race winner at his home round of the 2019 WorldSSP championship, will continue for a second year in Kawasaki colours.
The 2017 World Champion, along with his experienced team, has identified and maximised the key characteristics of Ninja ZX-6R, which have now culminated in his breakthrough win in green. Remaining in his current set-up should allow him an even more consistent title challenge in 2020.
Joining Lucas in the Kawasaki Puccetti Racing pit garage next season will be current Moto2 rider, Philipp Öttl, from Germany. At 23-years of age Öttl has accepted a new challenge inside the overall WorldSBK paddock, after many years of racing inside the MotoGP system. He had followed in the footsteps of his father, Peter, who was also a regular in the smaller capacity Grands Prix classes in the late 1980s and early ‘90s.
Puccetti Kawasaki Team Manager Manuel Puccetti (left) and Philipp Öttl (right).
Philipp has won races in both the Rookies’ Cup and Moto3 classes. He started his first Moto3 race in 2012, but became a regular from the 2013 season. A Moto3 race win at Jerez came as recently as the 2018 season and his current campaign in Moto2 has already given him experience of middleweight engine power.
Manuel Puccetti, Team Manager, stated: “It’s really a pleasure to continue our collaboration 2020 in WorldSSP with Lucas. He is one of the strongest riders ever in the middleweight class and my team fully believes it can achieve the world championship with him next season. We warmly welcome Philipp Öttl, 23 years old from Moto2 championship and from many years in Moto3. Philipp, I believe, is a young and fast rider. I think he will adapt quickly to our bike and we will do our best to help grow up his career with our Supersport Ninja.”
Steve Guttridge, Kawasaki Europe Racing Manager, stated: “We have had a tough couple of seasons in WorldSSP but our Kawasaki Puccetti Racing team have always pushed hard to find solutions for victory. We are pleased to remain in this category again for the 2020 season and welcome Philipp Öttl. We have seen a continuous improvement from Lucas this first season as he worked hard on both himself and adapting to the characteristics of the Ninja ZX-6R. His win in Magny Cours confirmed our joint feeling that we are ready to fight again for the title in 2020 season, together with his new team-mate.”
With the crown secured before we head for the Japanese GP, the gloves could come off…but the pressure’s still on
Monday, 14 October 2019
Last time out Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) won the race and Championship, and the celebrations have doubtless been continuing for the now eight-time World Champion since the paddock packed up and left Buriram. But despite that title fight being over, the season is far from it and the first of the four remaining races of the year sees us head for the hard-braking home race for so many manufacturers in the paddock – with plenty of pride on the line.
For Marquez, it’s a chance to race without his mind set quite so much on the maths – and he’ll also surely be chasing pole as Motegi is the last venue on the calendar at which he’s never achieved the feat in the premier class. He’s won though – twice in MotoGP™, once in Moto2™ and once in the 125 World Championship – so his record says it’s a surprise he’s not yet started from the front. With no Championship pressure, will he be the man to beat? Likely. But there are the team and manufacturer standings to consider, and it’s Honda’s 60th anniversary year of racing in the World Championship as well…so it won’t be quiet weekend. It will be a milestone for teammate Jorge Lorenzo too, as he celebrates 200 premier class Grands Prix.
Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team), meanwhile, will be hoping to make more of a fight of it at Motegi. The venue has been a good one for the Italian and he is a man who’s been on pole before: the track was where Dovizioso took his first pole in the premier class in 2010, and he did it again in 2014 and 2018. He also won the 2017 showdown with Marquez in the rain – one of the most stunning duels of recent years, and there have been a few – and he’s been on the podium in the dry, so it makes for good reading. And there’s no home race pressure for the number 04, although the team and constructor standings add some back in. On that count, however, there could be more for teammate Danilo Petrucci, as the Italian is now fifth overall – although only a handful of points off Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) in third and one point behind Maverick Viñales (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP). He’ll want more from Motegi and the final four rounds overall.
That tight fight will certainly be one to keep an eye on. Rins will be pushing to the max to try and get the most from the home weekend for Hamamatsu factory Suzuki, as will rookie teammate Joan Mir, but Viñales is closing fast on third overall – so gaining back some consistency is also key for Rins. Suzuki will also have another machine on track too in Japan in the form of a wildcard for test rider Sylvain Guintoli, so that could aid them in their search for more speed.
Yamaha, meanwhile, have been seriously gaining traction as the latter half of the season goes on, especially Viñales as he chases down a place in the top three overall, and limelight-stealer Fabio Quartararo’s (Petronas Yamaha SRT) shining performances speak for themselves. The French rookie is now only two points off Valentino Rossi (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) overall and could conceivably still catch Viñales for top Yamaha. More pressing, though, is Rookie of the Year – with Quartararo 85 points ahead of Mir as it stands. If he leaves Japan 75 points ahead of the Spaniard, he’s taken the first of what could be a few accolades in 2019.
The Independent Team rider standings are another key battlefield. Quartararo has now got a nice buffer back to Jack Miller (Pramac Racing) in the fight for top Independent Team rider, but Miller will be pushing and so will Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda Castrol). Crutchlow is on Honda turf and will want to bounce back after an issue in Thailand…although the pressure will likely more be on the other side of the garage and home hero Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu). What can the Japanese rider do? Rumour has it he’ll be undergoing surgery in the near future on his shoulder, but not before Motegi – so it’ll be a big push on home turf, with lots of home support.
So many narratives make up a MotoGP™ season and we may well be reading the first epilogue of the riders’ Championship but we’re far from the end of the story overall. Teams, constructors, rookies, Independent Team riders; milestones, records and more remain just around the corner in the final four rounds of the season, so tune in for the Motul Grand Prix of Japan on Sunday 20th October at 15:00 local time (GMT +9) to see another spectacular chapter.
Championship standings
1 – Marc Marquez (SPA – Honda) – 325
2 – Andrea Dovizioso (ITA – Ducati) – 215
3 – Alex Rins (SPA – Suzuki) – 167
4 – Maverick Viñales (SPA – Yamaha) – 163
5 – Danilo Petrucci (ITA – Ducati) – 162
Four to go: Fernandez starts his final stand on Marquez turf
The number 73 has won three times at Motegi. Can his rivals stop it becoming four?
Alex Marquez (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) says there isn’t anything particular about the Twin Ring Motegi that has made his record at the track such a good one, but he’ll feel pretty good about it heading into the Motul Grand Prix of Japan this year. The number 73 has a chance at a fourth win at the circuit, and he’s already 40 points clear…so is he sitting pretty? Almost, so now is the time for key rivals Augusto Fernandez (Flexbox HP 40) and Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Ajo) to stage somewhat of a final stand.
Fernandez, certainly, took the gloves off last time out and showed he’s more than willing to fight for this Championship; aggressive and leaving everything on the track. He remains consistently impressive but now he has to remain consistently ahead of Marquez by some margin, as does Binder, who is 44 points off the leader. The South African seems to have more been sneaking his way up the table as he’s gained some serious traction in the latter half of the season, and if 40 points doesn’t put Fernandez out of contention, a few more doesn’t do the same for Binder. Will Marquez crack? Does he need to? A maximum 100 points remain on the table…
Jorge Navarro (Beta Tools Speed Up), meanwhile, will be looking to get up in that fight in Japan too. The Spaniard had a tough time at Buriram and didn’t score, meaning he’s been leapfrogged in the standings by a few riders – including Swiss veteran Tom Lüthi (Dynavolt Intact GP). It’s a tight top five with a lot on the line for everyone though, and Lüthi could be one to watch. He’s another who has a great record at Motegi.
Then there’s Luca Marini (Sky Racing Team VR46), who is in sixth overall. Although he’s in danger of becoming the first near the top to be out of the fight mathematically, the turn of pace he had at Buriram was stunning – and if he keeps anything like that going in Japan, he could be a serious extra cat amongst the pigeons.
As with every class on the grid though, there’s a home hero to consider too: Tetsuta Nagashima (ONEXOX TKKR SAG Team). He’s had some impressive showings this season and could prove an extra complication for a few people at the Twin Ring Motegi.
The time is now for Marquez’ rivals. How will Motegi shuffle the dice? Find out on Sunday 20th October.
Championship standings
1 – Alex Marquez (SPA – Kalex) – 224
2 – Augusto Fernandez (SPA – Kalex) – 184
3 – Brad Binder (RSA – KTM) – 180
4 – Tom Lüthi (SWI – Kalex) – 178
5 – Jorge Navarro (SPA – Speed Up) – 175
Can Canet start climbing another mountain at Motegi?
Another dose of bad luck at Buriram has left the Spaniard on the back foot once again
With his demolition job at MotorLand Aragon, Aron Canet (Sterilgarda Max Racing Team) pulled the gap to Championship leader Lorenzo Dalla Porta (Leopard Racing) back to just two points – but then came a little more bad luck for the Spaniard at Buriram. Heading away from Thailand with another zero as Dalla Porta took second, it’s back to 22 points and another uphill battle on the road to Japan.
The bad news for Canet is that Dalla Porta was only hundredths off the win at the Twin Ring Motegi last year, but the good news is that he himself has some top five experience at the venue, although a couple of years ago. He also knows he has to push and can’t get trapped into playing it safe, and with higher stakes can come higher rewards. Is four rounds enough to get back on terms with the Italian? Given the see-saw of the year so far, it can still happen.
Tony Arbolino (VNE Snipers), meanwhile, needs even more. After suffering from an issue with his arm in Thailand and, like Canet, losing ground, it’s fast approaching crunch time for the Italian if he’s to stay in with a shout. Arbolino needs to start winning races and could need the likes of Albert Arenas (Gaviota Angel Nieto Team), Marcos Ramirez (Leopard Racing) and John McPhee (Petronas Yamaha SRT) to come into play…
Racing in Japan, however, lends a little extra motivation to the home heroes and they could well have a big say in the weekend. Tatsuki Suzuki (SIC58 Squadra Corse) is the most recent Japanese winner in the class and was also caught in the drama at Buriram so he’ll be full gas to get more from Motegi, and Kaito Toba (Honda Team Asia) will want to win his second Grand Prix of the season. Ayumu Sasaki (Petronas Sprinta Racing) could be another to watch and needs to bounce back, and they should keep an eye on impressive rookie Ai Ogura (Honda Team Asia) too – he’s had some impressive results so far this year, and a first podium already. And can Kazuki Masaki (BOE Skull Rider Mugen Race) turn his form around?
The Motul Grand Prix of Japan is a vital stage of the Championship battle this season, but there’s also a lot on the line for the home heroes. Who will come out on top? Find out on Sunday 20th August at 12:00 local time (GMT +9).
The Team Hammer Advanced Riding School is thrilled to announce the addition of the ultimate guest instructor for its upcoming event at Daytona International Speedway on October, 18: “Mr. Daytona” himself, Scott Russell.
