Home Blog Page 52

MotoGP : M.Marquez On pole Position At COTA

Mathilde Gasnier
-
0
MotoGP : M.Marquez On pole Position At COTA

Marc Marquez claimed pole position during MotoGP qualifying Saturday at Circuit of The Americas (COTA), in Austin, Texas. Riding his Lenovo Team Ducati Desmosedici GP25 on the dry 3.43-mile (5.51 km) track, Marquez turned a 2:01.088. Not only was that good enough to top the 22-rider field, Marquez got three consecutive poles for the first time since the 2019 Czech, Austrian and British Grands Prix.

Fabio Di Giannantonio was the best of the rest with a 2:01.189 on his Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Ducati Desmosedici GP25, and Alex Marquez claimed the third and final spot on the front row with a 2:01.448 on his BK8 Gresini Ducati Desmosedici GP24.

Row-two qualifiers included Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Pedro Acosta (2:01.504), Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Ducati’s Franco Morbidelli (2:01.529) and M.Marquez’s teammate Francesco Bagnaia (2:01.611).

Classification motogp QP

More, from a press release issued by Dorna:

Marquez storms to eighth COTA pole.

Qualifying for MotoGP™ at the Circuit of the Americas was a belter with pole position being decided for the Sprint and the Grand Prix on Sunday. Going into it as favourite, having topped Friday afternoon and Saturday morning action, COTA master Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team) remains the rider to beat with his eighth pole at the circuit where he chases an eighth Grand Prix win.

PRESSURE ON: the battle to ascend into Q2

First up though, Q1 and the dogfight to get into the shootout of Q2; big names in abundance, there were always going to be headlining acts sidelined from a shot at pole. On his first flying lap, yellow flags were out due to a highside on the exit of Turn 9 for Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse MotoGP Team) after running marginally off the kerb. He was perfectly OK and after grabbing the nearest scooter, he rushed back to pitlane and hopped on his spare bike. Due to the yellow flags, the first laps were largely cancelled. After that, a red flag due to the air-fence needing to be re-deployed.

Following a brief stoppage, 08:36 remained on the clock, making for a second half of the session full of activity, including Fernandez’s return to the track. Luca Marini (Honda HRC Castrol) was the first rider to set a lap time, with the benchmark of 2:02.001 for everyone else to beat but after the first runs, nobody was able to; Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) found time and went up to P2 before making an impressive save at Turn 1. Despite other efforts, Marini and Quartararo sailed into Q2, leaving Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing) as one of the big disappointments, rooted to P13 with Aprilia out of Q2 for the first time since Thailand in 2022.

POLE BATTLE: Q2 ignites in the USA

First laps in, Marc Marquez set the benchmark of a 2:01.522, the fastest time of the weekend but on the second flying lap, plenty of riders were on course to better it. At Turn 11, the #93 had a big moment but escaped a fall, although the lap had now gone. With the first half of the session done, Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) had moved into P2 ahead of Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team), whilst in P5, Joan Mir (Honda HRC Castrol) had saved a crash on his elbow at Turn 19 but a forced to be reckoned with inside the top five. He was just behind Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini MotoGP Team) who was up in P4.

Fabio Di Giannantonio in Parc fermé. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Fabio Di Giannantonio in Parc fermé. Photo courtesy Dorna.

FIGHT UNTIL THE END: Marquez brothers in pole scrap

The final five minutes were the deciding moments, with Marc leading Mir and thus giving his ex-teammate a good look at a fast lap at COTA. Just behind, Fermin Aldeguer (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) was trying to latch on but fell at Turn 1; he soon remounted whilst teammate Alex Marquez was on a storming lap and went provisional pole ahead of his brother but the timing screens were alive with red sectors. Marc responded to grab pole but behind, Di Giannantonio, who originally had his lap cancelled for yellow flags, had it reinstated for P2. Alex Marquez rounded out the front row whilst Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), Franco Morbidelli and Pecco completed the second row.

Top Honda honours were swept away by Marini who heads up the third row ahead of teammate Mir and Jack Miller (Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP), with the latter two setting identical lap times. Maverick Viñales (Red Bull KTM Tech 3) took his first top ten with KTM, ahead of 2021 World Champion Fabio Quartararo and late crasher Aldeguer.

MOTOGP : M.Marquez Is Best In Saturday Practice In Austin

Mathilde Gasnier
-
0
MOTOGP : M.Marquez Is Best In Saturday Practice In Austin

Marc Marquez led MotoGP World Championship practice Saturday morning at Circuit Of The Americas (COTA), in Austin, Texas. Riding his Lenovo Ducati Desmosedici GP25 on spec Michelin tires, the six-time MotoGP World Champion turned a lap time of 2:02.113. 

His brother, Alex Marquez was the best of the rest with a 2:02.553 on his BK8 Gresini Ducati Desmosedici.

Maverick Viñales was third at 2:02.656 on his Red Bull KTM Tech3 RC16. 

Joan Mir finished the session fourth with a 2:02.690 on his Honda Castrol RC213V.

Marc Marquez’s teammate and two-time MotoGP World Champion, Francesco Bagnaia got fifth with a lap time of 2:02.860. 

Classification fp2 motogp

MOTO2 : Dixon Tops Final Practice In Texas

Mathilde Gasnier
-
0
MOTO2 : Dixon Tops Final Practice In Texas

Jake Dixon was quickest during Moto2 World Championship practice Saturday morning at Circuit of The Americas (COTA), in Austin, Texas. Riding his Pirelli-shod ELF Marc VDS Racing Team Boscoscuro on the 3.43-mile (5.51 km) track, the Brit recorded a 2:08.216 to lead the field of 28 riders.

His teammate, Filip Salac was the best of the rest with a 2:08.545. 

Aron Canet was third-fastest with a 2:08.588 on his Fantic Racing LINO SONEGO Kalex.

American Joe Roberts finished Saturday morning’s practice session 17th with a best time of 2:10.021 on his OnlyFans American Racing Team Kalex.

Classification moto2 FP2

WorldSBK: Race One Results From Portugal

Mathilde Gasnier
-
0
WorldSBK: Race One Results From Portugal

2024 WorldSuperbike Champion, Toprak Razgatlioglu won FIM Superbike World Championship Race One Saturday at Autodromo Internacional do Algarve, in Portugal. Razgatlioglu started from pole position rode his ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team M1000RR. to just 0.067- second margin of victory in the 20-lap race.

Rookie sensation, Nicolo Bulega was the runner-up on his Aruba.It Racing – Ducati Panigale V4R and just held off Andrea Locatelli, who rode his Pata Maxus Yamaha YZF R1 to third. 

Danilo Petrucci crossed the finish line fourth on his  Barni Spark Racing Ducati Ducati Panigale V4R. 

American Garrett Gerloff went from 16th on the grid to 12th at the finish on his Kawasaki ZX-10RR. 

