JC Camacho, Dustin Dominguez, and Rocco Landers were the stars of day one at the inaugural Invite event presented by Dunlop Saturday at Hallett Motor Racing Circuit in Hallett, Oklahoma.
Dominguez won the most races Saturday, using his Dunlop-backed Raceworx Kawasaki ZX-10R to win both six-lap 1000 Expert sprints and the 10-lap 1000 Expert Shootout and riding Ty Howard’s KTM North America 790 Duke to victory in both six-lap Twins Expert sprints and the Twins Expert Shootout.
Landers, the 14-year-old who captured the 2019 MotoAmerica Junior Cup Championship, won four races on his Ninja400R.com/Norton Motorsports/Dr. Farr Racing Kawasaki Ninja 400. Landers topped the fields in both 400 Expert sprints, the 10-lap 400 Expert Shootout, and the six-lap 14-24 sprint for riders between the ages of 14 and 24 on 400cc or smaller machines.
Camacho, riding his Raceworx/AGV Sport Yamaha YZF-R6, claimed two come-from-behind wins Saturday, one in the six-lap 600 Expert sprint and one in the 10-lap 600 Expert Shootout.
The Invite event continues on Sunday with more six-lap sprints and 10-lap Shootout races in all classes.
Overall winners will be decided based upon a motocross scoring system combining results from each class’ races over the two days.
The INVITE Presented by Dunlop
Hallett Motor Racing Circuit
Hallett, Oklahoma
September 28, 2019
Provisional Day One Race Results (listed in chronological order):
VW Credit, a lender to automobile and powersports dealerships, has filed a lawsuit in King County (Washington) Superior Court charging that Howard Crow and several of his Seattle area dealerships defaulted on payments on $2.7 million in loans used to finance the purchase of 170 Ducatis and other equipment, according to a report by the Seattle Times website.
Five dealerships owned by Crow, an employee of Microsoft, abruptly shut down earlier this month, according to a previous report by the Seattle Times.
Action from World Superbike Race One at Magny-Cours. Photo courtesy of Kawasaki.
More, from a press release issued by Dorna WorldSBK Press Office:
#FRAWorldSBK – Day 2:
WorldSBK 800th race sees Razgatlioglu taking his first WorldSBK victory ahead of Rea and Sykes
First Turkish winner in WorldSBK history as Razgatlioglu charges from 16th on the grid to deny Rea on the last lap
The Pirelli French Round produced one of the races of the WorldSBK season so far as five different riders lead at various stages, before Michael van der Mark (Pata Yamaha WorldSBK Team) crashed out of the lead three laps from home, seemingly handing victory to Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK), before a stunning final lap saw Toprak Razgatlioglu (Turkish Puccetti Racing) take the spoils, despite starting from the sixth row.
As the race got underway, Jonathan Rea came under immediate pressure from Michael van der Mark with two almost colliding into the Adelaide hairpin on lap one. Their duel allowed Tom Sykes (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) to storm through from sixth on the grid to second by the end of lap one.
Sykes’ progress continued on Lap 2 as he used the corner speed of the BMW to overtake Rea at Estoril, although the leading group was growing and growing with Chaz Davies (ARUBA.IT Racing – Ducati) joining the action from 11th on the grid, while a remarkable early charge brought Toprak Razgatlioglu into play, despite starting down in 16th.
On Lap 3, Davies became the third different leader in as many laps but the Welshman’s challenge came to a dramatic end moments later with a crash into Turn 15. Davies’ lost the front end of his machine with second-placed Toprak Razgatlioglu fortunate to stay upright despite slight contact from the errant Ducati. The chaos allowed Sykes a moment of breathing space but the BMW rider was quickly reeled in, losing the lead to Michael van der Mark on Lap 6.
With the battle continuing to rage in the leading group, van der Mark was able to open up a slight advantage while Jonathan Rea came under intense pressure following a moment at the Nurburgring chicane. Toprak Razgatlioglu was able to edge ahead, setting the fastest lap in the process, but Rea ultimately regained P2 from the Turkish rider shortly after half-distance, allowing him to give chase after van der Mark who was 1.2 seconds to the good.
Behind the leading trio, Loris Baz (Ten Kate Racing – Yamaha) had established himself in an excellent fourth with Tom Sykes settling in fifth after an all-action start. Alex Lowes (Pata Yamaha WorldSBK Team) was holding sixth but the Briton was coming under increasing pressure from Alvaro Bautista (ARUBA.IT Racing – Ducati) as the Spaniard chased valuable championship points. Leon Haslam (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) was also in the thick of the action but a highside at the final chicane eliminated him five laps from home.
With clear track in front, Jonathan Rea began his relentless chase of Michael van der Mark, wiping out his advantage heading into the closing stages. With three laps remaining, the leading pair were together but van der Mark’s hopes of a second victory of 2019 were extinguished when the front end of his Yamaha folded into the Adelaide hairpin, the pressure proving too much.
Rea seemed on course for a 12th victory of the season, beginning the final lap one second clear of Razgatlioglu but a stunning final lap from the Turkish rider brought him right into the tail of the Ulsterman entering the last sector. Under braking for Turn 15, Toprak dived up the inside with Rea keen to avoid a costly collision, opting to settle for second.
The fight for the final podium spot also went down to the wire with Tom Sykes rallying in the latter stages to overhaul Loris Baz, securing BMW’s fourth podium of the season. Baz held on to fourth while Alvaro Bautista recovered up to fifth in the end.
Alex Lowes faded to finish a distant sixth while Leon Camier (Moriwaki Althea Honda Team) marked his return from injury with a sensational ride to seventh, Honda’s best result of the 2019 season so far. Marco Melandri (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK) finished eighth, his best result since Misano, with Eugene Laverty (Team Goeleven) and Sandro Cortese completing the top ten.
In the end, van der Mark remounted to finish 13th to secure three points which may prove valuable in the ever-tightening race for third in the championship standings. At the top, Jonathan Rea has extended his advantage to 100 points over Alvaro Bautista, and the possibility remains of a fifth title being clinched tomorrow.
P1 – Toprak Razgatlioglu (Turkish Puccetti Racing)
“I am so happy! The last lap was so stressful for me because I knew I was faster. I tried to pass Johnny, but the front was sliding a lot. I pushed hard and tried to keep the bike straight, and I made it. It is my first victory, and I extremely pleased with this! I am crying! It has been my dream for this season, and I achieve that. Now we see what will happen next race. I don’t know how tomorrow will be. I hope it won’t be raining! Thanks to all my team because today that have done an incredible job”.
P2 – Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK)
“I was expecting a fight because with these conditions no ones had the chance to work on the bike setup, so today was the same for everybody. I was a little bit worried in the beginning because the conditions were not perfect and in the first ten laps, I felt like we were racing like kids, but it was a lot of fun! When the race settled down, Van Der Mark kept a good rhythm, he went away and slowly I could catch him. I put my head down in the last laps, but I made a big mistake in the last lap and gave a big opportunity to Toprak to come and make that move. I am a little bit frustrated but happy with the result because the podium is a good result. I want to congratulate Toprak because he deserves this win, but we will try to change the order tomorrow”.
P3 – Tom Sykes (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team)
“I enjoyed riding today. I did a good start, and I settled in nicely. With the team with a made a small change to the bike between the last race and now that allowed me to ride with a little bit margin, so I really enjoyed riding my bike today. In the beginning, I swept positions with a few guys who were trying to get a better position, and we were able to fight. The chassis and the tyres stayed consistent throughout the race, sure we still to find some things in some area, but overall a podium is promising here giving that we are only tenth months now into the program. We are thrilled with our efforts, and hopefully, we can keep up the pace for tomorrow”.
More, from a press release issued by Kawasaki:
Rea Second As Razgatlioglu Wins His First
Jonathan Rea (KRT) came within 0.240 seconds of winning an unpredictable and exciting 21-lap WorldSBK race at Magny Cours today but it was Toprak Razgatlioglu (Turkish Puccetti Racing) who won for the first time in WorldSBK. Leon Haslam (KRT) was unfortunate to fall exiting the final chicane on lap 17 and no scored today.
After qualifying on pole, for the sixth time this year and for the 22nd time in his career, Jonathan became the fourth most successful qualifier in WorldSBK history.
In WorldSBK’s 800th race – also the 800th participation for Kawasaki as a manufacturer – Rea and Haslam had very little dry track time to prepare a full-distance race set-up, especially after Superpole had dawned wet.
From pole position on the grid Rea was unable to get clear in the early laps and was involved in many close battles, providing fantastic entertainment for the fans but making it a nervous time for much of the race.
After long-time leader Michael van der Mark fell, with Rea closing in behind, Jonathan took the lead for two of the final three laps. Razgatlioglu closed in on the final sector of the 4.41km circuit and took advantage of an opportunity to pass, winning his first race at this level and delivering the first FIM Superbike World Championship race win for his Kawasaki Puccetti Racing team.
Haslam felt strong in the morning sessions today, qualifying third in the wet Superpole, but was racing for seventh place when a landing from the lip of the kerbs in the final chicane saw his machine get crossed up. Leon fell, without injury. He now looks to what all hope will be two dry races on Sunday to get back into podium contention.
The ten-lap Tissot Superpole race on Sunday morning will be followed by a 21-lap Race Two.
Jonathan Rea, stated: “I made a small mistake in sector two. With the gap on my pit board with a few laps to go, I was convinced that by keeping a good rhythm it would be OK, but that mistake gave Toprak the opportunity to make a manoeuvre in sector three. That is how it is. So if I try to look from the outside, from the championship point of view, it has been a strong race. But I am also a little bit disappointed because I did most of the work to put myself in a good position at the end, and we couldn’t finish the job. We have got two more chances tomorrow.”
Leon Haslam, stated: “Superpole was good in the wet but the race was a disaster. I kept losing the front brake so we struggled the whole race. We ran on a few times, with the brake lever coming back. In the end I must have clipped the kerb going onto the start/finish straight. The best I was going to be in that race was seventh and for me it was quite disappointing because this morning I felt really confident to run with Toprak, Johnny and the guys. So from my point of view it was a disappointing race.”
Razgatlioglu’s historic first win makes him the 13th rider to take a race win for Kawasaki, the first ever Turkish rider to win a full WorldSBK race, and the fifth different rider to take a win in the 2019 season – all in what was arguably its most exciting and dramatic race so far. Toprak is still the top independent rider overall.
Toprak Razgatlioglu, stated: “I think I had the right conditions in the race because in the wet I am not fast. Superpole qualifying was very bad in 16th position but I am happy because in the dry and I thought I had a chance at the podium. In the last two laps I felt it as possible to win, so I pushed. On the last lap I pushed hard and took my first win. Tomorrow? I do not know, but if it is dry again I will try to win.”
Jordi Torres (Team Pedercini Racing Kawasaki) qualified way down in 20th position on the grid but fought through, on basically dry asphalt, to score 11th, place and earn five championship points.
Leandro Mercado (Orelac Racing VerdNatura Kawasaki) was 18th on the starting grid but came through to finish 12th.
More, from a press release issued by Yamaha:
Van Der Mark Denied Victory Fight in Magny-Cours as Baz Narrowly Misses the Podium
Race
Pata Yamaha WorldSBK rider, Michael van der Mark, looked set to claim his second win of the 2019 season in WorldSBK Race 1 at Magny-Cours this afternoon until, with just two laps of the race remaining, the Dutchman lost the front under braking for Turn 5 and crashed out of the lead. Van der Mark remounted to finish 13th, leaving Ten Kate Yamaha Supported WorldSBK rider, and home hero, Loris Baz, to lead the Yamaha riders home in fourth place, only narrowly missing out on his first podium finish.
Technical set up for the race, which was held in the driest conditions seen at Magny-Cours so far this weekend, was a calculated gamble given the lack of dry practice time, but it was obvious from the start that van der Mark’s crew had gone in the right direction for both the track and the conditions.
Starting from the front row of the grid having qualified second in Superpole, van der Mark was in the thick of the action from the off, making aggressive moves to get the better of a five-way battle and take the lead seven laps into the race. As soon as he hit the front the Pata Yamaha rider immediately upped his pace and pulled a gap on the four riders disputing second place. Van der Mark maintained an advantage of around a second to his pursuers until reigning World Champion, Jonathan Rea, managed to close the gap with four laps to go.
One lap later van der Mark made an error under braking for Turn 5, running in a little bit too aggressively, losing the front and sliding off, handing the race lead to Rea. The Pata Yamaha rider remounted to finish 13th and is determined to make amends in the two races tomorrow.
After a strong start from the second row of the grid, Alex Lowes fought valiantly within the group contesting second place until a severe drop off in grip from the front tyre forced him to moderate his pace and settle for a solid sixth place at the line. The result consolidates his third place in the championship standings, giving him an 11-point advantage over today’s race winner, Toprak Razgatlioglu in fourth and 12 points over his fifth placed teammate, van der Mark.
After a strong showing in the wet and mixed conditions yesterday, Marco Melandri’s race aspirations took a blow when he crashed in Superpole and was forced to start today from the fourth row of the grid. Despite a less than perfect set-up on his GRT Yamaha YZF-R1, the Italian managed to fight his way through the pack to finish a creditable eighth in the 21-lap race.
The weather at Magny-Cours couldn’t have been less kind to Sandro Cortese, who was making his debut at the French track aboard a Superbike. The reigning Supersport World Champion was hoping for dry conditions in which to adapt to the demands of the Superbike but was left disappointed when rain disrupted every practice session and Superpole was held on a fully wet track. Despite the limited dry track time, Cortese rode a solid race from 17th on the grid to secure another top ten finish this afternoon.
It was home hero Baz who eventually led the Yamaha riders home in fourth place today, despite struggling throughout the 21-lap race with the setup on his Ten Kate Yamaha YZF-R1. The Frenchman was poised to challenge Tom Sykes for the final podium place on the final lap, but a near highside at Turn 8 left Baz with too much ground to make up in the final two kilometres and he was forced to settle for a still impressive fourth at the chequered flag.
Michael van der Mark Pata Yamaha WorldSBK – P13 – Championship P5 – 247 Points
“I made a mistake today. I was starting to struggle with the front a little in the later stages of the race, but I had too much brake and too much lean angle going into the hairpin at Turn 5 and I went down. I’m really sorry for the guys, who did an incredible job with my R1 given the lack of dry track time this weekend. There was a bit of chaos in the first few laps, but the bike felt really good and I felt really strong. Towards the end I was pushing, maintaining my rhythm, but I didn’t feel on the limit. I could see Johnny was closing, but I wasn’t stressing about that, but just trying to keep my own pace. The crash was down to a mistake on my part, but we know we have a good set up for the dry, which we’ll work to improve further tonight, so I’ll be out to make amends in the two races tomorrow. I enjoyed myself a lot today apart from the crash, the R1 was really fun to ride so thanks to Yamaha and my crew for a great package.”
Alex Lowes Pata Yamaha WorldSBK – P13 – Championship P3 – 259 Points
“I knew from the start that it was going to be a difficult race, because our dry track time this weekend has been so limited. I got a good start and made my way up to fourth, but then six or seven laps into the race I started to struggle a lot with the front tyre and by the end of the race, one side was completely destroyed. This meant that, unfortunately, the second half of the race was about making it to the finish rather than pushing to gain places, as there wasn’t much more I could do. While we didn’t have the package to fight today, we’ve got plenty of time to think about it tonight and a couple of races to try and do better tomorrow.”
