Ai Ogura was the quickest rider during Moto2 World Championship Free Practice Friday morning at Circuit of The Americas (COTA), in Austin, Texas.
Ai Ogura (79). Photo by Michael Gougis.
Riding his MT Helmets – MSI Boscoscuro, the Japanese racer turned a 2:09.218 around the 20-turn, 3.4-mile (5.5 km) course to lead the field of 29 competitors.
American Joe Roberts was second-best with a lap time of 2:09.279 on his OnlyFans American Racing Team Kalex.
Roadracing World MotoGP Editor and Isle of Man TT winner Mat Oxley and two-time World Championship-winning Crew Chief Peter Bom have started “The Oxley Bom MotoGP Podcast,” which will be focused on the FIM MotoGP World Championship.
The original podcast can be found on BuzzSprout.com or listened to via other places you get podcasts.
From the Oxley Bom Podcast:
If it ain’t big, it ain’t American – and there’s nothing bigger than Texas, baby! So of course this is the track that has the most turns of them all. We asked Peter to describe each and every one of them, to give us a feel of what a lone rider might experience over there. This week, we’re keeping Austin weird…
Want more? Visit our website or support us on Patreon. With big thanks as always to Brad Baloo from The Next Men and Gentleman’s Dub Club, who wrote our theme song. Check out The Nextmen for more great music!
World Superbike racer Danilo Petrucci was seriously injured in a crash while training on his motocross bike Thursday in Italy.
The news was announced by the Italian himself via social media.
“Yesterday during motocross training on the Cingoli track I lost control of the bike before a jump and so instead of braking the bike accelerated,” Petrucci posted, according to a translation by Facebook. “I jumped a lot and crashed to the ground. It was one of the scariest falls of my life. Cracked some teeth, jaw in two parts, clavicle and shoulder along with various skin cuts. Thank you for all the messages, hope to be back smiling soon.”
Petrucci, who rides a Ducati Panigale V4 R for Barni Spark Racing Team, is currently fifth in the FIM Superbike World Championship point standings.
The 2024 FIM Endurance World Championship bursts into action next week when Le Mans hosts the EWC season opener – the 24 Heures Motos – at the famous Bugatti Circuit in France.
English/Frenchman Gregg Black and French rider Etienne Masson – who have both enjoyed 24 Heures Motos victories – are joined by a new British recruit Dan Linfoot, with Japanese pilot Cocoro Atsumi securing a fulltime place as the fourth, reserve rider.
The first of four 2024 EWC races, the 24 Heures Motos is the coveted title all teams want to win, and with just over a week until the action gets underway, Yoshimura SERT Motul is in a confident mood. As the team heads to its home round at Le Mans, in the Department of Sarthe, its riders reflect on the months leading up to the pre-season private and official tests and look ahead to the flag dropping on the start of the season on Saturday the 20th of April.
GREGG BLACK;
“The winter went quite quickly as I continued training and went to Spain for a month, riding different disciplines which, alongside physical training, has kept me fit. Then before I knew it, we were back together for private testing at Jerez and Valencia before returning to Le Mans for the 24 Heures Motos Pre Test.
“It was good to meet the new chief mechanic and ride with Dan, who I have known for a long time. The team worked hard through the winter developing new bike parts, and we were able to test in wet, drying, and dry conditions. Our brief was to concentrate on testing the new parts now, rather than during the race ….. We didn’t focus on speed, but we still managed to go fast and showed our pace across all conditions.
“The Suzuki GSX-R1000R has always been really good at braking and into corners, so we worked on traction and to get a better all round package. Of course, an important part of that package is the tire set up and we know the Bridgestone tires are the best out there – whether wet, dry, hot or cold, they always work well.
“I’m really looking forward to race week. The opening round at Le Mans is always special and, like all circuits, has many different aspects.
“The important thing will be to have a good strong week of testing, qualifying for points, consistent pace and to keep out of trouble. We were unlucky at the start last year, but our performance showed that we were on a podium, if not race-winning, pace.
“We know that the race will be long and difficult, especially during the night with cold temperatures, BUT we will be there!”
ETIENNE MASSON;
“It felt really good to be back on the bike after a long winter. Yoshimura worked hard during the off season, and they made many changes to help improve our race pace. It was interesting to ride the same bike, yet with a completely different feeling. We need to adapt our riding style to extract the best possible performance from the Suzuki.
“It’s always a pleasure to share the bike with Gregg, we trained together a couple of times in the winter. I didn’t know much about Dan, but we spent a lot of time together in Spain and talked a lot and got to know each other well.
“I know a little more about Cocoro as he was the fourth rider at the Bol d’Or with us last year. He has carried out a lot of development work through the winter with the team to improve the bike. I’m grateful to him for his hard work and involvement.
“Looking ahead to the 24 Heures Motos … I always check the weather as Le Mans is special and famous for its fast-changing conditions. You never know what awaits you.
“The start of the race is challenging as all teams are nervous and, to begin with, your riding style is not the best as you’re not relaxed. However, after one or two stints it is much better because we are then fully focussed on our target.
“I’m confident as I have a huge amount of trust in all the crew, and I have worked hard on my physical condition.
“We were all frustrated about last year. We were fast and strong but didn’t have the best of luck at all races. However, we are fully motivated for this year and I’m sure the number 1 will be back on the bike at the end of the year.
“Everybody in the team wants the victory. That’s why I love where I am… “
DAN LINFOOT;
“After last year’s Suzuka 8 Hour, where I rode as part of a two-man team on a Suzuki, I contacted Yohei [Kato] to ask if I could be considered if a team seat became available – and here I am!
“Participating in the team tests at Jerez and Valencia would have been a big shock without that Suzuka experience. As it turned out, the bike, with the Bridgestone tires, felt familiar straightaway. It also helped that Gregg, Etienne and I are of a similar height and build.
“I didn’t want to push too soon in the Pre Le Mans test, preferring instead to ride the bike and get the feeling for it first. The testing wasn’t about lap times. The priority was to confirm that the development parts would work at race pace. Our natural laps put us where we needed to be.
“I first met Gregg back in 2004 so already knew him well, and there is a great vibe in the team. We’ve been spending a lot of time together and having a lot of fun. I like that we are team-mates, working together, rather than competitors.
“There are so many aspects of EWC that excite me. I love the regularity of the stints, the amount of time the bike can be ridden, the fast pit stops, riding in the dark, sharing settings, techniques, giving feedback and enjoying family morale. As a new member I can immediately tell that Yoshimura SERT Motul is a well-oiled machine. The result of many years’ hard work means everyone has an important role to play, and they all work together seamlessly.
“I’m really looking forward to the 24 Heures Motos. As the home round, it’s special for the team, and obviously our aim is to win.
“It will likely get cold, and we’ll experience all the challenges of endurance racing and its many variables. I must admit that I’m not relishing the 2am to 6am stint …. However, I’m ready rather than nervous.
“I’m excited, privileged, and motivated to show what I can do with Gregg and Etienne. Bring it on! “
COCORO ATSUMI;
“Firstly, I’d like to say that I am honoured to be part of the Yoshimura SERT Motul project. I’m prepared to always do my best in case something happens to one of the three race riders, and I need to race. I want to be able to ride at a good pace, even if it is just a chance to ride until qualifying. I think having a competent reserve rider will make the team feel more secure and allow us to focus on the bigger picture.
“The team’s hard work in the off-season has paid off and we feel that this year’s bike is faster and more comfortable to ride than last year. The bike is more stable in almost all areas, from corner entry to exit. In endurance racing, multiple riders ride a lot in different conditions, so the increased stability is a very positive thing. I’ve rarely tested new parts, so it was something new for me.
