Geoff May Racing is thrilled to announce that Jarritos, the refreshing Mexican soda, is joining the team as a title sponsor for the upcoming Superbike Cup at Road America. Jarritos Racing/Team GMR features talented nineteen-year-old rider Gabriel Da Silva. The announcement was made by Jodi May, team principal of Geoff May Racing.
Da Silva will be competing again on the formidable Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP, a bike renowned for its power and agility. At Barber Motorsports Park two weeks ago, the team debuted in the Stock 1000 season opener with Da Silva aboard the #74 GMR/Jones Honda. He qualified on the front row and finished as runner-up in race one.
Jarritos Racing/Team GMR is supported by a group of generous sponsors that includes Darrell Jones Honda, KWS, Michael Godin, Dainese, Arai Helmets, SBS Brakes, K-Tech, Evol Technology, Pippins Designs, and Dunlop.
“The collaboration with Jarritos marks a significant milestone for both Geoff May Racing and Jarritos,” commented Jodi May. “We are confident that, with the combined expertise of Geoff May Racing and the skills of Gabriel Da Silva, we will deliver an outstanding performance.”
Jarritos Racing/Team GMR is looking forward to an exciting weekend of racing, and they invite all their fans and supporters to join them at Road America to witness the thrill and excitement of Superbike racing. Be sure to stop by their paddock setup and enjoy the refreshments provided by Jarritos.
Known as the “Official Soda of Tacos,” Jarritos was founded in 1950 by Don Francisco “El Güero” Hill. Made in Mexico, Jarritos is produced in a variety of fruit flavors, with cane sugar, and is less carbonated than other popular soft drinks. Many Jarritos varieties are naturally flavored. The word jarrito means “little jug” in Spanish and refers to the Mexican tradition of storing drinks in clay pottery jugs. Jarritos soda is sold in 370 mL (13 US fl oz), 600 mL (20 US fl oz), and 1.5-liter bottles.
Here are complete race results from the 2024 Bridgestone Tires AHRMA Roadracing Series event held May 25-26 at Nelson Ledges Road Course, in Garrettsville, Ohio.
Reigning SuperMotocross World Champions Open Pro Motocross Championship in Dominant Fashion at Fox Raceway National
Jett Lawrence Continues Undefeated Streak in 450 Class, while Haiden Deegan Asserts Himself Atop 250 Class
PALA, Calif. – The 53rd season of the Pro Motocross Championship, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, kicked off in the motocross epicenter of Southern California under sunny skies and balmy temperatures. Pala’s Fox Raceway was the site of the season-opening Honda Fox Raceway National Presented by Fox Racing, where the reigning SuperMotocross World Champions both made a statement with dominant performances in their respective divisions. In the 450 Class, Team Honda HRC’s Jett Lawrence picked up where he left off from last year’s perfect season to remain undefeated in premier class competition with his 23rd and 24th consecutive moto wins and a seventh straight victory at Fox Raceway. In the 250 Class, Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Haiden Deegan shined in front of the hometown crowd with an impressive 1-1 effort in which he showed an ability to come from behind and run from the front.
450 Class
Moto 1
The opening premier class moto started with the Lawrence brothers leading the way aboard their Team Honda HRC rides, with Jett edging out Hunter for the MotoSport.com Holeshot. They were joined by Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Aaron Plessinger, who pushed hard early to move into second behind the young Aussie. As Lawrence asserted his control of the lead, Plessinger settled in to keep him honest.
Jett inched away as the moto wore on and soon built a lead of more than five seconds, which left the battle for second to take shape between Plessinger and Hunter Lawrence. The KTM rider held strong for the majority of the moto, but the elder Lawrence went on the attack as the moto entered its final 10 minutes. Hunter made the pass for second and quickly put distance on Plessinger.
Out front, Jett cruised to his 23rd straight moto win dating back to last season, crossing the line five seconds ahead of Hunter to complete a Lawrence 1-2 in their first 450 Class race together. Plessinger followed in third, with Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Chase Sexton fourth and Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Justin Cooper in fifth.
Jett Lawrence (1) remained unbeaten in 450 Class competition and is now 24-0 to begin his premier class career. Photo courtesy MX Sports Pro Racing, Inc.
Moto 2
The Lawrences led the field into the first turn to open the final moto, with Hunter edging out Jett for the MotoSport.com Holeshot. Jett then made an early push to slip by his older brother and seize control of the lead, while Hunter briefly dropped to third behind a hard-charging Phil Nicoletti aboard his Muc-Off/FXR/ClubMX Yamaha. Hunter reclaimed the position, while Sexton followed into third.
The top three set a torrid pace early and put several seconds on the rest of the field. Soon, a sibling battle unfolded as Hunter closed onto Jett’s rear fender. The champ fended off the challenge, but it allowed Sexton to close back in from third to make it a three-rider pursuit for victory. As Jett continued to lead, Sexton was able to make the pass on Hunter for second and mount an attack for the top spot. Sexton kept Jett within reach for several laps, but went off track just before time ran out on the moto and lost considerable ground to end the threat.
Sexton gave it his all over the final two laps and got back within sight of Lawrence, but it wasn’t enough. The Honda rider wrapped up the 1-1 effort by 1.3 seconds over Sexton, with Hunter Lawrence a distant third.
Overall
Jett Lawrence wrapped up the 12th overall win of his career and moved to 24-0 in 450 Class competition, spearheading a historic Lawrence brothers 1-2 in their first race together following Hunter’s 2-3 effort. Sexton rebounded strongly from a challenging first moto to round out the podium in third (4-2).
With the win, Jett Lawrence has established an eight-point lead over Hunter, while Sexton sits 10 points out of the lead in third.
It’s the third straight season that Team Honda HRC has finished 1-2 at the opening round.
Jett Lawrence, Team Honda HRC
“Mid-race [in Moto 2] I looked back and saw [Hunter] behind me, then I looked back again and it was Chase [Sexton]. I couldn’t let up at all. It was a great day and now I’m tied with James [Stewart] at 24-0 [in motos], which is pretty cool.”
Hunter Lawrence, Team Honda HRC
“I knew the points situation [in Moto 2] and made a change [on the bike] that we’ll get better with. I just took what it gave me. I didn’t want to do anything silly. I’m stoked to put it on the box [in my first race].”
Chase Sexton, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing
“I went off the track at the top of the hill and thought the race was over. I picked the pace up and got close to Jett [Lawrence] on the final lap, but he picked it up [too] and that was it. We got off to a good start and will look to build on this next weekend.”
Justin Cooper, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., Yamaha – 31
Jason Anderson, Edgewood, N.M., Kawasaki – 30
Aaron Plessinger, Hamilton, Ohio, KTM – 30
Malcolm Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Husqvarna – 29
Phil Nicoletti, Cochecton, N.Y., Yamaha – 26
250 Class
Moto 1
The first moto began with the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing machine of Tom Vialle leading the field through the first turn for the MotoSport.com Holeshot, but the Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki of Levi Kitchen slotted right into second. Kitchen showed patience early but went on the attack during the opening 10 minutes of the moto and took control of the top spot. With the lead in hand, Kitchen opened up a multi-second advantage over the field, while Vialle and Deegan engaged in a battle for second. Deegan soon made the pass to move into the runner-up spot.
Deegan showed a quicker pace than Kitchen through the middle portion of race and slowly chipped away at the deficit until he eventually closed to within a few bike lengths as the moto entered its final 10 minutes. The battle was on from that point forward as Kitchen responded, leading to trades of momentum. An off-track excursion briefly slowed Deegan’s momentum but he regrouped and continued to put the pressure on the Kawasaki out front.
Kitchen appeared to have control of the moto as they took the 2-Lap Board, but an errant track marker became lodged in his boot, which slowed the Kawasaki’s momentum while he removed it and allowed Deegan to slip into the lead. The Southern California native dropped the hammer to sprint away and grab the first moto win of the season, 7.2 seconds ahead of Kitchen. Vialle followed in third, with Team Honda HRC’s Chance Hymas fourth, and Triumph Racing’s Joey Savatgy fifth.
Following the race, officials determined that Vialle was in violation of Rule 1.6.20 Track Cuts/Unfair Advantage of the series rulebook after the Frenchman went off track early in the moto. As a result, Vialle was docked one position to fourth, which moved Hymas into third.
Haiden Deegan (38) captured his third career win following a 1-1 moto sweep. Photo courtesy MX Sports Pro Racing, Inc.
Moto 2
The final moto saw Deegan pick up where he left off with the MotoSport.com Holeshot as Triumph Racing’s Jalek Swoll and Kitchen gave chase. Kitchen didn’t waste any time with a pass on Swoll for second and positioned himself right behind Deegan. The early pace of the top-two finishers from the opening moto allowed them to pull away from the field. Swoll, meanwhile, came under fire from Vialle, but the KTM rider tipped over and lost positions.
Deegan and Kitchen both settled in through the middle portion of the moto, with about one second sitting between them. Behind them the battle for the overall podium heated up as three riders were in position to capture third overall. Swoll’s third-place positioning on the track gave him the edge, but both Vialle and Hymas were also in the mix. With five minutes to go, Swoll, Vialle, and Hymas were running 3-4-5 on the racetrack, separated by mere bike lengths. Vialle went on the attack and successfully made the pass on Swoll for third, which gave him the advantage in the overall classification. Hymas then made the pass on Swoll for fourth.
Back out front, Deegan picked up the pace in the waning moments to prevent a late push from Kitchen and extended his lead on the final lap. He wrapped up a 1-1 sweep of the motos by 1.9 seconds over Kitchen, with Vialle finishing strong in third.
Overall
The second career 1-1 performance by Deegan resulted in the third win of his career, kicking off the season in dominant fashion in front of the hometown crowd. Kitchen secured a solid runner-up effort with his 2-2 scores, while Vialle (4-3) edged out Hymas (3-4) for the final spot on the podium via the second moto tiebreaker.
With maximum points scored at the opening round, Deegan has established a six-point lead over Kitchen in the championship standings. Vialle and Hymas sit tied for third, 12 points out of the lead.
Haiden Deegan, Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing
“I’ve put in a lot of work [preparing for this championship]. I go out and grind. I put my heart into this sport and you guys saw that. Great job to Levi [Kitchen], he kept me honest the whole time and didn’t make it easy on me. I’m stoked to start the season with a win.”
Levi Kitchen, Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki
“We [Deegan and I] know each other pretty well from years training together [at Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing]. I didn’t know if I could make a push at the end. As soon as I tried, he tried. I’m stoked to come out of here with a podium and start the season off this way.”
Tom Vialle, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing
“The track was really hard to pass on and everyone was riding really well in the second moto. I just wanted to finish as good as I could in the second moto, so I’m happy with the result. I’m looking forward to next weekend [at Hangtown].”
250 Class Overall Results (Moto Finishes // Points)
The 2024 Pro Motocross Championship will continue next Saturday, June 1, with the second round from Northern California’s Prairie City SVRA. The Michael’s Reno Powersports Hangtown Motocross Classic Presented by Yamaha Power Assist Bicycles will be shown live in its entirety on Peacock, beginning with Race Day Live Presented by MotoSport.com at 10 a.m. PT / 1 p.m. ET. Coverage of the motos begins at 1 p.m. PT / 4 p.m. ET.
Buell Motorcycle Co. Announces Expansion into Global Markets
Buell Motorcycle Co., the iconic American Motorcycle brand, announces plans to rejoin global markets.
