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.
This podcast is “Qatar 2023 – Not With A Bang But A Whimper”
The original podcast can be found on BuzzSprout.com or listened to via other places you get podcasts.
Macau Grand Prix: Peter Hickman triumphs for the fourth time – Top four lockout for the BMW racers.
Peter Hickman secures his fourth victory on the streets of Macau with his FHO Racing BMW Motorrad Team BMW M 1000 RR.
Davey Todd and David Datzer claim second and third places on the podium, with Josh Brookes completing the BMW success in fourth.
Uwe Geyer: “Congratulations to our BMW Racers who once again dominated in Macau.”
Macau. The motorsport world turned its attention to Macau last weekend. As part of the 70th Macau Grand Prix, the 55th edition of the Macau Motorcycle Grand Prix took place, and the race on the spectacular Guia Circuit street course ended with a top-four lockout for the BMW Racers. Leading the pack was Peter Hickman (GBR), who raced his BMW M 1000 RR of FHO Racing BMW Motorrad Team to his fourth Macau victory. Davey Todd (GBR / Burrows Engineering / RK Racing) and David Datzer (GER / MTP Racing by ZERO UP Penz 13) secured second and third places on the podium. Hickman’s teammate Josh Brookes (GBR) completed the success for the BMW M 1000 RR in his Macau debut, finishing fourth.
“Congratulations to our successful BMW riders who once again dominated in Macau. A top-four lockout for our BMW M 1000 RR is a sensational result,” said Uwe Geyer, Head of BMW Motorrad Customer Racing. “Peter Hickman lived up to his role as one of the top favourites. Davey Todd, whom we can welcome back to the BMW racing family, also proved that he belongs among the best road racers in the world. David Datzer, in his second Macau appearance, reached the podium for the second time – an impressive performance. And Josh Brookes, as a debutant in this extremely challenging race, achieved an excellent result with fourth place. Thanks to all BMW racers who represented BMW’s colours so successfully in Macau!”
Hickman competed in Macau for the first time since 2019, and it was the first appearance on the Guia Circuit for the FHO Racing BMW Motorrad Team, in the home town of team manager Faye Ho. Hickman quickly demonstrated that he still excelled on the unique course, setting the fastest times in the practices and securing pole position.
Hickman maintained the lead at the start of the race before it was red-flagged on the first lap. At the restart, Hickman stayed in the lead, with Todd initially putting pressure on him. However, as the race progressed, Hickman pulled away, finishing with a 28.969-second lead over Todd after twelve laps.
“We’ve had a fantastic result”, Hickman said. “We’re at Faye’s home event and it’s her proper home track, it’s her city and it’s just fantastic to be first in every single session and winning the race, so I couldn’t really ask for more than that – I’m super happy. The boys have worked absolutely mega, the BMW M 1000 RR has been superb to be honest. The track was a bit bumpier than it used to be, which makes it hard to ride. But the FHO Racing team have got the bike pretty much bang on and I felt really comfortable. Davey obviously gave us a bit of a push to start with, but we could really keep the pace and he couldn’t, so we managed to break away and disappeared up the road and just managed it from there.”
Davey Todd (7). Photo courtesy BMW Motorrad Motorsport.
Todd experienced a rollercoaster of emotions on race day. After qualifying second, a technical issue prevented him from participating in the first start, forcing him back to the pit. However, he and the team didn’t give up, worked on the repair, and when the race restarted after the red flag, Todd was back in the mix, ultimately securing second place on the podium.
“I wasn’t expecting a day like that at all. It was just one of those so unlucky things at the first start”, Todd said. “The guys pushed the bike back to the garage and I felt as if my world had come apart walking back down pit lane. But the team kept going and worked flat out just in case the race was stopped and we could jump in the re-run. And we got back out there. I managed to take it up with Pete for four laps, trying to sit in behind him. I knew that the tyres would come into play and tried to save them as much as I can. I just did not have the tyre to compete at the end. Hat’s off to Pete, he had a great race and thanks to the team for an awesome job.”
David Datzer (center) celebrates his third-place finish in the Macau Motorcycle Grand Prix. Photo courtesy BMW Motorrad Motorsport and the Macau Grand Prix Committee.
Datzer was also overjoyed after securing his second podium finish in his second Macau appearance. The restart did not go as planned for him, starting from fourth, he initially dropped several positions and was ninth. However, he fought his way back, eventually passing Brookes to claim third place and maintained the podium position until the checkered flag.
“It’s amazing, just amazing”, Datzer enthused on the podium. “After my bad start I thought, oh no, the fast guys are gone. However, I’m blessed to have a great bike which has been prepared by a great team. I worked my way through and to be on the podium again at Macao is a great way to end the event.”
Josh Brookes (888) finished fourth in his debut at the Macau Motorcycle Grand Prix. Photo courtesy BMW Motorrad Motorsport and the Macau Grand Prix Committee.
Paul Jordan (GBR / ZERO UP Racing Team by Penz 13) and Sam West (GBR / moto-hub.co.uk) finished seventh and tenth, respectively, also making it into the top ten.
Yamaha Retain Bradley Ray for 2024 WorldSBK Season
Yamaha Motor Europe is pleased to announce that Bradley Ray will continue in the FIM Superbike World Championship, where he will contest all rounds of the 2024 season with the Yamaha MotoxRacing WorldSBK Team.
Ray started his international career back in 2008 when he competed in several seasons of the Red Bull Rookies Cup, followed by the ever-popular Spanish CEV Moto3 and Moto2 Championships. However, it was when Ray returned to his national British Superbike Championship series that his talent became even more evident. In 2022, while riding a Yamaha R1, he was crowned British Superbike Champion with nine wins and 14 podiums, securing himself a step up to the world stage the following season.
In 2023 the 26-year-old from Lydd in the United Kingdom made his World Superbike debut with Yamaha, riding for the Yamaha MotoxRacing WorldSBK Team. Although only contracted to contest the European rounds and struggling with his physical condition part way through his rookie season, Ray showed his potential on several occasions. This prompted Yamaha Motor Europe to retain his services for 2024, racing once again with MotoxRacing, but this time entering all 12 rounds on the provisional calendar.
After taking time to overcome injury in his first year, as well as getting to grips with the new championship and new circuits, the ever positive Ray is keen to show what he’s capable of as he contests his first full season in the series and his second aboard the MotoxRacing Yamaha R1.
Andrea Dosoli, Road Racing Manager, Yamaha Motor Europe
“We are happy to continue our collaboration with Bradley in WorldSBK, as we have all been impressed with his progression in the first part of the season, which peaked with a sixth place in Race 2 at Imola, the MotoxRacing team’s home race. The last few races of the 2023 Championship did not reflect the value that we see in Bradley, as he was not fully fit. I believe that the winter break will give him time to work on his condition and we are confident that he can come to the first race able to show his full potential. My special thanks go to MotoxRacing for their continued confidence in Bradley and the decision to race the full WorldSBK calendar. I am sure they will support him to the best of their ability at every opportunity.”
Bradley Ray, Yamaha MotoxRacing WorldSBK Team
“I’m so happy to sign with Yamaha again, and continue with MotoxRacing, for the 2024 season. I feel like it’s important to get a second year to really blossom and show your full potential. We had some strong races together in 2023, so I’m excited to build on that. I’m super pleased to be doing the full championship as well, I think it will be very beneficial for me in 2024. I want to say a massive thank you to all of Yamaha, and to Sandro Carusi at MotoxRacing, for giving me a second year and another opportunity to stay in WorldSBK. See you in Australia!”
Shane Narbonne (center) won the Bagger Racing League NAMZ Bagger GP race at Willow Springs and the Championship for a third straight year. He’s flanked by race runner-up Ruben Xaus (left) and third-place finisher Jesse Janisch (right). Photo by Larry Mills.
Pirelli and Trask Performance Claim Multiple Bagger Racing League Championships at Series Finale
Shane Narbonne Leads the way with his Third-Consecutive Bagger GP Title, While Teammate Gunnar Ouellette Earns the Pro Stock Bagger Title
Shane Narbonne (1). Photo by Casey Horner, courtesy Pirelli.
ATLANTA – Pirelli Tire North America congratulates Trask Performance’s Shane Narbonne and Gunnar Ouellette on their 2023 Bagger Racing League (BRL) championships. Competing aboard Pirelli DIABLO Superbike-equipped Harley-Davidson motorcycles, Narbonne collected his third Bagger GP championship, with Ouellette earning his first BRL title in the Pro Stock Bagger class. Both racers claimed race wins in three of the four BRL rounds, including the season finale at Willow Springs Raceway on November 19th.
“This was a dream BRL season for our team, and Pirelli played a big part in that success,” said Nick Trask, Trask Performance founder. “The entire team worked hard all year to assemble the most powerful and competitive package for our riders. Thanks to the performance of the DIABLO Superbike slicks, Shane and Gunnar were able to get that power to the ground and take home a pair of well-deserved titles.”
