HICKMAN CLAIMS 14TH TT WIN IN DRAMATIC RST SUPERBIKE RACE
Peter Hickman claimed his 14th TT win during a dramatic RST Superbike TT Race at the Isle of Man TT Races, matching Mike Hailwood’s tally. The Monster Energy BMW by FHO Racing rider taking the lead on the final lap to win by 5.84 seconds from Davey Todd (Milwaukee BMW) with Dean Harrison (Honda Racing) in third.
It was one of the most thrilling races of recent times as Michael Dunlop (MasterMac by Hawk/MD Racing Honda) originally led by twenty-five seconds at two-thirds race distance only to have an issue with the sidepod on his visor leaving the pits after his second stop – this resulted in him stopping on Bray Hill, which dropped him down to fourth.
The race got underway on time at 2.40pm with near perfect conditions around the Mountain Course and it was Todd who led through Glen Helen for the first time, his advantage over Hickman just 0.037 seconds. They were quickly followed by Harrison, Dunlop, Hickman’s team-mate Josh Brookes and James Hillier (WTF Racing Honda) as only 3.5 seconds covered the top six but Brookes was soon out, retiring at Handley’s after his chain came off.
Todd maintained his lead at Ballaugh, only 0.166 seconds ahead of new second-placed rider Harrison and it was now Dunlop in third as Hickman slipped back to fourth. But, by Ramsey, Todd had extended his lead over Harrison to 1.18 seconds, although Hickman was the fastest rider from Ballaugh to Ramsey. James Hind, fifth in Saturday’s Supersport race, was another retirement as was Shaun Anderson.
An opening lap of 134.417mph gave Todd a 2.2 second advantage over Dunlop (134.118mph), aided by the best ever sector time from the Bungalow to Cronk Ny Mona, but Harrison (134.048mph) was only half a second further back with Hickman (133.754mph) still in fourth. Hillier (132.172mph) and KTS Racing’s Jamie Coward (131.627mph) were now fifth and sixth ahead of Conor Cummins, John McGuinness, David Johnson and Mike Browne, the latter becoming officially the fastest ever Aprilia rider around the Mountain Course.
Dunlop was quickest to Glen Helen and cut Todd’s lead to 1.5 seconds and although Hickman was closing in on Harrison, the gap between them now just three tenths of a second, he’d lost another second to the leaders. Coward was also closing in on Hillier, the deficit now 2.2 seconds.
Over Ballaugh Bridge and Dunlop was ahead by half a second and round Ramsey Hairpin for the second time, he’d extended his lead over Todd to 4.4 seconds with the quickest ever sector time between the two timing points.
Dunlop was inside the outright lap record at Ramsey and although he fell just short, a second lap of 135.543mph saw him move nine seconds clear. Hickman (134.701mph) was charging though, and he was now in second, four tenths of a second ahead of Todd (133.980mph) as Harrison (133.234mph) continued to lose ground in fourth. Hillier (131.898mph) and Coward (132.098mph) continued to hold onto fifth and sixth ahead of McGuinness, Cummins, Johnson and Browne, the latter just a fraction outside his first ever 130mph lap.
Hickman lost time in the pits though and dropped back to third at Glen Helen on lap three, five seconds behind Todd and a further nine behind the pace setting Dunlop. Hillier had also added five seconds to his advantage over Hillier whilst Dunlop moved ahead of Harrison along the Sulby Straight to now lead on the road.
Dunlop was extending his lead through every timing point and at half race distance, he’d pulled 17.3 seconds clear of Todd with Hickman now four seconds adrift of his fellow BMW rider. Harrison was running in a comfortable fourth, but Coward had now overhauled Hillier for fifth, albeit by just 0.3 seconds. Cummins retired from ninth though at the pits as did Phil Crowe and Rob Hodson with 16-time winner Ian Hutchinson going out at Windy Corner.
Back at the front and a fourth lap speed of 135.235mph enabled Dunlop to stretch his lead further over Todd to 25.1 seconds as he came in for his second pit stop but the battle for third was hotting up as Harrison, benefitting from a tow from Dunlop, posted a personal best lap of 135.185mph to move two seconds ahead of Hickman. Coward (132.655mph) also set a new personal best as he took a stranglehold of fifth with McGuinness now up to sixth.
However, drama followed after Dunlop left the pits as his new visor hadn’t clipped in correctly and he stopped down Bray Hill losing valuable time to fix it – when he got to Glen Helen for the penultimate time, he’d dropped to fourth with Harrison in the lead! Hickman was only 1.1 second behind Harrison though with Todd ten seconds adrift in third.
Starting the final lap it had changed again with Hickman now leading Harrison by two seconds with Todd, who’d taken the best Ballaugh-Ramsey sector time off Dunlop, well in touch and only 4.7 seconds back, which set it all up for a thrilling final 37.73 miles.
Having been in the position before though, Hickman tightened his grip of the race throughout the lap and final lap speed of 135.534mph gave him a 5.8 second victory over Todd with Harrison completing the podium in third. Dunlop was left to wonder what might have been in fourth with his only consolation being a new Superbike lap record of 135.970mph.
The battle for fifth went all the way to the end with Hillier coming out on top, 2.8 second ahead of McGuinness with Coward only 0.2s behind his fellow Honda rider. The top ten was completed by INCompetition Aprilia’s Browne, Michael Rutter (Bathams Ales BMW) and Brian McCormack (Roadhouse Macau by FHO BMW).
Rocco Landers won MotoAmerica BellissiMoto Twins Cup Race Two Sunday at Road America, in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. Riding his RevZilla/Motul/Vance & Hines Suzuki GSX-8R, Landers came from behind, took the lead on the final lap, and held on to win by 0.154 second.
Alessandro Di Mario led most of the race on his Rodio Racing – Powered by Robem Engineering Aprilia RS 660, but the 15-year-old said his softer-option rear tire ran out of grip at the end of the race.
Rossi Moor passed Dominic Doyle on the final lap to get third and his first Twins Cup podium finish on his Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki.
Avery Dreher finished fourth on his TopPro Racing Aprilia.
Doyle crashed his Giaccmoto Racing Yamaha YZF-R7 on the final lap but was able to remount and salvage fifth place.
Matthew Chapin won MotoAmerica Junior Cup Race Two Sunday at Road America, in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. Riding his BARTCON Racing Kawasaki Ninja 400 on Dunlop control tires, Chapin led a large group riders across the stripe for six of the seven laps and won by 0.346 second.
Speed Demon Racing’s Logan Cunnison was the runner-up, and Fernandez Racing’s Jayden Fernandez made a big comeback through the race to score third.
The top six finishers were within 0.660 second of each other at the checkered flag.
Mikayla Moore won MotoAmerica Royal Enfield Build. Train. Race. (BTR) Race Two Sunday at Road America, in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. Riding her Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 on Dunlop control tires, the defending Champion bounced back from a crash and injury that prevented her from riding in Race One and ran away to win five-lap Race Two by 23.9 seconds.
With the win, Moore retook the lead in the Championship point standings.
Aubrey Credaroli took the runner-up spot by 0.2 second over third-place finisher Cassie Creer.
Francesco “Pecco” Bagnaia won the FIM MotoGP World Championship race Sunday at the Mugello circuit, in Italy. Riding his Lenovo Team Ducati Desmosedici GP24 on Michelin control tires, the two-time and defending World Champion won the 23-lap race by 0.799 second
Bagnaia’s Italian teammate Enea Bastianini took a runner-up finish in front of his home fans.
Jorge Martin made it an all-Ducati podium by placing third on his Prima Pramac Racing Ducati.
Six-time MotoGP World Champion Marc Marquez finished fourth on his Gresini Ducati.
Rookie sensation Pedro Acosta got fifth on his Red Bull GASGAS Tech3 machine.
Nuvola azzurra: Bagnaia reigns as Bastianini charges past Martin and Marquez at Mugello
Ducati Lenovo paint Mugello blue as the reigning Champion lays down the gauntlet and the Beast has his Sprint revenge
The start of the MotoGP race at Mugello. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Sunday, 02 June 2024
Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) completed a near-perfect weekend on home turf with a masterclass victory in the Gran Premio d’Italia Brembo. The Italian stormed to the lead from lights out and then kept it on perfect rails to stay a tantalising distance ahead of Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) for much of the race, with the gap going up and down but never quite in range for an attack. That instead came from Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Team) as the #23 put together an almighty final charge.
The Beast duelled Marc Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) and then put in a late burst of lightning speed to catch Martin, that enough to put him within striking distance at the final corner. And strike he did. Slicing up the inside and keeping it clean as anything, the #23 served his Tissot Sprint revenge to make it a Ducati Lenovo 1-2, with Martin forced to settle for third.
As the lights went out, Bagnaia went full Bagnaia. Second around San Donato as he threaded the needle from the second row, he immediately then lined up and pickpocketed Martin to go into the lead. From there, the hammer was down as Martin dug in to hold on, with Bastianini third ahead of Marc Marquez and Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing).
The chess game was on from there on out. Three tenths, six tenths, eight tenths, five tenths; Martin wasn’t getting dropped but he wasn’t consistently able to stay close enough to attack the #1 in the lead.