Grand Rapids, MI – Buell Motorcycles, renowned for high-performance, hand-built superbikes and the highly anticipated Super Cruiser, is throttling forward with expansion into global markets. Japan, France, Spain, Brazil, Canada, and Italy have been havens for Buell American Motorcycle’s clubs and superfans for decades. Being void in those markets for over 10 years, Buell is announcing its plans to regrow global distribution into these markets during the next few years, fulfilling customers’ demand to feel the rumble of a Buell Motorcycle. To help accelerate the timelines, Buell is opening its communication and phone lines for international distributors and dealers to contact the Michigan Factory, in addition to opening refundable pre-order deposits for customers to show their indication of interest to buy.
Following the launch of Buell’s Hammerhead 1190 Superbike and announcement of the Super Cruiser prototypes, riders across the globe have been asking when Buell products will be available in their home countries. Buell is pleased to announce that with the support of the United States Small Business Administration, and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, Buell has set in motion an experienced internal team to meet their consumers’ needs.
Buell’s desire to expand beyond American borders marks a significant milestone for the company. As part of its global expansion strategy, Buell will soon establish a presence in key countries, offering riders unparalleled access to its diverse range of high-performance American Motorcycles.
This year’s focus on global growth will begin with Canada, where riders can expect the same level of innovation, quality, and performance that has defined the brand’s founding roots from the beginning. Whether navigating the urban streets or exploring the open road, Buell is prepared to deliver an exhilarating riding experience like no other.
“We are looking forward to delivering high performance, V-Twin motorcycles into the Canadian marketplace. The importation of Buell motorcycles into Canada will genuinely increase the recognition that Buell is Back,” said Troy Devlin, Director of Business Development at Buell Motorcycle Co.
Buell’s first global expansion will be into Canada during Summer 2024. Timelines for the UK, EU and other markets are being planned, with compliance being led by Barbara Kiss, former head of Global Compliance at General Motors, and Buell’s compliance specialist Emily Reid-Barker.
“We’ve seen a strong demand for Buell’s high-performance motorcycles across the globe. We’re listening, and we’re ready to expand with global distribution. Our energetic and growing team is ready to deliver the rumble of our high performance V-Twin American motorcycles,” said Bill Melvin, CEO of Buell Motorcycle Co. “Riders keep asking, ‘WHEN?’ We want to give them what they want – an iconic American motorcycle with rich history, horsepower, and lots of adventure.”
Interested international buyers can place a refundable $25 preorder at www.buellmotorcycle.com/global to show their interest, receive regular updates, and be connected to the earliest international export units available.
Interested international distributors and dealers should contact Buell via the factory phone +1 (616) 888-8281, or email Buell’s Director of Business Development, Troy Devlin at [email protected].
About Buell Motorcycles:
Buell Motorcycles is an American motorcycle manufacturer based out of Grand Rapids, Michigan. With a rich heritage spanning over four decades, Buell has consistently pushed boundaries in engineering and innovation, disrupting conventional perceptions of performance by delivering big-bore power with an unparalleled riding experience.
DUNLOP SETS THE PACE IN OPENING QUALIFYING SESSION
Michael Dunlop set the pace in the opening qualifying session at the Isle of Man TT Races, lapping at 129.590mph on the Hawk Racing Honda in the Superbike category.
Peter Hickman was quickest in the Superstock class on the Monster Energy by FHO Racing BMW (129.032mph) as well as topping the leaderboard in the Supertwin class on his Swan Racing Yamaha (118.011mph) whilst Davey Todd was fastest in the Supersport class on the Powertoolmate Ducati (125.601mp). In the Sidecar class, it was local stars Ryan and Callum Crowe who were quickest at 116.699mph.
Overnight rain and morning mist pushed the schedule back to the afternoon with the Newcomers’ speed controlled lap kickstarting proceedings at 14.40. Untimed sessions then followed starting with the Supersport and Supertwin classes, where Michael Dunlop (MD Racing Paton) and Josh Brookes (BPE by Russell Racing Yamaha) were first away, then the Superbikes/Superstocks and finally the Sidecars.
Unsurprisingly, a few riders ran into issues, including Dunlop who stopped at Greeba as well as Sam West and Marcus Simpson who both tipped off at Governor’s, but after a short delay, the first qualifying session of TT2024 got underway at 6.05pm, the Supertwin/Supersport the first to leave the line again.
Brookes and Dean Harrison (Honda Racing UK) were the first to head down Glencrutchery Road followed by Michael Rutter (Bathams Racing Yamaha), Jamie Coward (KTS Racing powered by Stanley Stewart Racing Triumph), James Hillier (Bournemouth Kawasaki Racing), Todd and Paul Jordan (Jackson Racing powered by Prosper2 Honda) – all were Supersport-mounted except for Rutter out on his Supertwin.
Harrison soon overhauled Brookes on the road and, indeed, he was the first to complete the lap at 123.869mph followed by Coward (123.381mph) and Brookes (120.170mph) but they were soon overhauled by Todd who lapped at 124.162mph. Hickman and Dunlop were well in the mix at 123.783mph and 123.666mph respectively but they were all upstaged by surprise package James Hind (North Lincs Components Suzuki) who went to the top of the leaderboard with a lap of 124.190mph, 0.242 seconds quicker than Todd.
Second time around and Todd upped the pace to 125.601mph with Hillier second quickest at 125.483mph followed by Dunlop (125.048mph), Hind (124.488mph), Harrison (123.980mph) and Coward (123.833mph). Brookes and Conor Cummins also broke the 123mph barrier.
In the Supertwins, Rutter was an early retirement at Crosby, and it was Barry Furber (114.958mph) who was quickest on the opening lap from Mike Browne (114.910mph) and Stefano Bonetti (114.372m[h). However, Hickman soon went into the number one spot with a lap of 118.011mph after switching from his Supersport machine. Todd also managed to get out on his Dafabet Kawasaki lapping at 116.063mph.
Next up was the Superbike/Superstock session with the majority opting for the latter; the Honda pairing of Dean Harrison and John McGuinness were two of the few riders that opted to be Superbike-mounted along with Craig Neve (Bathams Racing Honda) and Hind.
Quickest on the opening lap was Hickman at 129.032mph, which put him 1.322 seconds ahead of Dunlop (MD Racing Honda) who lapped at 128.870mph. They were followed by WTF Racing’s Hillier (127.535mph), Dominic Herbertson on the Burrows Engineering/RK Racing BMW (127.503mph), Phil Crowe (127.032mph) and Coward (126.510mph). Mike Browne was also going well on the IN Competition Aprilia, setting the fastest ever lap around the Mountain Course for the Italian manufacturer at 125.632mph albeit unofficially.
Herbertson (127.540mph), David Johnson (127.240mph) and Rob Hodson (126.266mph) all improved on their second lap and although McGuinness was quickest initially in the Superbike class at 127.126mph from team-mate Harrison (125.790mph), Todd (128.871mph) upstaged them both on the Milwaukee BMW.
The main contenders soon switched to their Superbikes, which shuffled the leaderboard as Dunlop moved to the top at 129.590mph – setting the fastest lap of the opening session. Hickman slotted into third at 128.271mph with both McGuinness (127.646) and Harrison (125.909) improving as did Todd at 129.575mph, his lap just 0.114 seconds adrift of Dunlop.
The final session of a busy day was the Sidecars with the Crowes setting the initial pace on their Kelproperties Honda at 116.261mph, which was 7.6 seconds quicker than Founds/Walmsley’s lap of 115.505mph. Birchall/Rousseau slotted into third (114.862mph) ahead of Reeves/Wilkes (112.039mph) and Founds/Gibbons (110.467mph).
Both the Crowes and Birchall/Rousseau upped their pace on lap two with the former coming out on top by 8.2 seconds with a lap of 116.699mph compared to 115.882mph. Reeves/Wilkes also increased their speed to 113.597mph with World Champion newcomers Todd Ellis/Emmanuelle Clement impressing with a quickest lap of 109.554mph.
First worn at the world’s oldest and most famous road race by Joey Dunlop and Brian Reid in 1984, Arai is extremely proud of its 40-year presence at the Isle of Man TT. Its passionate dedication in offering protection to participants in the most demanding road race on the globe is as strong now as it was four decades ago, with every protective detail of its helmets continually improved upon.
The importance of the TT to Arai cannot be understated. Over their 40-year relationship the race has proved an invaluable R&D basis to Arai, allowing the brand to accumulate vital data that has helped create countless small improvements to its characteristic round, smooth and strong shell design that Arai is renowned for.
Arai helmets have been worn by some of the TT’s most iconic riders, including BSB Champion Josh Brookes, Philip McCallen, Ian Hutchinson, as well as Joey Dunlop’s brother Robert and nephew Michael, who will challenge for his 26th TT win in June that would see him match his uncle’s long-standing record.
The first day of racing on Saturday 1st June will be followed by a Parade Lap of the 37.73 mile course featuring TT riders past and present, and will see Akihito Arai give the starting signal to riders in celebration of Arai and the TT’s historic partnership.
As part of a 15-year tradition of unique special TT designs, Arai Helmet has recently launched the 2024 RX-7V EVO Limited Edition Isle of Man TT helmet, celebrating the race’s heritage and its new-look colourways and branding.
On May 31st Arai will also present its TT anniversary video ‘Behind the Visor’. Featuring archive footage and interviews with some of Arai’s most famous TT ambassadors, Behind the Visor explores the Arai history and affinity with TT riders and will be available on the official Arai YouTube channel.
Michio Arai expressed his pride of four decades of TT relationship, saying “The Isle of Man TT has been a special place for Arai since the 1980s, and we are extremely proud to be a key partner four decades later. The unique challenges presented by the TT are like no other race in the world, and it is an honour for us that so many of the world’s best road racers choose Arai for their protection.” He added “We send the very best luck to all riders at the TT, and in particular to Arai athlete Michael Dunlop who will compete for an incredible 26th win to equal his uncle, and original Arai TT rider, Joey Dunlop.”
Speaking on behalf of the Isle of Man TT, Paul Phillips, Head of Motorsport said, “The Isle of Man TT Races is committed to driving safety performance as part of our strategic plan. It is great to have Arai on board as Official Helmet Partner, as it is important that our partnerships align with our vision for rider safety. We recognise this in Arai’s proactive approach to achieving the highest standards over the last 40 years.”
TT 2024 is LIVE. Expected to be a historic year, watch it all live or on-demand with the TT+ Live Pass.
Join us for 11 days of flat out road racing on the World Famous TT Mountain Course. All 5 qualifying sessions and 6 race days are available live and on-demand worldwide. Don’t miss the greatest motorsport event in the world. Get your pass now.
Francesco “Pecco” Bagnaia won the FIM MotoGP World Championship race Sunday at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, in Spain. Riding his Lenovo Ducati, the two-time and defending Champion won the 24-lap race by 1.740 seconds.
Jorge Martin, the current World Championship point leader, was the runner-up on his Prima Pramac Racing Ducati.
Gresini Racing’s six-time MotoGP World Champion Marc Marquez charged forward from 14th on the grid to make it a Ducati sweep of the podium. Marquez held off Aleix Espargaro by a fraction of a second to take third.
Espargaro, who on Thursday announced plans to retire at the end of the season, finished fourth on his factory Aprilia RS-GP.
Fabio Di Giannantonio rounded out the top five finishers on his Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Ducati.
Bagnaia’s teammate Enea Bastianini was given a Long Lap penalty for cutting the track at Turn Two. Bastianini did not comply with the Long Lap penalty and for this he was then given a Double Long Lap penalty. He did not comply with the Double Long Lap penalty, which incurred a Ride-Through penalty. Then when Bastianini failed to serve the Ride-Through penalty, he was assessed a 32-second time penalty after the race, dropping him from ninth to 18th and out of the points.