Narbonne and Ouellette were models of performance and consistency throughout the four-round series, with each racer taking home three wins en route to their respective titles. Narbonne ended the season five points ahead of his nearest competitor, while Ouellette topped second place by seven points.
“It’s been a pleasure watching the Trask Performance team continue to step up their game in the BRL series,” said Oscar Solis, Senior Racing Manager, Pirelli. “Earning not one, but two titles is an accomplishment in itself, but that’s made even more impressive by the dominating performances and race wins throughout the season. Congratulations to Shane, Gunnar, Nick, and the entire Trask team on a job well done!
From v-twins to superbikes, Pirelli is the go-to tire for North American racers aiming for the podium’s top step. The Trask Performance H-D Road Glides highlighted the championship-caliber performance of the DIABLO Superbike range of tires, the same tires available to racers nationwide.
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Fabio Di Giannantonio won the FIM MotoGP World Championship race Sunday night at Lusail International Circuit, in Doha, Qatar. Riding his Gresini Ducati Demosedici, the Italian won the 22-lap race by 2.734 seconds. It was Di Giannantonio’s career-first MotoGP race win.
Defending World Champion and current Championship point leader Francesco Bagnaia was the runner-up on his Lenovo Ducati, and Mooney VR46 Racing Team Ducati’s Luca Marini placed third.
Bagnaia’s only remaining challenger in the Championship, Jorge Martin, finished 10th. As a result, Bagnaia’s point lead increased from seven to 21 points over Martin with one round remaining and 37 points still up for grabs.
#PECCOvsMARTIN: Bagnaia rolls the dice as Diggia takes stunning maiden win
The number 49 makes a little history to defeat the reigning Champion, but the 20-point haul for the #1 sees the lead increase to 21 points
Fabio Di Giannantonio (49) won the MotoGP race in Qatar. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Sunday, 19 November 2023
It was tense. It was awesome. And it was won in style – defeating the reigning Champion over 22 laps of the Lusail International Circuit. Fabio Di Giannantonio (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) trailed Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) for much of the Qatar Airways Grand Prix of Qatar, picked his moment, made a decisive move for the lead, and then kept it together to become a MotoGP™ race winner. And all that in the unbelievable context and tension of #PECCOvsMARTIN.
That context and tension was Bagnaia leading the way for much of the race and Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) facing a comeback after a bad start, before then losing more positions too as he faded down to tenth. Bagnaia didn’t seem to know that either, as the #1 nearly opened the goal for himself as he tried to attack Diggia in return and sailed into the run off at Turn 1. With the gap behind enough for him to get back on track in second, it was a heart in mouth moment but only a moment.
Third went to Luca Marini (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) as the number 10 got his elbows out in the fight at the front and then found enough in the locker to hold off a charge from Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) over the final few laps. But let’s rewind.
As the lights went out, everything changed in an instant. Split by just 0.022 and one position on the grid, by the exit of Turn 1 Bagnaia had shot through to steal the holeshot from Marini as Martin suffered a difficult start and dropped back to eight, behind teammate Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing). Not long after that the team showed the Frenchman who was behind him too, and he either had a moment and dropped back or heeded a message and let Martin through. With the added complication of Viñales glued to the rear wheel of the number 89 and getting past as well.
Right at the front though, Bagnaia held firm with a few tenths in hand – ahead of quite a squabble too. Diggia got through on Marini and Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) tried to follow suit, but had to wait a few corners before he got through. Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) needed no invitation to slice past the number 10 either, before also attacking Alex Marquez. Unhindered by the battle, Bagnaia marched on. And so did Diggia – able to unleash his pace and start to reel in the Ducati Lenovo machine ahead.
Martin had his hands full too. Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) was right on his tail and Viñales right behind the number 93, with Zarco watching on and Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) catching the group as well.
At the front, Bagnaia and Di Giannantonio still had Binder for company, but the gap would start to increase from there on out as the KTM was left to battle Alex Marquez and Marini instead. The gaps behind Martin, however, were even smaller as a queue was forming behind the number 89.
Viñales was the first mover in the group to get past Marc Marquez and then stalk Martin before making a move. Once past, the Aprilia was gone. The Repsol Honda then attacked and took over before heading wide, letting Martin and Quartararo back through. El Diablo wasted no time in then dispatching Martin, leaving Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) next up as the number 89 was down to eighth again. Miller was through with 10 to go, and next up was Zarco. What would the Frenchman do?
The battle for victory, however, was now a duel: Bagnaia vs Diggia. The laps ticked down and the gap went out to a few tenths then back down, but no move was made in a tense game of chess. Lap by lap, the two marched on round Lusail.
Plenty of moves were made in the podium fight though as Viñales arrived at Binder, Alex Marquez and Marini, with too many headlines to choose as the elbows came out.
By five to go, “Mapping 8” appeared on Diggia’s dashboard, before “0000000” appeared on his pit board. Everyone was left wondering what that exactly meant. Regardless, as Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Team) also made his way through on Martin, more points in the title fight were on the line at the front as Diggia decided to make his move.
It was a pretty perfect one at that, squeezing through at Turn 12. And Bagnaia tried to reply on the cutback but Diggia shut the door. From there they headed round the final sector and then corner before blasting onto the main straight, and then hearts went into mouths in the Ducati Lenovo box.
Bagnaia tucked in and gained down the straight before pulling out to try and take the lead back – and couldn’t get it stopped. He managed to pull up enough to avoid clattering into the Gresini and headed into the run off, then able to scrub off the speed and rejoin in second. Own goal avoided for the Championship leader, but that was that if Di Giannantonio could do three more clean laps of Lusail. And he could!
Crossing the line with 2.7 seconds in hand, the Italian becomes the eighth different winner of the season and takes an emotional maiden MotoGP™ victory. Bagnaia takes those 20 points to extend the gap to 21 over Martin, with the Spaniard crossing the line in tenth after a dramatic weekend of contact in the Tissot Sprint, a little glory and disappointment for both riders, everything on the line… and the title fight definitively to be decided in the final round.
Marini completed the podium as he pulled enough out late on to stay out of range of Viñales, with the Aprilia rider still charging up to fourth. Fifth went to Binder, ahead of Alex Marquez and Quartararo, who got extremely close to that fight in the final laps. Bastianini also charged up the order, setting a scorcher late on and finishing eighth ahead of Miller.
Behind Martin, a final frisson of stress hovered in the form of Marc Marquez over the final lap, but the number 93 couldn’t find a way through. Zarco, right behind both the number 93 and his own teammate Martin, tried a move though – and made some contact with Marquez, the Honda staying up but Zarco barely, dropping back a few seconds to take P12 only tenths ahead of Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team). Joan Mir (Repsol Honda Team) and Rookie of the Year Augusto Fernandez (GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3) completed the points.
And so the curtain falls in Qatar for 2023, after a weekend of two halves for the title contenders and a little chapter of awesome history made for Di Giannantonio. Now, it’s truly all or nothing in Valencia. Bagnaia leads by 21 points. 37 more are on the table… and the gloves will be off. Join us for the Grand Premio Motul de la Comunitat Valenciana next weekend – there will be fireworks!
Fermin Aldeguer won the Moto2 World Championship race Sunday at Lusail International Circuit, in Doha, Qatar. Riding his Beta Tools SpeedUp machine, the Spaniard won the 18-lap race by 2.643 seconds. It was Aldeguer’s third straight race win and fourth in 2023.
Manuel Gonzalez, riding his Correos Prepago Yamaha VR46 Team Kalex, finished second by 0.009 second ahead of third-place Aron Canet on his Pons Wegow Los40 Kalex.
Pole-sitter Joe Roberts scored 11th on his Italtrans Racing Kalex, and Roberts’ fellow American Sean Dylan Kelly (SDK) crashed his Forward Team racebike and Did Not Finish (DNF).
Hat-trick hero: Aldeguer shines brightest again in Qatar
Fermin Aldeguer (54). Photo courtesy Dorna.
Thailand, Malaysia, and now Qatar. It’s three wins in the last three races for Fermin Aldeguer (Beta Tools SpeedUp) as the Spaniard lights up the Lusail International Circuit to bag another 25-point haul in 2023, as Manuel Gonzalez (Correos Prepago Yamaha VR46 Team) and Aron Canet (Pons Wegow Los40) finish just 0.009s apart in the battle for the podium – the former clinching a debut rostrum with P2.
Joe Roberts (Italtrans Racing Team) got a good launch from pole position to grab the holeshot ahead of Celestino Vietti (Fantic Racing) and Aldeguer, with Jake Dixon (Inde GASGAS Aspar Team) grabbing P4 from P6 on the grid. Canet went backwards at the start but a great recovery ride on Lap 1 saw the Spaniard climb back up to P2 by the time the field crossed the line for the first time.