Meanwhile, Pedro Acosta (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) was on the march. Marquez made a move on Bastianini into San Donato and headed wide, with the #23 hitting back immediately, and that put the rookie superstar right on Marquez’ tail. The GASGAS shadowed him round the lap but couldn’t find a way through, then heading wide at the final corner and forced to watch the Gresini disappear out of striking distance.
At the front, the chess match rolled on. Bagnaia led Martin led Bastianini, with Marquez then starting to harry the #23. Acosta was a few tenths further back, with Franco Morbidelli (Prima Pramac Racing) starting to come under pressure from Viñales with 12 to go. It was tense holding stations, with the one small ripple in the calm coming as Martin went deep into San Donato with 10 laps to go, but he gathered it back up.
Francesco “Pecco” Bagnaia (1) leads Jorge Martin (89). Photo courtesy Dorna.
By six laps to go, it wasn’t check mate but it was starting to heat up into a grandstand finish. Marc Marquez finally made a move on Bastianini, attacking into San Donato with a clean move that gave the #23 no right of reply. His mission seemed then to catch Martin, but Martin was starting to cut the gap to the front once again. By three laps to go, it had been halved from the eight or nine tenth maximum Bagnaia had had at any point. Game on?
Very much so, but not for the #89. Instead, Bagnaia threw down the gauntlet and disappeared again as Bastianini stole the spotlight. Through on Marc Marquez at Scarperia, the exact same style of move the #93 had pulled on him, the Beast was on a charge and his next target was the other half of the Sprint tangle that had sent him into the gravel.
Locked on and flying, as Bagnaia crossed the line to take his third Italian GP win in a row as part of his second Mugello double, Bastianini was homing in. Into the very final corner the Ducati Lenovo Team rider found space on the inside to complete the fairtytale 1-2 for the team, and in some serious style as pandemonium erupted in the grandstands. Over the line with time in hand over Martin, Bastianini followed Bagnaia home – and Martin’s lead is cut to just 18 points.
Still, it was another podium finish and a good haul of points, and it was ahead of fellow frontrunner Marc Marquez, who was forced to settle for fourth. Acosta ended up in a lonelier ride for fifth after he’d lost touch with the front group.
Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) caught Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP) and got past him, and then managed to catch Viñales and Morbidelli to create a three-way fight for sixth. He made made it past the Aprilia just as the race entered the final three laps, but Morbidelli managed to stay ahead to take P6 ahead of the VR46 rider, Viñales and Alex Marquez.
Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) didn’t get the same stellar start as he did in Saturday, but the South African held off Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) to complete the top ten.
It’s now just 18 points separating Martin from Bagnaia at the top of the Championship, and after a maximum of 259 have already been on the table. Will the tale twist again at Assen? We’ll find out in a few weeks as MotoGP™ now resets and reloads before heading for the Cathedral. And Ducati keep pondering their 2025 line-up.
Joe Roberts (16) held off Manuel Gonzalez (18) to win the Moto2 race at Mugello. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Roberts fights off Gonzalez on the last lap to take first victory since 2022
In a blockbuster Moto2™ race at the Gran Premio d’Italia Brembo, Joe Roberts (OnlyFans American Racing Team) took victory in a nail-biting last lap decider, the American repelling the best efforts of Manuel Gonzalez (QJMOTOR Gresini Moto2™) to take top honours for the first time since the 2022 Portuguese GP. Completing the podium was MB Conveyors SpeedUp’s Alonso Lopez, who was elbows out in the front fight, as ever.
Off like a rocket at the start, Roberts led early on the opening lap. He had close competition though, with Lopez and a Darryn Binder (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) following on eagerly. A flying start also came in from Ai Ogura (MT Helmets – MSI) as well, who stormed to seventh after starting 12th.
Lopez would follow Roberts until lap four before he pounced at San Donato, but it wouldn’t be until Turn 3 before he could make the move stick. Unfortunately for the MB Conveyors Speed Up team, it was glory for one and disaster for another in that moment as Lopez’ teammate Fermin Aledguer crashed out after contact from Jeremy Alcoba (Yamaha VR46 Master Camp Team).
Still in the lead, Lopez now had Gonzalez behind as he had found his way through on Roberts. Slightly further back in the lead pack, disaster stuck for Binder who skittled into the gravel at Arrabbiata 1, an early end to what had been a strong weekend all round.
In a six-rider battle for the lead, everything was building to a grandstand last half of the race. The action kicked off as Roberts and Lopez ran wide at Turn 1 – giving them both more work to do – and allowing Gonzalez and Canet to the lead. But it wouldn’t be long before Roberts would then return the favour and find his way through to the front with just three laps remaining, asking questions of the others at the front.
As a dramatic finish loomed, Roberts entered the final lap in the lead. Gonzalez got a fantastic slipstream and attacked round San Donato, but the American hit back at the next available chance, diving to the inside at Turn 2. Under the highest of pressure, Roberts held strong to take his first victory since the 2022 Portuguese GP by just 0.067s. Gonzalez’ search for a first Moto2™ win goes on, and Lopez picked up third podium of the season.
Claiming fourth was Championship leader Sergio Garcia (MT Helmets – MSI), whose advantage in the standings has reduced to seven points. Behind Garcia was teammate Ogura, who Garcia pipped on the last lap, ahead of Aron Canet (Fantic Racing) and home hero Celestino Vietti (Red Bull KTM Ajo). Izan Guevara (CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team) claimed eighth as IDEMITSU Honda Team Asia’s Somkiat Chantra and OnlyFans American Racing Team’s Marcos Ramirez rounded out the top 10.
Next up is the TT Circuit Assen in three weeks’ time for what is set to be yet another dramatic Grand Prix, so join us for more at the Cathedral!
David Alonso (80) won the Moto3 race at Mugello. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Alonso just keeps the edge on Veijer to extend his lead to 37 points
David Alonso (CFMoto Valresa Aspar Team) remains the rider to beat in Moto3™, taking his fifth win of the season in style at Mugello. The Colombian led from the front for much of a shortened 11-lap dash and held off a late charge from Collin Veijer (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) to take another 25-point haul. Ryusei Yamanaka (MT Helmets – MSI) charged up from P13 on the grid to secure third and his first ever Grand Prix podium.
The initial start was red-flagged following a crash for Fillippo Farioli (SIC58 Squadra Corse) and Xabi Zurutuza (Red Bull KTM Ajo), with Zurutuza heading to hospital for further examination. Once back underway, the distance was reduced to 11 laps of Mugello, with one clear aim for most: keep up with Alonso.
There was drama nearly immediately as Dani Holgado (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) tagged riders at Turn 1 and sent Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) and Stefano Nepa (LEVEL UP-MTA) crashing out, with the #96 given a double Long Lap for irresponsible riding.
Meanwhile at the front, it was a breakway group of six making their moves: Alonso, Veijer, Yamanaka, Ivan Ortola (MT Helmets – MSI), Taiyo Furusato (Honda Team Asia) and David Muñoz (BOE Motorsports).
With four to go, it looked like Alonso was trying to make a break, and it took Veijer a couple of laps to take over in second and get enough breathing space to start trying to close the Colombian down. But that he did, and by the start of the final lap the Dutchman was within a couple of tenths, with Ortola in third.
Ultimately, however, he couldn’t get close enough to make a move, and then there was drama in the fight for the final place on the podium too as Ortola slid out at Turn 12, ending his rostrum hopes. One of the quickest remounts of all time saw him still take sixth, but Yamanaka was up the road to take his maiden Grand Prix podium and continue his impressive consistency running near the front in 2024.
Fourth went to Furusato as he was the final rider within a couple of seconds of the front, with Muñoz forced to settle for fifth further down the road. Ortola remounted for that sixth ahead of another impressive ride from rookie Luca Lunetta (SIC58 Squadra Corse). Adrian Fernandez (Leopard Racing), rookie Jacob Roulstone (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) and Matteo Bertelle (Kopron Rivacold Snipers Team) completed the top ten in a closer group battle.
The gap is now 37 points for Alonso at the top. Now it’s next stop Assen after a spring break, but the question remains the same: can anyone stop the Colombian? Veijer nearly managed it at Mugello, and on his home turf in the Netherlands, he’ll try and find another kitchen sink to add to his armory.
Joe Roberts won the FIM Moto2 World Championship race Sunday at the Mugello Circuit, in Italy. Riding his OnlyFans American Racing Team Kalex on Pirelli control tires, the American held off Spaniard Manuel Gonzalez by 0.067 second to take his first win and fourth podium finish of the season.
Gonzalez had to settle for the runner-up spot on his QJMOTOR Gresini Kalex, and Alonso Lopez finished a close third on his MB Conveyors SpeedUp Boscoscuro.
Roberts fights off Gonzalez on the last lap to take first victory since 2022
Joe Roberts (16) held off Manuel Gonzalez (18) to win the Moto2 race at Mugello. Photo courtesy Dorna.