“The bike I rode at the All Japan Championship and the one I rode at the Pre Le Mans have almost the same specifications, so I was able to ride normally right away. However, there were some parts that felt different from the way I rode in Japan, so I told the team about them.
“The team members all work well together, and we have a good relationship. They are professionals who know how to win in endurance racing. I enjoy working with them and learning a lot from them. Now I want to learn English and French so we can communicate better!
“I’m looking forward to the 24 Heures Motos because the bike has improved over the off-season and my three team-mates are very fast. At the Pre Le Mans we showed our performance in all conditions. Personally, I’m aiming to beat my best time of 1:38.941.
“I like 24-hour racing as if you keep fighting and don’t give up, no matter what happens, you have a chance to win right up until the chequered flag falls.
“Yoshimura SERT Motul never gives up. The team is very experienced and very motivated. If we do what we have to do, I think we can win at Le Mans.“
Official activities start on Wednesday the 17th of April when, for the first time ever, all the motorcycles in the running for the 24H Motos title will parade together through the streets of Le Mans. The convoy will set off at 15:00 from the Bugatti circuit.
This is followed by free practice and first qualifying on Thursday the 18th, with second qualifying to determine grid positions, and the chance to collect some important pre-race points, on Friday the 19th. The hugely popular Pit and Paddock Tour is the chance for eager fans to get up close to the riders, machines and teams. It takes place from 19:00 on the Friday evening.
The starting ceremony for the 2024 24 Heures Motos is from 14:00 on Saturday the 20th of April, with the race itself starting promptly at 15:00!
Multi-time Australian Superbike Champion Troy Herfoss led MotoAmerica Mission King Of The Baggers Free Practice One (FP1) Friday morning at Circuit of The Americas, in Austin, Texas.
Riding on the 3.4-mile (5.5 km) 20-turn road course for the first time ever, Herfoss turned a 2:19.243 on his S&S Indian Challenger to top the field of 13 riders.
Herfoss’ teammate, 2022 King Of The Baggers Champion Tyler O’Hara was second-best with a 2:19.559.
Kyle Wyman, winner of both Bagger races at the opening round at Daytona International Speedway, was third-quickest with a 2:19.683 on his Harley-Davidson Factory Racing Road Glide.
Roadracing World started this exclusive special feature recognizing the most promising young road racers as an answer to pessimists who claimed America had no new, up-and-coming young racers. This edition of the Roadracing World Young Gun Awards marks the 28th consecutive year of showcasing an abundance of new talent.
Roadracing World Young Guns have won:
FIM MotoGP and FIM Superbike races and World Championships;
MotoAmerica and AMA Pro races and Championships, including 13 AMA Pro Superbike Championships;
A KTM RC Cup World Final race;
WERA National Endurance Championships and WERA National Challenge Championships;
ASRA/Formula USA Grand National and CCS National Championships;
AMA Road Racing Grand Championships and Horizon Awards;
USGPRU National Championships;
Many regional and local titles.
The competition has continually become more intense as more – and younger—racers with higher levels of accomplishment are nominated, and the level of achievement required to make the grade keeps getting tougher.
We’ve spent the last several months accepting nominations and evaluating road racers between the ages of 10 and 18 (as of the start of the 2024 season) who have, at a minimum, won Expert-level road races and/or Championships or had outstanding results as an Amateur/Novice. Most of the riders included here have done far more than the minimum.
The young riders recognized here are the most promising young road racers in North America. All have earned the title of Roadracing World Young Gun.
We will feature one Young Gun per day, presenting them in alphabetical order.
Recent racing accomplishments: 2023 season, placed 23rd in Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup Championship (best race finish was 10th in Race One at Mugello), won 4 CVMA races; 2022 season, selected to join 2023 Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup, placed 3rd in North America Talent Cup Championship (2 wins, 5 total podiums), placed 23rd in MotoAmerica Junior Cup Championship (2 top-10 finishes in 4 starts), placed 3rd in AFM Formula III Championship; 2021 Season, won MotoAmerica Mini Cup 190 Race Two at Pittsburgh International Race Complex, won AFM Formula III Championship, placed 2nd in AFM Formula Singles, finished 2nd in WERA West Clubman Expert Championship, took 3rd in WERA West D Superbike Expert Championship, won GP1 and GP2 Supermoto USA Asphalt Mini Championships.
2024 racing goals: Finish in the top 10 in the MotoAmerica Supersport Championship.
Racing career goal: Become a professional motorcycle racer.
Racing hero: Valentino Rossi
Favorite track: Mugello.
Favorite hobby: Skateboarding.
If I wasn’t racing I would be…: Skating or playing basketball with friends.
…
Some of the riders who have graduated from Young Guns and gone on to racing success in National or International series include:
2017 MotoAmerica Superstock 600 Champion Jason Aguilar (R.I.P.);
2013 AMA Pro SuperSport East Champion and 2022 MotoAmerica Stock 1000 Champion Corey Alexander;
AMA Pro Daytona SportBike race winner Tommy Aquino (R.I.P.);
2008 Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup Champion, two-time MotoAmerica Supersport Champion, and multi-time MotoAmerica Superbike race winner J.D. Beach;
five-time MotoAmerica Superbike Champion and Moto2 World Championship point scorer Cameron Beaubier;
MotoAmerica Twins Cup race winner Jackson Blackmon;
former Canadian Sport Bike Champion Tomas Casas;
three-time Canadian Sport Bike Champion and 2014 Canadian Superbike Champion Jodi Christie;
former AMA Pro SuperSport East Champion and MotoAmerica Superstock 1000 race winner Josh Day;
2011 Daytona 200 winner Jason DiSalvo;
2014 AMA Pro SuperSport Championship runner-up and current MotoAmerica team owner Dustin Dominguez;
2018 MotoAmerica Junior Cup Champion, 2019 MotoAmerica Twins Cup Champion, and 2021 Canadian Superbike Champion Alex Dumas;
four-time Pikes Peak International Hill Climb race winner and former motorcycle track record holder Carlin Dunne (R.I.P.);
Canadian Superbike race winner Bodhi Edie;
two-time AMA Pro Daytona SportBike Champion, two-time AMA Pro XR1200/Harley-Davidson Champion and four-time Daytona 200 winner Danny Eslick;
2019 MotoAmerica Supersport Champion and MotoAmerica Superbike race winner Bobby Fong;
2010 Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup Champion, 2014 AMA Pro Daytona SportBike Champion, 2015 MotoAmerica AMA/FIM North America Superstock 1000 Champion, and three-time MotoAmerica Superbike Champion Jake Gagne;
two-time MotoAmerica Supersport Champion and World Superbike podium finisher Garrett Gerloff;
2017 MotoAmerica Superstock 600 Championship runner-up Michael Gilbert;
2014 AMA Pro SuperSport Champion, 2023 MotoAmerica Stock 1000 Champion, and 2023 MotoAmerica King Of The Baggers Champion Hayden Gillim;
2002 AMA Superbike Champion and 2006 FIM MotoGP World Champion Nicky Hayden (R.I.P.);
2007 AMA Pro 600cc Supersport Champion, 2014 AMA Pro Superbike Championship runner-up, and 2017 MotoAmerica Superbike Championship runner-up Roger Hayden;
eight-time AMA Pro Superbike race winner and two-time AMA Supersport Champion Tommy Hayden;
2013 AMA Pro Superbike Champion, 2016 MotoAmerica Superstock 1000 Champion, 2022 MotoAmerica Supersport Champion, and three-time Daytona 200 winner Josh Herrin;
MotoAmerica Supersport front-runner Teagg Hobbs;
AMA Pro Superstock race winner Jake Holden;
2011 British Superbike Championship runner-up and former MotoGP and World Superbike regular John Hopkins;
2015 Supersport World Championship runner-up, 2019 MotoAmerica Supersport Championship runner-up, and MotoAmerica Superbike race winner Patrick “P.J.” Jacobsen;