At the start of Lap 2, Aldeguer was well wide going into Turn 1 – a mistake that saw the #54 drop to P9. Canet then pounced on Roberts for the lead on Lap 2, with Dixon passing Vietti for P3 on the same lap. The Italian then dropped behind Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) with 15 laps to go, as Aldeguer began to pick his way back through the pack.
With 12 laps left, the top nine were split by 1.9s. Vietti had slipped to P10, just ahead of World Champion Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Ajo) who were only two seconds adrift of P1 themselves. On Lap 7 of 18, Dixon made a move stick for P2 on Roberts and soon after, Aldeguer followed the #96 through – and then got the better of him.
Aldeguer then led with 10 to go and on Lap 8, the Spaniard slammed home a 1:57.725 – over half a second quicker than anyone else could muster up. A couple of laps later, Aldeguer was 1.1s up the road from Canet and Gonzalez, with Dixon dropping to just over a second away from the podium fight in P4.
A run of three 1:57.6s saw Aldeguer’s lead climb to two seconds despite the best efforts of Gonzalez, who had got the better of Canet for P2. A comfortable final couple of laps came for Aldeguer as Gonzalez and Canet went head-to-head for P2. It was Dixon vs Ogura for P4 as we enjoyed two great battles unfold, but for a third straight race it was all about Aldeguer – another stunning ride from the SpeedUp star as he hunts down P3 in the Championship heading to Valencia.
Canet was pipped to P2 by Gonzalez who celebrates a first podium in Moto2™, while Ogura’s last corner move on Dixon saw the Japanese rider claim P4 from P12 on the grid. Vietti claimed P6, 1.2s off Dixon, with Somkiat Chantra (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) and Acosta completing the top eight. Alonso Lopez (Beta Tools SpeedUp) and Arbolino rounded out the top 10.
Roberts slipped to P11 by the chequered flag as Sam Lowes (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) – who set the fastest lap of the race on the final lap – was left to rue a poor start to finish P12. Marcos Ramirez (OnlyFans American Racing), Darryn Binder (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP), and Jeremy Alcoba (QJMOTOR Gresini Moto2™) were the final points scorers in Qatar.
Three in a row for Aldeguer. Can anyone stop the Spaniard’s late-season charge in Valencia? We’re all set for a special season finale at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo.
Jaume Masia won the Moto3 World Championship race Sunday at Lusail International Circuit, in Doha, Qatar. Riding his Leopard Racing Honda, Masia won the 16-lap race by a scant 0.068 second. It was Masia’s fourth win of the season and with it the 23-year-old Spaniard clinched the 2023 Moto3 World Championship.
Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team’s David Alonso was the runner-up, and Deniz Oncu finished 0.095 second behind Alonso in third on his Red Bull KTM Ajo machine.
#MAS1A: Jaume Masia is the 2023 FIM Moto3™ World Champion!
The Leopard Racing rider wraps it up with a win at the Qatar GP
Jaume Masia, the 2023 Moto3 World Champion. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Sunday, 19 November 2023
It’s official: Jaume Masia (Leopard Racing) is the 2023 Moto3™ World Champion! A victory in a tense Qatar Airways Grand Prix of Qatar secured the Spaniard a maiden Grand Prix title, with the win at Lusail adding to three further victories across a season that has seen the Spaniard take 10 podiums so far and run at the front from the off.
Born in Algemesi, Valencia, Masia competed in the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup and for three seasons in what is now the JuniorGP™ paddock before making his Grand Prix debut in 2017. He then became a full time Grand Prix rider in 2018 and having finished 13th in his rookie campaign, came out of the blocks flying in 2019. A maiden victory arrived at the Argentina GP, which he then backed up with a P2 at the following race in America.
Two more wins were claimed by Masia in 2020 as he moved to Leopard Racing, before a switch to Red Bull KTM Ajo came for the 2021 and 2022 seasons. In his second KTM stint, Masia won three times in two seasons – finishing P4 and P6 in the overall standings – before then making a move back to Leopard Racing for 2023.
Three podiums in the first five outings was a good start to the year for the #5, but he had to wait until the Dutch GP to pocket a first win back in Leopard colours. Two no scores at Silverstone and the Red Bull Ring then put a significant dent into his title charge, but Masia responded superbly by finishing P2 in Barcelona, P2 in Misano, winning in India and then again in Japan. The title dream was back on track.
Three non-podium finishes in a row didn’t halt Masia’s charge to World Championship leader status either, and having finished P3 in Malaysia, his first match point arrived in Qatar. The showdown was tense. Fighting at the front and with some seriously close exchanges between him and key rival Ayumu Sasaki (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) throughout, it all went down to the final lap. But Masia was able to stay ahead and take that fourth win of the year, securing the crown with another 25-point haul.
Enhorabuena, Jaume!
#MAS1A IN STATS
Aged 23 years 19 days old on race day at the Qatar GP, Jaume Masia is the second-oldest rider to clinch the Moto3™ title after Albert Arenas (23 years and 347 days old in 2020). In addition, he is the first rider to clinch the title after having made more than 100 Moto3™ starts.
This is the sixth time that a Honda rider has won the Moto3™ title, adding to the Championships won by Alex Marquez (2014), Danny Kent (2015), Joan Mir (2017), Jorge Martin (2018) and Lorenzo Dalla Porta (2019).
Masia has won 10 times in Moto3™, and he is tied with Dennis Foggia third place on the list of riders with most wins in Moto3™ since 2012, behind Romano Fenati (13) and Joan Mir (11).
Masia has stood on the podium 27 times in the class, and he is the rider with second most Moto3™ podiums behind Romano Fenati (29).
Masia is the eighth Spanish rider to win the Moto3™ title since the introduction of the class in 2012.
Peter Hickman ran a lights-to-flag finish to win the 55th edition of the Macau Motorcycle Grand Prix. Starting from pole position he powered into the lead and from that moment never looked back. He had Davey Todd behind him for the opening four laps, but once he pulled away there was no catching the MGM FHO Racing BMW rider.
“All went to plan,” said Hickman on his fourth Macau Motorcycle Grand Prix victory. “The tyre was fantastic, everything worked to perfection. Davey (Todd) was pushing early on which was good for me as once I pulled away from him, I then started making mistakes. I had a little talk to myself and by lap ten I was focussed again. I’m delighted for Faye Ho and all of the team who’ve worked tirelessly to achieve this win.”
The 12-lap race had to be restarted after an incident involving Brian McCormack who fell and suffered an ankle injury. In trying to avoid McCormack’s motorcycle, Nadieh Schoots also tumbled. Both were taken to hospital where they were treated for minor injuries.
That happened on the opening lap which was minus Davey Todd who pulled off the grid at the start and it seemed as if he’d missed his chance. Thankfully for him the red flag meant he could start again and was rewarded with a second position finish and a place on the podium, his first at Macao.
“It was Peter Hickman who told me I might have a problem,” said Todd. “He saw little puffs of smoke coming from the bike on the warm-up and it turned out to be a split oil pipe. I felt as if my world had come apart walking back down pit lane. However the team was great, they kept going just in case there was a red flag, which there was, so we could join in the restart. A massive thanks to Phil Crowe, he gave us a replacement pipe as we didn’t have one without which we couldn’t have gone back out.”
Starting from the head of the second row of the grid, David Datzer suffered a poor start to the race, losing a number of positions off the line. He then set about working his way up through the field, eventually passing Macao debutant Josh Brookes for third, which he held all the way to the chequered flag.
“I was so disappointed with my start,” admitted the German rider. “However, I’m blessed to have a great bike which has been prepared by a great team. I worked my way through and to be on the podium again at Macao is a great way to end the event.”
“I’m happy with the final result,” said Josh Brookes, who marked his debut at Macao with a fourth place finish. “After we had the gearbox issue in qualifying, everything with the bike has been perfect. I had a great start from row five but it’s my job to get away well off the line. Once David passed me for third there was no way I was prepared to push to take it back. Macao is a new experience for me. It’s a different environment to anything else I’ve known in racing. I’ve enjoyed my time and who knows if I will come back. Never say never.”
Fifth place went to Rob Hodson. “My plan was to go faster,” said the SMT Racing Honda rider, “and that’s exactly what we did. To finish in fifth is great plus we’re the highest placed non-BMW.”
Michael Rutter was an early retirement with technical issues. “It’s a real shame as the bike has just been improving all week,” said the nine-time Macau Grand Prix winner. “I’ve been around long enough to realise it’s one of those things.”
Erno Kostamo, who won last year’s Macau Grand Prix, was in third place in the first half of the race but he had to pull over due to an electrical issue with the bike. David Johnson had a brake problem with his Kawasaki and was forced to retire. Kamil Holan crashed on the final lap and was taken to hospital where he was treated for minor injuries.
