Tyler O’Hara put an exclamation point on his second straight MotoAmerica Mission Super Hooligan Championship by winning Race Two Sunday at Circuit of The Americas (COTA), in Austin, Texas. O’Hara clinched the 2023 title with a dramatic win in Race One Saturday, and then O’Hara won Sunday’s restarted and shortened three-lap Race Two on his Progressive Insurance/Mission Foods Indian FTR 1200.
In spite of being battered and bruised from his crash at the end of Race One, O’Hara’s teammate Jeremy McWilliams was able to score a runner-up finish in Race Two.
Andy DiBrino came home third, right behind McWilliams, on his DiBrino Racing KTM 890 Duke R.
Energica elevates electric appeal in outstanding season finale at CoTA
Stefano Mesa (137) in action on his Energica Eva Ribelle RS electric motorcycle at COTA. Photo courtesy Energica.
Life is about perspective, and so is competitive sport. When a big result comes, the overall level of expectations rises like a giant wave out of a flat sea, so much that a top-five finish does not feel as incredible as it may have been before. This is exactly what happened at Austin’s Circuit of The Americas in Race 2 of the Super Hooligan National Championship, when Stefano Mesa put together another masterful performance to cross the line fifth position, after yet another red flag had cut the race in two.
Were Energica and Tytlers Cycle Racing hoping for another podium after yesterday’s monumental second place in Race 1? Absolutely. Is a fifth place a good result to wrap up the season? Without a doubt, for it helped Mesa and the team led by Michael Kiley secure fourth place overall in the championship standings (click here to view them), an unbelievable result considering the novelty represented by the arrival of the only full-bore electric machine in the series: the Kit Corsa Clienti-equipped EVA Ribelle RS.
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Everything that happened this year went beyond the wildest dreams of everyone involved. It started as a possibility of even competing, with more question marks than certainties as no electric motorcycle ever had plans to seriously contend against an ICE field.
Mesa and the Eva Ribelle RS are now a force to be reckoned with, as their adversaries have learned to make sure of their positioning on the grid, knowing they may see that green bolt fly past them after the lights go out. And in Austin, they also learned to expect an out-braking manoeuvre and resistance when trying to overtake.
And the excitement within the garage and out on the pit-lane grew with each event, and it was palpable in the heat of the Circuit of The Americas as the team was joined by Energica owners who were just as shocked as the members of the squad to witness these results on a track that was perceived more as a threat than an opportunity for any electric motorcycle.
But the confidence boost was evident, as no one questioned the ability of the Eva Ribelle RS to keep functioning at maximum power after yet another red flag happening in Race 2. Unlike our previous races, and especially here, everyone suddenly realized that we had nothing to worry about.
This is what racing does: it stresses a package to the fullest, and sometimes reveals capabilities that even their creators couldn’t fathom. In the end, our first Superhooligan season closes with a job well done: far better than anyone could have imagined.
We thank all those who embarked on this journey with us: Stefano Mesa and the whole Tytlers Cycle Racing team, the technical team at Energica who flew from Italy for each race; PETRONAS iona and all our sponsors. We had a clear goal knowing our destination how be a difficult one. And it is only the beginning.
Hayden Gillim won MotoAmerica Steel Commander Stock 1000 Race Two Sunday at Circuit of The Americas (COTA), in Austin, Texas. Gillim, riding his Disrupt Racing Suzuki GSX-R1000R, battled for the lead with Travis Wyman until lap six of eight. That’s when Gillim took control and rode home to a victory that also earned him the 2023 Stock 1000 Championship.
Wyman was a close second on his Travis Wyman Racing BMW M 1000 RR.
Diego Perez rode his PDR Motorsports Kawasaki ZX-10R to third place by holding off Kaleb De Keyrel (fourth) and his Orange Cat Racing BMW and Benjamin Smith (fifth) and his Benjamin Smith Racing Yamaha.
De Keyrel’s teammate Ezra Beaubier, the Championship point leader coming into the weekend, missed both races at COTA due to illness.
Alvaro Bautista won FIM Superbike World Championship Race Two Sunday at Magny-Cours, in France. The defending World Champion and current point leader won the re-started 17-lap race by nearly six seconds on his Aruba.it Racing Ducati Panigale V4 R
Toprak Razgatlioglu finished second on his Pata Yamaha Prometeon YZF-R1, just ahead of Jonathan Rea and his Kawasaki Racing Team Ninja ZX-10RR.
American Garrett Gerloff finished fifth overall on his Bonovo Action BMW M 1000 RR and was the top Independent rider and the top-finishing BMW pilot.
Bautista seizes victory in Red-Flagged Race 2 at Magny-Cours
Alvaro Bautista (1) leads Jonathan Rea (65), Toprak Razgatlioglu (54), and the rest of the field early in Race Two at Magny-Cours. Photo courtesy Dorna.
In Race 2 at Magny-Cours, Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) secured victory to leave France with a 57-point advantage over Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK).
Bautista started Race 2 strong, quickly taking the lead. However, Rea and Razgatlioglu were prompt to challenge him. Rea made a move at Turn 5 but couldn’t overtake Bautista, and while the Ducati rider gradually increased his lead, the race was interrupted on Lap 5. The red flag was waved following an incident involving Dominique Aegerter (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) and Scott Redding (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team), with Aegerter declared unfit for racing due to a suspected concussion. The restart saw Bautista retain his lead, while Razgatlioglu eventually secured second place after a tense battle with Rea. Bautista maintained his lead until the end, winning by a six-second margin.
Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) fought his way to fourth place in his 100th race, with Garrett Gerloff (Bonovo Action BMW) taking fifth ahead of Axel Bassani (Motocorsa Racing). Among the French riders, Loris Baz (Bonovo Action BMW) finished in 12th place, while Lucas Mahias (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) faced technical issues and could not restart the race.
Alvaro Bautista regained his form to seize his 19th win of the season in Race 2 at Magny-Cours.
P1 | Alvaro Bautista | Aruba.it Racing – Ducati
“For sure, I’m so happy to end the weekend like this, especially because I was ill on Friday and I was recovering during the weekend. Yesterday I felt better but today I felt almost 100%. In Race 2, with these conditions, it was difficult but it was similar to yesterday’s so I already knew the feeling with the bike. I tried to do a good start, and I had good feeling and pace. And after 5 laps, the race was stopped and it was difficult because in that moment I was riding really well. I tried to stay focused in the box. The second start, I felt well too and I could push from the beginning as well. At the end, I was alone but I kept pushing because I enjoyed riding like this. I’m happy overall with the weekend.”
Toprak Razgatlioglu secured a hard-fought second place, while Jonathan Rea, demonstrated his trademark consistency to claim the third position.
Andrea Locatelli celebrated his 100th race with a commendable fourth place finish.
Garrett Gerloff put on an impressive display, surging from tenth on the grid to secure fifth place.
WorldSBK Race 2 Results
1. Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati)
2. Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) +5.893s
3. Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) +6.779s
4. Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) +10.978s
5. Garrett Gerloff (Bonovo Action BMW) +11.482s
6. Axel Bassani (Motocorsa Racing) +15.258s
WorldSBK Championship standings
1. Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) 467 points
2. Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) 410 points
3. Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) 290 points
Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team) held off a relentless challenge from Valentin Debise (GMT94 Yamaha) to secure a hard-fought victory in Race 2. Bulega’s triumph further extended his championship lead, now 60 points ahead of his closest rival, Stefano Manzi (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha), who finished in third place.
Bulega started strongly, attempting to break away from the pack, but Debise matched his pace lap after lap, staying within striking distance. The Frenchman’s relentless pursuit kept the pressure on Bulega until Lap 14 when the Italian managed to pull away slightly and clinch his 11th win of the season.
Behind them, the battle for fourth was a fierce one, with Marcel Schroetter (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) edging out Niki Tuuli (PTR Triumph) in a race-long duel. Lorenzo Dalla Porta (Evan Bros. WorldSSP Yamaha Team) finished just a fraction of a second behind Tuuli in sixth place.