Bagnaia banishes Barcelona demons to deny Martin with statement win, Marquez makes late podium attack
After a Saturday to forget it was a Sunday to remember for the reigning Champion as he hits back to outpace Martin – with #MM93 charging up the order to make it a familiar top three
Francesco Bagnaia (1) won the MotoGP race at Catalunya over Jorge Martin (89). Photo courtesy Dorna.
Sunday, 26 May 2024
After missing an open goal win on Saturday, Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) came out swinging on Sunday at the Gran Premi Monster Energy de Catalunya. The reigning Champion needed to make a statement and take some serious points, and that he did on both counts. Quick out the blocks from the start before ceding the lead early doors to Championship leader Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing), Bagnaia put in a relentless push to catch the #89, pounce once on the scene, and then edge away to pocket those 25 points on Sunday.
Behind Martin, the fight to complete the podium boiled down to the duel between Marc Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) and Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing), and it was almost a photo finish but the #93 took the spoils – making it three Grand Prix podiums in a row for Marquez for the first time since 2019. It was also another stunning comeback ride, this time from P14 on the grid.
Francesco Bagnaia (1) leads Pedro Acosta, Brad Binder (33), Jorge Martin (89), and Aleix Espargaro (41) early in the race. Marc Marquez is not pictured as he was still on his way forward after starting 14th on the grid. Photo courtesy Dorna.
As the lights went out, it was a showdown on the brakes into T1 but Bagnaia just held on for the holeshot ahead of Pedro Acosta (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3), with Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) also moving up but the #33 into third. Martin got a good start this time round, taking over in fourth, with polesitter Espargaro the main party losing out.
Into Turn 10 on Lap 1, we had the first big move as Martin made an absolute lunge on Binder, but he got the job done and cleanly enough. It also left a small gap up the road to the leading duo of Bagnaia and Acosta, but it didn’t take long for that gap to close because it didn’t take long for the leading duo to start making moves amongst themselves.
Acosta’s first attack came at Turn 10 after a couple of laps staring at the rear of the Ducati, but Bagnaia kept it tight to immediately take it back. Acosta’s foot was even off the peg. That closed everything up again, with Martin then right on their heels and Binder not too far behind either. Turn 10 staged another one next time round, this time for Championship leader Martin on the rookie – and Acosta was forced to cede it. And again next time around, this time as Martin left it oh-so-late to attack for the lead, taking over before they crossed the line for 19 to go.
The party at Turn 10 didn’t stop there. Next time round there was another decisive move as Acosta attacked Bagnaia and took back over in second, and in a matter of apexes the rookie was back on the exhaust of race leader Martin, looking impatient.
Meanwhile, the squabble behind was heating up. Bagnaia had some breathing space in third but Binder, Espargaro and Raul Fernandez were locked together. After stalking his prey for a while, Espargaro then was able to just nudge ahead into Turn 1, before Raul Fernandez attacked the KTM into Turn 3. Brutal but clean, Binder was pushed back to sixth.
Marc Marquez (93) started 14th and was able to get up to third, just ahead of Aleix Espargaro (41). Photo courtesy Dorna.
However, that soon become fifth as big drama hit for Acosta. After lighting it up there earlier, it all then came apart for the rookie at Turn 10 as he slid off, leaving Martin just over a second clear in the lead and Bagnaia now the rider on the chase. From there, the chess match began.
Lap after lap, the gap was coming down as the #1 chipped away. A few hundredths here and there, each sector just enough to gain a few extra metres, a mere tenth per lap. But an absolutely relentless tenth per lap. And once he was there, Bagnaia wasted absolutely no time in making his attack.
With six laps to go, the reigning Champion made his move – and at exactly the place he let big spoils go begging in the Tissot Sprint: Turn 5. No drama, no contact, and nothing Martin could do, the roles were now reversed.
The relentless pace from the #1 continued, however, and the battle of the laptimes was slipping from Martin’s grasp. The gap eked out, came back down slightly and then suddenly went up again. The jig was up as Martin started to fade, leaving Bagnaia with the same task as Saturday: keep it on the same rails to the flag. This time, it was a faultless performance as the Ducati Lenovo rider cuts the gap back to 39 points and Martin, this time round, has to settle for second.
Meanwhile, Marc Marquez was now on the tailpipes of Espargaro. The #93 pulled a carbon copy of the move the Aprilia rider put on Binder a few laps before and was into third – now he just had to hold onto it. After announcing his retirement at the end of 2024 just ahead of the event and taking pole and the Sprint win, the incentive was even bigger than normal for the #41 to make an attack, and he clawed his way onto the back of the Gresini by the final lap. But there was no way through that would have allowed both to finish, so it came down to the final drag to the line – with Marquez just staying ahead for that podium from P14 on the grid.
Espargaro takes fourth to complete an incredible weekend on home turf, with a late charge from Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) seeing the Italian just pip Raul Fernandez to fifth. Still, after a maiden front row and having led the Sprint, P6 concludes a great weekend for the #25 and Trackhouse Racing – it’s the team’s best result yet.
Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) charged through to seventh as Binder lost out later in the race to finish P8. Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) kept ahead of Miguel Oliveira (Trackhouse Racing) as they completed the top ten. Marco Bezzecchi (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team), Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing), Acosta after remounting, Takaaki Nakagami (IDEMITSU Honda LCR) and Joan Mir (Repsol Honda Team) completed the points.
There’s one name missing from that last who did cross the line ahead of a few of them, but the FIM MotoGP™ Stewards v Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Team) intervened. The ‘Beast’ had a dramatic race after he went wide following an attack from Alex Marquez, was deemed to have not lost enough time cutting Turn 2, and then given a Long Lap. He didn’t agree with that, countering he’d lost time from the #AM73 move, so he rode on. He then got a double Long Lap and served one, unsure if it might have been for another incident, and didn’t serve the second – so it became a ride through. The protest vote rolled on from the #23 and he didn’t take that in time either, so it ended up as a 32s time penalty, the equivalent of a trip through pitlane. Acrimony low but commitment to opinion high, he’ll be looking to prove a point at Mugello.
That’s just next week, as luck would have it, with the spectacular Tuscan venue ready to welcome the world’s most exciting sport for the Gran Premio d’Italia Brembo. Join us then for more as the statement wins just keep on coming – and the history just keeps getting made.
Ai Ogura (79) won the Moto2 race. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Ogura puts in a masterclass for first win since 2022 as Aldeguer falters
There was a twist in the tale for Moto2™ at the Gran Premi Monster Energy de Catalunya, and after showing some searing pace once at the front, Ai Ogura (MT Helmets – MSI) leaves Barcelona victorious for the first time since the 2022 Japanese Grand Prix. Ogura charged through the field from 10th managing to get the better of teammate Sergio Garcia in the closing laps, making it another MT Helmets – MSI one-two. Jake Dixon (CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team) was overcome with joy after picking up his first podium of the year in what has so far been a difficult season. And the twist? Initial leader Fermin Aldeguer (MB Conveyors SpeedUp) got a Long Lap for track limits and then crashed out as he entered the LLP loop.
Once the lights went out it was a flying start from Garcia as he converted his pole position into the race lead at Turn 1. Teammate Ogura rocketed from 10th on the grid and somehow snuck up into the top three as they reached the end of the straight.
Back at the front, it didn’t take Aldeguer long to steal away the race lead. He dived to the inside of his fellow Boscoscuro rider Garcia at Turn 10 on Lap 3, and then set about putting the hammer down as he asked questions of the Moto2™ sophomore. Pushing hard, Aldeguer did manage to make a gap before Garcia started to close him back in, and then the LLP for track limits added the first twist for the #54.
As they crossed the line to start lap 15, Garcia was nearly in a position to pounce. But he didn’t need to. Entering the long lap penalty loop at Turn 1, Aldeguer tucked the front on the brakes as he desperately tried to lose as little time as possible but in the end he lost all chance of victory.
Garcia was promoted to the lead but then just as he could breathe a sigh of relief, a second threat quickly became very visible. Ogura had sneakily taken two seconds out of his teammate in three laps.
The pivotal moment came at Turn 1 on Lap 18 as Ogura slipstreamed past Garcia and then from there rode home to a clear victory in the end by almost four seconds. Amazingly, that’s Ogura’s first win since he won in his homeland of Japan back in 2022. The final laps of held breath turned to elation at the chequered flag as the MT Helmets – MSI squad secured a brilliant Barcelona one-two. Dixon in third was delighted to be back on the podium after a torrid start to 2024.
Jeremy Alcoba (Yamaha VR46 Master Camp Team) took a fine fourth as he just edged out a brilliant performance from Senna Agius (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) who took fifth – serving a long lap penalty on the way too, for track limits.
Alonso Lopez (MB Conveyors SpeedUp) dropped to eighth after struggling to hold onto the pace in the closing laps. Championship hopeful Joe Roberts (OnlyFans American Racing Team) took 9th in a disappointing day for his championship challenge, but it was better than it was at the line as he was promoted to ninth from after both Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) and Zonta Van den Goorbergh (RW-Idrofoglia Racing GP) had to drop positions post-race.
The Grand Prix paddock heads to Mugello in one week’s time for the iconic Gran Premio d’Italia Brembo, so join us there for more!
David Alonso (80) won the Moto3 race and took over the Championship point lead. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Catch me if you can: Alonso pulls the pin for fourth win of the year
David Alonso (CFMoto Gaviota Aspar Team) played his cards to perfection in the Gran Premi Monster Energy de Catalunya, pouncing when it counted and then upping the pace to hold off the chasing pack to the flag. The victory, his fourth of the season, also makes him the new Moto3™ World Championship leader. Just behind, Ivan Ortola (MT Helmets – MSI) converted his maiden pole into a podium in P2, with Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) back on the box in third.
After a scrappy start with many almost on the grass, Ortola emerged with a few bike lengths lead in the first half of the first lap – but Dani Holgado (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3), up from P9 on the grid, was soon reeling him in. David Muñoz (BOE Motorsports) did the Rossi-Razgatlioglu move on Holgado at end of the lap to take over in second, but by the time they got into Turn 1 it was all change on the chase. Ortola led Collin Veijer (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) led Taiyo Furusato (Honda Team Asia), but the Japanese rider then got the notification to serve his double Long Lap given on Saturday, and Muñoz his single LLP. The race was on to move back through.
The freight train rolled on at the front with Ortola, Veijer and Holgado leading the way, but by six or seven to go Alonso was starting to get busy. Over the line as the final five laps began, the Colombian was trying to stretch the group out from the front – with Ortola, Veijer and Holgado just about hanging in there as a gap started to grow behind the top four.
As the laps ticked on though, the picture changed again. Holgado was fading slightly into the clutches of Rueda and Muñoz, and once Rueda was past the Championship leader he was able to claw back onto the leading trio. As the last lap began, it was once again a quartet, this time with Rueda in the ranks. The first move came from the number 99, getting past Veijer at Turn 4. But that would prove the last, with the pace so hot and the limit so close for each that no door was left open and no sensible chance possible.
Alonso crossed the line a quarter of a second clear to take the Championship lead, with Ortola denied a home win but taking another podium as he builds some momentum after some bad luck and trouble earlier in the season. Rueda, after an even tougher start to 2024 with appendicitis and a couple of on track dramas, takes a second podium of the season and his third in Grand Prix racing after an impressive late attack.
Veijer was just too far back to slipstream it and takes fourth, with Muñoz completing the top five despite that LLP. Holgado, meanwhile, faded to sixth and loses that points lead, now 14 points off Alonso.