2021 MotoAmerica Supersport Champion, Moto2 World Championship point scorer, and MotoAmerica Superbike racer Sean Dylan Kelly;
Canadian Superbike race winner Kevin Lacombe;
two-time MotoAmerica Junior Cup Champion, 2020 MotoAmerica Twins Cup Champion, 2022 MotoAmerica Supersport Championship runner-up Rocco Landers;
two-time MotoAmerica Stock 1000 Champion Andrew Lee;
2021 MotoAmerica Stock 1000 and Superbike Cup Champion Jake Lewis;
MotoAmerica Supersport race winner Sam Lochoff;
MotoAmerica Superstock 600 race winner Nick McFadden;
AMA Pro SuperSport race winner and MotoAmerica Supersport race winner Stefano Mesa;
Elena Myers, the first and only woman to win AMA Pro Supersport races;
AMA Pro XR1200 race winner, multi-time Loudon Classic winner, and three-time BRL Champion Shane Narbonne;
2012 Canadian Superbike Championship runner-up Andrew Nelson;
2016 MotoAmerica KTM RC Cup Champion, 2019 British Motostar (Moto3) Champion, MotoAmerica Supersport podium finisher, and two-time Daytona 200 winner Brandon Paasch;
2012 Daytona 200 winner and 2010 AMA Pro Supersport West Champion Joey Pascarella;
AMA Pro and Canadian National race winner and multi-time N2/WERA National Endurance Champion Chris Peris;
two-time AMA Pro SuperSport National Champion, British Supersport podium finisher, 2020 AFT Production Twins Champion, and 2023 MotoAmerica King Of The Baggers Championship runner-up James Rispoli;
2015 MotoAmerica Superstock 600 Champion, MotoAmerica Supersport race winner, and Moto2 World Championship race winner Joe Roberts;
2022 MotoAmerica Junior Cup Championship runner-up and 2023 MotoAmerica Twins Cup Championship runner-up Gus Rodio;
former Red Bull AMA U.S. Rookies Cup Champion and former FIM Moto2 European Championship competitor Benny Solis, Jr.;
three-time AMA Pro Superbike Champion, 2009 Superbike World Champion, MotoGP race winner, and AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famer Ben Spies;
multi-time AMA Pro race winner and four-time overall WERA National Endurance Champion Chris Ulrich;
MotoAmerica Supersport podium finisher and former World Superbike competitor Jayson Uribe;
2017 MotoAmerica KTM RC Cup Championship runner-up, 2018 MotoAmerica Junior Cup Championship runner-up, and MotoAmerica Supersport podium finisher Cory Ventura;
Canadian Superbike race winner Alex Welsh;
former AMA Pro Superbike Rookie of the Year, Chinese Superbike Championship race winner, MotoAmerica Supersport podium finisher, and MotoAmerica Super Hooligan race winner Cory West;
MotoAmerica Junior Cup and Superbike Cup race winner Ashton Yates;
and two-time AMA Pro Superbike Championship runner-up Blake Young.
“It’s too easy to talk”: the Thursday dispatch from Texas
Friday, 12 April 2024
Portugal had it all, and the stage is set for the Red Bull Grand Prix of the Americas to deliver even more. First, the podcast welcomed Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Brad Binder to the show, before a special press conference with Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta, Chief Commercial Officer Dan Rossomondo and Chief Sporting Officer Carlos Ezpeleta – for more on that, see below.
The first press conference for the riders then got in gear, with Championship leader Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) joined by Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) and Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Team), aka the current top three in the Championship.
Then, after news earlier this week that Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) had signed a new contract with Yamaha, he joined Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team), Marc Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) and rookie Pedro Acosta (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) for press conference two.
Here are some photos and quotes from the opening day at COTA!
Jorge Martin. Photo courtesy Dorna.
JORGE MARTIN
How confident are you heading into this weekend?
“I am very happy with the start of the season so far, and I think our target is to be better than the years before because I struggled quite a lot last season at COTA, and my target is to be better than last year. It will be a big challenge as there will be many strong rivals this weekend, but I feel confident that we will do a good job and I feel in good physical condition, which is important here as last season I struggled a lot as I had a fever and was taking antibiotics, so I am hoping I can be one of the best.”
Brad Binder. Photo courtesy Dorna.
BRAD BINDER
How much are you looking forward to this weekend?
“For sure, it is exciting to get going again, this track is very special and has a little bit of everything, so it is important to find a rhythm and have a good pace as it is a long lap, and that is my goal going into the weekend. In Portimao, unfortunately, I struggled from the first session; I couldn’t find my feet, and then I, unfortunately, crashed in the Sprint and fourth in the main race with a lot of help in front of me, but I am really keen to have another go here as the step between 2022 and 2023 was huge, and I expect a step like that this weekend.”
Enea Bastianini. Photo courtesy Dorna.
ENEA BASTIANINI
What is it about COTA that you like so much?
“I have great memories from 2022 here at COTA and it was fantastic to have a great victory here. I come from a great podium in Portimao, and I am also confident at the moment and let’s see if we can continue in this direction. I think we have a good set-up at the moment at every track, and this is important. Let’s see if I can be fast at COTA as physically, it is one of the most difficult races.”
Francesco “Pecco” Bagnaia. Photo courtesy Dorna.
PECCO BAGNAIA
Is this year at COTA about redemption from last year?
“Let’s see, it is a track that I like, and last year, I was very competitive and feeling great but I crashed and made a mistake in the race. I think we can be competitive again, it is a different track compared to Portimao so let’s see what we can do and improve the feeling from Portimao which caused me some trouble in the race.”
Pedro Acosta. Photo courtesy Dorna.
PEDRO ACOSTA
It seems expectations around you are changing already… are they for you too? And how much are you looking forward to riding a MotoGP™ bike around COTA?
“We don’t have expectations anymore; it is too easy to talk, and we are not in the moment to think about this. We need to be realistic and not aim for results after two races. As you said, it would be super nice, as last season, I enjoyed riding a Moto2™ bike around COTA, so let’s try and enjoy!”
Marc Marquez and his special COTA helmet. Photo courtesy Dorna.
MARC MARQUEZ
What are your chances of winning here on the Ducati?
“Obviously, we now arrive at a good race track for my style, and in the past, we have achieved a lot of good results. But at Portimao, there are three or four riders faster than me, so let’s see if we are closer here. If today (Thursday) you said you would achieve a first podium, I would sigh as a podium must arrive before a victory, so let’s see step by step.”
Fabio Quartararo. Photo courtesy Dorna.
FABIO QUARTARARO
Did you discuss signing with other manufacturers before signing with Yamaha?
“Of course, we spoke to different manufacturers, and the decision was not easy, but in Portugal, we had a meeting with top management from Yamaha to discuss the project from now to the end of the year and 2025/2026. There are some really interesting things which are still confidential in Yamaha, like new people. The project is going to be huge so the decision was made in Portugal.”
Marco Bezzecchi (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) and teammate Fabio Di Giannantonio headed courtside with Houston Rockets, with ‘Bez’ taking the honorary free throw to tip off the evening’s entertainment.
Miguel Oliveira (left) and Raul Fernandez (right) with Fernandez’s Trackhouse Racing Aprilia MotoGP racebike at the Texas State Capital building in Austin. Photo courtesy Dorna.
ICYMI: MotoGP™’s touchdown in Texas
Then, Trackhouse Racing’s Miguel Oliveira and Raul Fernandez headed into Downtown Austin for a photo op near the Capitol Building, showing off that stunning star-spangled livery and an Aprilia Racing machine too.