Marco Melandri GRT Yamaha Supported WorldSBK – P8 – Championship P9 – 161 Points
“We’ve had different conditions for every session this weekend and even the race wasn’t so easy, as there were still damp patches on track at the start. It was a difficult race for me. I was with Leon Camier for most of the race and, while sometimes I felt a bit faster than him, the only time I was able to try a pass I ended up running wide. We still have the same issues and I feel more of a passenger on the bike rather than the rider, but we will try again tomorrow to do better.”
Sandro Cortese GRT Yamaha Supported WorldSBK – P10 – Championship P10 – 122 Points
“With only a few laps in the dry and this being my first time here with the Superbike, we weren’t really sure of the direction to take with the set up for the race. I’m happy enough with the result today, given the difficulties we’ve faced so far this weekend with the weather conditions. I’d have preferred not to have lost a place on the last lap, but tenth in the race today is a reasonable start. Now I know the track a little better, and we have a clearer idea of what we need in terms of set up for the dry, so we will look to improve in tomorrow’s two races.”
Loris Baz Ten Kate Yamaha Supported WorldSBK – P4 – Championship P13 – 100 Points
“I was too close to the podium to be happy with today’s result! A few months ago, I wouldn’t have believed I’d be disappointed to finish fourth here at Magny-Cours, as it’s my best result at this track for a long time. It was a great race. In the beginning it was really tricky with the track and, as we have no experience with the YZF-R1 here at Magny-Cours, we only changed the set up a little bit after FP3 and it wasn’t perfect. It made the bike quite difficult to ride, especially in one sector where I lost the rear so many times. When Tom Sykes passed me, I tried everything to stay with him, to try something on the last lap, but then I nearly high-sided out of the 180 degree and wasn’t close enough. It’s a shame, but it’s still a fourth place and all the team are happy – maybe more than me – so we will try again for the podium tomorrow.”
More, from a press release issued by BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team:
Podium for Tom Sykes and the BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team at Magny-Cours.
Tom Sykes comes home third on his BMW S 1000 RR after an exciting race in the FIM Superbike World Championship.
Tough Saturday for team-mate Markus Reiterberger.
Tom Sykes: “It was an eventful race and an absolute pleasure”.
Magny-Cours. Tom Sykes (GBR) claimed another WorldSBK podium for the BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team and the new BMW S 1000 RR. Sykes ended an exciting Saturday race at Magny-Cours (FRA) in third place, having actually led the race in the early stages. His team-mate Markus Reiterberger (GER) endured a difficult Saturday, finishing in 16th place. Magny-Cours is the venue for round eleven of the 2019 FIM Superbike World Championship (WorldSBK).
The morning’s Superpole was delayed by half an hour due to a dirty track. Earlier rainfall meant conditions were still wet and the special qualifying tyres could not be used. Sykes was sixth fastest on his RR, earning him a spot on the second row of the grid. Reiterberger qualified 19th.
By the start of the race at 14:00, the majority of the track was dry. Starting from sixth place, Sykes soon worked his way through the field and took the lead on his RR on lap two. He fended off all the attacks from behind and held onto first place in a fiercely-competitive leading group until lap six. The battles for position continued at the front of the field, and initially saw Sykes drop back to fifth place. When Michael van der Mark (NED / Yamaha) crashed out of the lead, Sykes adopted fourth place. However, the Brit was not happy with that position and pulled off a courageous manoeuvre on the penultimate lap to overtake Frenchman Loris Baz (Yamaha) and went on to claim another podium in third place. Reiterberger came home 16th, narrowly missing out on the points by just 0.3 seconds.
Quotes after race one at Magny-Cours.
Marc Bongers, BMW Motorrad Motorsport Director: “Tom’s third place is a strong result after chaotic weather conditions on Friday and Saturday morning. The practices on Friday, which took place in unsettled weather, were positive for Tom, although that was not reflected directly in the results. We were not able to take full advantage of our qualifying performance on wet tyres, as we did not select the ideal tyre type in the unsettled conditions. We had targeted the front row of the grid, but Tom at least managed to limit the damage with sixth place. Tom’s first lap was simply fantastic. By lap two we were running P1. From then on, the race was very eventful and full of changes. In all the commotion, we dropped back to fifth place. However, Tom delivered a really strong performance in the closing stages too, which allowed us to claim our next podium finish – with a little help from our rivals. That is very pleasing and confirms that our updates are performance-enhancing. Markus has been struggling with his confidence in the set-up of his RR all weekend. Unfortunately, he was also plagued by a problem with the electronics in the race which made his performances look worse.”
Shaun Muir, Team Principal BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team: “Tom was disappointed with superpole. We were happy with the result; Tom was focused on the front row but unfortunately we made the wrong choice in the tyre, nevertheless we were pleased with P6. Markus really struggled with the bike and felt as though he was riding on ice which reflected in his time. Unfortunately this continued into the race and he was too far back to really make an impact. Overall, race one was probably the best race of the season. Tom took the lead and battled really well, he conserved his tyre well and set a solid pace and maintained that pace to the very end. As expected, he got closer to the front guys towards the end of the race and picked off Loris Baz in the final few laps so we are extremely happy to add another podium to the season. We have gained a lot of information ahead of tomorrow and taken a great step forward in the development of the BMW S 1000 RR which is a credit to the whole of the BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team.”
Tom Sykes: “It was an eventful race and an absolute pleasure. I really enjoyed riding that one. A credit to the whole team; we’ve made some changes to the bike in between Portimão and here and it’s just nice as I am able to do things a little bit better on the track. I really enjoyed that race, especially in the beginning, battling with a few guys and just feeling in a better position and being able to fight. The chassis and the tyre really stayed consistent throughout the race. Certainly we need to find a little bit in some areas but overall a podium with just the two Kawasakis in front is really promising here given that we are only ten months into the programme. I am really, really happy with our efforts and hopefully we can keep this pace for tomorrow.”
Markus Reiterberger: “Unfortunately, I had issues with the electronics in practice this morning. As a result, I was only able to complete four or five laps when the track conditions were a bit drier. However, that was still good enough for 13th place. It then poured down again in the Superpole. As I spent more time than anyone on the track in these conditions yesterday, I did hope that this might play into my hands, however, I did not feel at all comfortable on the bike. The rear wheel was like riding on soap and I was unable to get any purchase. It was very difficult to ride. 19th place on the grid is not where I want to be starting from. Unfortunately, I did not get off to a good start in the race. It was generally very difficult to ride, partly because I had electronics problems again. I really hope that we identify the issue quickly and are soon able to find something that helps me.”
More, from a press release issued by Moriwaki Althea Honda Team:
Camier makes a strong return to racing with a positive seventh place finish in Race1 in France.
Leon Camier made a convincing return to action, both in terms of result and pace, on the first race day of the Pirelli French round.
After qualifying in tenth place at the end of a wet Superpole session, Leon scored a positive seventh place finish in Race 1, in dry conditions, the best result of the year so far for him and the team.
For teammate Ryuichi Kiyonari, the day had a more disappointing outcome, especially after qualifying in which he closed in ninth place, the fastest Honda rider. Ryuichi was not able to replicate that performance in the subsequent race and was forced to settle for eighteenth place.
Leon Camier 7TH
“I’m happy enough with today. I pushed as hard as I could and did as much as I could, even though I was struggling in some areas, especially at the end. My shoulder was fine, it was more my hands and arms, having not used them for a long time. By the end of the race, mainly in the changes of direction, I was hanging on by my fingertips and it was challenging, because you need good control in that area. There were also some damp patches on the asphalt. Anyway, I managed not to make any big mistakes and we scored a result that’s not too bad. I feel like the bike has improved in a couple of areas and the handling was also better. This was another of the day’s positives.”
Ryuichi Kiyonari 18TH
“I’m very disappointed with today’s race result because the weekend had started well already yesterday, and things went even better in qualifying this morning. I like this track and so I was hoping for quite a different result. Instead I struggled with rear grip at the beginning of the race and although I improved my pace lap after lap, I honestly wasn’t quick enough in adapting to the changing conditions. An experience we will try and utilize in order to do better tomorrow.”
More, from a press release issued by Barni Racing:
Rinaldi fourth in Superpole, struggled in Race 1
Magny Cours (FRA), 28th September 2019. Bittersweet Saturday for the Barni Racing Team at Nevers Magny Cours circuit, which held the eleventh round of the MOTUL FIM WorldSBK Championship. Michael Rinaldi hit a splendid fourth place in Superpole, the best qualifying of the season – on a wet track – but the race was below expectations and saw him crossed the finish line in 14th position. With this result the flagbearer of the team from Bergamo team gathered two points in the championship standings where he is now twelfth with 111 points.
Superpole
The weather conditions were protagonists also on Saturday: the rain that fell in the morning forced the riders to hit a wet track for the Superpole. Rinaldi once again was very good at exploiting this condition, scoring a lap in 1’54.563 which allowed him to take fourth place on the staring grid.
Race 1
The race instead took place on dry asphalt and the riders could race with slick tires. Starting from the second row the # 21 from Romagna had a good start but after a few turns he was moved down to 13th position.
Due to a poor feeling at the front he lost other positions up to 16º. From mid-race , when the asphalt temperature rose, Rinaldi significantly improved its pace, managing to lap in 1’40’’ of pace, cheating and overtaking Kyionari and Del Bianco.
Marco Barnabo, Team Principal:
The Superpole on the wet track went very well, the rider showed great sensitivity managing to place himself in the second row. In the race, unfortunately, the same situation that we had experienced in Assen occurred: on dry, but cold track, Michael had not the right feeling and he was not able to push as he would like. This heavily affected the race, especially in the first part where we accumulated much of the gap.
Michael Rinaldi SUPERPOLE: P4 – RACE 1: P14
These results comes out due to some problems that we cannot solve from the beginning of the season. On one hand we can be competitive in the wet and today’s qualification proved that, but in the dry we really struggle too much. I am very sorry and not being able to prove what I’m able to do do makes me very angry, but neither I nor the team are going to give up, we will do everything to find a solution, until the end.
More, from a press release issued by Aruba.it Racing Ducati:
World Superbike at Magny-Cours: Álvaro Bautista finishes Race 1 in fifth place after a great run through the field from row 5, while Chaz Davies crashes on lap 4 after running up at the front in the early stages
For the Aruba.it Racing – Ducati team, the first race in the French Round at the Magny-Cours circuit – and race number 800 in the history of the Superbike World Championship – concluded with a good fifth place for Álvaro Bautista and an unexpected DNF for Chaz Davies in the early laps.
Starting from row 5 in fourteenth place on the grid, the Spanish rider tried to build up his confidence in the dry conditions before beginning a great fightback through the field to finish in fifth place.
Team-mate Chaz Davies on the other hand went on the attack from the fourth row, immediately passing a number of his rivals and taking the lead of the race. Unfortunately, when he was fighting for second place, a glitch while entering into Turn 15 led to unintentional contact with Razgatlioglu, causing Chaz to crash and putting an end to his race, luckily without consequences.
Tomorrow the ten-lap Superpole Race will be held at 11.00 CET, with the 21-lap Race 2 starting at 14.00.
Álvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing Ducati #19) – 5th
“Fifth place was not a bad result for sure because there were a lot of difficult situations to manage during the race and because it was basically my first ever exit on this track in these conditions. I started far back on row 5 and seeing as the track in some places was still wet, I tried to get the references and then went faster and faster. I’m happy with fifth place because I learnt the track but I’m not happy because I lost more points. We’ll see if we can go faster tomorrow now I have more experience on this track.”
Chaz Davies (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati #7) – DNF
“My race was good while it lasted seeing as I was fighting for the lead, it’s just unfortunate that it didn’t last very long! In the early laps certain parts of the track were still a bit damp and everyone was slightly conservative, maybe letting the conditions improve before going on the attack, so I decided to push hard. The Panigale V4 R was seemingly working well from a set-up point of view, but as we hadn’t lapped in the dry in the previous sessions unfortunately we couldn’t work fully on the electronics settings and this caused a wrong calibration in Turn 15, which led to contact and my crash. I just did all I could to try and avoid Toprak and ended up by hitting him. I’m really frustrated to go out of the race like that, not only for the result but also for the information we could have learnt for tomorrow. Anyway, that’s racing.”
Ferran Sastre Is the Undefeated Champion of the DTRA European Flat Track Series powered by Indian Motorcycle
Sastre slid his Greenfield-Noyes Camp Kawasaki to his third win in a row, taking all three rounds of the inaugural Euro Flat Track Series.
The 20-year-old Spaniard from Castellbisbal went into the final round of the Indian Motorcycles-sponsored series at the Greenfield Short Track in the UK with a solid 8-point lead over Dutchman Maikel Dijkstra, but Sastre was already champion even before the start of the race because his chief rival was unable to travel to the UK due to medical issues.
Even though the pressure was lifted, Sastre went all out of the win. He was quickest in qualifying and winner of the fastest heat with first pick of grid spots on the front row. The first start was red flagged when Sastre was brought down by another rider in a multi-rider turn one crash. He then led from the restart and was able to break clear and hold off his teammate Gerard Bailo who came from sixth to take second in the 15-lap Pro Main.
The race also counted for the British Championship and the win moved Sastre up to second in the points table behind Bailo had already clinched the British title. It was a Greenfield-Noyes Camp clean sweep of the podium when Toby Hales, last year’s British champion, came through to third and it was hugely satisfying podium for George Pickering’s “dream team.” The season was very encouraging for Sastre, who lost most of the 2017 season due to injury but came back strong in 2018 to take second in the Spanish Rodi Cup. This win in the new and prestigious DTRA European Series carries with it the invitation to compete later this year against some of the best flat trackers in the United States at a circuit yet to be determined.
This was the first season of the Indian Motorcycle DTRA European Flat Track Series and, after its success, several other European circuits are planning to sign on for 2020.
George Pickering – Team Owner Greenfield Dirt Track:
“This is the second year we’ve been working with Noyes Camp and we have managed to win both the DTRA British and the European Series with the two Spanish riders and we are very happy with that. Unfortunately, Toby has had to hand over his number 1 plate to his team mate but he’s finished a strong third in the championship with Gerard taking the first and Ferran second, which means we have come 1-2-3 in the British Championship. That was our objective at the beginning of the season. And we are super happy to have all three of our riders on the podium at our home track to finish the season off.”
Gerard Bailo #17:
“In this last race of the championship I had a good pace and Greenfield did a great job with the track. In the final I started sixth because I got bumped and finished third in the heat. I started well and fought my way back little by little and finished second trying to chase down Ferran, but I am happy with the result and with the pace inspite of some problems I had with the bike. I’m thankful to all my sponsors, family and friends for the support. We are champions, mission accomplished!”
Ferran Sastre #215:
“I’m very happy to have finished the season taking all three victories in the Euros and winning the title. The first two ovals of the European were new for everyone but this one was new for me and not for most of my rivals so, winning here gives me a lot of confidence to face the tracks in USA. And I am very pleased to have been second in the British Championship…very grateful to the sponsors and the Greenfield-Noyes Camp team.”
Toby Hales #1:
“I didn’t qualify too good. I was about tenth in the first and then the second qualifying session got cancelled because of a crash, but I got second in my heat so I got a good pick for the final. In the first start I got taken down when somebody crashed, but it was red-flagged and I got restarted. In the second start I was in second and ran off the track and Gerard got past and I had to fight back and that got me third and a podium and third in the championship.”