Russell ranks as one of history’s most accomplished and popular road racers with an extensive resume that includes World Superbike and AMA Superbike Championships, a Suzuka 8-Hour victory, 500cc GP World Championship podiums, and an AMA Pro Athlete of the Year award.
However, the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame member’s legend is built in large part on his Daytona 200 heroics. Russell earned his “Mr. Daytona” title not just by winning the grueling, prestigious race a record-setting five times, but by the way in which he earned those victories.
“I think this is going to be really cool,” said Russell. “It’s great any time I can go back to ride at Daytona. I won the Daytona 200 five times and feel like I should have got seven of ’em, so the idea of sharing what I learned racing here with others and having a good time appeals to me. I think it should be a great experience for everyone.”
Russell continued: “I was surprised and excited to get the call and it is going to be a great time. I’ve been riding a good bit lately and just got back from Barber and three days at Thunder Hill, so I’m ready to go to a track that is a special place for me.”
Russell won the Daytona 200 in just about every conceivable way, from beating fellow Superbike World Champion Doug Polen in a photo finish after getting fuel dumped on him in a prior pit stop; to recovering following a crash to chase down and beat World Superbike legend Carl Fogarty; to flat-out dominating races stacked with some of the best racers the world has seen make an attempt to beat him.
Early in his career, Russell was a member of the 1988 Team Hammer Supersport Support program, competing in AMA Supersport Nationals and WERA Suzuki Cup events, making his return to Daytona even more of a homecoming.
Mere mortals and aspiring legends alike now have a chance to learn from Russell’s immense experience and invaluable insight around the famed high banks of Daytona International Speedway.
Sean Dylan Kelly (311) leads Bobby Fong (50) during the 2019 Daytona 200. The pair will join Scott Russell as featured instructors at the Team Hammer Advanced Riding School on October 18. Photo by Brian J Nelson.
Joining Russell as instructors will be Team Hammer’s own 2019 MotoAmerica Supersport Champion Bobby Fong, plus 2019 Daytona 200 pole sitter Sean Dylan Kelly, who at age 16 became the youngest rider to earn pole in the history of the iconic event. Kelly finished second in the 2019 Daytona 200, with Fong–who led when the race was red-flagged with just a few laps to go–finishing a close third in a four-lap restart. All three–Russell, Fong, and Kelly–will share their expertise with students. Joining them will be Team Hammer endurance and Formula USA star Michael Martin and Team Hammer Vice President and USMCA Certified Coach Chris Ulrich, who have both won overall in endurance events at Daytona–AMA Pro for Martin and AMA MotoST for Ulrich–in addition to their multiple overall WERA National Endurance Championships and wins in AMA Pro and F-USA races at other tracks.
The 2019 season marks Team Hammer’s 39th consecutive year of operating as a professional road racing team. Racebikes built and fielded by Team Hammer have won 83 AMA Pro and MotoAmerica National races, have finished on AMA Pro and MotoAmerica National podiums 234 times and have won seven AMA Pro and MotoAmerica National Championships, as well as two FIM South American Championships (in Superbike and Supersport). The team has also won 137 endurance races overall (including seven 24-hour races) and 13 Overall WERA National Endurance Championships, and holds the U.S. record for mileage covered in a 24-hour race. The team also competed in the televised 1990s Formula USA National Championship, famously running “Methanol Monster” GSX-R1100 Superbikes fueled by methanol, and won four F-USA Championships.
FIM STATEMENT – WorldSBK – Motul Argentinean Round
Following the decision of six riders not to participate in Race 1 at the Motul Argentinean Round of the FIM Superbike World Championship, in San Juan on Saturday October 12th, FIM wishes to provide some clarifications.
At the request of the FIM in 2018, the circuit of San Juan was resurfaced to host WorldSBK in 2019. On Wednesday, October 9th during the inspection of the track, the FIM safety officer requested the circuit management to wash the track to remove the dust that had accumulated during the last days to ensure the safety conditions necessary for the smooth running of the Argentinean round.
After an intensive cleaning of the track, the homologation was issued on Thursday during a new inspection. This homologation procedure valid from Friday to Sunday is identical for each event of the championship and takes place on the Thursday preceding each race according to the FIM rules.
On Friday evening during the safety commission meeting, the rider representatives expressed concern over the scorching conditions and its possible effect on the newly laid asphalt. In agreement with all the stakeholders (Riders, representatives of FIM and Dorna), it was decided that a meeting would be held on Saturday at 12h00 after the Free Practice session 3 to make a new point on the situation. At this meeting all riders were happy with the improvement of the track conditions and it was unanimously decided to go ahead with the Qualifying Sessions and race. Nevertheless, after Qualifying Sessions six WorldSBK riders decided not to take part in the race two hours later.
The FIM wishes to remind that the safety of all riders is its priority and wish to emphasize that neither the scorching conditions nor the condition of the track surface at that precise moment justified the cancellation of the race.
In addition and to provide a high level of marshalling, the FIM also provided a seminar for the 150 track marshals on Thursday at the San Juan circuit with the support of the national federation CAMOD.
Tom Sykes, UK (BMW S1000RR), -6 laps, DNF, mechanical
World Championship Point Standings (after 34 of 37 races):
Rea, 601 points (clinched 2019 World Championship)
Bautista, 460
Lowes, 305
Van Der Mark, 304
Razgatlioglu, 299
Haslam, 257
Davies, 249
Sykes, 219
Melandri, 173
Torres, 132
Jonathan Rea (1) leads Toprak Razgatlioglu (54), Alvaro Bautista (19), and the rest of the field early in Race Two. Photo courtesy of Dorna WorldSBK Press Office.
More, from a press release issued by Dorna WorldSBK Press Office:
Rea makes the double on Sunday in Argentina
2019 World Champion victorious in Race 2 as Davies comes back strong
The final race of the weekend at the Motul Argentinean Round was a thrilling spectacle, with plenty of hard action and big moves all the way through the pack. Despite making his own mistakes and needing to fight in the early stages, Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) romped to win number two of the weekend, holding off the opposition.
Off the start and into Turn 1, Jonathan Rea held on to his first position, whilst Alvaro Bautista (ARUBA.IT Racing – Ducati) and Toprak Razgatlioglu (Turkish Puccetti Racing) battled behind. Sandro Cortese (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK) was a fast starter and into fourth, whilst Alex Lowes (Pata Yamaha WorldSBK Team) and his teammate Michael van der Mark were fifth and sixth. Chaz Davies (ARUBA.IT Racing – Ducati) had dropped to seventh.
With the race beginning to take shape, Rea pulled away from Bautista, whilst Toprak Razgatliolgu was as relentless as ever, chasing down Bautista. Bautista and Rea in-turn were trading fastest lap times. Chaz Davies had picked off the Yamahas ahead of him one by one, using the top speed advantage of the Ducati Panigale V4 R down the long straights of San Juan to good effect. The next target for the Welshman was Razgatlioglu, who was going to need to fight hard to resist the former WorldSBK runner-up.
There was drama up front for Rea, who made a big mistake at Turn 8 and ran completely off the circuit, allowing Bautista to take the lead for the first time. However, Rea wouldn’t give in and a lap later, on Lap 8, Rea fought back and pushed his way back to the front at Turn 7, shoving Bautista wide. The squabble between the two heavyweights allowed Razgatlioglu and Davies to close up.
With 13 laps left to go, Davies took third from Razgatlioglu with a strong move at Turn 10 on the Turkish rider. The former WorldSSP Champion from 2011 was now a move on a mission and soon, caught his teammate. Bautista tried to fight but Davies powered ahead of his teammate two laps later to take second. 2.6s to close down on the race leader, Davies had plenty of work to keep him occupied for the remainder of the race.
Bautista however was in more problems and with 9 laps to go, as Toprak Razgatlioglu had regrouped and was immediately able to get ahead of the Spaniard, sweeping around the outside at Turn 2 to take third from the Race 1 winner. Bautista was losing time to Michael van der Mark hand over fist and needed to get to the end of the 26-year-old Dutchman got him.
Further down the field, Leandro Mercado (Orelac Racing VerdNatura) was having an incredible race, climbing all the way up to the fringes of the top ten. The home hero picked off Jordi Torres (Team Pedercini Racing) and at Turn 10 with eight laps left, dived up the inside of factory Kawasaki rider Leon Haslam to take eighth place. A lap later, and Eugene Laverty (Team Goeleven) was up ahead of Haslam and Torres. Ahead of all of them, Michael Ruben Rinaldi (BARNI Racing Team) was a sitting duck.
With four laps to go, Mercado got ahead of Rinaldi at Turn 15, sparking a massive roar from the partisan crown trackside. However, Laverty got ahead of the pair of them on the front straight, pushing Mercado back to eighth whilst the Irishman went in pursuit of his best result since Aragon. In terms of Mercado, he had come from 19th to eighth; an astonishing comeback.
Out front on the final lap, Jonathan Rea was uncatchable and took victory for a fourth time in Argentina and now, extended his consecutive point-scoring finishes run to 45 – the first time a rider has ever achieved this. Chaz Davies was up into second whilst Toprak Razgatlioglu completed a stellar weekend with another podium, his sixth in seven races. Fourth belonged to Michael van der Mark whilst Alvaro Bautista limped home to complete the top five. Alex Lowes was up to sixth.
Eugene Laverty put in a strong ride up to seventh, but ride of the day went to home-hero Mercado, who stormed from last on the grid to eighth, much to the delight of the crowd. Jordi Torres (Team Pedercini Racing) was ninth ahead of Leon Haslam in 10th. Sandro Cortese slipped to 15th, having run as high as fourth in the early stages.
P1 – Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK)
“After a difficult weekend, I think we got the bike right today and I felt really good, so massive thanks to my crew. We were still suffering in some area but in the rest of the track, my ZX-10RR was working so well. Thanks to all the fans to come to see us, I am happy we were able to put on a good show for them. Now I will enjoy a good time with my team in Argentina and I can’t wait to be back into action in Qatar”.
P2 – Chaz Davies (ARUBA.IT Racing – Ducati)
“I didn’t know what to expect today because the track has been changing so much. My bike work really good in the race. I got such a terrible start, and maybe it was my worst start of the year so far. I had to come through, and I used quite a bit of the tyre. I felt like I had an excellent pace and Johnny was getting even closer, but unfortunately, I run out of grip towards the end of the race, but overall I can’t complain about that. I am pleased, and I feel like it was a solid performance to end the weekend”.
P3 – Toprak Razgatlioglu (Turkish Puccetti Racing)
“This weekend we were able to achieve three podiums, and we are happy with that. We tried a different setup for Race 2, but it didn’t work well as at the end of the race tyres were completely destroyed. These points are important for the championship because now we really close to the third position in the standings”.