More, from a press release issued by FHO Racing:
Peter Hickman delivers a Macau Grand Prix masterclass for FHO Racing BMW Motorrad
Peter Hickman. Photo courtesy FHO Racing.
Peter Hickman, the man of the 2023 Macau Motorcycle Grand Prix delivered a masterclass in this morning’s 12-lap race aboard the BMW M 1000 RR giving Team Principal, Faye Ho and the FHO Racing team sponsored by MGM, its first Macau Grand Prix win in their debut outing at the event.
In Faye’s hometown, throughout all sessions Hicky topped the times and started today’s 12-lap race from pole position. The race got underway at 08:48 local time and it was teammates Peter and Michael Rutter neck and neck in the opening lap, with Michael moving into second place before the race was red flagged.
A full distance restart was announced, and a quick start procedure got underway with the restart at 09:44 (local time). Off the line once again it was Hicky leading the group with Davey Todd hot on his heels and FHO’s Michael third and newcomer Josh Brookes fifth.
At the end of the first lap Michael came into the pits reporting an issue with his brakes. A quick look at the machine by the FHO crew and he went back to the race on the third rotation, but pulled back in still unhappy and was forced to retire from the running.
Meanwhile on track, Peter had pulled a gap between himself and second place Davey, while Josh had moved into third place. As the race progressed Hicky continued to extend his lead and his fourth Macau GP victory was looking inevitable.
On the 12th and final lap of the Macau Motorcycle Grand Prix – 55th Edition the front runners started to approach back marker traffic, but this wasn’t an issue for Hicky who glided past aboard his FHO Racing BMW Motorrad machine, to take the chequered flag 27s ahead, to claim his fourth Macau win and a first for Faye and the FHO Racing team.
It was also a good finish for Josh, who on his debut outing at the Guia Circuit impressed by consistently improving his lap times and progressing, despite not having a lot of track time in the schedule. Starting the race from 13th on the grid, the Aussie had a fantastic start and was in the leading group, and by mid-race distance he had moved into third place.
Improving his lap times and looking comfortable aboard his BMW machine, Josh eventually crossed the line fourth in his debut Macau Grand Prix event.
Josh Brookes – 4th:
“I’m really quite happy with fourth, considering it’s my first time here. When we lost some time in qualifying it lowered my expectation on how far I could improve, which I purely think is just circuit time that I need to further improve. In the race it’s a completely different atmosphere, which suits me better, I’m accustomed to racing and not just riding around, so I felt like I improved more in the race. But I think it all comes down to laps and familiarisation with the circuit. I got two good starts and managed to make up places, then some people dropped out of the race, which I would say gave me a few positions. But I held my pace in the race and finished fourth, so I’m happy enough. Of course, it would have been fantastic for the team if I had finished on the podium, but it wasn’t to be. So, you have to be happy with fourth and that we’re going home safe.”
Michael Rutter – DNF:
“Obviously I’m well disappointed to have to retire from the race. We have spent just over a week in Macau and unfortunately, we’ve had a bit of an issue with the brakes. In the first race before it was red flagged, the bike was brilliant, it felt good, and I had a bit of a go at Pete [Hickman] coming into the Lisboa corner and was into second but it got flagged. In the restart I was third, I felt comfortable then I had awful chatter braking for the Hairpin and I knew immediately what was wrong as we’d experienced it in qualifying. With the issue we had to retire, which was really unfortunate for the team. Congratulations to Pete on the win and to Josh for his fourth place in his debut year.”
Peter Hickman – 2023 Macau Motorcycle Grand Prix – 55th Edition winner:
“We’ve had a fantastic result today, we’re at Faye’s home event and it’s her proper home track, you know it’s her City and it’s just fantastic to be first in every single session and winning the race, so I couldn’t really ask for more than that – I’m super happy. The boys have worked absolutely mega, the BMW has been superb to be honest, the track was a little harder, but probably as we’ve had a few years away and it’s a bit bumpier than it used to be, which makes it hard to ride. But honestly the FHO Racing team have got the bike pretty much bang on, nothing is ever perfect but it wasn’t far away and I felt really comfortable. Davey obviously gave us a bit of a push to start with, but we could really keep the pace and he couldn’t, so we managed to break away and disappeared up the road and just managed it from there. Everything was pretty much as good as it could be and I couldn’t have really asked for anything more; P1 in every session and taking my fourth Macau GP win. I’ve seen Brian [McCormack] now, so I know he’s alright after the crash this morning, I hope Nadieh is okay also.”
Faye Ho – Team Principal:
“Well, what can I say! This week all my dreams have come true! Coming back to Macau, my home with my own team, leading every session and then taking the win – it doesn’t get much better than that. Pete has ridden fantastically all week and a huge thanks to the team for all their hard work in making this possible. It was such a shame that Michael experienced the issue he did, as I think without that we could have seen a FHO Racing 1-2 on the podium, but this year it wasn’t meant to be. Josh has really impressed everyone with his attitude to the race and how he’s progressed, I think with a little more track experience he could have pushed for the podium. It’s been an amazing week and I’m so proud of the FHO Racing team – 2023 Macau GP winners!”
Jorge Martin won the MotoGP World Championship Sprint Race Saturday night at Lusail International Circuit, in Doha, Qatar. Riding his Prima Pramac Racing Ducati, Martin won the 11-lap race by 0.391 second.
Fabio Di Giannantonio was the runner-up on his Gresini Racing Ducati. Pole-sitter Luca Marini finished third on his Mooney VR46 Racing Team Ducati.
Jorge Martin (89) won the MotoGP Sprint Race Saturday at Lusail International Circuit, while Francesco Bagnaia (1) placed fifth. Photo by Kohei Hirota.
Di Giannantonio’s teammate Alex Marquez was fourth, and defending World Champion Francesco Bagnaia placed fifth on his Lenovo Team Ducati.
Martin’s win combined with Bagnaia’s fifth-place finish reduced Bagnaia’s lead in the point standings from 14 to seven over Martin.
#PECCOvsMARTIN: Sprint fireworks as Martin wins to take the title fight to Valencia
It’s down to seven points as the Pramac rider holds off Diggia and Marini completes the podium, with Bagnaia down in P5
Saturday, 18 November 2023
Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) made super Saturday into statement Saturday at the Qatar Airways Grand Prix of Qatar. With a potential match point on the line on Sunday for title rival Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) depending on the Tissot Sprint, the pressure was absolutely on, and the number 89 soaked it up and then some. After battling Bagnaia early in the race as the two started in P4 and P5, Martin made his way into the lead and then held off a charging Fabio Di Giannantonio (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) over a tense final lap, halving Pecco’s points lead in the process as the Championship leader came home only fifth.
Diggia took a stunning second and from second on the grid, with Luca Marini (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) taking third after leading much of the Sprint from pole. Then came Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™), and then Bagnaia after a fascinating showdown in the desert.
It was an immediate shot of adrenaline in the title fight in Turn 1 too, with Marini getting the holeshot as Alex Marquez slotted into second – but there was contact right behind the two between Martin and Bagnaia. Martin, the rider on the inside, just kept third, with Bagnaia left with a few metres to make up. Later round the lap both Alex Marquez and Martin were slightly wide though, and Pecco shot back past Martin as Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) also attacked and got through.
Martin hit back not long after, putting him right back on the rear wheel of Bagnaia. On Lap 2, it got seriously close again as the number 89 opened the door for himself and made it through, with Diggia trying to do the same. A few corners later, he did.
Meanwhile in the lead, Marini was under attack. Alex Marquez got through but the Italian answered straight back, holding on to it as Martin got the hammer down just behind and set the fastest lap.
Over the line for seven laps to go, Alex Marquez had reloaded and was ready to try again. He once again made it through too, but Martini was even quicker to respond with an immediate cutback. That gave Martin a few more metres too as they squabbled, and the number 89 struck as soon as he had the chance to take over in second, homing in on Marini as Alex Marquez was left to defend against Diggia.
The move from Martin came at the final corner, taking over in the lead and able to hold Marini off into Turn 1. Alex Marquez couldn’t say the same, with Diggia able to get through at Turn 1 and set off after the battle ahead.
Bagnaia, meanwhile, was in fifth and just off the back of the gaggle at the front, but with Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) and Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) charging on, around half a second back.
The next move saw Diggia attack Marini for second, and from there the number 49 set off after Martin. Or more, the mission began to keep up with the title contender as the hammer went absolutely down. Lap by lap, they both pulled away, with Marini holding a safe third and Alex Marquez able to gather up a bit of breathing space ahead of Bagnaia.
The leading duo were locked together at the start of the final lap, with Diggia shadowing Martin’s every move. But the number 89 just kept turning the screw and the Gresini machine lost a few metres here and a few there, unable to quite get back on terms with the race leader. Martin crossed the line 0.391s clear to take a valuable 12-point haul from the Tissot Sprint, with Diggia impressing once again after an incredible weekend so far. Marini completes the podium on Saturday.