Free Practice Two Results (wet conditions, all on Pirelli tires):
Kyle Smith, UK (Kaw), 1:59.293
Hikari Okubo, Japan (Kaw), 2:00.484
Jules Cluzel, France (Yam), 2:01.904
Lucas Mahias, France (Kaw), 2:02.927
Glenn Van Straalen, Netherlands (Kaw), 2:03.533
Maximilien Bau, France (Yam), 2:03.754
Randy Krummenacher, Switzerland (Yam), 2:04.477
Gabriele Ruiu, Italy (Yam), 2:04.790
Federico Caricasulo, Italy (Yam), 2:04.828
Ayrton Badovini, Italy (Kaw), 2:04.957
More, from a press release issued by Dorna WorldSBK Press Office:
WorldSSP: Perolari stays on top, Smith shines in rain-soaked FP2
British rider leads a Kawasaki 1-2 as weather conditions take a turn for the worse in WorldSSP
The final WorldSSP session of the day was dominated by the weather with heavy rain ensuring that this morning’s lap times remained unbeaten. Given the risk attached with running in such conditions, FP1 pacesetter Corentin Perolari (GMT94 YAMAHA) chose to watch the second session from the garage, safe in the knowledge that he would finish the day fastest overall at his and the team’s home round.
FP2 was largely dominated by Kyle Smith (Team Pedercini Racing) who gradually improved his pace throughout the afternoon, despite the conditions showing know sign of significant improvement. The Briton was the only rider to drop underneath the two-minute barrier with Hikari Okubo (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) 1.191s adrift in second. Jules Cluzel (GMT94 YAMAHA) was the man to fly the French flag this afternoon, edging out compatriot Lucas Mahias (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) while Glenn van Straalen (EAB Racing Team) ensured four Kawasaki riders broke into the top five in FP2.
Overall, Perolari’s late dash in FP1 proved to be fastest of the day, with Mahias second overall ahead of Isaac Vinales (Kallio Racing) who restricted his running to just three laps in FP2. Ayrton Badovini (Team Pedercini Racing) was fourth with Jules Cluzel gearing up for a must-win weekend with the fifth fastest time, proving he will a rider to watch whatever the weather has in store this weekend. Peter Sebestyen (CIA Landlord Insurance Honda) rounded out the top six and will have high hopes of consolidating a top ten place in the championship standings.
Jules Danilo followed closely behind his team-mate in seventh ahead of Hikari Okubo who finishes the day in eighth overall, despite his impressive showing in FP2. Federico Caricasulo (BARDAHL Evan Bros. WorldSSP Team) was a cautious ninth, a position he matched in FP2 as the Italian completed 16 laps, a total only bettered by wildcard Maximilien Bau (GMT94 YAMAHA). Loris Cresson (Kallio Racing) completed the top ten, although he was one of seven riders to spend the whole afternoon under shelter in the garage.
Of the riders that did brave the conditions in FP2, championship leader Randy Krummenacher (BARDAHL Evan Bros. WorldSSP Team) was seventh, although that wasn’t enough to lift him from 18th in the combined standings. Elsewhere, Jaimie Van Sikkelerus (MPM WILSport Racedays) suffered his second crash of the day while ESS class runner Gaetan Matern fell at Estoril corner, an accident which left the Frenchman with a left humerus fracture, bringing an end to his weekend.
HRC Signs Alvaro Bautista for 2020 Official WSBK Team
Honda Racing Corporation announced it has signed on Spanish rider Alvaro Bautista, who will join the company’s official team beginning next season to compete in the FIM World Superbike Championship.
A former 125cc World Champion and a 15-time WorldSBK race winner so far in his debut season, Bautista is a highly skilled, fast rider who will contribute greatly to the development of the HRC project in the Superbike World Championship.
Yoshishige Nomura HRC President
“We are very happy to welcome Alvaro Bautista to our WSBK racing project for next year. His arrival in the Honda racing family underlines our strong commitment to compete at full force in every motorsport category, fighting to achieve top sporting results and looking for the best technological innovations, in order to offer our fans and customers fun, joy and excellent products. Alvaro is a very fast, experienced rider who has already shown his strong racing attitude and competitiveness in his GP years and in his first season in the WSBK Championship. We are confident that he will make a significant contribution to the growth and development of our project in the exciting and challenging Superbike World Championship.”
Leandro Mercado, Argentina (Kaw ZX-10RR), 2:21.062
Chaz Davies, UK (Duc Panigale V4 R), no time recorded
Alvaro Bautista, Spain (Duc Panigale V4 R), no time recorded
Alex Lowes, UK (Yam YZF-R1), no time recorded
Eugene Laverty, Ireland (Duc Panigale V4 R), no time recorded
Michael Van Der Mark, Netherlands (Yam YZF-R1), no time recorded
More, from a press release issued by Dorna WorldSBK Press Office:
#FRAWorldSBK– Day 1
Van den Mark top overall as the FP1 benchmark remains unbeaten
The Dutchman leads the way in rainy Magny Cours ahead of Haslam and Melandri
The inclement weather continued to wreak havoc with the WorldSBK class as the second session at the Pirelli French Round began in torrential rain. As a result, the lap times were significantly slower as the riders searched for grip. Michael van der Mark (Pata Yamaha WorldSBK Team) left it late to finish fastest in the morning session but the Dutchman deemed the conditions too wet for any meaningful running and chose to sit FP2 out.
In van der Mark’s absence, Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) proved the man to beat during FP2 but it wasn’t without a scare. Rounding the Estoril corner, the world champion suffered a huge moment as the rear of his Kawasaki stepped out. The Ulsterman maintained control and went on to top the session ahead of former team-mate Tom Sykes (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team), current team-mate Leon Haslam and surprise package Ryuichi Kiyonari (Moriwaki Althea Honda Team) in fourth, although all riders were slower than they had gone in FP1.
Overall, van der Mark closes Free Practice Friday as the fastest man as he looks to chase down his team-mate Alex Lowes in the battle for third in the standings. Van der Mark has finished on the podium at Magny-Cours in each of the last three years and will fancy his chances of doing so again, whatever the weather. Lowes ended the day in eighth overall, and much like his team-mate, took a safety-first approach during the afternoon downpour.
Leading the Kawasaki challenge overall was Leon Haslam after a consistent day for the 36-year-old. Haslam was just two tenths shy of the outright fastest time before backing up his team-mate in the afternoon, showing that both Kawasaki riders will be competitive if the heavens open tomorrow. Rea’s day underlined the exceptional pace the Ulsterman clearly possesses, although a crash during FP1, followed by his near-highside in FP2, prove that nothing is certain in the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship.
Marco Melandri (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) earned the honour of top Independent rider with third spot, although four figured inside the top six as the heavy rain presented an opportunity for less fancied names. Leandro Mercado (Orelac Racing VerdNatura) held onto fourth with home favourite Loris Baz (Ten Kate Racing – Yamaha) demonstrating his wet-weather credentials, finishing fifth in both sessions. Alessandro Delbianco (Althea Mie Racing Team) is another rider to watch if the weather takes a turn for the worse, with the Italian an impressive sixth today on the leading Honda.
With Rea and Lowes completing the combined top eight, Michael Ruben Rinaldi (BARNI Racing Team) ends Friday as the fastest Ducati rider, narrowly ahead of Eugene Laverty (Team Goeleven). Ducati’s championship hopes still rest on the shoulders of Alvaro Bautista (ARUBA.IT Racing – Ducati) and the Spaniard wound up in 13th, one spot ahead of team-mate Chaz Davies with neither venturing out this afternoon.
Moriwaki Althea Honda Team are boosted this weekend by the return of Leon Camier and the Briton showed promising pace in both sessions, ending up 11th overall. By contrast, Sandro Cortese found the going tough with 19th in FP1, followed by a heavy fall at the Adelaide hairpin later in the day which left him with a left shoulder contusion, plus a left elbow contusion and abrasion. The German rider has been declared fit to continue though.
More, from a press release issued by Kawasaki:
Haslam Second Quickest At A Damp Magny Cours
KRT rider Leon Haslam was second in the timesheets after two weather affected free practice sessions at Magny Cours, while his team-mate Jonathan Rea was seventh overall. In the fully wet FP2 session this afternoon Rea was the fastest rider and Haslam third, but both had set their best times lap times of the day in the slightly drier FP1.
In two tricky free practice sessions at Magny Cours both Haslam and Rea worked on finding their best possible wet weather set-ups and each made great progress on a track surface that started out damp and became fully wet in the afternoon.
The 4.411km long circuit at Magny Cours presents several tricky sections, particularly in the wet, but in his first race at Magny Cours since 2015 Haslam remembered both his racing lines and which parts of the track would be most challenging in the rain. His overall second place, earned in the less wet FP1 session, was followed up by being third quickest in the wetter afternoon practice session.
After experiencing an early and slow speed fall in FP1, Rea and his crew quickly got back to work in evaluating different set-up ideas and then started fine-tuning their full wet-set-up in the afternoon session.
Weather conditions are expected to improve in time for the resumption of track action on Saturday morning, and reach their warmest on Sunday. Tomorrow the KRT riders face a short FP3 session, Tissot-Superpole qualifying and then a 21-lap Race One.
Leon Haslam, stated: “It was slippery out there but it was OK in the end. This morning you just pushed as hard as you needed to. It was one of those sessions where if someone went fast, you went out and pushed a little bit harder. I think everyone was in the same boat. It was also just trying to gather information in case it is a wet race tomorrow. This morning was not fully wet in the end but this afternoon obviously was, so it was quite important for me to understand what the bike felt like in proper rain conditions. We also got to try the new rain tyre, which is very different. I feel we have had a positive day of collecting data and finishing inside the top three in each session.”
Jonathan Rea, stated: “Overall I am happy with the day because normally with the forecast to be clear tomorrow, and Sunday being even hotter, it is hard to be fully focused on building a set-up. We changed some things with the engine brake settings and we just needed to confirm them in the wet. This morning I was not so happy and this afternoon we worked to confirm something a bit better in the set-up. The bike is behaving a little bit different to how it has in the past in the wet, especially in how I am loading the front. If we should face any more wet weather over the weekend we need to work on stopping the bike in the last part of braking. But I was happy to be fast in full wet conditions. This morning there was a dry line coming up near the end so a lot of people went fast right at the end. It was a positive day.”
Toprak Razgatlioglu (Turkish Puccetti Racing) placed 12th overall and was eighth fastest in the full wet this afternoon. He hopes for improved weather conditions on Saturday to keep up his consistent run of podium finishes.
Leandro Mercado (Orelac Racing VerdNatura Kawasaki) used his well-proven wet weather capabilities to take the fourth fastest lap of all on day one. Jordi Torres (Team Pedercini Racing Kawasaki) set some laps in each session to build confidence on day one but was 16th overall.
More, from a press release issued by Yamaha:
Van der Mark Finishes on Top at a Dismal Magny-Cours
Free practice
Pata Yamaha WorldSBK rider, Michael van der Mark, finished what was a damp and dismal opening day in France at the top of the timesheet, despite completing just 10 laps of the Magny-Cours circuit in FP1 and then sitting out a fully wet FP2. The same approach was adopted by teammate Alex Lowes, who ended the day eighth fastest.
The opening free practice this morning started on a fully wet track, although the rain had eased shortly before pit lane opened. With 15 minutes of the session remaining dry patches had started to appear around the 4.411km track, but not a continuous dry line. Van der Mark made the most of the slightly improved conditions to set the fastest time on his first run and then improving further on his second and final run.
With continuous rain and a fully wet track for this afternoon’s 50-minute free practice, van der Mark and Lowes knew that nobody was going to improve on their times from the morning and, with grip at the Magny-Cours track notoriously unpredictable, the two Pata Yamaha riders opted to err on the side of caution and sit out the session.
GRT Yamaha Supported WorldSBK rider, Marco Melandri, was third fastest today, again with his time in the mixed conditions of this morning’s free practice. The veteran Italian did participate in the second session but limited himself to just five laps to get a feel for the track in the wet.
Sandro Cortese, making his debut aboard a Superbike here in Magny-Cours was hoping for dry weather in which to learn the track, but he was left disappointed. The reigning Supersport World Champion was caught out by the unpredictability of the Magny-Cours circuit in the wet this afternoon, losing the front on the brakes into Turn 8 and sliding off the bike. Cortese landed heavily on the shoulder injured in his Donington Park qualifying crash but was passed fit to continue after a precautionary check-up in the circuit medical centre.
Ten Kate Yamaha Supported WorldSBK rider, Loris Baz, was also one of the few to venture onto the circuit this afternoon, with the Frenchman completing nine laps in front of those spectators who’d braved the weather, before returning to the pit box. Baz ended the day fifth fastest overall with his time from this morning’s opening free practice.
Michael van der Mark Pata Yamaha WorldSBK – P1 – 1’51.852
“It’s been a bit of a strange day. This morning the track was wet at the start but already starting to dry up a little, so we waited quite a long time before going out. At the end it wasn’t dry, it wasn’t wet, and the track conditions were less than perfect, but I had a good feeling with the bike straight away. I didn’t really push for a time, but ended up quickest, so it was a good start to the day. This afternoon it started to rain a lot before the session, and it continued throughout. We waited to see if the conditions would improve, but they didn’t so we decided to sit out the session as I have a good feeling with the bike already and, anyway, the forecast is for dry conditions from tomorrow onwards.”
Alex Lowes Pata Yamaha WorldSBK – P8 – 1’52.945
“Magny-Cours is one of those places where it’s sometimes a bit hit and miss with the weather, so the conditions today weren’t unexpected. It was good to get out on the track again this morning, even if the mixed conditions meant we weren’t able to learn much. But the feeling with the bike was good, which is one of the reasons why we opted to sit out the second session this afternoon, the other being that the weather looks set to improve ahead of FP3. Despite the limited track time today, we’ll be ready for qualifying and the first race tomorrow.”
Marco Melandri GRT Yamaha Supported WorldSBK – P3 – 1’52.647
“Very difficult weather here today at Magny-Cours, a track that is already very tricky in the wet because the grip is so unpredictable. This morning it was starting to dry a bit towards the end of the session and the track wasn’t so bad. This afternoon, with the onset of the rain, it was difficult to see and the bike was aquaplaning a lot, even in places where there didn’t look to be a lot of water. Luckily it looks like we’re going to have better weather tomorrow and Sunday and I hope we’ll get three dry races. It’s never easy here but this afternoon I wasn’t fast, but I felt better on the bike and this morning the feeling was even a bit better. But while I’m still not completely confident when it’s fully wet, the feeling is definitely better than it was in Misano.”
Sandro Cortese GRT Yamaha Supported WorldSBK – P19 – 1’56.616
“It’s not been the best of days. The weather hasn’t really helped because it’s my first time here on the Superbike and I was hoping for dry conditions in which to learn the track today. A big crash this afternoon in the second session meant the day pretty much finished as badly as it started, but the forecast is for better weather tomorrow and I hope to improve everything ahead of qualifying and the first race.”
Loris Baz Ten Kate Yamaha Supported WorldSBK – P5 – 1’52.820
“The rain seems to be following me around at the moment! The grip here at Magny-Cours has always been limited in the wet, but it seems to get worse every year. We did a pretty good job this morning. Maybe as the track dried towards the end a slick may have been an option, but it would have also been a risk, which we preferred not to take as it will be dry from tomorrow onwards. This afternoon I didn’t do so many laps but we tried a few things in the fully wet conditions that could stand us in good stead if the weather forecast proves to be wrong, which is a distinct possibility here. It was good to finish the opening day in the top five, but we have a lot to do if we’re going to prepare the bike for dry qualifying tomorrow morning in the final 20-minute practice session, which we hope will be run in good conditions.”
