More, from a press release issued by Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup:
Uriarte snatches Rookies points lead from Carpe in sensational Misano win
Brian Uriarte snatched both victory and the Cup lead in Race 1 at Misano on the final lap. The 16-year-old Spaniard goes into the last race of the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup 2024 tomorrow morning just 2 points ahead of season-long rival Álvaro Carpe.
Second across the line was pole man Valentin Perrone and the Argentine 16-year-old finished just 0.26 seconds ahead of Hakim Danish, the Malaysian 17-year-old who won last week. Carpe led down the back straight on the final lap but was passed at the end of it. Then Maximo Quiles crashed in front of him and Carpe finished 6th.
Uriarte’s simple solution
“The plan was to take care of the tyre, not to make the rear suffer too much and have something left for the last laps.”
“I think that I did the best I could. I was just going through the race and enjoying each corner because tomorrow will be the last race.”
Alvaro had an advantage halfway round the last lap. “Yes, but I thought I could catch him. Maybe on the TV, it looked a lot but on the bike, it didn’t look that bad. Maybe half a second, you take the slipstream, you brake a bit later and you have him.”
Sounds simple? “Yes it’s simple, but not that easy,” he concluded with a brilliant laugh.
Perrone kept out of trouble
“It was a crazy race. At the beginning of the race I decided to push, then I realised that the track was not perfect, not the grip we had on Friday so I decided to stay calm. As other riders passed me I didn’t fight too much, I followed.”
“At the end I saw Pini, Maximo, also Brian, all the group riding super crazy. I said to myself, ‘Keep calm, think about the championship.’ Then at the end of the last lap, it all happened right in front of me.”
“I saw Maximo enter the corner the corner a bit crazy, went a bit wide and when he opened the gas he was on the wrong line. I saw it happen, opened the line and kept away, so I could get P2. It’s great to be P3 in the Cup so I will enjoy the race tomorrow, try to win but enjoy it.”
Danish did it little by little
“It was a difficult, tough race for me today. I was a bit towards the back at the start and I was losing the group a bit but I kept my focus and momentum to follow the front group then try to catch them.”
“Little by little I caught them and finally I arrived and got into the lead group. On the last lap, I tried to win, but it was a bit difficult. Anyway, I finished P3, and I have to thank my family and everyone that supports me and we have another race tomorrow. So wish me luck and I will enjoy the race and do everything I can to win.”
Carpe knows he can win
“I’m unhappy today because I could win or at least get a podium,” stated the 17-year-old Spaniard. “But Maximo crashed in front of me. I know that it’s not his fault, also not my fault. Today I wanted my fifth win, and the points for the Cup.”
“Now Brian is in the lead and I need to win tomorrow or at least be on the podium with him behind me to win the Cup. I know it will be difficult, I will try my best.”
“The bike was good, I was fast and in the lead, I know that I can win.”
Waters masters Phillip Island with ASBK Superbike pole
Josh Waters’ affinity with the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit continued today with the hard-charger securing a hard-fought pole position for round five of the 2024 mi-bike Motorcycle Insurance Australian Superbike Championship presented by Motul (ASBK).
On a thrilling day one of the Victorian Government-backed round at the majestic 4.448km circuit, Waters and his Ducati again proved to be an irrepressible combination as the Victorian locked in his 15th career pole position in the AMA Warehouse Superbike class.
The remaining ASBK classes at Phillip Island – Michelin Supersport, Race and Road Supersport 300 and Nolan Superbike Masters – also hit the track today, as well as the fast-twitch Aussie Racing Cars.
With all the practice and qualifying preliminaries now over, Sunday will feature races from go-to-whoa, starting at 9:55am and finishing at 4:30pm.
Spectators receive free entry into the ASBK paddock at Phillip Island and, in addition to the 11 races on the Sunday schedule, there will be a pit walk and autograph signing session, the ASBK Trade Alley to check out the latest and greatest from the motorcycle industry, ‘Mini Moto Come and Try’ sessions for kids, and some lucky people enjoying white-knuckle pillion rides behind former ASBK Superbike champions Troy Corser and Steve Martin.
To purchase tickets for Phillip Island, click here. Tickets will also be available at the gate.
AMA Warehouse Superbike
Waters (McMartin Racing Ducati) always seems to find a way at Phillip Island, and today it was as much about grit as raw speed after he inched his way to the top of the timesheets in the AMA Warehouse Superbike final qualifying session.
In windy conditions which provided a challenge for the Superbike brigade, five riders led the 15-minute outing at different times – Mike Jones (Yamaha Racing Team) the first to lay down a marker – before Waters (1:31.126) finally wrested control with only two minutes remaining.
That was the last real moment of significance, with Waters securing the early weekend spoils ahead of Cru Halliday (Yamaha Racing Team, 1:31.206), lap record holder Harrison Voight (McMartin Racing Ducati, 1:31.412), Arthur Sissis (Stop and Seal Yamaha, 1:31.458), Jones (1:31.541) – currently on a four-race winning streak – and GT Racing BMW veteran Glenn Allerton (1:31.806).
“I’m really happy with my performance today,” said Waters. “It’s important to be on the front row given the field and what I’m up against.
“The wind was actually really challenging today, but it was the same for everyone. I will try my hardest tomorrow and see what I can do.”
Bryan Staring (MotoGo Yamaha, 1:31.840), Broc Pearson (DesmoSport Ducati, 1:31.906) and Max Stauffer (Penrite Racing Yamaha, 1:31.956) were the other riders to dip into the 31-second bracket, with Anthony West (Addicted to Track Yamaha, 1:32.062), Cameron Dunker (Penrite Racing Yamaha, 1:32.192) and Matt Walters (Kawasaki) completing the top 12.
Tomorrow’s two 11-lap races will be held at 11:00am and 2:35pm, with intrigue aplenty as the ASBK superstars go into battle.
Michelin Supersport
South Australian Olly Simpson (Yamaha) secured the bonus point for pole position in the Michelin Supersport class, with his last-gasp flying lap of 1:35.187 enough to annex top spot from Jonathan Nahlous (Yamaha) – who had only one-minute earlier performed the same displacement act on long-time leader Archie McDonald (Yamaha)!
It was Simpson’s first pole position in 2024 en route to a new Supersport qualifying record around Phillip Island – although the race lap record is still owned by Nahlous.
Nahlous (1:35.205) and McDonald (1:35.346) – who chose to sit out the second qualifying session to keep his body and bike fresh for Sunday’s two races – will join Simpson at the pointy end of the grid, with Honda’s Mark Chiodo (1:35.465) the first non-Yamaha rider in fourth from Jake Farnsworth (Yamaha, 1:35.516) and Jack Mahaffy (Yamaha, 1:35.675).
Tom Bramich (Yamaha) – who’s involved in a tight battle for second in the championship with McDonald, Simpson and Farnsworth – qualified in eighth, one spot behind Jack Favelle (Yamaha) and in front of Hayden Nelson (Kawasaki) and Hunter Ford (Yamaha).