Alex Marquez held on to fourth as Bagnaia was only able to take fifth, and under some late pressure from Viñales, who got past Binder and was on the march. But the number #1 was just about able to respond and keep a two to three tenth buffer, defending P5 but seeing his lead cut to just seven points.
Binder came home in P7, with Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) putting in an even bigger charge up from P14 on the grid. The Frenchman was able to get past Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing), who was forced to settle for 10th as Augusto Fernandez (GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3) – now officially Rookie of the Year – grabbed P9 and the last point on Saturday too.
An early, multi-rider crash saw Miguel Oliveira (CryptoDATA RNF MotoGP™ Team) make contact with Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing), and Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Team) was also caught up. Oliveira was declared unfit due to a scapula fracture, and Aleix Espargaro has to be passed fit in a review on Sunday morning – with that penalty from Fp2 pending as well…
And so it’s just seven points between Bagnaia and Martin, with 62 still on the table. 25 more go up for grabs on Sunday in the Qatar Airways Grand Prix of Qatar, and if the Sprint is anything to go by, there will be fireworks. Don’t miss it – tune in for more on Sunday at 20:00 (GMT +3) for another spectacular showdown under the floodlights.
Roadracing World MotoGP Editor and Isle of Man TT winner Mat Oxley (left) and two-time World Championship-winning Crew Chief Peter Bom (right) in the paddock at Jerez. 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.
This podcast is “Qatar 2023 – Not With A Bang But A Whimper”
The original podcast can be found on BuzzSprout.com or listened to via other places you get podcasts.
Peter Hickman (88). Photo courtesy BMW Motorrad Motorsport and the Macau Grand Prix Committee.
Macau Grand Prix: Peter Hickman triumphs for the fourth time – Top four lockout for the BMW racers.
Peter Hickman secures his fourth victory on the streets of Macau with his FHO Racing BMW Motorrad Team BMW M 1000 RR.
Davey Todd and David Datzer claim second and third places on the podium, with Josh Brookes completing the BMW success in fourth.
Uwe Geyer: “Congratulations to our BMW Racers who once again dominated in Macau.”
Macau. The motorsport world turned its attention to Macau last weekend. As part of the 70th Macau Grand Prix, the 55th edition of the Macau Motorcycle Grand Prix took place, and the race on the spectacular Guia Circuit street course ended with a top-four lockout for the BMW Racers. Leading the pack was Peter Hickman (GBR), who raced his BMW M 1000 RR of FHO Racing BMW Motorrad Team to his fourth Macau victory. Davey Todd (GBR / Burrows Engineering / RK Racing) and David Datzer (GER / MTP Racing by ZERO UP Penz 13) secured second and third places on the podium. Hickman’s teammate Josh Brookes (GBR) completed the success for the BMW M 1000 RR in his Macau debut, finishing fourth.
“Congratulations to our successful BMW riders who once again dominated in Macau. A top-four lockout for our BMW M 1000 RR is a sensational result,” said Uwe Geyer, Head of BMW Motorrad Customer Racing. “Peter Hickman lived up to his role as one of the top favourites. Davey Todd, whom we can welcome back to the BMW racing family, also proved that he belongs among the best road racers in the world. David Datzer, in his second Macau appearance, reached the podium for the second time – an impressive performance. And Josh Brookes, as a debutant in this extremely challenging race, achieved an excellent result with fourth place. Thanks to all BMW racers who represented BMW’s colours so successfully in Macau!”
Hickman competed in Macau for the first time since 2019, and it was the first appearance on the Guia Circuit for the FHO Racing BMW Motorrad Team, in the home town of team manager Faye Ho. Hickman quickly demonstrated that he still excelled on the unique course, setting the fastest times in the practices and securing pole position.
Hickman maintained the lead at the start of the race before it was red-flagged on the first lap. At the restart, Hickman stayed in the lead, with Todd initially putting pressure on him. However, as the race progressed, Hickman pulled away, finishing with a 28.969-second lead over Todd after twelve laps.
“We’ve had a fantastic result”, Hickman said. “We’re at Faye’s home event and it’s her proper home track, it’s her city and it’s just fantastic to be first in every single session and winning the race, so I couldn’t really ask for more than that – I’m super happy. The boys have worked absolutely mega, the BMW M 1000 RR has been superb to be honest. The track was a bit bumpier than it used to be, which makes it hard to ride. But the FHO Racing team have got the bike pretty much bang on and I felt really comfortable. Davey obviously gave us a bit of a push to start with, but we could really keep the pace and he couldn’t, so we managed to break away and disappeared up the road and just managed it from there.”
Davey Todd (7). Photo courtesy BMW Motorrad Motorsport.
Todd experienced a rollercoaster of emotions on race day. After qualifying second, a technical issue prevented him from participating in the first start, forcing him back to the pit. However, he and the team didn’t give up, worked on the repair, and when the race restarted after the red flag, Todd was back in the mix, ultimately securing second place on the podium.
“I wasn’t expecting a day like that at all. It was just one of those so unlucky things at the first start”, Todd said. “The guys pushed the bike back to the garage and I felt as if my world had come apart walking back down pit lane. But the team kept going and worked flat out just in case the race was stopped and we could jump in the re-run. And we got back out there. I managed to take it up with Pete for four laps, trying to sit in behind him. I knew that the tyres would come into play and tried to save them as much as I can. I just did not have the tyre to compete at the end. Hat’s off to Pete, he had a great race and thanks to the team for an awesome job.”
David Datzer (center) celebrates his third-place finish in the Macau Motorcycle Grand Prix. Photo courtesy BMW Motorrad Motorsport and the Macau Grand Prix Committee.
Datzer was also overjoyed after securing his second podium finish in his second Macau appearance. The restart did not go as planned for him, starting from fourth, he initially dropped several positions and was ninth. However, he fought his way back, eventually passing Brookes to claim third place and maintained the podium position until the checkered flag.
“It’s amazing, just amazing”, Datzer enthused on the podium. “After my bad start I thought, oh no, the fast guys are gone. However, I’m blessed to have a great bike which has been prepared by a great team. I worked my way through and to be on the podium again at Macao is a great way to end the event.”
Josh Brookes (888) finished fourth in his debut at the Macau Motorcycle Grand Prix. Photo courtesy BMW Motorrad Motorsport and the Macau Grand Prix Committee.
Paul Jordan (GBR / ZERO UP Racing Team by Penz 13) and Sam West (GBR / moto-hub.co.uk) finished seventh and tenth, respectively, also making it into the top ten.
Yamaha Retain Bradley Ray for 2024 WorldSBK Season
Yamaha Motor Europe is pleased to announce that Bradley Ray will continue in the FIM Superbike World Championship, where he will contest all rounds of the 2024 season with the Yamaha MotoxRacing WorldSBK Team.
Ray started his international career back in 2008 when he competed in several seasons of the Red Bull Rookies Cup, followed by the ever-popular Spanish CEV Moto3 and Moto2 Championships. However, it was when Ray returned to his national British Superbike Championship series that his talent became even more evident. In 2022, while riding a Yamaha R1, he was crowned British Superbike Champion with nine wins and 14 podiums, securing himself a step up to the world stage the following season.
In 2023 the 26-year-old from Lydd in the United Kingdom made his World Superbike debut with Yamaha, riding for the Yamaha MotoxRacing WorldSBK Team. Although only contracted to contest the European rounds and struggling with his physical condition part way through his rookie season, Ray showed his potential on several occasions. This prompted Yamaha Motor Europe to retain his services for 2024, racing once again with MotoxRacing, but this time entering all 12 rounds on the provisional calendar.
After taking time to overcome injury in his first year, as well as getting to grips with the new championship and new circuits, the ever positive Ray is keen to show what he’s capable of as he contests his first full season in the series and his second aboard the MotoxRacing Yamaha R1.
Andrea Dosoli, Road Racing Manager, Yamaha Motor Europe
“We are happy to continue our collaboration with Bradley in WorldSBK, as we have all been impressed with his progression in the first part of the season, which peaked with a sixth place in Race 2 at Imola, the MotoxRacing team’s home race. The last few races of the 2023 Championship did not reflect the value that we see in Bradley, as he was not fully fit. I believe that the winter break will give him time to work on his condition and we are confident that he can come to the first race able to show his full potential. My special thanks go to MotoxRacing for their continued confidence in Bradley and the decision to race the full WorldSBK calendar. I am sure they will support him to the best of their ability at every opportunity.”