John Hopkins (left), Managing Director of Ohvale USA, and Raul Fernandez (right) at an event promoting Mini Cup USA Thursday at COTA. Photo courtesy Dorna.
FIM MiniCUP USA gears up for a new era!
The Mini Cup USA took centre stage at COTA kart track on Thursday, with some familiar faces from the MotoGP™ paddock paying a visit to the launch event. Part of the FIM MiniGP World Series, which is the first initiative in global motorsport aimed at creating grassroots equality, the Mini Cup USA will prove a key stepping stone for the stars of tomorrow. Now a key figure in the competition, John Hopkins was on site as well as the likes of Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse Racing) and Joe Roberts (OnlyFans American Racing). Multiple SX champion Ryan Villopoto even dropped in!
Special Press Conference: Liberty Media to acquire MotoGP™
Ahead of lights out on the track action at the Red Bull Grand Prix of the Americas, a special Press Conference saw Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta joined by Chief Commercial Officer Dan Rossomondo and Chief Sporting Officer Carlos Ezpeleta to talk about the recent announcement that Liberty Media is to acquire MotoGP™. Here are some snippets from the event.
Carmelo Ezpeleta spoke first, outlining the news.
“Last week, we made a very special announcement that Liberty Media [acquired] 86% of Dorna. The agreement is set to be completed at the end of the year, subject to regulatory approvals, during which time we will continue with our current shareholder’s structure. Even after the agreement, Dorna will continue to operate as an independent company based in Spain and with our current management. We are extremely happy with our agreement and to be able to share it with the world. We are very excited to be able to work with Liberty Media once it is complete; this will be the perfect step in the evolution of MotoGP™, as Liberty Media has a great track record in developing sports success. I want to thank the paddock, the FIM, manufacturers, teams, and riders. I am very happy and enthusiastic about welcoming more fans every day so we can share all the excitement behind the sport together.”
Having been CEO of Dorna since 1994, and with the company since 1991, Carmelo Ezpeleta also shared his personal emotions regarding the news.
“All of you have known me for over 30 years, and this is a result of our work together. I am extremely happy to see everyone here, from the press to the fans who make this possible. One sport that we started with in 1992 at a different level, and now we are one of the most important sports in the world. I think all of you must be very proud that we have this possibility; I remember the difficult days during the pandemic when we worked together and made this possible. And this is one step more in history which has been possible because of your help in the last 32 years.”
Here are a few more of the questions asked at the event.
Will we have more races outside of Europe?
Carmelo Ezpeleta: “Until 2026 we will continue more or less as we are with maybe some changes. We cannot do more than 22 races, and if we have to open more markets, then there will be more races outside of Europe, but not until 2027.”
What changes can fans expect?
Dan Rossomondo: “I am very conscious of our hardcore fans and how special they think our sport is, and I tend to go on deep rabbit holes of Reddit and Twitter feeds where I see that people do not want much change to our sport, but those same fans also want to be able to share this sport with others, and I think that is what we are going to focus on, and we have been focussing on it. We have been doing a lot over the past year and previous ones before me on how to make this spectacle transcend motorsport and become more culturally relevant, so it’s about preaching that and shouting it from the rooftops.”
Carlos Ezpeleta: “As we keep saying the deal will not be finalised before the end of 2024. I think as we were saying and as fans that we are of the sport, fans will only have things to look forward to and more people to share their fandom with. Liberty does not think that the sport needs fixing, and we agree with that. We think that we have an amazing sport that we have built together with all the stakeholders in the paddock. I think we will work together and a lot of the things that we have already initiated in the past couple of seasons, like big changes to our format, which is trying to increase the visibility and awareness of our sport globally while continuing to satisfy our traditional fans and markets. Once the deal is completed, I don’t think there will be a lot of big changes that will affect our current fans.”
What does Liberty see in MotoGP™?
Dan Rossomondo: “They have seen the great potential that this sport has, and I think that is the very important thing. They are very happy with the business, and they think they can add to that once this deal is approved. The really important piece is how they feel this sport is evocative of the emotions that people have in their lives: that it is so exciting, that it inspires courage, and the riders are so athletic. They saw the same potential that I saw when I started one year ago, so that to me is a big part of this as they see this is a tremendous opportunity.”
Ai Ogura was the quickest rider during Moto2 World Championship Free Practice Friday morning at Circuit of The Americas (COTA), in Austin, Texas.
Ai Ogura (79). Photo by Michael Gougis.
Riding his MT Helmets – MSI Boscoscuro, the Japanese racer turned a 2:09.218 around the 20-turn, 3.4-mile (5.5 km) course to lead the field of 29 competitors.
American Joe Roberts was second-best with a lap time of 2:09.279 on his OnlyFans American Racing Team Kalex.
Roadracing World MotoGP Editor and Isle of Man TT winner Mat Oxley (right) and two-time World Championship-winning Crew Chief Peter Bom (left). Photo courtesy Mat Oxley.
Roadracing World MotoGP Editor and Isle of Man TT winner Mat Oxley and two-time World Championship-winning Crew Chief Peter Bom have started “The Oxley Bom MotoGP Podcast,” which will be focused on the FIM MotoGP World Championship.
The original podcast can be found on BuzzSprout.com or listened to via other places you get podcasts.
From the Oxley Bom Podcast:
If it ain’t big, it ain’t American – and there’s nothing bigger than Texas, baby! So of course this is the track that has the most turns of them all. We asked Peter to describe each and every one of them, to give us a feel of what a lone rider might experience over there. This week, we’re keeping Austin weird…
Want more? Visit our website or support us on Patreon. With big thanks as always to Brad Baloo from The Next Men and Gentleman’s Dub Club, who wrote our theme song. Check out The Nextmen for more great music!
Danilo Petrucci in a hospital bed in Italy. Photo courtesy Danilo Petrucci.
World Superbike racer Danilo Petrucci was seriously injured in a crash while training on his motocross bike Thursday in Italy.
The news was announced by the Italian himself via social media.
“Yesterday during motocross training on the Cingoli track I lost control of the bike before a jump and so instead of braking the bike accelerated,” Petrucci posted, according to a translation by Facebook. “I jumped a lot and crashed to the ground. It was one of the scariest falls of my life. Cracked some teeth, jaw in two parts, clavicle and shoulder along with various skin cuts. Thank you for all the messages, hope to be back smiling soon.”
Petrucci, who rides a Ducati Panigale V4 R for Barni Spark Racing Team, is currently fifth in the FIM Superbike World Championship point standings.
Yoshimura SERT Motul (12) during pre-season testing at Le Mans. Photo courtesy Yoshimura SERT Motul.
YOSHIMURA SERT MOTUL FOCUS ON 24 HEURES MOTOS
April 12th 2024.
The 2024 FIM Endurance World Championship bursts into action next week when Le Mans hosts the EWC season opener – the 24 Heures Motos – at the famous Bugatti Circuit in France.
English/Frenchman Gregg Black and French rider Etienne Masson – who have both enjoyed 24 Heures Motos victories – are joined by a new British recruit Dan Linfoot, with Japanese pilot Cocoro Atsumi securing a fulltime place as the fourth, reserve rider.
The first of four 2024 EWC races, the 24 Heures Motos is the coveted title all teams want to win, and with just over a week until the action gets underway, Yoshimura SERT Motul is in a confident mood. As the team heads to its home round at Le Mans, in the Department of Sarthe, its riders reflect on the months leading up to the pre-season private and official tests and look ahead to the flag dropping on the start of the season on Saturday the 20th of April.
GREGG BLACK;
“The winter went quite quickly as I continued training and went to Spain for a month, riding different disciplines which, alongside physical training, has kept me fit. Then before I knew it, we were back together for private testing at Jerez and Valencia before returning to Le Mans for the 24 Heures Motos Pre Test.