 

Results race 1 WSBK

 

More, from a press release issued by Dorna:

Toprak takes victory holding off Bulega as the rivals lock horns in all-time battle at Portimao. Razgatlioglu and Bulega were feeling nostalgic as they reenacted last year’s Championship duel in a dramatic Race 1 in Portimao

MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship action burst back onto the track on Saturday, Race 1 bringing with it the possibility of claiming the first points of the Pirelli Portuguese Round. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) claimed the holeshot, however after Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) recuperated his positions from his poor start to the race; what followed was the best duel between the two since the Italian rider joined WorldSBK last year. Bulega and Razgatlioglu clashed head-to-head for P1 across most of the race; changing positions nine times. The dogfight culminated with Bulega overtaking Toprak in the straight of Lap 19, before Toprak slipped back in front at Turn 3. From there, Toprak held on to finish P1 by a mere 0.067s over the Italian sophomore.

TOPRAK VS BULEGA IN RACE 1: Title rivals duel it out from Lap 7 to the chequered flag, nine overtakes in the battle

Polesitter Razgatlioglu bundled his start to the race, falling back several positions to P7, however he quickly found himself back behind Bulega by Lap 4. What followed was the most sustained battle yet seen between the two in WorldSBK. Neither rider backed down as they stayed close behind one another from Lap 4 until Toprak claimed P1 in Lap 19, where he was able to hold off Bulega’s final assaults. The defending Riders’ Champion now sits behind Buelga in second in the Championship standings, Bulega’s 82 points to Toprak’s 45. Toprak’s 58th win puts him just one win behind four-time World Champion Carl Fogarty; the sixth win for BMW at Portimao, the first time the German manufacturer has hit that number of wins on any track.

LOCATELLI P3, VIERGE P5: Strong results for Yamaha and Honda

Andrea Locatelli (Pata Maxus Yamaha) secured a podium finish by holding off Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) for P3. For his part, Petrucci was once again metronomically consistent, finishing the race where he started in P4 after regaining the position from Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) on Lap 9, with ‘Petrux’ finishing as top Independent rider. Xavi Vierge (Honda HRC) started from P6 on the grid, doing well to hold off other riders, finishing P5, securing the best result for Honda of the season so far. Michael van der Mark’s (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) P6 finish is a step in the right direction after a wayward weekend in Australia, a testament to the progress he and his BMW team seem to have made with their new BMW M1000 RR.

IANNONE RECOVERS TO P7 FROM P16 START: Bassani P9, lone Bimota to finish

 Andrea Iannone (Team Pata Go Eleven) was able to cobble together a P7 finish, the product of a tough climb up the grid after his disappointing Tissot Superpole session result which saw him start back in P16 after three-place grid penalty. Dominique Aegerter (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) finished P8, as he and his team will have much to be proud of in Race 1. Axel Bassani (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team) who finished P9, was the only Bimota rider to see the chequered flag after teammate Alex Lowes crashed out of the race on Lap 10 after a high-speed crash at Turn 1.

TAKING HOME POINTS: Lecuona returns with P11, Sofuoglu best rookie

Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) tied his best result of the season so far as he finished P10 in Race 1. Xavi Lecuona’s (Honda HRC) first point-scoring race of the season was a solid return to action in P11 after missing time with injury in the offseason then later the Australian Round. Garrett Gerloff (Kawasaki WorldSBK Team) continues to adapt to his new green machine and finished P12. Bahattin Sofuoglu (Yamaha Motoxracing WorldSBK Team) finished P13 to score points for the second time in his WorldSBK rookie season, with Tarran Mackenzie finishing P14, just 0.729s behind Sofuoglu. Tito Rabat (Motoxracing WorldSBK Team) claimed the final point-scoring position, finishing P15 just over half a second behind Mackenzie. Ryan Vickers was racing through an elbow injury he picked up in FP3, narrowly missing out on points as he finished P16. Bringing up the rear of the riders who finished the race, Yamaha replacement rider Jason O’Halloran (Pata Maxus Yamaha) finished in P17.

 BAUTISTA AND REDDING CRASH OUT IN LAP 1: Lowes brothers DNF

 Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) and Scott Redding (MGM BONOVO Racing) collided at Turn 4 on the opening lap, as the incident ended the day for both riders and is being investigated by the FIM WorldSBK Stewards. Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) followed Locatelli’s trailblazing start at lights out, clinging to his tail to take an early P3, however the British rider saw his race end prematurely after a Turn 11 crash during Lap 8. WorldSBK Rookies Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) and Zaqhwan Zaidi (PETRONAS MIE Honda Racing Team) both crashed out of the race. Montella’s strong string of performances were abruptly ended by his Lap 3, Turn 5 crash, and Zaidi’s Lap 11, Turn 8 crash prevented him from being able to fight for his first career WorldSBK points.

The top six from the WorldSBK Race 1: Full results here!

1. Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team)
2. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +0.067s
3. Andrea Locatelli (Pata Maxus Yamaha) +7.855s
4. Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) +8.991s
5. Xavi Vierge (Honda HRC) +15.475s
6. Michael van der Mark (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) +17.830s
Fastest lap: Toprak Razgatlioglu, BMW – 1’40.351s

Catch the rest of the WorldSBK action tomorrow live at 11:00 (UTC +1) or on demand with the WorldSBK VideoPass!

MOTO3 : Bertelle Heads Saturday Practice At COTA

Mathilde Gasnier
-
0
MOTO3 : Bertelle Heads Saturday Practice At COTA

Matteo Bertelle led Moto3 World Championship practice Saturday morning, at Circuit of The Americas, COTA, in Austin, Texas. Bertelle used his Pirelli-shod LEVELUP-MTA KTM to lap the 3.43-mile (5.51 km) track in 2:15.695 which led the field of 26 riders.

Angel Piqueras was second-best with a time of 2:15.976 on his FRINSA – MT Helmets – MSI KTM. 

Bertelle’s teammate, Joel Kelso claimed the third and final spot on the front with a lap time of 2:16.218. 

Classification moto3 FP2

WorldSSP: Race One Results From Portimao

Mathilde Gasnier
-
0
WorldSSP: Race One Results From Portimao

Can Oncu won FIM Supersport World Championship Race One Saturday at Autodromo Internacional do Algarve, in Portugal. Riding his Yamaha BLU CRU Evan Bros Team YZF R9, the Turkish rider won the 17-lap race by 0.836 seconds.

Stefano Manzi was the runner-up on his Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing YZF- R6, just 0.931 second ahead of third-place finisher Bo Bendsneyder, who rode a MV Agusta Reparto Corse F3 800 RR.

Former MotoAmerica Supersport regular Valentin Debise crossed the finish line 8th on his  Renzi Corse Ducati Panigale V2. 