In a blockbuster Moto2™ race at the Gran Premio d’Italia Brembo, Joe Roberts (OnlyFans American Racing Team) took victory in a nail-biting last lap decider, the American repelling the best efforts of Manuel Gonzalez (QJMOTOR Gresini Moto2™) to take top honours for the first time since the 2022 Portuguese GP. Completing the podium was MB Conveyors SpeedUp’s Alonso Lopez, who was elbows out in the front fight, as ever.
Off like a rocket at the start, Roberts led early on the opening lap. He had close competition though, with Lopez and a Darryn Binder (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) following on eagerly. A flying start also came in from Ai Ogura (MT Helmets – MSI) as well, who stormed to seventh after starting 12th.
Lopez would follow Roberts until lap four before he pounced at San Donato, but it wouldn’t be until Turn 3 before he could make the move stick. Unfortunately for the MB Conveyors Speed Up team, it was glory for one and disaster for another in that moment as Lopez’ teammate Fermin Aledguer crashed out after contact from Jeremy Alcoba (Yamaha VR46 Master Camp Team).
Still in the lead, Lopez now had Gonzalez behind as he had found his way through on Roberts. Slightly further back in the lead pack, disaster stuck for Binder who skittled into the gravel at Arrabbiata 1, an early end to what had been a strong weekend all round.
In a six-rider battle for the lead, everything was building to a grandstand last half of the race. The action kicked off as Roberts and Lopez ran wide at Turn 1 – giving them both more work to do – and allowing Gonzalez and Canet to the lead. But it wouldn’t be long before Roberts would then return the favour and find his way through to the front with just three laps remaining, asking questions of the others at the front.
As a dramatic finish loomed, Roberts entered the final lap in the lead. Gonzalez got a fantastic slipstream and attacked round San Donato, but the American hit back at the next available chance, diving to the inside at Turn 2. Under the highest of pressure, Roberts held strong to take his first victory since the 2022 Portuguese GP by just 0.067s. Gonzalez’ search for a first Moto2™ win goes on, and Lopez picked up third podium of the season.
Claiming fourth was Championship leader Sergio Garcia (MT Helmets – MSI), whose advantage in the standings has reduced to seven points. Behind Garcia was teammate Ogura, who Garcia pipped on the last lap, ahead of Aron Canet (Fantic Racing) and home hero Celestino Vietti (Red Bull KTM Ajo). Izan Guevara (CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team) claimed eighth as IDEMITSU Honda Team Asia’s Somkiat Chantra and OnlyFans American Racing Team’s Marcos Ramirez rounded out the top 10.
Next up is the TT Circuit Assen in three weeks’ time for what is set to be yet another dramatic Grand Prix, so join us for more at the Cathedral!
More, from a press release issued by Pirelli:
Record Moto2™ and Moto3™ races in Mugello with standard Pirelli tyres
Joe Roberts (16) leads Manuel Gonzalez (18), Aron Canet (44), and the rest early in the Moto2 race at Mugello. Photo courtesy Pirelli.
First win of the year for Roberts in Moto2™ and fifth victory for Alonso in Moto3™; new all-time and race lap records with Pirelli using tyres from the DIABLO Superbike range
The Grand Prix of Italy, raced at the Mugello International Racetrack, had American Joe Roberts (OnlyFans American Racing Team/Kalex) winning in Moto2™ and Columbian David Alonso (CFMOTO Valresa Aspar Team CFMOTO/CFMOTO) taking victory in Moto3™.
With this triumph, his first of the season, Roberts is now second behind Sergio Garcia in the Moto2™ standings, whereas Alonso, now with five wins this year, leads the overall Moto3™ standings with a 37-point advantage over David Holgado.
Satisfaction in the Pirelli camp: thanks to the performance of the DIABLO Superbike range tyres, which are available for purchase regularly on the market, new all-time and race lap records were set for both categories in Mugello, significantly improving on the previous record times.
Giorgio Barbier
Motorcycle Racing Director
A nice bounty of records and a great show on the track
“We are closing out this weekend in Mugello with satisfaction after setting new all-time lap records on Saturday and new race lap records today, all using standard tyres and not prototypes, so products that are sold regularly on the market and available for purchase by all riders. Today in Moto2™, an astonishing 10 riders dropped below the previous race lap record, with Canet improving on it by more than 7 tenths, whereas in Moto3™, there were 15 riders who did at least one lap below the previous record and Veijer set the new record on the tenth and penultimate lap, a full 1.5 seconds faster than the previous one and, even more impressive, after a red flag with a jump start, so without being able to use the tyre warmer on the starting grid. This means that the tyres performed extremely well, demonstrating highly consistent performance all the way to the end of the race. I think it was also significant to see two riders with Kalex frames on the podium in Moto2™, because this means that, by working on the setup and gradually gaining experience, bikes with different frames can battle on an even pitch for victory. Now we have three weekends off before two consecutive GP rounds, in Assen and on the Sachsenring.”
Moto2™
With asphalt temperatures in line with those of the past couple days, for the race, the riders confirmed the solutions that had been most used in practice, so almost everyone was on the grid with the soft SC0 rear and the soft SC1 front. The only exceptions were Binder, Baltus, and Agius who preferred the medium SC2 at the front.
The race was held over a distance of 12 laps due to a restart of the Moto3™ race. American Joe Roberts (OnlyFans American Racing Team/Kalex) won after starting from pole position ahead of Manuel Gonzalez (QJMOTOR Gresini Moto2/Kalex) and Alonso Lopez (MB Conveyors SpeedUp/Boscoscuro), all with the same tyre options.
Aron Canet (Fantic Racing/Kalex) set the new race lap record on the second lap with a time of 1’50.476, improving on the previous one by more than 7 tenths which had been set in 2021 by Sam Lowes. Besides him, another 10 riders did at least one lap faster than the previous track record time.
Moto3™
With asphalt temperatures higher than 30°C, most of the riders on the grid opted for the medium SC2 front and soft SC1 rear combination. The only three riders to put the soft SC1 solution on the front were Furusato, Whatley, and Buasri, whereas Lunetta, Roulstone, Kelso, Muñoz, Farioli, Esteban, Almansa, and Dettwiler opted for the medium SC2 at the rear.
After a red flag on the fifth lap due to an accident, there were 11 laps left to race at the restart with 7 riders making tyre changes: Lunetta, Furusato, Kelso, Rossi, Muñoz, Fernandez, and Piqueras. Overall, the medium SC2 front was used by 22 out of 26 riders, whereas 18 riders opted for the soft SC1 rear. All the riders on the podium used the SC2 front and the SC1 rear.
After starting from pole position, David Alonso (CFMOTO Valresa Aspar Team CFMOTO/CFMOTO) won his fifth race of the year and now firmly leads in the overall championship standings. Collin Veijer (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP/Husqvarna), second across the finish line, set the race lap record with a time of 1’54.738 on the tenth and penultimate lap, breaking the previous record by 1.5 seconds which had been set by Sasaki in 2023. Overall, 15 riders dropped below the previous track race lap record.
FIM Red Bull MotoGP™ Rookies Cup
The fourth round of the talent cup which is part of the Dorna Road to MotoGP™ project was also held on the Tuscan track. All the riders’ KTM machines are equipped with Pirelli DIABLO Superbike tyres in SC2 compound at the front and rear. The seventh and eighth race of the season, held over a distance of 13 laps, were won respectively by Spaniard Máximo Quiles and Argentine Valentin Perrone.
With a time of 1’59.921, Spaniard Alvaro Carpe set the new all-time lap record for the track in this category, breaking the one set by Angel Piqueras in 2023 by 8 tenths, whereas in Race 1, Malaysian Hakim Danish set the new race lap record on the ninth lap with a time of 2’00.198.
David Alonso won the restarted FIM Moto3 World Championship race Sunday at Mugello, in Italy. Riding his Valresa Aspar Team CFMOTO, the young Colombian held off Collin Veijer to win by 0.142 second, extending his lead in the Championship points.
Veijer had to settle for the runner-up spot on his Liqui Moly Intact GP Husqvarna.
Ryusei Yamanaka claimed the final spot on the podium by finishing third on his MT Helmets – MSI KTM 1.253 seconds behind Alonso.
The race was red-flagged for a crash involving Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Xabi Zurutuza and SIC58 Squadra Corse’s Filippo Farioli on lap three. Both were reported as “conscious” by Dorna. The race was restarted from original gird positions and run for 11 laps.
Brilliant debut Rookies win for Perrone in Mugello 2
Valentin Perrone (73), Brian Uriarte (51), and Álvaro Carpe (83) race for the lead at Mugello. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Just 2 seconds covered the top 16 KTMs across the line at the end of Mugello Race 2 as Argentina’s Valentin Perrone took his first Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup victory.
Brian Uriarte and Álvaro Carpe matched their 2nd and 3rd places from yesterday just ahead of Rico Salmela.
Perrone takes incredible victory
“I’m really happy with this first win,” grinned the 16-year-old Argentine who was 2nd in his first Rookies Cup race, the season opener in Jerez and has backed that up with a string of good results. “What can I say about the race, it was really crazy, so many overtakes. Then in the last corner, I don’t know exactly what happened, I think Maximo touched Ruche, I don’t know. I took a little the slipstream then got the victory.”