Nicolo Bulega held his ground against Valentin Debise, securing a vital Race 2 victory and extending his championship lead.
P1 | Nicolo Bulega | Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team
“It was a great weekend with pole position and two victories again. It’s always something special. I want to enjoy this moment with my team. We did a great job. My feeling with the bike was very good all the weekend. I want to congratulate Debise because he was very fast. I had to push from the first corner and every lap. In the end, I won so this is important for the Championship because I take 25 points, and Manzi lost a few points. 60 points is a good advantage but I don’t want to think of the Championship now. When it’s time, we will think about it. Last year in Aragon, I had my first podium after two difficult years in Moto2TM, and then coming back on the podium was very nice. So, I have a good memory of Aragon and I’m looking forward to going there and trying to win.”
Having applied relentless pressure on Bulega throughout the race, Valentin Debise ultimately secured his second podium this weekend.
Stefano Manzi completed the podium, losing valuable points to Bulega in the championship standings.
WorldSSP Race 2 Results
1. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team)
2. Valentin Debise (GMT94 Yamaha) +1.991s
3. Stefano Manzi (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) +12.441s
Buis takes control leading the Championship with Magny-Cours win
In a captivating showdown at the Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours, Jeffrey Buis (MTM Kawasaki) surged to victory in WorldSSP300 Race 2, significantly altering the Championship landscape. The 2020 Champion secured his second win of the weekend, moving him into the lead of the fiercely contested Championship – while a last-lap crash meant that previous leader Dirk Geiger could only finish in 9th. This victory marked Buis’ historic tenth win in the WorldSSP300 category, making him the first rider to reach double-digit wins in this class.
Mirko Gennai (Team BrCorse) exhibited incredible determination and racecraft as he fought his way through the pack from fifth row on the grid, ultimately finishing in second place. Meanwhile, Jose Luis Perez Gonzalez (Accolade Smrz Racing BGR) showcased his consistent form with a well-earned third-place finish. Perez Gonzalez’s strong performance in Race 2 added valuable points to his Championship tally, keeping him firmly in the title battle. The dramatic twists and turns of the Magny-Cours race left the top three riders separated by just 13 points in the overall championship standings, setting the stage for an electrifying remainder of the season.
In the midfield, the contest for fourth, fifth, and sixth places was fierce. Daniel Mogeda (Kawasaki GP Project) showed great determination, clinching fourth place by a mere 0.226-second gap behind Perez Gonzalez. Loris Veneman (MTM Kawasaki) took fifth place, highlighting his potential as a strong contender. Kevin Sabatucci (Team Flembbo – PI Performances) completed the top six, finishing only 0.160 seconds behind Veneman in a race marked by intense on-track duels.
Jorge Martin won the MotoGP World Championship race Sunday at Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli, in San Marino. Riding his Prima Pramac Racing Ducati Desmosedici, the Spaniard won the 27-lap race by 1.350 seconds. It was his second win of the season.
Marco Bezzecchi finished second on his Mooney VR46 Racing Team Ducati, and defending World Champion Francesco Bagnaia made it a Ducati sweep of the podium with third on his Lenovo Team Ducati.
Martin and Bezzecchi pip Pecco to cut the Championship deficit as Pedrosa threatens to spoil the party at Misano
Jorge Martin (89). Photo courtesy Dorna.
Sunday, 10 September 2023
Pole position, Tissot Sprint win and a Sunday race victory. Jorge Martin’s (Prima Pramac Racing) weekend at the Gran Premio Red Bull di San Marino e della Riviera di Rimini couldn’t have gone any better as the Spaniard made no mistakes to take maximum points on his title rivals’ stomping ground. The winning margin over second place Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) was just 1.3s as Bez homed in though, with reigning World Champion Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) fighting through the pain to claim an important third. And Pecco was only just ahead of some familiar company at Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli: wildcard Dani Pedrosa (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing).
Martin untouchable again as Pecco fends off Pedrosa
Just like he did in the Tissot Sprint, Martin got a perfect launch and pocketed the holeshot as Bezzecchi and Bagnaia slotted in behind. Pedrosa got away well again and was up to P4, and the MotoGP™ Legend held on after a moment between Turn 1 and 2 looking for a way through on Bagnaia. But Bagnaia then picked his way past Bezzecchi at Turn 3 as the #1 immediately began to hound Martin.
Unlike yesterday, Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) made good progress off the start and at the beginning of Lap 2, the South African was up to P4 and began to chase Martin, Bagnaia and Bezzecchi.
A fascinating early race fight was unfolding at the front. Martin, Bagnaia and Bezzecchi were locked together, with Binder 0.7s adrift heading onto Lap 5. On Lap 6, Bezzecchi passed Pecco for P6 down at Turn 8 but just like he did a lap previous, the Italian was wide at Turn 10 to allow the Champion back through. That gave Martin a little bit of breathing room – if you can call 0.3s that – as Binder went quicker than the trio in front of him.
Disaster then struck for Binder at Turn 14 on Lap 8. The KTM star was down at the tight right-hand hairpin as his podium hopes ended, handing Pedrosa the lead KTM baton. The #26 was 1.5s off the leaders, as KTM’s afternoon then got worse as Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) crashed out of contention after being involved in an incident with Michele Pirro (Aruba.it Racing).
Elsewhere, on Lap 12 of 27, it was time to cue the jaws music. Who for? Pedrosa. The wildcard was beginning to close at a vast rate of knots and with 15 laps left, Pedrosa was just 0.6s off Bezzecchi’s rear wheel. Unbelievable. The Little Samurai was the only rider lapping in the 1:31s at this stage of the race.
Pedrosa’s pace dropped off soon after but the gap remained at just over a second. At the front, with 10 laps to go, Martin’s lead grew to over a second for the first time as the #89 began to get the hammer down. Were the injuries to Bagnaia and Bezzecchi starting to take their toll or was Martin’s pace just too good? Bezzecchi was looking impatient behind VR46 compatriot Bagnaia, and a move came at Turn 8. By now though, Martin’s advantage was 2.2s.
Bagnaia was fading. Pedrosa was coming. 0.7s split the double World Champion from the three-time World Champion, with Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) and an extremely classy ride for Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) putting him a further four seconds back after initially closing on the number 12. A huge six laps beckoned, could Bagnaia hold on to what would be a very valuable and hard-earned 16 points?
With four laps to go, Bagnaia was holding Pedrosa at bay by 0.6s. Bezzecchi was now under two seconds away from Martin but it was too little too late, with the latter controlling his advantage nicely as he powered towards completing the perfect weekend.
With two to go, Pedrosa was right on Bagnaia’s coattails. Catching the Ducati rider was one thing but as he found out in the Sprint, passing was a whole different kettle of fish. In the end, Bagnaia did hold on to a crucial P3 as Martin made no mistake to cap off a sensational weekend. Bezzecchi bagged P2 despite his injured hand to gain ground in the title chase.
The points scorers in Misano
Just off the podium of Martin, Bezzecchi and Bagnaia, Pedrosa took the chequered flag just 0.6s away from the rostrum as the Little Samurai again demonstrates why he’s a three-time World Champion and a MotoGP™ Legend. Unreal from the popular Spaniard, who finished six seconds up the road from fifth place Viñales.
Miguel Oliveira (CryptoDATA RNF MotoGP™ Team) was sixth ahead of Marc Marquez, who somehow bags a brilliant P7 after racing with a soft rear tyre. Raul Fernandez (CryptoDATA RNF MotoGP™ Team) takes home his best MotoGP™ finish in P8, as the Ducatis of Luca Marini (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) and Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing) complete the top 10.
Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™), Catalan GP winner Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing), Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™), a recovering Binder and Franco Morbidelli (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) closed out the points in San Marino.