It was a standout ride from Luca Lunetta (SIC58 Squadra Corse) in seventh, with the Italian rookie hanging on to the front group for much of the race and then taking an impressive P7. A huge group fight behind went all the way back to 14th, and it was another rookie heading that as Jacob Roulstone (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) took P8. Filippo Farioli (SIC58 Squadra Corse) was next up and just beat Adrian Fernandez (Leopard Racing) to ninth and they completed the top ten.
Next up it’s the stunning Autodromo Internazionale del Mugello next weeked. Can Alonso extend that advantage?
More, from a press release issued by Michelin:
New records in MotoGP™ and MotoE™
• The 6th round of the MotoGP FIM World Championship and the 5th & 6th rounds of the FIM ENEL MotoE™ World Championship kept all their promises in terms of spectacle and high-level performances.
• The MICHELIN Power Slick ranges for MotoGP, as well as the tyres specifically developed for the electric motorcycles in MotoE, enabled riders to set several new records.
• In MotoGP Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) set the all-time circuit lap record of 1’38.190. In MotoE, the new lap benchmark is now held by Nicholas Spinelli (Tech 3 E-Racing) at 1’48.025.
On the 4.627 km Catalan circuit, with its six left and eight right turns, the main challenge of the weekend was the lack of grip. In such cases, riders adapt their riding and the traction control of their motorcycles to limit the amount of rear tyre slippage and restrict its rise in temperature, so that its performance over time is not impacted. On this circuit where everyone had plenty of space to express themselves, it was therefore necessary to show some restraint. To help the riders get the most out of their tyres in such conditions, Michelin’s technical teams provided them with much support.
For the 2024 Gran Premi Monster Energy de Catalunya, Michelin’s partners had at their disposal three symmetrical compounds of front tyres (Soft, Medium, Hard) and two asymmetrical rears (Soft and Medium) – due to greater number of right turns, the right shoulder of the rear tyres was reinforced. For the Sprint race, all riders selected the Medium compound for the front, and the Soft for the rear. For the Grand Prix, it was once again the Medium that was chosen by everyone for the front, and this time the majority opted for the rear – with four riders opting for the Soft tyres: Marc and Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing), Pedro Acosta (Red Bull GASGAS Tech 3) and Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM).
“The riders managed our tyres to compensate for the lack of grip, and this was helped by the appropriate set-up of their motorcycle,” confirms Piero Taramasso, Michelin two-wheel competition manager. “During the first test sessions, our partners tried all the compounds available to them, and they quickly identified the Soft and Medium options as the best for the front. For the rear, the Soft was a source of superior performance in absolute terms, but the Medium tyre offered them more peace of mind over time. However, as we saw in the Grand Prix, the Soft was also a choice that could pay off despite the high track temperature (46°C). In addition to Marc Marquez’s podium, I noted that Pedro Acosta’s new race lap record was set on a Soft tyre, and that he was able to climb up to 13th place after his early fall, attacking until the last corners of the Grand Prix. These facts underline the extraordinary versatility of our tyres, irrespective of their specificities and their normal operating windows. Finally, all the records broken this weekend once again confirm our technological leadership, and the benefits provided by our new rubber compounds.”
On Saturday afternoon, the Sprint race (12 laps) was won by Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing), ahead of Marc Marquez (Gresini Racing) and Pedro Acosta (Red Bull GASGAS Tech 3).
On Sunday, the 24 lap Grand Prix saw victory for Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team), ahead of Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing), and Marc Marquez (Gresini Racing).
Alongside the all-time circuit lap record, MotoGP riders recorded two new records this weekend:
The race lap record, achieved in 1’39.664 by Pedro Acosta (Red Bull GASGAS Tech 3) on the 7th lap of the Grand Prix.
The duration of the Grand Prix, which has been reduced by more than 10 seconds, to 40’11.726.
Fifth and sixth rounds of the FIM ENEL MotoE™ World Championship
During eight European Grands Prix, electric motorcycles supplied by Ducati compete at the rate of two races per round (a total of 16 races). In Barcelona, it was a matter of covering 7 laps twice, first on Saturday lunchtime, then again less than an hour after the finish of the Sprint race.
During the first of the two races, it was the Catalan rider Oscar Gutierrez (Axxis-MSI) who won in front of his home crowd. He finished ahead of Eric Granado (LCR E-Team) and Kevin Zannoni (Open Bank Aspar Team). On the 5th of the 7 laps, Oscar Gutierrez broke the MotoE circuit lap record, with a time of 1’48”025.
A little later in the day, the second round of MotoE saw victory for Kevin Zannoni (Open Bank Aspar Team), ahead of Oscar Gutierrez (Axxis-MSI) and Alessandro Zaccone (Tech 3 E-Racing).
“Our new tyres are also proving their worth here,” continues Piero Taramasso. “This weekend we were able to note the continued increase in performance of the Ducati electric motorcycles, with new record times and a constantly increasing level of spectacle. We now look forward to seeing our MotoE tyre ranges, whose composition is focused on the preservation of natural resources, on the Mugello circuit next week.”
The electric motorcycles in the 2024 FIM Enel MotoE World Championship are all equipped with Michelin tyres containing 53% of renewable and recycled materials at the rear, and 49% at the front (compared to 52% and 34% respectively last year). In addition, the rear tyres are distinguished by a particular tread design, with ephemeral patterns and a velvet appearance, that disappear during the initial laps.
The 7th round of the MotoGP World Championship, as well as the 4th round of the FIM Enel MotoE World Championship, will take place next weekend, from 31 May to 2 June on the Mugello circuit (Italy), at the Gran Premio d’Italia Brembo.
About Michelin
Michelin’s ambition is to sustainably improve its customers’ mobility. The leader in the mobility sector, Michelin designs, manufactures, and distributes the tires best suited to their requirements and uses as well as services and solutions to improve transport efficacy. Michelin also puts forward offers that allow its customers to enjoy unique moments when traveling. Michelin also develops high-technology equipment intended for multiple fields. Based in Clermont-Ferrand, Michelin is present in 175 countries, employs 132,200 people and operates 67 tire factories that, together, produced approximately 167 million tires in 2022. (www.michelin.com).
Ai Ogura won the FIM Moto2 World Championship race Sunday at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, in Spain. Starting 10th on the grid, Ogura was able to come through the field and pull away to win the 21-lap race by 3.816 seconds on his MT Helmets – MSI Boscoscuro.
Ogura’s teammate Sergio Garcia, the current World Championship point leader, took the checkered flag in second place.
British rider Jake Dixon came home third on his CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team Kalex, earning only his second point-scoring finish of the season.
OnlyFans American Racing Team’s Joe Roberts was one of several riders who were assessed Long Lap penalties for exceeding track limits during the race, but the American was still able to finish eighth and hang on to second place in the point standings.
Pirelli revolutionises the Catalunya GP records, Ogura and Alonso win
Ai Ogura (79). Photo courtesy Pirelli.
All-time track and race lap records substantially improved on in both categories with significant improvements in overall race times as well
The streak of records broken by Pirelli in the Moto2™ and Moto3™ World Championships continues. At the Catalunya GP, raced on the Montmelò track, the DIABLO™ Superbike slicks once again contributed to breaking the all-time track and race lap records in both categories, also significantly reducing the overall race times.
In Moto2™, Ai Ogura (MT Helmets-MSI/Boscoscuro) took the win after a spectacular comeback ride from the tenth spot on the grid. Another victory – his fourth this year – went to David Alonso (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team/CFMOTO), who firmly leads in the Moto3™ standings with 118 championship points.
Giorgio Barbier, Motorcycle Racing Director
Completely rewritten records and increasingly faster races
“We are undoubtedly extremely satisfied with the performance of our tyres this weekend and I think that the teams and riders also share this satisfaction. Everyone knows that the Montmeló circuit is a rather demanding track in terms of tyres because of the low grip and it is hard on the front tyres, so this difficult setting only makes the results achieved that much more impressive. Thanks in part to the performance of our tyres, numerous records were set, but the most impressive part of this is by how much these records were broken, because it isn’t a matter of shaving off a little time, but rather drastically better times than in the past. The new all-time track record in Moto2 was broken by more than 1 second and in Moto3 by an incredible 1.5 seconds. In Moto2, the new race lap record is more than 1 second faster than the previous one with 12 riders breaking the old record. In Moto3, it was broken by 1.5 seconds and no fewer than 17 riders beat the previous lap record. And then there are the overall race times. The Moto2 race was 18 seconds faster than in 2023 and the Moto3 time was a full 35 seconds faster, so an average of almost 2 seconds per lap faster than 2023. These are significant numbers that clarify the idea of what kind of progress is being made compared with previous years and we are convinced that throughout the year, the teams and riders will continue to improve as they get to know our tyres better and better.”
The Race Of The Tyres
Moto2™
· Rider choice was unanimous for the rear tyre. Everyone was on the starting grid with the soft SC0. Front tyre choice was more varied, with about half of the 32 riders on the soft SC1 and the other half on the medium SC2. All three riders on the podium used the soft SC1 at the front.
· Japanese rider Ai Ogura (MT Helmets-MSI/Boscoscuro) won the race, which ran 21 laps, in 36’33.540, a time almost 18 seconds faster than 2023 with an average improvement per lap of about 9 tenths and asphalt temperatures 10°C higher than those in 2023.
· Before crashing out of the race, Fermín Aldeguer (MB Conveyors SpeedUp/Boscoscuro) set the new race lap record with a time of 1’42.688 on the second lap, breaking the old one by more than 1 second, which had been set by Raul Fernandez in 2021 (1’43.757). In addition to the Spaniard, another eleven riders did at least one lap faster than the previous track record time.
Moto3™
· With asphalt temperatures close to 40°C, most of the riders on the grid opted for tyres in the medium SC2 compound for both the front and the rear. In fact, 19 out of 27 riders chose this combination and 25 of them put on the SC2 front. Choosing the medium SC2 for both axles was also race winner David Alonso (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team/CFMOTO) and pole man (and second-place finisher) Iván Ortolá (MT Helmets-MSI/KTM).
· Only 6 riders used the soft SC1 at the rear, including Collin Veijer (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP/Husqvarna) and Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo/KTM) who, starting respectively from the second and third spots on the grid, finished fourth and third.
· The race (overall time 32’25.084) was almost 35 seconds faster than the 2023 race (33’00.945), with an average improvement per lap of almost 2 seconds.
· Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo/KTM), with SC2 front and rear tyres, set the new race lap record with a time of 1’46.748 on the penultimate of the 18 total laps, breaking the previous record by almost 1.5 seconds which had been set by Darryn Binder in 2021 (1’48.209). Overall, 17 riders dropped below the previous track race lap record.
David Alonso won the FIM Moto3 World Championship race Sunday at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, in Spain. Riding his Gaviota Aspar Team CFMOTO, the Colombian was able to win the 18-lap race by a scant 0.242 second and move into the World Championship point lead.
Pole-sitter Ivan Ortola was a close second on his MT Helmets – MSI KTM, and Jose Antonio Rueda was equally close in third on his Red Bull KTM Ajo machine.
Geoff May Racing and rider Gabriel Da Silva (74) will be sponsored by Jarritos at Road America. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
Geoff May Racing is thrilled to announce that Jarritos, the refreshing Mexican soda, is joining the team as a title sponsor for the upcoming Superbike Cup at Road America. Jarritos Racing/Team GMR features talented nineteen-year-old rider Gabriel Da Silva. The announcement was made by Jodi May, team principal of Geoff May Racing.