More, from a press release issued by BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team:
A frustrating run of results for the BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team at the Circuito San Juan Villicum
13.10.19
Circuito San Juan Villicum
The final day of racing here at the Circuito San Juan Villicum approached us, and with temperatures considerably down compared to yesterday this meant for much safer racing conditions. Tom Sykes got off to a solid start gaining 5 places on the opening laps putting himself into P8. Leon Haslam passed Sykes the following lap relegating him into ninth position. Tom would ride a lonely race from then on out to take P9. Markus Reiterberger having struggled all weekend didn’t manage to make the dream start and held P17 on lap 1. Markus got himself into a battle with the number #23 of Kiyonari throughout the race however the German would eventually come out on top – final position P17.
The final race of the weekend was upon us and the BMW pair took to their new starting positions, Sykes now P9 and Markus retaking P17. Sykes again got his BMW S 1000 RR off the line well and looked to be battling with the top 6 until a small mistake ran him wide dropping him down into P11. The bad luck didn’t stop there as on lap 6 Tom Sykes’s bike had a technical problem at T10 forcing him to retire from the race. Markus Reiterberger’s final race of the weekend ended in P16.
The BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team will now turn their attention to a fortnights time where they will participate in the final race weekend of the 2019 WSBK Championship in Qatar. (24/26 October)
Marc Bongers, BMW Motorrad Motorsports Director:
“Today was probably one of our most difficult days of the season. On paper, the Superpole Race was not so bad for Tom as at least he managed to get on the third row for the start of the main race. But with this new model of bike we don’t have any data to work with, so everything is new for us, with every setting we try, we are chasing the perfect set-up. All we can do is take all this data with us and when we come back here again, we will have a better position to start with. So it’s been really difficult for us, but we must take the positives and build on this. Markus has also really struggled and didn’t find a comfortable setting, but we just have to close the book on this event and re-energise as we get ready for Qatar, where hopefully we can start on the front foot.”
Shaun Muir, Team Principal:
“It was a difficult end to a disappointing weekend. Unfortunately, we retired from the main race as a result of a technical issue with the clutch. However, we have to be realistic and say that we were never going to get a good result. We just didn’t understand why we were so far behind and what we needed to do to remedy this issue. We didn’t have consistent track conditions to enable us to find a solution. The track was catastrophic on the first day, okay yesterday morning, then extremely hot in the afternoon, and this morning it was back to being acceptable – these conditions meant that the lap times varied drastically. As a result, we were unable to gradually draw the necessary conclusions as to which direction we needed to take. We will now take the data we collected back with us, and will analyse why we weren’t as competitive as we had hoped this weekend.”
Tom Sykes:
“It’s been a difficult weekend. We made some improvements on the greasy track condition and I honestly felt we had a consistent race pace during that last race, but we ran into difficulty with the bike which meant we had to retire. Overall, it’s been a challenging weekend for the whole BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team, but like I said it wasn’t the easiest of track conditions; however, given the circumstances I feel we gathered some very valuable information for the future. We will put this weekend behind us and move on to the next race in Qatar, where hopefully we can take another step forward.”
Markus Reiterberger:
“We had much better weather conditions today. It was cooler, which meant that the racing line on the track was in a much better state. Unfortunately, I made two mistakes on the first two laps of the Superpole Race and went too wide. As a result, the race didn’t go well for me, and I crossed the finish line pretty far down the field. We made a few changes for the second race, and I felt relatively okay on the bike in the race itself. Points would have been achievable, and I battled with Sandro Cortese on the final three laps, but unfortunately, it wasn’t enough to get the point. Generally, we are still a little bit too slow and we need to find the reason why. I hope that I will end the season on a personal high in Qatar. We all pulled together here, and I’m grateful for that, even if we weren’t rewarded with a good result.”
More, from a press release issued by Moriwaki Althea Honda Team:
In Argentina Leon Camier finishes in the points in Race 2, Kiyonari struggles to find the pace.
The final day of the Argentinean round at the San Juan Villicum Circuit played out in cooler conditions with respect to the rest of the weekend, the air temperature having dropped from 32°C on Saturday to 21° Celsius on Sunday.
After finding good feeling with his bike set-up, Leon Camier finished the Superpole race in 12th place and Race 2 in 13th place, fighting inside the top ten for a long while during both races, but dropping back in the final stages. Ryuichi Kiyonari struggled to maintain a competitive race pace and closed sprint race and Race 2 in 18th and 17th place respectively.
The Moriwaki Althea Honda Team will now fly back to Europe before heading to Qatar where the Losail Circuit will host the 2019 WorldSBK season finale in two weeks’ time.
Leon Camier
SUPERPOLE RACE: 12 – RACE 2: 13
“I felt very good on my bike in the sprint race. I made a good start, the bike worked really well, and I was feeling strong in certain areas with respect to the riders around me. Unfortunately, I suffered particularly with tyre wear in the final stages and this caused me to lose both time and positions. Up until that point, I had been able to fight with Haslam and Sykes. It would have been hard to beat them, but I had a good feeling and could manage to stick with them. In the second race I once again felt pretty good in the middle of the group, maybe just losing a little in acceleration compared to the others but we were able to use our strengths to hold our position. Again though, we suffered more than the others with a drop in tyre performance at the end. Anyway, since having come back from injury, I was able to get a better idea of where we are with the bike today, I could see the improvements we have been able to make and where we might be able to improve further. So that’s very positive”.
Ryuichi Kiyonari
SUPERPOLE RACE: 18 – RACE 2: 17
“It has been a very difficult weekend for me, both in terms of my feeling with the track and with my bike. Today, with lower temperatures, the grip was much better, but I was not able to adapt quickly enough to the changed conditions, even if they were better than they had been earlier in the weekend. Usually, even when my results are not good, I can see a progression in terms of feeling, but this time I just could not improve enough. I’m very sorry for the team, for how this weekend went in general. I can only say that I’ll try to do better in the last races at Qatar, a track that I like very much”.
More, from a press release issued by Yamaha:
Positive Conclusion to Pata Yamaha’s Argentine Adventure
Pata Yamaha WorldSBK rider, Michael van der Mark, took a hard fought fourth place finish in today’s WorldSBK Race 2 at Circuito San Juan Villicum in Argentina, having caught and passed yesterday’s race winner, Alvaro Bautista, with just four laps of the race remaining. With Alex Lowes finishing in sixth position this afternoon, the Pata Yamaha teammates are now separated by just a single point in the championship standings, with Lowes currently holding the advantage in third place.
Lowes and van der Mark started today’s 21-lap WorldSBK Race 2 from the second row of the grid, having finished this morning’s Superpole Sprint Race in fifth and sixth places respectively. The two Pata Yamaha riders made a good start and, while both were quick to find their rhythm, neither had the outright pace needed to compete for the podium today.
Lowes rode a solid but lonely race to sixth place, lacking the additional pace needed to close the gap to van der Mark ahead of him. The Dutchman managed to find a little bit extra in the closing stages of the race to catch and pass Bautista for fourth place, but the gap to the podium contenders was insurmountable in the few laps remaining.
GRT Yamaha Supported WorldSBK rider, Sandro Cortese, was looking to build on his solid top-ten finish in the Superpole Race this afternoon, but the reigning Supersport World Champion and his crew took a gamble on tyre choice that didn’t work as expected and Cortese was disappointed to finish only 15th after struggling for rear grip from lap seven onwards.
Argentina proved another difficult weekend for Marco Melandri, who continues to struggle to adapt the bike to suit his particular riding style. The veteran Italian and his crew have worked tirelessly to find a solution but so far to no avail. Melandri was frustrated to finish 15th in the Superpole Race this morning and then to only improve by one place to finish 14th in Race 2 this afternoon.
The penultimate round of the 2019 FIM Superbike World Championship in Argentina proved a painful one for Loris Baz. The Frenchman crashed out of the Superpole Race on the opening lap, at the same corner at which he crashed in qualifying on Saturday morning, but bounced back this afternoon to pick up championship points with a 12th place finish in WorldSBK Race 2.
“If you look at the results then it’s not been too bad here in Argentina. It’s been a difficult weekend for everyone, I think, but fourth place yesterday was a good start for me. In the Superpole Race this morning I didn’t really have a good feeling and I struggled a bit with the bike, but we made quite a big change for Race 2 and I felt a lot stronger from the start. Of course there were some areas where I’d have liked to be a little better but, anyway, I picked up another fourth place on a track that proved difficult for us last year, so we must be happy with these points and now look forward to Qatar, where I’m sure we will be even stronger and able to fight for the podium once again.”
“I had a bit of a frustrating start to Race 2. I’ve had a few issues back shifting to first gear and on the opening lap I got a slipstream from Sandro on the straight and was maybe in a bit too fast and I couldn’t get the gear to go in. It was shame, because when you lose track position it’s really difficult to recover. I had good pace, but not quite enough to catch back after losing ground. Michael was in a similar situation in the Superpole Race; he was matching my pace but didn’t have that little bit extra needed to close on me. I felt I rode quite well today, made no mistakes and I enjoyed the race, but I didn’t want to be finishing sixth. But now we need to focus on the final round in Qatar. I’m looking forward to racing there and defending my third position in the championship.”
“This has been another weekend where I’ve struggled a lot. My main strength is my riding style and, unfortunately, this doesn’t seem to be compatible with the bike. Every time I tried to push harder after a few laps I made a lot of mistakes and lost ground. It looks like me and the bike are working in opposite directions still. I’ve tried many things with the team to find a solution this season but, as the results show, we’re still looking.”
“This morning I had a good Superpole Race after a strong start, and I was looking forward to more of the same in Race 2 this afternoon. Again, I got a good start, but we took a gamble on tyre choice which proved to be a step too far and, after seven laps, the rear tyre was completely done. To be honest, I’m not sure how I managed to finish the race. I’m disappointed and it’s a shame because I think I could have finished with a good result today but, again, we didn’t take the chance that was open to us. So, yes, a big disappointment today.”
More, from a press release issued by Kawasaki:
Two Wins For Rea In Argentina
WorldSBK champion Jonathan Rea took his Ninja ZX-10RR to the top step of the podium twice today, winning both the ten-lap Superpole Race and Race Two. Leon Haslam (KRT) battled hard today and finished eighth and tenth. Two third places for Toprak Razgatlioglu (Turkish Puccetti Racing) ended his weekend on a high.
The penultimate round of the 2019 season ended up providing two fast and competitive races on Sunday, each won by Rea to extend his all time record score of race victories to 85.
In the cooler conditions of Sunday at Circuito San Juan Villicum the pace improved greatly and Rea set a new lap record – and track best – of 1’37.462, on lap three of the ‘sprint’ race. His opening Sunday race win also earned him the top grid spot for the final race of the weekend, and thus Jonathan also became the 2019 Tissot-Superpole Award winner, for the best overall qualifying performance.