“The plan for the last lap? No, just push like crazy and see what happens. It worked!”
Uriarte lost again
“Second position again, that’s sort of OK, we still get some points in front of Maximo. But still first loser,” laughed the Spanish 15-year-old after his 4th podium of the season.
“Really I’m happy, I enjoyed the race, the last lap I didn’t do so well, I was almost the last of the group, the snake they made on the straight didn’t allow me to pass so it was quite tough but I still managed to make some passes.”
“The last lap was the most exciting for me and the one I most enjoyed, I got up to the front. I don’t know what happened at the end, it all got a bit crazy, that stopped me a little bit otherwise I think I could have got the win. But still a nice weekend, good results and good for the championship, I have to do just a little bit more and get the win next time.”
Carpe completes very strong weekend
“I am very happy as I enjoyed this race so much,” enthused the 16-year-old Spaniard. “All the battling, all the overtaking, it was great to be running at the front all the way.”
“The race was fast and aggressive, I think I did a good job through the weekend and I got two podiums. Now I am 3rd in the championship, 13 points behind Maximo. I say thanks to my Family, Friends and everyone that supports me.”
Salmela’s Super Sunday
“The start of the race was difficult because I didn’t do yesterday’s race, well I did but only a few corners,” smiled the reserved 16-year-old Finn. “The plan was OK, I tried to be more or less, in P4, P3 for the last lap, I was behind Ruche, it’s not easy to overtake Ruche, he’s good on the brakes.”
“Then through the last corner, at first I wanted to pass on the inside but everyone went to the inside and was slow, I saw a gap and went for it but then almost lost the front mid-corner. Then I went a bit wide but still, I thought I was going to make it to the victory or at least the podium.”
“Then I saw Maximo really close to me, was a surprise, I had to cut the gas a bit and lost. P4 is not bad, I wanted more but…. better than yesterday.”
Màximo Quiles 5th – penalised for incident with Ruche Moodley
“A really difficult race, many people slowing, not wanting to give the slipstream and it was crazy,” stated the 16-year-old Spaniard.
“In the last corner no nobody wanted to push and I pushed, I moved to cut the slipstream and I touched Ruche and I am really sorry for him. It was a really dangerous moment and I’m really sad for him and I want to say sorry.”
Following the race, the FIM Rookies Cup Stewards Panel stated that Quiles was, “found to have caused a crash by swerving into the line of another rider at the exit at Turn 15.”
As a result of this the Panel, “has imposed a Suspension from participation in the Motul TT Assen.”
Hakim Danish in the lead group all the way – P6
“In today’s race I feel better than yesterday,” explained the Malaysian 16-year-old. “I felt more confident in the bike and also with my riding. I was able to run in the front group and be in a good position.”
“It was only in the last lap there was a little bit missing, I lost a couple of positions, then I tried to come back. In the last corner, I tried to grab a good position but finally got P6. I’m looking forward to the next race in Assen.”
Leonardo Zanni steps up to 7th
“I am very happy for my best result in the Rookies Cup,” enthused the Italian 15-year-old “It was a hard race, it’s a long straight here and I don’t seem to pass anyone on the straight, I have to do it all on the brakes and round the corners. So I had to work very hard.”
“In the last lap I was determined, I overtook 2 or 3 riders, then another on the run to the line, I am so happy to do this result at my home race.”
Veda Pratama led – but not at the flag P8
“I’m not happy… this is the result, that is what it is,” reported the disappointed 15-year-old Indonesian. “I made mistakes during the race, I can fight but the result was not good for me. I will try to do better in the next round.”
CROWES CLAIM THEIR FIRST TT VICTORY IN 3WHEELING.MEDIA SIDECAR TT RACE 1
Ryan and Callum Crowe claimed their first win at the Isle of Man TT Races with victory in 3wheeling.media Sidecar TT Race 1, the Manx brothers coming home 26.894 seconds ahead of Pete Founds/Jevan Walmsley with Alan Founds/Rhys Gibbons taking third.
The Crowes set the fastest lap of the race on their Kelproperties Honda at 119.800mph to be the first Manx Sidecar winners since 2014 and emulate the feat of their five-time winner dad Nick Crowe.
With perfect conditions, the three-lap race got underway at 5.45pm and the Crowes led through Glen Helen on the opening lap, their advantage over Founds/Walmsley (FHO Racing Honda) already 6.3 seconds. Crawford/Hardie (ARC Newton Aycliffe/SJH Bodyworks Kawasaki) slotted into third a further 4.4 seconds adrift with Blackstock/Rosney (Dave Holden Racing Yamaha), Founds/Gibbons (Founds Racing Yamaha) and Reeves/Wilkes (Bonovo Action/Carl Cox Motorsport Honda) rounding out the early top six. Molyneux/Roberts (Kelproperties Kawasaki) were already out though having retired at Ballacraine.
By Ballaugh the Crowes’ lead was up to 9.4 seconds and they’d caught Founds/Walmsley on the road, overtaking them soon after on the run to Quarry Bends. Back at Ballaugh jump Founds/Gibbons had taken over third from Blackstock/Rosney with Crawford/Hardie dropping back two places to fifth, with only four seconds covering third to sixth.
On to Ramsey Hairpin and the lead was up 10.2 seconds, Founds/Walmsley having briefly got back ahead of the Crowes at Parliament Square only to run immediately wide. The battle for third continued to rage though with Blackstock/Rosney now in the final podium position, 2.2 seconds ahead of Founds/Gibbons with Crawford/Hardie a similar distance behind in fifth.
An opening lap of 118.525mph gave the Crowes a 12.2 second advantage over Founds/Walmsley. They, in turn, were almost half a minute clear of Blackstock/Rosney (114.495mph), Founds/Gibbons (114.30mph), Crawford/Hardie (114.257mph) and Reeves/Wilkes (114.190mph), just three seconds covering the quartet. Seventh was being held by newcomers Ellis/Clement (Brookland Sand & Aggregates Yamaha) after an opening lap of 113.006mph.
The Ramsdens were other high-profile retirements having stopped at the Creg-Ny-Baa, whilst bad luck hit eighth-placed Gibson/Christie after a spill at Brandywell fortunately without injury.
Back at the front and the Crowes’ lead had extended to almost 17 seconds at Glen Helen second time around whilst the crews fighting for third were now only separated by 1.6 seconds, Blackstock/Rosney just doing enough to hold onto the position. It was unbelievably close though as Founds/Gibbons had closed to within 0.1 seconds and, indeed, they moved back into third at Ballaugh.
Starting the third and final lap, the Crowes looked comfortable in the lead, a second lap of 119.800mph – a new personal best – stretching the gap to Founds/Walmsley (117.923mph) to more than half a minute.
Founds/Gibbons (115.984mph) were now looking more secure in third having opened a 6.2 second advantage over Blackstock/Rosney (115.169mph) with Gibbons become the fastest sidecar newcomer ever. Crawford/Hardie (115.213mph) and Reeves/Wilkes (115.076mph) also broke the 115mph barrier with seventh placed Ellis/Clement (113.786mph) continuing to excel.
With a trouble-free final lap, the Crowes successfully brought their outfit home for a famous win, more than half a minute clear of Founds/Walmlsey. Then with another 115mph+ lap, Founds/Gibbons claimed the final podium position, passenger Gibbons being the first newcomer to achieve the feat since Walmsley eight years ago.
Blackstock/Rosney held on for fourth, just half a second ahead of Crawford/Hardie, with Reeves/Wilkes, Ellis/Clement, Holden/Claeys, Saunders/Saunders, who set their first ever 110mph+ lap, and Harrison/Moore completing the top ten.
As well as Gibbons becoming the fastest newcomer ever, Ellis claimed the same accolade for a driver whilst Clement became the fastest female passenger around the Mountain Course with her lap of 113.786mph eclipsing the lap of 111.053mph by French compatriot Melanie Farnier set two years ago.
Dominic Doyle won MotoAmerica BellissiMoto Twins Cup Race One Saturday at rainy Road America, in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. Doyle got the holeshot on his Dunlop-shod Giaccmoto Yamaha YZF-R7, gained a 4.5-second lead on the first lap, and continued adding to his advantage until he won the five-lap race – his second of the season — by 10.443 seconds.
Pole-sitter Alessandro Di Mario was the runner-up on his Rodio Racing – Powered by Robem Engineering Aprilia RS 600 in spite of riding with a days-old broken left thumb.
Rocco Landers was happy to finish third, and take his career-first wet-race podium finish, on his RevZilla/Motul/Vance & Hines Suzuki GSX-8R. Landers also took over the Championship point lead.
Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Rossi Moor was pressuring Landers on lap four of five when he had a moment in the chicane and lost one second. Moor recovered quickly, caught back up to Landers, but came up 0.157 second short at the finish line and took fourth.
Sean Ungvarsky rounded out the top five finishers on his Koch Racing Yamaha.
Di Mario’s teammate Gus Rodio did not start Race One due to apparent technical problems with his motorcycle.