“It was good to meet the new chief mechanic and ride with Dan, who I have known for a long time. The team worked hard through the winter developing new bike parts, and we were able to test in wet, drying, and dry conditions. Our brief was to concentrate on testing the new parts now, rather than during the race ….. We didn’t focus on speed, but we still managed to go fast and showed our pace across all conditions.
“The Suzuki GSX-R1000R has always been really good at braking and into corners, so we worked on traction and to get a better all round package. Of course, an important part of that package is the tire set up and we know the Bridgestone tires are the best out there – whether wet, dry, hot or cold, they always work well.
“I’m really looking forward to race week. The opening round at Le Mans is always special and, like all circuits, has many different aspects.
“The important thing will be to have a good strong week of testing, qualifying for points, consistent pace and to keep out of trouble. We were unlucky at the start last year, but our performance showed that we were on a podium, if not race-winning, pace.
“We know that the race will be long and difficult, especially during the night with cold temperatures, BUT we will be there!”
ETIENNE MASSON;
“It felt really good to be back on the bike after a long winter. Yoshimura worked hard during the off season, and they made many changes to help improve our race pace. It was interesting to ride the same bike, yet with a completely different feeling. We need to adapt our riding style to extract the best possible performance from the Suzuki.
“It’s always a pleasure to share the bike with Gregg, we trained together a couple of times in the winter. I didn’t know much about Dan, but we spent a lot of time together in Spain and talked a lot and got to know each other well.
“I know a little more about Cocoro as he was the fourth rider at the Bol d’Or with us last year. He has carried out a lot of development work through the winter with the team to improve the bike. I’m grateful to him for his hard work and involvement.
“Looking ahead to the 24 Heures Motos … I always check the weather as Le Mans is special and famous for its fast-changing conditions. You never know what awaits you.
“The start of the race is challenging as all teams are nervous and, to begin with, your riding style is not the best as you’re not relaxed. However, after one or two stints it is much better because we are then fully focussed on our target.
“I’m confident as I have a huge amount of trust in all the crew, and I have worked hard on my physical condition.
“We were all frustrated about last year. We were fast and strong but didn’t have the best of luck at all races. However, we are fully motivated for this year and I’m sure the number 1 will be back on the bike at the end of the year.
“Everybody in the team wants the victory. That’s why I love where I am… “
DAN LINFOOT;
“After last year’s Suzuka 8 Hour, where I rode as part of a two-man team on a Suzuki, I contacted Yohei [Kato] to ask if I could be considered if a team seat became available – and here I am!
“Participating in the team tests at Jerez and Valencia would have been a big shock without that Suzuka experience. As it turned out, the bike, with the Bridgestone tires, felt familiar straightaway. It also helped that Gregg, Etienne and I are of a similar height and build.
“I didn’t want to push too soon in the Pre Le Mans test, preferring instead to ride the bike and get the feeling for it first. The testing wasn’t about lap times. The priority was to confirm that the development parts would work at race pace. Our natural laps put us where we needed to be.
“I first met Gregg back in 2004 so already knew him well, and there is a great vibe in the team. We’ve been spending a lot of time together and having a lot of fun. I like that we are team-mates, working together, rather than competitors.
“There are so many aspects of EWC that excite me. I love the regularity of the stints, the amount of time the bike can be ridden, the fast pit stops, riding in the dark, sharing settings, techniques, giving feedback and enjoying family morale. As a new member I can immediately tell that Yoshimura SERT Motul is a well-oiled machine. The result of many years’ hard work means everyone has an important role to play, and they all work together seamlessly.
“I’m really looking forward to the 24 Heures Motos. As the home round, it’s special for the team, and obviously our aim is to win.
“It will likely get cold, and we’ll experience all the challenges of endurance racing and its many variables. I must admit that I’m not relishing the 2am to 6am stint …. However, I’m ready rather than nervous.
“I’m excited, privileged, and motivated to show what I can do with Gregg and Etienne. Bring it on! “
COCORO ATSUMI;
“Firstly, I’d like to say that I am honoured to be part of the Yoshimura SERT Motul project. I’m prepared to always do my best in case something happens to one of the three race riders, and I need to race. I want to be able to ride at a good pace, even if it is just a chance to ride until qualifying. I think having a competent reserve rider will make the team feel more secure and allow us to focus on the bigger picture.
“The team’s hard work in the off-season has paid off and we feel that this year’s bike is faster and more comfortable to ride than last year. The bike is more stable in almost all areas, from corner entry to exit. In endurance racing, multiple riders ride a lot in different conditions, so the increased stability is a very positive thing. I’ve rarely tested new parts, so it was something new for me.
“The bike I rode at the All Japan Championship and the one I rode at the Pre Le Mans have almost the same specifications, so I was able to ride normally right away. However, there were some parts that felt different from the way I rode in Japan, so I told the team about them.
“The team members all work well together, and we have a good relationship. They are professionals who know how to win in endurance racing. I enjoy working with them and learning a lot from them. Now I want to learn English and French so we can communicate better!
“I’m looking forward to the 24 Heures Motos because the bike has improved over the off-season and my three team-mates are very fast. At the Pre Le Mans we showed our performance in all conditions. Personally, I’m aiming to beat my best time of 1:38.941.
“I like 24-hour racing as if you keep fighting and don’t give up, no matter what happens, you have a chance to win right up until the chequered flag falls.
“Yoshimura SERT Motul never gives up. The team is very experienced and very motivated. If we do what we have to do, I think we can win at Le Mans.“
Official activities start on Wednesday the 17th of April when, for the first time ever, all the motorcycles in the running for the 24H Motos title will parade together through the streets of Le Mans. The convoy will set off at 15:00 from the Bugatti circuit.
This is followed by free practice and first qualifying on Thursday the 18th, with second qualifying to determine grid positions, and the chance to collect some important pre-race points, on Friday the 19th. The hugely popular Pit and Paddock Tour is the chance for eager fans to get up close to the riders, machines and teams. It takes place from 19:00 on the Friday evening.
The starting ceremony for the 2024 24 Heures Motos is from 14:00 on Saturday the 20th of April, with the race itself starting promptly at 15:00!
Troy Herfoss (17) at speed at Circuit of The Americas (COTA). Photo by Michael Gougis.
Multi-time Australian Superbike Champion Troy Herfoss led MotoAmerica Mission King Of The Baggers Free Practice One (FP1) Friday morning at Circuit of The Americas, in Austin, Texas.
Riding on the 3.4-mile (5.5 km) 20-turn road course for the first time ever, Herfoss turned a 2:19.243 on his S&S Indian Challenger to top the field of 13 riders.
Herfoss’ teammate, 2022 King Of The Baggers Champion Tyler O’Hara was second-best with a 2:19.559.
Kyle Wyman, winner of both Bagger races at the opening round at Daytona International Speedway, was third-quickest with a 2:19.683 on his Harley-Davidson Factory Racing Road Glide.
Roadracing World started this exclusive special feature recognizing the most promising young road racers as an answer to pessimists who claimed America had no new, up-and-coming young racers. This edition of the Roadracing World Young Gun Awards marks the 28th consecutive year of showcasing an abundance of new talent.
Roadracing World Young Guns have won:
FIM MotoGP and FIM Superbike races and World Championships;
MotoAmerica and AMA Pro races and Championships, including 13 AMA Pro Superbike Championships;
A KTM RC Cup World Final race;
WERA National Endurance Championships and WERA National Challenge Championships;
ASRA/Formula USA Grand National and CCS National Championships;
AMA Road Racing Grand Championships and Horizon Awards;
USGPRU National Championships;
Many regional and local titles.