More, from a press release issued by Barni Racing:
Rinaldi ninth in wet Free Practice at Magny Cours
Magny Cours 27th September 2019. MOTUL FIM WorldSBK French round is underway at the circuit of Nevers Magny-Cours. The Barni Racing Team and his rider Michael Rinaldi worked hard during the two free practices, rounding out day one of action in solid ninth position with the Ducati Panigale V4 R.
The opening session took place on a damp track with most of sections still wet after overnight rain. Rinaldi completed 20 laps, more than any other rider, proving to be comfortable in this very difficult conditions. The Italian set a best time of 1’53.006 to close among the top 10.
Heavy rain characterized the afternoon’s second session, preventing all the riders from improving on their earlier times. The Italian still ninth in the day’s combined standings lapsed 1’59.782 in full wet conditions.
Marco Barnabo, Team Principal:
I am satisfied about the work we have done. The morning session was positive because we did so many laps and the rider found a good feeling with the track. When the others did the best time we were one track with an exhausted tyre. We worked very well also in the afternoon trying both the “classic” wet tyre and the new version that Pirelli brought here. The information gathered were very important.
Michael Rinaldi P9 (1’53.006)
Today’s conditions were very tricky but it allowed us to collect useful data in mixed conditions. However it seems that tomorrow and Sunday rain is not forecasted, if so the real weekend has yet to begin. Under the rain it was important not to make stupid mistakes and I did it. We also realized that in case of rain we are not in a bad way.
More, from a press release issued by Moriwaki Althea Honda Team:
Camier eleventh and Kiyonari fifteenth on a wet day 1 at Magny Cours.
Leon Camier recorded the eleventh fastest time during the opening day of the Pirelli French WorldSBK round on what was a wet Magny Cours track.
The Brit placed eleventh in the day’s combined classification, which was based on results from the morning session, held on a damp track. During the afternoon session, which played out in heavy rain, Leon set a strong fifth fastest time.
A similar path was followed by teammate Ryuichi Kiyonari, fifteenth in the morning’s first free practice session (and so fifteenth also in the combined standings) and the author of a good fourth-place finish at the end of the afternoon stint.
Leon Camier 11TH 1’53.509 (COMBINED)
“This morning we rode on a drying track, this afternoon on a wet track, with conditions changing dramatically between the two sessions. In the rain the bike is quite friendly to ride, everything is nice and easy to use so we were able to be quite consistent in FP2. All in all, it was an “ok” day. I tried not to risk too much and worked to regain my feeling with the bike after four and a half months with no riding. My shoulder felt good and didn’t bother me at all, but only by riding in the dry will we see how it really is, because this track is quite physical with a lot of brusque changes of direction.”
Ryuichi Kiyonari 15TH 1’54.141 (COMBINED)
“It’s the first time I’ve ridden in the wet at this track and my feeling in these conditions was fairly good, despite the surface being quite slippery. This morning we spent the session working on improving our bike’s wet setting and we actually made some promising progress, so that in the afternoon we were able to be quite fast on what was an even wetter track”.
More, from a press release issued by Aruba.it Racing Ducati:
World Superbike at Magny-Cours: rain hampers the opening day of free practice at the French circuit. Álvaro Bautista and Chaz Davies (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) finish 13th and 14th respectively
Poor weather conditions disturbed the first two free practice sessions at the Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours, making the surface very slippery and considerably reducing the running time for the riders out on track.
Due to the rain, both Aruba.it Racing – Ducati riders, Álvaro Bautista and Chaz Davies, completed very few laps during the opening free practice session this morning. Unfortunately, the Spanish rider crashed unexpectedly at Turn 1 on his first lap but, after a lengthy stop in the pits to repair the bike, he did in any case manage to conclude the session. In the afternoon, during FP2, the rain came down even more, making the track conditions even worse and, in view of the fact that the weather is expected to improve tomorrow, both of our riders opted to sit out the session in the garage.
Tomorrow the third and final free practice session will be held at 09:00 CET, followed two hours later at 11:00 by Superpole qualifying for the starting-grid line-up for Race 1, which gets underway at 14:00.
Álvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing Ducati #19) – 1’54.091 (13th)
“For sure it wasn’t the best day to make my debut on this track! This morning, on the wet track surface, I crashed after losing the rear at Turn 1 on the opening lap, but luckily I suffered no physical consequences. I quite like the Magny-Cours track and it doesn’t seem as difficult as Imola or Portimão. I could also see that in case of rain it doesn’t have much grip but it’s the same for everyone. In the second session the heavy rain made the situation even more difficult and because of my shoulder, which is still not at 100%, I preferred not to take any more risks and stayed in the box. Let’s hope that the weather improves for tomorrow and gives me a chance to increase my confidence with the track for the race.”
Chaz Davies (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati #7) – 1’54.133 (14th)
“I can consider myself relatively satisfied after the first FP1 session, even though I just did a few laps to get some confidence in the wet track conditions. In view of the better weather conditions expected tomorrow and Sunday, I preferred not to take too many risks today so I can hit the track better when it’s dry. I think we have a base now with the Panigale V4 R which is working OK but we are trying to optimize and improve that base at every circuit.”
More, from a press release issued by BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team:
Heavy rain on the opening day at Magny – Cours for the BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team
27.09.19
Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours
Rain loomed on the opening day of Round 11 in Magny – Cours, which inevitably resulted in a wet FP1. Both Markus and Tom spent majority of the session adjusting the set-up of their BMW S 1000 RR’s which left both riders out of the top 15 due to missing crucial dry spells of the session.
In typical French fashion the weather did not improve and in FP2 we endured heavier rain. Despite the weather, the BMW duo of Tom Sykes and Markus Reiterberger used the FP1 session to it advantage as the changes made from the earlier session reaped its benefits in FP2 as both riders found themselves into the top 7 – although no times were improved due to the weather conditions.
Tom Sykes and Markus Reiterberger will again battle it out tomorrow as they head into FP3, Qualifying and the first race of the weekend where they will be pushing for podium positions – whatever the conditions.
Shaun Muir, Team Principal:
The first session was really a lottery, Tom was posting top 3 / 4 times when he was out on track but with the unpredictable weather it meant both Markus and Tom missed a dry spell in the session which resulted in the final position.
Second session both riders did really well, Tom got into a good rhythm and posted some competitive times which landed him in P2. Markus equally tried a different rear shock setting which helped his confidence a lot, he stayed out through the session and chipped away at his time and ended FP2 in P7 which was a much more telling time for the day.
Overall we are pretty happy, we can head into tomorrow with a lot of confidence in Tom and Markus and hope for some better weather.
Tom Sykes:
I’m happy with how todays gone, we made a few changes at the end of FP1 which meant we sat out the remaining few minutes, resulting in us falling down the pecking order. This afternoon in the wet conditions we carried on working and found a good set-up for the BMW S 1000 RR, in the cold and greasy track conditions I felt comfortable with the feedback of the chassis and in the end found some good pace. The boys have worked hard in last few weeks and I’m certainly happy with the modifications we have made, so overall satisfied with the progress made here on day 1 at Magny – Cours.
Markus Reiterberger:
The first session we had a few issues which meant we couldn’t set a fast time, however in the second session we made some changes and I felt comfortable on the bike despite the rain being a lot heavier than this morning. We finished P7 in FP2 and for a while we were running at the front, all be it with only a few riders on track but still we could gauge how fast we were with these guys. Tomorrow we still need to find some pace as 4 seconds to the top is too much, but at least we found the right direction to work in for tomorrow.
Russ Brown Motorcycle Attorneys Announced as Title Sponsor of AFT Finale Meadowlands Mile
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (September 27, 2019) – AFT Events is proud to announce Russ Brown Motorcycle Attorneys as its entitlement event sponsor for the September 28 American Flat Track finale at Meadowlands Racetrack in East Rutherford, N.J.
Also the presenting sponsor of the Roof Systems AFT Singles class, it is fitting that the Russ Brown Motorcycle Attorneys Meadowlands Mile will be the division’s final proving ground. A champion will finally be crowned after a season-long battle between points leader Dalton Gauthier and defending champion Dan Bromley.
Founder Russ Brown, the original motorcycle lawyer who rides, was inducted into the Sturgis Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 2013. Among his most notable achievements is the creation of BAM (Breakdown and Legal Assistance for Motorcyclists), a free nationwide volunteer program of 2,500,000 motorcyclists who help other motorcyclists in their time of need.
Today, Russ Brown Motorcycle Attorneys is a collective of hundreds of attorneys across the country dedicated to the rights of injured motorcyclists. Riders across the nation know: If You Go Down, Call Russ Brown.
“We are very excited to welcome a devoted series partner like Russ Brown as the title sponsor of the Meadowlands Mile,” said Cameron Gray, COO of AFT Events. “We are honored to share such a thrilling finale event with such a respected member of the motorcycle industry. With the help of Russ Brown Motorcycle Attorneys, this season finale will surely be an unforgettable event for AFT fans.”
“Russ Brown Motorcycle Attorneys are the Original Attorneys that Ride®,” said Wendy Koro, Operations Manager/Director of Marketing for Russ Brown Motorcycle Attorneys. “Our commitment to the sport is ingrained and based on a love for all things two-wheeled. We’re thrilled to be a sponsor of the AFT Singles Class and proud to contribute our support at the Meadowlands Mile.”
Tickets for the Russ Brown Motorcycle Attorneys Meadowlands Mile are available now at tickets.americanflattrack.com. General Admission tickets start at just $40 with kids 12 and under admitted for free.
Multiple upgraded ticket options are also available, including the almost sold-out Reserved Outdoor Grandstand seating option, indoor climate-controlled s eating in ‘The Lounge,’ the premium Trotters Club VIP Experience and a limited number of Pit Pass Upgrades on-site.
FansChoice.tv will provide live coverage of the Russ Brown Motorcycle Attorneys Meadowlands Mile starting with the day’s opening practice session at 11:30 a.m. ET/8:30 a.m. PT. Opening Ceremonies will begin at 5:00 p.m. ET/2:00 p.m PT, with the Main Event program beginning at 7:00 p.m. ET/4:00 p.m. PT.
Catch the feature broadcast of the Russ Brown Motorcycle Attorneys Meadowlands Mile on NBCSN with flag-to-flag coverage of the Main Events, enhanced by exclusive features and cutting-edge aerial drone and onboard footage. The broadcast will debut on Saturday, October 12, at 10:30 p.m. ET/7:30 p.m. PT and will re-air on Wednesday, October 16, at 1:00 p.m. ET/10:00 a.m. PT.
For more information on American Flat Track visit www.americanflattrack.com.
To get the latest American Flat Track clothing and merchandise visit www.americanflattracker.com.
How to Watch:
NBCSN and FansChoice.tv are the official homes for coverage of American Flat Track. For the 2019 season, NBCSN’s coverage of AFT moves to highly-coveted, weekend afternoon programming slots within two weeks of each event. The complete schedule for AFT on NBCSN can be viewed at http://www.americanflattrack.com/events-nbcsn/. FansChoice.tv remains a cornerstone of AFT’s digital strategy, providing live streaming coverage of every event on AFT’s live page while previous events and exclusive features are available on AFT’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 https://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.
Rocco Landers (97) won four races Saturday at the "Invite" event presented by Dunlop at Hallett Motor Racing Circuit. Photo by David Swarts.
JC Camacho, Dustin Dominguez, and Rocco Landers were the stars of day one at the inaugural Invite event presented by Dunlop Saturday at Hallett Motor Racing Circuit in Hallett, Oklahoma.
Dominguez won the most races Saturday, using his Dunlop-backed Raceworx Kawasaki ZX-10R to win both six-lap 1000 Expert sprints and the 10-lap 1000 Expert Shootout and riding Ty Howard’s KTM North America 790 Duke to victory in both six-lap Twins Expert sprints and the Twins Expert Shootout.
Landers, the 14-year-old who captured the 2019 MotoAmerica Junior Cup Championship, won four races on his Ninja400R.com/Norton Motorsports/Dr. Farr Racing Kawasaki Ninja 400. Landers topped the fields in both 400 Expert sprints, the 10-lap 400 Expert Shootout, and the six-lap 14-24 sprint for riders between the ages of 14 and 24 on 400cc or smaller machines.
Camacho, riding his Raceworx/AGV Sport Yamaha YZF-R6, claimed two come-from-behind wins Saturday, one in the six-lap 600 Expert sprint and one in the 10-lap 600 Expert Shootout.
The Invite event continues on Sunday with more six-lap sprints and 10-lap Shootout races in all classes.
Overall winners will be decided based upon a motocross scoring system combining results from each class’ races over the two days.
The INVITE Presented by Dunlop
Hallett Motor Racing Circuit
Hallett, Oklahoma
September 28, 2019
Provisional Day One Race Results (listed in chronological order):
Ducati Redmond, one of five Seattle-area dealerships owned by the same person to close recently. Photo courtesy of Ducati North America.
VW Credit, a lender to automobile and powersports dealerships, has filed a lawsuit in King County (Washington) Superior Court charging that Howard Crow and several of his Seattle area dealerships defaulted on payments on $2.7 million in loans used to finance the purchase of 170 Ducatis and other equipment, according to a report by the Seattle Times website.
Five dealerships owned by Crow, an employee of Microsoft, abruptly shut down earlier this month, according to a previous report by the Seattle Times.
Action from World Superbike Race One at Magny-Cours. Photo courtesy of Kawasaki.
More, from a press release issued by Dorna WorldSBK Press Office:
#FRAWorldSBK – Day 2:
WorldSBK 800th race sees Razgatlioglu taking his first WorldSBK victory ahead of Rea and Sykes
First Turkish winner in WorldSBK history as Razgatlioglu charges from 16th on the grid to deny Rea on the last lap
The Pirelli French Round produced one of the races of the WorldSBK season so far as five different riders lead at various stages, before Michael van der Mark (Pata Yamaha WorldSBK Team) crashed out of the lead three laps from home, seemingly handing victory to Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK), before a stunning final lap saw Toprak Razgatlioglu (Turkish Puccetti Racing) take the spoils, despite starting from the sixth row.
As the race got underway, Jonathan Rea came under immediate pressure from Michael van der Mark with two almost colliding into the Adelaide hairpin on lap one. Their duel allowed Tom Sykes (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) to storm through from sixth on the grid to second by the end of lap one.
Sykes’ progress continued on Lap 2 as he used the corner speed of the BMW to overtake Rea at Estoril, although the leading group was growing and growing with Chaz Davies (ARUBA.IT Racing – Ducati) joining the action from 11th on the grid, while a remarkable early charge brought Toprak Razgatlioglu into play, despite starting down in 16th.
On Lap 3, Davies became the third different leader in as many laps but the Welshman’s challenge came to a dramatic end moments later with a crash into Turn 15. Davies’ lost the front end of his machine with second-placed Toprak Razgatlioglu fortunate to stay upright despite slight contact from the errant Ducati. The chaos allowed Sykes a moment of breathing space but the BMW rider was quickly reeled in, losing the lead to Michael van der Mark on Lap 6.
With the battle continuing to rage in the leading group, van der Mark was able to open up a slight advantage while Jonathan Rea came under intense pressure following a moment at the Nurburgring chicane. Toprak Razgatlioglu was able to edge ahead, setting the fastest lap in the process, but Rea ultimately regained P2 from the Turkish rider shortly after half-distance, allowing him to give chase after van der Mark who was 1.2 seconds to the good.
Behind the leading trio, Loris Baz (Ten Kate Racing – Yamaha) had established himself in an excellent fourth with Tom Sykes settling in fifth after an all-action start. Alex Lowes (Pata Yamaha WorldSBK Team) was holding sixth but the Briton was coming under increasing pressure from Alvaro Bautista (ARUBA.IT Racing – Ducati) as the Spaniard chased valuable championship points. Leon Haslam (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) was also in the thick of the action but a highside at the final chicane eliminated him five laps from home.