Bradley Ray, Yamaha MotoxRacing WorldSBK Team
“I’m so happy to sign with Yamaha again, and continue with MotoxRacing, for the 2024 season. I feel like it’s important to get a second year to really blossom and show your full potential. We had some strong races together in 2023, so I’m excited to build on that. I’m super pleased to be doing the full championship as well, I think it will be very beneficial for me in 2024. I want to say a massive thank you to all of Yamaha, and to Sandro Carusi at MotoxRacing, for giving me a second year and another opportunity to stay in WorldSBK. See you in Australia!”
Willow Springs International Raceway. Photo courtesy Willow Springs International Raceway.
Shane Narbonne (center) won the Bagger Racing League NAMZ Bagger GP race at Willow Springs and the Championship for a third straight year. He’s flanked by race runner-up Ruben Xaus (left) and third-place finisher Jesse Janisch (right). Photo by Larry Mills.
Pirelli and Trask Performance Claim Multiple Bagger Racing League Championships at Series Finale
Shane Narbonne Leads the way with his Third-Consecutive Bagger GP Title, While Teammate Gunnar Ouellette Earns the Pro Stock Bagger Title
Shane Narbonne (1). Photo by Casey Horner, courtesy Pirelli.
ATLANTA – Pirelli Tire North America congratulates Trask Performance’s Shane Narbonne and Gunnar Ouellette on their 2023 Bagger Racing League (BRL) championships. Competing aboard Pirelli DIABLO Superbike-equipped Harley-Davidson motorcycles, Narbonne collected his third Bagger GP championship, with Ouellette earning his first BRL title in the Pro Stock Bagger class. Both racers claimed race wins in three of the four BRL rounds, including the season finale at Willow Springs Raceway on November 19th.
“This was a dream BRL season for our team, and Pirelli played a big part in that success,” said Nick Trask, Trask Performance founder. “The entire team worked hard all year to assemble the most powerful and competitive package for our riders. Thanks to the performance of the DIABLO Superbike slicks, Shane and Gunnar were able to get that power to the ground and take home a pair of well-deserved titles.”
Narbonne and Ouellette were models of performance and consistency throughout the four-round series, with each racer taking home three wins en route to their respective titles. Narbonne ended the season five points ahead of his nearest competitor, while Ouellette topped second place by seven points.
“It’s been a pleasure watching the Trask Performance team continue to step up their game in the BRL series,” said Oscar Solis, Senior Racing Manager, Pirelli. “Earning not one, but two titles is an accomplishment in itself, but that’s made even more impressive by the dominating performances and race wins throughout the season. Congratulations to Shane, Gunnar, Nick, and the entire Trask team on a job well done!
From v-twins to superbikes, Pirelli is the go-to tire for North American racers aiming for the podium’s top step. The Trask Performance H-D Road Glides highlighted the championship-caliber performance of the DIABLO Superbike range of tires, the same tires available to racers nationwide.
For more information about the complete line of Pirelli motorcycle tires, please visit Pirelli.com.
DIABLO is a registered trademark of Pirelli Tire S.p.A
Lusail International Circuit, in Qatar. Photo by Kohei Hirota.
Fabio Di Giannantonio won the FIM MotoGP World Championship race Sunday night at Lusail International Circuit, in Doha, Qatar. Riding his Gresini Ducati Demosedici, the Italian won the 22-lap race by 2.734 seconds. It was Di Giannantonio’s career-first MotoGP race win.
Defending World Champion and current Championship point leader Francesco Bagnaia was the runner-up on his Lenovo Ducati, and Mooney VR46 Racing Team Ducati’s Luca Marini placed third.
Bagnaia’s only remaining challenger in the Championship, Jorge Martin, finished 10th. As a result, Bagnaia’s point lead increased from seven to 21 points over Martin with one round remaining and 37 points still up for grabs.
#PECCOvsMARTIN: Bagnaia rolls the dice as Diggia takes stunning maiden win
The number 49 makes a little history to defeat the reigning Champion, but the 20-point haul for the #1 sees the lead increase to 21 points
Fabio Di Giannantonio (49) won the MotoGP race in Qatar. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Sunday, 19 November 2023
It was tense. It was awesome. And it was won in style – defeating the reigning Champion over 22 laps of the Lusail International Circuit. Fabio Di Giannantonio (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) trailed Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) for much of the Qatar Airways Grand Prix of Qatar, picked his moment, made a decisive move for the lead, and then kept it together to become a MotoGP™ race winner. And all that in the unbelievable context and tension of #PECCOvsMARTIN.
That context and tension was Bagnaia leading the way for much of the race and Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) facing a comeback after a bad start, before then losing more positions too as he faded down to tenth. Bagnaia didn’t seem to know that either, as the #1 nearly opened the goal for himself as he tried to attack Diggia in return and sailed into the run off at Turn 1. With the gap behind enough for him to get back on track in second, it was a heart in mouth moment but only a moment.
Third went to Luca Marini (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) as the number 10 got his elbows out in the fight at the front and then found enough in the locker to hold off a charge from Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) over the final few laps. But let’s rewind.
As the lights went out, everything changed in an instant. Split by just 0.022 and one position on the grid, by the exit of Turn 1 Bagnaia had shot through to steal the holeshot from Marini as Martin suffered a difficult start and dropped back to eight, behind teammate Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing). Not long after that the team showed the Frenchman who was behind him too, and he either had a moment and dropped back or heeded a message and let Martin through. With the added complication of Viñales glued to the rear wheel of the number 89 and getting past as well.
Right at the front though, Bagnaia held firm with a few tenths in hand – ahead of quite a squabble too. Diggia got through on Marini and Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) tried to follow suit, but had to wait a few corners before he got through. Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) needed no invitation to slice past the number 10 either, before also attacking Alex Marquez. Unhindered by the battle, Bagnaia marched on. And so did Diggia – able to unleash his pace and start to reel in the Ducati Lenovo machine ahead.
Martin had his hands full too. Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) was right on his tail and Viñales right behind the number 93, with Zarco watching on and Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) catching the group as well.
At the front, Bagnaia and Di Giannantonio still had Binder for company, but the gap would start to increase from there on out as the KTM was left to battle Alex Marquez and Marini instead. The gaps behind Martin, however, were even smaller as a queue was forming behind the number 89.
Viñales was the first mover in the group to get past Marc Marquez and then stalk Martin before making a move. Once past, the Aprilia was gone. The Repsol Honda then attacked and took over before heading wide, letting Martin and Quartararo back through. El Diablo wasted no time in then dispatching Martin, leaving Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) next up as the number 89 was down to eighth again. Miller was through with 10 to go, and next up was Zarco. What would the Frenchman do?
The battle for victory, however, was now a duel: Bagnaia vs Diggia. The laps ticked down and the gap went out to a few tenths then back down, but no move was made in a tense game of chess. Lap by lap, the two marched on round Lusail.
Plenty of moves were made in the podium fight though as Viñales arrived at Binder, Alex Marquez and Marini, with too many headlines to choose as the elbows came out.
By five to go, “Mapping 8” appeared on Diggia’s dashboard, before “0000000” appeared on his pit board. Everyone was left wondering what that exactly meant. Regardless, as Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Team) also made his way through on Martin, more points in the title fight were on the line at the front as Diggia decided to make his move.
It was a pretty perfect one at that, squeezing through at Turn 12. And Bagnaia tried to reply on the cutback but Diggia shut the door. From there they headed round the final sector and then corner before blasting onto the main straight, and then hearts went into mouths in the Ducati Lenovo box.
Bagnaia tucked in and gained down the straight before pulling out to try and take the lead back – and couldn’t get it stopped. He managed to pull up enough to avoid clattering into the Gresini and headed into the run off, then able to scrub off the speed and rejoin in second. Own goal avoided for the Championship leader, but that was that if Di Giannantonio could do three more clean laps of Lusail. And he could!
Crossing the line with 2.7 seconds in hand, the Italian becomes the eighth different winner of the season and takes an emotional maiden MotoGP™ victory. Bagnaia takes those 20 points to extend the gap to 21 over Martin, with the Spaniard crossing the line in tenth after a dramatic weekend of contact in the Tissot Sprint, a little glory and disappointment for both riders, everything on the line… and the title fight definitively to be decided in the final round.
Marini completed the podium as he pulled enough out late on to stay out of range of Viñales, with the Aprilia rider still charging up to fourth. Fifth went to Binder, ahead of Alex Marquez and Quartararo, who got extremely close to that fight in the final laps. Bastianini also charged up the order, setting a scorcher late on and finishing eighth ahead of Miller.
Behind Martin, a final frisson of stress hovered in the form of Marc Marquez over the final lap, but the number 93 couldn’t find a way through. Zarco, right behind both the number 93 and his own teammate Martin, tried a move though – and made some contact with Marquez, the Honda staying up but Zarco barely, dropping back a few seconds to take P12 only tenths ahead of Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team). Joan Mir (Repsol Honda Team) and Rookie of the Year Augusto Fernandez (GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3) completed the points.