The competition has continually become more intense as more – and younger—racers with higher levels of accomplishment are nominated, and the level of achievement required to make the grade keeps getting tougher.
We’ve spent the last several months accepting nominations and evaluating road racers between the ages of 10 and 18 (as of the start of the 2024 season) who have, at a minimum, won Expert-level road races and/or Championships or had outstanding results as an Amateur/Novice. Most of the riders included here have done far more than the minimum.
The young riders recognized here are the most promising young road racers in North America. All have earned the title of Roadracing World Young Gun.
We will feature one Young Gun per day, presenting them in alphabetical order.
Recent racing accomplishments: 2023 season, placed 23rd in Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup Championship (best race finish was 10th in Race One at Mugello), won 4 CVMA races; 2022 season, selected to join 2023 Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup, placed 3rd in North America Talent Cup Championship (2 wins, 5 total podiums), placed 23rd in MotoAmerica Junior Cup Championship (2 top-10 finishes in 4 starts), placed 3rd in AFM Formula III Championship; 2021 Season, won MotoAmerica Mini Cup 190 Race Two at Pittsburgh International Race Complex, won AFM Formula III Championship, placed 2nd in AFM Formula Singles, finished 2nd in WERA West Clubman Expert Championship, took 3rd in WERA West D Superbike Expert Championship, won GP1 and GP2 Supermoto USA Asphalt Mini Championships.
2024 racing goals: Finish in the top 10 in the MotoAmerica Supersport Championship.
Racing career goal: Become a professional motorcycle racer.
Racing hero: Valentino Rossi
Favorite track: Mugello.
Favorite hobby: Skateboarding.
If I wasn’t racing I would be…: Skating or playing basketball with friends.
…
Some of the riders who have graduated from Young Guns and gone on to racing success in National or International series include:
2017 MotoAmerica Superstock 600 Champion Jason Aguilar (R.I.P.);
2013 AMA Pro SuperSport East Champion and 2022 MotoAmerica Stock 1000 Champion Corey Alexander;
AMA Pro Daytona SportBike race winner Tommy Aquino (R.I.P.);
2008 Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup Champion, two-time MotoAmerica Supersport Champion, and multi-time MotoAmerica Superbike race winner J.D. Beach;
five-time MotoAmerica Superbike Champion and Moto2 World Championship point scorer Cameron Beaubier;
MotoAmerica Twins Cup race winner Jackson Blackmon;
former Canadian Sport Bike Champion Tomas Casas;
three-time Canadian Sport Bike Champion and 2014 Canadian Superbike Champion Jodi Christie;
former AMA Pro SuperSport East Champion and MotoAmerica Superstock 1000 race winner Josh Day;
2011 Daytona 200 winner Jason DiSalvo;
2014 AMA Pro SuperSport Championship runner-up and current MotoAmerica team owner Dustin Dominguez;
2018 MotoAmerica Junior Cup Champion, 2019 MotoAmerica Twins Cup Champion, and 2021 Canadian Superbike Champion Alex Dumas;
four-time Pikes Peak International Hill Climb race winner and former motorcycle track record holder Carlin Dunne (R.I.P.);
Canadian Superbike race winner Bodhi Edie;
two-time AMA Pro Daytona SportBike Champion, two-time AMA Pro XR1200/Harley-Davidson Champion and four-time Daytona 200 winner Danny Eslick;
2019 MotoAmerica Supersport Champion and MotoAmerica Superbike race winner Bobby Fong;
2010 Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup Champion, 2014 AMA Pro Daytona SportBike Champion, 2015 MotoAmerica AMA/FIM North America Superstock 1000 Champion, and three-time MotoAmerica Superbike Champion Jake Gagne;
two-time MotoAmerica Supersport Champion and World Superbike podium finisher Garrett Gerloff;
2017 MotoAmerica Superstock 600 Championship runner-up Michael Gilbert;
2014 AMA Pro SuperSport Champion, 2023 MotoAmerica Stock 1000 Champion, and 2023 MotoAmerica King Of The Baggers Champion Hayden Gillim;
2002 AMA Superbike Champion and 2006 FIM MotoGP World Champion Nicky Hayden (R.I.P.);
2007 AMA Pro 600cc Supersport Champion, 2014 AMA Pro Superbike Championship runner-up, and 2017 MotoAmerica Superbike Championship runner-up Roger Hayden;
eight-time AMA Pro Superbike race winner and two-time AMA Supersport Champion Tommy Hayden;
2013 AMA Pro Superbike Champion, 2016 MotoAmerica Superstock 1000 Champion, 2022 MotoAmerica Supersport Champion, and three-time Daytona 200 winner Josh Herrin;
MotoAmerica Supersport front-runner Teagg Hobbs;
AMA Pro Superstock race winner Jake Holden;
2011 British Superbike Championship runner-up and former MotoGP and World Superbike regular John Hopkins;
2015 Supersport World Championship runner-up, 2019 MotoAmerica Supersport Championship runner-up, and MotoAmerica Superbike race winner Patrick “P.J.” Jacobsen;
2021 MotoAmerica Supersport Champion, Moto2 World Championship point scorer, and MotoAmerica Superbike racer Sean Dylan Kelly;
Canadian Superbike race winner Kevin Lacombe;
two-time MotoAmerica Junior Cup Champion, 2020 MotoAmerica Twins Cup Champion, 2022 MotoAmerica Supersport Championship runner-up Rocco Landers;
two-time MotoAmerica Stock 1000 Champion Andrew Lee;
2021 MotoAmerica Stock 1000 and Superbike Cup Champion Jake Lewis;
MotoAmerica Supersport race winner Sam Lochoff;
MotoAmerica Superstock 600 race winner Nick McFadden;
AMA Pro SuperSport race winner and MotoAmerica Supersport race winner Stefano Mesa;
Elena Myers, the first and only woman to win AMA Pro Supersport races;
AMA Pro XR1200 race winner, multi-time Loudon Classic winner, and three-time BRL Champion Shane Narbonne;
2012 Canadian Superbike Championship runner-up Andrew Nelson;
2016 MotoAmerica KTM RC Cup Champion, 2019 British Motostar (Moto3) Champion, MotoAmerica Supersport podium finisher, and two-time Daytona 200 winner Brandon Paasch;
2012 Daytona 200 winner and 2010 AMA Pro Supersport West Champion Joey Pascarella;
AMA Pro and Canadian National race winner and multi-time N2/WERA National Endurance Champion Chris Peris;
two-time AMA Pro SuperSport National Champion, British Supersport podium finisher, 2020 AFT Production Twins Champion, and 2023 MotoAmerica King Of The Baggers Championship runner-up James Rispoli;
2015 MotoAmerica Superstock 600 Champion, MotoAmerica Supersport race winner, and Moto2 World Championship race winner Joe Roberts;
2022 MotoAmerica Junior Cup Championship runner-up and 2023 MotoAmerica Twins Cup Championship runner-up Gus Rodio;
former Red Bull AMA U.S. Rookies Cup Champion and former FIM Moto2 European Championship competitor Benny Solis, Jr.;
three-time AMA Pro Superbike Champion, 2009 Superbike World Champion, MotoGP race winner, and AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famer Ben Spies;
multi-time AMA Pro race winner and four-time overall WERA National Endurance Champion Chris Ulrich;
MotoAmerica Supersport podium finisher and former World Superbike competitor Jayson Uribe;
2017 MotoAmerica KTM RC Cup Championship runner-up, 2018 MotoAmerica Junior Cup Championship runner-up, and MotoAmerica Supersport podium finisher Cory Ventura;
Canadian Superbike race winner Alex Welsh;
former AMA Pro Superbike Rookie of the Year, Chinese Superbike Championship race winner, MotoAmerica Supersport podium finisher, and MotoAmerica Super Hooligan race winner Cory West;
MotoAmerica Junior Cup and Superbike Cup race winner Ashton Yates;
and two-time AMA Pro Superbike Championship runner-up Blake Young.