Race and Road Supersport 300
Sixteen-year-old Wil Nassif (Yamaha) soared to his first pole position in the Race and Road Superport 300 class, nearly half a second ahead of Jordy Simpson (Yamaha).
It marked a massive 12-spot upward trajectory for Nassif from his qualifying position at Phillip Island’s round one in February, as he now looks to become the sixth rider to win a race in the 2024 championship.
Alongside Nassif and Simpson on the front row for tomorrow’s three seven-lap races will be Josh Newman (Kawasaki), followed by Valentino Knezovic (Yamaha), round one race winner Harrison Watts (Kawasaki) and Oliver Short (Kawasaki) in grid positions 4-6.
Newman currently leads the standings by 1pt ahead of Knezovic, followed by Watts, Simpson and Nassif.
Race one is at 9:55am on Sunday for the 23-rider field.
Nolan Superbike Masters
As expected, defending champion Keo Watson and main rival Jack Passfield quickly set about turning the opening Nolan Superbike Masters race into a battle of their Yamaha FZRs, with the former just getting the win by a scant 0.116 seconds after five pulsating laps.
The pair is now deadlocked on 90pts apiece in the title, ahead of another FZR pilot Dean Oughtred (65pts) who was third in race one after an arm wrestle against Suzuki GSX-R1100 riders Murray Clark and Ryan Taylor.
Races two and three will be held for the massive Superbike Masters field tomorrow.
Jorge Martin won the MotoGP World Championship Tissot Sprint Race Saturday at Misano World Circuit – Marco Simoncelli, in San Marino. Riding his Prima Pramac Racing Ducati Desmosedici on Michelin control tires, the Spaniard won the 13-lap race by 1.495 seconds. It was Martin’s fifth Sprint Race win of the season, extending his lead in the World Championship point standings.
Two-time and defending World Champion Francesco Bagnaia was the runner-up on his Lenovo Ducati.
Martin’s teammate Franco Morbidelli was a close third.
Bagnaia’s teammate Enea Bastianini was equally close in fourth.
Six-time MotoGP World Champion Marc Marquez finished fifth on his Gresini Racing Ducati.
Martin denies Bagnaia on home turf as Morbidelli claims maiden Sprint podium
The Spaniard storms to Sprint glory to extend his lead to 26 points, escaping a last lap battle to complete the podium
Jorge Martin (89) leads Francesco Bagnaia (1), Franco Morbidelli (21), and the rest during the MotoGP Sprint Race Saturday at Misano. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Saturday, 07 September 2024
Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) extended his Championship lead in ‘enemy territory’ at the Gran Premio Red Bull di San Marino e della Riviera di Rimini, initially chased by home hero and reigning Champion Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) before pulling away to take another stunning Tissot Sprint win. He’s now 26 points clear as Bagnaia was forced to settle for second, the reigning Champion in turn holding off late pressure from both Franco Morbidelli (Prima Pramac Racing) and Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Team).
Bagnaia got a good start but Martin got a better one, with the #89 in a position to go for it and attack straight into Turn 1. He got the job done and got the hammer down immediately, with Bagnaia on the chase ahead of Morbidelli in third.
Behind, Bastianini made big gains from P8 to slot into fifth, shadowing Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) and just ahead of Pedro Acosta (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3). The big loser off the start was Marco Bezzecchi (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) as he dropped to the back end of the top ten in the shuffle, ending up just behind Marc Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) as the #93 also looked to move forward.
At the front, Martin pounded on but the gap was hovering around a handful of tenths, with Morbidelli still very much in touch too. Instead, the next move came from the second group as Bastianini went for an attack on Binder and took over in fourth, looking down the barrel of 1.7 seconds to the podium fight with nine laps to go.
Drama then hit for Bezzecchi after the tougher start, with the #72 sliding out of contention, rider perfectly ok but looking for a lot more on Sunday as he takes his second front row start of the weekend. His teammate, Fabio Di Giannantonio, also slid out of the Tissot Sprint early on, riders both ok.
Meanwhile, a Pierer Mobility duel was heating up in the fight for fifth, with Acosta homing in on and then slicing past Binder. Just ahead of them, Bastianini was absolutely caning it through the gap to the Morbidelli, who was dropping off the duel for the win too. The ‘Beast’ took half a second off the deficit to his compatriot in one lap. Simultaneously, Marquez was looking impatient behind Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) and he struck with seven to go, next targets: Binder and Acosta. The #93 made a lunge at Binder and made it stick not long after, setting up a final push to get past Acosta.
The other final push was coming in from Bastianini – and Morbidelli. As Martin was able to just eke out an advantage at the top, Bagnaia was fading towards Morbidelli just as Bastianini was catching them both. The ‘Beast’ struck against the Pramac early on the last lap, getting past but sailing wide as Morbidelli cut back inside. They pounded on, gap between all three diminishing, with the #21 Pramac gaining on Bagnaia to set up a three-rider train in the final sector.
Meanwhile, Marquez vs Acosta lit up. The #93 shadowed the #31 and inched closer, finally screeching up the inside out of Curvone and holding onto it through T12, from there on out able to hold on to the line.
Behind Martin, who put in another stunning Tissot Sprint to extend his advantage to 26 points and ensure he leaves Misano as Championship leader, holding on to the line was also what it came down to for Bagnaia and Morbidelli. Each did to complete the Sprint podium, with Bastianini taking fourth.
Marc Marquez pickpocketed fifth with that last-lap move on Acosta, with Binder and Miller up next. The final Sprint point went to another impressive Saturday from Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™), who managed to hold off Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™).
There’s more to come at Misano on Sunday, with the Sprint serving up a stunning appetizer. Over full Grand Prix distance, what does Martin have in the locker? Can Bagnaia fight back? Or are the likes of Morbidelli, Bastianini and Marquez ready to attack once again? Find out on Sunday as MotoGP™ heads back out to race at 14:00 (UTC+2)!
Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) has collaborated with MotoGP™24 videogame developer Milestone to create a unique fan competition, allowing fans to use the game’s helmet editor to design a lid for him to wear at Misano. The Spaniard is sporting the winning design – chosen by Top Gun himself – at the Gran Premio Red Bull di San Marino e della Riviera di Rimini this weekend.
The idea showcases how gaming and real-world sports can come together, with the winning helmet design coming from a Brazilian player. It features a dynamic mix of colours as well as the face of a gorilla, a nod to one of Viñales’ special podium celebrations we’ve seen him do this year. The helmet will also be available in MotoGP™24, allowing players to race with the same look as Viñales in their virtual competitions.
Tony Arbolino (14). Photo courtesy Dorna.
Arbolino edges out Vietti for debut Moto2™ pole as Garcia goes from P24
Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) finally has a Moto2™ pole position to his name after the Italian pipped compatriot Celestino Vietti (Red Bull KTM Ajo) to Saturday’s honours in a tightly contested Q2. Ai Ogura (MT Helmets – MSI) joins the Italians on the front row in P3, that’s the Japanese rider’s third Q2 top three of the season – and a timely one at that.