With clear track in front, Jonathan Rea began his relentless chase of Michael van der Mark, wiping out his advantage heading into the closing stages. With three laps remaining, the leading pair were together but van der Mark’s hopes of a second victory of 2019 were extinguished when the front end of his Yamaha folded into the Adelaide hairpin, the pressure proving too much.
Rea seemed on course for a 12th victory of the season, beginning the final lap one second clear of Razgatlioglu but a stunning final lap from the Turkish rider brought him right into the tail of the Ulsterman entering the last sector. Under braking for Turn 15, Toprak dived up the inside with Rea keen to avoid a costly collision, opting to settle for second.
The fight for the final podium spot also went down to the wire with Tom Sykes rallying in the latter stages to overhaul Loris Baz, securing BMW’s fourth podium of the season. Baz held on to fourth while Alvaro Bautista recovered up to fifth in the end.
Alex Lowes faded to finish a distant sixth while Leon Camier (Moriwaki Althea Honda Team) marked his return from injury with a sensational ride to seventh, Honda’s best result of the 2019 season so far. Marco Melandri (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK) finished eighth, his best result since Misano, with Eugene Laverty (Team Goeleven) and Sandro Cortese completing the top ten.
In the end, van der Mark remounted to finish 13th to secure three points which may prove valuable in the ever-tightening race for third in the championship standings. At the top, Jonathan Rea has extended his advantage to 100 points over Alvaro Bautista, and the possibility remains of a fifth title being clinched tomorrow.
P1 – Toprak Razgatlioglu (Turkish Puccetti Racing)
“I am so happy! The last lap was so stressful for me because I knew I was faster. I tried to pass Johnny, but the front was sliding a lot. I pushed hard and tried to keep the bike straight, and I made it. It is my first victory, and I extremely pleased with this! I am crying! It has been my dream for this season, and I achieve that. Now we see what will happen next race. I don’t know how tomorrow will be. I hope it won’t be raining! Thanks to all my team because today that have done an incredible job”.
P2 – Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK)
“I was expecting a fight because with these conditions no ones had the chance to work on the bike setup, so today was the same for everybody. I was a little bit worried in the beginning because the conditions were not perfect and in the first ten laps, I felt like we were racing like kids, but it was a lot of fun! When the race settled down, Van Der Mark kept a good rhythm, he went away and slowly I could catch him. I put my head down in the last laps, but I made a big mistake in the last lap and gave a big opportunity to Toprak to come and make that move. I am a little bit frustrated but happy with the result because the podium is a good result. I want to congratulate Toprak because he deserves this win, but we will try to change the order tomorrow”.
P3 – Tom Sykes (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team)
“I enjoyed riding today. I did a good start, and I settled in nicely. With the team with a made a small change to the bike between the last race and now that allowed me to ride with a little bit margin, so I really enjoyed riding my bike today. In the beginning, I swept positions with a few guys who were trying to get a better position, and we were able to fight. The chassis and the tyres stayed consistent throughout the race, sure we still to find some things in some area, but overall a podium is promising here giving that we are only tenth months now into the program. We are thrilled with our efforts, and hopefully, we can keep up the pace for tomorrow”.
More, from a press release issued by Kawasaki:
Rea Second As Razgatlioglu Wins His First
Jonathan Rea (KRT) came within 0.240 seconds of winning an unpredictable and exciting 21-lap WorldSBK race at Magny Cours today but it was Toprak Razgatlioglu (Turkish Puccetti Racing) who won for the first time in WorldSBK. Leon Haslam (KRT) was unfortunate to fall exiting the final chicane on lap 17 and no scored today.
After qualifying on pole, for the sixth time this year and for the 22nd time in his career, Jonathan became the fourth most successful qualifier in WorldSBK history.
In WorldSBK’s 800th race – also the 800th participation for Kawasaki as a manufacturer – Rea and Haslam had very little dry track time to prepare a full-distance race set-up, especially after Superpole had dawned wet.
From pole position on the grid Rea was unable to get clear in the early laps and was involved in many close battles, providing fantastic entertainment for the fans but making it a nervous time for much of the race.
After long-time leader Michael van der Mark fell, with Rea closing in behind, Jonathan took the lead for two of the final three laps. Razgatlioglu closed in on the final sector of the 4.41km circuit and took advantage of an opportunity to pass, winning his first race at this level and delivering the first FIM Superbike World Championship race win for his Kawasaki Puccetti Racing team.
Haslam felt strong in the morning sessions today, qualifying third in the wet Superpole, but was racing for seventh place when a landing from the lip of the kerbs in the final chicane saw his machine get crossed up. Leon fell, without injury. He now looks to what all hope will be two dry races on Sunday to get back into podium contention.
The ten-lap Tissot Superpole race on Sunday morning will be followed by a 21-lap Race Two.
Jonathan Rea, stated: “I made a small mistake in sector two. With the gap on my pit board with a few laps to go, I was convinced that by keeping a good rhythm it would be OK, but that mistake gave Toprak the opportunity to make a manoeuvre in sector three. That is how it is. So if I try to look from the outside, from the championship point of view, it has been a strong race. But I am also a little bit disappointed because I did most of the work to put myself in a good position at the end, and we couldn’t finish the job. We have got two more chances tomorrow.”
Leon Haslam, stated: “Superpole was good in the wet but the race was a disaster. I kept losing the front brake so we struggled the whole race. We ran on a few times, with the brake lever coming back. In the end I must have clipped the kerb going onto the start/finish straight. The best I was going to be in that race was seventh and for me it was quite disappointing because this morning I felt really confident to run with Toprak, Johnny and the guys. So from my point of view it was a disappointing race.”
Razgatlioglu’s historic first win makes him the 13th rider to take a race win for Kawasaki, the first ever Turkish rider to win a full WorldSBK race, and the fifth different rider to take a win in the 2019 season – all in what was arguably its most exciting and dramatic race so far. Toprak is still the top independent rider overall.
Toprak Razgatlioglu, stated: “I think I had the right conditions in the race because in the wet I am not fast. Superpole qualifying was very bad in 16th position but I am happy because in the dry and I thought I had a chance at the podium. In the last two laps I felt it as possible to win, so I pushed. On the last lap I pushed hard and took my first win. Tomorrow? I do not know, but if it is dry again I will try to win.”
Jordi Torres (Team Pedercini Racing Kawasaki) qualified way down in 20th position on the grid but fought through, on basically dry asphalt, to score 11th, place and earn five championship points.
Leandro Mercado (Orelac Racing VerdNatura Kawasaki) was 18th on the starting grid but came through to finish 12th.
More, from a press release issued by Yamaha:
Van Der Mark Denied Victory Fight in Magny-Cours as Baz Narrowly Misses the Podium
Race
Pata Yamaha WorldSBK rider, Michael van der Mark, looked set to claim his second win of the 2019 season in WorldSBK Race 1 at Magny-Cours this afternoon until, with just two laps of the race remaining, the Dutchman lost the front under braking for Turn 5 and crashed out of the lead. Van der Mark remounted to finish 13th, leaving Ten Kate Yamaha Supported WorldSBK rider, and home hero, Loris Baz, to lead the Yamaha riders home in fourth place, only narrowly missing out on his first podium finish.
Technical set up for the race, which was held in the driest conditions seen at Magny-Cours so far this weekend, was a calculated gamble given the lack of dry practice time, but it was obvious from the start that van der Mark’s crew had gone in the right direction for both the track and the conditions.
Starting from the front row of the grid having qualified second in Superpole, van der Mark was in the thick of the action from the off, making aggressive moves to get the better of a five-way battle and take the lead seven laps into the race. As soon as he hit the front the Pata Yamaha rider immediately upped his pace and pulled a gap on the four riders disputing second place. Van der Mark maintained an advantage of around a second to his pursuers until reigning World Champion, Jonathan Rea, managed to close the gap with four laps to go.
One lap later van der Mark made an error under braking for Turn 5, running in a little bit too aggressively, losing the front and sliding off, handing the race lead to Rea. The Pata Yamaha rider remounted to finish 13th and is determined to make amends in the two races tomorrow.
After a strong start from the second row of the grid, Alex Lowes fought valiantly within the group contesting second place until a severe drop off in grip from the front tyre forced him to moderate his pace and settle for a solid sixth place at the line. The result consolidates his third place in the championship standings, giving him an 11-point advantage over today’s race winner, Toprak Razgatlioglu in fourth and 12 points over his fifth placed teammate, van der Mark.
After a strong showing in the wet and mixed conditions yesterday, Marco Melandri’s race aspirations took a blow when he crashed in Superpole and was forced to start today from the fourth row of the grid. Despite a less than perfect set-up on his GRT Yamaha YZF-R1, the Italian managed to fight his way through the pack to finish a creditable eighth in the 21-lap race.
The weather at Magny-Cours couldn’t have been less kind to Sandro Cortese, who was making his debut at the French track aboard a Superbike. The reigning Supersport World Champion was hoping for dry conditions in which to adapt to the demands of the Superbike but was left disappointed when rain disrupted every practice session and Superpole was held on a fully wet track. Despite the limited dry track time, Cortese rode a solid race from 17th on the grid to secure another top ten finish this afternoon.
It was home hero Baz who eventually led the Yamaha riders home in fourth place today, despite struggling throughout the 21-lap race with the setup on his Ten Kate Yamaha YZF-R1. The Frenchman was poised to challenge Tom Sykes for the final podium place on the final lap, but a near highside at Turn 8 left Baz with too much ground to make up in the final two kilometres and he was forced to settle for a still impressive fourth at the chequered flag.
Michael van der Mark Pata Yamaha WorldSBK – P13 – Championship P5 – 247 Points
“I made a mistake today. I was starting to struggle with the front a little in the later stages of the race, but I had too much brake and too much lean angle going into the hairpin at Turn 5 and I went down. I’m really sorry for the guys, who did an incredible job with my R1 given the lack of dry track time this weekend. There was a bit of chaos in the first few laps, but the bike felt really good and I felt really strong. Towards the end I was pushing, maintaining my rhythm, but I didn’t feel on the limit. I could see Johnny was closing, but I wasn’t stressing about that, but just trying to keep my own pace. The crash was down to a mistake on my part, but we know we have a good set up for the dry, which we’ll work to improve further tonight, so I’ll be out to make amends in the two races tomorrow. I enjoyed myself a lot today apart from the crash, the R1 was really fun to ride so thanks to Yamaha and my crew for a great package.”
Alex Lowes Pata Yamaha WorldSBK – P13 – Championship P3 – 259 Points
“I knew from the start that it was going to be a difficult race, because our dry track time this weekend has been so limited. I got a good start and made my way up to fourth, but then six or seven laps into the race I started to struggle a lot with the front tyre and by the end of the race, one side was completely destroyed. This meant that, unfortunately, the second half of the race was about making it to the finish rather than pushing to gain places, as there wasn’t much more I could do. While we didn’t have the package to fight today, we’ve got plenty of time to think about it tonight and a couple of races to try and do better tomorrow.”
Marco Melandri GRT Yamaha Supported WorldSBK – P8 – Championship P9 – 161 Points
“We’ve had different conditions for every session this weekend and even the race wasn’t so easy, as there were still damp patches on track at the start. It was a difficult race for me. I was with Leon Camier for most of the race and, while sometimes I felt a bit faster than him, the only time I was able to try a pass I ended up running wide. We still have the same issues and I feel more of a passenger on the bike rather than the rider, but we will try again tomorrow to do better.”
Sandro Cortese GRT Yamaha Supported WorldSBK – P10 – Championship P10 – 122 Points
“With only a few laps in the dry and this being my first time here with the Superbike, we weren’t really sure of the direction to take with the set up for the race. I’m happy enough with the result today, given the difficulties we’ve faced so far this weekend with the weather conditions. I’d have preferred not to have lost a place on the last lap, but tenth in the race today is a reasonable start. Now I know the track a little better, and we have a clearer idea of what we need in terms of set up for the dry, so we will look to improve in tomorrow’s two races.”
Loris Baz Ten Kate Yamaha Supported WorldSBK – P4 – Championship P13 – 100 Points
“I was too close to the podium to be happy with today’s result! A few months ago, I wouldn’t have believed I’d be disappointed to finish fourth here at Magny-Cours, as it’s my best result at this track for a long time. It was a great race. In the beginning it was really tricky with the track and, as we have no experience with the YZF-R1 here at Magny-Cours, we only changed the set up a little bit after FP3 and it wasn’t perfect. It made the bike quite difficult to ride, especially in one sector where I lost the rear so many times. When Tom Sykes passed me, I tried everything to stay with him, to try something on the last lap, but then I nearly high-sided out of the 180 degree and wasn’t close enough. It’s a shame, but it’s still a fourth place and all the team are happy – maybe more than me – so we will try again for the podium tomorrow.”
More, from a press release issued by BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team:
Podium for Tom Sykes and the BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team at Magny-Cours.
Tom Sykes comes home third on his BMW S 1000 RR after an exciting race in the FIM Superbike World Championship.
Tough Saturday for team-mate Markus Reiterberger.
Tom Sykes: “It was an eventful race and an absolute pleasure”.
Magny-Cours. Tom Sykes (GBR) claimed another WorldSBK podium for the BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team and the new BMW S 1000 RR. Sykes ended an exciting Saturday race at Magny-Cours (FRA) in third place, having actually led the race in the early stages. His team-mate Markus Reiterberger (GER) endured a difficult Saturday, finishing in 16th place. Magny-Cours is the venue for round eleven of the 2019 FIM Superbike World Championship (WorldSBK).
The morning’s Superpole was delayed by half an hour due to a dirty track. Earlier rainfall meant conditions were still wet and the special qualifying tyres could not be used. Sykes was sixth fastest on his RR, earning him a spot on the second row of the grid. Reiterberger qualified 19th.
By the start of the race at 14:00, the majority of the track was dry. Starting from sixth place, Sykes soon worked his way through the field and took the lead on his RR on lap two. He fended off all the attacks from behind and held onto first place in a fiercely-competitive leading group until lap six. The battles for position continued at the front of the field, and initially saw Sykes drop back to fifth place. When Michael van der Mark (NED / Yamaha) crashed out of the lead, Sykes adopted fourth place. However, the Brit was not happy with that position and pulled off a courageous manoeuvre on the penultimate lap to overtake Frenchman Loris Baz (Yamaha) and went on to claim another podium in third place. Reiterberger came home 16th, narrowly missing out on the points by just 0.3 seconds.
Quotes after race one at Magny-Cours.
Marc Bongers, BMW Motorrad Motorsport Director: “Tom’s third place is a strong result after chaotic weather conditions on Friday and Saturday morning. The practices on Friday, which took place in unsettled weather, were positive for Tom, although that was not reflected directly in the results. We were not able to take full advantage of our qualifying performance on wet tyres, as we did not select the ideal tyre type in the unsettled conditions. We had targeted the front row of the grid, but Tom at least managed to limit the damage with sixth place. Tom’s first lap was simply fantastic. By lap two we were running P1. From then on, the race was very eventful and full of changes. In all the commotion, we dropped back to fifth place. However, Tom delivered a really strong performance in the closing stages too, which allowed us to claim our next podium finish – with a little help from our rivals. That is very pleasing and confirms that our updates are performance-enhancing. Markus has been struggling with his confidence in the set-up of his RR all weekend. Unfortunately, he was also plagued by a problem with the electronics in the race which made his performances look worse.”