Pol Espargaro (GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3) and Joan Mir (Repsol Honda Team) joined Miller and Pirro as the riders to notch up DNFs.
36 points in it heading to India!
A brand-new challenge awaits us next time out as India hosts MotoGP™ for the very first time. Martin’s perfect weekend sees the gap between him and Championship leader Pecco sit at 36 points as the flyaway tour of the season begins… for the first time in some time, it’s back below the 37 points on offer in one weekend. Don’t miss it!
Masterclass: Acosta stamps some authority on Misano
Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Ajo) was back in business at Misano, putting in an inch-perfect performance to take victory The Spaniard controlled the race perfectly at the front as he edged away from home hero Celestino Vietti (Fantic Racing) pilling on the pressure mid race. The Italian brought home an important second place, with Alonso Lopez (+Ego SpeedUp) keeping Tony Arbolino (Elf MarcVDS Racing Team) at bay to round out the podium.
Acosta came out the gates with fire in his belly as he took the holeshot from the polesitter Vietti. Manuel Gonzalez (Correos Prepago Yamaha VR46 Mastercamp) tried to hold on from his front row start, but the Spaniard quickly fell victim to Lopez and Aron Canet (Pons Wegow Los40) who charged their way through on the first lap.
The front three then began to break away as Lopez dropped off the back of the group, with a few bike lengths back to Gonzalez in fifth. Acosta was pushing on at the front and was asking big questions of Vietti, who was keeping the Spaniard in his sights. Still, the Championship leader’s pace began to stretch out the field and it wasn’t long before the Red Bull KTM Ajo machine was almost a second up the road.
With the pace getting hotter and hotter, Canet then cracked as a tiny mistake at Carro corner saw him crash out of a podium position with 14 laps to go, promoting Lopez to P3. That left Vietti in a lonely 2nd place and with some ground to cover to Acosta out the front. Vietti responded to the Spaniard’s hot pace however as he began to reel in the Championship leader tenth by tenth.
The Italian was throwing absolutely everything he had at it with the prospect of a home Grand Prix victory dangling before his eyes. Vietti’s bike was making all sorts of shapes as the Italian had no choice but to push the limits to try and match Acosta’s pace.
After a couple of big moments, that was all she wrote in terms of the Italian’s charge for the win though. With five laps remaining Acosta had stretched the gap back out to over two seconds, and it was game set and match from there going forward as Acosta had done all the hard work and cruised to victory by 6.3s, extending his Championship lead.
Whilst the battle for victory had been decided the battle for third was raging on. Arbolino had been carving his way through the field from the moment the lights went out. The Italian desperately needed a good result to keep his Championship hopes alive and after charging from ninth on the grid to fourth, with five laps to go he had just under a second to Lopez in the final rostrum position…
Arbolino had the bit between his teeth as he proceeded to hit his markers in a valiant attempt to reel in the Boscoscuro machine. Lopez had it covered however as the Spaniard’s pace just made it too difficult for the Italian to bridge the gap. The SpeedUp rider took his first podium since Le Mans, with Arbolino forced to settle for P4.
A late charge from Idemitsu Honda Team Asia’s Ai Ogura and Somkiat Chantra saw them pip Gonzalez as the Spaniard dropped to P7, with Joe Roberts (Italtrans Racing Team), Filip Salač (QJMOTOR Gresini Moto2™) and wildcard home hero Mattia Pasini (Fieten Olie Racing GP) completing the top ten.
The attention now turns to Buddh International Circuit in India as a brand-new challenge awaits the Moto2™ grid. Join us in India from the 22nd to the 24th of September!
Back-to-back glory for Alonso
David Alonso (Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team), take a bow. The young Colombian takes his third victory in four races after beating Jaume Masia (Leopard Racing) and Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Ajo) in a phenomenal Moto3™ battle at the Gran Premio Red Bull di San Marino e della Riviera di Rimini. The top three crossed the line 0.2s apart as World Championship leader Daniel Holgado (Red Bull KTM Tech3) struggled to P16, blowing the title race wide open.
It was Ayumu Sasaki (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) who got the best launch from the middle of the front row as the Japanese star grabbed the holeshot into Turn 1, but Masia immediately responded to take the lead at Turn 4. Kaito Toba (SIC58 Squadra Corse) lost ground on the first lap, he was shoved down to P5 as Diogo Moreira (MT Helmets – MSI) and Alonso made forward progress.
Masia held a 0.6s advantage on Lap 2 as Sasaki and Moreira squabbled for second place. The lead was up to a second heading onto Lap 3, with the chasing pack needing to settle down and work together to try and reel in the early runaway leader. However, settling down isn’t something Öncü can do. The Turk shoved his way past Moreira and set his sights on catching Masia.
By Lap 6 of 20, Öncü and Moreira had bridged the gap. Sasaki, David Muñoz (BOE Motorsports), Alonso and Toba were a further 0.7s adrift, with World Championship leader Holgado battling outside the top 10.
With 12 laps left, a lead group of seven had formed with Collin Veijer (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) and Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) tagging onto the back of the battle in P8 and P9. Lap 11 of 20 saw the lead change for the first time as Masia went from P1 to P3 in the blink of an eye, with Öncü now at the front.
With seven laps remaining, a top four of Öncü, Masia, Muñoz and Alonso had gapped Moreira, Sasaki, Toba, Veijer and Rueda. The front quartet were two seconds up the road, with Holgado still P11 and over a second off tenth place Ivan Ortola (Angeluss MTA Team).
It was bubbling up nicely for a final lap spectacular in Misano. The top four was as you were for a few laps before Muñoz had a big front-end moment at Turn 2 – the Spaniard did well to keep it upright but lost P3 to Alonso.
Heading onto the final lap, Öncü led from Masia and Alonso, with Muñoz 0.6s adrift in P4. Alonso slammed in the fastest lap of the race as we strapped in for a last-lap thriller. It stayed the same through the first half of the lap before Alonso grabbed P2 at Turn 10. Then on the run into Turn 14, Masia pocketed a two-for-one deal. It was a cracking move but Alonso returned the favour on the cutback and managed to hold onto the lead all the way to the flag. The Colombian beat Masia by 0.036s to P1 with Öncü settling for P3 having led for most of the second half of the race.
Muñoz bounced back from his Catalan GP disappointment with a solid P4, as Veijer takes home a top five after showing great late race pace. Japan’s Toba and Sasaki crossed the line in P6 and P7 respectively, with Ortola doing well to claim P8 after being shoved well wide in the early exchanges. Rueda and Romano Fenati (Rivacold Snipers Team) rounded out the top 10, as Taiyo Furusato (Honda Team Asia), Moreira, Stefano Nepa (Angeluss MTA Team), Ryusei Yamanaka (Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team) and Tatsuki Suzuki (Leopard Racing) rounded out the points.
For Holgado, P16 is what the Spaniard has to swallow in Misano. The #96 remains the title leader, but his gap has been cut to just four points ahead of the inaugural Grand Prix of India. The top six – Holgado, Sasaki, Masia, Öncü, Alonso and Ortola – are split by just 29 points now. It’s game on in the Moto3™ title race! Joins us for more in India!
Pedro Acosta won the FIM Moto2 World Championship race Sunday at Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli, in San Marino. Riding his Red Bull KTM Ajo Kalex, the Spaniard won the 22-lap race by 6.305 seconds.
Celestino Vietti was the best of the rest on his Fantic Racing Kalex.
Alonso Lopez scored third place on his +Ego SpeedUp Boscoscuro racebike
American Joe Roberts got eighth on his Italtrans Racing Kalex, and his countryman Sean Dylan Kelly (SDK) finished 20th in his first race on his new Forward Racing machine.
Nicolo Bulega won FIM Supersport World Championship Race Two Sunday at Magny-Cours, in France. Riding his Aruba.it Racing Ducati Panigale V2, Bulega won the 19-lap race by 1.991 seconds.