– And why is it timely? Well, it’s been another disappointing weekend so far for Championship leader Sergio Garcia (MT Helmets – MSI) as the Spaniard is forced to settle for a P24 starting place for the San Marino GP.
– Aron Canet (Fantic Racing) fronts the second row in P4, the #44 was a couple of tenths shy from pole and is joined on Row 2 by rookie Diogo Moreira (Italtrans Racing Team) and Albert Arenas (QJMOTOR Gresini Moto2™).
– Joe Roberts (OnlyFans American Racing Team) bagged P7 as Alonso Lopez (Beta Tools SpeedUp) came through Q1 to start from P8, as title hopefuls Fermin Aldeguer (Beta Tools SpeedUp) and Jake Dixon (CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team) hope to climb the order on Sunday and collect valuable points from P10 and P14 respectively.
Tune in for the Moto2™ race on Sunday at 12:15 (UTC +2) to see what title chase twists lay ahead at Misano!
David Alonso. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Alonso lands late stunner to steal San Marino pole position
A late 1:40.505 stunner from David Alonso (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team) handed the World Championship leader a commanding sixth pole position of the season, as Italy’s Luca Lunetta claimed his best Saturday result of the season in P2 at SIC58 Squadra Corse’s home race. Fourth tenths was the gap between the top two on the grid, as title hopeful Ivan Ortola (MT Helmets – MSI) picked up a P3 starting slot for Sunday’s race.
– Angel Piqueras (Leopard Racing) secured P4, but the rookie is set to take a double Long Lap penalty on Sunday after he was adjudged to have been at fault for a Practice 2 incident between himself and Scott Ogden (FleetSafe Honda – MLav Racing).
– Collin Veijer (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP), the rider acting as chief Championship chaser to Alonso, will launch from P5 on the grid, and the Dutchman will have Joel Kelso (BOE Motorsports) for company after the Australian qualified in P6. Meanwhile, Daniel Holgado (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) will aim to fight for what would be a crucial victory from P7 on the grid.
Tune in for the Moto3™ battle at 11:00 (UTC +2) as the pack aim to stop Alonso’s Misano charge.
Michael van der Mark won FIM Superbike World Championship Race One Saturday at Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours, in France. Riding his ROKiT BMW Motorrad M 1000 RR on Pirelli rain tires, the Dutchman won the wet 21-lap race by over eight seconds.
Two-time and defending Champion Alvaro Bautista was the runner-up on his Aruba.it Racing Ducati Panigale V4 R.
Danilo Petrucci placed third on his Barni Spark Racing Team Ducati.
American Garrett Gerloff was one of the many riders who crashed during the race, but he was able to remount his Bonovo Action BMW and salvage 12th.
With World Championship point leader Toprak Razgatlioglu sitting out due to injuries suffered in a crash on Friday, Bautista’s teammate Nicolo Bulega missed a golden opportunity to gain ground in the point standing when he crashed out of the race.
After Race One, Razgatlioglu retained his 92-point lead over Bulega.
Following the race, weather conditions continued to deteriorate to the point where officials decided to postpone World Supersport Race One until Sunday morning.
The start of Race One Saturday at Magny-Cours. Photo courtesy Dorna.
With rain falling throughout the fifteen minute Tissot Superpole session Alex Lowes took his first pole position for Kawasaki. It was a dominant performance to set the pace by a margin of 0.772s
Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) was one of many riders who crashed in the wet conditions. The Italian hit the deck at Turn 5 but not before setting his fastest time in the session. The Ducati rider started from second position on the grid
Scott Redding (Bonovo Action BMW) qualified on the front row of the grid for the second time this season. Redding led a trio of BMW M 1000 RR’s inside the top five on the grid with Garrett Gerloff and Michael van der Mark enjoying strong performances for the German manufacturer
Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) qualified on the sixth row of the grid in 17th position
Race 1 Highlights
Starting from the second row of the grid Michael van der Mark was able to win for the first time since the 2021 Portuguese Round. It was an emotional day for the Dutchman who has suffered a series of serious injuries in recent years but he kept a clear head in treacherous as the conditions changed from dry to wet during the early stages of the 21 lap race
Starting from the sixth row of the grid Alvaro Bautista made his way through the field and was the first rider to dive into pitlane to change from slick tyres to wet rubber. The decision proved critical for the Aruba.it Racing – Ducati rider as he was able to finish in second position. The 20 points now leave him 30 points behind his teammate Nicolo Bulega in the standings
From the front row of the grid Bulega was one of the only leading riders to start the race on intermediate tyres. The decision left him vulnerable to attack in the early laps and the Italian crashed at the final corner on the opening lap of the race. Bulega sustained right shoulder and collarbone contusions, and will be further assessed before Warm Up on Sunday morning.
Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) was the final rider on the podium with the Italian coming through from tenth on the grid. Petrucci now sits fifth in the championship standings
It was an incident filled race with pole sitter, Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) crashing out of the lead on Lap 11 while battling with van der Mark. The Englishman will start tomorrow’s Tissot Superpole Race on pole position having eventually retired from the race due to damage to his machine
Garrett Gerloff (Bonovo Action BMW) also crashed out of the lead. The American started the race on intermediate tyres but as conditions deteriorated he crashed on Lap 7
Pole-sitter Alex Lowes. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Key Points:
Pole position: Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK)
Race 1 winner: Michael van der Mark (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team)
More on worldsbk.com
Race One winner Michael van der Mark. Photo courtesy Dorna.
P1 | Michael van der Mark | ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team
“Honest, this feels unbelievable! It’s been a tough couple of years, but this year everything has been getting better and better. I wanted to be on the podium so to win is fantastic. We agreed with the team that as soon as it started to rain, I would come into the pits, but I was behind Alex and we stayed out for one more lap. I think I should have come in earlier because it was very, very tricky on that last lap on slicks. But that’s what flag to flag racing is all about. It was a nice race but it was tough. The conditions were awful but it’s amazing to win this race.”
P2 | Alvaro Bautista | Aruba.it Racing – Ducati
“I didn’t have a great feeling in the wet for the Superpole session and I’m not sure why. We used a full wet setup but I couldn’t find grip. During the Race, I was the first rider to pit, and I think it was the right choice. My team did an incredible job in the pits but after that I was riding in the wet with a dry setup. At the end of the race I was watching the gap to van der Mark and I just focused on my race. I also noticed the gap with the rider behind me was increasing. To finish in second having started from 17th is a great result.”
P3 | Danilo Petrucci | Barni Spark Racing Team
“It wasn’t easy because I don’t have much experience of the wet Pirelli tires. I had confidence in qualifying, but I crashed after 7 laps. After that I understood I needed to stay calm today. It was tough because the weather forecast said it would rain but we didn’t know when. We started with slicks and I tried to stay out on the slick tyres but it was pouring down. We need to find a better setup for the rain because the bike was sliding a lot. I tried to stay with Alvaro, but it wasn’t possible. In the end the goal today was to stay upright and it’s always good to stand on the podium.”