Shaun Muir, Team Principal BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team: “Tom was disappointed with superpole. We were happy with the result; Tom was focused on the front row but unfortunately we made the wrong choice in the tyre, nevertheless we were pleased with P6. Markus really struggled with the bike and felt as though he was riding on ice which reflected in his time. Unfortunately this continued into the race and he was too far back to really make an impact. Overall, race one was probably the best race of the season. Tom took the lead and battled really well, he conserved his tyre well and set a solid pace and maintained that pace to the very end. As expected, he got closer to the front guys towards the end of the race and picked off Loris Baz in the final few laps so we are extremely happy to add another podium to the season. We have gained a lot of information ahead of tomorrow and taken a great step forward in the development of the BMW S 1000 RR which is a credit to the whole of the BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team.”
Tom Sykes: “It was an eventful race and an absolute pleasure. I really enjoyed riding that one. A credit to the whole team; we’ve made some changes to the bike in between Portimão and here and it’s just nice as I am able to do things a little bit better on the track. I really enjoyed that race, especially in the beginning, battling with a few guys and just feeling in a better position and being able to fight. The chassis and the tyre really stayed consistent throughout the race. Certainly we need to find a little bit in some areas but overall a podium with just the two Kawasakis in front is really promising here given that we are only ten months into the programme. I am really, really happy with our efforts and hopefully we can keep this pace for tomorrow.”
Markus Reiterberger: “Unfortunately, I had issues with the electronics in practice this morning. As a result, I was only able to complete four or five laps when the track conditions were a bit drier. However, that was still good enough for 13th place. It then poured down again in the Superpole. As I spent more time than anyone on the track in these conditions yesterday, I did hope that this might play into my hands, however, I did not feel at all comfortable on the bike. The rear wheel was like riding on soap and I was unable to get any purchase. It was very difficult to ride. 19th place on the grid is not where I want to be starting from. Unfortunately, I did not get off to a good start in the race. It was generally very difficult to ride, partly because I had electronics problems again. I really hope that we identify the issue quickly and are soon able to find something that helps me.”
More, from a press release issued by Moriwaki Althea Honda Team:
Camier makes a strong return to racing with a positive seventh place finish in Race1 in France.
Leon Camier made a convincing return to action, both in terms of result and pace, on the first race day of the Pirelli French round.
After qualifying in tenth place at the end of a wet Superpole session, Leon scored a positive seventh place finish in Race 1, in dry conditions, the best result of the year so far for him and the team.
For teammate Ryuichi Kiyonari, the day had a more disappointing outcome, especially after qualifying in which he closed in ninth place, the fastest Honda rider. Ryuichi was not able to replicate that performance in the subsequent race and was forced to settle for eighteenth place.
Leon Camier 7TH
“I’m happy enough with today. I pushed as hard as I could and did as much as I could, even though I was struggling in some areas, especially at the end. My shoulder was fine, it was more my hands and arms, having not used them for a long time. By the end of the race, mainly in the changes of direction, I was hanging on by my fingertips and it was challenging, because you need good control in that area. There were also some damp patches on the asphalt. Anyway, I managed not to make any big mistakes and we scored a result that’s not too bad. I feel like the bike has improved in a couple of areas and the handling was also better. This was another of the day’s positives.”
Ryuichi Kiyonari 18TH
“I’m very disappointed with today’s race result because the weekend had started well already yesterday, and things went even better in qualifying this morning. I like this track and so I was hoping for quite a different result. Instead I struggled with rear grip at the beginning of the race and although I improved my pace lap after lap, I honestly wasn’t quick enough in adapting to the changing conditions. An experience we will try and utilize in order to do better tomorrow.”
More, from a press release issued by Barni Racing:
Rinaldi fourth in Superpole, struggled in Race 1
Magny Cours (FRA), 28th September 2019. Bittersweet Saturday for the Barni Racing Team at Nevers Magny Cours circuit, which held the eleventh round of the MOTUL FIM WorldSBK Championship. Michael Rinaldi hit a splendid fourth place in Superpole, the best qualifying of the season – on a wet track – but the race was below expectations and saw him crossed the finish line in 14th position. With this result the flagbearer of the team from Bergamo team gathered two points in the championship standings where he is now twelfth with 111 points.
Superpole
The weather conditions were protagonists also on Saturday: the rain that fell in the morning forced the riders to hit a wet track for the Superpole. Rinaldi once again was very good at exploiting this condition, scoring a lap in 1’54.563 which allowed him to take fourth place on the staring grid.
Race 1
The race instead took place on dry asphalt and the riders could race with slick tires. Starting from the second row the # 21 from Romagna had a good start but after a few turns he was moved down to 13th position.
Due to a poor feeling at the front he lost other positions up to 16º. From mid-race , when the asphalt temperature rose, Rinaldi significantly improved its pace, managing to lap in 1’40’’ of pace, cheating and overtaking Kyionari and Del Bianco.
Marco Barnabo, Team Principal:
The Superpole on the wet track went very well, the rider showed great sensitivity managing to place himself in the second row. In the race, unfortunately, the same situation that we had experienced in Assen occurred: on dry, but cold track, Michael had not the right feeling and he was not able to push as he would like. This heavily affected the race, especially in the first part where we accumulated much of the gap.
Michael Rinaldi SUPERPOLE: P4 – RACE 1: P14
These results comes out due to some problems that we cannot solve from the beginning of the season. On one hand we can be competitive in the wet and today’s qualification proved that, but in the dry we really struggle too much. I am very sorry and not being able to prove what I’m able to do do makes me very angry, but neither I nor the team are going to give up, we will do everything to find a solution, until the end.
More, from a press release issued by Aruba.it Racing Ducati:
World Superbike at Magny-Cours: Álvaro Bautista finishes Race 1 in fifth place after a great run through the field from row 5, while Chaz Davies crashes on lap 4 after running up at the front in the early stages
For the Aruba.it Racing – Ducati team, the first race in the French Round at the Magny-Cours circuit – and race number 800 in the history of the Superbike World Championship – concluded with a good fifth place for Álvaro Bautista and an unexpected DNF for Chaz Davies in the early laps.
Starting from row 5 in fourteenth place on the grid, the Spanish rider tried to build up his confidence in the dry conditions before beginning a great fightback through the field to finish in fifth place.
Team-mate Chaz Davies on the other hand went on the attack from the fourth row, immediately passing a number of his rivals and taking the lead of the race. Unfortunately, when he was fighting for second place, a glitch while entering into Turn 15 led to unintentional contact with Razgatlioglu, causing Chaz to crash and putting an end to his race, luckily without consequences.
Tomorrow the ten-lap Superpole Race will be held at 11.00 CET, with the 21-lap Race 2 starting at 14.00.
Álvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing Ducati #19) – 5th
“Fifth place was not a bad result for sure because there were a lot of difficult situations to manage during the race and because it was basically my first ever exit on this track in these conditions. I started far back on row 5 and seeing as the track in some places was still wet, I tried to get the references and then went faster and faster. I’m happy with fifth place because I learnt the track but I’m not happy because I lost more points. We’ll see if we can go faster tomorrow now I have more experience on this track.”
Chaz Davies (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati #7) – DNF
“My race was good while it lasted seeing as I was fighting for the lead, it’s just unfortunate that it didn’t last very long! In the early laps certain parts of the track were still a bit damp and everyone was slightly conservative, maybe letting the conditions improve before going on the attack, so I decided to push hard. The Panigale V4 R was seemingly working well from a set-up point of view, but as we hadn’t lapped in the dry in the previous sessions unfortunately we couldn’t work fully on the electronics settings and this caused a wrong calibration in Turn 15, which led to contact and my crash. I just did all I could to try and avoid Toprak and ended up by hitting him. I’m really frustrated to go out of the race like that, not only for the result but also for the information we could have learnt for tomorrow. Anyway, that’s racing.”
(From left) Jaume Bailo (father of Gerard), Gerard Bailo, George Pickering (Team Director) Steve Nicholls (Chief Mechanic), Ferrán Sastre, and Pep Sastre (Ferrán´s father). Photo by Braking Point Images, courtesy of Greenfield - Noyes Camp Kawasaki.
Ferran Sastre Is the Undefeated Champion of the DTRA European Flat Track Series powered by Indian Motorcycle
Sastre slid his Greenfield-Noyes Camp Kawasaki to his third win in a row, taking all three rounds of the inaugural Euro Flat Track Series.
The 20-year-old Spaniard from Castellbisbal went into the final round of the Indian Motorcycles-sponsored series at the Greenfield Short Track in the UK with a solid 8-point lead over Dutchman Maikel Dijkstra, but Sastre was already champion even before the start of the race because his chief rival was unable to travel to the UK due to medical issues.
Even though the pressure was lifted, Sastre went all out of the win. He was quickest in qualifying and winner of the fastest heat with first pick of grid spots on the front row. The first start was red flagged when Sastre was brought down by another rider in a multi-rider turn one crash. He then led from the restart and was able to break clear and hold off his teammate Gerard Bailo who came from sixth to take second in the 15-lap Pro Main.
The race also counted for the British Championship and the win moved Sastre up to second in the points table behind Bailo had already clinched the British title. It was a Greenfield-Noyes Camp clean sweep of the podium when Toby Hales, last year’s British champion, came through to third and it was hugely satisfying podium for George Pickering’s “dream team.” The season was very encouraging for Sastre, who lost most of the 2017 season due to injury but came back strong in 2018 to take second in the Spanish Rodi Cup. This win in the new and prestigious DTRA European Series carries with it the invitation to compete later this year against some of the best flat trackers in the United States at a circuit yet to be determined.
This was the first season of the Indian Motorcycle DTRA European Flat Track Series and, after its success, several other European circuits are planning to sign on for 2020.
George Pickering – Team Owner Greenfield Dirt Track:
“This is the second year we’ve been working with Noyes Camp and we have managed to win both the DTRA British and the European Series with the two Spanish riders and we are very happy with that. Unfortunately, Toby has had to hand over his number 1 plate to his team mate but he’s finished a strong third in the championship with Gerard taking the first and Ferran second, which means we have come 1-2-3 in the British Championship. That was our objective at the beginning of the season. And we are super happy to have all three of our riders on the podium at our home track to finish the season off.”
Gerard Bailo #17:
“In this last race of the championship I had a good pace and Greenfield did a great job with the track. In the final I started sixth because I got bumped and finished third in the heat. I started well and fought my way back little by little and finished second trying to chase down Ferran, but I am happy with the result and with the pace inspite of some problems I had with the bike. I’m thankful to all my sponsors, family and friends for the support. We are champions, mission accomplished!”
Ferran Sastre #215:
“I’m very happy to have finished the season taking all three victories in the Euros and winning the title. The first two ovals of the European were new for everyone but this one was new for me and not for most of my rivals so, winning here gives me a lot of confidence to face the tracks in USA. And I am very pleased to have been second in the British Championship…very grateful to the sponsors and the Greenfield-Noyes Camp team.”
Toby Hales #1:
“I didn’t qualify too good. I was about tenth in the first and then the second qualifying session got cancelled because of a crash, but I got second in my heat so I got a good pick for the final. In the first start I got taken down when somebody crashed, but it was red-flagged and I got restarted. In the second start I was in second and ran off the track and Gerard got past and I had to fight back and that got me third and a podium and third in the championship.”
Free Practice Two Results (wet conditions, all on Pirelli tires):
Kyle Smith, UK (Kaw), 1:59.293
Hikari Okubo, Japan (Kaw), 2:00.484
Jules Cluzel, France (Yam), 2:01.904
Lucas Mahias, France (Kaw), 2:02.927
Glenn Van Straalen, Netherlands (Kaw), 2:03.533
Maximilien Bau, France (Yam), 2:03.754
Randy Krummenacher, Switzerland (Yam), 2:04.477
Gabriele Ruiu, Italy (Yam), 2:04.790
Federico Caricasulo, Italy (Yam), 2:04.828
Ayrton Badovini, Italy (Kaw), 2:04.957
More, from a press release issued by Dorna WorldSBK Press Office:
WorldSSP: Perolari stays on top, Smith shines in rain-soaked FP2
British rider leads a Kawasaki 1-2 as weather conditions take a turn for the worse in WorldSSP
The final WorldSSP session of the day was dominated by the weather with heavy rain ensuring that this morning’s lap times remained unbeaten. Given the risk attached with running in such conditions, FP1 pacesetter Corentin Perolari (GMT94 YAMAHA) chose to watch the second session from the garage, safe in the knowledge that he would finish the day fastest overall at his and the team’s home round.
FP2 was largely dominated by Kyle Smith (Team Pedercini Racing) who gradually improved his pace throughout the afternoon, despite the conditions showing know sign of significant improvement. The Briton was the only rider to drop underneath the two-minute barrier with Hikari Okubo (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) 1.191s adrift in second. Jules Cluzel (GMT94 YAMAHA) was the man to fly the French flag this afternoon, edging out compatriot Lucas Mahias (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) while Glenn van Straalen (EAB Racing Team) ensured four Kawasaki riders broke into the top five in FP2.
Overall, Perolari’s late dash in FP1 proved to be fastest of the day, with Mahias second overall ahead of Isaac Vinales (Kallio Racing) who restricted his running to just three laps in FP2. Ayrton Badovini (Team Pedercini Racing) was fourth with Jules Cluzel gearing up for a must-win weekend with the fifth fastest time, proving he will a rider to watch whatever the weather has in store this weekend. Peter Sebestyen (CIA Landlord Insurance Honda) rounded out the top six and will have high hopes of consolidating a top ten place in the championship standings.
Jules Danilo followed closely behind his team-mate in seventh ahead of Hikari Okubo who finishes the day in eighth overall, despite his impressive showing in FP2. Federico Caricasulo (BARDAHL Evan Bros. WorldSSP Team) was a cautious ninth, a position he matched in FP2 as the Italian completed 16 laps, a total only bettered by wildcard Maximilien Bau (GMT94 YAMAHA). Loris Cresson (Kallio Racing) completed the top ten, although he was one of seven riders to spend the whole afternoon under shelter in the garage.
Of the riders that did brave the conditions in FP2, championship leader Randy Krummenacher (BARDAHL Evan Bros. WorldSSP Team) was seventh, although that wasn’t enough to lift him from 18th in the combined standings. Elsewhere, Jaimie Van Sikkelerus (MPM WILSport Racedays) suffered his second crash of the day while ESS class runner Gaetan Matern fell at Estoril corner, an accident which left the Frenchman with a left humerus fracture, bringing an end to his weekend.
HRC Signs Alvaro Bautista for 2020 Official WSBK Team
Honda Racing Corporation announced it has signed on Spanish rider Alvaro Bautista, who will join the company’s official team beginning next season to compete in the FIM World Superbike Championship.
A former 125cc World Champion and a 15-time WorldSBK race winner so far in his debut season, Bautista is a highly skilled, fast rider who will contribute greatly to the development of the HRC project in the Superbike World Championship.
Yoshishige Nomura HRC President
“We are very happy to welcome Alvaro Bautista to our WSBK racing project for next year. His arrival in the Honda racing family underlines our strong commitment to compete at full force in every motorsport category, fighting to achieve top sporting results and looking for the best technological innovations, in order to offer our fans and customers fun, joy and excellent products. Alvaro is a very fast, experienced rider who has already shown his strong racing attitude and competitiveness in his GP years and in his first season in the WSBK Championship. We are confident that he will make a significant contribution to the growth and development of our project in the exciting and challenging Superbike World Championship.”