Former MotoAmerica Supersport regular Valentin Debise backed up his career-best third place in Race One with an even better runner-up finish in Race Two on his GMT94 Yamaha YZF-R6.
Stefano Manzi was a distant third on his Ten Kate Racing Yamaha.
After his 11th race win of the season, Bulega leads the Championship by 60 points over Manzi with three rounds and six races remaining.
David Alonso won the FIM Moto3 World Championship race Sunday at Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli, in San Marino. Riding his Gaviota Aspar Team GASGAS, the Colombian won the 20-lap race by just 0.036 second.
Jaume Masia finished a close second on his Leopard Racing Honda, and Red Bull KTM Ajo rider Deniz Oncu was just 0.2 second behind Masia in third place at the finish.
Toprak Razgatlioglu won the World Superbike Superpole Race Sunday morning at Magny-Cours, in France. Riding his Pata Yamaha Prometeon YZF-R1, the Turkish racer won the 10-lap race by 0.970 second.
Defending Champion Alvaro Bautista was the runner-up on his Aruba.it Racing Ducati Panigale V4R, and Jonathan Rea was a close third on his Kawasaki Racing Team Ninja ZX-10RR.
ROKiT BMW Motorrad factory rider Scott Redding crashed while attempting a pass and took out Bonovo Action BMW’s Garrett Gerloff. Gerloff was forced to retire from the race, but Redding was able to remount and continue, albeit with a Long Lap Penalty for irresponsible riding.
Race 1: history made as Casadei seals it with a win
The Pons rider puts in a near-perfect performance to fend off Garzo as Spinelli completes the podium
Saturday, 09 September 2023
Mattia Casadei (HP Pons Los40) is the 2023 FIM Enel MotoE™ World Champion, and he did it in style! The Italian took the crown with a hard-fought victory in Race 1 of his home round, coming out on top in a close finish against Hector Garzo (Dynavolt Intact GP MotoE™) by just 0.021s. Casadei is the first Champion since the series became a full eight-round, 16-race Championship this year, making some history in the process. The Champions’ teammate Nicholas Spinelli was in the mix from start to finish too, and took an important podium to add to the Pons team celebrations.
Casadei’s closest title rival Jordi Torres (Openbank Aspar Team) suffered some drama, slapped with a double long lap penalty after jumping the start, and it was a tougher first race for Matteo Ferrari (Felo Gresini MotoE™) as Casadei emerged imperious.
The lights went out for MotoE™ Race 1 and there was fight in Torres yet as the Spaniard flew from 5th place on the grid to snatch the holeshot from Casadei, after that small but real jump start, with Spinelli watching on in 3rd. Garzo soon latched onto the top three too as a leading group of four broke away from the rest of the field.
Casadei had fire in his belly as he hit the front, with Torres being bullied to the back of the group. We then had six laps of frantic MotoE™ action ahead of us.
That’s when news broke of Torres’ lightning launch: it was down to a jump start from the title contender, and the Spaniard then had to take two tours through the long lap loop at Tramonto before rejoining the race down in 12th place.
Meanwhile at the front, Casadei led the way with Garzo and Spinelli snapping at his heels. All the Italian had to do was finish the race with Torres down the order and he would be crowned Champion, and Spinelli and Garzo started to swap paintwork behind the race leader too. That allowed Casadei to stretch out some breathing space with three laps to go, Championship in clear sight.
The Ongetta SIC58 Squadra Corse duo of Kevin Manfredi and Kevin Zannoni then joined the party, and they brought Matteo Ferrari (Felo Gresini MotoE™) with them. The trio latched onto Spinelli and Garzo, who started to reel in the race leader once again.
It was too little too late though as Garzo was left with few options to attack the race leader on the final lap. The Spaniard was all over Casadei’s rear wheel through the final sector and pulled alongside the Pons machine as they flew towards the line, but it wasn’t quite enough. Casadei made it the perfect ending to his Championship challenge as he just beat Garzo to it, sealing the crown with a win.
Behind the first ever FIM Enel MotoE™ World Champion came Garzo and then Spinelli completing the podium, with Torres recovering to 10th place in the end but making sure to congratulate his title rival after the flag dropped. Manfredi, Zannoni and Ferrari completed that front group in that order.
Race 2: Spinelli takes stunning maiden win to sign off in style
A three-way fight for victory between Spinelli, Garzo and Casadei brings the curtain down on a classic season
Nicholas Spinelli (HP Pons Los40) rounded out the season in style in Race 2, making it a Pons team clean sweep of riders’ crown, double on Saturday and teams’ Championship as the squad prepare to bow out of World Championship competition. The Italian took his maiden win with the gloves off as he fought off both Hector Garzo (Dynavolt Intact GP MotoE™) and recently crowned Champion Mattia Casadei (HP Pons Los40), although the recently-crowned Champion still put a cherry on top of a dream weekend with another podium.
With the Championship decided it was time for all-out war as a showstopping MotoE™ finale was on it’s the way. The lights went out for the final time in 2023 and it was the Champion Casadei who held firm through the first sector to hold onto the lead, with Spinelli and Garzo glued to his rear wheel.
Jordi Torres (Openbank Aspar Team) was in the mix as well as the Spaniard now had nothing to lose, but everything to gain with his sights set on a solid result to cap off his 2023 season.
Right at the front though, Casadei dropped from 1st to 3rd in one fell swoop as Spinelli ducked under the Champion through the fastest sector on track, and Garzo quickly capitalised as well to barge his way through on the Italian.
Spinelli led Garzo as the duo broke away from the pack ever so slightly with the laps ticking away. The Spaniard had a few cheeky looks up the inside, but Spinelli held firm… until Turn 1 on the final lap. Garzo pushed his way through but Spinelli answered back with some poetry to leave the two side-by-side… and then Casadei appeared.
He shot past both, but Spinelli wasn’t accepting second in the final showdown of the season. He attacked again, Garzo took back over in second, and it was all down to the final sector. Spinelli kept it pinned to win in style, with Garzo holding off Casadei as the three staged another battle to remember.
With all that, Andrea Mantovani (RNF MotoE™ Team) and Torres both tagged right onto the podium fight, and a small freight train formed. They completed the top five, ahead of Kevin Zannoni (Ongetta SIC58 Squadra Corse) and Matteo Ferrari (Felo Gresini MotoE™) after a tougher weekend on home turf. Tito Rabat (Prettl Pramac MotoE™), Miquel Pons (LCR E-Team) and Alessandro Zaccone (Tech 3 E-Racing) completed the top ten. Eric Granado (LCR E-Team) crashed out with Kevin Manfredi (Ongetta SIC58 Squadra Corse), riders ok.
That brings the 2023 MotoE™ season to a close after a stunning year of competition. A new name on top, an incredible winning run and more history made is only the half of it as the electric series delivered some of the closest racing on Earth. But that’s all for now – join us for more in 2024!
Kyle Wyman took the MotoAmerica Mission King Of The Baggers Championship point lead with a victory in Race One Saturday at Circuit of The Americas, in Austin, Texas. Riding his Screamin’ Eagle Harley-Davidson Road Glide, Wyman won the six-lap race by 2.165 seconds.
Hayden Gillim, the point leader coming into the race, finished second on his Vance & Hines/Mission Foods Harley-Davidson, and Gillim’s teammate James Rispoli made it a Harley-Davidson sweep of the podium with third.
Progressive Insurance/Mission Foods Indian’s Tyler O’Hara, the defending Champion, and Jeremy McWilliams did not start the race.
O’Hara crashed his Indian when the chain broke during the Challenge dash-for-cash and a damaged radiator was discovered on the repaired machine just prior to the start of Race One. McWilliams, meanwhile, had just crashed in Super Hooligan Race One and was too beaten up to start King Of The Baggers Race One.