Tony Arbolino claimed pole position during Moto2 World Championship qualifying Saturday at Misano World Circuit – Marco Simoncelli, in San Marino. On board his Pirelli-shod Elf Marc VDS Racing Team Kalex, the Italian lapped the 2.6-mile track in 1:35.229, which was fastest among the field of 31 riders.
Arbolino’s countryman Celestino Vietti was second-best with a 1:35.240 on his Red Bull KTM Ajo Kalex.
Japan’s Ai Ogura earned the third and final spot on the front row with a time of 1:35.419 on his MT Helmets – MSI Boscoscuro.
American Joe Roberts qualified seventh with a 1:35.650 on his OnlyFans American Racing Team Kalex.
David Alonso captured pole position during Moto3 World Championship qualifying Saturday at Misano World Circuit – Marco Simoncelli, in San Marino. Riding his Gaviota Aspar Team CFMOTO on Pirelli control tires, the young Colombian lapped the 2.6-mile course in 1:40.505 to top the field of 27 riders.
Alex Lowes claimed pole position during FIM Superbike World Championship Superpole qualifying Saturday at Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours, in France. Riding his factory Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10RR on Pirelli rain tires, Lowes navigated the wet, 2.7-mile course in 1:51.946 to lead the field.
Nicolo Bulega, the reigning Supersport World Champion, was second-best with a 1:52.718 on his Aruba.it Racing Ducati Panigale V4 R.
Scott Redding earned the third and final spot on the front row with a time of 1:52.799 on his Bonovo Action BMW M 1000 RR.
Redding’s teammate, American Garrett Gerloff qualified fourth at 1:53.027.
Bagnaia, Morbidelli, Bezzecchi: home heroes take the front row, with Martin P4 and Marquez P9
A crash for #MM93, a new lap record for Bagnaia and key names further down the grid set the scene for fireworks at Misano
Saturday, 07 September 2024
Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) charged to an incredible pole position at the Gran Premio Red Bull di San Marino e della Riviera di Rimini, with the #1 demolishing the lap record to bounce back from a tough Aragon GP in style. Bagnaia has a 0.285s advantage over the field, heading an all-Italian front row ahead of Franco Morbidelli (Prima Pramac Racing), who claimed his first front-row start since 2021, and Marco Bezzecchi (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team), who continued an impressive Saturday after topping FP2.
Q1
It was a thrilling Q1, with Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) topping the standings after an impressive late lap cemented the #73’s place in Q2. Joining him, Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) ended the session in second but by just 0.005, leaving almost nothing for any late attacks to split in two. A late lunge from Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) wasn’t quite enough to depose the top duo, and Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) also similarly lost out late on.
Q2
As the second session began, fast laps were instantly clocked by Bagnaia, who set a 1:30.928 benchmark time. The #1 had an incredible first run, further improving by three-tenths on his second lap.
The field briefly returned to pitlane before heading to track for their final push for pole. Bagnaia instantly improved on his second run, breaking the lap record in the process amd throwing down the gauntlet.
Meanwhile, there was a crash for Marc Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™), with the #93 losing the front at Turn 15 with less than five minutes remaining. That left him down the order looking to see where he would end up. In the closing stages, Morbidelli and Bezzecchi put together a strong final run each, jumping onto an all-Italian front row and the duo just 0.020 apart on the timesheets. Bagnaia maintained that impressive 0.285 at the top.
THE GRID
Behind the Italian armada, Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) will start from fourth on the grid, ending Q2 0.341s adrift from his title rival on pole. Martin has Red Bull GASGAS Tech3’s Pedro Acosta alongside, with Binder rounding out the second row of the grid after the South African stormed to P6 via Q1.
Q1’s fastest, Alex Marquez, takes the seventh spot on the grid just ahead of Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Team). The Beast starts from eighth after showing strong pace throughout the weekend in Misano. Meanwhile, after that crash, Marc Marquez is down in ninth, unable to return to track after his spill at Turn 15 and looking for a lot more when the lights go out. Behind him come Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™), Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) and Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) as the final Q2 runners.
Bagnaia needs a comeback and there’s no better place to start from pole. Martin looks to make another stunning start from Row 2, and Marquez and Bastianini aim to charge up the order as Morbidelli and Bezzecchi prepare to fight it out back at the front. Consider the stage set, and join us for more at Misano!
Former AMA Pro Superbike racer and 2010 and 2012 AMA Pro Daytona SportBike Champion Martin Cardenas will make his return to AMA-sanctioned Pro road racing at the MotoAmerica event September 13-15 at Circuit of The Americas (COTA).
Cardenas, age 42, will race an EasyHealthPlans.com/TopPro Racing Suzuki GSX-R750 in the MotoAmerica Supersport class.
Cardenas, a native of Colombia, recently returned to racing action June 15-16 at the Federacion Colombiana de Motocislismo Gran Prix Colombiana Velocidad Vitrix at Autodromo de Tocancipa. Riding a nearly stock Kawasaki ZX-10R, he finished second in Superbike Race One and won Superbike Race Two.
Cardenas’ last known race prior to that was in 2015 in the FIM Supersport World Championship, and his last AMA Pro race was in American SuperBike Race Two September 14, 2014, at New Jersey Motorsports Park.
American Honda, Progressive Join Forces in Multifaceted Agreement
September 6, 2024 — CHARLOTTE, North Carolina
Introducing Team Honda HRC Progressive
Sponsorship of Honda Demo Ride events and Rider Education Centers included
Today at the opening round of the SuperMotocross World Championship Playoffs, American Honda revealed an exciting new multidimensional collaboration with Progressive that includes title sponsorship of the factory race team. Starting with this weekend’s race at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Team Honda HRC Progressive features Progressive branding on its race bikes and rider uniforms, with additional branding placements to come.
While the factory race-team title sponsorship is the headline news, that is only the beginning of this relationship. In the coming weeks and months, Honda fans and customers will see Progressive involved in an array of initiatives. Other examples are Progressive’s support of American Honda’s Demo Ride events and Rider Education Centers.
“We’re excited to finally kick off this unique new sponsorship,” said Brandon Wilson, American Honda Manager of Racing & Advertising. “What I think makes it most interesting is that it’s not just a traditional race-team sponsorship; it’s a broader agreement, with an intercompany, cross-departmental aspect. It’s fun to kick this collaboration off for the SMX Playoffs, but this is just the beginning.”
“Collaborating with Honda is a natural fit for Progressive as we both share a commitment to innovation, safety, and customer satisfaction,” said Eric Doubler, Recreational Lines Business Leader of Progressive. “Together, we can explore initiatives that enhance the driving experience and offer unparalleled value to our customers. We’re excited to embark on this journey.”
More, from a press release issued by Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup:
Uriarte snatches Rookies points lead from Carpe in sensational Misano win
Brian Uriarte snatched both victory and the Cup lead in Race 1 at Misano on the final lap. The 16-year-old Spaniard goes into the last race of the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup 2024 tomorrow morning just 2 points ahead of season-long rival Álvaro Carpe.