And so the curtain falls in Qatar for 2023, after a weekend of two halves for the title contenders and a little chapter of awesome history made for Di Giannantonio. Now, it’s truly all or nothing in Valencia. Bagnaia leads by 21 points. 37 more are on the table… and the gloves will be off. Join us for the Grand Premio Motul de la Comunitat Valenciana next weekend – there will be fireworks!
Lusail International Circuit, in Qatar. Photo by Kohei Hirota.
Fermin Aldeguer won the Moto2 World Championship race Sunday at Lusail International Circuit, in Doha, Qatar. Riding his Beta Tools SpeedUp machine, the Spaniard won the 18-lap race by 2.643 seconds. It was Aldeguer’s third straight race win and fourth in 2023.
Manuel Gonzalez, riding his Correos Prepago Yamaha VR46 Team Kalex, finished second by 0.009 second ahead of third-place Aron Canet on his Pons Wegow Los40 Kalex.
Pole-sitter Joe Roberts scored 11th on his Italtrans Racing Kalex, and Roberts’ fellow American Sean Dylan Kelly (SDK) crashed his Forward Team racebike and Did Not Finish (DNF).
Hat-trick hero: Aldeguer shines brightest again in Qatar
Fermin Aldeguer (54). Photo courtesy Dorna.
Thailand, Malaysia, and now Qatar. It’s three wins in the last three races for Fermin Aldeguer (Beta Tools SpeedUp) as the Spaniard lights up the Lusail International Circuit to bag another 25-point haul in 2023, as Manuel Gonzalez (Correos Prepago Yamaha VR46 Team) and Aron Canet (Pons Wegow Los40) finish just 0.009s apart in the battle for the podium – the former clinching a debut rostrum with P2.
Joe Roberts (Italtrans Racing Team) got a good launch from pole position to grab the holeshot ahead of Celestino Vietti (Fantic Racing) and Aldeguer, with Jake Dixon (Inde GASGAS Aspar Team) grabbing P4 from P6 on the grid. Canet went backwards at the start but a great recovery ride on Lap 1 saw the Spaniard climb back up to P2 by the time the field crossed the line for the first time.
At the start of Lap 2, Aldeguer was well wide going into Turn 1 – a mistake that saw the #54 drop to P9. Canet then pounced on Roberts for the lead on Lap 2, with Dixon passing Vietti for P3 on the same lap. The Italian then dropped behind Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) with 15 laps to go, as Aldeguer began to pick his way back through the pack.
With 12 laps left, the top nine were split by 1.9s. Vietti had slipped to P10, just ahead of World Champion Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Ajo) who were only two seconds adrift of P1 themselves. On Lap 7 of 18, Dixon made a move stick for P2 on Roberts and soon after, Aldeguer followed the #96 through – and then got the better of him.
Aldeguer then led with 10 to go and on Lap 8, the Spaniard slammed home a 1:57.725 – over half a second quicker than anyone else could muster up. A couple of laps later, Aldeguer was 1.1s up the road from Canet and Gonzalez, with Dixon dropping to just over a second away from the podium fight in P4.
A run of three 1:57.6s saw Aldeguer’s lead climb to two seconds despite the best efforts of Gonzalez, who had got the better of Canet for P2. A comfortable final couple of laps came for Aldeguer as Gonzalez and Canet went head-to-head for P2. It was Dixon vs Ogura for P4 as we enjoyed two great battles unfold, but for a third straight race it was all about Aldeguer – another stunning ride from the SpeedUp star as he hunts down P3 in the Championship heading to Valencia.
Canet was pipped to P2 by Gonzalez who celebrates a first podium in Moto2™, while Ogura’s last corner move on Dixon saw the Japanese rider claim P4 from P12 on the grid. Vietti claimed P6, 1.2s off Dixon, with Somkiat Chantra (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) and Acosta completing the top eight. Alonso Lopez (Beta Tools SpeedUp) and Arbolino rounded out the top 10.
Roberts slipped to P11 by the chequered flag as Sam Lowes (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) – who set the fastest lap of the race on the final lap – was left to rue a poor start to finish P12. Marcos Ramirez (OnlyFans American Racing), Darryn Binder (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP), and Jeremy Alcoba (QJMOTOR Gresini Moto2™) were the final points scorers in Qatar.
Three in a row for Aldeguer. Can anyone stop the Spaniard’s late-season charge in Valencia? We’re all set for a special season finale at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo.
Lusail International Circuit, in Qatar. Photo by Kohei Hirota.
Jaume Masia won the Moto3 World Championship race Sunday at Lusail International Circuit, in Doha, Qatar. Riding his Leopard Racing Honda, Masia won the 16-lap race by a scant 0.068 second. It was Masia’s fourth win of the season and with it the 23-year-old Spaniard clinched the 2023 Moto3 World Championship.
Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team’s David Alonso was the runner-up, and Deniz Oncu finished 0.095 second behind Alonso in third on his Red Bull KTM Ajo machine.
#MAS1A: Jaume Masia is the 2023 FIM Moto3™ World Champion!
The Leopard Racing rider wraps it up with a win at the Qatar GP
Jaume Masia, the 2023 Moto3 World Champion. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Sunday, 19 November 2023
It’s official: Jaume Masia (Leopard Racing) is the 2023 Moto3™ World Champion! A victory in a tense Qatar Airways Grand Prix of Qatar secured the Spaniard a maiden Grand Prix title, with the win at Lusail adding to three further victories across a season that has seen the Spaniard take 10 podiums so far and run at the front from the off.
Born in Algemesi, Valencia, Masia competed in the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup and for three seasons in what is now the JuniorGP™ paddock before making his Grand Prix debut in 2017. He then became a full time Grand Prix rider in 2018 and having finished 13th in his rookie campaign, came out of the blocks flying in 2019. A maiden victory arrived at the Argentina GP, which he then backed up with a P2 at the following race in America.
Two more wins were claimed by Masia in 2020 as he moved to Leopard Racing, before a switch to Red Bull KTM Ajo came for the 2021 and 2022 seasons. In his second KTM stint, Masia won three times in two seasons – finishing P4 and P6 in the overall standings – before then making a move back to Leopard Racing for 2023.
Three podiums in the first five outings was a good start to the year for the #5, but he had to wait until the Dutch GP to pocket a first win back in Leopard colours. Two no scores at Silverstone and the Red Bull Ring then put a significant dent into his title charge, but Masia responded superbly by finishing P2 in Barcelona, P2 in Misano, winning in India and then again in Japan. The title dream was back on track.
Three non-podium finishes in a row didn’t halt Masia’s charge to World Championship leader status either, and having finished P3 in Malaysia, his first match point arrived in Qatar. The showdown was tense. Fighting at the front and with some seriously close exchanges between him and key rival Ayumu Sasaki (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) throughout, it all went down to the final lap. But Masia was able to stay ahead and take that fourth win of the year, securing the crown with another 25-point haul.
Enhorabuena, Jaume!
#MAS1A IN STATS
Aged 23 years 19 days old on race day at the Qatar GP, Jaume Masia is the second-oldest rider to clinch the Moto3™ title after Albert Arenas (23 years and 347 days old in 2020). In addition, he is the first rider to clinch the title after having made more than 100 Moto3™ starts.
This is the sixth time that a Honda rider has won the Moto3™ title, adding to the Championships won by Alex Marquez (2014), Danny Kent (2015), Joan Mir (2017), Jorge Martin (2018) and Lorenzo Dalla Porta (2019).
Masia has won 10 times in Moto3™, and he is tied with Dennis Foggia third place on the list of riders with most wins in Moto3™ since 2012, behind Romano Fenati (13) and Joan Mir (11).
Masia has stood on the podium 27 times in the class, and he is the rider with second most Moto3™ podiums behind Romano Fenati (29).
Masia is the eighth Spanish rider to win the Moto3™ title since the introduction of the class in 2012.
Peter Hickman (88) won the 55th Macau Motorcycle Grand Prix in China. Photo courtesy Macau Grand Prix Committee.
Peter Hickman Takes Fourth Macao Motorcycle Crown
Peter Hickman ran a lights-to-flag finish to win the 55th edition of the Macau Motorcycle Grand Prix. Starting from pole position he powered into the lead and from that moment never looked back. He had Davey Todd behind him for the opening four laps, but once he pulled away there was no catching the MGM FHO Racing BMW rider.
“All went to plan,” said Hickman on his fourth Macau Motorcycle Grand Prix victory. “The tyre was fantastic, everything worked to perfection. Davey (Todd) was pushing early on which was good for me as once I pulled away from him, I then started making mistakes. I had a little talk to myself and by lap ten I was focussed again. I’m delighted for Faye Ho and all of the team who’ve worked tirelessly to achieve this win.”