Tyler O’Hara put an exclamation point on his second straight MotoAmerica Mission Super Hooligan Championship by winning Race Two Sunday at Circuit of The Americas (COTA), in Austin, Texas. O’Hara clinched the 2023 title with a dramatic win in Race One Saturday, and then O’Hara won Sunday’s restarted and shortened three-lap Race Two on his Progressive Insurance/Mission Foods Indian FTR 1200.
In spite of being battered and bruised from his crash at the end of Race One, O’Hara’s teammate Jeremy McWilliams was able to score a runner-up finish in Race Two.
Andy DiBrino came home third, right behind McWilliams, on his DiBrino Racing KTM 890 Duke R.
Energica elevates electric appeal in outstanding season finale at CoTA
Stefano Mesa (137) in action on his Energica Eva Ribelle RS electric motorcycle at COTA. Photo courtesy Energica.
Life is about perspective, and so is competitive sport. When a big result comes, the overall level of expectations rises like a giant wave out of a flat sea, so much that a top-five finish does not feel as incredible as it may have been before. This is exactly what happened at Austin’s Circuit of The Americas in Race 2 of the Super Hooligan National Championship, when Stefano Mesa put together another masterful performance to cross the line fifth position, after yet another red flag had cut the race in two.
Were Energica and Tytlers Cycle Racing hoping for another podium after yesterday’s monumental second place in Race 1? Absolutely. Is a fifth place a good result to wrap up the season? Without a doubt, for it helped Mesa and the team led by Michael Kiley secure fourth place overall in the championship standings (click here to view them), an unbelievable result considering the novelty represented by the arrival of the only full-bore electric machine in the series: the Kit Corsa Clienti-equipped EVA Ribelle RS.
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Everything that happened this year went beyond the wildest dreams of everyone involved. It started as a possibility of even competing, with more question marks than certainties as no electric motorcycle ever had plans to seriously contend against an ICE field.
Mesa and the Eva Ribelle RS are now a force to be reckoned with, as their adversaries have learned to make sure of their positioning on the grid, knowing they may see that green bolt fly past them after the lights go out. And in Austin, they also learned to expect an out-braking manoeuvre and resistance when trying to overtake.
And the excitement within the garage and out on the pit-lane grew with each event, and it was palpable in the heat of the Circuit of The Americas as the team was joined by Energica owners who were just as shocked as the members of the squad to witness these results on a track that was perceived more as a threat than an opportunity for any electric motorcycle.
But the confidence boost was evident, as no one questioned the ability of the Eva Ribelle RS to keep functioning at maximum power after yet another red flag happening in Race 2. Unlike our previous races, and especially here, everyone suddenly realized that we had nothing to worry about.
This is what racing does: it stresses a package to the fullest, and sometimes reveals capabilities that even their creators couldn’t fathom. In the end, our first Superhooligan season closes with a job well done: far better than anyone could have imagined.
We thank all those who embarked on this journey with us: Stefano Mesa and the whole Tytlers Cycle Racing team, the technical team at Energica who flew from Italy for each race; PETRONAS iona and all our sponsors. We had a clear goal knowing our destination how be a difficult one. And it is only the beginning.
Hayden Gillim won MotoAmerica Steel Commander Stock 1000 Race Two Sunday at Circuit of The Americas (COTA), in Austin, Texas. Gillim, riding his Disrupt Racing Suzuki GSX-R1000R, battled for the lead with Travis Wyman until lap six of eight. That’s when Gillim took control and rode home to a victory that also earned him the 2023 Stock 1000 Championship.
Wyman was a close second on his Travis Wyman Racing BMW M 1000 RR.
Diego Perez rode his PDR Motorsports Kawasaki ZX-10R to third place by holding off Kaleb De Keyrel (fourth) and his Orange Cat Racing BMW and Benjamin Smith (fifth) and his Benjamin Smith Racing Yamaha.
De Keyrel’s teammate Ezra Beaubier, the Championship point leader coming into the weekend, missed both races at COTA due to illness.
Alvaro Bautista won FIM Superbike World Championship Race Two Sunday at Magny-Cours, in France. The defending World Champion and current point leader won the re-started 17-lap race by nearly six seconds on his Aruba.it Racing Ducati Panigale V4 R
Toprak Razgatlioglu finished second on his Pata Yamaha Prometeon YZF-R1, just ahead of Jonathan Rea and his Kawasaki Racing Team Ninja ZX-10RR.
American Garrett Gerloff finished fifth overall on his Bonovo Action BMW M 1000 RR and was the top Independent rider and the top-finishing BMW pilot.
Bautista seizes victory in Red-Flagged Race 2 at Magny-Cours
Alvaro Bautista (1) leads Jonathan Rea (65), Toprak Razgatlioglu (54), and the rest of the field early in Race Two at Magny-Cours. Photo courtesy Dorna.
In Race 2 at Magny-Cours, Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) secured victory to leave France with a 57-point advantage over Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK).
Bautista started Race 2 strong, quickly taking the lead. However, Rea and Razgatlioglu were prompt to challenge him. Rea made a move at Turn 5 but couldn’t overtake Bautista, and while the Ducati rider gradually increased his lead, the race was interrupted on Lap 5. The red flag was waved following an incident involving Dominique Aegerter (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) and Scott Redding (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team), with Aegerter declared unfit for racing due to a suspected concussion. The restart saw Bautista retain his lead, while Razgatlioglu eventually secured second place after a tense battle with Rea. Bautista maintained his lead until the end, winning by a six-second margin.
Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) fought his way to fourth place in his 100th race, with Garrett Gerloff (Bonovo Action BMW) taking fifth ahead of Axel Bassani (Motocorsa Racing). Among the French riders, Loris Baz (Bonovo Action BMW) finished in 12th place, while Lucas Mahias (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) faced technical issues and could not restart the race.
Alvaro Bautista regained his form to seize his 19th win of the season in Race 2 at Magny-Cours.
P1 | Alvaro Bautista | Aruba.it Racing – Ducati
“For sure, I’m so happy to end the weekend like this, especially because I was ill on Friday and I was recovering during the weekend. Yesterday I felt better but today I felt almost 100%. In Race 2, with these conditions, it was difficult but it was similar to yesterday’s so I already knew the feeling with the bike. I tried to do a good start, and I had good feeling and pace. And after 5 laps, the race was stopped and it was difficult because in that moment I was riding really well. I tried to stay focused in the box. The second start, I felt well too and I could push from the beginning as well. At the end, I was alone but I kept pushing because I enjoyed riding like this. I’m happy overall with the weekend.”
Toprak Razgatlioglu secured a hard-fought second place, while Jonathan Rea, demonstrated his trademark consistency to claim the third position.
Andrea Locatelli celebrated his 100th race with a commendable fourth place finish.
Garrett Gerloff put on an impressive display, surging from tenth on the grid to secure fifth place.
WorldSBK Race 2 Results
1. Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati)
2. Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) +5.893s
3. Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) +6.779s
4. Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) +10.978s
5. Garrett Gerloff (Bonovo Action BMW) +11.482s
6. Axel Bassani (Motocorsa Racing) +15.258s
WorldSBK Championship standings
1. Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) 467 points
2. Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) 410 points
3. Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) 290 points
Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team) held off a relentless challenge from Valentin Debise (GMT94 Yamaha) to secure a hard-fought victory in Race 2. Bulega’s triumph further extended his championship lead, now 60 points ahead of his closest rival, Stefano Manzi (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha), who finished in third place.
Bulega started strongly, attempting to break away from the pack, but Debise matched his pace lap after lap, staying within striking distance. The Frenchman’s relentless pursuit kept the pressure on Bulega until Lap 14 when the Italian managed to pull away slightly and clinch his 11th win of the season.
Behind them, the battle for fourth was a fierce one, with Marcel Schroetter (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) edging out Niki Tuuli (PTR Triumph) in a race-long duel. Lorenzo Dalla Porta (Evan Bros. WorldSSP Yamaha Team) finished just a fraction of a second behind Tuuli in sixth place.