HICKMAN CLAIMS 14TH TT WIN IN DRAMATIC RST SUPERBIKE RACE
Peter Hickman claimed his 14th TT win during a dramatic RST Superbike TT Race at the Isle of Man TT Races, matching Mike Hailwood’s tally. The Monster Energy BMW by FHO Racing rider taking the lead on the final lap to win by 5.84 seconds from Davey Todd (Milwaukee BMW) with Dean Harrison (Honda Racing) in third.
It was one of the most thrilling races of recent times as Michael Dunlop (MasterMac by Hawk/MD Racing Honda) originally led by twenty-five seconds at two-thirds race distance only to have an issue with the sidepod on his visor leaving the pits after his second stop – this resulted in him stopping on Bray Hill, which dropped him down to fourth.
The race got underway on time at 2.40pm with near perfect conditions around the Mountain Course and it was Todd who led through Glen Helen for the first time, his advantage over Hickman just 0.037 seconds. They were quickly followed by Harrison, Dunlop, Hickman’s team-mate Josh Brookes and James Hillier (WTF Racing Honda) as only 3.5 seconds covered the top six but Brookes was soon out, retiring at Handley’s after his chain came off.
Todd maintained his lead at Ballaugh, only 0.166 seconds ahead of new second-placed rider Harrison and it was now Dunlop in third as Hickman slipped back to fourth. But, by Ramsey, Todd had extended his lead over Harrison to 1.18 seconds, although Hickman was the fastest rider from Ballaugh to Ramsey. James Hind, fifth in Saturday’s Supersport race, was another retirement as was Shaun Anderson.
An opening lap of 134.417mph gave Todd a 2.2 second advantage over Dunlop (134.118mph), aided by the best ever sector time from the Bungalow to Cronk Ny Mona, but Harrison (134.048mph) was only half a second further back with Hickman (133.754mph) still in fourth. Hillier (132.172mph) and KTS Racing’s Jamie Coward (131.627mph) were now fifth and sixth ahead of Conor Cummins, John McGuinness, David Johnson and Mike Browne, the latter becoming officially the fastest ever Aprilia rider around the Mountain Course.
Dunlop was quickest to Glen Helen and cut Todd’s lead to 1.5 seconds and although Hickman was closing in on Harrison, the gap between them now just three tenths of a second, he’d lost another second to the leaders. Coward was also closing in on Hillier, the deficit now 2.2 seconds.
Over Ballaugh Bridge and Dunlop was ahead by half a second and round Ramsey Hairpin for the second time, he’d extended his lead over Todd to 4.4 seconds with the quickest ever sector time between the two timing points.
Dunlop was inside the outright lap record at Ramsey and although he fell just short, a second lap of 135.543mph saw him move nine seconds clear. Hickman (134.701mph) was charging though, and he was now in second, four tenths of a second ahead of Todd (133.980mph) as Harrison (133.234mph) continued to lose ground in fourth. Hillier (131.898mph) and Coward (132.098mph) continued to hold onto fifth and sixth ahead of McGuinness, Cummins, Johnson and Browne, the latter just a fraction outside his first ever 130mph lap.
Hickman lost time in the pits though and dropped back to third at Glen Helen on lap three, five seconds behind Todd and a further nine behind the pace setting Dunlop. Hillier had also added five seconds to his advantage over Hillier whilst Dunlop moved ahead of Harrison along the Sulby Straight to now lead on the road.
Dunlop was extending his lead through every timing point and at half race distance, he’d pulled 17.3 seconds clear of Todd with Hickman now four seconds adrift of his fellow BMW rider. Harrison was running in a comfortable fourth, but Coward had now overhauled Hillier for fifth, albeit by just 0.3 seconds. Cummins retired from ninth though at the pits as did Phil Crowe and Rob Hodson with 16-time winner Ian Hutchinson going out at Windy Corner.
Back at the front and a fourth lap speed of 135.235mph enabled Dunlop to stretch his lead further over Todd to 25.1 seconds as he came in for his second pit stop but the battle for third was hotting up as Harrison, benefitting from a tow from Dunlop, posted a personal best lap of 135.185mph to move two seconds ahead of Hickman. Coward (132.655mph) also set a new personal best as he took a stranglehold of fifth with McGuinness now up to sixth.
However, drama followed after Dunlop left the pits as his new visor hadn’t clipped in correctly and he stopped down Bray Hill losing valuable time to fix it – when he got to Glen Helen for the penultimate time, he’d dropped to fourth with Harrison in the lead! Hickman was only 1.1 second behind Harrison though with Todd ten seconds adrift in third.
Starting the final lap it had changed again with Hickman now leading Harrison by two seconds with Todd, who’d taken the best Ballaugh-Ramsey sector time off Dunlop, well in touch and only 4.7 seconds back, which set it all up for a thrilling final 37.73 miles.
Having been in the position before though, Hickman tightened his grip of the race throughout the lap and final lap speed of 135.534mph gave him a 5.8 second victory over Todd with Harrison completing the podium in third. Dunlop was left to wonder what might have been in fourth with his only consolation being a new Superbike lap record of 135.970mph.
The battle for fifth went all the way to the end with Hillier coming out on top, 2.8 second ahead of McGuinness with Coward only 0.2s behind his fellow Honda rider. The top ten was completed by INCompetition Aprilia’s Browne, Michael Rutter (Bathams Ales BMW) and Brian McCormack (Roadhouse Macau by FHO BMW).
Rocco Landers won MotoAmerica BellissiMoto Twins Cup Race Two Sunday at Road America, in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. Riding his RevZilla/Motul/Vance & Hines Suzuki GSX-8R, Landers came from behind, took the lead on the final lap, and held on to win by 0.154 second.
Alessandro Di Mario led most of the race on his Rodio Racing – Powered by Robem Engineering Aprilia RS 660, but the 15-year-old said his softer-option rear tire ran out of grip at the end of the race.
Rossi Moor passed Dominic Doyle on the final lap to get third and his first Twins Cup podium finish on his Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki.
Avery Dreher finished fourth on his TopPro Racing Aprilia.
Doyle crashed his Giaccmoto Racing Yamaha YZF-R7 on the final lap but was able to remount and salvage fifth place.
Matthew Chapin won MotoAmerica Junior Cup Race Two Sunday at Road America, in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. Riding his BARTCON Racing Kawasaki Ninja 400 on Dunlop control tires, Chapin led a large group riders across the stripe for six of the seven laps and won by 0.346 second.
Speed Demon Racing’s Logan Cunnison was the runner-up, and Fernandez Racing’s Jayden Fernandez made a big comeback through the race to score third.
The top six finishers were within 0.660 second of each other at the checkered flag.
Mikayla Moore won MotoAmerica Royal Enfield Build. Train. Race. (BTR) Race Two Sunday at Road America, in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. Riding her Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 on Dunlop control tires, the defending Champion bounced back from a crash and injury that prevented her from riding in Race One and ran away to win five-lap Race Two by 23.9 seconds.
With the win, Moore retook the lead in the Championship point standings.
Aubrey Credaroli took the runner-up spot by 0.2 second over third-place finisher Cassie Creer.
The Mugello Circuit in Italy. Photo courtesy Michelin.
Francesco “Pecco” Bagnaia won the FIM MotoGP World Championship race Sunday at the Mugello circuit, in Italy. Riding his Lenovo Team Ducati Desmosedici GP24 on Michelin control tires, the two-time and defending World Champion won the 23-lap race by 0.799 second
Bagnaia’s Italian teammate Enea Bastianini took a runner-up finish in front of his home fans.
Jorge Martin made it an all-Ducati podium by placing third on his Prima Pramac Racing Ducati.
Six-time MotoGP World Champion Marc Marquez finished fourth on his Gresini Ducati.
Rookie sensation Pedro Acosta got fifth on his Red Bull GASGAS Tech3 machine.
Nuvola azzurra: Bagnaia reigns as Bastianini charges past Martin and Marquez at Mugello
Ducati Lenovo paint Mugello blue as the reigning Champion lays down the gauntlet and the Beast has his Sprint revenge
The start of the MotoGP race at Mugello. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Sunday, 02 June 2024
Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) completed a near-perfect weekend on home turf with a masterclass victory in the Gran Premio d’Italia Brembo. The Italian stormed to the lead from lights out and then kept it on perfect rails to stay a tantalising distance ahead of Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) for much of the race, with the gap going up and down but never quite in range for an attack. That instead came from Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Team) as the #23 put together an almighty final charge.
The Beast duelled Marc Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) and then put in a late burst of lightning speed to catch Martin, that enough to put him within striking distance at the final corner. And strike he did. Slicing up the inside and keeping it clean as anything, the #23 served his Tissot Sprint revenge to make it a Ducati Lenovo 1-2, with Martin forced to settle for third.
As the lights went out, Bagnaia went full Bagnaia. Second around San Donato as he threaded the needle from the second row, he immediately then lined up and pickpocketed Martin to go into the lead. From there, the hammer was down as Martin dug in to hold on, with Bastianini third ahead of Marc Marquez and Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing).
The chess game was on from there on out. Three tenths, six tenths, eight tenths, five tenths; Martin wasn’t getting dropped but he wasn’t consistently able to stay close enough to attack the #1 in the lead.