Da Silva will be competing again on the formidable Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP, a bike renowned for its power and agility. At Barber Motorsports Park two weeks ago, the team debuted in the Stock 1000 season opener with Da Silva aboard the #74 GMR/Jones Honda. He qualified on the front row and finished as runner-up in race one.
Jarritos Racing/Team GMR is supported by a group of generous sponsors that includes Darrell Jones Honda, KWS, Michael Godin, Dainese, Arai Helmets, SBS Brakes, K-Tech, Evol Technology, Pippins Designs, and Dunlop.
“The collaboration with Jarritos marks a significant milestone for both Geoff May Racing and Jarritos,” commented Jodi May. “We are confident that, with the combined expertise of Geoff May Racing and the skills of Gabriel Da Silva, we will deliver an outstanding performance.”
Jarritos Racing/Team GMR is looking forward to an exciting weekend of racing, and they invite all their fans and supporters to join them at Road America to witness the thrill and excitement of Superbike racing. Be sure to stop by their paddock setup and enjoy the refreshments provided by Jarritos.
Known as the “Official Soda of Tacos,” Jarritos was founded in 1950 by Don Francisco “El Güero” Hill. Made in Mexico, Jarritos is produced in a variety of fruit flavors, with cane sugar, and is less carbonated than other popular soft drinks. Many Jarritos varieties are naturally flavored. The word jarrito means “little jug” in Spanish and refers to the Mexican tradition of storing drinks in clay pottery jugs. Jarritos soda is sold in 370 mL (13 US fl oz), 600 mL (20 US fl oz), and 1.5-liter bottles.
Pilot Daniel May and passenger Craig Chawla (93) lead a combined sidecar race at the AHRMA event at Nelson Ledges. Photo by Cathy Drexler, courtesy AHRMA.
Here are complete race results from the 2024 Bridgestone Tires AHRMA Roadracing Series event held May 25-26 at Nelson Ledges Road Course, in Garrettsville, Ohio.
The start of a 450 Moto at Fox Raceway in Pala, California. Photo courtesy MX Sports Pro Racing, Inc.
Reigning SuperMotocross World Champions Open Pro Motocross Championship in Dominant Fashion at Fox Raceway National
Jett Lawrence Continues Undefeated Streak in 450 Class, while Haiden Deegan Asserts Himself Atop 250 Class
PALA, Calif. – The 53rd season of the Pro Motocross Championship, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, kicked off in the motocross epicenter of Southern California under sunny skies and balmy temperatures. Pala’s Fox Raceway was the site of the season-opening Honda Fox Raceway National Presented by Fox Racing, where the reigning SuperMotocross World Champions both made a statement with dominant performances in their respective divisions. In the 450 Class, Team Honda HRC’s Jett Lawrence picked up where he left off from last year’s perfect season to remain undefeated in premier class competition with his 23rd and 24th consecutive moto wins and a seventh straight victory at Fox Raceway. In the 250 Class, Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Haiden Deegan shined in front of the hometown crowd with an impressive 1-1 effort in which he showed an ability to come from behind and run from the front.
450 Class
Moto 1
The opening premier class moto started with the Lawrence brothers leading the way aboard their Team Honda HRC rides, with Jett edging out Hunter for the MotoSport.com Holeshot. They were joined by Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Aaron Plessinger, who pushed hard early to move into second behind the young Aussie. As Lawrence asserted his control of the lead, Plessinger settled in to keep him honest.
Jett inched away as the moto wore on and soon built a lead of more than five seconds, which left the battle for second to take shape between Plessinger and Hunter Lawrence. The KTM rider held strong for the majority of the moto, but the elder Lawrence went on the attack as the moto entered its final 10 minutes. Hunter made the pass for second and quickly put distance on Plessinger.
Out front, Jett cruised to his 23rd straight moto win dating back to last season, crossing the line five seconds ahead of Hunter to complete a Lawrence 1-2 in their first 450 Class race together. Plessinger followed in third, with Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Chase Sexton fourth and Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Justin Cooper in fifth.
Jett Lawrence (1) remained unbeaten in 450 Class competition and is now 24-0 to begin his premier class career. Photo courtesy MX Sports Pro Racing, Inc.
Moto 2
The Lawrences led the field into the first turn to open the final moto, with Hunter edging out Jett for the MotoSport.com Holeshot. Jett then made an early push to slip by his older brother and seize control of the lead, while Hunter briefly dropped to third behind a hard-charging Phil Nicoletti aboard his Muc-Off/FXR/ClubMX Yamaha. Hunter reclaimed the position, while Sexton followed into third.
The top three set a torrid pace early and put several seconds on the rest of the field. Soon, a sibling battle unfolded as Hunter closed onto Jett’s rear fender. The champ fended off the challenge, but it allowed Sexton to close back in from third to make it a three-rider pursuit for victory. As Jett continued to lead, Sexton was able to make the pass on Hunter for second and mount an attack for the top spot. Sexton kept Jett within reach for several laps, but went off track just before time ran out on the moto and lost considerable ground to end the threat.
Sexton gave it his all over the final two laps and got back within sight of Lawrence, but it wasn’t enough. The Honda rider wrapped up the 1-1 effort by 1.3 seconds over Sexton, with Hunter Lawrence a distant third.
Overall
Jett Lawrence wrapped up the 12th overall win of his career and moved to 24-0 in 450 Class competition, spearheading a historic Lawrence brothers 1-2 in their first race together following Hunter’s 2-3 effort. Sexton rebounded strongly from a challenging first moto to round out the podium in third (4-2).
With the win, Jett Lawrence has established an eight-point lead over Hunter, while Sexton sits 10 points out of the lead in third.
It’s the third straight season that Team Honda HRC has finished 1-2 at the opening round.
Jett Lawrence, Team Honda HRC
“Mid-race [in Moto 2] I looked back and saw [Hunter] behind me, then I looked back again and it was Chase [Sexton]. I couldn’t let up at all. It was a great day and now I’m tied with James [Stewart] at 24-0 [in motos], which is pretty cool.”
Hunter Lawrence, Team Honda HRC
“I knew the points situation [in Moto 2] and made a change [on the bike] that we’ll get better with. I just took what it gave me. I didn’t want to do anything silly. I’m stoked to put it on the box [in my first race].”
Chase Sexton, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing
“I went off the track at the top of the hill and thought the race was over. I picked the pace up and got close to Jett [Lawrence] on the final lap, but he picked it up [too] and that was it. We got off to a good start and will look to build on this next weekend.”
Justin Cooper, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., Yamaha – 31
Jason Anderson, Edgewood, N.M., Kawasaki – 30
Aaron Plessinger, Hamilton, Ohio, KTM – 30
Malcolm Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Husqvarna – 29
Phil Nicoletti, Cochecton, N.Y., Yamaha – 26
250 Class
Moto 1
The first moto began with the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing machine of Tom Vialle leading the field through the first turn for the MotoSport.com Holeshot, but the Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki of Levi Kitchen slotted right into second. Kitchen showed patience early but went on the attack during the opening 10 minutes of the moto and took control of the top spot. With the lead in hand, Kitchen opened up a multi-second advantage over the field, while Vialle and Deegan engaged in a battle for second. Deegan soon made the pass to move into the runner-up spot.
Deegan showed a quicker pace than Kitchen through the middle portion of race and slowly chipped away at the deficit until he eventually closed to within a few bike lengths as the moto entered its final 10 minutes. The battle was on from that point forward as Kitchen responded, leading to trades of momentum. An off-track excursion briefly slowed Deegan’s momentum but he regrouped and continued to put the pressure on the Kawasaki out front.
Kitchen appeared to have control of the moto as they took the 2-Lap Board, but an errant track marker became lodged in his boot, which slowed the Kawasaki’s momentum while he removed it and allowed Deegan to slip into the lead. The Southern California native dropped the hammer to sprint away and grab the first moto win of the season, 7.2 seconds ahead of Kitchen. Vialle followed in third, with Team Honda HRC’s Chance Hymas fourth, and Triumph Racing’s Joey Savatgy fifth.
Following the race, officials determined that Vialle was in violation of Rule 1.6.20 Track Cuts/Unfair Advantage of the series rulebook after the Frenchman went off track early in the moto. As a result, Vialle was docked one position to fourth, which moved Hymas into third.
Haiden Deegan (38) captured his third career win following a 1-1 moto sweep. Photo courtesy MX Sports Pro Racing, Inc.
Moto 2
The final moto saw Deegan pick up where he left off with the MotoSport.com Holeshot as Triumph Racing’s Jalek Swoll and Kitchen gave chase. Kitchen didn’t waste any time with a pass on Swoll for second and positioned himself right behind Deegan. The early pace of the top-two finishers from the opening moto allowed them to pull away from the field. Swoll, meanwhile, came under fire from Vialle, but the KTM rider tipped over and lost positions.
Deegan and Kitchen both settled in through the middle portion of the moto, with about one second sitting between them. Behind them the battle for the overall podium heated up as three riders were in position to capture third overall. Swoll’s third-place positioning on the track gave him the edge, but both Vialle and Hymas were also in the mix. With five minutes to go, Swoll, Vialle, and Hymas were running 3-4-5 on the racetrack, separated by mere bike lengths. Vialle went on the attack and successfully made the pass on Swoll for third, which gave him the advantage in the overall classification. Hymas then made the pass on Swoll for fourth.
Back out front, Deegan picked up the pace in the waning moments to prevent a late push from Kitchen and extended his lead on the final lap. He wrapped up a 1-1 sweep of the motos by 1.9 seconds over Kitchen, with Vialle finishing strong in third.
Overall
The second career 1-1 performance by Deegan resulted in the third win of his career, kicking off the season in dominant fashion in front of the hometown crowd. Kitchen secured a solid runner-up effort with his 2-2 scores, while Vialle (4-3) edged out Hymas (3-4) for the final spot on the podium via the second moto tiebreaker.
With maximum points scored at the opening round, Deegan has established a six-point lead over Kitchen in the championship standings. Vialle and Hymas sit tied for third, 12 points out of the lead.
Haiden Deegan, Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing
“I’ve put in a lot of work [preparing for this championship]. I go out and grind. I put my heart into this sport and you guys saw that. Great job to Levi [Kitchen], he kept me honest the whole time and didn’t make it easy on me. I’m stoked to start the season with a win.”
Levi Kitchen, Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki
“We [Deegan and I] know each other pretty well from years training together [at Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing]. I didn’t know if I could make a push at the end. As soon as I tried, he tried. I’m stoked to come out of here with a podium and start the season off this way.”
Tom Vialle, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing
“The track was really hard to pass on and everyone was riding really well in the second moto. I just wanted to finish as good as I could in the second moto, so I’m happy with the result. I’m looking forward to next weekend [at Hangtown].”
250 Class Overall Results (Moto Finishes // Points)
The 2024 Pro Motocross Championship will continue next Saturday, June 1, with the second round from Northern California’s Prairie City SVRA. The Michael’s Reno Powersports Hangtown Motocross Classic Presented by Yamaha Power Assist Bicycles will be shown live in its entirety on Peacock, beginning with Race Day Live Presented by MotoSport.com at 10 a.m. PT / 1 p.m. ET. Coverage of the motos begins at 1 p.m. PT / 4 p.m. ET.
A Freedom Edition Buell Hammerhead 1190. Photo courtesy Buell.
Buell Motorcycle Co. Announces Expansion into Global Markets
Buell Motorcycle Co., the iconic American Motorcycle brand, announces plans to rejoin global markets.