Jorge Martin (center), Brad Binder (left), and Enea Bastianini (right) at COTA. Photo courtesy Dorna.
“It’s too easy to talk”: the Thursday dispatch from Texas
Friday, 12 April 2024
Portugal had it all, and the stage is set for the Red Bull Grand Prix of the Americas to deliver even more. First, the podcast welcomed Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Brad Binder to the show, before a special press conference with Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta, Chief Commercial Officer Dan Rossomondo and Chief Sporting Officer Carlos Ezpeleta – for more on that, see below.
The first press conference for the riders then got in gear, with Championship leader Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) joined by Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) and Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Team), aka the current top three in the Championship.
Then, after news earlier this week that Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) had signed a new contract with Yamaha, he joined Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team), Marc Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) and rookie Pedro Acosta (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) for press conference two.
Here are some photos and quotes from the opening day at COTA!
Jorge Martin. Photo courtesy Dorna.
JORGE MARTIN
How confident are you heading into this weekend?
“I am very happy with the start of the season so far, and I think our target is to be better than the years before because I struggled quite a lot last season at COTA, and my target is to be better than last year. It will be a big challenge as there will be many strong rivals this weekend, but I feel confident that we will do a good job and I feel in good physical condition, which is important here as last season I struggled a lot as I had a fever and was taking antibiotics, so I am hoping I can be one of the best.”
Brad Binder. Photo courtesy Dorna.
BRAD BINDER
How much are you looking forward to this weekend?
“For sure, it is exciting to get going again, this track is very special and has a little bit of everything, so it is important to find a rhythm and have a good pace as it is a long lap, and that is my goal going into the weekend. In Portimao, unfortunately, I struggled from the first session; I couldn’t find my feet, and then I, unfortunately, crashed in the Sprint and fourth in the main race with a lot of help in front of me, but I am really keen to have another go here as the step between 2022 and 2023 was huge, and I expect a step like that this weekend.”
Enea Bastianini. Photo courtesy Dorna.
ENEA BASTIANINI
What is it about COTA that you like so much?
“I have great memories from 2022 here at COTA and it was fantastic to have a great victory here. I come from a great podium in Portimao, and I am also confident at the moment and let’s see if we can continue in this direction. I think we have a good set-up at the moment at every track, and this is important. Let’s see if I can be fast at COTA as physically, it is one of the most difficult races.”
Francesco “Pecco” Bagnaia. Photo courtesy Dorna.
PECCO BAGNAIA
Is this year at COTA about redemption from last year?
“Let’s see, it is a track that I like, and last year, I was very competitive and feeling great but I crashed and made a mistake in the race. I think we can be competitive again, it is a different track compared to Portimao so let’s see what we can do and improve the feeling from Portimao which caused me some trouble in the race.”
Pedro Acosta. Photo courtesy Dorna.
PEDRO ACOSTA
It seems expectations around you are changing already… are they for you too? And how much are you looking forward to riding a MotoGP™ bike around COTA?
“We don’t have expectations anymore; it is too easy to talk, and we are not in the moment to think about this. We need to be realistic and not aim for results after two races. As you said, it would be super nice, as last season, I enjoyed riding a Moto2™ bike around COTA, so let’s try and enjoy!”
Marc Marquez and his special COTA helmet. Photo courtesy Dorna.
MARC MARQUEZ
What are your chances of winning here on the Ducati?
“Obviously, we now arrive at a good race track for my style, and in the past, we have achieved a lot of good results. But at Portimao, there are three or four riders faster than me, so let’s see if we are closer here. If today (Thursday) you said you would achieve a first podium, I would sigh as a podium must arrive before a victory, so let’s see step by step.”
Fabio Quartararo. Photo courtesy Dorna.
FABIO QUARTARARO
Did you discuss signing with other manufacturers before signing with Yamaha?
“Of course, we spoke to different manufacturers, and the decision was not easy, but in Portugal, we had a meeting with top management from Yamaha to discuss the project from now to the end of the year and 2025/2026. There are some really interesting things which are still confidential in Yamaha, like new people. The project is going to be huge so the decision was made in Portugal.”
Marco Bezzecchi (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) and teammate Fabio Di Giannantonio headed courtside with Houston Rockets, with ‘Bez’ taking the honorary free throw to tip off the evening’s entertainment.
Miguel Oliveira (left) and Raul Fernandez (right) with Fernandez’s Trackhouse Racing Aprilia MotoGP racebike at the Texas State Capital building in Austin. Photo courtesy Dorna.
ICYMI: MotoGP™’s touchdown in Texas
Then, Trackhouse Racing’s Miguel Oliveira and Raul Fernandez headed into Downtown Austin for a photo op near the Capitol Building, showing off that stunning star-spangled livery and an Aprilia Racing machine too.
John Hopkins (left), Managing Director of Ohvale USA, and Raul Fernandez (right) at an event promoting Mini Cup USA Thursday at COTA. Photo courtesy Dorna.
FIM MiniCUP USA gears up for a new era!
The Mini Cup USA took centre stage at COTA kart track on Thursday, with some familiar faces from the MotoGP™ paddock paying a visit to the launch event. Part of the FIM MiniGP World Series, which is the first initiative in global motorsport aimed at creating grassroots equality, the Mini Cup USA will prove a key stepping stone for the stars of tomorrow. Now a key figure in the competition, John Hopkins was on site as well as the likes of Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse Racing) and Joe Roberts (OnlyFans American Racing). Multiple SX champion Ryan Villopoto even dropped in!
Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta (center), Chief Commercial Officer Dan Rossomondo (right), and Chief Sporting Officer Carlos Ezpeleta (left) at COTA. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Special Press Conference: Liberty Media to acquire MotoGP™
Ahead of lights out on the track action at the Red Bull Grand Prix of the Americas, a special Press Conference saw Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta joined by Chief Commercial Officer Dan Rossomondo and Chief Sporting Officer Carlos Ezpeleta to talk about the recent announcement that Liberty Media is to acquire MotoGP™. Here are some snippets from the event.
Carmelo Ezpeleta spoke first, outlining the news.
“Last week, we made a very special announcement that Liberty Media [acquired] 86% of Dorna. The agreement is set to be completed at the end of the year, subject to regulatory approvals, during which time we will continue with our current shareholder’s structure. Even after the agreement, Dorna will continue to operate as an independent company based in Spain and with our current management. We are extremely happy with our agreement and to be able to share it with the world. We are very excited to be able to work with Liberty Media once it is complete; this will be the perfect step in the evolution of MotoGP™, as Liberty Media has a great track record in developing sports success. I want to thank the paddock, the FIM, manufacturers, teams, and riders. I am very happy and enthusiastic about welcoming more fans every day so we can share all the excitement behind the sport together.”
Having been CEO of Dorna since 1994, and with the company since 1991, Carmelo Ezpeleta also shared his personal emotions regarding the news.
“All of you have known me for over 30 years, and this is a result of our work together. I am extremely happy to see everyone here, from the press to the fans who make this possible. One sport that we started with in 1992 at a different level, and now we are one of the most important sports in the world. I think all of you must be very proud that we have this possibility; I remember the difficult days during the pandemic when we worked together and made this possible. And this is one step more in history which has been possible because of your help in the last 32 years.”
Here are a few more of the questions asked at the event.
Will we have more races outside of Europe?
Carmelo Ezpeleta: “Until 2026 we will continue more or less as we are with maybe some changes. We cannot do more than 22 races, and if we have to open more markets, then there will be more races outside of Europe, but not until 2027.”