Second across the line was pole man Valentin Perrone and the Argentine 16-year-old finished just 0.26 seconds ahead of Hakim Danish, the Malaysian 17-year-old who won last week. Carpe led down the back straight on the final lap but was passed at the end of it. Then Maximo Quiles crashed in front of him and Carpe finished 6th.
Uriarte’s simple solution
“The plan was to take care of the tyre, not to make the rear suffer too much and have something left for the last laps.”
“I think that I did the best I could. I was just going through the race and enjoying each corner because tomorrow will be the last race.”
Alvaro had an advantage halfway round the last lap. “Yes, but I thought I could catch him. Maybe on the TV, it looked a lot but on the bike, it didn’t look that bad. Maybe half a second, you take the slipstream, you brake a bit later and you have him.”
Sounds simple? “Yes it’s simple, but not that easy,” he concluded with a brilliant laugh.
Perrone kept out of trouble
“It was a crazy race. At the beginning of the race I decided to push, then I realised that the track was not perfect, not the grip we had on Friday so I decided to stay calm. As other riders passed me I didn’t fight too much, I followed.”
“At the end I saw Pini, Maximo, also Brian, all the group riding super crazy. I said to myself, ‘Keep calm, think about the championship.’ Then at the end of the last lap, it all happened right in front of me.”
“I saw Maximo enter the corner the corner a bit crazy, went a bit wide and when he opened the gas he was on the wrong line. I saw it happen, opened the line and kept away, so I could get P2. It’s great to be P3 in the Cup so I will enjoy the race tomorrow, try to win but enjoy it.”
Danish did it little by little
“It was a difficult, tough race for me today. I was a bit towards the back at the start and I was losing the group a bit but I kept my focus and momentum to follow the front group then try to catch them.”
“Little by little I caught them and finally I arrived and got into the lead group. On the last lap, I tried to win, but it was a bit difficult. Anyway, I finished P3, and I have to thank my family and everyone that supports me and we have another race tomorrow. So wish me luck and I will enjoy the race and do everything I can to win.”
Carpe knows he can win
“I’m unhappy today because I could win or at least get a podium,” stated the 17-year-old Spaniard. “But Maximo crashed in front of me. I know that it’s not his fault, also not my fault. Today I wanted my fifth win, and the points for the Cup.”
“Now Brian is in the lead and I need to win tomorrow or at least be on the podium with him behind me to win the Cup. I know it will be difficult, I will try my best.”
“The bike was good, I was fast and in the lead, I know that I can win.”
Josh Waters (21). Photo by RbMotoLens, courtesy ASBK.
Waters masters Phillip Island with ASBK Superbike pole
Josh Waters’ affinity with the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit continued today with the hard-charger securing a hard-fought pole position for round five of the 2024 mi-bike Motorcycle Insurance Australian Superbike Championship presented by Motul (ASBK).
On a thrilling day one of the Victorian Government-backed round at the majestic 4.448km circuit, Waters and his Ducati again proved to be an irrepressible combination as the Victorian locked in his 15th career pole position in the AMA Warehouse Superbike class.
The remaining ASBK classes at Phillip Island – Michelin Supersport, Race and Road Supersport 300 and Nolan Superbike Masters – also hit the track today, as well as the fast-twitch Aussie Racing Cars.
With all the practice and qualifying preliminaries now over, Sunday will feature races from go-to-whoa, starting at 9:55am and finishing at 4:30pm.
Spectators receive free entry into the ASBK paddock at Phillip Island and, in addition to the 11 races on the Sunday schedule, there will be a pit walk and autograph signing session, the ASBK Trade Alley to check out the latest and greatest from the motorcycle industry, ‘Mini Moto Come and Try’ sessions for kids, and some lucky people enjoying white-knuckle pillion rides behind former ASBK Superbike champions Troy Corser and Steve Martin.
To purchase tickets for Phillip Island, click here. Tickets will also be available at the gate.
AMA Warehouse Superbike
Waters (McMartin Racing Ducati) always seems to find a way at Phillip Island, and today it was as much about grit as raw speed after he inched his way to the top of the timesheets in the AMA Warehouse Superbike final qualifying session.
In windy conditions which provided a challenge for the Superbike brigade, five riders led the 15-minute outing at different times – Mike Jones (Yamaha Racing Team) the first to lay down a marker – before Waters (1:31.126) finally wrested control with only two minutes remaining.
That was the last real moment of significance, with Waters securing the early weekend spoils ahead of Cru Halliday (Yamaha Racing Team, 1:31.206), lap record holder Harrison Voight (McMartin Racing Ducati, 1:31.412), Arthur Sissis (Stop and Seal Yamaha, 1:31.458), Jones (1:31.541) – currently on a four-race winning streak – and GT Racing BMW veteran Glenn Allerton (1:31.806).
“I’m really happy with my performance today,” said Waters. “It’s important to be on the front row given the field and what I’m up against.
“The wind was actually really challenging today, but it was the same for everyone. I will try my hardest tomorrow and see what I can do.”
Bryan Staring (MotoGo Yamaha, 1:31.840), Broc Pearson (DesmoSport Ducati, 1:31.906) and Max Stauffer (Penrite Racing Yamaha, 1:31.956) were the other riders to dip into the 31-second bracket, with Anthony West (Addicted to Track Yamaha, 1:32.062), Cameron Dunker (Penrite Racing Yamaha, 1:32.192) and Matt Walters (Kawasaki) completing the top 12.
Tomorrow’s two 11-lap races will be held at 11:00am and 2:35pm, with intrigue aplenty as the ASBK superstars go into battle.
Michelin Supersport
South Australian Olly Simpson (Yamaha) secured the bonus point for pole position in the Michelin Supersport class, with his last-gasp flying lap of 1:35.187 enough to annex top spot from Jonathan Nahlous (Yamaha) – who had only one-minute earlier performed the same displacement act on long-time leader Archie McDonald (Yamaha)!
It was Simpson’s first pole position in 2024 en route to a new Supersport qualifying record around Phillip Island – although the race lap record is still owned by Nahlous.
Nahlous (1:35.205) and McDonald (1:35.346) – who chose to sit out the second qualifying session to keep his body and bike fresh for Sunday’s two races – will join Simpson at the pointy end of the grid, with Honda’s Mark Chiodo (1:35.465) the first non-Yamaha rider in fourth from Jake Farnsworth (Yamaha, 1:35.516) and Jack Mahaffy (Yamaha, 1:35.675).
Tom Bramich (Yamaha) – who’s involved in a tight battle for second in the championship with McDonald, Simpson and Farnsworth – qualified in eighth, one spot behind Jack Favelle (Yamaha) and in front of Hayden Nelson (Kawasaki) and Hunter Ford (Yamaha).
Race and Road Supersport 300
Sixteen-year-old Wil Nassif (Yamaha) soared to his first pole position in the Race and Road Superport 300 class, nearly half a second ahead of Jordy Simpson (Yamaha).