Results WSSP RACE 1

 

More, from a press release issued by Dorna:

ONCU STAYS HOT: Race 1 goes to the Turkish youngster for his first win since 2023. Oncu brings home Yamaha’s 150th WorldSSP win from Portimao’s Race 1, followed by Manzi and Bendsneyder

Racing action is underway at Portimao in the Pirelli Portuguese Round! The FIM Supersport World Championship grid took to the track after Friday afternoon’s Tissot Superpole session which featured Turkish rider Can Oncu (Yamaha BLU CRU Evan Bros Racing) win his career-first WorldSSP pole; and in Saturday’s Race 1 he followed that up with his first win in 2 years and 25 days, earned in 2023’s Indonesian Round Race 1. Following him onto the rostrum for P2, Stefano Manzi (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing) gained time on the Turkish rider as he managed to hold off a surging Bo Bendsneyder (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) who had prior overtaken Lucas Mahias (GMT94-Yamaha) for P3.

ONCU’S 2nd EVER WIN IN 101st start: First win since Indonesia’s Race 1 in 2023

Oncu claimed the holeshot from pole position and quickly stretched his margin to establish a commanding lead, 2.658s ahead of Manzi in P2 by Lap 8. Manzi and Lucas Mahias (GMT94-Yamaha) were glued to one another for the first 10 laps, the two veterans battling with one another as they both tried to make time on Oncu in the distance ahead of them. After putting distance between him and the rest of the pack, Bendsneyder closed down the Yamaha pair in P2 and P3. He passed both Manzi and Mahias in consecutive laps before the #62 brushed hm back out of the way to claim P2 on Lap 14. Manzi from there staved off the Dutchman to secure second, earning his 44th WorldSSP podium, equaling Fabian Foret for third in all time podiums. Bendsneyder, who started the race in P5, locked down P3 to taste the prosecco for the 3rd time in WorldSSP.

TOUGH BREAK FOR MAHIAS: Tom Booth-Amos surges up from P12 to take P5 finish

Mahias’ P4 finish was a disappointing result for the Frenchman who had spent the majority of his race battling with Manzi for P2. Lap 11 saw Bendsneyder slip past Mahias at Turn 1, a position he wasn’t able to recover and had to settle for P4. Tom Booth-Amos (PTR Triumph Factory Racing) took P5, a hard-fought race for Australia’s Race 2 winner in which he had to pull free of a tight pack of riders after starting back in P12. Marcel Schroetter (WRP Racing) found himself amid the same melee for P5 with Booth-Amos, Debise, Masia and others, from which he was able to take a P6 as the pack spread out late in the race.

MASIA AND DEBISE BATTLE AGAIN: P7 for Masia, P8 for Debise

Jaume Masia (Orelac Racing VerdNatura) was forced to take a long lap penalty at Turn 14, which he took on Lap 3, for his irresponsible riding incident in Australia where he collided with the rear of Valentin Debise’s (Renzi Corse) bike. He went on to finish P7. Debise began the race in P8, aggressively entering corners to take positions throughout the race, however the tactic on several occasions backfired, running wide and losing hard-fought positions as a result. Jeremy Alcoba (Kawasaki WorldSSP Team) took home a P9 finish from Race 1 in Portimao, dropping down from P4 where he began the race.

AZMAN, VOSTATEK DNF: Toba crashed but returned to take P27

Kaito Toba (PETRONAS MIE Honda Racing Team) quickly recovered from a Turn 3 spill in Lap 7, going on to finish in P27. Syarifuddin Azman (PETRONAS MIE Honda Racing Team) was forced to retire in Lap 10, registering a DNF alongside Ondrej Vostatek (WRP Racing).

The top six from the WorldSSP Race 1: Full results here!

1. Can Oncu (Yamaha BLU CRU Evan Bros Team)
2. Stefano Manzi (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing) +0.836s
3. Bo Bendsneyder (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) +1.767s
4. Lucas Mahias (GMT94 Yamaha) +3.801s
5. Tom Booth-Amos (PTR Triumph Factory Racing) +9.630s
6. Marcel Schroetter (WRP Racing) +9.888s
Fastest lap: Can Oncu, Yamaha – 1’43.251s

Catch the rest of the WorldSBK action this weekend live or on demand with the WorldSBK VideoPass!

WorldSBK: Razgatlioglu Breaks Lap Record, Takes Pole Position In Portugal

Mathilde Gasnier
-
0
WorldSBK: Razgatlioglu Breaks Lap Record, Takes Pole Position In Portugal

2024 WorldSuperbike Champion, Toprak Razgatlioglu took pole position during World Superbike Superpole qualifying Saturday at Autodromo Internacional do Algarve, in Portugal. Riding his ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team M1000RR, Razgatlioglu recorded a lap time of 1:39.081, which was not only good enough to top the 23-rider field and secure pole position it also eclipsed the All-Time Lap Record Jonathan Rea set, 1:39.610, in 2022. 

Rookie, Nicolo Bulega qualified second with a 1:39.326 on his Aruba.It Racing – Ducati Panigale V4R. 

Danilo Petrucci did a 1:39.483 on his factory Barni Spark Racing Ducati Panigale V4R to earn the third and final spot on the front row.

Row two starters include Pata Maxus Yamaha’s Andrea Locatelli (1:39.609),  ELF Marc VDS Racing Team’s Sam Lowes (1:39.662), and Honda HRC’s Xavi Vierge (1:39.711).

American Garrett Gerloff qualified 16th with a 1:40.661 on his Kawasaki ZX-10RR. 

Results Superple WSBK

More, from a press release issued by Dorna:

Razgatlioglu eclipses Bulega for Portimao pole as he destroys WorldSBK lap record again. The reigning Champion narrowly missed out on a 1’38s lap time but claimed his second consecutive pole at Portimao ahead of Bulega.

For the second time in one day, Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) utterly annihilated the lap record at the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve as he claimed his 19th MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship pole position. ‘El Turco’ posted two times that beat his previous record in Tissot Superpole for the Pirelli Portuguese Round as he took P1 ahead of Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) and Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team), who both beat last year’s pole time to complete the front row.

THE FIRST RUNS: Razgatlioglu obliterates the lap record

Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) set an impressive 1’40.031s to take an early P1 but his time was soon blown out of the water by Razgatlioglu who posted a barely-believable 1’39.133s as he smashed his own lap record from FP3 by three tenths, with his teammate, Michael van der Mark, Xavi Vierge (Honda HRC) and Dominique Aegerter (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) all overhauling Gardner on the first lap. Van der Mark and Vierge were in the 1’39s. Meanwhile, Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) and teammate Alvaro Bautista were eighth and 11th respectively, not setting completely representative laps.