Grand Rapids, MI – Buell Motorcycles, renowned for high-performance, hand-built superbikes and the highly anticipated Super Cruiser, is throttling forward with expansion into global markets. Japan, France, Spain, Brazil, Canada, and Italy have been havens for Buell American Motorcycle’s clubs and superfans for decades. Being void in those markets for over 10 years, Buell is announcing its plans to regrow global distribution into these markets during the next few years, fulfilling customers’ demand to feel the rumble of a Buell Motorcycle. To help accelerate the timelines, Buell is opening its communication and phone lines for international distributors and dealers to contact the Michigan Factory, in addition to opening refundable pre-order deposits for customers to show their indication of interest to buy.
Following the launch of Buell’s Hammerhead 1190 Superbike and announcement of the Super Cruiser prototypes, riders across the globe have been asking when Buell products will be available in their home countries. Buell is pleased to announce that with the support of the United States Small Business Administration, and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, Buell has set in motion an experienced internal team to meet their consumers’ needs.
Buell’s desire to expand beyond American borders marks a significant milestone for the company. As part of its global expansion strategy, Buell will soon establish a presence in key countries, offering riders unparalleled access to its diverse range of high-performance American Motorcycles.
This year’s focus on global growth will begin with Canada, where riders can expect the same level of innovation, quality, and performance that has defined the brand’s founding roots from the beginning. Whether navigating the urban streets or exploring the open road, Buell is prepared to deliver an exhilarating riding experience like no other.
“We are looking forward to delivering high performance, V-Twin motorcycles into the Canadian marketplace. The importation of Buell motorcycles into Canada will genuinely increase the recognition that Buell is Back,” said Troy Devlin, Director of Business Development at Buell Motorcycle Co.
Buell’s first global expansion will be into Canada during Summer 2024. Timelines for the UK, EU and other markets are being planned, with compliance being led by Barbara Kiss, former head of Global Compliance at General Motors, and Buell’s compliance specialist Emily Reid-Barker.
“We’ve seen a strong demand for Buell’s high-performance motorcycles across the globe. We’re listening, and we’re ready to expand with global distribution. Our energetic and growing team is ready to deliver the rumble of our high performance V-Twin American motorcycles,” said Bill Melvin, CEO of Buell Motorcycle Co. “Riders keep asking, ‘WHEN?’ We want to give them what they want – an iconic American motorcycle with rich history, horsepower, and lots of adventure.”
Interested international buyers can place a refundable $25 preorder at www.buellmotorcycle.com/global to show their interest, receive regular updates, and be connected to the earliest international export units available.
Interested international distributors and dealers should contact Buell via the factory phone +1 (616) 888-8281, or email Buell’s Director of Business Development, Troy Devlin at [email protected].
About Buell Motorcycles:
Buell Motorcycles is an American motorcycle manufacturer based out of Grand Rapids, Michigan. With a rich heritage spanning over four decades, Buell has consistently pushed boundaries in engineering and innovation, disrupting conventional perceptions of performance by delivering big-bore power with an unparalleled riding experience.
DUNLOP SETS THE PACE IN OPENING QUALIFYING SESSION
Michael Dunlop set the pace in the opening qualifying session at the Isle of Man TT Races, lapping at 129.590mph on the Hawk Racing Honda in the Superbike category.
Peter Hickman was quickest in the Superstock class on the Monster Energy by FHO Racing BMW (129.032mph) as well as topping the leaderboard in the Supertwin class on his Swan Racing Yamaha (118.011mph) whilst Davey Todd was fastest in the Supersport class on the Powertoolmate Ducati (125.601mp). In the Sidecar class, it was local stars Ryan and Callum Crowe who were quickest at 116.699mph.
Overnight rain and morning mist pushed the schedule back to the afternoon with the Newcomers’ speed controlled lap kickstarting proceedings at 14.40. Untimed sessions then followed starting with the Supersport and Supertwin classes, where Michael Dunlop (MD Racing Paton) and Josh Brookes (BPE by Russell Racing Yamaha) were first away, then the Superbikes/Superstocks and finally the Sidecars.
Unsurprisingly, a few riders ran into issues, including Dunlop who stopped at Greeba as well as Sam West and Marcus Simpson who both tipped off at Governor’s, but after a short delay, the first qualifying session of TT2024 got underway at 6.05pm, the Supertwin/Supersport the first to leave the line again.
Brookes and Dean Harrison (Honda Racing UK) were the first to head down Glencrutchery Road followed by Michael Rutter (Bathams Racing Yamaha), Jamie Coward (KTS Racing powered by Stanley Stewart Racing Triumph), James Hillier (Bournemouth Kawasaki Racing), Todd and Paul Jordan (Jackson Racing powered by Prosper2 Honda) – all were Supersport-mounted except for Rutter out on his Supertwin.
Harrison soon overhauled Brookes on the road and, indeed, he was the first to complete the lap at 123.869mph followed by Coward (123.381mph) and Brookes (120.170mph) but they were soon overhauled by Todd who lapped at 124.162mph. Hickman and Dunlop were well in the mix at 123.783mph and 123.666mph respectively but they were all upstaged by surprise package James Hind (North Lincs Components Suzuki) who went to the top of the leaderboard with a lap of 124.190mph, 0.242 seconds quicker than Todd.
Second time around and Todd upped the pace to 125.601mph with Hillier second quickest at 125.483mph followed by Dunlop (125.048mph), Hind (124.488mph), Harrison (123.980mph) and Coward (123.833mph). Brookes and Conor Cummins also broke the 123mph barrier.
In the Supertwins, Rutter was an early retirement at Crosby, and it was Barry Furber (114.958mph) who was quickest on the opening lap from Mike Browne (114.910mph) and Stefano Bonetti (114.372m[h). However, Hickman soon went into the number one spot with a lap of 118.011mph after switching from his Supersport machine. Todd also managed to get out on his Dafabet Kawasaki lapping at 116.063mph.
Next up was the Superbike/Superstock session with the majority opting for the latter; the Honda pairing of Dean Harrison and John McGuinness were two of the few riders that opted to be Superbike-mounted along with Craig Neve (Bathams Racing Honda) and Hind.
Quickest on the opening lap was Hickman at 129.032mph, which put him 1.322 seconds ahead of Dunlop (MD Racing Honda) who lapped at 128.870mph. They were followed by WTF Racing’s Hillier (127.535mph), Dominic Herbertson on the Burrows Engineering/RK Racing BMW (127.503mph), Phil Crowe (127.032mph) and Coward (126.510mph). Mike Browne was also going well on the IN Competition Aprilia, setting the fastest ever lap around the Mountain Course for the Italian manufacturer at 125.632mph albeit unofficially.
Herbertson (127.540mph), David Johnson (127.240mph) and Rob Hodson (126.266mph) all improved on their second lap and although McGuinness was quickest initially in the Superbike class at 127.126mph from team-mate Harrison (125.790mph), Todd (128.871mph) upstaged them both on the Milwaukee BMW.
The main contenders soon switched to their Superbikes, which shuffled the leaderboard as Dunlop moved to the top at 129.590mph – setting the fastest lap of the opening session. Hickman slotted into third at 128.271mph with both McGuinness (127.646) and Harrison (125.909) improving as did Todd at 129.575mph, his lap just 0.114 seconds adrift of Dunlop.
The final session of a busy day was the Sidecars with the Crowes setting the initial pace on their Kelproperties Honda at 116.261mph, which was 7.6 seconds quicker than Founds/Walmsley’s lap of 115.505mph. Birchall/Rousseau slotted into third (114.862mph) ahead of Reeves/Wilkes (112.039mph) and Founds/Gibbons (110.467mph).
Both the Crowes and Birchall/Rousseau upped their pace on lap two with the former coming out on top by 8.2 seconds with a lap of 116.699mph compared to 115.882mph. Reeves/Wilkes also increased their speed to 113.597mph with World Champion newcomers Todd Ellis/Emmanuelle Clement impressing with a quickest lap of 109.554mph.
Arai-sponsored Michael Dunlop (6), the nephew of Isle of Man TT legend Joey Dunlop, another Arai-backed rider. Photo courtesy Isle of Man TT Press Office.
ARAI HELMET TO CELEBRATE 40TH ANNIVERSARY
First worn at the world’s oldest and most famous road race by Joey Dunlop and Brian Reid in 1984, Arai is extremely proud of its 40-year presence at the Isle of Man TT. Its passionate dedication in offering protection to participants in the most demanding road race on the globe is as strong now as it was four decades ago, with every protective detail of its helmets continually improved upon.
The importance of the TT to Arai cannot be understated. Over their 40-year relationship the race has proved an invaluable R&D basis to Arai, allowing the brand to accumulate vital data that has helped create countless small improvements to its characteristic round, smooth and strong shell design that Arai is renowned for.
Arai helmets have been worn by some of the TT’s most iconic riders, including BSB Champion Josh Brookes, Philip McCallen, Ian Hutchinson, as well as Joey Dunlop’s brother Robert and nephew Michael, who will challenge for his 26th TT win in June that would see him match his uncle’s long-standing record.
The first day of racing on Saturday 1st June will be followed by a Parade Lap of the 37.73 mile course featuring TT riders past and present, and will see Akihito Arai give the starting signal to riders in celebration of Arai and the TT’s historic partnership.
As part of a 15-year tradition of unique special TT designs, Arai Helmet has recently launched the 2024 RX-7V EVO Limited Edition Isle of Man TT helmet, celebrating the race’s heritage and its new-look colourways and branding.
On May 31st Arai will also present its TT anniversary video ‘Behind the Visor’. Featuring archive footage and interviews with some of Arai’s most famous TT ambassadors, Behind the Visor explores the Arai history and affinity with TT riders and will be available on the official Arai YouTube channel.
Michio Arai expressed his pride of four decades of TT relationship, saying “The Isle of Man TT has been a special place for Arai since the 1980s, and we are extremely proud to be a key partner four decades later. The unique challenges presented by the TT are like no other race in the world, and it is an honour for us that so many of the world’s best road racers choose Arai for their protection.” He added “We send the very best luck to all riders at the TT, and in particular to Arai athlete Michael Dunlop who will compete for an incredible 26th win to equal his uncle, and original Arai TT rider, Joey Dunlop.”
Speaking on behalf of the Isle of Man TT, Paul Phillips, Head of Motorsport said, “The Isle of Man TT Races is committed to driving safety performance as part of our strategic plan. It is great to have Arai on board as Official Helmet Partner, as it is important that our partnerships align with our vision for rider safety. We recognise this in Arai’s proactive approach to achieving the highest standards over the last 40 years.”
Peter Hickman (10), as seen during the 2023 Isle of Man TT. Photo courtesy Isle of Man TT Press Office.
We Are Live
Witness The Spectacle
TT 2024 is LIVE. Expected to be a historic year, watch it all live or on-demand with the TT+ Live Pass.
Join us for 11 days of flat out road racing on the World Famous TT Mountain Course. All 5 qualifying sessions and 6 race days are available live and on-demand worldwide. Don’t miss the greatest motorsport event in the world. Get your pass now.
Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. Photo by Kohei Hirota.
Francesco “Pecco” Bagnaia won the FIM MotoGP World Championship race Sunday at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, in Spain. Riding his Lenovo Ducati, the two-time and defending Champion won the 24-lap race by 1.740 seconds.
Jorge Martin, the current World Championship point leader, was the runner-up on his Prima Pramac Racing Ducati.
Gresini Racing’s six-time MotoGP World Champion Marc Marquez charged forward from 14th on the grid to make it a Ducati sweep of the podium. Marquez held off Aleix Espargaro by a fraction of a second to take third.
Espargaro, who on Thursday announced plans to retire at the end of the season, finished fourth on his factory Aprilia RS-GP.