In the ten-lap Tissot-Superpole fight Rea was in command from the start, easing away to win by over two seconds from Alvaro Bautista. Haslam was eighth, having started from 14th on the grid.
In Race Two Rea got involved in a tense early fight with Bautista, before his pace told and he eased away to score his second race win of 2019 and his 14th of the season.
Now starting from eighth place on the grid for the final race at the 4.276km long circuit Haslam was finally tenth in Race Two, after losing early ground in a collision with another rider. Three points scoring races all together in Argentina keep Leon sixth overall in the championship standings, with one more round to go.
Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK won the Teams’ Award today, with one round to go. Kawasaki leads the Manufacturers’ standings by 37 points with just the final three individual races to be run.
The season finale, to be held under floodlights as is now traditional, will take place at the Losail International Circuit in Qatar, with WorldSBK racedays on Friday 25th and Saturday 26th October.
Jonathan Rea, stated: “That was really positive, especially the Superpole race where I felt really strong in the cooler conditions. The grip level was really high so I was able to push the bike and manage it. The sensations felt quite normal. We made a change overnight, on the front of the bike, just to give me a bit more front confidence in trail braking to stabilise the bike. That enabled me to carry that much more entry speed. We knew Alvaro was one of the strongest guys and to race with him I was going to have to be really strong on the brakes and corner entry. Kudos to the guys because we came up with a really good set-up. Yesterday I made too many mistakes in the race and that gave Alvaro too much breathing room, so now I am really happy to win both races today.”
Leon Haslam, stated: “Starting from 14th on the grid was hard work. We made it to sixth in the long race yesterday and eighth in the first race today, and I do not think we could have done much more because the passing around this circuit has been hard. I was really looking forward to that last race. I got a good start and then got tangled with Tom Sykes. As I went up the inside of him he came into me and I think it was my handlebar that got caught in his fairing. That dropped us back to pretty much last. We came through to battling for eighth position, I think, at one point but we had destroyed the rear tyre and ended up going backwards for the last five, six or seven laps.”
Already crowned top Independent Rider, Toprak Razgatlioglu put in another strong weekend performance with two third places today. In doing so he drew himself to within six points of the third placed rider, ensuring an exciting season finale in Qatar next time out. Toprak is currently fifth, but with a clear aim to finish third by season’s end.
Toprak Razgatlioglu, stated: “More podiums, but in the sprint race the bike felt like it was not turning. After we changed the set-up the bike gave me an incredible feeling. But my tyre was finished. This was a problem for all riders but I tried for second place, but it was not possible. I am happy to take another podium. We will see how things are in Qatar because I am very close to the top three in the championship.”
Home rider Leandro Mercado (Orelac Racing VerdNatura Kawasaki) was tenth in the sprint and a truly combative eighth in front of his enthusiastic Argentinean countrymen in Race Two. Leandro is now 14th overall.
Jordi Torres (Team Pedercini Racing Kawasaki) was 11th and then 9th today and enters the final round in 10th place overall, six points up on the next nearest rider. All five Kawasaki riders in Race Two finished inside the top ten positions.
Takaaki Nakagami (right) with Tetsuhiro Kuwata, HRC Director - General Manager Race Operations Management Division (right). Photo courtesy of Honda Racing Corporation (HRC).
Honda extend contract with Takaaki Nakagami in MotoGP
On the eve of his home MotoGP race in Japan, Honda Racing Corporation confirm the one-year extension of Takaaki Nakagami in the LCR Honda IDEMITSU.
Now in his second year aboard the Honda RC213V run inside LCR Honda IDEMITSU, Takaaki Nakagami has demonstrated constant improvements in his riding and results in the MotoGP class. With nine top-ten finishes and a best result of fifth at the Italian Grand Prix in Mugello, the Japanese rider has already amassed more than double the points he scored in his rookie campaign.
Takaaki Nakagami arrives at his home race, the Japanese Grand Prix, with a new one-year contract with LCR Honda IDEMITSU. All involved are pleased to continue the relationship and look forward to more improvements from the 27-year old.
After the race in Motegi, Nakagami will undergo an operation on his shoulder to resolve an injury that has troubled him throughout the season. The nature of the operation warrants an extensive recovery period, forcing the Japanese rider to end his 2019 season early. By performing the operation now, Nakagami is aiming to be fully fit for the first test of the 2020 season in Sepang on February 07.
Takaaki Nakagami 30
Rider – MotoGP
“First of all I am delighted to stay with Honda and the LCR Team. I have been able to improve a lot this year and Honda have shown me great support and given me a very strong package. I am sure together we can continue this in 2020. About the injury, after the crash I had in Assen I found myself in some pain and lacking a bit of strength in my shoulder. I went to the doctor to fully understand the situation and while I have been able to ride with the injury, it has not been ideal so we made the difficult decision alongside Honda and the LCR Team to have this operation now.”
Tetsuhiro Kuwata
HRC Director – General Manager Race Operations Management Division
“We are proud to continue to support Takaaki Nakagami in the MotoGP class for the 2020 season. As a rider he has continued to develop and grow throughout all of 2019. He is someone who inspires many young talents in Japan and Asia with his hard work and focus. I wish him all the best in his recovery and look forward to the 2020 season.”
Participants at The Invite Presented by Dunlop event at Hallett Motor Racing Circuit. Photo by David Swarts, copyright Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.
Dunlop Plans More INVITE Events In 2020 And Beyond
Buffalo, NY: Dunlop Motorcycle Tires made history with the recent inaugural running of The Invite, presented by Dunlop, at Hallett Motor Racing Circuit in Jennings, Oklahoma. The central location of the event drew competitors from a multitude of states across the country, from California to Florida and points in between.
The 2019 iteration of The Invite, presented by Dunlop, aims to be the start of a yearly event which will help revitalize motorcycle road racing in the United States and provide racers from all across the country a new platform to showcase their skills and ultimately enjoy more seat time on track.
“It was a really fun event,” said Dunlop Business Development Manager Chad Geer. “Everyone is saying they enjoyed it. Our goal is to go forward and get other (amateur road racing) organizations to work with us, hold qualifiers, and help develop this concept.”
The Champions of The Invite Presented by Dunlop 2019.
The idea and the format for the event are unprecedented, but Dunlop and CMRA Race Director Walter Walker and his crew stepped up to the plate, running the event and deploying Airfence soft barriers provided by the Roadracing World Action Fund. Things went off without a hitch over the course of the weekend, creating an atmosphere enjoyed by racers, families, and friends alike.
There was exceptional racing on Saturday and Sunday at Hallett and a few competitors stood head and shoulders above the rest. Track records were broken throughout the weekend thanks to Dunlop rubber and it started with Ryan Max Johnson. The Yamaha YZF-R3 rider came away with the Number One plate in the 300 Expert classification with four out of four wins and also broke the 300cc track record two separate times, with an eventual best time of 1:23.9 beating the previous record by half-a-second.
In the 400cc categories, 2019 MotoAmerica LiquiMoly Junior Cup Champion Rocco Landers, age 14, had a sensational weekend, winning all eight races that he entered and earning Number One plates in the (14-24) 400 Expert, 400 Expert, and 300/400 Shootout categories. In addition to his exceptional race results, Landers also broke the track record in the 400 class and continued to improve on his own time throughout the weekend, eventually clocking a 1:20.04 on the final day of racing.
In the 600cc classes, Texas native JC Camacho came out on top in the majority of the races. Camacho left himself a little bit of work to do off the starts which made for some exceptional battles in the closing laps, but more often than not he fought his way to the front of the pack and ended up coming away with the Number One plate in both the 600 Expert and 600 Shootout classes.
In the Twins and 1000cc divisions, local racer and the outright track record holder Dustin Dominguez dominated the competition. The Oklahoma native looked comfortable on his home track all weekend and never put a tire wrong, winning every race he entered by a healthy margin, with stylish wheelies across the finish line to boot. Dominguez was the winningest rider at the event and came away with a total of four Number One plates at the end of the weekend, taking the top spot in the Twins Expert, Twins Shootout, 1000 Expert, and 1000 Shootout classifications.
California’s Brian Bartlow separated himself from the rest of the field in the 300 & 400 age classes, taking the top spot in 30+ (300 & 400), 40+ (300 & 400), and 50+ (300 & 400).
The last race on the schedule was the Grom and Z125 World Championship. After a six-lap battle, the Number One plate went to Josiah Burleson. The 13-year-old rode a flawless race and celebrated at the finish line by emphatically raising both fists into the air, putting the cap on a fantastic weekend of grassroots motorcycle racing at The Invite, presented by Dunlop.
The starting grid of the Daytona 200 in 2017. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
DAYTONA TT and DAYTONA 200 Combine for 2020 Doubleheader Event on Saturday, March 14
Inaugural event to combine American Flat Track and American Sportbike Racing Association at Daytona International Speedway
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (October 15, 2019) –American Flat Track (AFT) announced today another big evolution of its jaw-dropping DAYTONA TT season opener by moving to a weekend date on Saturday, March 14. The 2020 running of this Bike Week At DAYTONA spectacle has America’s Original Extreme Sport joining forces with another motorcycle racing staple: the iconic DAYTONA 200. With a multi-year agreement between AFT and Daytona International Speedway (DIS), the doubleheader event will usher in a new level of excitement for motorsports enthusiasts.
Traditionally racing two days apart, the DAYTONA TT and DAYTONA 200, sanctioned by the American Motorcyclist Association and operated by the American Sportbike Racing Association (ASRA), will now run together on the second Saturday of the historic Daytona Bike Week festivities. Fans will be able to enjoy the 79th DAYTONA 200 during the day and stay into the evening to cheer on the athletes of American Flat Track at their season-opening DAYTONA TT.
“2020 is shaping up to be a breakout season for AFT,” said Michael Lock, CEO of American Flat Track. “After incorporating the Start-Finish banking for the first time at the TT in 2019, we are further enhancing the track design to encourage even more passing into Turn 1 for our season opener in 2020. All this and now combining the historic DAYTONA 200 with the incredible action of the DAYTONA TT is sure to deliver a can’t-miss day of action for race fans. We are delighted to be partnering with DIS and ASRA to bring an unparalleled experience to Daytona Bike Week.”
The 2019 running of the DAYTONA TT made history as AFT introduced a multi-surface racetrack by incorporating the front stretch of the historic Daytona International Speedway tri-oval into its purpose-built dirt TT course. 2020 will see this taken to the next level with further track enhancements.
Coupled with the back-to-back motorcycle race action will be a myriad of activities in the UNOH Fanzone including live music, Kids Zone, Rider Meet & Greet, official merchandise and more.