It marked a massive 12-spot upward trajectory for Nassif from his qualifying position at Phillip Island’s round one in February, as he now looks to become the sixth rider to win a race in the 2024 championship.
Alongside Nassif and Simpson on the front row for tomorrow’s three seven-lap races will be Josh Newman (Kawasaki), followed by Valentino Knezovic (Yamaha), round one race winner Harrison Watts (Kawasaki) and Oliver Short (Kawasaki) in grid positions 4-6.
Newman currently leads the standings by 1pt ahead of Knezovic, followed by Watts, Simpson and Nassif.
Race one is at 9:55am on Sunday for the 23-rider field.
Nolan Superbike Masters
As expected, defending champion Keo Watson and main rival Jack Passfield quickly set about turning the opening Nolan Superbike Masters race into a battle of their Yamaha FZRs, with the former just getting the win by a scant 0.116 seconds after five pulsating laps.
The pair is now deadlocked on 90pts apiece in the title, ahead of another FZR pilot Dean Oughtred (65pts) who was third in race one after an arm wrestle against Suzuki GSX-R1100 riders Murray Clark and Ryan Taylor.
Races two and three will be held for the massive Superbike Masters field tomorrow.
Misano World Circuit - Marco Simoncelli. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Jorge Martin won the MotoGP World Championship Tissot Sprint Race Saturday at Misano World Circuit – Marco Simoncelli, in San Marino. Riding his Prima Pramac Racing Ducati Desmosedici on Michelin control tires, the Spaniard won the 13-lap race by 1.495 seconds. It was Martin’s fifth Sprint Race win of the season, extending his lead in the World Championship point standings.
Two-time and defending World Champion Francesco Bagnaia was the runner-up on his Lenovo Ducati.
Martin’s teammate Franco Morbidelli was a close third.
Bagnaia’s teammate Enea Bastianini was equally close in fourth.
Six-time MotoGP World Champion Marc Marquez finished fifth on his Gresini Racing Ducati.
Martin denies Bagnaia on home turf as Morbidelli claims maiden Sprint podium
The Spaniard storms to Sprint glory to extend his lead to 26 points, escaping a last lap battle to complete the podium
Jorge Martin (89) leads Francesco Bagnaia (1), Franco Morbidelli (21), and the rest during the MotoGP Sprint Race Saturday at Misano. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Saturday, 07 September 2024
Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) extended his Championship lead in ‘enemy territory’ at the Gran Premio Red Bull di San Marino e della Riviera di Rimini, initially chased by home hero and reigning Champion Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) before pulling away to take another stunning Tissot Sprint win. He’s now 26 points clear as Bagnaia was forced to settle for second, the reigning Champion in turn holding off late pressure from both Franco Morbidelli (Prima Pramac Racing) and Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Team).
Bagnaia got a good start but Martin got a better one, with the #89 in a position to go for it and attack straight into Turn 1. He got the job done and got the hammer down immediately, with Bagnaia on the chase ahead of Morbidelli in third.
Behind, Bastianini made big gains from P8 to slot into fifth, shadowing Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) and just ahead of Pedro Acosta (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3). The big loser off the start was Marco Bezzecchi (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) as he dropped to the back end of the top ten in the shuffle, ending up just behind Marc Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) as the #93 also looked to move forward.
At the front, Martin pounded on but the gap was hovering around a handful of tenths, with Morbidelli still very much in touch too. Instead, the next move came from the second group as Bastianini went for an attack on Binder and took over in fourth, looking down the barrel of 1.7 seconds to the podium fight with nine laps to go.
Drama then hit for Bezzecchi after the tougher start, with the #72 sliding out of contention, rider perfectly ok but looking for a lot more on Sunday as he takes his second front row start of the weekend. His teammate, Fabio Di Giannantonio, also slid out of the Tissot Sprint early on, riders both ok.
Meanwhile, a Pierer Mobility duel was heating up in the fight for fifth, with Acosta homing in on and then slicing past Binder. Just ahead of them, Bastianini was absolutely caning it through the gap to the Morbidelli, who was dropping off the duel for the win too. The ‘Beast’ took half a second off the deficit to his compatriot in one lap. Simultaneously, Marquez was looking impatient behind Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) and he struck with seven to go, next targets: Binder and Acosta. The #93 made a lunge at Binder and made it stick not long after, setting up a final push to get past Acosta.
The other final push was coming in from Bastianini – and Morbidelli. As Martin was able to just eke out an advantage at the top, Bagnaia was fading towards Morbidelli just as Bastianini was catching them both. The ‘Beast’ struck against the Pramac early on the last lap, getting past but sailing wide as Morbidelli cut back inside. They pounded on, gap between all three diminishing, with the #21 Pramac gaining on Bagnaia to set up a three-rider train in the final sector.
Meanwhile, Marquez vs Acosta lit up. The #93 shadowed the #31 and inched closer, finally screeching up the inside out of Curvone and holding onto it through T12, from there on out able to hold on to the line.
Behind Martin, who put in another stunning Tissot Sprint to extend his advantage to 26 points and ensure he leaves Misano as Championship leader, holding on to the line was also what it came down to for Bagnaia and Morbidelli. Each did to complete the Sprint podium, with Bastianini taking fourth.
Marc Marquez pickpocketed fifth with that last-lap move on Acosta, with Binder and Miller up next. The final Sprint point went to another impressive Saturday from Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™), who managed to hold off Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™).
There’s more to come at Misano on Sunday, with the Sprint serving up a stunning appetizer. Over full Grand Prix distance, what does Martin have in the locker? Can Bagnaia fight back? Or are the likes of Morbidelli, Bastianini and Marquez ready to attack once again? Find out on Sunday as MotoGP™ heads back out to race at 14:00 (UTC+2)!
Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) has collaborated with MotoGP™24 videogame developer Milestone to create a unique fan competition, allowing fans to use the game’s helmet editor to design a lid for him to wear at Misano. The Spaniard is sporting the winning design – chosen by Top Gun himself – at the Gran Premio Red Bull di San Marino e della Riviera di Rimini this weekend.
The idea showcases how gaming and real-world sports can come together, with the winning helmet design coming from a Brazilian player. It features a dynamic mix of colours as well as the face of a gorilla, a nod to one of Viñales’ special podium celebrations we’ve seen him do this year. The helmet will also be available in MotoGP™24, allowing players to race with the same look as Viñales in their virtual competitions.
Tony Arbolino (14). Photo courtesy Dorna.
Arbolino edges out Vietti for debut Moto2™ pole as Garcia goes from P24
Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) finally has a Moto2™ pole position to his name after the Italian pipped compatriot Celestino Vietti (Red Bull KTM Ajo) to Saturday’s honours in a tightly contested Q2. Ai Ogura (MT Helmets – MSI) joins the Italians on the front row in P3, that’s the Japanese rider’s third Q2 top three of the season – and a timely one at that.