Nicolo Bulega held his ground against Valentin Debise, securing a vital Race 2 victory and extending his championship lead.
P1 | Nicolo Bulega | Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team
“It was a great weekend with pole position and two victories again. It’s always something special. I want to enjoy this moment with my team. We did a great job. My feeling with the bike was very good all the weekend. I want to congratulate Debise because he was very fast. I had to push from the first corner and every lap. In the end, I won so this is important for the Championship because I take 25 points, and Manzi lost a few points. 60 points is a good advantage but I don’t want to think of the Championship now. When it’s time, we will think about it. Last year in Aragon, I had my first podium after two difficult years in Moto2TM, and then coming back on the podium was very nice. So, I have a good memory of Aragon and I’m looking forward to going there and trying to win.”
Having applied relentless pressure on Bulega throughout the race, Valentin Debise ultimately secured his second podium this weekend.
Stefano Manzi completed the podium, losing valuable points to Bulega in the championship standings.
WorldSSP Race 2 Results
1. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team)
2. Valentin Debise (GMT94 Yamaha) +1.991s
3. Stefano Manzi (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) +12.441s
Buis takes control leading the Championship with Magny-Cours win
In a captivating showdown at the Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours, Jeffrey Buis (MTM Kawasaki) surged to victory in WorldSSP300 Race 2, significantly altering the Championship landscape. The 2020 Champion secured his second win of the weekend, moving him into the lead of the fiercely contested Championship – while a last-lap crash meant that previous leader Dirk Geiger could only finish in 9th. This victory marked Buis’ historic tenth win in the WorldSSP300 category, making him the first rider to reach double-digit wins in this class.
Mirko Gennai (Team BrCorse) exhibited incredible determination and racecraft as he fought his way through the pack from fifth row on the grid, ultimately finishing in second place. Meanwhile, Jose Luis Perez Gonzalez (Accolade Smrz Racing BGR) showcased his consistent form with a well-earned third-place finish. Perez Gonzalez’s strong performance in Race 2 added valuable points to his Championship tally, keeping him firmly in the title battle. The dramatic twists and turns of the Magny-Cours race left the top three riders separated by just 13 points in the overall championship standings, setting the stage for an electrifying remainder of the season.
In the midfield, the contest for fourth, fifth, and sixth places was fierce. Daniel Mogeda (Kawasaki GP Project) showed great determination, clinching fourth place by a mere 0.226-second gap behind Perez Gonzalez. Loris Veneman (MTM Kawasaki) took fifth place, highlighting his potential as a strong contender. Kevin Sabatucci (Team Flembbo – PI Performances) completed the top six, finishing only 0.160 seconds behind Veneman in a race marked by intense on-track duels.
Misano World Circuit - Marco Simoncelli. Photo courtesy Michelin.
Jorge Martin won the MotoGP World Championship race Sunday at Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli, in San Marino. Riding his Prima Pramac Racing Ducati Desmosedici, the Spaniard won the 27-lap race by 1.350 seconds. It was his second win of the season.
Marco Bezzecchi finished second on his Mooney VR46 Racing Team Ducati, and defending World Champion Francesco Bagnaia made it a Ducati sweep of the podium with third on his Lenovo Team Ducati.
Martin and Bezzecchi pip Pecco to cut the Championship deficit as Pedrosa threatens to spoil the party at Misano
Jorge Martin (89). Photo courtesy Dorna.
Sunday, 10 September 2023
Pole position, Tissot Sprint win and a Sunday race victory. Jorge Martin’s (Prima Pramac Racing) weekend at the Gran Premio Red Bull di San Marino e della Riviera di Rimini couldn’t have gone any better as the Spaniard made no mistakes to take maximum points on his title rivals’ stomping ground. The winning margin over second place Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) was just 1.3s as Bez homed in though, with reigning World Champion Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) fighting through the pain to claim an important third. And Pecco was only just ahead of some familiar company at Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli: wildcard Dani Pedrosa (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing).
Martin untouchable again as Pecco fends off Pedrosa
Just like he did in the Tissot Sprint, Martin got a perfect launch and pocketed the holeshot as Bezzecchi and Bagnaia slotted in behind. Pedrosa got away well again and was up to P4, and the MotoGP™ Legend held on after a moment between Turn 1 and 2 looking for a way through on Bagnaia. But Bagnaia then picked his way past Bezzecchi at Turn 3 as the #1 immediately began to hound Martin.
Unlike yesterday, Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) made good progress off the start and at the beginning of Lap 2, the South African was up to P4 and began to chase Martin, Bagnaia and Bezzecchi.
A fascinating early race fight was unfolding at the front. Martin, Bagnaia and Bezzecchi were locked together, with Binder 0.7s adrift heading onto Lap 5. On Lap 6, Bezzecchi passed Pecco for P6 down at Turn 8 but just like he did a lap previous, the Italian was wide at Turn 10 to allow the Champion back through. That gave Martin a little bit of breathing room – if you can call 0.3s that – as Binder went quicker than the trio in front of him.
Disaster then struck for Binder at Turn 14 on Lap 8. The KTM star was down at the tight right-hand hairpin as his podium hopes ended, handing Pedrosa the lead KTM baton. The #26 was 1.5s off the leaders, as KTM’s afternoon then got worse as Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) crashed out of contention after being involved in an incident with Michele Pirro (Aruba.it Racing).
Elsewhere, on Lap 12 of 27, it was time to cue the jaws music. Who for? Pedrosa. The wildcard was beginning to close at a vast rate of knots and with 15 laps left, Pedrosa was just 0.6s off Bezzecchi’s rear wheel. Unbelievable. The Little Samurai was the only rider lapping in the 1:31s at this stage of the race.
Pedrosa’s pace dropped off soon after but the gap remained at just over a second. At the front, with 10 laps to go, Martin’s lead grew to over a second for the first time as the #89 began to get the hammer down. Were the injuries to Bagnaia and Bezzecchi starting to take their toll or was Martin’s pace just too good? Bezzecchi was looking impatient behind VR46 compatriot Bagnaia, and a move came at Turn 8. By now though, Martin’s advantage was 2.2s.
Bagnaia was fading. Pedrosa was coming. 0.7s split the double World Champion from the three-time World Champion, with Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) and an extremely classy ride for Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) putting him a further four seconds back after initially closing on the number 12. A huge six laps beckoned, could Bagnaia hold on to what would be a very valuable and hard-earned 16 points?
With four laps to go, Bagnaia was holding Pedrosa at bay by 0.6s. Bezzecchi was now under two seconds away from Martin but it was too little too late, with the latter controlling his advantage nicely as he powered towards completing the perfect weekend.
With two to go, Pedrosa was right on Bagnaia’s coattails. Catching the Ducati rider was one thing but as he found out in the Sprint, passing was a whole different kettle of fish. In the end, Bagnaia did hold on to a crucial P3 as Martin made no mistake to cap off a sensational weekend. Bezzecchi bagged P2 despite his injured hand to gain ground in the title chase.
The points scorers in Misano
Just off the podium of Martin, Bezzecchi and Bagnaia, Pedrosa took the chequered flag just 0.6s away from the rostrum as the Little Samurai again demonstrates why he’s a three-time World Champion and a MotoGP™ Legend. Unreal from the popular Spaniard, who finished six seconds up the road from fifth place Viñales.
Miguel Oliveira (CryptoDATA RNF MotoGP™ Team) was sixth ahead of Marc Marquez, who somehow bags a brilliant P7 after racing with a soft rear tyre. Raul Fernandez (CryptoDATA RNF MotoGP™ Team) takes home his best MotoGP™ finish in P8, as the Ducatis of Luca Marini (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) and Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing) complete the top 10.
Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™), Catalan GP winner Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing), Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™), a recovering Binder and Franco Morbidelli (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) closed out the points in San Marino.
Pol Espargaro (GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3) and Joan Mir (Repsol Honda Team) joined Miller and Pirro as the riders to notch up DNFs.