“This will be a doubleheader unlike any other in the history of Daytona International Speedway,” said Chip Wile, President of Daytona International Speedway. “Combining the longstanding Bike Week At DAYTONA traditions of the DAYTONA 200 and American Flat Track into one day will deliver the ultimate experience for fans of motorcycle racing. Bike Week At DAYTONA will be even more exciting and in the process, even more memorable.”
Tickets for the first-ever doubleheader – DAYTONA 200 and DAYTONA TT – at the legendary Daytona International Speedway are on sale now for a special early bird discount. Watch both historic motorcycle racing events for just $30 when you purchase a General Admission ticket online. Early bird pricing valid now through October 31, 2019. Get yours at tickets.americanflattrack.com.
A variety of upgraded and VIP experiences are available, including the always-sold out Trackside Seating area. For more information visit tickets.americanflattrack.com.
The remainder of the provisional schedule for the 2020 season of American Flat Track will be announced in the near future. An announcement regarding track design and additional fan activities for the doubleheader eventwill be made in the coming weeks.
For the latest information and exciting developments, stay tuned to www.americanflattrack.com and AFT’s social media channels.
NBCSN andFansChoice.tv are the official homes for coverage of American Flat Track. For the 2019 season, NBCSN’s coverage of AFT maintains its highly-coveted, weekend afternoon programming slots within two weeks of each event. The complete schedule for AFT on NBCSN can be viewed athttp://www.americanflattrack.com/events-nbcsn/. FansChoice.tv remains a cornerstone of AFT’s digital strategy, providing live streaming coverage of every event onAFT’s live page while previous events and exclusive features are available onAFT’s VOD page.
About American Flat Track:
American Flat Track is the world’s premier dirt track motorcycle racing series and one of the longest-running championships in the history of motorsports. Sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing in Daytona Beach, Fla., the series is highly regarded as the most competitive form of dirt track motorcycle racing on the globe. For more information on American Flat Track, please visit http://www.americanflattrack.com, like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, check us out on Instagram, live stream the events at FansChoice.tv and catch all the American Flat Track racing action on NBCSN.
San Juan Villicum Circuit. Photo courtesy of Dorna.
Several riders refused to participate in the Saturday Superbike World Championship race in Argentina, arguing that the newly-laid track surface—already notorious for being slick with dust and dirt–was coming apart and was unsafe.
About one-third of the riders on the grid refused to ride, although some of those who did not race argued that it was only an immense amount of last-minute pressure that resulted in more than a handful of riders on the grid at all.
“We shouldn’t be in this situation in 2019. Full stop. It’s a bit of a crap situation,” said Aruba.it Racing – Ducati’s Chaz Davies, one of the riders who refused to race on Saturday.
Racers found a dusty and dirty track on Friday that left practice times several seconds slower than expected, with some riders complaining that the surface was so slick that they could not even lean over enough to get a knee down.
But the real problems surfaced on Saturday. An indication that not all was well came at the end of qualifying, when riders put on Pirelli qualifying slicks for their time attacks and were unable to go any faster than on race tires.
As ambient temperatures increased, oil and tar oozed out of the surface of the track. Riders met with organizers and asked for both races to be run on Sunday, when temperatures were expected to be much cooler.
“The temperature’s gone up and up and up today. The circuit is just not in a stable condition at the moment,” Davies said. “80 to 90% of the riders agreed before the race that it was incredibly risky to do it. Unfortunately, there’s always pressure to go out there and race.”
There was disagreement between the riders as to what to do, with Davies, Sandro Cortese (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK), Marco Melandri (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK), Leon Camier (Moriwaki Althea Honda Team), Ryuichi Kiyonari (Moriwaki Althea Honda Team) and Eugene Laverty (Team Goeleven) ultimately not starting.
“I would like to thank the Moriwaki Althea Honda team for supporting my decision,” Camier posted on Twitter.
While on the grid prior to the race, Kawasaki Racing Team’s Leon Haslam said he thought the circuit was too dangerous, but that he was going to race anyway. “You’ve got a contract and you’ve agreed to race. I probably agree that it’s too dangerous and we shouldn’t race. It’s a shame that they (organizers) didn’t listen to the rider majority,” Haslam said. “But we’re here to race and we’ve got to do what we’ve got to do.”
In the race, Ducati’s Alvaro Bautista won with a best lap time of 1:40.919, compared to Jonathan Rea’s best race lap time of 2018 of 1:39.175. To underscore how bad the track surface was on Saturday, in the Tissot Superpole race on Sunday, Bautista was a full three seconds quicker than he was on Saturday, and Rea turned a 1:37.462 to set a new overall lap record.
FIM officials issued a statement saying that riders were happy with the circuit after the extended practice session on Saturday morning, and that was when the decision to continue with the day’s activity was made.
“The FIM wishes to remind that the safety of all riders is its priority and wish to emphasize that neither the scorching conditions nor the condition of the track surface at that precise moment justified the cancellation of the race,” the statement said. The statement did not include who ultimately made the decision to run the race over rider objections, nor how they came to that decision.
Marc Marquez (93), as seen during post-season testing at Valencia in 2018.
FIM Grand Prix World Championship
Decision of the Grand Prix Commission
The Grand Prix Commission, composed of Messrs. Carmelo Ezpeleta (Dorna, Chairman), Paul Duparc (FIM), Herve Poncharal (IRTA) and Takanao Tsubouchi (MSMA), in an electronic meeting held on 7 October 2019, made the following decision:
Sporting Regulations
MotoGP CLASS – TEST RESTRICTIONS
With the introduction of additional events in the Grand Prix calendar, the MotoGP class teams have been examining ways to offset the additional workload on riders and team staff by reducing the number of tests.
Agreement was reached between the teams to propose cancellation of the November 2020 test after the Valencia GP and the traditional March 2021 test prior to the Qatar GP.
The proposal was approved by the GPC and will become effective in the regulations from Season 2020, which starts the day after the 2019 Valencia GP.
Implementation of the new regulations will result in the following programme of MotoGP class tests:
SEASON 2020 (STARTING 18 NOVEMBER 2019)
Valencia 19-20 November Two-day official test.
Jerez 25-26 November Two-day joint private test
Sepang 02-04 February Three-day shakedown test.
Sepang 07-09 February Three-day official test.
Qatar 22-24 February Three-day official test
Jerez 04 May One-day official test after the GP
Barcelona 08 June One-day official test after the GP
Finland 15-16 June Two-day Michelin tyre test – test teams only
Misano 15-16 September Two-day joint private test
SEASON 2021 (STARTING 16 NOVEMBER 2020)
Jerez 19-20 November Two-day official test
Sepang 01-03 February (prov) Three-day shakedown test
Sepang 06-08 February (prov) Three-day official test
On dates to be confirmed when 2021 calendar is known:
Possible three-day, pre-season test at Lombok, Indonesia if circuit is in 2021 calendar.
Two of one-day official tests on Mondays after events. Circuits to be confirmed.
Two-day official test at a circuit to be confirmed – probably Misano.
Lucas Mahias (44) will remain with Puccetti Kawasaki for the 2020 FIM Supersport World Championship. Photo courtesy of Kawasaki Motors Europe.
Puccetti Racing Confirms 2020 WorldSSP Plans
With two rounds still to run in the WorldSSP Championship in 2019 the Kawasaki Puccetti Racing team is now in a position to announce its 2020 rider line-up.
Lucas Mahias, a recent race winner at his home round of the 2019 WorldSSP championship, will continue for a second year in Kawasaki colours.
The 2017 World Champion, along with his experienced team, has identified and maximised the key characteristics of Ninja ZX-6R, which have now culminated in his breakthrough win in green. Remaining in his current set-up should allow him an even more consistent title challenge in 2020.
Joining Lucas in the Kawasaki Puccetti Racing pit garage next season will be current Moto2 rider, Philipp Öttl, from Germany. At 23-years of age Öttl has accepted a new challenge inside the overall WorldSBK paddock, after many years of racing inside the MotoGP system. He had followed in the footsteps of his father, Peter, who was also a regular in the smaller capacity Grands Prix classes in the late 1980s and early ‘90s.
Puccetti Kawasaki Team Manager Manuel Puccetti (left) and Philipp Öttl (right).
Philipp has won races in both the Rookies’ Cup and Moto3 classes. He started his first Moto3 race in 2012, but became a regular from the 2013 season. A Moto3 race win at Jerez came as recently as the 2018 season and his current campaign in Moto2 has already given him experience of middleweight engine power.
Manuel Puccetti, Team Manager, stated: “It’s really a pleasure to continue our collaboration 2020 in WorldSSP with Lucas. He is one of the strongest riders ever in the middleweight class and my team fully believes it can achieve the world championship with him next season. We warmly welcome Philipp Öttl, 23 years old from Moto2 championship and from many years in Moto3. Philipp, I believe, is a young and fast rider. I think he will adapt quickly to our bike and we will do our best to help grow up his career with our Supersport Ninja.”
Steve Guttridge, Kawasaki Europe Racing Manager, stated: “We have had a tough couple of seasons in WorldSSP but our Kawasaki Puccetti Racing team have always pushed hard to find solutions for victory. We are pleased to remain in this category again for the 2020 season and welcome Philipp Öttl. We have seen a continuous improvement from Lucas this first season as he worked hard on both himself and adapting to the characteristics of the Ninja ZX-6R. His win in Magny Cours confirmed our joint feeling that we are ready to fight again for the title in 2020 season, together with his new team-mate.”
Mobility Resort Motegi, in Japan. Photo courtesy Michelin.
Will Marquez be unleashed at Motegi?
With the crown secured before we head for the Japanese GP, the gloves could come off…but the pressure’s still on
Monday, 14 October 2019
Last time out Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) won the race and Championship, and the celebrations have doubtless been continuing for the now eight-time World Champion since the paddock packed up and left Buriram. But despite that title fight being over, the season is far from it and the first of the four remaining races of the year sees us head for the hard-braking home race for so many manufacturers in the paddock – with plenty of pride on the line.
For Marquez, it’s a chance to race without his mind set quite so much on the maths – and he’ll also surely be chasing pole as Motegi is the last venue on the calendar at which he’s never achieved the feat in the premier class. He’s won though – twice in MotoGP™, once in Moto2™ and once in the 125 World Championship – so his record says it’s a surprise he’s not yet started from the front. With no Championship pressure, will he be the man to beat? Likely. But there are the team and manufacturer standings to consider, and it’s Honda’s 60th anniversary year of racing in the World Championship as well…so it won’t be quiet weekend. It will be a milestone for teammate Jorge Lorenzo too, as he celebrates 200 premier class Grands Prix.
Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team), meanwhile, will be hoping to make more of a fight of it at Motegi. The venue has been a good one for the Italian and he is a man who’s been on pole before: the track was where Dovizioso took his first pole in the premier class in 2010, and he did it again in 2014 and 2018. He also won the 2017 showdown with Marquez in the rain – one of the most stunning duels of recent years, and there have been a few – and he’s been on the podium in the dry, so it makes for good reading. And there’s no home race pressure for the number 04, although the team and constructor standings add some back in. On that count, however, there could be more for teammate Danilo Petrucci, as the Italian is now fifth overall – although only a handful of points off Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) in third and one point behind Maverick Viñales (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP). He’ll want more from Motegi and the final four rounds overall.
That tight fight will certainly be one to keep an eye on. Rins will be pushing to the max to try and get the most from the home weekend for Hamamatsu factory Suzuki, as will rookie teammate Joan Mir, but Viñales is closing fast on third overall – so gaining back some consistency is also key for Rins. Suzuki will also have another machine on track too in Japan in the form of a wildcard for test rider Sylvain Guintoli, so that could aid them in their search for more speed.
Yamaha, meanwhile, have been seriously gaining traction as the latter half of the season goes on, especially Viñales as he chases down a place in the top three overall, and limelight-stealer Fabio Quartararo’s (Petronas Yamaha SRT) shining performances speak for themselves. The French rookie is now only two points off Valentino Rossi (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) overall and could conceivably still catch Viñales for top Yamaha. More pressing, though, is Rookie of the Year – with Quartararo 85 points ahead of Mir as it stands. If he leaves Japan 75 points ahead of the Spaniard, he’s taken the first of what could be a few accolades in 2019.
The Independent Team rider standings are another key battlefield. Quartararo has now got a nice buffer back to Jack Miller (Pramac Racing) in the fight for top Independent Team rider, but Miller will be pushing and so will Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda Castrol). Crutchlow is on Honda turf and will want to bounce back after an issue in Thailand…although the pressure will likely more be on the other side of the garage and home hero Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu). What can the Japanese rider do? Rumour has it he’ll be undergoing surgery in the near future on his shoulder, but not before Motegi – so it’ll be a big push on home turf, with lots of home support.
So many narratives make up a MotoGP™ season and we may well be reading the first epilogue of the riders’ Championship but we’re far from the end of the story overall. Teams, constructors, rookies, Independent Team riders; milestones, records and more remain just around the corner in the final four rounds of the season, so tune in for the Motul Grand Prix of Japan on Sunday 20th October at 15:00 local time (GMT +9) to see another spectacular chapter.
Championship standings
1 – Marc Marquez (SPA – Honda) – 325
2 – Andrea Dovizioso (ITA – Ducati) – 215
3 – Alex Rins (SPA – Suzuki) – 167
4 – Maverick Viñales (SPA – Yamaha) – 163
5 – Danilo Petrucci (ITA – Ducati) – 162
Four to go: Fernandez starts his final stand on Marquez turf
The number 73 has won three times at Motegi. Can his rivals stop it becoming four?
Alex Marquez (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) says there isn’t anything particular about the Twin Ring Motegi that has made his record at the track such a good one, but he’ll feel pretty good about it heading into the Motul Grand Prix of Japan this year. The number 73 has a chance at a fourth win at the circuit, and he’s already 40 points clear…so is he sitting pretty? Almost, so now is the time for key rivals Augusto Fernandez (Flexbox HP 40) and Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Ajo) to stage somewhat of a final stand.
Fernandez, certainly, took the gloves off last time out and showed he’s more than willing to fight for this Championship; aggressive and leaving everything on the track. He remains consistently impressive but now he has to remain consistently ahead of Marquez by some margin, as does Binder, who is 44 points off the leader. The South African seems to have more been sneaking his way up the table as he’s gained some serious traction in the latter half of the season, and if 40 points doesn’t put Fernandez out of contention, a few more doesn’t do the same for Binder. Will Marquez crack? Does he need to? A maximum 100 points remain on the table…
Jorge Navarro (Beta Tools Speed Up), meanwhile, will be looking to get up in that fight in Japan too. The Spaniard had a tough time at Buriram and didn’t score, meaning he’s been leapfrogged in the standings by a few riders – including Swiss veteran Tom Lüthi (Dynavolt Intact GP). It’s a tight top five with a lot on the line for everyone though, and Lüthi could be one to watch. He’s another who has a great record at Motegi.
Then there’s Luca Marini (Sky Racing Team VR46), who is in sixth overall. Although he’s in danger of becoming the first near the top to be out of the fight mathematically, the turn of pace he had at Buriram was stunning – and if he keeps anything like that going in Japan, he could be a serious extra cat amongst the pigeons.
As with every class on the grid though, there’s a home hero to consider too: Tetsuta Nagashima (ONEXOX TKKR SAG Team). He’s had some impressive showings this season and could prove an extra complication for a few people at the Twin Ring Motegi.
The time is now for Marquez’ rivals. How will Motegi shuffle the dice? Find out on Sunday 20th October.
Championship standings
1 – Alex Marquez (SPA – Kalex) – 224
2 – Augusto Fernandez (SPA – Kalex) – 184
3 – Brad Binder (RSA – KTM) – 180
4 – Tom Lüthi (SWI – Kalex) – 178
5 – Jorge Navarro (SPA – Speed Up) – 175
Can Canet start climbing another mountain at Motegi?
Another dose of bad luck at Buriram has left the Spaniard on the back foot once again
With his demolition job at MotorLand Aragon, Aron Canet (Sterilgarda Max Racing Team) pulled the gap to Championship leader Lorenzo Dalla Porta (Leopard Racing) back to just two points – but then came a little more bad luck for the Spaniard at Buriram. Heading away from Thailand with another zero as Dalla Porta took second, it’s back to 22 points and another uphill battle on the road to Japan.
The bad news for Canet is that Dalla Porta was only hundredths off the win at the Twin Ring Motegi last year, but the good news is that he himself has some top five experience at the venue, although a couple of years ago. He also knows he has to push and can’t get trapped into playing it safe, and with higher stakes can come higher rewards. Is four rounds enough to get back on terms with the Italian? Given the see-saw of the year so far, it can still happen.
Tony Arbolino (VNE Snipers), meanwhile, needs even more. After suffering from an issue with his arm in Thailand and, like Canet, losing ground, it’s fast approaching crunch time for the Italian if he’s to stay in with a shout. Arbolino needs to start winning races and could need the likes of Albert Arenas (Gaviota Angel Nieto Team), Marcos Ramirez (Leopard Racing) and John McPhee (Petronas Yamaha SRT) to come into play…
Racing in Japan, however, lends a little extra motivation to the home heroes and they could well have a big say in the weekend. Tatsuki Suzuki (SIC58 Squadra Corse) is the most recent Japanese winner in the class and was also caught in the drama at Buriram so he’ll be full gas to get more from Motegi, and Kaito Toba (Honda Team Asia) will want to win his second Grand Prix of the season. Ayumu Sasaki (Petronas Sprinta Racing) could be another to watch and needs to bounce back, and they should keep an eye on impressive rookie Ai Ogura (Honda Team Asia) too – he’s had some impressive results so far this year, and a first podium already. And can Kazuki Masaki (BOE Skull Rider Mugen Race) turn his form around?
The Motul Grand Prix of Japan is a vital stage of the Championship battle this season, but there’s also a lot on the line for the home heroes. Who will come out on top? Find out on Sunday 20th August at 12:00 local time (GMT +9).
Scott Russell (17) leads on his way to his first Daytona 200 win in 1992. Photo by John Flory.
The Team Hammer Advanced Riding School is thrilled to announce the addition of the ultimate guest instructor for its upcoming event at Daytona International Speedway on October, 18: “Mr. Daytona” himself, Scott Russell.
Russell ranks as one of history’s most accomplished and popular road racers with an extensive resume that includes World Superbike and AMA Superbike Championships, a Suzuka 8-Hour victory, 500cc GP World Championship podiums, and an AMA Pro Athlete of the Year award.
However, the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame member’s legend is built in large part on his Daytona 200 heroics. Russell earned his “Mr. Daytona” title not just by winning the grueling, prestigious race a record-setting five times, but by the way in which he earned those victories.
“I think this is going to be really cool,” said Russell. “It’s great any time I can go back to ride at Daytona. I won the Daytona 200 five times and feel like I should have got seven of ’em, so the idea of sharing what I learned racing here with others and having a good time appeals to me. I think it should be a great experience for everyone.”
Russell continued: “I was surprised and excited to get the call and it is going to be a great time. I’ve been riding a good bit lately and just got back from Barber and three days at Thunder Hill, so I’m ready to go to a track that is a special place for me.”
Russell won the Daytona 200 in just about every conceivable way, from beating fellow Superbike World Champion Doug Polen in a photo finish after getting fuel dumped on him in a prior pit stop; to recovering following a crash to chase down and beat World Superbike legend Carl Fogarty; to flat-out dominating races stacked with some of the best racers the world has seen make an attempt to beat him.
Early in his career, Russell was a member of the 1988 Team Hammer Supersport Support program, competing in AMA Supersport Nationals and WERA Suzuki Cup events, making his return to Daytona even more of a homecoming.
Mere mortals and aspiring legends alike now have a chance to learn from Russell’s immense experience and invaluable insight around the famed high banks of Daytona International Speedway.
Sean Dylan Kelly (311) leads Bobby Fong (50) during the 2019 Daytona 200. The pair will join Scott Russell as featured instructors at the Team Hammer Advanced Riding School on October 18. Photo by Brian J Nelson.
Joining Russell as instructors will be Team Hammer’s own 2019 MotoAmerica Supersport Champion Bobby Fong, plus 2019 Daytona 200 pole sitter Sean Dylan Kelly, who at age 16 became the youngest rider to earn pole in the history of the iconic event. Kelly finished second in the 2019 Daytona 200, with Fong–who led when the race was red-flagged with just a few laps to go–finishing a close third in a four-lap restart. All three–Russell, Fong, and Kelly–will share their expertise with students. Joining them will be Team Hammer endurance and Formula USA star Michael Martin and Team Hammer Vice President and USMCA Certified Coach Chris Ulrich, who have both won overall in endurance events at Daytona–AMA Pro for Martin and AMA MotoST for Ulrich–in addition to their multiple overall WERA National Endurance Championships and wins in AMA Pro and F-USA races at other tracks.
The 2019 season marks Team Hammer’s 39th consecutive year of operating as a professional road racing team. Racebikes built and fielded by Team Hammer have won 83 AMA Pro and MotoAmerica National races, have finished on AMA Pro and MotoAmerica National podiums 234 times and have won seven AMA Pro and MotoAmerica National Championships, as well as two FIM South American Championships (in Superbike and Supersport). The team has also won 137 endurance races overall (including seven 24-hour races) and 13 Overall WERA National Endurance Championships, and holds the U.S. record for mileage covered in a 24-hour race. The team also competed in the televised 1990s Formula USA National Championship, famously running “Methanol Monster” GSX-R1100 Superbikes fueled by methanol, and won four F-USA Championships.