Fabio Di Giannantonio rounded out the top five finishers on his Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Ducati.
Bagnaia’s teammate Enea Bastianini was given a Long Lap penalty for cutting the track at Turn Two. Bastianini did not comply with the Long Lap penalty and for this he was then given a Double Long Lap penalty. He did not comply with the Double Long Lap penalty, which incurred a Ride-Through penalty. Then when Bastianini failed to serve the Ride-Through penalty, he was assessed a 32-second time penalty after the race, dropping him from ninth to 18th and out of the points.
Bagnaia banishes Barcelona demons to deny Martin with statement win, Marquez makes late podium attack
After a Saturday to forget it was a Sunday to remember for the reigning Champion as he hits back to outpace Martin – with #MM93 charging up the order to make it a familiar top three
Francesco Bagnaia (1) won the MotoGP race at Catalunya over Jorge Martin (89). Photo courtesy Dorna.
Sunday, 26 May 2024
After missing an open goal win on Saturday, Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) came out swinging on Sunday at the Gran Premi Monster Energy de Catalunya. The reigning Champion needed to make a statement and take some serious points, and that he did on both counts. Quick out the blocks from the start before ceding the lead early doors to Championship leader Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing), Bagnaia put in a relentless push to catch the #89, pounce once on the scene, and then edge away to pocket those 25 points on Sunday.
Behind Martin, the fight to complete the podium boiled down to the duel between Marc Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) and Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing), and it was almost a photo finish but the #93 took the spoils – making it three Grand Prix podiums in a row for Marquez for the first time since 2019. It was also another stunning comeback ride, this time from P14 on the grid.
Francesco Bagnaia (1) leads Pedro Acosta, Brad Binder (33), Jorge Martin (89), and Aleix Espargaro (41) early in the race. Marc Marquez is not pictured as he was still on his way forward after starting 14th on the grid. Photo courtesy Dorna.
As the lights went out, it was a showdown on the brakes into T1 but Bagnaia just held on for the holeshot ahead of Pedro Acosta (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3), with Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) also moving up but the #33 into third. Martin got a good start this time round, taking over in fourth, with polesitter Espargaro the main party losing out.
Into Turn 10 on Lap 1, we had the first big move as Martin made an absolute lunge on Binder, but he got the job done and cleanly enough. It also left a small gap up the road to the leading duo of Bagnaia and Acosta, but it didn’t take long for that gap to close because it didn’t take long for the leading duo to start making moves amongst themselves.
Acosta’s first attack came at Turn 10 after a couple of laps staring at the rear of the Ducati, but Bagnaia kept it tight to immediately take it back. Acosta’s foot was even off the peg. That closed everything up again, with Martin then right on their heels and Binder not too far behind either. Turn 10 staged another one next time round, this time for Championship leader Martin on the rookie – and Acosta was forced to cede it. And again next time around, this time as Martin left it oh-so-late to attack for the lead, taking over before they crossed the line for 19 to go.
The party at Turn 10 didn’t stop there. Next time round there was another decisive move as Acosta attacked Bagnaia and took back over in second, and in a matter of apexes the rookie was back on the exhaust of race leader Martin, looking impatient.
Meanwhile, the squabble behind was heating up. Bagnaia had some breathing space in third but Binder, Espargaro and Raul Fernandez were locked together. After stalking his prey for a while, Espargaro then was able to just nudge ahead into Turn 1, before Raul Fernandez attacked the KTM into Turn 3. Brutal but clean, Binder was pushed back to sixth.
Marc Marquez (93) started 14th and was able to get up to third, just ahead of Aleix Espargaro (41). Photo courtesy Dorna.
However, that soon become fifth as big drama hit for Acosta. After lighting it up there earlier, it all then came apart for the rookie at Turn 10 as he slid off, leaving Martin just over a second clear in the lead and Bagnaia now the rider on the chase. From there, the chess match began.
Lap after lap, the gap was coming down as the #1 chipped away. A few hundredths here and there, each sector just enough to gain a few extra metres, a mere tenth per lap. But an absolutely relentless tenth per lap. And once he was there, Bagnaia wasted absolutely no time in making his attack.
With six laps to go, the reigning Champion made his move – and at exactly the place he let big spoils go begging in the Tissot Sprint: Turn 5. No drama, no contact, and nothing Martin could do, the roles were now reversed.
The relentless pace from the #1 continued, however, and the battle of the laptimes was slipping from Martin’s grasp. The gap eked out, came back down slightly and then suddenly went up again. The jig was up as Martin started to fade, leaving Bagnaia with the same task as Saturday: keep it on the same rails to the flag. This time, it was a faultless performance as the Ducati Lenovo rider cuts the gap back to 39 points and Martin, this time round, has to settle for second.
Meanwhile, Marc Marquez was now on the tailpipes of Espargaro. The #93 pulled a carbon copy of the move the Aprilia rider put on Binder a few laps before and was into third – now he just had to hold onto it. After announcing his retirement at the end of 2024 just ahead of the event and taking pole and the Sprint win, the incentive was even bigger than normal for the #41 to make an attack, and he clawed his way onto the back of the Gresini by the final lap. But there was no way through that would have allowed both to finish, so it came down to the final drag to the line – with Marquez just staying ahead for that podium from P14 on the grid.
Espargaro takes fourth to complete an incredible weekend on home turf, with a late charge from Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) seeing the Italian just pip Raul Fernandez to fifth. Still, after a maiden front row and having led the Sprint, P6 concludes a great weekend for the #25 and Trackhouse Racing – it’s the team’s best result yet.
Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) charged through to seventh as Binder lost out later in the race to finish P8. Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) kept ahead of Miguel Oliveira (Trackhouse Racing) as they completed the top ten. Marco Bezzecchi (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team), Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing), Acosta after remounting, Takaaki Nakagami (IDEMITSU Honda LCR) and Joan Mir (Repsol Honda Team) completed the points.
There’s one name missing from that last who did cross the line ahead of a few of them, but the FIM MotoGP™ Stewards v Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Team) intervened. The ‘Beast’ had a dramatic race after he went wide following an attack from Alex Marquez, was deemed to have not lost enough time cutting Turn 2, and then given a Long Lap. He didn’t agree with that, countering he’d lost time from the #AM73 move, so he rode on. He then got a double Long Lap and served one, unsure if it might have been for another incident, and didn’t serve the second – so it became a ride through. The protest vote rolled on from the #23 and he didn’t take that in time either, so it ended up as a 32s time penalty, the equivalent of a trip through pitlane. Acrimony low but commitment to opinion high, he’ll be looking to prove a point at Mugello.
That’s just next week, as luck would have it, with the spectacular Tuscan venue ready to welcome the world’s most exciting sport for the Gran Premio d’Italia Brembo. Join us then for more as the statement wins just keep on coming – and the history just keeps getting made.
Ai Ogura (79) won the Moto2 race. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Ogura puts in a masterclass for first win since 2022 as Aldeguer falters
There was a twist in the tale for Moto2™ at the Gran Premi Monster Energy de Catalunya, and after showing some searing pace once at the front, Ai Ogura (MT Helmets – MSI) leaves Barcelona victorious for the first time since the 2022 Japanese Grand Prix. Ogura charged through the field from 10th managing to get the better of teammate Sergio Garcia in the closing laps, making it another MT Helmets – MSI one-two. Jake Dixon (CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team) was overcome with joy after picking up his first podium of the year in what has so far been a difficult season. And the twist? Initial leader Fermin Aldeguer (MB Conveyors SpeedUp) got a Long Lap for track limits and then crashed out as he entered the LLP loop.
Once the lights went out it was a flying start from Garcia as he converted his pole position into the race lead at Turn 1. Teammate Ogura rocketed from 10th on the grid and somehow snuck up into the top three as they reached the end of the straight.
Back at the front, it didn’t take Aldeguer long to steal away the race lead. He dived to the inside of his fellow Boscoscuro rider Garcia at Turn 10 on Lap 3, and then set about putting the hammer down as he asked questions of the Moto2™ sophomore. Pushing hard, Aldeguer did manage to make a gap before Garcia started to close him back in, and then the LLP for track limits added the first twist for the #54.
As they crossed the line to start lap 15, Garcia was nearly in a position to pounce. But he didn’t need to. Entering the long lap penalty loop at Turn 1, Aldeguer tucked the front on the brakes as he desperately tried to lose as little time as possible but in the end he lost all chance of victory.
Garcia was promoted to the lead but then just as he could breathe a sigh of relief, a second threat quickly became very visible. Ogura had sneakily taken two seconds out of his teammate in three laps.
The pivotal moment came at Turn 1 on Lap 18 as Ogura slipstreamed past Garcia and then from there rode home to a clear victory in the end by almost four seconds. Amazingly, that’s Ogura’s first win since he won in his homeland of Japan back in 2022. The final laps of held breath turned to elation at the chequered flag as the MT Helmets – MSI squad secured a brilliant Barcelona one-two. Dixon in third was delighted to be back on the podium after a torrid start to 2024.
Jeremy Alcoba (Yamaha VR46 Master Camp Team) took a fine fourth as he just edged out a brilliant performance from Senna Agius (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) who took fifth – serving a long lap penalty on the way too, for track limits.
Alonso Lopez (MB Conveyors SpeedUp) dropped to eighth after struggling to hold onto the pace in the closing laps. Championship hopeful Joe Roberts (OnlyFans American Racing Team) took 9th in a disappointing day for his championship challenge, but it was better than it was at the line as he was promoted to ninth from after both Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) and Zonta Van den Goorbergh (RW-Idrofoglia Racing GP) had to drop positions post-race.
The Grand Prix paddock heads to Mugello in one week’s time for the iconic Gran Premio d’Italia Brembo, so join us there for more!
David Alonso (80) won the Moto3 race and took over the Championship point lead. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Catch me if you can: Alonso pulls the pin for fourth win of the year
David Alonso (CFMoto Gaviota Aspar Team) played his cards to perfection in the Gran Premi Monster Energy de Catalunya, pouncing when it counted and then upping the pace to hold off the chasing pack to the flag. The victory, his fourth of the season, also makes him the new Moto3™ World Championship leader. Just behind, Ivan Ortola (MT Helmets – MSI) converted his maiden pole into a podium in P2, with Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) back on the box in third.
After a scrappy start with many almost on the grass, Ortola emerged with a few bike lengths lead in the first half of the first lap – but Dani Holgado (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3), up from P9 on the grid, was soon reeling him in. David Muñoz (BOE Motorsports) did the Rossi-Razgatlioglu move on Holgado at end of the lap to take over in second, but by the time they got into Turn 1 it was all change on the chase. Ortola led Collin Veijer (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) led Taiyo Furusato (Honda Team Asia), but the Japanese rider then got the notification to serve his double Long Lap given on Saturday, and Muñoz his single LLP. The race was on to move back through.
The freight train rolled on at the front with Ortola, Veijer and Holgado leading the way, but by six or seven to go Alonso was starting to get busy. Over the line as the final five laps began, the Colombian was trying to stretch the group out from the front – with Ortola, Veijer and Holgado just about hanging in there as a gap started to grow behind the top four.
As the laps ticked on though, the picture changed again. Holgado was fading slightly into the clutches of Rueda and Muñoz, and once Rueda was past the Championship leader he was able to claw back onto the leading trio. As the last lap began, it was once again a quartet, this time with Rueda in the ranks. The first move came from the number 99, getting past Veijer at Turn 4. But that would prove the last, with the pace so hot and the limit so close for each that no door was left open and no sensible chance possible.