IMPROVING FURTHER: Razgatlioglu lowers the benchmark again

Razgatlioglu remained unbeatable at the top of the field as he claimed his 19th pole in WorldSBK, obliterating the lap record in the process as he improved on his time with a 1’39.081s to finish 0.245s clear of his rivals. Bulega was able to haul himself up the order as he set a 1’39.326s which, until Razgatlioglu’s pole time, would’ve been a lap record, to line up alongside the #1. The front row will be completed by Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) after the #9 put in a 1’39.483s to climb the order – his time was faster than last year’s pole position time.

LOCATELLI SHINES IN P4: ‘Loka’ leads the second row, Sam Lowes P5

Andrea Locatelli (Pata Maxus Yamaha) will go from fourth place after he set a 1’39.609s to lead the Japanese brand’s charge, hoping his second row start can give him the platform to challenge for a top-five finish. He’s joined on row two by Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) who put in a late lap to surge into P5 with a 1’39.662s, with Xavi Vierge (Honda HRC) completing the second row. His 1’39.711s was just six tenths away from Razgatlioglu’s time.

IN THE TOP TEN: van der Mark, two more Yamahas and Bautista…

Van der Mark fell down the order as riders found time on their second run, eventually claiming P7 to lead the third row at a track he’s been a winner at in 2021. Aegerter was another who was usurped by several riders, and he’ll have to settle for P8, although he will start two places ahead of teammate Gardner; the Australian rider did lose a faster lap time due to yellow flags. Sandwiched between the two GRT Yamaha riders will be Bautista, who could only manage a 1’39.874s, with Gardner 0.004s down on the #19.

PENALTY FOR IANNONE, ALEX LOWES LAST: dramatic end to Superpole

Andrea Iannone (Team Pata GoEleven) could only manage 13th with a 1’40.366s, but for Race 1, he will start 16th. ‘The Maniac’ has been given a three-place grid penalty for slow riding in the final 10 minutes of FP3, dropping him to the sixth row for Race 1 – he will  start from 13th in Sunday’s Tissot Superpole Race. Alex Lowes (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team) did not set a valid representative time in Superpole. A crash at Turn 13 for the #22 meant he was under pressure heading into the second run and, while he did set a time good enough for P6, it was set when yellow flags were out for a crash for Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) at Turn 11; Montella walked away unhurt and will line up from 12th.

The top six from WorldSBK Superpole, full results here:

1. Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) 1’39.081s

2. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +0.245s

3. Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) +0.402s

4. Andrea Locatelli (Pata Maxus Yamaha) +0.528s

5. Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) +0.581s

6. Xavi Vierge (Honda HRC) +0.630s

Race 1 is coming up from 14:00 Local Time (UTC+0) – watch it all using the WorldSBK VideoPass!

MotoAmerica: Di Mario Takes Talent Cup Pole In Austin

Michael Gougis
-
0
MotoAmerica: Di Mario Takes Talent Cup Pole In Austin

Alessandro Di Mario swept all three MotoAmerica Talent Cup sessions and took pole position for Saturday’s races at the Red Bull Grand Prix of The Americas.

Di Mario was 1.515 seconds clear of Bodie Paige, with Sam Drane completing the front row. Chase Black, Kody Kopp, Carson King, Solly Mervis and Derek Sanchez all qualified within a second and less than three seconds off the leader.

 

25_4_COTAGP_TCP_Q2_res

MotoGP: More From The Red Bull Grand Prix Of The Americas In Austin

Michael Gougis
-
0
MotoGP: More From The Red Bull Grand Prix Of The Americas In Austin

With a perfect scorecard after two rounds of the 2025 season, Marc Marquez said he had to be wary of overconfidence en route to Circuit of The Americas, where he has won seven races. Marquez was quick to point out that this was the only circuit where he crashed out in 2019, the season where he won 12 of 19 races and set a record for the biggest points gap back to second at the end of the year. The wet surface at COTA indeed bit him in the first practice session on Friday, his factory Ducati launching him into a nasty highside in the downhill Turn Two. Marquez returned to pit lane, finished the session third and led the second session on a damp-but-drying track in the afternoon.

 

Franco Morbidelli (21). Photo by Michael Gougis.

 

Fabio Di Giannantonio (49). Photo by Michael Gougis.

Franco Morbidelli carried his momentum from a podium finish in the Grand Prix race in Argentina to Austin, topping the first practice session on Friday and ending the second session third. It was a 2-3 finish to the session for the Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team, with Fabio Di Giannantonio second. After an embarrassing crash in pre-season testing, Di Giannantonio said he felt he could fight for podium positions at COTA.

 

Alex Marquez (73). Photo by Michael Gougis.

 

Fermin Aldeguer (54). Photo by Michael Gougis.

BK8 Gresini teammates Alex Marquez and Fermin Aldeguer took fourth and fifth, giving Ducati a clean sweep of the top five positions. Two-time MotoGP World Champion Francesco Bagnaia continued with his difficult beginning to the season, finishing the second session tenth and just making it into Q2 for Saturday.

Jack Miller (43). Even at a world-class circuit like COTA, inflatable barriers provided by the Roadracing World Action Fund are needed to help keep riders safe. Photo by Michael Gougis.

Jack Miller led the non-Ducati charge on his Pramac Yamaha YZR-M1. Quick in the wet, Miller and Joan Mir on the factory Honda were the only two Japanese bikes in the top 10. But this season sees only six Ducatis in the field instead of the eight of last year, and Johann Zarco, who battled for the podium in Argentina but crashed and finished 20th, pointed out earlier that with two of the almighty Desmosedicis gone, the others would obviously move up the order.

Johann Zarco (5). Photo by Michael Gougis.

Raise two kids and have them win 10 World Championships, smash the record books and lead the current season by locking out the top two positions on the podium in four straight races, and fans will want to get selfies taken with you. Julia Marquez is living the racing parent’s dream.

 

Julia Marquez and fans. Photo by Michael Gougis.

 

 

MotoAmerica: Di Mario Leads Talent Cup First Qualifying

Michael Gougis
-
0
MotoAmerica: Di Mario Leads Talent Cup First Qualifying

Alessandro Di Mario topped the first qualifying session for the MotoAmerica Talent Cup class at Circuit of The Americas, with five riders within a second going into the final qualifying session at the end of Saturday.

Di Mario’s fastest lap was canceled, but he still edged Sam Drane by 0.133 seconds. Kody Kopp was third, 0.580 seconds behind Di Mario and just ahead of Bodie Paige, with Carson King fifth.

 

25_4_COTAGP_TCP_Q1_res

MotoGP : M.Marquez On pole Position At COTA

Marc Marquez earned pole position at COTA in Texas. Photo courtesy Ducati Corse.
Marc Marquez earned pole position at COTA in Texas. Photo courtesy Ducati Corse.