Leandro Mercado, Argentina (Kaw ZX-10RR), 2:21.062
Chaz Davies, UK (Duc Panigale V4 R), no time recorded
Alvaro Bautista, Spain (Duc Panigale V4 R), no time recorded
Alex Lowes, UK (Yam YZF-R1), no time recorded
Eugene Laverty, Ireland (Duc Panigale V4 R), no time recorded
Michael Van Der Mark, Netherlands (Yam YZF-R1), no time recorded
More, from a press release issued by Dorna WorldSBK Press Office:
#FRAWorldSBK– Day 1
Van den Mark top overall as the FP1 benchmark remains unbeaten
The Dutchman leads the way in rainy Magny Cours ahead of Haslam and Melandri
The inclement weather continued to wreak havoc with the WorldSBK class as the second session at the Pirelli French Round began in torrential rain. As a result, the lap times were significantly slower as the riders searched for grip. Michael van der Mark (Pata Yamaha WorldSBK Team) left it late to finish fastest in the morning session but the Dutchman deemed the conditions too wet for any meaningful running and chose to sit FP2 out.
In van der Mark’s absence, Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) proved the man to beat during FP2 but it wasn’t without a scare. Rounding the Estoril corner, the world champion suffered a huge moment as the rear of his Kawasaki stepped out. The Ulsterman maintained control and went on to top the session ahead of former team-mate Tom Sykes (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team), current team-mate Leon Haslam and surprise package Ryuichi Kiyonari (Moriwaki Althea Honda Team) in fourth, although all riders were slower than they had gone in FP1.
Overall, van der Mark closes Free Practice Friday as the fastest man as he looks to chase down his team-mate Alex Lowes in the battle for third in the standings. Van der Mark has finished on the podium at Magny-Cours in each of the last three years and will fancy his chances of doing so again, whatever the weather. Lowes ended the day in eighth overall, and much like his team-mate, took a safety-first approach during the afternoon downpour.
Leading the Kawasaki challenge overall was Leon Haslam after a consistent day for the 36-year-old. Haslam was just two tenths shy of the outright fastest time before backing up his team-mate in the afternoon, showing that both Kawasaki riders will be competitive if the heavens open tomorrow. Rea’s day underlined the exceptional pace the Ulsterman clearly possesses, although a crash during FP1, followed by his near-highside in FP2, prove that nothing is certain in the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship.
Marco Melandri (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) earned the honour of top Independent rider with third spot, although four figured inside the top six as the heavy rain presented an opportunity for less fancied names. Leandro Mercado (Orelac Racing VerdNatura) held onto fourth with home favourite Loris Baz (Ten Kate Racing – Yamaha) demonstrating his wet-weather credentials, finishing fifth in both sessions. Alessandro Delbianco (Althea Mie Racing Team) is another rider to watch if the weather takes a turn for the worse, with the Italian an impressive sixth today on the leading Honda.
With Rea and Lowes completing the combined top eight, Michael Ruben Rinaldi (BARNI Racing Team) ends Friday as the fastest Ducati rider, narrowly ahead of Eugene Laverty (Team Goeleven). Ducati’s championship hopes still rest on the shoulders of Alvaro Bautista (ARUBA.IT Racing – Ducati) and the Spaniard wound up in 13th, one spot ahead of team-mate Chaz Davies with neither venturing out this afternoon.
Moriwaki Althea Honda Team are boosted this weekend by the return of Leon Camier and the Briton showed promising pace in both sessions, ending up 11th overall. By contrast, Sandro Cortese found the going tough with 19th in FP1, followed by a heavy fall at the Adelaide hairpin later in the day which left him with a left shoulder contusion, plus a left elbow contusion and abrasion. The German rider has been declared fit to continue though.
More, from a press release issued by Kawasaki:
Haslam Second Quickest At A Damp Magny Cours
KRT rider Leon Haslam was second in the timesheets after two weather affected free practice sessions at Magny Cours, while his team-mate Jonathan Rea was seventh overall. In the fully wet FP2 session this afternoon Rea was the fastest rider and Haslam third, but both had set their best times lap times of the day in the slightly drier FP1.
In two tricky free practice sessions at Magny Cours both Haslam and Rea worked on finding their best possible wet weather set-ups and each made great progress on a track surface that started out damp and became fully wet in the afternoon.
The 4.411km long circuit at Magny Cours presents several tricky sections, particularly in the wet, but in his first race at Magny Cours since 2015 Haslam remembered both his racing lines and which parts of the track would be most challenging in the rain. His overall second place, earned in the less wet FP1 session, was followed up by being third quickest in the wetter afternoon practice session.
After experiencing an early and slow speed fall in FP1, Rea and his crew quickly got back to work in evaluating different set-up ideas and then started fine-tuning their full wet-set-up in the afternoon session.
Weather conditions are expected to improve in time for the resumption of track action on Saturday morning, and reach their warmest on Sunday. Tomorrow the KRT riders face a short FP3 session, Tissot-Superpole qualifying and then a 21-lap Race One.
Leon Haslam, stated: “It was slippery out there but it was OK in the end. This morning you just pushed as hard as you needed to. It was one of those sessions where if someone went fast, you went out and pushed a little bit harder. I think everyone was in the same boat. It was also just trying to gather information in case it is a wet race tomorrow. This morning was not fully wet in the end but this afternoon obviously was, so it was quite important for me to understand what the bike felt like in proper rain conditions. We also got to try the new rain tyre, which is very different. I feel we have had a positive day of collecting data and finishing inside the top three in each session.”
Jonathan Rea, stated: “Overall I am happy with the day because normally with the forecast to be clear tomorrow, and Sunday being even hotter, it is hard to be fully focused on building a set-up. We changed some things with the engine brake settings and we just needed to confirm them in the wet. This morning I was not so happy and this afternoon we worked to confirm something a bit better in the set-up. The bike is behaving a little bit different to how it has in the past in the wet, especially in how I am loading the front. If we should face any more wet weather over the weekend we need to work on stopping the bike in the last part of braking. But I was happy to be fast in full wet conditions. This morning there was a dry line coming up near the end so a lot of people went fast right at the end. It was a positive day.”
Toprak Razgatlioglu (Turkish Puccetti Racing) placed 12th overall and was eighth fastest in the full wet this afternoon. He hopes for improved weather conditions on Saturday to keep up his consistent run of podium finishes.
Leandro Mercado (Orelac Racing VerdNatura Kawasaki) used his well-proven wet weather capabilities to take the fourth fastest lap of all on day one. Jordi Torres (Team Pedercini Racing Kawasaki) set some laps in each session to build confidence on day one but was 16th overall.
More, from a press release issued by Yamaha:
Van der Mark Finishes on Top at a Dismal Magny-Cours
Free practice
Pata Yamaha WorldSBK rider, Michael van der Mark, finished what was a damp and dismal opening day in France at the top of the timesheet, despite completing just 10 laps of the Magny-Cours circuit in FP1 and then sitting out a fully wet FP2. The same approach was adopted by teammate Alex Lowes, who ended the day eighth fastest.
The opening free practice this morning started on a fully wet track, although the rain had eased shortly before pit lane opened. With 15 minutes of the session remaining dry patches had started to appear around the 4.411km track, but not a continuous dry line. Van der Mark made the most of the slightly improved conditions to set the fastest time on his first run and then improving further on his second and final run.
With continuous rain and a fully wet track for this afternoon’s 50-minute free practice, van der Mark and Lowes knew that nobody was going to improve on their times from the morning and, with grip at the Magny-Cours track notoriously unpredictable, the two Pata Yamaha riders opted to err on the side of caution and sit out the session.
GRT Yamaha Supported WorldSBK rider, Marco Melandri, was third fastest today, again with his time in the mixed conditions of this morning’s free practice. The veteran Italian did participate in the second session but limited himself to just five laps to get a feel for the track in the wet.
Sandro Cortese, making his debut aboard a Superbike here in Magny-Cours was hoping for dry weather in which to learn the track, but he was left disappointed. The reigning Supersport World Champion was caught out by the unpredictability of the Magny-Cours circuit in the wet this afternoon, losing the front on the brakes into Turn 8 and sliding off the bike. Cortese landed heavily on the shoulder injured in his Donington Park qualifying crash but was passed fit to continue after a precautionary check-up in the circuit medical centre.
Ten Kate Yamaha Supported WorldSBK rider, Loris Baz, was also one of the few to venture onto the circuit this afternoon, with the Frenchman completing nine laps in front of those spectators who’d braved the weather, before returning to the pit box. Baz ended the day fifth fastest overall with his time from this morning’s opening free practice.
Michael van der Mark Pata Yamaha WorldSBK – P1 – 1’51.852
“It’s been a bit of a strange day. This morning the track was wet at the start but already starting to dry up a little, so we waited quite a long time before going out. At the end it wasn’t dry, it wasn’t wet, and the track conditions were less than perfect, but I had a good feeling with the bike straight away. I didn’t really push for a time, but ended up quickest, so it was a good start to the day. This afternoon it started to rain a lot before the session, and it continued throughout. We waited to see if the conditions would improve, but they didn’t so we decided to sit out the session as I have a good feeling with the bike already and, anyway, the forecast is for dry conditions from tomorrow onwards.”
Alex Lowes Pata Yamaha WorldSBK – P8 – 1’52.945
“Magny-Cours is one of those places where it’s sometimes a bit hit and miss with the weather, so the conditions today weren’t unexpected. It was good to get out on the track again this morning, even if the mixed conditions meant we weren’t able to learn much. But the feeling with the bike was good, which is one of the reasons why we opted to sit out the second session this afternoon, the other being that the weather looks set to improve ahead of FP3. Despite the limited track time today, we’ll be ready for qualifying and the first race tomorrow.”
Marco Melandri GRT Yamaha Supported WorldSBK – P3 – 1’52.647
“Very difficult weather here today at Magny-Cours, a track that is already very tricky in the wet because the grip is so unpredictable. This morning it was starting to dry a bit towards the end of the session and the track wasn’t so bad. This afternoon, with the onset of the rain, it was difficult to see and the bike was aquaplaning a lot, even in places where there didn’t look to be a lot of water. Luckily it looks like we’re going to have better weather tomorrow and Sunday and I hope we’ll get three dry races. It’s never easy here but this afternoon I wasn’t fast, but I felt better on the bike and this morning the feeling was even a bit better. But while I’m still not completely confident when it’s fully wet, the feeling is definitely better than it was in Misano.”
Sandro Cortese GRT Yamaha Supported WorldSBK – P19 – 1’56.616
“It’s not been the best of days. The weather hasn’t really helped because it’s my first time here on the Superbike and I was hoping for dry conditions in which to learn the track today. A big crash this afternoon in the second session meant the day pretty much finished as badly as it started, but the forecast is for better weather tomorrow and I hope to improve everything ahead of qualifying and the first race.”
Loris Baz Ten Kate Yamaha Supported WorldSBK – P5 – 1’52.820
“The rain seems to be following me around at the moment! The grip here at Magny-Cours has always been limited in the wet, but it seems to get worse every year. We did a pretty good job this morning. Maybe as the track dried towards the end a slick may have been an option, but it would have also been a risk, which we preferred not to take as it will be dry from tomorrow onwards. This afternoon I didn’t do so many laps but we tried a few things in the fully wet conditions that could stand us in good stead if the weather forecast proves to be wrong, which is a distinct possibility here. It was good to finish the opening day in the top five, but we have a lot to do if we’re going to prepare the bike for dry qualifying tomorrow morning in the final 20-minute practice session, which we hope will be run in good conditions.”
More, from a press release issued by Barni Racing:
Rinaldi ninth in wet Free Practice at Magny Cours
Magny Cours 27th September 2019. MOTUL FIM WorldSBK French round is underway at the circuit of Nevers Magny-Cours. The Barni Racing Team and his rider Michael Rinaldi worked hard during the two free practices, rounding out day one of action in solid ninth position with the Ducati Panigale V4 R.
The opening session took place on a damp track with most of sections still wet after overnight rain. Rinaldi completed 20 laps, more than any other rider, proving to be comfortable in this very difficult conditions. The Italian set a best time of 1’53.006 to close among the top 10.
Heavy rain characterized the afternoon’s second session, preventing all the riders from improving on their earlier times. The Italian still ninth in the day’s combined standings lapsed 1’59.782 in full wet conditions.
Marco Barnabo, Team Principal:
I am satisfied about the work we have done. The morning session was positive because we did so many laps and the rider found a good feeling with the track. When the others did the best time we were one track with an exhausted tyre. We worked very well also in the afternoon trying both the “classic” wet tyre and the new version that Pirelli brought here. The information gathered were very important.
Michael Rinaldi P9 (1’53.006)
Today’s conditions were very tricky but it allowed us to collect useful data in mixed conditions. However it seems that tomorrow and Sunday rain is not forecasted, if so the real weekend has yet to begin. Under the rain it was important not to make stupid mistakes and I did it. We also realized that in case of rain we are not in a bad way.
More, from a press release issued by Moriwaki Althea Honda Team:
Camier eleventh and Kiyonari fifteenth on a wet day 1 at Magny Cours.
Leon Camier recorded the eleventh fastest time during the opening day of the Pirelli French WorldSBK round on what was a wet Magny Cours track.
The Brit placed eleventh in the day’s combined classification, which was based on results from the morning session, held on a damp track. During the afternoon session, which played out in heavy rain, Leon set a strong fifth fastest time.
A similar path was followed by teammate Ryuichi Kiyonari, fifteenth in the morning’s first free practice session (and so fifteenth also in the combined standings) and the author of a good fourth-place finish at the end of the afternoon stint.
Leon Camier 11TH 1’53.509 (COMBINED)
“This morning we rode on a drying track, this afternoon on a wet track, with conditions changing dramatically between the two sessions. In the rain the bike is quite friendly to ride, everything is nice and easy to use so we were able to be quite consistent in FP2. All in all, it was an “ok” day. I tried not to risk too much and worked to regain my feeling with the bike after four and a half months with no riding. My shoulder felt good and didn’t bother me at all, but only by riding in the dry will we see how it really is, because this track is quite physical with a lot of brusque changes of direction.”
Ryuichi Kiyonari 15TH 1’54.141 (COMBINED)
“It’s the first time I’ve ridden in the wet at this track and my feeling in these conditions was fairly good, despite the surface being quite slippery. This morning we spent the session working on improving our bike’s wet setting and we actually made some promising progress, so that in the afternoon we were able to be quite fast on what was an even wetter track”.
More, from a press release issued by Aruba.it Racing Ducati:
World Superbike at Magny-Cours: rain hampers the opening day of free practice at the French circuit. Álvaro Bautista and Chaz Davies (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) finish 13th and 14th respectively
Poor weather conditions disturbed the first two free practice sessions at the Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours, making the surface very slippery and considerably reducing the running time for the riders out on track.
Due to the rain, both Aruba.it Racing – Ducati riders, Álvaro Bautista and Chaz Davies, completed very few laps during the opening free practice session this morning. Unfortunately, the Spanish rider crashed unexpectedly at Turn 1 on his first lap but, after a lengthy stop in the pits to repair the bike, he did in any case manage to conclude the session. In the afternoon, during FP2, the rain came down even more, making the track conditions even worse and, in view of the fact that the weather is expected to improve tomorrow, both of our riders opted to sit out the session in the garage.
Tomorrow the third and final free practice session will be held at 09:00 CET, followed two hours later at 11:00 by Superpole qualifying for the starting-grid line-up for Race 1, which gets underway at 14:00.
Álvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing Ducati #19) – 1’54.091 (13th)
“For sure it wasn’t the best day to make my debut on this track! This morning, on the wet track surface, I crashed after losing the rear at Turn 1 on the opening lap, but luckily I suffered no physical consequences. I quite like the Magny-Cours track and it doesn’t seem as difficult as Imola or Portimão. I could also see that in case of rain it doesn’t have much grip but it’s the same for everyone. In the second session the heavy rain made the situation even more difficult and because of my shoulder, which is still not at 100%, I preferred not to take any more risks and stayed in the box. Let’s hope that the weather improves for tomorrow and gives me a chance to increase my confidence with the track for the race.”
Chaz Davies (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati #7) – 1’54.133 (14th)
“I can consider myself relatively satisfied after the first FP1 session, even though I just did a few laps to get some confidence in the wet track conditions. In view of the better weather conditions expected tomorrow and Sunday, I preferred not to take too many risks today so I can hit the track better when it’s dry. I think we have a base now with the Panigale V4 R which is working OK but we are trying to optimize and improve that base at every circuit.”
More, from a press release issued by BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team:
Heavy rain on the opening day at Magny – Cours for the BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team
27.09.19
Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours
Rain loomed on the opening day of Round 11 in Magny – Cours, which inevitably resulted in a wet FP1. Both Markus and Tom spent majority of the session adjusting the set-up of their BMW S 1000 RR’s which left both riders out of the top 15 due to missing crucial dry spells of the session.
In typical French fashion the weather did not improve and in FP2 we endured heavier rain. Despite the weather, the BMW duo of Tom Sykes and Markus Reiterberger used the FP1 session to it advantage as the changes made from the earlier session reaped its benefits in FP2 as both riders found themselves into the top 7 – although no times were improved due to the weather conditions.
Tom Sykes and Markus Reiterberger will again battle it out tomorrow as they head into FP3, Qualifying and the first race of the weekend where they will be pushing for podium positions – whatever the conditions.
Shaun Muir, Team Principal:
The first session was really a lottery, Tom was posting top 3 / 4 times when he was out on track but with the unpredictable weather it meant both Markus and Tom missed a dry spell in the session which resulted in the final position.
Second session both riders did really well, Tom got into a good rhythm and posted some competitive times which landed him in P2. Markus equally tried a different rear shock setting which helped his confidence a lot, he stayed out through the session and chipped away at his time and ended FP2 in P7 which was a much more telling time for the day.
Overall we are pretty happy, we can head into tomorrow with a lot of confidence in Tom and Markus and hope for some better weather.
Tom Sykes:
I’m happy with how todays gone, we made a few changes at the end of FP1 which meant we sat out the remaining few minutes, resulting in us falling down the pecking order. This afternoon in the wet conditions we carried on working and found a good set-up for the BMW S 1000 RR, in the cold and greasy track conditions I felt comfortable with the feedback of the chassis and in the end found some good pace. The boys have worked hard in last few weeks and I’m certainly happy with the modifications we have made, so overall satisfied with the progress made here on day 1 at Magny – Cours.
Markus Reiterberger:
The first session we had a few issues which meant we couldn’t set a fast time, however in the second session we made some changes and I felt comfortable on the bike despite the rain being a lot heavier than this morning. We finished P7 in FP2 and for a while we were running at the front, all be it with only a few riders on track but still we could gauge how fast we were with these guys. Tomorrow we still need to find some pace as 4 seconds to the top is too much, but at least we found the right direction to work in for tomorrow.
American Flat Track action at the Meadowlands Mile in 2018. Photo by Scott Hunter, courtesy of AFT.
Russ Brown Motorcycle Attorneys Announced as Title Sponsor of AFT Finale Meadowlands Mile
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (September 27, 2019) – AFT Events is proud to announce Russ Brown Motorcycle Attorneys as its entitlement event sponsor for the September 28 American Flat Track finale at Meadowlands Racetrack in East Rutherford, N.J.
Also the presenting sponsor of the Roof Systems AFT Singles class, it is fitting that the Russ Brown Motorcycle Attorneys Meadowlands Mile will be the division’s final proving ground. A champion will finally be crowned after a season-long battle between points leader Dalton Gauthier and defending champion Dan Bromley.
Founder Russ Brown, the original motorcycle lawyer who rides, was inducted into the Sturgis Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 2013. Among his most notable achievements is the creation of BAM (Breakdown and Legal Assistance for Motorcyclists), a free nationwide volunteer program of 2,500,000 motorcyclists who help other motorcyclists in their time of need.
Today, Russ Brown Motorcycle Attorneys is a collective of hundreds of attorneys across the country dedicated to the rights of injured motorcyclists. Riders across the nation know: If You Go Down, Call Russ Brown.
“We are very excited to welcome a devoted series partner like Russ Brown as the title sponsor of the Meadowlands Mile,” said Cameron Gray, COO of AFT Events. “We are honored to share such a thrilling finale event with such a respected member of the motorcycle industry. With the help of Russ Brown Motorcycle Attorneys, this season finale will surely be an unforgettable event for AFT fans.”
“Russ Brown Motorcycle Attorneys are the Original Attorneys that Ride®,” said Wendy Koro, Operations Manager/Director of Marketing for Russ Brown Motorcycle Attorneys. “Our commitment to the sport is ingrained and based on a love for all things two-wheeled. We’re thrilled to be a sponsor of the AFT Singles Class and proud to contribute our support at the Meadowlands Mile.”
Tickets for the Russ Brown Motorcycle Attorneys Meadowlands Mile are available now at tickets.americanflattrack.com. General Admission tickets start at just $40 with kids 12 and under admitted for free.
Multiple upgraded ticket options are also available, including the almost sold-out Reserved Outdoor Grandstand seating option, indoor climate-controlled s eating in ‘The Lounge,’ the premium Trotters Club VIP Experience and a limited number of Pit Pass Upgrades on-site.
FansChoice.tv will provide live coverage of the Russ Brown Motorcycle Attorneys Meadowlands Mile starting with the day’s opening practice session at 11:30 a.m. ET/8:30 a.m. PT. Opening Ceremonies will begin at 5:00 p.m. ET/2:00 p.m PT, with the Main Event program beginning at 7:00 p.m. ET/4:00 p.m. PT.
Catch the feature broadcast of the Russ Brown Motorcycle Attorneys Meadowlands Mile on NBCSN with flag-to-flag coverage of the Main Events, enhanced by exclusive features and cutting-edge aerial drone and onboard footage. The broadcast will debut on Saturday, October 12, at 10:30 p.m. ET/7:30 p.m. PT and will re-air on Wednesday, October 16, at 1:00 p.m. ET/10:00 a.m. PT.
For more information on American Flat Track visit www.americanflattrack.com.
To get the latest American Flat Track clothing and merchandise visit www.americanflattracker.com.
How to Watch:
NBCSN and FansChoice.tv are the official homes for coverage of American Flat Track. For the 2019 season, NBCSN’s coverage of AFT moves to highly-coveted, weekend afternoon programming slots within two weeks of each event. The complete schedule for AFT on NBCSN can be viewed at http://www.americanflattrack.com/events-nbcsn/. FansChoice.tv remains a cornerstone of AFT’s digital strategy, providing live streaming coverage of every event on AFT’s live page while previous events and exclusive features are available on AFT’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 https://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.
A “press release” is promotional text issued by a rider, team, company or organization to inform
the public about an event, product, or service from the issuer’s own point of view, and if deemed
to have news value, may be placed on roadracingworld.com as a service to our readers.
A press release is not an article written by Roadracingworld.com staffers. When a post is labeled with the words “press release”, it means that Roadracingworld.com is not responsible for its content and that Roadracingworld.com makes no guarantee that it is accurate. Not all press releases are posted and Roadracingworld.com may reject press releases if the content is too heavy on commercial promotion with little or no news value or if the press release contains obvious errors.
Accessibility
Accessibility modes
Epilepsy Safe Mode
Dampens color and removes blinks
This mode enables people with epilepsy to use the website safely by eliminating the risk of seizures that result from flashing or blinking animations and risky color combinations.
Visually Impaired Mode
Improves website's visuals
This mode adjusts the website for the convenience of users with visual impairments such as Degrading Eyesight, Tunnel Vision, Cataract, Glaucoma, and others.
Cognitive Disability Mode
Helps to focus on specific content
This mode provides different assistive options to help users with cognitive impairments such as Dyslexia, Autism, CVA, and others, to focus on the essential elements of the website more easily.
ADHD Friendly Mode
Reduces distractions and improve focus
This mode helps users with ADHD and Neurodevelopmental disorders to read, browse, and focus on the main website elements more easily while significantly reducing distractions.
Blindness Mode
Allows using the site with your screen-reader
This mode configures the website to be compatible with screen-readers such as JAWS, NVDA, VoiceOver, and TalkBack. A screen-reader is software for blind users that is installed on a computer and smartphone, and websites must be compatible with it.
Online Dictionary
Readable Experience
Content Scaling
Default
Text Magnifier
Readable Font
Dyslexia Friendly
Highlight Titles
Highlight Links
Font Sizing
Default
Line Height
Default
Letter Spacing
Default
Left Aligned
Center Aligned
Right Aligned
Visually Pleasing Experience
Dark Contrast
Light Contrast
Monochrome
High Contrast
High Saturation
Low Saturation
Adjust Text Colors
Adjust Title Colors
Adjust Background Colors
Easy Orientation
Mute Sounds
Hide Images
Hide Emoji
Reading Guide
Stop Animations
Reading Mask
Highlight Hover
Highlight Focus
Big Dark Cursor
Big Light Cursor
Cognitive Reading
Virtual Keyboard
Navigation Keys
Voice Navigation
Accessibility Statement
www.roadracingworld.com
November 14, 2026
Compliance status
We firmly believe that the internet should be available and accessible to anyone, and are committed to providing a website that is accessible to the widest possible audience,
regardless of circumstance and ability.
To fulfill this, we aim to adhere as strictly as possible to the World Wide Web Consortium’s (W3C) Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.1 (WCAG 2.1) at the AA level.
These guidelines explain how to make web content accessible to people with a wide array of disabilities. Complying with those guidelines helps us ensure that the website is accessible
to all people: blind people, people with motor impairments, visual impairment, cognitive disabilities, and more.
This website utilizes various technologies that are meant to make it as accessible as possible at all times. We utilize an accessibility interface that allows persons with specific
disabilities to adjust the website’s UI (user interface) and design it to their personal needs.
Additionally, the website utilizes an AI-based application that runs in the background and optimizes its accessibility level constantly. This application remediates the website’s HTML,
adapts Its functionality and behavior for screen-readers used by the blind users, and for keyboard functions used by individuals with motor impairments.
If you’ve found a malfunction or have ideas for improvement, we’ll be happy to hear from you. You can reach out to the website’s operators by using the following email
Screen-reader and keyboard navigation
Our website implements the ARIA attributes (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) technique, alongside various different behavioral changes, to ensure blind users visiting with
screen-readers are able to read, comprehend, and enjoy the website’s functions. As soon as a user with a screen-reader enters your site, they immediately receive
a prompt to enter the Screen-Reader Profile so they can browse and operate your site effectively. Here’s how our website covers some of the most important screen-reader requirements,
alongside console screenshots of code examples:
Screen-reader optimization: we run a background process that learns the website’s components from top to bottom, to ensure ongoing compliance even when updating the website.
In this process, we provide screen-readers with meaningful data using the ARIA set of attributes. For example, we provide accurate form labels;
descriptions for actionable icons (social media icons, search icons, cart icons, etc.); validation guidance for form inputs; element roles such as buttons, menus, modal dialogues (popups),
and others. Additionally, the background process scans all the website’s images and provides an accurate and meaningful image-object-recognition-based description as an ALT (alternate text) tag
for images that are not described. It will also extract texts that are embedded within the image, using an OCR (optical character recognition) technology.
To turn on screen-reader adjustments at any time, users need only to press the Alt+1 keyboard combination. Screen-reader users also get automatic announcements to turn the Screen-reader mode on
as soon as they enter the website.
These adjustments are compatible with all popular screen readers, including JAWS and NVDA.
Keyboard navigation optimization: The background process also adjusts the website’s HTML, and adds various behaviors using JavaScript code to make the website operable by the keyboard. This includes the ability to navigate the website using the Tab and Shift+Tab keys, operate dropdowns with the arrow keys, close them with Esc, trigger buttons and links using the Enter key, navigate between radio and checkbox elements using the arrow keys, and fill them in with the Spacebar or Enter key.Additionally, keyboard users will find quick-navigation and content-skip menus, available at any time by clicking Alt+1, or as the first elements of the site while navigating with the keyboard. The background process also handles triggered popups by moving the keyboard focus towards them as soon as they appear, and not allow the focus drift outside it.
Users can also use shortcuts such as “M” (menus), “H” (headings), “F” (forms), “B” (buttons), and “G” (graphics) to jump to specific elements.
Disability profiles supported in our website
Epilepsy Safe Mode: this profile enables people with epilepsy to use the website safely by eliminating the risk of seizures that result from flashing or blinking animations and risky color combinations.
Visually Impaired Mode: this mode adjusts the website for the convenience of users with visual impairments such as Degrading Eyesight, Tunnel Vision, Cataract, Glaucoma, and others.
Cognitive Disability Mode: this mode provides different assistive options to help users with cognitive impairments such as Dyslexia, Autism, CVA, and others, to focus on the essential elements of the website more easily.
ADHD Friendly Mode: this mode helps users with ADHD and Neurodevelopmental disorders to read, browse, and focus on the main website elements more easily while significantly reducing distractions.
Blindness Mode: this mode configures the website to be compatible with screen-readers such as JAWS, NVDA, VoiceOver, and TalkBack. A screen-reader is software for blind users that is installed on a computer and smartphone, and websites must be compatible with it.
Keyboard Navigation Profile (Motor-Impaired): this profile enables motor-impaired persons to operate the website using the keyboard Tab, Shift+Tab, and the Enter keys. Users can also use shortcuts such as “M” (menus), “H” (headings), “F” (forms), “B” (buttons), and “G” (graphics) to jump to specific elements.
Additional UI, design, and readability adjustments
Font adjustments – users, can increase and decrease its size, change its family (type), adjust the spacing, alignment, line height, and more.
Color adjustments – users can select various color contrast profiles such as light, dark, inverted, and monochrome. Additionally, users can swap color schemes of titles, texts, and backgrounds, with over seven different coloring options.
Animations – person with epilepsy can stop all running animations with the click of a button. Animations controlled by the interface include videos, GIFs, and CSS flashing transitions.
Content highlighting – users can choose to emphasize important elements such as links and titles. They can also choose to highlight focused or hovered elements only.
Audio muting – users with hearing devices may experience headaches or other issues due to automatic audio playing. This option lets users mute the entire website instantly.
Cognitive disorders – we utilize a search engine that is linked to Wikipedia and Wiktionary, allowing people with cognitive disorders to decipher meanings of phrases, initials, slang, and others.
Additional functions – we provide users the option to change cursor color and size, use a printing mode, enable a virtual keyboard, and many other functions.
Browser and assistive technology compatibility
We aim to support the widest array of browsers and assistive technologies as possible, so our users can choose the best fitting tools for them, with as few limitations as possible. Therefore, we have worked very hard to be able to support all major systems that comprise over 95% of the user market share including Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari, Opera and Microsoft Edge, JAWS and NVDA (screen readers).
Notes, comments, and feedback
Despite our very best efforts to allow anybody to adjust the website to their needs. There may still be pages or sections that are not fully accessible, are in the process of becoming accessible, or are lacking an adequate technological solution to make them accessible. Still, we are continually improving our accessibility, adding, updating and improving its options and features, and developing and adopting new technologies. All this is meant to reach the optimal level of accessibility, following technological advancements. For any assistance, please reach out to