Alonso crossed the line a quarter of a second clear to take the Championship lead, with Ortola denied a home win but taking another podium as he builds some momentum after some bad luck and trouble earlier in the season. Rueda, after an even tougher start to 2024 with appendicitis and a couple of on track dramas, takes a second podium of the season and his third in Grand Prix racing after an impressive late attack.
Veijer was just too far back to slipstream it and takes fourth, with Muñoz completing the top five despite that LLP. Holgado, meanwhile, faded to sixth and loses that points lead, now 14 points off Alonso.
It was a standout ride from Luca Lunetta (SIC58 Squadra Corse) in seventh, with the Italian rookie hanging on to the front group for much of the race and then taking an impressive P7. A huge group fight behind went all the way back to 14th, and it was another rookie heading that as Jacob Roulstone (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) took P8. Filippo Farioli (SIC58 Squadra Corse) was next up and just beat Adrian Fernandez (Leopard Racing) to ninth and they completed the top ten.
Next up it’s the stunning Autodromo Internazionale del Mugello next weeked. Can Alonso extend that advantage?
More, from a press release issued by Michelin:
New records in MotoGP™ and MotoE™
• The 6th round of the MotoGP FIM World Championship and the 5th & 6th rounds of the FIM ENEL MotoE™ World Championship kept all their promises in terms of spectacle and high-level performances.
• The MICHELIN Power Slick ranges for MotoGP, as well as the tyres specifically developed for the electric motorcycles in MotoE, enabled riders to set several new records.
• In MotoGP Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) set the all-time circuit lap record of 1’38.190. In MotoE, the new lap benchmark is now held by Nicholas Spinelli (Tech 3 E-Racing) at 1’48.025.
On the 4.627 km Catalan circuit, with its six left and eight right turns, the main challenge of the weekend was the lack of grip. In such cases, riders adapt their riding and the traction control of their motorcycles to limit the amount of rear tyre slippage and restrict its rise in temperature, so that its performance over time is not impacted. On this circuit where everyone had plenty of space to express themselves, it was therefore necessary to show some restraint. To help the riders get the most out of their tyres in such conditions, Michelin’s technical teams provided them with much support.
For the 2024 Gran Premi Monster Energy de Catalunya, Michelin’s partners had at their disposal three symmetrical compounds of front tyres (Soft, Medium, Hard) and two asymmetrical rears (Soft and Medium) – due to greater number of right turns, the right shoulder of the rear tyres was reinforced. For the Sprint race, all riders selected the Medium compound for the front, and the Soft for the rear. For the Grand Prix, it was once again the Medium that was chosen by everyone for the front, and this time the majority opted for the rear – with four riders opting for the Soft tyres: Marc and Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing), Pedro Acosta (Red Bull GASGAS Tech 3) and Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM).
“The riders managed our tyres to compensate for the lack of grip, and this was helped by the appropriate set-up of their motorcycle,” confirms Piero Taramasso, Michelin two-wheel competition manager. “During the first test sessions, our partners tried all the compounds available to them, and they quickly identified the Soft and Medium options as the best for the front. For the rear, the Soft was a source of superior performance in absolute terms, but the Medium tyre offered them more peace of mind over time. However, as we saw in the Grand Prix, the Soft was also a choice that could pay off despite the high track temperature (46°C). In addition to Marc Marquez’s podium, I noted that Pedro Acosta’s new race lap record was set on a Soft tyre, and that he was able to climb up to 13th place after his early fall, attacking until the last corners of the Grand Prix. These facts underline the extraordinary versatility of our tyres, irrespective of their specificities and their normal operating windows. Finally, all the records broken this weekend once again confirm our technological leadership, and the benefits provided by our new rubber compounds.”
On Saturday afternoon, the Sprint race (12 laps) was won by Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing), ahead of Marc Marquez (Gresini Racing) and Pedro Acosta (Red Bull GASGAS Tech 3).
On Sunday, the 24 lap Grand Prix saw victory for Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team), ahead of Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing), and Marc Marquez (Gresini Racing).
Alongside the all-time circuit lap record, MotoGP riders recorded two new records this weekend:
The race lap record, achieved in 1’39.664 by Pedro Acosta (Red Bull GASGAS Tech 3) on the 7th lap of the Grand Prix.
The duration of the Grand Prix, which has been reduced by more than 10 seconds, to 40’11.726.
Fifth and sixth rounds of the FIM ENEL MotoE™ World Championship
During eight European Grands Prix, electric motorcycles supplied by Ducati compete at the rate of two races per round (a total of 16 races). In Barcelona, it was a matter of covering 7 laps twice, first on Saturday lunchtime, then again less than an hour after the finish of the Sprint race.
During the first of the two races, it was the Catalan rider Oscar Gutierrez (Axxis-MSI) who won in front of his home crowd. He finished ahead of Eric Granado (LCR E-Team) and Kevin Zannoni (Open Bank Aspar Team). On the 5th of the 7 laps, Oscar Gutierrez broke the MotoE circuit lap record, with a time of 1’48”025.
A little later in the day, the second round of MotoE saw victory for Kevin Zannoni (Open Bank Aspar Team), ahead of Oscar Gutierrez (Axxis-MSI) and Alessandro Zaccone (Tech 3 E-Racing).
“Our new tyres are also proving their worth here,” continues Piero Taramasso. “This weekend we were able to note the continued increase in performance of the Ducati electric motorcycles, with new record times and a constantly increasing level of spectacle. We now look forward to seeing our MotoE tyre ranges, whose composition is focused on the preservation of natural resources, on the Mugello circuit next week.”
The electric motorcycles in the 2024 FIM Enel MotoE World Championship are all equipped with Michelin tyres containing 53% of renewable and recycled materials at the rear, and 49% at the front (compared to 52% and 34% respectively last year). In addition, the rear tyres are distinguished by a particular tread design, with ephemeral patterns and a velvet appearance, that disappear during the initial laps.
The 7th round of the MotoGP World Championship, as well as the 4th round of the FIM Enel MotoE World Championship, will take place next weekend, from 31 May to 2 June on the Mugello circuit (Italy), at the Gran Premio d’Italia Brembo.
About Michelin
Michelin’s ambition is to sustainably improve its customers’ mobility. The leader in the mobility sector, Michelin designs, manufactures, and distributes the tires best suited to their requirements and uses as well as services and solutions to improve transport efficacy. Michelin also puts forward offers that allow its customers to enjoy unique moments when traveling. Michelin also develops high-technology equipment intended for multiple fields. Based in Clermont-Ferrand, Michelin is present in 175 countries, employs 132,200 people and operates 67 tire factories that, together, produced approximately 167 million tires in 2022. (www.michelin.com).
Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. Photo by Kohei Hirota.
Ai Ogura won the FIM Moto2 World Championship race Sunday at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, in Spain. Starting 10th on the grid, Ogura was able to come through the field and pull away to win the 21-lap race by 3.816 seconds on his MT Helmets – MSI Boscoscuro.
Ogura’s teammate Sergio Garcia, the current World Championship point leader, took the checkered flag in second place.
British rider Jake Dixon came home third on his CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team Kalex, earning only his second point-scoring finish of the season.
OnlyFans American Racing Team’s Joe Roberts was one of several riders who were assessed Long Lap penalties for exceeding track limits during the race, but the American was still able to finish eighth and hang on to second place in the point standings.
Pirelli revolutionises the Catalunya GP records, Ogura and Alonso win
Ai Ogura (79). Photo courtesy Pirelli.
All-time track and race lap records substantially improved on in both categories with significant improvements in overall race times as well
The streak of records broken by Pirelli in the Moto2™ and Moto3™ World Championships continues. At the Catalunya GP, raced on the Montmelò track, the DIABLO™ Superbike slicks once again contributed to breaking the all-time track and race lap records in both categories, also significantly reducing the overall race times.
In Moto2™, Ai Ogura (MT Helmets-MSI/Boscoscuro) took the win after a spectacular comeback ride from the tenth spot on the grid. Another victory – his fourth this year – went to David Alonso (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team/CFMOTO), who firmly leads in the Moto3™ standings with 118 championship points.
Giorgio Barbier, Motorcycle Racing Director
Completely rewritten records and increasingly faster races
“We are undoubtedly extremely satisfied with the performance of our tyres this weekend and I think that the teams and riders also share this satisfaction. Everyone knows that the Montmeló circuit is a rather demanding track in terms of tyres because of the low grip and it is hard on the front tyres, so this difficult setting only makes the results achieved that much more impressive. Thanks in part to the performance of our tyres, numerous records were set, but the most impressive part of this is by how much these records were broken, because it isn’t a matter of shaving off a little time, but rather drastically better times than in the past. The new all-time track record in Moto2 was broken by more than 1 second and in Moto3 by an incredible 1.5 seconds. In Moto2, the new race lap record is more than 1 second faster than the previous one with 12 riders breaking the old record. In Moto3, it was broken by 1.5 seconds and no fewer than 17 riders beat the previous lap record. And then there are the overall race times. The Moto2 race was 18 seconds faster than in 2023 and the Moto3 time was a full 35 seconds faster, so an average of almost 2 seconds per lap faster than 2023. These are significant numbers that clarify the idea of what kind of progress is being made compared with previous years and we are convinced that throughout the year, the teams and riders will continue to improve as they get to know our tyres better and better.”
The Race Of The Tyres
Moto2™
· Rider choice was unanimous for the rear tyre. Everyone was on the starting grid with the soft SC0. Front tyre choice was more varied, with about half of the 32 riders on the soft SC1 and the other half on the medium SC2. All three riders on the podium used the soft SC1 at the front.
· Japanese rider Ai Ogura (MT Helmets-MSI/Boscoscuro) won the race, which ran 21 laps, in 36’33.540, a time almost 18 seconds faster than 2023 with an average improvement per lap of about 9 tenths and asphalt temperatures 10°C higher than those in 2023.
· Before crashing out of the race, Fermín Aldeguer (MB Conveyors SpeedUp/Boscoscuro) set the new race lap record with a time of 1’42.688 on the second lap, breaking the old one by more than 1 second, which had been set by Raul Fernandez in 2021 (1’43.757). In addition to the Spaniard, another eleven riders did at least one lap faster than the previous track record time.
Moto3™
· With asphalt temperatures close to 40°C, most of the riders on the grid opted for tyres in the medium SC2 compound for both the front and the rear. In fact, 19 out of 27 riders chose this combination and 25 of them put on the SC2 front. Choosing the medium SC2 for both axles was also race winner David Alonso (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team/CFMOTO) and pole man (and second-place finisher) Iván Ortolá (MT Helmets-MSI/KTM).
· Only 6 riders used the soft SC1 at the rear, including Collin Veijer (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP/Husqvarna) and Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo/KTM) who, starting respectively from the second and third spots on the grid, finished fourth and third.
· The race (overall time 32’25.084) was almost 35 seconds faster than the 2023 race (33’00.945), with an average improvement per lap of almost 2 seconds.
· Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo/KTM), with SC2 front and rear tyres, set the new race lap record with a time of 1’46.748 on the penultimate of the 18 total laps, breaking the previous record by almost 1.5 seconds which had been set by Darryn Binder in 2021 (1’48.209). Overall, 17 riders dropped below the previous track race lap record.
Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. Photo by Kohei Hirota.
David Alonso won the FIM Moto3 World Championship race Sunday at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, in Spain. Riding his Gaviota Aspar Team CFMOTO, the Colombian was able to win the 18-lap race by a scant 0.242 second and move into the World Championship point lead.
Pole-sitter Ivan Ortola was a close second on his MT Helmets – MSI KTM, and Jose Antonio Rueda was equally close in third on his Red Bull KTM Ajo machine.
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