Marc Marquez claimed pole position during MotoGP qualifying Saturday at Circuit of The Americas (COTA), in Austin, Texas. Riding his Lenovo Team Ducati Desmosedici GP25 on the dry 3.43-mile (5.51 km) track, Marquez turned a 2:01.088. Not only was that good enough to top the 22-rider field, Marquez got three consecutive poles for the first time since the 2019 Czech, Austrian and British Grands Prix.

Fabio Di Giannantonio was the best of the rest with a 2:01.189 on his Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Ducati Desmosedici GP25, and Alex Marquez claimed the third and final spot on the front row with a 2:01.448 on his BK8 Gresini Ducati Desmosedici GP24.

Row-two qualifiers included Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Pedro Acosta (2:01.504), Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Ducati’s Franco Morbidelli (2:01.529) and M.Marquez’s teammate Francesco Bagnaia (2:01.611).

Classification motogp QP

More, from a press release issued by Dorna:

Marquez storms to eighth COTA pole.

Qualifying for MotoGP™ at the Circuit of the Americas was a belter with pole position being decided for the Sprint and the Grand Prix on Sunday. Going into it as favourite, having topped Friday afternoon and Saturday morning action, COTA master Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team) remains the rider to beat with his eighth pole at the circuit where he chases an eighth Grand Prix win.

PRESSURE ON: the battle to ascend into Q2

First up though, Q1 and the dogfight to get into the shootout of Q2; big names in abundance, there were always going to be headlining acts sidelined from a shot at pole. On his first flying lap, yellow flags were out due to a highside on the exit of Turn 9 for Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse MotoGP Team) after running marginally off the kerb. He was perfectly OK and after grabbing the nearest scooter, he rushed back to pitlane and hopped on his spare bike. Due to the yellow flags, the first laps were largely cancelled. After that, a red flag due to the air-fence needing to be re-deployed.

Following a brief stoppage, 08:36 remained on the clock, making for a second half of the session full of activity, including Fernandez’s return to the track. Luca Marini (Honda HRC Castrol) was the first rider to set a lap time, with the benchmark of 2:02.001 for everyone else to beat but after the first runs, nobody was able to; Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) found time and went up to P2 before making an impressive save at Turn 1. Despite other efforts, Marini and Quartararo sailed into Q2, leaving Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing) as one of the big disappointments, rooted to P13 with Aprilia out of Q2 for the first time since Thailand in 2022.

POLE BATTLE: Q2 ignites in the USA

First laps in, Marc Marquez set the benchmark of a 2:01.522, the fastest time of the weekend but on the second flying lap, plenty of riders were on course to better it. At Turn 11, the #93 had a big moment but escaped a fall, although the lap had now gone. With the first half of the session done, Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) had moved into P2 ahead of Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team), whilst in P5, Joan Mir (Honda HRC Castrol) had saved a crash on his elbow at Turn 19 but a forced to be reckoned with inside the top five. He was just behind Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini MotoGP Team) who was up in P4.

Fabio Di Giannantonio in Parc fermé. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Fabio Di Giannantonio in Parc fermé. Photo courtesy Dorna.

FIGHT UNTIL THE END: Marquez brothers in pole scrap

The final five minutes were the deciding moments, with Marc leading Mir and thus giving his ex-teammate a good look at a fast lap at COTA. Just behind, Fermin Aldeguer (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) was trying to latch on but fell at Turn 1; he soon remounted whilst teammate Alex Marquez was on a storming lap and went provisional pole ahead of his brother but the timing screens were alive with red sectors. Marc responded to grab pole but behind, Di Giannantonio, who originally had his lap cancelled for yellow flags, had it reinstated for P2. Alex Marquez rounded out the front row whilst Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), Franco Morbidelli and Pecco completed the second row.

Top Honda honours were swept away by Marini who heads up the third row ahead of teammate Mir and Jack Miller (Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP), with the latter two setting identical lap times. Maverick Viñales (Red Bull KTM Tech 3) took his first top ten with KTM, ahead of 2021 World Champion Fabio Quartararo and late crasher Aldeguer.

MOTOGP : M.Marquez Is Best In Saturday Practice In Austin

Marc Marquez heads FP2 in Texas. Photo courtesy Ducati Corse Team.
Marc Marquez heads FP2 in Texas. Photo courtesy Ducati Corse Team.

Marc Marquez led MotoGP World Championship practice Saturday morning at Circuit Of The Americas (COTA), in Austin, Texas. Riding his Lenovo Ducati Desmosedici GP25 on spec Michelin tires, the six-time MotoGP World Champion turned a lap time of 2:02.113. 

His brother, Alex Marquez was the best of the rest with a 2:02.553 on his BK8 Gresini Ducati Desmosedici.

Maverick Viñales was third at 2:02.656 on his Red Bull KTM Tech3 RC16. 

Joan Mir finished the session fourth with a 2:02.690 on his Honda Castrol RC213V.

Marc Marquez’s teammate and two-time MotoGP World Champion, Francesco Bagnaia got fifth with a lap time of 2:02.860. 

Classification fp2 motogp

MOTO2 : Dixon Tops Final Practice In Texas

Jake Dixon quickest this morning in Texas. Photo courtesy Marc VDS Racing Team.
Jake Dixon quickest this morning in Texas. Photo courtesy Marc VDS Racing Team.

Jake Dixon was quickest during Moto2 World Championship practice Saturday morning at Circuit of The Americas (COTA), in Austin, Texas. Riding his Pirelli-shod ELF Marc VDS Racing Team Boscoscuro on the 3.43-mile (5.51 km) track, the Brit recorded a 2:08.216 to lead the field of 28 riders.

His teammate, Filip Salac was the best of the rest with a 2:08.545. 

Aron Canet was third-fastest with a 2:08.588 on his Fantic Racing LINO SONEGO Kalex.

American Joe Roberts finished Saturday morning’s practice session 17th with a best time of 2:10.021 on his OnlyFans American Racing Team Kalex.

Classification moto2 FP2

WorldSBK: Race One Results From Portugal

Photo courtesy Autodromo do Algarve.
Photo courtesy Autodromo do Algarve.

2024 WorldSuperbike Champion, Toprak Razgatlioglu won FIM Superbike World Championship Race One Saturday at Autodromo Internacional do Algarve, in Portugal. Razgatlioglu started from pole position rode his ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team M1000RR. to just 0.067- second margin of victory in the 20-lap race.

Rookie sensation, Nicolo Bulega was the runner-up on his Aruba.It Racing – Ducati Panigale V4R and just held off Andrea Locatelli, who rode his Pata Maxus Yamaha YZF R1 to third. 

Danilo Petrucci crossed the finish line fourth on his  Barni Spark Racing Ducati Ducati Panigale V4R. 

American Garrett Gerloff went from 16th on the grid to 12th at the finish on his Kawasaki ZX-10RR. 