36 points in it heading to India!
A brand-new challenge awaits us next time out as India hosts MotoGP™ for the very first time. Martin’s perfect weekend sees the gap between him and Championship leader Pecco sit at 36 points as the flyaway tour of the season begins… for the first time in some time, it’s back below the 37 points on offer in one weekend. Don’t miss it!
Masterclass: Acosta stamps some authority on Misano
Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Ajo) was back in business at Misano, putting in an inch-perfect performance to take victory The Spaniard controlled the race perfectly at the front as he edged away from home hero Celestino Vietti (Fantic Racing) pilling on the pressure mid race. The Italian brought home an important second place, with Alonso Lopez (+Ego SpeedUp) keeping Tony Arbolino (Elf MarcVDS Racing Team) at bay to round out the podium.
Acosta came out the gates with fire in his belly as he took the holeshot from the polesitter Vietti. Manuel Gonzalez (Correos Prepago Yamaha VR46 Mastercamp) tried to hold on from his front row start, but the Spaniard quickly fell victim to Lopez and Aron Canet (Pons Wegow Los40) who charged their way through on the first lap.
The front three then began to break away as Lopez dropped off the back of the group, with a few bike lengths back to Gonzalez in fifth. Acosta was pushing on at the front and was asking big questions of Vietti, who was keeping the Spaniard in his sights. Still, the Championship leader’s pace began to stretch out the field and it wasn’t long before the Red Bull KTM Ajo machine was almost a second up the road.
With the pace getting hotter and hotter, Canet then cracked as a tiny mistake at Carro corner saw him crash out of a podium position with 14 laps to go, promoting Lopez to P3. That left Vietti in a lonely 2nd place and with some ground to cover to Acosta out the front. Vietti responded to the Spaniard’s hot pace however as he began to reel in the Championship leader tenth by tenth.
The Italian was throwing absolutely everything he had at it with the prospect of a home Grand Prix victory dangling before his eyes. Vietti’s bike was making all sorts of shapes as the Italian had no choice but to push the limits to try and match Acosta’s pace.
After a couple of big moments, that was all she wrote in terms of the Italian’s charge for the win though. With five laps remaining Acosta had stretched the gap back out to over two seconds, and it was game set and match from there going forward as Acosta had done all the hard work and cruised to victory by 6.3s, extending his Championship lead.
Whilst the battle for victory had been decided the battle for third was raging on. Arbolino had been carving his way through the field from the moment the lights went out. The Italian desperately needed a good result to keep his Championship hopes alive and after charging from ninth on the grid to fourth, with five laps to go he had just under a second to Lopez in the final rostrum position…
Arbolino had the bit between his teeth as he proceeded to hit his markers in a valiant attempt to reel in the Boscoscuro machine. Lopez had it covered however as the Spaniard’s pace just made it too difficult for the Italian to bridge the gap. The SpeedUp rider took his first podium since Le Mans, with Arbolino forced to settle for P4.
A late charge from Idemitsu Honda Team Asia’s Ai Ogura and Somkiat Chantra saw them pip Gonzalez as the Spaniard dropped to P7, with Joe Roberts (Italtrans Racing Team), Filip Salač (QJMOTOR Gresini Moto2™) and wildcard home hero Mattia Pasini (Fieten Olie Racing GP) completing the top ten.
The attention now turns to Buddh International Circuit in India as a brand-new challenge awaits the Moto2™ grid. Join us in India from the 22nd to the 24th of September!
Back-to-back glory for Alonso
David Alonso (Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team), take a bow. The young Colombian takes his third victory in four races after beating Jaume Masia (Leopard Racing) and Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Ajo) in a phenomenal Moto3™ battle at the Gran Premio Red Bull di San Marino e della Riviera di Rimini. The top three crossed the line 0.2s apart as World Championship leader Daniel Holgado (Red Bull KTM Tech3) struggled to P16, blowing the title race wide open.
It was Ayumu Sasaki (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) who got the best launch from the middle of the front row as the Japanese star grabbed the holeshot into Turn 1, but Masia immediately responded to take the lead at Turn 4. Kaito Toba (SIC58 Squadra Corse) lost ground on the first lap, he was shoved down to P5 as Diogo Moreira (MT Helmets – MSI) and Alonso made forward progress.
Masia held a 0.6s advantage on Lap 2 as Sasaki and Moreira squabbled for second place. The lead was up to a second heading onto Lap 3, with the chasing pack needing to settle down and work together to try and reel in the early runaway leader. However, settling down isn’t something Öncü can do. The Turk shoved his way past Moreira and set his sights on catching Masia.
By Lap 6 of 20, Öncü and Moreira had bridged the gap. Sasaki, David Muñoz (BOE Motorsports), Alonso and Toba were a further 0.7s adrift, with World Championship leader Holgado battling outside the top 10.
With 12 laps left, a lead group of seven had formed with Collin Veijer (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) and Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) tagging onto the back of the battle in P8 and P9. Lap 11 of 20 saw the lead change for the first time as Masia went from P1 to P3 in the blink of an eye, with Öncü now at the front.
With seven laps remaining, a top four of Öncü, Masia, Muñoz and Alonso had gapped Moreira, Sasaki, Toba, Veijer and Rueda. The front quartet were two seconds up the road, with Holgado still P11 and over a second off tenth place Ivan Ortola (Angeluss MTA Team).
It was bubbling up nicely for a final lap spectacular in Misano. The top four was as you were for a few laps before Muñoz had a big front-end moment at Turn 2 – the Spaniard did well to keep it upright but lost P3 to Alonso.
Heading onto the final lap, Öncü led from Masia and Alonso, with Muñoz 0.6s adrift in P4. Alonso slammed in the fastest lap of the race as we strapped in for a last-lap thriller. It stayed the same through the first half of the lap before Alonso grabbed P2 at Turn 10. Then on the run into Turn 14, Masia pocketed a two-for-one deal. It was a cracking move but Alonso returned the favour on the cutback and managed to hold onto the lead all the way to the flag. The Colombian beat Masia by 0.036s to P1 with Öncü settling for P3 having led for most of the second half of the race.
Muñoz bounced back from his Catalan GP disappointment with a solid P4, as Veijer takes home a top five after showing great late race pace. Japan’s Toba and Sasaki crossed the line in P6 and P7 respectively, with Ortola doing well to claim P8 after being shoved well wide in the early exchanges. Rueda and Romano Fenati (Rivacold Snipers Team) rounded out the top 10, as Taiyo Furusato (Honda Team Asia), Moreira, Stefano Nepa (Angeluss MTA Team), Ryusei Yamanaka (Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team) and Tatsuki Suzuki (Leopard Racing) rounded out the points.
For Holgado, P16 is what the Spaniard has to swallow in Misano. The #96 remains the title leader, but his gap has been cut to just four points ahead of the inaugural Grand Prix of India. The top six – Holgado, Sasaki, Masia, Öncü, Alonso and Ortola – are split by just 29 points now. It’s game on in the Moto3™ title race! Joins us for more in India!
Misano World Circuit - Marco Simoncelli. Photo courtesy Michelin.
Pedro Acosta won the FIM Moto2 World Championship race Sunday at Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli, in San Marino. Riding his Red Bull KTM Ajo Kalex, the Spaniard won the 22-lap race by 6.305 seconds.
Celestino Vietti was the best of the rest on his Fantic Racing Kalex.
Alonso Lopez scored third place on his +Ego SpeedUp Boscoscuro racebike
American Joe Roberts got eighth on his Italtrans Racing Kalex, and his countryman Sean Dylan Kelly (SDK) finished 20th in his first race on his new Forward Racing machine.
Nicolo Bulega won FIM Supersport World Championship Race Two Sunday at Magny-Cours, in France. Riding his Aruba.it Racing Ducati Panigale V2, Bulega won the 19-lap race by 1.991 seconds.