Meanwhile, Pedro Acosta (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) was on the march. Marquez made a move on Bastianini into San Donato and headed wide, with the #23 hitting back immediately, and that put the rookie superstar right on Marquez’ tail. The GASGAS shadowed him round the lap but couldn’t find a way through, then heading wide at the final corner and forced to watch the Gresini disappear out of striking distance.
At the front, the chess match rolled on. Bagnaia led Martin led Bastianini, with Marquez then starting to harry the #23. Acosta was a few tenths further back, with Franco Morbidelli (Prima Pramac Racing) starting to come under pressure from Viñales with 12 to go. It was tense holding stations, with the one small ripple in the calm coming as Martin went deep into San Donato with 10 laps to go, but he gathered it back up.
Francesco “Pecco” Bagnaia (1) leads Jorge Martin (89). Photo courtesy Dorna.
By six laps to go, it wasn’t check mate but it was starting to heat up into a grandstand finish. Marc Marquez finally made a move on Bastianini, attacking into San Donato with a clean move that gave the #23 no right of reply. His mission seemed then to catch Martin, but Martin was starting to cut the gap to the front once again. By three laps to go, it had been halved from the eight or nine tenth maximum Bagnaia had had at any point. Game on?
Very much so, but not for the #89. Instead, Bagnaia threw down the gauntlet and disappeared again as Bastianini stole the spotlight. Through on Marc Marquez at Scarperia, the exact same style of move the #93 had pulled on him, the Beast was on a charge and his next target was the other half of the Sprint tangle that had sent him into the gravel.
Locked on and flying, as Bagnaia crossed the line to take his third Italian GP win in a row as part of his second Mugello double, Bastianini was homing in. Into the very final corner the Ducati Lenovo Team rider found space on the inside to complete the fairtytale 1-2 for the team, and in some serious style as pandemonium erupted in the grandstands. Over the line with time in hand over Martin, Bastianini followed Bagnaia home – and Martin’s lead is cut to just 18 points.
Still, it was another podium finish and a good haul of points, and it was ahead of fellow frontrunner Marc Marquez, who was forced to settle for fourth. Acosta ended up in a lonelier ride for fifth after he’d lost touch with the front group.
Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) caught Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP) and got past him, and then managed to catch Viñales and Morbidelli to create a three-way fight for sixth. He made made it past the Aprilia just as the race entered the final three laps, but Morbidelli managed to stay ahead to take P6 ahead of the VR46 rider, Viñales and Alex Marquez.
Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) didn’t get the same stellar start as he did in Saturday, but the South African held off Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) to complete the top ten.
It’s now just 18 points separating Martin from Bagnaia at the top of the Championship, and after a maximum of 259 have already been on the table. Will the tale twist again at Assen? We’ll find out in a few weeks as MotoGP™ now resets and reloads before heading for the Cathedral. And Ducati keep pondering their 2025 line-up.
Joe Roberts (16) held off Manuel Gonzalez (18) to win the Moto2 race at Mugello. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Roberts fights off Gonzalez on the last lap to take first victory since 2022
In a blockbuster Moto2™ race at the Gran Premio d’Italia Brembo, Joe Roberts (OnlyFans American Racing Team) took victory in a nail-biting last lap decider, the American repelling the best efforts of Manuel Gonzalez (QJMOTOR Gresini Moto2™) to take top honours for the first time since the 2022 Portuguese GP. Completing the podium was MB Conveyors SpeedUp’s Alonso Lopez, who was elbows out in the front fight, as ever.
Off like a rocket at the start, Roberts led early on the opening lap. He had close competition though, with Lopez and a Darryn Binder (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) following on eagerly. A flying start also came in from Ai Ogura (MT Helmets – MSI) as well, who stormed to seventh after starting 12th.
Lopez would follow Roberts until lap four before he pounced at San Donato, but it wouldn’t be until Turn 3 before he could make the move stick. Unfortunately for the MB Conveyors Speed Up team, it was glory for one and disaster for another in that moment as Lopez’ teammate Fermin Aledguer crashed out after contact from Jeremy Alcoba (Yamaha VR46 Master Camp Team).
Still in the lead, Lopez now had Gonzalez behind as he had found his way through on Roberts. Slightly further back in the lead pack, disaster stuck for Binder who skittled into the gravel at Arrabbiata 1, an early end to what had been a strong weekend all round.
In a six-rider battle for the lead, everything was building to a grandstand last half of the race. The action kicked off as Roberts and Lopez ran wide at Turn 1 – giving them both more work to do – and allowing Gonzalez and Canet to the lead. But it wouldn’t be long before Roberts would then return the favour and find his way through to the front with just three laps remaining, asking questions of the others at the front.
As a dramatic finish loomed, Roberts entered the final lap in the lead. Gonzalez got a fantastic slipstream and attacked round San Donato, but the American hit back at the next available chance, diving to the inside at Turn 2. Under the highest of pressure, Roberts held strong to take his first victory since the 2022 Portuguese GP by just 0.067s. Gonzalez’ search for a first Moto2™ win goes on, and Lopez picked up third podium of the season.
Claiming fourth was Championship leader Sergio Garcia (MT Helmets – MSI), whose advantage in the standings has reduced to seven points. Behind Garcia was teammate Ogura, who Garcia pipped on the last lap, ahead of Aron Canet (Fantic Racing) and home hero Celestino Vietti (Red Bull KTM Ajo). Izan Guevara (CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team) claimed eighth as IDEMITSU Honda Team Asia’s Somkiat Chantra and OnlyFans American Racing Team’s Marcos Ramirez rounded out the top 10.
Next up is the TT Circuit Assen in three weeks’ time for what is set to be yet another dramatic Grand Prix, so join us for more at the Cathedral!
David Alonso (80) won the Moto3 race at Mugello. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Alonso just keeps the edge on Veijer to extend his lead to 37 points
David Alonso (CFMoto Valresa Aspar Team) remains the rider to beat in Moto3™, taking his fifth win of the season in style at Mugello. The Colombian led from the front for much of a shortened 11-lap dash and held off a late charge from Collin Veijer (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) to take another 25-point haul. Ryusei Yamanaka (MT Helmets – MSI) charged up from P13 on the grid to secure third and his first ever Grand Prix podium.
The initial start was red-flagged following a crash for Fillippo Farioli (SIC58 Squadra Corse) and Xabi Zurutuza (Red Bull KTM Ajo), with Zurutuza heading to hospital for further examination. Once back underway, the distance was reduced to 11 laps of Mugello, with one clear aim for most: keep up with Alonso.
There was drama nearly immediately as Dani Holgado (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) tagged riders at Turn 1 and sent Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) and Stefano Nepa (LEVEL UP-MTA) crashing out, with the #96 given a double Long Lap for irresponsible riding.
Meanwhile at the front, it was a breakway group of six making their moves: Alonso, Veijer, Yamanaka, Ivan Ortola (MT Helmets – MSI), Taiyo Furusato (Honda Team Asia) and David Muñoz (BOE Motorsports).
With four to go, it looked like Alonso was trying to make a break, and it took Veijer a couple of laps to take over in second and get enough breathing space to start trying to close the Colombian down. But that he did, and by the start of the final lap the Dutchman was within a couple of tenths, with Ortola in third.
Ultimately, however, he couldn’t get close enough to make a move, and then there was drama in the fight for the final place on the podium too as Ortola slid out at Turn 12, ending his rostrum hopes. One of the quickest remounts of all time saw him still take sixth, but Yamanaka was up the road to take his maiden Grand Prix podium and continue his impressive consistency running near the front in 2024.
Fourth went to Furusato as he was the final rider within a couple of seconds of the front, with Muñoz forced to settle for fifth further down the road. Ortola remounted for that sixth ahead of another impressive ride from rookie Luca Lunetta (SIC58 Squadra Corse). Adrian Fernandez (Leopard Racing), rookie Jacob Roulstone (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) and Matteo Bertelle (Kopron Rivacold Snipers Team) completed the top ten in a closer group battle.
The gap is now 37 points for Alonso at the top. Now it’s next stop Assen after a spring break, but the question remains the same: can anyone stop the Colombian? Veijer nearly managed it at Mugello, and on his home turf in the Netherlands, he’ll try and find another kitchen sink to add to his armory.
The Mugello Circuit in Italy. Photo courtesy Michelin.
Joe Roberts won the FIM Moto2 World Championship race Sunday at the Mugello Circuit, in Italy. Riding his OnlyFans American Racing Team Kalex on Pirelli control tires, the American held off Spaniard Manuel Gonzalez by 0.067 second to take his first win and fourth podium finish of the season.
Gonzalez had to settle for the runner-up spot on his QJMOTOR Gresini Kalex, and Alonso Lopez finished a close third on his MB Conveyors SpeedUp Boscoscuro.
Roberts fights off Gonzalez on the last lap to take first victory since 2022
Joe Roberts (16) held off Manuel Gonzalez (18) to win the Moto2 race at Mugello. Photo courtesy Dorna.