 

Results race 1 WSBK

 

More, from a press release issued by Dorna:

Toprak takes victory holding off Bulega as the rivals lock horns in all-time battle at Portimao. Razgatlioglu and Bulega were feeling nostalgic as they reenacted last year’s Championship duel in a dramatic Race 1 in Portimao

MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship action burst back onto the track on Saturday, Race 1 bringing with it the possibility of claiming the first points of the Pirelli Portuguese Round. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) claimed the holeshot, however after Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) recuperated his positions from his poor start to the race; what followed was the best duel between the two since the Italian rider joined WorldSBK last year. Bulega and Razgatlioglu clashed head-to-head for P1 across most of the race; changing positions nine times. The dogfight culminated with Bulega overtaking Toprak in the straight of Lap 19, before Toprak slipped back in front at Turn 3. From there, Toprak held on to finish P1 by a mere 0.067s over the Italian sophomore.

TOPRAK VS BULEGA IN RACE 1: Title rivals duel it out from Lap 7 to the chequered flag, nine overtakes in the battle

Polesitter Razgatlioglu bundled his start to the race, falling back several positions to P7, however he quickly found himself back behind Bulega by Lap 4. What followed was the most sustained battle yet seen between the two in WorldSBK. Neither rider backed down as they stayed close behind one another from Lap 4 until Toprak claimed P1 in Lap 19, where he was able to hold off Bulega’s final assaults. The defending Riders’ Champion now sits behind Buelga in second in the Championship standings, Bulega’s 82 points to Toprak’s 45. Toprak’s 58th win puts him just one win behind four-time World Champion Carl Fogarty; the sixth win for BMW at Portimao, the first time the German manufacturer has hit that number of wins on any track.

LOCATELLI P3, VIERGE P5: Strong results for Yamaha and Honda

Andrea Locatelli (Pata Maxus Yamaha) secured a podium finish by holding off Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) for P3. For his part, Petrucci was once again metronomically consistent, finishing the race where he started in P4 after regaining the position from Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) on Lap 9, with ‘Petrux’ finishing as top Independent rider. Xavi Vierge (Honda HRC) started from P6 on the grid, doing well to hold off other riders, finishing P5, securing the best result for Honda of the season so far. Michael van der Mark’s (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) P6 finish is a step in the right direction after a wayward weekend in Australia, a testament to the progress he and his BMW team seem to have made with their new BMW M1000 RR.

IANNONE RECOVERS TO P7 FROM P16 START: Bassani P9, lone Bimota to finish

 Andrea Iannone (Team Pata Go Eleven) was able to cobble together a P7 finish, the product of a tough climb up the grid after his disappointing Tissot Superpole session result which saw him start back in P16 after three-place grid penalty. Dominique Aegerter (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) finished P8, as he and his team will have much to be proud of in Race 1. Axel Bassani (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team) who finished P9, was the only Bimota rider to see the chequered flag after teammate Alex Lowes crashed out of the race on Lap 10 after a high-speed crash at Turn 1.

TAKING HOME POINTS: Lecuona returns with P11, Sofuoglu best rookie

Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) tied his best result of the season so far as he finished P10 in Race 1. Xavi Lecuona’s (Honda HRC) first point-scoring race of the season was a solid return to action in P11 after missing time with injury in the offseason then later the Australian Round. Garrett Gerloff (Kawasaki WorldSBK Team) continues to adapt to his new green machine and finished P12. Bahattin Sofuoglu (Yamaha Motoxracing WorldSBK Team) finished P13 to score points for the second time in his WorldSBK rookie season, with Tarran Mackenzie finishing P14, just 0.729s behind Sofuoglu. Tito Rabat (Motoxracing WorldSBK Team) claimed the final point-scoring position, finishing P15 just over half a second behind Mackenzie. Ryan Vickers was racing through an elbow injury he picked up in FP3, narrowly missing out on points as he finished P16. Bringing up the rear of the riders who finished the race, Yamaha replacement rider Jason O’Halloran (Pata Maxus Yamaha) finished in P17.

 BAUTISTA AND REDDING CRASH OUT IN LAP 1: Lowes brothers DNF

 Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) and Scott Redding (MGM BONOVO Racing) collided at Turn 4 on the opening lap, as the incident ended the day for both riders and is being investigated by the FIM WorldSBK Stewards. Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) followed Locatelli’s trailblazing start at lights out, clinging to his tail to take an early P3, however the British rider saw his race end prematurely after a Turn 11 crash during Lap 8. WorldSBK Rookies Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) and Zaqhwan Zaidi (PETRONAS MIE Honda Racing Team) both crashed out of the race. Montella’s strong string of performances were abruptly ended by his Lap 3, Turn 5 crash, and Zaidi’s Lap 11, Turn 8 crash prevented him from being able to fight for his first career WorldSBK points.

The top six from the WorldSBK Race 1: Full results here!

1. Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team)
2. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +0.067s
3. Andrea Locatelli (Pata Maxus Yamaha) +7.855s
4. Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) +8.991s
5. Xavi Vierge (Honda HRC) +15.475s
6. Michael van der Mark (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) +17.830s
Fastest lap: Toprak Razgatlioglu, BMW – 1’40.351s

Catch the rest of the WorldSBK action tomorrow live at 11:00 (UTC +1) or on demand with the WorldSBK VideoPass!

MOTO3 : Bertelle Heads Saturday Practice At COTA

Matteo Bretelle fastest this morning at COTA. Photo courtesy LEVELUP MTA Racing Team.
Matteo Bretelle fastest this morning at COTA. Photo courtesy LEVELUP MTA Racing Team.

Matteo Bertelle led Moto3 World Championship practice Saturday morning, at Circuit of The Americas, COTA, in Austin, Texas. Bertelle used his Pirelli-shod LEVELUP-MTA KTM to lap the 3.43-mile (5.51 km) track in 2:15.695 which led the field of 26 riders.

Angel Piqueras was second-best with a time of 2:15.976 on his FRINSA – MT Helmets – MSI KTM. 

Bertelle’s teammate, Joel Kelso claimed the third and final spot on the front with a lap time of 2:16.218. 

Classification moto3 FP2

WorldSSP: Race One Results From Portimao

WSSP Race 1 at Portimao with Bendsneyder (11), Manzi (62) and Mahias (94). Photo courtesy Dorna.
WSSP Race 1 at Portimao with Bendsneyder (11), Manzi (62) and Mahias (94). Photo courtesy Dorna.

Can Oncu won FIM Supersport World Championship Race One Saturday at Autodromo Internacional do Algarve, in Portugal. Riding his Yamaha BLU CRU Evan Bros Team YZF R9, the Turkish rider won the 17-lap race by 0.836 seconds.

Stefano Manzi was the runner-up on his Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing YZF- R6, just 0.931 second ahead of third-place finisher Bo Bendsneyder, who rode a MV Agusta Reparto Corse F3 800 RR.

Former MotoAmerica Supersport regular Valentin Debise crossed the finish line 8th on his  Renzi Corse Ducati Panigale V2. 