Alvaro Bautista (19) leading Race One in Argentina. Photo courtesy of Dorna WorldSBK Press Office.
FIM STATEMENT – WorldSBK – Motul Argentinean Round
Following the decision of six riders not to participate in Race 1 at the Motul Argentinean Round of the FIM Superbike World Championship, in San Juan on Saturday October 12th, FIM wishes to provide some clarifications.
At the request of the FIM in 2018, the circuit of San Juan was resurfaced to host WorldSBK in 2019. On Wednesday, October 9th during the inspection of the track, the FIM safety officer requested the circuit management to wash the track to remove the dust that had accumulated during the last days to ensure the safety conditions necessary for the smooth running of the Argentinean round.
After an intensive cleaning of the track, the homologation was issued on Thursday during a new inspection. This homologation procedure valid from Friday to Sunday is identical for each event of the championship and takes place on the Thursday preceding each race according to the FIM rules.
On Friday evening during the safety commission meeting, the rider representatives expressed concern over the scorching conditions and its possible effect on the newly laid asphalt. In agreement with all the stakeholders (Riders, representatives of FIM and Dorna), it was decided that a meeting would be held on Saturday at 12h00 after the Free Practice session 3 to make a new point on the situation. At this meeting all riders were happy with the improvement of the track conditions and it was unanimously decided to go ahead with the Qualifying Sessions and race. Nevertheless, after Qualifying Sessions six WorldSBK riders decided not to take part in the race two hours later.
The FIM wishes to remind that the safety of all riders is its priority and wish to emphasize that neither the scorching conditions nor the condition of the track surface at that precise moment justified the cancellation of the race.
In addition and to provide a high level of marshalling, the FIM also provided a seminar for the 150 track marshals on Thursday at the San Juan circuit with the support of the national federation CAMOD.
Tom Sykes, UK (BMW S1000RR), -6 laps, DNF, mechanical
World Championship Point Standings (after 34 of 37 races):
Rea, 601 points (clinched 2019 World Championship)
Bautista, 460
Lowes, 305
Van Der Mark, 304
Razgatlioglu, 299
Haslam, 257
Davies, 249
Sykes, 219
Melandri, 173
Torres, 132
Jonathan Rea (1) leads Toprak Razgatlioglu (54), Alvaro Bautista (19), and the rest of the field early in Race Two. Photo courtesy of Dorna WorldSBK Press Office.
More, from a press release issued by Dorna WorldSBK Press Office:
Rea makes the double on Sunday in Argentina
2019 World Champion victorious in Race 2 as Davies comes back strong
The final race of the weekend at the Motul Argentinean Round was a thrilling spectacle, with plenty of hard action and big moves all the way through the pack. Despite making his own mistakes and needing to fight in the early stages, Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) romped to win number two of the weekend, holding off the opposition.
Off the start and into Turn 1, Jonathan Rea held on to his first position, whilst Alvaro Bautista (ARUBA.IT Racing – Ducati) and Toprak Razgatlioglu (Turkish Puccetti Racing) battled behind. Sandro Cortese (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK) was a fast starter and into fourth, whilst Alex Lowes (Pata Yamaha WorldSBK Team) and his teammate Michael van der Mark were fifth and sixth. Chaz Davies (ARUBA.IT Racing – Ducati) had dropped to seventh.
With the race beginning to take shape, Rea pulled away from Bautista, whilst Toprak Razgatliolgu was as relentless as ever, chasing down Bautista. Bautista and Rea in-turn were trading fastest lap times. Chaz Davies had picked off the Yamahas ahead of him one by one, using the top speed advantage of the Ducati Panigale V4 R down the long straights of San Juan to good effect. The next target for the Welshman was Razgatlioglu, who was going to need to fight hard to resist the former WorldSBK runner-up.
There was drama up front for Rea, who made a big mistake at Turn 8 and ran completely off the circuit, allowing Bautista to take the lead for the first time. However, Rea wouldn’t give in and a lap later, on Lap 8, Rea fought back and pushed his way back to the front at Turn 7, shoving Bautista wide. The squabble between the two heavyweights allowed Razgatlioglu and Davies to close up.
With 13 laps left to go, Davies took third from Razgatlioglu with a strong move at Turn 10 on the Turkish rider. The former WorldSSP Champion from 2011 was now a move on a mission and soon, caught his teammate. Bautista tried to fight but Davies powered ahead of his teammate two laps later to take second. 2.6s to close down on the race leader, Davies had plenty of work to keep him occupied for the remainder of the race.
Bautista however was in more problems and with 9 laps to go, as Toprak Razgatlioglu had regrouped and was immediately able to get ahead of the Spaniard, sweeping around the outside at Turn 2 to take third from the Race 1 winner. Bautista was losing time to Michael van der Mark hand over fist and needed to get to the end of the 26-year-old Dutchman got him.
Further down the field, Leandro Mercado (Orelac Racing VerdNatura) was having an incredible race, climbing all the way up to the fringes of the top ten. The home hero picked off Jordi Torres (Team Pedercini Racing) and at Turn 10 with eight laps left, dived up the inside of factory Kawasaki rider Leon Haslam to take eighth place. A lap later, and Eugene Laverty (Team Goeleven) was up ahead of Haslam and Torres. Ahead of all of them, Michael Ruben Rinaldi (BARNI Racing Team) was a sitting duck.
With four laps to go, Mercado got ahead of Rinaldi at Turn 15, sparking a massive roar from the partisan crown trackside. However, Laverty got ahead of the pair of them on the front straight, pushing Mercado back to eighth whilst the Irishman went in pursuit of his best result since Aragon. In terms of Mercado, he had come from 19th to eighth; an astonishing comeback.
Out front on the final lap, Jonathan Rea was uncatchable and took victory for a fourth time in Argentina and now, extended his consecutive point-scoring finishes run to 45 – the first time a rider has ever achieved this. Chaz Davies was up into second whilst Toprak Razgatlioglu completed a stellar weekend with another podium, his sixth in seven races. Fourth belonged to Michael van der Mark whilst Alvaro Bautista limped home to complete the top five. Alex Lowes was up to sixth.
Eugene Laverty put in a strong ride up to seventh, but ride of the day went to home-hero Mercado, who stormed from last on the grid to eighth, much to the delight of the crowd. Jordi Torres (Team Pedercini Racing) was ninth ahead of Leon Haslam in 10th. Sandro Cortese slipped to 15th, having run as high as fourth in the early stages.
P1 – Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK)
“After a difficult weekend, I think we got the bike right today and I felt really good, so massive thanks to my crew. We were still suffering in some area but in the rest of the track, my ZX-10RR was working so well. Thanks to all the fans to come to see us, I am happy we were able to put on a good show for them. Now I will enjoy a good time with my team in Argentina and I can’t wait to be back into action in Qatar”.
P2 – Chaz Davies (ARUBA.IT Racing – Ducati)
“I didn’t know what to expect today because the track has been changing so much. My bike work really good in the race. I got such a terrible start, and maybe it was my worst start of the year so far. I had to come through, and I used quite a bit of the tyre. I felt like I had an excellent pace and Johnny was getting even closer, but unfortunately, I run out of grip towards the end of the race, but overall I can’t complain about that. I am pleased, and I feel like it was a solid performance to end the weekend”.
P3 – Toprak Razgatlioglu (Turkish Puccetti Racing)
“This weekend we were able to achieve three podiums, and we are happy with that. We tried a different setup for Race 2, but it didn’t work well as at the end of the race tyres were completely destroyed. These points are important for the championship because now we really close to the third position in the standings”.
More, from a press release issued by BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team:
A frustrating run of results for the BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team at the Circuito San Juan Villicum
13.10.19
Circuito San Juan Villicum
The final day of racing here at the Circuito San Juan Villicum approached us, and with temperatures considerably down compared to yesterday this meant for much safer racing conditions. Tom Sykes got off to a solid start gaining 5 places on the opening laps putting himself into P8. Leon Haslam passed Sykes the following lap relegating him into ninth position. Tom would ride a lonely race from then on out to take P9. Markus Reiterberger having struggled all weekend didn’t manage to make the dream start and held P17 on lap 1. Markus got himself into a battle with the number #23 of Kiyonari throughout the race however the German would eventually come out on top – final position P17.
The final race of the weekend was upon us and the BMW pair took to their new starting positions, Sykes now P9 and Markus retaking P17. Sykes again got his BMW S 1000 RR off the line well and looked to be battling with the top 6 until a small mistake ran him wide dropping him down into P11. The bad luck didn’t stop there as on lap 6 Tom Sykes’s bike had a technical problem at T10 forcing him to retire from the race. Markus Reiterberger’s final race of the weekend ended in P16.
The BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team will now turn their attention to a fortnights time where they will participate in the final race weekend of the 2019 WSBK Championship in Qatar. (24/26 October)
Marc Bongers, BMW Motorrad Motorsports Director:
“Today was probably one of our most difficult days of the season. On paper, the Superpole Race was not so bad for Tom as at least he managed to get on the third row for the start of the main race. But with this new model of bike we don’t have any data to work with, so everything is new for us, with every setting we try, we are chasing the perfect set-up. All we can do is take all this data with us and when we come back here again, we will have a better position to start with. So it’s been really difficult for us, but we must take the positives and build on this. Markus has also really struggled and didn’t find a comfortable setting, but we just have to close the book on this event and re-energise as we get ready for Qatar, where hopefully we can start on the front foot.”
Shaun Muir, Team Principal:
“It was a difficult end to a disappointing weekend. Unfortunately, we retired from the main race as a result of a technical issue with the clutch. However, we have to be realistic and say that we were never going to get a good result. We just didn’t understand why we were so far behind and what we needed to do to remedy this issue. We didn’t have consistent track conditions to enable us to find a solution. The track was catastrophic on the first day, okay yesterday morning, then extremely hot in the afternoon, and this morning it was back to being acceptable – these conditions meant that the lap times varied drastically. As a result, we were unable to gradually draw the necessary conclusions as to which direction we needed to take. We will now take the data we collected back with us, and will analyse why we weren’t as competitive as we had hoped this weekend.”
Tom Sykes:
“It’s been a difficult weekend. We made some improvements on the greasy track condition and I honestly felt we had a consistent race pace during that last race, but we ran into difficulty with the bike which meant we had to retire. Overall, it’s been a challenging weekend for the whole BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team, but like I said it wasn’t the easiest of track conditions; however, given the circumstances I feel we gathered some very valuable information for the future. We will put this weekend behind us and move on to the next race in Qatar, where hopefully we can take another step forward.”