– And why is it timely? Well, it’s been another disappointing weekend so far for Championship leader Sergio Garcia (MT Helmets – MSI) as the Spaniard is forced to settle for a P24 starting place for the San Marino GP.
– Aron Canet (Fantic Racing) fronts the second row in P4, the #44 was a couple of tenths shy from pole and is joined on Row 2 by rookie Diogo Moreira (Italtrans Racing Team) and Albert Arenas (QJMOTOR Gresini Moto2™).
– Joe Roberts (OnlyFans American Racing Team) bagged P7 as Alonso Lopez (Beta Tools SpeedUp) came through Q1 to start from P8, as title hopefuls Fermin Aldeguer (Beta Tools SpeedUp) and Jake Dixon (CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team) hope to climb the order on Sunday and collect valuable points from P10 and P14 respectively.
Tune in for the Moto2™ race on Sunday at 12:15 (UTC +2) to see what title chase twists lay ahead at Misano!
David Alonso. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Alonso lands late stunner to steal San Marino pole position
A late 1:40.505 stunner from David Alonso (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team) handed the World Championship leader a commanding sixth pole position of the season, as Italy’s Luca Lunetta claimed his best Saturday result of the season in P2 at SIC58 Squadra Corse’s home race. Fourth tenths was the gap between the top two on the grid, as title hopeful Ivan Ortola (MT Helmets – MSI) picked up a P3 starting slot for Sunday’s race.
– Angel Piqueras (Leopard Racing) secured P4, but the rookie is set to take a double Long Lap penalty on Sunday after he was adjudged to have been at fault for a Practice 2 incident between himself and Scott Ogden (FleetSafe Honda – MLav Racing).
– Collin Veijer (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP), the rider acting as chief Championship chaser to Alonso, will launch from P5 on the grid, and the Dutchman will have Joel Kelso (BOE Motorsports) for company after the Australian qualified in P6. Meanwhile, Daniel Holgado (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) will aim to fight for what would be a crucial victory from P7 on the grid.
Tune in for the Moto3™ battle at 11:00 (UTC +2) as the pack aim to stop Alonso’s Misano charge.
Michael van der Mark won FIM Superbike World Championship Race One Saturday at Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours, in France. Riding his ROKiT BMW Motorrad M 1000 RR on Pirelli rain tires, the Dutchman won the wet 21-lap race by over eight seconds.
Two-time and defending Champion Alvaro Bautista was the runner-up on his Aruba.it Racing Ducati Panigale V4 R.
Danilo Petrucci placed third on his Barni Spark Racing Team Ducati.
American Garrett Gerloff was one of the many riders who crashed during the race, but he was able to remount his Bonovo Action BMW and salvage 12th.
With World Championship point leader Toprak Razgatlioglu sitting out due to injuries suffered in a crash on Friday, Bautista’s teammate Nicolo Bulega missed a golden opportunity to gain ground in the point standing when he crashed out of the race.
After Race One, Razgatlioglu retained his 92-point lead over Bulega.
Following the race, weather conditions continued to deteriorate to the point where officials decided to postpone World Supersport Race One until Sunday morning.
The start of Race One Saturday at Magny-Cours. Photo courtesy Dorna.
With rain falling throughout the fifteen minute Tissot Superpole session Alex Lowes took his first pole position for Kawasaki. It was a dominant performance to set the pace by a margin of 0.772s
Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) was one of many riders who crashed in the wet conditions. The Italian hit the deck at Turn 5 but not before setting his fastest time in the session. The Ducati rider started from second position on the grid
Scott Redding (Bonovo Action BMW) qualified on the front row of the grid for the second time this season. Redding led a trio of BMW M 1000 RR’s inside the top five on the grid with Garrett Gerloff and Michael van der Mark enjoying strong performances for the German manufacturer
Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) qualified on the sixth row of the grid in 17th position
Race 1 Highlights
Starting from the second row of the grid Michael van der Mark was able to win for the first time since the 2021 Portuguese Round. It was an emotional day for the Dutchman who has suffered a series of serious injuries in recent years but he kept a clear head in treacherous as the conditions changed from dry to wet during the early stages of the 21 lap race
Starting from the sixth row of the grid Alvaro Bautista made his way through the field and was the first rider to dive into pitlane to change from slick tyres to wet rubber. The decision proved critical for the Aruba.it Racing – Ducati rider as he was able to finish in second position. The 20 points now leave him 30 points behind his teammate Nicolo Bulega in the standings
From the front row of the grid Bulega was one of the only leading riders to start the race on intermediate tyres. The decision left him vulnerable to attack in the early laps and the Italian crashed at the final corner on the opening lap of the race. Bulega sustained right shoulder and collarbone contusions, and will be further assessed before Warm Up on Sunday morning.
Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) was the final rider on the podium with the Italian coming through from tenth on the grid. Petrucci now sits fifth in the championship standings
It was an incident filled race with pole sitter, Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) crashing out of the lead on Lap 11 while battling with van der Mark. The Englishman will start tomorrow’s Tissot Superpole Race on pole position having eventually retired from the race due to damage to his machine
Garrett Gerloff (Bonovo Action BMW) also crashed out of the lead. The American started the race on intermediate tyres but as conditions deteriorated he crashed on Lap 7
Pole-sitter Alex Lowes. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Key Points:
Pole position: Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK)
Race 1 winner: Michael van der Mark (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team)
More on worldsbk.com
Race One winner Michael van der Mark. Photo courtesy Dorna.
P1 | Michael van der Mark | ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team
“Honest, this feels unbelievable! It’s been a tough couple of years, but this year everything has been getting better and better. I wanted to be on the podium so to win is fantastic. We agreed with the team that as soon as it started to rain, I would come into the pits, but I was behind Alex and we stayed out for one more lap. I think I should have come in earlier because it was very, very tricky on that last lap on slicks. But that’s what flag to flag racing is all about. It was a nice race but it was tough. The conditions were awful but it’s amazing to win this race.”
P2 | Alvaro Bautista | Aruba.it Racing – Ducati
“I didn’t have a great feeling in the wet for the Superpole session and I’m not sure why. We used a full wet setup but I couldn’t find grip. During the Race, I was the first rider to pit, and I think it was the right choice. My team did an incredible job in the pits but after that I was riding in the wet with a dry setup. At the end of the race I was watching the gap to van der Mark and I just focused on my race. I also noticed the gap with the rider behind me was increasing. To finish in second having started from 17th is a great result.”
P3 | Danilo Petrucci | Barni Spark Racing Team
“It wasn’t easy because I don’t have much experience of the wet Pirelli tires. I had confidence in qualifying, but I crashed after 7 laps. After that I understood I needed to stay calm today. It was tough because the weather forecast said it would rain but we didn’t know when. We started with slicks and I tried to stay out on the slick tyres but it was pouring down. We need to find a better setup for the rain because the bike was sliding a lot. I tried to stay with Alvaro, but it wasn’t possible. In the end the goal today was to stay upright and it’s always good to stand on the podium.”