Results WSSP RACE 1

 

More, from a press release issued by Dorna:

ONCU STAYS HOT: Race 1 goes to the Turkish youngster for his first win since 2023. Oncu brings home Yamaha’s 150th WorldSSP win from Portimao’s Race 1, followed by Manzi and Bendsneyder

Racing action is underway at Portimao in the Pirelli Portuguese Round! The FIM Supersport World Championship grid took to the track after Friday afternoon’s Tissot Superpole session which featured Turkish rider Can Oncu (Yamaha BLU CRU Evan Bros Racing) win his career-first WorldSSP pole; and in Saturday’s Race 1 he followed that up with his first win in 2 years and 25 days, earned in 2023’s Indonesian Round Race 1. Following him onto the rostrum for P2, Stefano Manzi (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing) gained time on the Turkish rider as he managed to hold off a surging Bo Bendsneyder (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) who had prior overtaken Lucas Mahias (GMT94-Yamaha) for P3.

ONCU’S 2nd EVER WIN IN 101st start: First win since Indonesia’s Race 1 in 2023

Oncu claimed the holeshot from pole position and quickly stretched his margin to establish a commanding lead, 2.658s ahead of Manzi in P2 by Lap 8. Manzi and Lucas Mahias (GMT94-Yamaha) were glued to one another for the first 10 laps, the two veterans battling with one another as they both tried to make time on Oncu in the distance ahead of them. After putting distance between him and the rest of the pack, Bendsneyder closed down the Yamaha pair in P2 and P3. He passed both Manzi and Mahias in consecutive laps before the #62 brushed hm back out of the way to claim P2 on Lap 14. Manzi from there staved off the Dutchman to secure second, earning his 44th WorldSSP podium, equaling Fabian Foret for third in all time podiums. Bendsneyder, who started the race in P5, locked down P3 to taste the prosecco for the 3rd time in WorldSSP.

TOUGH BREAK FOR MAHIAS: Tom Booth-Amos surges up from P12 to take P5 finish

Mahias’ P4 finish was a disappointing result for the Frenchman who had spent the majority of his race battling with Manzi for P2. Lap 11 saw Bendsneyder slip past Mahias at Turn 1, a position he wasn’t able to recover and had to settle for P4. Tom Booth-Amos (PTR Triumph Factory Racing) took P5, a hard-fought race for Australia’s Race 2 winner in which he had to pull free of a tight pack of riders after starting back in P12. Marcel Schroetter (WRP Racing) found himself amid the same melee for P5 with Booth-Amos, Debise, Masia and others, from which he was able to take a P6 as the pack spread out late in the race.

MASIA AND DEBISE BATTLE AGAIN: P7 for Masia, P8 for Debise

Jaume Masia (Orelac Racing VerdNatura) was forced to take a long lap penalty at Turn 14, which he took on Lap 3, for his irresponsible riding incident in Australia where he collided with the rear of Valentin Debise’s (Renzi Corse) bike. He went on to finish P7. Debise began the race in P8, aggressively entering corners to take positions throughout the race, however the tactic on several occasions backfired, running wide and losing hard-fought positions as a result. Jeremy Alcoba (Kawasaki WorldSSP Team) took home a P9 finish from Race 1 in Portimao, dropping down from P4 where he began the race.

AZMAN, VOSTATEK DNF: Toba crashed but returned to take P27

Kaito Toba (PETRONAS MIE Honda Racing Team) quickly recovered from a Turn 3 spill in Lap 7, going on to finish in P27. Syarifuddin Azman (PETRONAS MIE Honda Racing Team) was forced to retire in Lap 10, registering a DNF alongside Ondrej Vostatek (WRP Racing).

The top six from the WorldSSP Race 1: Full results here!

1. Can Oncu (Yamaha BLU CRU Evan Bros Team)
2. Stefano Manzi (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing) +0.836s
3. Bo Bendsneyder (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) +1.767s
4. Lucas Mahias (GMT94 Yamaha) +3.801s
5. Tom Booth-Amos (PTR Triumph Factory Racing) +9.630s
6. Marcel Schroetter (WRP Racing) +9.888s
Fastest lap: Can Oncu, Yamaha – 1’43.251s

Catch the rest of the WorldSBK action this weekend live or on demand with the WorldSBK VideoPass!

WorldSBK: Razgatlioglu Breaks Lap Record, Takes Pole Position In Portugal

Toprak Razgatlioglu earned pole position in Portugal. Photo courtesy wsbk.com
Toprak Razgatlioglu earned pole position in Portugal. Photo courtesy wsbk.com

2024 WorldSuperbike Champion, Toprak Razgatlioglu took pole position during World Superbike Superpole qualifying Saturday at Autodromo Internacional do Algarve, in Portugal. Riding his ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team M1000RR, Razgatlioglu recorded a lap time of 1:39.081, which was not only good enough to top the 23-rider field and secure pole position it also eclipsed the All-Time Lap Record Jonathan Rea set, 1:39.610, in 2022. 

Rookie, Nicolo Bulega qualified second with a 1:39.326 on his Aruba.It Racing – Ducati Panigale V4R. 

Danilo Petrucci did a 1:39.483 on his factory Barni Spark Racing Ducati Panigale V4R to earn the third and final spot on the front row.

Row two starters include Pata Maxus Yamaha’s Andrea Locatelli (1:39.609),  ELF Marc VDS Racing Team’s Sam Lowes (1:39.662), and Honda HRC’s Xavi Vierge (1:39.711).

American Garrett Gerloff qualified 16th with a 1:40.661 on his Kawasaki ZX-10RR. 

Results Superple WSBK

More, from a press release issued by Dorna:

Razgatlioglu eclipses Bulega for Portimao pole as he destroys WorldSBK lap record again. The reigning Champion narrowly missed out on a 1’38s lap time but claimed his second consecutive pole at Portimao ahead of Bulega.

For the second time in one day, Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) utterly annihilated the lap record at the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve as he claimed his 19th MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship pole position. ‘El Turco’ posted two times that beat his previous record in Tissot Superpole for the Pirelli Portuguese Round as he took P1 ahead of Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) and Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team), who both beat last year’s pole time to complete the front row.

THE FIRST RUNS: Razgatlioglu obliterates the lap record

Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) set an impressive 1’40.031s to take an early P1 but his time was soon blown out of the water by Razgatlioglu who posted a barely-believable 1’39.133s as he smashed his own lap record from FP3 by three tenths, with his teammate, Michael van der Mark, Xavi Vierge (Honda HRC) and Dominique Aegerter (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) all overhauling Gardner on the first lap. Van der Mark and Vierge were in the 1’39s. Meanwhile, Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) and teammate Alvaro Bautista were eighth and 11th respectively, not setting completely representative laps.