Markus Reiterberger:
“We had much better weather conditions today. It was cooler, which meant that the racing line on the track was in a much better state. Unfortunately, I made two mistakes on the first two laps of the Superpole Race and went too wide. As a result, the race didn’t go well for me, and I crossed the finish line pretty far down the field. We made a few changes for the second race, and I felt relatively okay on the bike in the race itself. Points would have been achievable, and I battled with Sandro Cortese on the final three laps, but unfortunately, it wasn’t enough to get the point. Generally, we are still a little bit too slow and we need to find the reason why. I hope that I will end the season on a personal high in Qatar. We all pulled together here, and I’m grateful for that, even if we weren’t rewarded with a good result.”
More, from a press release issued by Moriwaki Althea Honda Team:
In Argentina Leon Camier finishes in the points in Race 2, Kiyonari struggles to find the pace.
The final day of the Argentinean round at the San Juan Villicum Circuit played out in cooler conditions with respect to the rest of the weekend, the air temperature having dropped from 32°C on Saturday to 21° Celsius on Sunday.
After finding good feeling with his bike set-up, Leon Camier finished the Superpole race in 12th place and Race 2 in 13th place, fighting inside the top ten for a long while during both races, but dropping back in the final stages. Ryuichi Kiyonari struggled to maintain a competitive race pace and closed sprint race and Race 2 in 18th and 17th place respectively.
The Moriwaki Althea Honda Team will now fly back to Europe before heading to Qatar where the Losail Circuit will host the 2019 WorldSBK season finale in two weeks’ time.
Leon Camier
SUPERPOLE RACE: 12 – RACE 2: 13
“I felt very good on my bike in the sprint race. I made a good start, the bike worked really well, and I was feeling strong in certain areas with respect to the riders around me. Unfortunately, I suffered particularly with tyre wear in the final stages and this caused me to lose both time and positions. Up until that point, I had been able to fight with Haslam and Sykes. It would have been hard to beat them, but I had a good feeling and could manage to stick with them. In the second race I once again felt pretty good in the middle of the group, maybe just losing a little in acceleration compared to the others but we were able to use our strengths to hold our position. Again though, we suffered more than the others with a drop in tyre performance at the end. Anyway, since having come back from injury, I was able to get a better idea of where we are with the bike today, I could see the improvements we have been able to make and where we might be able to improve further. So that’s very positive”.
Ryuichi Kiyonari
SUPERPOLE RACE: 18 – RACE 2: 17
“It has been a very difficult weekend for me, both in terms of my feeling with the track and with my bike. Today, with lower temperatures, the grip was much better, but I was not able to adapt quickly enough to the changed conditions, even if they were better than they had been earlier in the weekend. Usually, even when my results are not good, I can see a progression in terms of feeling, but this time I just could not improve enough. I’m very sorry for the team, for how this weekend went in general. I can only say that I’ll try to do better in the last races at Qatar, a track that I like very much”.
More, from a press release issued by Yamaha:
Positive Conclusion to Pata Yamaha’s Argentine Adventure
Pata Yamaha WorldSBK rider, Michael van der Mark, took a hard fought fourth place finish in today’s WorldSBK Race 2 at Circuito San Juan Villicum in Argentina, having caught and passed yesterday’s race winner, Alvaro Bautista, with just four laps of the race remaining. With Alex Lowes finishing in sixth position this afternoon, the Pata Yamaha teammates are now separated by just a single point in the championship standings, with Lowes currently holding the advantage in third place.
Lowes and van der Mark started today’s 21-lap WorldSBK Race 2 from the second row of the grid, having finished this morning’s Superpole Sprint Race in fifth and sixth places respectively. The two Pata Yamaha riders made a good start and, while both were quick to find their rhythm, neither had the outright pace needed to compete for the podium today.
Lowes rode a solid but lonely race to sixth place, lacking the additional pace needed to close the gap to van der Mark ahead of him. The Dutchman managed to find a little bit extra in the closing stages of the race to catch and pass Bautista for fourth place, but the gap to the podium contenders was insurmountable in the few laps remaining.
GRT Yamaha Supported WorldSBK rider, Sandro Cortese, was looking to build on his solid top-ten finish in the Superpole Race this afternoon, but the reigning Supersport World Champion and his crew took a gamble on tyre choice that didn’t work as expected and Cortese was disappointed to finish only 15th after struggling for rear grip from lap seven onwards.
Argentina proved another difficult weekend for Marco Melandri, who continues to struggle to adapt the bike to suit his particular riding style. The veteran Italian and his crew have worked tirelessly to find a solution but so far to no avail. Melandri was frustrated to finish 15th in the Superpole Race this morning and then to only improve by one place to finish 14th in Race 2 this afternoon.
The penultimate round of the 2019 FIM Superbike World Championship in Argentina proved a painful one for Loris Baz. The Frenchman crashed out of the Superpole Race on the opening lap, at the same corner at which he crashed in qualifying on Saturday morning, but bounced back this afternoon to pick up championship points with a 12th place finish in WorldSBK Race 2.
“If you look at the results then it’s not been too bad here in Argentina. It’s been a difficult weekend for everyone, I think, but fourth place yesterday was a good start for me. In the Superpole Race this morning I didn’t really have a good feeling and I struggled a bit with the bike, but we made quite a big change for Race 2 and I felt a lot stronger from the start. Of course there were some areas where I’d have liked to be a little better but, anyway, I picked up another fourth place on a track that proved difficult for us last year, so we must be happy with these points and now look forward to Qatar, where I’m sure we will be even stronger and able to fight for the podium once again.”
“I had a bit of a frustrating start to Race 2. I’ve had a few issues back shifting to first gear and on the opening lap I got a slipstream from Sandro on the straight and was maybe in a bit too fast and I couldn’t get the gear to go in. It was shame, because when you lose track position it’s really difficult to recover. I had good pace, but not quite enough to catch back after losing ground. Michael was in a similar situation in the Superpole Race; he was matching my pace but didn’t have that little bit extra needed to close on me. I felt I rode quite well today, made no mistakes and I enjoyed the race, but I didn’t want to be finishing sixth. But now we need to focus on the final round in Qatar. I’m looking forward to racing there and defending my third position in the championship.”
“This has been another weekend where I’ve struggled a lot. My main strength is my riding style and, unfortunately, this doesn’t seem to be compatible with the bike. Every time I tried to push harder after a few laps I made a lot of mistakes and lost ground. It looks like me and the bike are working in opposite directions still. I’ve tried many things with the team to find a solution this season but, as the results show, we’re still looking.”
“This morning I had a good Superpole Race after a strong start, and I was looking forward to more of the same in Race 2 this afternoon. Again, I got a good start, but we took a gamble on tyre choice which proved to be a step too far and, after seven laps, the rear tyre was completely done. To be honest, I’m not sure how I managed to finish the race. I’m disappointed and it’s a shame because I think I could have finished with a good result today but, again, we didn’t take the chance that was open to us. So, yes, a big disappointment today.”
More, from a press release issued by Kawasaki:
Two Wins For Rea In Argentina
WorldSBK champion Jonathan Rea took his Ninja ZX-10RR to the top step of the podium twice today, winning both the ten-lap Superpole Race and Race Two. Leon Haslam (KRT) battled hard today and finished eighth and tenth. Two third places for Toprak Razgatlioglu (Turkish Puccetti Racing) ended his weekend on a high.
The penultimate round of the 2019 season ended up providing two fast and competitive races on Sunday, each won by Rea to extend his all time record score of race victories to 85.
In the cooler conditions of Sunday at Circuito San Juan Villicum the pace improved greatly and Rea set a new lap record – and track best – of 1’37.462, on lap three of the ‘sprint’ race. His opening Sunday race win also earned him the top grid spot for the final race of the weekend, and thus Jonathan also became the 2019 Tissot-Superpole Award winner, for the best overall qualifying performance.
In the ten-lap Tissot-Superpole fight Rea was in command from the start, easing away to win by over two seconds from Alvaro Bautista. Haslam was eighth, having started from 14th on the grid.
In Race Two Rea got involved in a tense early fight with Bautista, before his pace told and he eased away to score his second race win of 2019 and his 14th of the season.
Now starting from eighth place on the grid for the final race at the 4.276km long circuit Haslam was finally tenth in Race Two, after losing early ground in a collision with another rider. Three points scoring races all together in Argentina keep Leon sixth overall in the championship standings, with one more round to go.
Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK won the Teams’ Award today, with one round to go. Kawasaki leads the Manufacturers’ standings by 37 points with just the final three individual races to be run.
The season finale, to be held under floodlights as is now traditional, will take place at the Losail International Circuit in Qatar, with WorldSBK racedays on Friday 25th and Saturday 26th October.
Jonathan Rea, stated: “That was really positive, especially the Superpole race where I felt really strong in the cooler conditions. The grip level was really high so I was able to push the bike and manage it. The sensations felt quite normal. We made a change overnight, on the front of the bike, just to give me a bit more front confidence in trail braking to stabilise the bike. That enabled me to carry that much more entry speed. We knew Alvaro was one of the strongest guys and to race with him I was going to have to be really strong on the brakes and corner entry. Kudos to the guys because we came up with a really good set-up. Yesterday I made too many mistakes in the race and that gave Alvaro too much breathing room, so now I am really happy to win both races today.”
Leon Haslam, stated: “Starting from 14th on the grid was hard work. We made it to sixth in the long race yesterday and eighth in the first race today, and I do not think we could have done much more because the passing around this circuit has been hard. I was really looking forward to that last race. I got a good start and then got tangled with Tom Sykes. As I went up the inside of him he came into me and I think it was my handlebar that got caught in his fairing. That dropped us back to pretty much last. We came through to battling for eighth position, I think, at one point but we had destroyed the rear tyre and ended up going backwards for the last five, six or seven laps.”
Already crowned top Independent Rider, Toprak Razgatlioglu put in another strong weekend performance with two third places today. In doing so he drew himself to within six points of the third placed rider, ensuring an exciting season finale in Qatar next time out. Toprak is currently fifth, but with a clear aim to finish third by season’s end.
Toprak Razgatlioglu, stated: “More podiums, but in the sprint race the bike felt like it was not turning. After we changed the set-up the bike gave me an incredible feeling. But my tyre was finished. This was a problem for all riders but I tried for second place, but it was not possible. I am happy to take another podium. We will see how things are in Qatar because I am very close to the top three in the championship.”
Home rider Leandro Mercado (Orelac Racing VerdNatura Kawasaki) was tenth in the sprint and a truly combative eighth in front of his enthusiastic Argentinean countrymen in Race Two. Leandro is now 14th overall.
Jordi Torres (Team Pedercini Racing Kawasaki) was 11th and then 9th today and enters the final round in 10th place overall, six points up on the next nearest rider. All five Kawasaki riders in Race Two finished inside the top ten positions.
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