What changes can fans expect?
Dan Rossomondo: “I am very conscious of our hardcore fans and how special they think our sport is, and I tend to go on deep rabbit holes of Reddit and Twitter feeds where I see that people do not want much change to our sport, but those same fans also want to be able to share this sport with others, and I think that is what we are going to focus on, and we have been focussing on it. We have been doing a lot over the past year and previous ones before me on how to make this spectacle transcend motorsport and become more culturally relevant, so it’s about preaching that and shouting it from the rooftops.”
Carlos Ezpeleta: “As we keep saying the deal will not be finalised before the end of 2024. I think as we were saying and as fans that we are of the sport, fans will only have things to look forward to and more people to share their fandom with. Liberty does not think that the sport needs fixing, and we agree with that. We think that we have an amazing sport that we have built together with all the stakeholders in the paddock. I think we will work together and a lot of the things that we have already initiated in the past couple of seasons, like big changes to our format, which is trying to increase the visibility and awareness of our sport globally while continuing to satisfy our traditional fans and markets. Once the deal is completed, I don’t think there will be a lot of big changes that will affect our current fans.”
What does Liberty see in MotoGP™?
Dan Rossomondo: “They have seen the great potential that this sport has, and I think that is the very important thing. They are very happy with the business, and they think they can add to that once this deal is approved. The really important piece is how they feel this sport is evocative of the emotions that people have in their lives: that it is so exciting, that it inspires courage, and the riders are so athletic. They saw the same potential that I saw when I started one year ago, so that to me is a big part of this as they see this is a tremendous opportunity.”
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To fulfill this, we aim to adhere as strictly as possible to the World Wide Web Consortium’s (W3C) Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.1 (WCAG 2.1) at the AA level.
These guidelines explain how to make web content accessible to people with a wide array of disabilities. Complying with those guidelines helps us ensure that the website is accessible
to all people: blind people, people with motor impairments, visual impairment, cognitive disabilities, and more.
This website utilizes various technologies that are meant to make it as accessible as possible at all times. We utilize an accessibility interface that allows persons with specific
disabilities to adjust the website’s UI (user interface) and design it to their personal needs.
Additionally, the website utilizes an AI-based application that runs in the background and optimizes its accessibility level constantly. This application remediates the website’s HTML,
adapts Its functionality and behavior for screen-readers used by the blind users, and for keyboard functions used by individuals with motor impairments.
If you’ve found a malfunction or have ideas for improvement, we’ll be happy to hear from you. You can reach out to the website’s operators by using the following email
Screen-reader and keyboard navigation
Our website implements the ARIA attributes (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) technique, alongside various different behavioral changes, to ensure blind users visiting with
screen-readers are able to read, comprehend, and enjoy the website’s functions. As soon as a user with a screen-reader enters your site, they immediately receive
a prompt to enter the Screen-Reader Profile so they can browse and operate your site effectively. Here’s how our website covers some of the most important screen-reader requirements,
alongside console screenshots of code examples:
Screen-reader optimization: we run a background process that learns the website’s components from top to bottom, to ensure ongoing compliance even when updating the website.
In this process, we provide screen-readers with meaningful data using the ARIA set of attributes. For example, we provide accurate form labels;
descriptions for actionable icons (social media icons, search icons, cart icons, etc.); validation guidance for form inputs; element roles such as buttons, menus, modal dialogues (popups),
and others. Additionally, the background process scans all the website’s images and provides an accurate and meaningful image-object-recognition-based description as an ALT (alternate text) tag
for images that are not described. It will also extract texts that are embedded within the image, using an OCR (optical character recognition) technology.
To turn on screen-reader adjustments at any time, users need only to press the Alt+1 keyboard combination. Screen-reader users also get automatic announcements to turn the Screen-reader mode on
as soon as they enter the website.
These adjustments are compatible with all popular screen readers, including JAWS and NVDA.
Keyboard navigation optimization: The background process also adjusts the website’s HTML, and adds various behaviors using JavaScript code to make the website operable by the keyboard. This includes the ability to navigate the website using the Tab and Shift+Tab keys, operate dropdowns with the arrow keys, close them with Esc, trigger buttons and links using the Enter key, navigate between radio and checkbox elements using the arrow keys, and fill them in with the Spacebar or Enter key.Additionally, keyboard users will find quick-navigation and content-skip menus, available at any time by clicking Alt+1, or as the first elements of the site while navigating with the keyboard. The background process also handles triggered popups by moving the keyboard focus towards them as soon as they appear, and not allow the focus drift outside it.
Users can also use shortcuts such as “M” (menus), “H” (headings), “F” (forms), “B” (buttons), and “G” (graphics) to jump to specific elements.
Disability profiles supported in our website
Epilepsy Safe Mode: this profile enables people with epilepsy to use the website safely by eliminating the risk of seizures that result from flashing or blinking animations and risky color combinations.
Visually Impaired Mode: this mode adjusts the website for the convenience of users with visual impairments such as Degrading Eyesight, Tunnel Vision, Cataract, Glaucoma, and others.
Cognitive Disability Mode: this mode provides different assistive options to help users with cognitive impairments such as Dyslexia, Autism, CVA, and others, to focus on the essential elements of the website more easily.
ADHD Friendly Mode: this mode helps users with ADHD and Neurodevelopmental disorders to read, browse, and focus on the main website elements more easily while significantly reducing distractions.
Blindness Mode: this mode configures the website to be compatible with screen-readers such as JAWS, NVDA, VoiceOver, and TalkBack. A screen-reader is software for blind users that is installed on a computer and smartphone, and websites must be compatible with it.
Keyboard Navigation Profile (Motor-Impaired): this profile enables motor-impaired persons to operate the website using the keyboard Tab, Shift+Tab, and the Enter keys. Users can also use shortcuts such as “M” (menus), “H” (headings), “F” (forms), “B” (buttons), and “G” (graphics) to jump to specific elements.
Additional UI, design, and readability adjustments
Font adjustments – users, can increase and decrease its size, change its family (type), adjust the spacing, alignment, line height, and more.
Color adjustments – users can select various color contrast profiles such as light, dark, inverted, and monochrome. Additionally, users can swap color schemes of titles, texts, and backgrounds, with over seven different coloring options.
Animations – person with epilepsy can stop all running animations with the click of a button. Animations controlled by the interface include videos, GIFs, and CSS flashing transitions.
Content highlighting – users can choose to emphasize important elements such as links and titles. They can also choose to highlight focused or hovered elements only.
Audio muting – users with hearing devices may experience headaches or other issues due to automatic audio playing. This option lets users mute the entire website instantly.
Cognitive disorders – we utilize a search engine that is linked to Wikipedia and Wiktionary, allowing people with cognitive disorders to decipher meanings of phrases, initials, slang, and others.
Additional functions – we provide users the option to change cursor color and size, use a printing mode, enable a virtual keyboard, and many other functions.
Browser and assistive technology compatibility
We aim to support the widest array of browsers and assistive technologies as possible, so our users can choose the best fitting tools for them, with as few limitations as possible. Therefore, we have worked very hard to be able to support all major systems that comprise over 95% of the user market share including Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari, Opera and Microsoft Edge, JAWS and NVDA (screen readers).
Notes, comments, and feedback
Despite our very best efforts to allow anybody to adjust the website to their needs. There may still be pages or sections that are not fully accessible, are in the process of becoming accessible, or are lacking an adequate technological solution to make them accessible. Still, we are continually improving our accessibility, adding, updating and improving its options and features, and developing and adopting new technologies. All this is meant to reach the optimal level of accessibility, following technological advancements. For any assistance, please reach out to