Tony Arbolino claimed pole position during Moto2 World Championship qualifying Saturday at Misano World Circuit – Marco Simoncelli, in San Marino. On board his Pirelli-shod Elf Marc VDS Racing Team Kalex, the Italian lapped the 2.6-mile track in 1:35.229, which was fastest among the field of 31 riders.
Arbolino’s countryman Celestino Vietti was second-best with a 1:35.240 on his Red Bull KTM Ajo Kalex.
Japan’s Ai Ogura earned the third and final spot on the front row with a time of 1:35.419 on his MT Helmets – MSI Boscoscuro.
American Joe Roberts qualified seventh with a 1:35.650 on his OnlyFans American Racing Team Kalex.
David Alonso captured pole position during Moto3 World Championship qualifying Saturday at Misano World Circuit – Marco Simoncelli, in San Marino. Riding his Gaviota Aspar Team CFMOTO on Pirelli control tires, the young Colombian lapped the 2.6-mile course in 1:40.505 to top the field of 27 riders.
Alex Lowes (22). Photo courtesy Kawasaki Racing Team.
Alex Lowes claimed pole position during FIM Superbike World Championship Superpole qualifying Saturday at Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours, in France. Riding his factory Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10RR on Pirelli rain tires, Lowes navigated the wet, 2.7-mile course in 1:51.946 to lead the field.
Nicolo Bulega, the reigning Supersport World Champion, was second-best with a 1:52.718 on his Aruba.it Racing Ducati Panigale V4 R.
Scott Redding earned the third and final spot on the front row with a time of 1:52.799 on his Bonovo Action BMW M 1000 RR.
Redding’s teammate, American Garrett Gerloff qualified fourth at 1:53.027.
Bagnaia, Morbidelli, Bezzecchi: home heroes take the front row, with Martin P4 and Marquez P9
A crash for #MM93, a new lap record for Bagnaia and key names further down the grid set the scene for fireworks at Misano
Saturday, 07 September 2024
Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) charged to an incredible pole position at the Gran Premio Red Bull di San Marino e della Riviera di Rimini, with the #1 demolishing the lap record to bounce back from a tough Aragon GP in style. Bagnaia has a 0.285s advantage over the field, heading an all-Italian front row ahead of Franco Morbidelli (Prima Pramac Racing), who claimed his first front-row start since 2021, and Marco Bezzecchi (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team), who continued an impressive Saturday after topping FP2.
Q1
It was a thrilling Q1, with Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) topping the standings after an impressive late lap cemented the #73’s place in Q2. Joining him, Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) ended the session in second but by just 0.005, leaving almost nothing for any late attacks to split in two. A late lunge from Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) wasn’t quite enough to depose the top duo, and Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) also similarly lost out late on.
Q2
As the second session began, fast laps were instantly clocked by Bagnaia, who set a 1:30.928 benchmark time. The #1 had an incredible first run, further improving by three-tenths on his second lap.
The field briefly returned to pitlane before heading to track for their final push for pole. Bagnaia instantly improved on his second run, breaking the lap record in the process amd throwing down the gauntlet.
Meanwhile, there was a crash for Marc Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™), with the #93 losing the front at Turn 15 with less than five minutes remaining. That left him down the order looking to see where he would end up. In the closing stages, Morbidelli and Bezzecchi put together a strong final run each, jumping onto an all-Italian front row and the duo just 0.020 apart on the timesheets. Bagnaia maintained that impressive 0.285 at the top.
THE GRID
Behind the Italian armada, Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) will start from fourth on the grid, ending Q2 0.341s adrift from his title rival on pole. Martin has Red Bull GASGAS Tech3’s Pedro Acosta alongside, with Binder rounding out the second row of the grid after the South African stormed to P6 via Q1.
Q1’s fastest, Alex Marquez, takes the seventh spot on the grid just ahead of Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Team). The Beast starts from eighth after showing strong pace throughout the weekend in Misano. Meanwhile, after that crash, Marc Marquez is down in ninth, unable to return to track after his spill at Turn 15 and looking for a lot more when the lights go out. Behind him come Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™), Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) and Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) as the final Q2 runners.
Bagnaia needs a comeback and there’s no better place to start from pole. Martin looks to make another stunning start from Row 2, and Marquez and Bastianini aim to charge up the order as Morbidelli and Bezzecchi prepare to fight it out back at the front. Consider the stage set, and join us for more at Misano!
Martin Cardenas (36), as seen riding a Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000 Superbike in 2014. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy MotoAmerica.
Former AMA Pro Superbike racer and 2010 and 2012 AMA Pro Daytona SportBike Champion Martin Cardenas will make his return to AMA-sanctioned Pro road racing at the MotoAmerica event September 13-15 at Circuit of The Americas (COTA).
Cardenas, age 42, will race an EasyHealthPlans.com/TopPro Racing Suzuki GSX-R750 in the MotoAmerica Supersport class.
Cardenas, a native of Colombia, recently returned to racing action June 15-16 at the Federacion Colombiana de Motocislismo Gran Prix Colombiana Velocidad Vitrix at Autodromo de Tocancipa. Riding a nearly stock Kawasaki ZX-10R, he finished second in Superbike Race One and won Superbike Race Two.
Cardenas’ last known race prior to that was in 2015 in the FIM Supersport World Championship, and his last AMA Pro race was in American SuperBike Race Two September 14, 2014, at New Jersey Motorsports Park.
Progressive is the new title sponsor of Honda's factory SuperMotocross World Championship team. Photo courtesy American Honda.
American Honda, Progressive Join Forces in Multifaceted Agreement
September 6, 2024 — CHARLOTTE, North Carolina
Introducing Team Honda HRC Progressive
Sponsorship of Honda Demo Ride events and Rider Education Centers included
Today at the opening round of the SuperMotocross World Championship Playoffs, American Honda revealed an exciting new multidimensional collaboration with Progressive that includes title sponsorship of the factory race team. Starting with this weekend’s race at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Team Honda HRC Progressive features Progressive branding on its race bikes and rider uniforms, with additional branding placements to come.
While the factory race-team title sponsorship is the headline news, that is only the beginning of this relationship. In the coming weeks and months, Honda fans and customers will see Progressive involved in an array of initiatives. Other examples are Progressive’s support of American Honda’s Demo Ride events and Rider Education Centers.
“We’re excited to finally kick off this unique new sponsorship,” said Brandon Wilson, American Honda Manager of Racing & Advertising. “What I think makes it most interesting is that it’s not just a traditional race-team sponsorship; it’s a broader agreement, with an intercompany, cross-departmental aspect. It’s fun to kick this collaboration off for the SMX Playoffs, but this is just the beginning.”
“Collaborating with Honda is a natural fit for Progressive as we both share a commitment to innovation, safety, and customer satisfaction,” said Eric Doubler, Recreational Lines Business Leader of Progressive. “Together, we can explore initiatives that enhance the driving experience and offer unparalleled value to our customers. We’re excited to embark on this journey.”
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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
April 8, 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