Former MotoAmerica Supersport regular Valentin Debise backed up his career-best third place in Race One with an even better runner-up finish in Race Two on his GMT94 Yamaha YZF-R6.
Stefano Manzi was a distant third on his Ten Kate Racing Yamaha.
After his 11th race win of the season, Bulega leads the Championship by 60 points over Manzi with three rounds and six races remaining.
Misano World Circuit - Marco Simoncelli. Photo courtesy Michelin.
David Alonso won the FIM Moto3 World Championship race Sunday at Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli, in San Marino. Riding his Gaviota Aspar Team GASGAS, the Colombian won the 20-lap race by just 0.036 second.
Jaume Masia finished a close second on his Leopard Racing Honda, and Red Bull KTM Ajo rider Deniz Oncu was just 0.2 second behind Masia in third place at the finish.
Toprak Razgatlioglu won the World Superbike Superpole Race Sunday morning at Magny-Cours, in France. Riding his Pata Yamaha Prometeon YZF-R1, the Turkish racer won the 10-lap race by 0.970 second.
Defending Champion Alvaro Bautista was the runner-up on his Aruba.it Racing Ducati Panigale V4R, and Jonathan Rea was a close third on his Kawasaki Racing Team Ninja ZX-10RR.
ROKiT BMW Motorrad factory rider Scott Redding crashed while attempting a pass and took out Bonovo Action BMW’s Garrett Gerloff. Gerloff was forced to retire from the race, but Redding was able to remount and continue, albeit with a Long Lap Penalty for irresponsible riding.
Race 1: history made as Casadei seals it with a win
The Pons rider puts in a near-perfect performance to fend off Garzo as Spinelli completes the podium
Saturday, 09 September 2023
Mattia Casadei (HP Pons Los40) is the 2023 FIM Enel MotoE™ World Champion, and he did it in style! The Italian took the crown with a hard-fought victory in Race 1 of his home round, coming out on top in a close finish against Hector Garzo (Dynavolt Intact GP MotoE™) by just 0.021s. Casadei is the first Champion since the series became a full eight-round, 16-race Championship this year, making some history in the process. The Champions’ teammate Nicholas Spinelli was in the mix from start to finish too, and took an important podium to add to the Pons team celebrations.
Casadei’s closest title rival Jordi Torres (Openbank Aspar Team) suffered some drama, slapped with a double long lap penalty after jumping the start, and it was a tougher first race for Matteo Ferrari (Felo Gresini MotoE™) as Casadei emerged imperious.
The lights went out for MotoE™ Race 1 and there was fight in Torres yet as the Spaniard flew from 5th place on the grid to snatch the holeshot from Casadei, after that small but real jump start, with Spinelli watching on in 3rd. Garzo soon latched onto the top three too as a leading group of four broke away from the rest of the field.
Casadei had fire in his belly as he hit the front, with Torres being bullied to the back of the group. We then had six laps of frantic MotoE™ action ahead of us.
That’s when news broke of Torres’ lightning launch: it was down to a jump start from the title contender, and the Spaniard then had to take two tours through the long lap loop at Tramonto before rejoining the race down in 12th place.
Meanwhile at the front, Casadei led the way with Garzo and Spinelli snapping at his heels. All the Italian had to do was finish the race with Torres down the order and he would be crowned Champion, and Spinelli and Garzo started to swap paintwork behind the race leader too. That allowed Casadei to stretch out some breathing space with three laps to go, Championship in clear sight.
The Ongetta SIC58 Squadra Corse duo of Kevin Manfredi and Kevin Zannoni then joined the party, and they brought Matteo Ferrari (Felo Gresini MotoE™) with them. The trio latched onto Spinelli and Garzo, who started to reel in the race leader once again.
It was too little too late though as Garzo was left with few options to attack the race leader on the final lap. The Spaniard was all over Casadei’s rear wheel through the final sector and pulled alongside the Pons machine as they flew towards the line, but it wasn’t quite enough. Casadei made it the perfect ending to his Championship challenge as he just beat Garzo to it, sealing the crown with a win.
Behind the first ever FIM Enel MotoE™ World Champion came Garzo and then Spinelli completing the podium, with Torres recovering to 10th place in the end but making sure to congratulate his title rival after the flag dropped. Manfredi, Zannoni and Ferrari completed that front group in that order.
Race 2: Spinelli takes stunning maiden win to sign off in style
A three-way fight for victory between Spinelli, Garzo and Casadei brings the curtain down on a classic season
Nicholas Spinelli (HP Pons Los40) rounded out the season in style in Race 2, making it a Pons team clean sweep of riders’ crown, double on Saturday and teams’ Championship as the squad prepare to bow out of World Championship competition. The Italian took his maiden win with the gloves off as he fought off both Hector Garzo (Dynavolt Intact GP MotoE™) and recently crowned Champion Mattia Casadei (HP Pons Los40), although the recently-crowned Champion still put a cherry on top of a dream weekend with another podium.
With the Championship decided it was time for all-out war as a showstopping MotoE™ finale was on it’s the way. The lights went out for the final time in 2023 and it was the Champion Casadei who held firm through the first sector to hold onto the lead, with Spinelli and Garzo glued to his rear wheel.
Jordi Torres (Openbank Aspar Team) was in the mix as well as the Spaniard now had nothing to lose, but everything to gain with his sights set on a solid result to cap off his 2023 season.
Right at the front though, Casadei dropped from 1st to 3rd in one fell swoop as Spinelli ducked under the Champion through the fastest sector on track, and Garzo quickly capitalised as well to barge his way through on the Italian.
Spinelli led Garzo as the duo broke away from the pack ever so slightly with the laps ticking away. The Spaniard had a few cheeky looks up the inside, but Spinelli held firm… until Turn 1 on the final lap. Garzo pushed his way through but Spinelli answered back with some poetry to leave the two side-by-side… and then Casadei appeared.
He shot past both, but Spinelli wasn’t accepting second in the final showdown of the season. He attacked again, Garzo took back over in second, and it was all down to the final sector. Spinelli kept it pinned to win in style, with Garzo holding off Casadei as the three staged another battle to remember.
With all that, Andrea Mantovani (RNF MotoE™ Team) and Torres both tagged right onto the podium fight, and a small freight train formed. They completed the top five, ahead of Kevin Zannoni (Ongetta SIC58 Squadra Corse) and Matteo Ferrari (Felo Gresini MotoE™) after a tougher weekend on home turf. Tito Rabat (Prettl Pramac MotoE™), Miquel Pons (LCR E-Team) and Alessandro Zaccone (Tech 3 E-Racing) completed the top ten. Eric Granado (LCR E-Team) crashed out with Kevin Manfredi (Ongetta SIC58 Squadra Corse), riders ok.
That brings the 2023 MotoE™ season to a close after a stunning year of competition. A new name on top, an incredible winning run and more history made is only the half of it as the electric series delivered some of the closest racing on Earth. But that’s all for now – join us for more in 2024!
Kyle Wyman took the MotoAmerica Mission King Of The Baggers Championship point lead with a victory in Race One Saturday at Circuit of The Americas, in Austin, Texas. Riding his Screamin’ Eagle Harley-Davidson Road Glide, Wyman won the six-lap race by 2.165 seconds.
Hayden Gillim, the point leader coming into the race, finished second on his Vance & Hines/Mission Foods Harley-Davidson, and Gillim’s teammate James Rispoli made it a Harley-Davidson sweep of the podium with third.
Progressive Insurance/Mission Foods Indian’s Tyler O’Hara, the defending Champion, and Jeremy McWilliams did not start the race.
O’Hara crashed his Indian when the chain broke during the Challenge dash-for-cash and a damaged radiator was discovered on the repaired machine just prior to the start of Race One. McWilliams, meanwhile, had just crashed in Super Hooligan Race One and was too beaten up to start King Of The Baggers Race One.
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