In a blockbuster Moto2™ race at the Gran Premio d’Italia Brembo, Joe Roberts (OnlyFans American Racing Team) took victory in a nail-biting last lap decider, the American repelling the best efforts of Manuel Gonzalez (QJMOTOR Gresini Moto2™) to take top honours for the first time since the 2022 Portuguese GP. Completing the podium was MB Conveyors SpeedUp’s Alonso Lopez, who was elbows out in the front fight, as ever.
Off like a rocket at the start, Roberts led early on the opening lap. He had close competition though, with Lopez and a Darryn Binder (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) following on eagerly. A flying start also came in from Ai Ogura (MT Helmets – MSI) as well, who stormed to seventh after starting 12th.
Lopez would follow Roberts until lap four before he pounced at San Donato, but it wouldn’t be until Turn 3 before he could make the move stick. Unfortunately for the MB Conveyors Speed Up team, it was glory for one and disaster for another in that moment as Lopez’ teammate Fermin Aledguer crashed out after contact from Jeremy Alcoba (Yamaha VR46 Master Camp Team).
Still in the lead, Lopez now had Gonzalez behind as he had found his way through on Roberts. Slightly further back in the lead pack, disaster stuck for Binder who skittled into the gravel at Arrabbiata 1, an early end to what had been a strong weekend all round.
In a six-rider battle for the lead, everything was building to a grandstand last half of the race. The action kicked off as Roberts and Lopez ran wide at Turn 1 – giving them both more work to do – and allowing Gonzalez and Canet to the lead. But it wouldn’t be long before Roberts would then return the favour and find his way through to the front with just three laps remaining, asking questions of the others at the front.
As a dramatic finish loomed, Roberts entered the final lap in the lead. Gonzalez got a fantastic slipstream and attacked round San Donato, but the American hit back at the next available chance, diving to the inside at Turn 2. Under the highest of pressure, Roberts held strong to take his first victory since the 2022 Portuguese GP by just 0.067s. Gonzalez’ search for a first Moto2™ win goes on, and Lopez picked up third podium of the season.
Claiming fourth was Championship leader Sergio Garcia (MT Helmets – MSI), whose advantage in the standings has reduced to seven points. Behind Garcia was teammate Ogura, who Garcia pipped on the last lap, ahead of Aron Canet (Fantic Racing) and home hero Celestino Vietti (Red Bull KTM Ajo). Izan Guevara (CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team) claimed eighth as IDEMITSU Honda Team Asia’s Somkiat Chantra and OnlyFans American Racing Team’s Marcos Ramirez rounded out the top 10.
Next up is the TT Circuit Assen in three weeks’ time for what is set to be yet another dramatic Grand Prix, so join us for more at the Cathedral!
More, from a press release issued by Pirelli:
Record Moto2™ and Moto3™ races in Mugello with standard Pirelli tyres
Joe Roberts (16) leads Manuel Gonzalez (18), Aron Canet (44), and the rest early in the Moto2 race at Mugello. Photo courtesy Pirelli.
First win of the year for Roberts in Moto2™ and fifth victory for Alonso in Moto3™; new all-time and race lap records with Pirelli using tyres from the DIABLO Superbike range
The Grand Prix of Italy, raced at the Mugello International Racetrack, had American Joe Roberts (OnlyFans American Racing Team/Kalex) winning in Moto2™ and Columbian David Alonso (CFMOTO Valresa Aspar Team CFMOTO/CFMOTO) taking victory in Moto3™.
With this triumph, his first of the season, Roberts is now second behind Sergio Garcia in the Moto2™ standings, whereas Alonso, now with five wins this year, leads the overall Moto3™ standings with a 37-point advantage over David Holgado.
Satisfaction in the Pirelli camp: thanks to the performance of the DIABLO Superbike range tyres, which are available for purchase regularly on the market, new all-time and race lap records were set for both categories in Mugello, significantly improving on the previous record times.
Giorgio Barbier
Motorcycle Racing Director
A nice bounty of records and a great show on the track
“We are closing out this weekend in Mugello with satisfaction after setting new all-time lap records on Saturday and new race lap records today, all using standard tyres and not prototypes, so products that are sold regularly on the market and available for purchase by all riders. Today in Moto2™, an astonishing 10 riders dropped below the previous race lap record, with Canet improving on it by more than 7 tenths, whereas in Moto3™, there were 15 riders who did at least one lap below the previous record and Veijer set the new record on the tenth and penultimate lap, a full 1.5 seconds faster than the previous one and, even more impressive, after a red flag with a jump start, so without being able to use the tyre warmer on the starting grid. This means that the tyres performed extremely well, demonstrating highly consistent performance all the way to the end of the race. I think it was also significant to see two riders with Kalex frames on the podium in Moto2™, because this means that, by working on the setup and gradually gaining experience, bikes with different frames can battle on an even pitch for victory. Now we have three weekends off before two consecutive GP rounds, in Assen and on the Sachsenring.”
Moto2™
With asphalt temperatures in line with those of the past couple days, for the race, the riders confirmed the solutions that had been most used in practice, so almost everyone was on the grid with the soft SC0 rear and the soft SC1 front. The only exceptions were Binder, Baltus, and Agius who preferred the medium SC2 at the front.
The race was held over a distance of 12 laps due to a restart of the Moto3™ race. American Joe Roberts (OnlyFans American Racing Team/Kalex) won after starting from pole position ahead of Manuel Gonzalez (QJMOTOR Gresini Moto2/Kalex) and Alonso Lopez (MB Conveyors SpeedUp/Boscoscuro), all with the same tyre options.
Aron Canet (Fantic Racing/Kalex) set the new race lap record on the second lap with a time of 1’50.476, improving on the previous one by more than 7 tenths which had been set in 2021 by Sam Lowes. Besides him, another 10 riders did at least one lap faster than the previous track record time.
Moto3™
With asphalt temperatures higher than 30°C, most of the riders on the grid opted for the medium SC2 front and soft SC1 rear combination. The only three riders to put the soft SC1 solution on the front were Furusato, Whatley, and Buasri, whereas Lunetta, Roulstone, Kelso, Muñoz, Farioli, Esteban, Almansa, and Dettwiler opted for the medium SC2 at the rear.
After a red flag on the fifth lap due to an accident, there were 11 laps left to race at the restart with 7 riders making tyre changes: Lunetta, Furusato, Kelso, Rossi, Muñoz, Fernandez, and Piqueras. Overall, the medium SC2 front was used by 22 out of 26 riders, whereas 18 riders opted for the soft SC1 rear. All the riders on the podium used the SC2 front and the SC1 rear.
After starting from pole position, David Alonso (CFMOTO Valresa Aspar Team CFMOTO/CFMOTO) won his fifth race of the year and now firmly leads in the overall championship standings. Collin Veijer (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP/Husqvarna), second across the finish line, set the race lap record with a time of 1’54.738 on the tenth and penultimate lap, breaking the previous record by 1.5 seconds which had been set by Sasaki in 2023. Overall, 15 riders dropped below the previous track race lap record.
FIM Red Bull MotoGP™ Rookies Cup
The fourth round of the talent cup which is part of the Dorna Road to MotoGP™ project was also held on the Tuscan track. All the riders’ KTM machines are equipped with Pirelli DIABLO Superbike tyres in SC2 compound at the front and rear. The seventh and eighth race of the season, held over a distance of 13 laps, were won respectively by Spaniard Máximo Quiles and Argentine Valentin Perrone.
With a time of 1’59.921, Spaniard Alvaro Carpe set the new all-time lap record for the track in this category, breaking the one set by Angel Piqueras in 2023 by 8 tenths, whereas in Race 1, Malaysian Hakim Danish set the new race lap record on the ninth lap with a time of 2’00.198.
The Mugello Circuit in Italy. Photo courtesy Michelin.
David Alonso won the restarted FIM Moto3 World Championship race Sunday at Mugello, in Italy. Riding his Valresa Aspar Team CFMOTO, the young Colombian held off Collin Veijer to win by 0.142 second, extending his lead in the Championship points.
Veijer had to settle for the runner-up spot on his Liqui Moly Intact GP Husqvarna.
Ryusei Yamanaka claimed the final spot on the podium by finishing third on his MT Helmets – MSI KTM 1.253 seconds behind Alonso.
The race was red-flagged for a crash involving Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Xabi Zurutuza and SIC58 Squadra Corse’s Filippo Farioli on lap three. Both were reported as “conscious” by Dorna. The race was restarted from original gird positions and run for 11 laps.
Brilliant debut Rookies win for Perrone in Mugello 2
Valentin Perrone (73), Brian Uriarte (51), and Álvaro Carpe (83) race for the lead at Mugello. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Just 2 seconds covered the top 16 KTMs across the line at the end of Mugello Race 2 as Argentina’s Valentin Perrone took his first Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup victory.
Brian Uriarte and Álvaro Carpe matched their 2nd and 3rd places from yesterday just ahead of Rico Salmela.
Perrone takes incredible victory
“I’m really happy with this first win,” grinned the 16-year-old Argentine who was 2nd in his first Rookies Cup race, the season opener in Jerez and has backed that up with a string of good results. “What can I say about the race, it was really crazy, so many overtakes. Then in the last corner, I don’t know exactly what happened, I think Maximo touched Ruche, I don’t know. I took a little the slipstream then got the victory.”