IMPROVING FURTHER: Razgatlioglu lowers the benchmark again

Razgatlioglu remained unbeatable at the top of the field as he claimed his 19th pole in WorldSBK, obliterating the lap record in the process as he improved on his time with a 1’39.081s to finish 0.245s clear of his rivals. Bulega was able to haul himself up the order as he set a 1’39.326s which, until Razgatlioglu’s pole time, would’ve been a lap record, to line up alongside the #1. The front row will be completed by Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) after the #9 put in a 1’39.483s to climb the order – his time was faster than last year’s pole position time.

LOCATELLI SHINES IN P4: ‘Loka’ leads the second row, Sam Lowes P5

Andrea Locatelli (Pata Maxus Yamaha) will go from fourth place after he set a 1’39.609s to lead the Japanese brand’s charge, hoping his second row start can give him the platform to challenge for a top-five finish. He’s joined on row two by Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) who put in a late lap to surge into P5 with a 1’39.662s, with Xavi Vierge (Honda HRC) completing the second row. His 1’39.711s was just six tenths away from Razgatlioglu’s time.

IN THE TOP TEN: van der Mark, two more Yamahas and Bautista…

Van der Mark fell down the order as riders found time on their second run, eventually claiming P7 to lead the third row at a track he’s been a winner at in 2021. Aegerter was another who was usurped by several riders, and he’ll have to settle for P8, although he will start two places ahead of teammate Gardner; the Australian rider did lose a faster lap time due to yellow flags. Sandwiched between the two GRT Yamaha riders will be Bautista, who could only manage a 1’39.874s, with Gardner 0.004s down on the #19.

PENALTY FOR IANNONE, ALEX LOWES LAST: dramatic end to Superpole

Andrea Iannone (Team Pata GoEleven) could only manage 13th with a 1’40.366s, but for Race 1, he will start 16th. ‘The Maniac’ has been given a three-place grid penalty for slow riding in the final 10 minutes of FP3, dropping him to the sixth row for Race 1 – he will  start from 13th in Sunday’s Tissot Superpole Race. Alex Lowes (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team) did not set a valid representative time in Superpole. A crash at Turn 13 for the #22 meant he was under pressure heading into the second run and, while he did set a time good enough for P6, it was set when yellow flags were out for a crash for Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) at Turn 11; Montella walked away unhurt and will line up from 12th.

The top six from WorldSBK Superpole, full results here:

1. Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) 1’39.081s

2. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +0.245s

3. Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) +0.402s

4. Andrea Locatelli (Pata Maxus Yamaha) +0.528s

5. Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) +0.581s

6. Xavi Vierge (Honda HRC) +0.630s

Race 1 is coming up from 14:00 Local Time (UTC+0) – watch it all using the WorldSBK VideoPass!

MotoAmerica: Di Mario Takes Talent Cup Pole In Austin

Alessandro Di Mario (27) took pole position for the first MotoAmerica Talent Cup event. Photo by Michael Gougis.

Alessandro Di Mario swept all three MotoAmerica Talent Cup sessions and took pole position for Saturday’s races at the Red Bull Grand Prix of The Americas.

Di Mario was 1.515 seconds clear of Bodie Paige, with Sam Drane completing the front row. Chase Black, Kody Kopp, Carson King, Solly Mervis and Derek Sanchez all qualified within a second and less than three seconds off the leader.

 

25_4_COTAGP_TCP_Q2_res

MotoGP: More From The Red Bull Grand Prix Of The Americas In Austin

Marc Marquez (93). Photo by Michael Gougis.

With a perfect scorecard after two rounds of the 2025 season, Marc Marquez said he had to be wary of overconfidence en route to Circuit of The Americas, where he has won seven races. Marquez was quick to point out that this was the only circuit where he crashed out in 2019, the season where he won 12 of 19 races and set a record for the biggest points gap back to second at the end of the year. The wet surface at COTA indeed bit him in the first practice session on Friday, his factory Ducati launching him into a nasty highside in the downhill Turn Two. Marquez returned to pit lane, finished the session third and led the second session on a damp-but-drying track in the afternoon.

 

Franco Morbidelli (21). Photo by Michael Gougis.

 

Fabio Di Giannantonio (49). Photo by Michael Gougis.

Franco Morbidelli carried his momentum from a podium finish in the Grand Prix race in Argentina to Austin, topping the first practice session on Friday and ending the second session third. It was a 2-3 finish to the session for the Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team, with Fabio Di Giannantonio second. After an embarrassing crash in pre-season testing, Di Giannantonio said he felt he could fight for podium positions at COTA.

 

Alex Marquez (73). Photo by Michael Gougis.

 

Fermin Aldeguer (54). Photo by Michael Gougis.

BK8 Gresini teammates Alex Marquez and Fermin Aldeguer took fourth and fifth, giving Ducati a clean sweep of the top five positions. Two-time MotoGP World Champion Francesco Bagnaia continued with his difficult beginning to the season, finishing the second session tenth and just making it into Q2 for Saturday.

Jack Miller (43). Even at a world-class circuit like COTA, inflatable barriers provided by the Roadracing World Action Fund are needed to help keep riders safe. Photo by Michael Gougis.

Jack Miller led the non-Ducati charge on his Pramac Yamaha YZR-M1. Quick in the wet, Miller and Joan Mir on the factory Honda were the only two Japanese bikes in the top 10. But this season sees only six Ducatis in the field instead of the eight of last year, and Johann Zarco, who battled for the podium in Argentina but crashed and finished 20th, pointed out earlier that with two of the almighty Desmosedicis gone, the others would obviously move up the order.

Johann Zarco (5). Photo by Michael Gougis.

Raise two kids and have them win 10 World Championships, smash the record books and lead the current season by locking out the top two positions on the podium in four straight races, and fans will want to get selfies taken with you. Julia Marquez is living the racing parent’s dream.

 

Julia Marquez and fans. Photo by Michael Gougis.

 

 

MotoAmerica: Di Mario Leads Talent Cup First Qualifying

Alessandro Di Mario (27). Photo by Michael Gougis.

Alessandro Di Mario topped the first qualifying session for the MotoAmerica Talent Cup class at Circuit of The Americas, with five riders within a second going into the final qualifying session at the end of Saturday.

Di Mario’s fastest lap was canceled, but he still edged Sam Drane by 0.133 seconds. Kody Kopp was third, 0.580 seconds behind Di Mario and just ahead of Bodie Paige, with Carson King fifth.

 

25_4_COTAGP_TCP_Q1_res
1...515253...7,387Page 52 of 7,387
0FansLike
0FollowersFollow
0FollowersFollow
1,620SubscribersSubscribe

Latest Posts

Follow us

43,094FansLike
19,223FollowersFollow
16,430FollowersFollow
1,200SubscribersSubscribe

Menu

Information

© , Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

AUTHOR LOGIN