“The plan for the last lap? No, just push like crazy and see what happens. It worked!”
Uriarte lost again
“Second position again, that’s sort of OK, we still get some points in front of Maximo. But still first loser,” laughed the Spanish 15-year-old after his 4th podium of the season.
“Really I’m happy, I enjoyed the race, the last lap I didn’t do so well, I was almost the last of the group, the snake they made on the straight didn’t allow me to pass so it was quite tough but I still managed to make some passes.”
“The last lap was the most exciting for me and the one I most enjoyed, I got up to the front. I don’t know what happened at the end, it all got a bit crazy, that stopped me a little bit otherwise I think I could have got the win. But still a nice weekend, good results and good for the championship, I have to do just a little bit more and get the win next time.”
Carpe completes very strong weekend
“I am very happy as I enjoyed this race so much,” enthused the 16-year-old Spaniard. “All the battling, all the overtaking, it was great to be running at the front all the way.”
“The race was fast and aggressive, I think I did a good job through the weekend and I got two podiums. Now I am 3rd in the championship, 13 points behind Maximo. I say thanks to my Family, Friends and everyone that supports me.”
Salmela’s Super Sunday
“The start of the race was difficult because I didn’t do yesterday’s race, well I did but only a few corners,” smiled the reserved 16-year-old Finn. “The plan was OK, I tried to be more or less, in P4, P3 for the last lap, I was behind Ruche, it’s not easy to overtake Ruche, he’s good on the brakes.”
“Then through the last corner, at first I wanted to pass on the inside but everyone went to the inside and was slow, I saw a gap and went for it but then almost lost the front mid-corner. Then I went a bit wide but still, I thought I was going to make it to the victory or at least the podium.”
“Then I saw Maximo really close to me, was a surprise, I had to cut the gas a bit and lost. P4 is not bad, I wanted more but…. better than yesterday.”
Màximo Quiles 5th – penalised for incident with Ruche Moodley
“A really difficult race, many people slowing, not wanting to give the slipstream and it was crazy,” stated the 16-year-old Spaniard.
“In the last corner no nobody wanted to push and I pushed, I moved to cut the slipstream and I touched Ruche and I am really sorry for him. It was a really dangerous moment and I’m really sad for him and I want to say sorry.”
Following the race, the FIM Rookies Cup Stewards Panel stated that Quiles was, “found to have caused a crash by swerving into the line of another rider at the exit at Turn 15.”
As a result of this the Panel, “has imposed a Suspension from participation in the Motul TT Assen.”
Hakim Danish in the lead group all the way – P6
“In today’s race I feel better than yesterday,” explained the Malaysian 16-year-old. “I felt more confident in the bike and also with my riding. I was able to run in the front group and be in a good position.”
“It was only in the last lap there was a little bit missing, I lost a couple of positions, then I tried to come back. In the last corner, I tried to grab a good position but finally got P6. I’m looking forward to the next race in Assen.”
Leonardo Zanni steps up to 7th
“I am very happy for my best result in the Rookies Cup,” enthused the Italian 15-year-old “It was a hard race, it’s a long straight here and I don’t seem to pass anyone on the straight, I have to do it all on the brakes and round the corners. So I had to work very hard.”
“In the last lap I was determined, I overtook 2 or 3 riders, then another on the run to the line, I am so happy to do this result at my home race.”
Veda Pratama led – but not at the flag P8
“I’m not happy… this is the result, that is what it is,” reported the disappointed 15-year-old Indonesian. “I made mistakes during the race, I can fight but the result was not good for me. I will try to do better in the next round.”
Brothers Ryan and Callum Crowe (3) won Sidecar TT Race One. Photo by Barry Clay.
CROWES CLAIM THEIR FIRST TT VICTORY IN 3WHEELING.MEDIA SIDECAR TT RACE 1
Ryan and Callum Crowe claimed their first win at the Isle of Man TT Races with victory in 3wheeling.media Sidecar TT Race 1, the Manx brothers coming home 26.894 seconds ahead of Pete Founds/Jevan Walmsley with Alan Founds/Rhys Gibbons taking third.
The Crowes set the fastest lap of the race on their Kelproperties Honda at 119.800mph to be the first Manx Sidecar winners since 2014 and emulate the feat of their five-time winner dad Nick Crowe.
With perfect conditions, the three-lap race got underway at 5.45pm and the Crowes led through Glen Helen on the opening lap, their advantage over Founds/Walmsley (FHO Racing Honda) already 6.3 seconds. Crawford/Hardie (ARC Newton Aycliffe/SJH Bodyworks Kawasaki) slotted into third a further 4.4 seconds adrift with Blackstock/Rosney (Dave Holden Racing Yamaha), Founds/Gibbons (Founds Racing Yamaha) and Reeves/Wilkes (Bonovo Action/Carl Cox Motorsport Honda) rounding out the early top six. Molyneux/Roberts (Kelproperties Kawasaki) were already out though having retired at Ballacraine.
By Ballaugh the Crowes’ lead was up to 9.4 seconds and they’d caught Founds/Walmsley on the road, overtaking them soon after on the run to Quarry Bends. Back at Ballaugh jump Founds/Gibbons had taken over third from Blackstock/Rosney with Crawford/Hardie dropping back two places to fifth, with only four seconds covering third to sixth.
On to Ramsey Hairpin and the lead was up 10.2 seconds, Founds/Walmsley having briefly got back ahead of the Crowes at Parliament Square only to run immediately wide. The battle for third continued to rage though with Blackstock/Rosney now in the final podium position, 2.2 seconds ahead of Founds/Gibbons with Crawford/Hardie a similar distance behind in fifth.
An opening lap of 118.525mph gave the Crowes a 12.2 second advantage over Founds/Walmsley. They, in turn, were almost half a minute clear of Blackstock/Rosney (114.495mph), Founds/Gibbons (114.30mph), Crawford/Hardie (114.257mph) and Reeves/Wilkes (114.190mph), just three seconds covering the quartet. Seventh was being held by newcomers Ellis/Clement (Brookland Sand & Aggregates Yamaha) after an opening lap of 113.006mph.
The Ramsdens were other high-profile retirements having stopped at the Creg-Ny-Baa, whilst bad luck hit eighth-placed Gibson/Christie after a spill at Brandywell fortunately without injury.
Back at the front and the Crowes’ lead had extended to almost 17 seconds at Glen Helen second time around whilst the crews fighting for third were now only separated by 1.6 seconds, Blackstock/Rosney just doing enough to hold onto the position. It was unbelievably close though as Founds/Gibbons had closed to within 0.1 seconds and, indeed, they moved back into third at Ballaugh.
Starting the third and final lap, the Crowes looked comfortable in the lead, a second lap of 119.800mph – a new personal best – stretching the gap to Founds/Walmsley (117.923mph) to more than half a minute.
Founds/Gibbons (115.984mph) were now looking more secure in third having opened a 6.2 second advantage over Blackstock/Rosney (115.169mph) with Gibbons become the fastest sidecar newcomer ever. Crawford/Hardie (115.213mph) and Reeves/Wilkes (115.076mph) also broke the 115mph barrier with seventh placed Ellis/Clement (113.786mph) continuing to excel.
With a trouble-free final lap, the Crowes successfully brought their outfit home for a famous win, more than half a minute clear of Founds/Walmlsey. Then with another 115mph+ lap, Founds/Gibbons claimed the final podium position, passenger Gibbons being the first newcomer to achieve the feat since Walmsley eight years ago.
Blackstock/Rosney held on for fourth, just half a second ahead of Crawford/Hardie, with Reeves/Wilkes, Ellis/Clement, Holden/Claeys, Saunders/Saunders, who set their first ever 110mph+ lap, and Harrison/Moore completing the top ten.
As well as Gibbons becoming the fastest newcomer ever, Ellis claimed the same accolade for a driver whilst Clement became the fastest female passenger around the Mountain Course with her lap of 113.786mph eclipsing the lap of 111.053mph by French compatriot Melanie Farnier set two years ago.
Dominic Doyle won MotoAmerica BellissiMoto Twins Cup Race One Saturday at rainy Road America, in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. Doyle got the holeshot on his Dunlop-shod Giaccmoto Yamaha YZF-R7, gained a 4.5-second lead on the first lap, and continued adding to his advantage until he won the five-lap race – his second of the season — by 10.443 seconds.
Pole-sitter Alessandro Di Mario was the runner-up on his Rodio Racing – Powered by Robem Engineering Aprilia RS 600 in spite of riding with a days-old broken left thumb.
Rocco Landers was happy to finish third, and take his career-first wet-race podium finish, on his RevZilla/Motul/Vance & Hines Suzuki GSX-8R. Landers also took over the Championship point lead.
Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Rossi Moor was pressuring Landers on lap four of five when he had a moment in the chicane and lost one second. Moor recovered quickly, caught back up to Landers, but came up 0.157 second short at the finish line and took fourth.
Sean Ungvarsky rounded out the top five finishers on his Koch Racing Yamaha.
Di Mario’s teammate Gus Rodio did not start Race One due to apparent technical problems with his motorcycle.
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