The 12-lap race had to be restarted after an incident involving Brian McCormack who fell and suffered an ankle injury. In trying to avoid McCormack’s motorcycle, Nadieh Schoots also tumbled. Both were taken to hospital where they were treated for minor injuries.
That happened on the opening lap which was minus Davey Todd who pulled off the grid at the start and it seemed as if he’d missed his chance. Thankfully for him the red flag meant he could start again and was rewarded with a second position finish and a place on the podium, his first at Macao.
“It was Peter Hickman who told me I might have a problem,” said Todd. “He saw little puffs of smoke coming from the bike on the warm-up and it turned out to be a split oil pipe. I felt as if my world had come apart walking back down pit lane. However the team was great, they kept going just in case there was a red flag, which there was, so we could join in the restart. A massive thanks to Phil Crowe, he gave us a replacement pipe as we didn’t have one without which we couldn’t have gone back out.”
Starting from the head of the second row of the grid, David Datzer suffered a poor start to the race, losing a number of positions off the line. He then set about working his way up through the field, eventually passing Macao debutant Josh Brookes for third, which he held all the way to the chequered flag.
“I was so disappointed with my start,” admitted the German rider. “However, I’m blessed to have a great bike which has been prepared by a great team. I worked my way through and to be on the podium again at Macao is a great way to end the event.”
“I’m happy with the final result,” said Josh Brookes, who marked his debut at Macao with a fourth place finish. “After we had the gearbox issue in qualifying, everything with the bike has been perfect. I had a great start from row five but it’s my job to get away well off the line. Once David passed me for third there was no way I was prepared to push to take it back. Macao is a new experience for me. It’s a different environment to anything else I’ve known in racing. I’ve enjoyed my time and who knows if I will come back. Never say never.”
Fifth place went to Rob Hodson. “My plan was to go faster,” said the SMT Racing Honda rider, “and that’s exactly what we did. To finish in fifth is great plus we’re the highest placed non-BMW.”
Michael Rutter was an early retirement with technical issues. “It’s a real shame as the bike has just been improving all week,” said the nine-time Macau Grand Prix winner. “I’ve been around long enough to realise it’s one of those things.”
Erno Kostamo, who won last year’s Macau Grand Prix, was in third place in the first half of the race but he had to pull over due to an electrical issue with the bike. David Johnson had a brake problem with his Kawasaki and was forced to retire. Kamil Holan crashed on the final lap and was taken to hospital where he was treated for minor injuries.
More, from a press release issued by FHO Racing:
Peter Hickman delivers a Macau Grand Prix masterclass for FHO Racing BMW Motorrad
Peter Hickman. Photo courtesy FHO Racing.
Peter Hickman, the man of the 2023 Macau Motorcycle Grand Prix delivered a masterclass in this morning’s 12-lap race aboard the BMW M 1000 RR giving Team Principal, Faye Ho and the FHO Racing team sponsored by MGM, its first Macau Grand Prix win in their debut outing at the event.
In Faye’s hometown, throughout all sessions Hicky topped the times and started today’s 12-lap race from pole position. The race got underway at 08:48 local time and it was teammates Peter and Michael Rutter neck and neck in the opening lap, with Michael moving into second place before the race was red flagged.
A full distance restart was announced, and a quick start procedure got underway with the restart at 09:44 (local time). Off the line once again it was Hicky leading the group with Davey Todd hot on his heels and FHO’s Michael third and newcomer Josh Brookes fifth.
At the end of the first lap Michael came into the pits reporting an issue with his brakes. A quick look at the machine by the FHO crew and he went back to the race on the third rotation, but pulled back in still unhappy and was forced to retire from the running.
Meanwhile on track, Peter had pulled a gap between himself and second place Davey, while Josh had moved into third place. As the race progressed Hicky continued to extend his lead and his fourth Macau GP victory was looking inevitable.
On the 12th and final lap of the Macau Motorcycle Grand Prix – 55th Edition the front runners started to approach back marker traffic, but this wasn’t an issue for Hicky who glided past aboard his FHO Racing BMW Motorrad machine, to take the chequered flag 27s ahead, to claim his fourth Macau win and a first for Faye and the FHO Racing team.
It was also a good finish for Josh, who on his debut outing at the Guia Circuit impressed by consistently improving his lap times and progressing, despite not having a lot of track time in the schedule. Starting the race from 13th on the grid, the Aussie had a fantastic start and was in the leading group, and by mid-race distance he had moved into third place.
Improving his lap times and looking comfortable aboard his BMW machine, Josh eventually crossed the line fourth in his debut Macau Grand Prix event.
Josh Brookes – 4th:
“I’m really quite happy with fourth, considering it’s my first time here. When we lost some time in qualifying it lowered my expectation on how far I could improve, which I purely think is just circuit time that I need to further improve. In the race it’s a completely different atmosphere, which suits me better, I’m accustomed to racing and not just riding around, so I felt like I improved more in the race. But I think it all comes down to laps and familiarisation with the circuit. I got two good starts and managed to make up places, then some people dropped out of the race, which I would say gave me a few positions. But I held my pace in the race and finished fourth, so I’m happy enough. Of course, it would have been fantastic for the team if I had finished on the podium, but it wasn’t to be. So, you have to be happy with fourth and that we’re going home safe.”
Michael Rutter – DNF:
“Obviously I’m well disappointed to have to retire from the race. We have spent just over a week in Macau and unfortunately, we’ve had a bit of an issue with the brakes. In the first race before it was red flagged, the bike was brilliant, it felt good, and I had a bit of a go at Pete [Hickman] coming into the Lisboa corner and was into second but it got flagged. In the restart I was third, I felt comfortable then I had awful chatter braking for the Hairpin and I knew immediately what was wrong as we’d experienced it in qualifying. With the issue we had to retire, which was really unfortunate for the team. Congratulations to Pete on the win and to Josh for his fourth place in his debut year.”
Peter Hickman – 2023 Macau Motorcycle Grand Prix – 55th Edition winner:
“We’ve had a fantastic result today, we’re at Faye’s home event and it’s her proper home track, you know it’s her City and it’s just fantastic to be first in every single session and winning the race, so I couldn’t really ask for more than that – I’m super happy. The boys have worked absolutely mega, the BMW has been superb to be honest, the track was a little harder, but probably as we’ve had a few years away and it’s a bit bumpier than it used to be, which makes it hard to ride. But honestly the FHO Racing team have got the bike pretty much bang on, nothing is ever perfect but it wasn’t far away and I felt really comfortable. Davey obviously gave us a bit of a push to start with, but we could really keep the pace and he couldn’t, so we managed to break away and disappeared up the road and just managed it from there. Everything was pretty much as good as it could be and I couldn’t have really asked for anything more; P1 in every session and taking my fourth Macau GP win. I’ve seen Brian [McCormack] now, so I know he’s alright after the crash this morning, I hope Nadieh is okay also.”
Faye Ho – Team Principal:
“Well, what can I say! This week all my dreams have come true! Coming back to Macau, my home with my own team, leading every session and then taking the win – it doesn’t get much better than that. Pete has ridden fantastically all week and a huge thanks to the team for all their hard work in making this possible. It was such a shame that Michael experienced the issue he did, as I think without that we could have seen a FHO Racing 1-2 on the podium, but this year it wasn’t meant to be. Josh has really impressed everyone with his attitude to the race and how he’s progressed, I think with a little more track experience he could have pushed for the podium. It’s been an amazing week and I’m so proud of the FHO Racing team – 2023 Macau GP winners!”
Lusail International Circuit, in Qatar. Photo by Kohei Hirota.
Jorge Martin won the MotoGP World Championship Sprint Race Saturday night at Lusail International Circuit, in Doha, Qatar. Riding his Prima Pramac Racing Ducati, Martin won the 11-lap race by 0.391 second.
Fabio Di Giannantonio was the runner-up on his Gresini Racing Ducati. Pole-sitter Luca Marini finished third on his Mooney VR46 Racing Team Ducati.
Jorge Martin (89) won the MotoGP Sprint Race Saturday at Lusail International Circuit, while Francesco Bagnaia (1) placed fifth. Photo by Kohei Hirota.
Di Giannantonio’s teammate Alex Marquez was fourth, and defending World Champion Francesco Bagnaia placed fifth on his Lenovo Team Ducati.
Martin’s win combined with Bagnaia’s fifth-place finish reduced Bagnaia’s lead in the point standings from 14 to seven over Martin.
#PECCOvsMARTIN: Sprint fireworks as Martin wins to take the title fight to Valencia
It’s down to seven points as the Pramac rider holds off Diggia and Marini completes the podium, with Bagnaia down in P5
Saturday, 18 November 2023
Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) made super Saturday into statement Saturday at the Qatar Airways Grand Prix of Qatar. With a potential match point on the line on Sunday for title rival Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) depending on the Tissot Sprint, the pressure was absolutely on, and the number 89 soaked it up and then some. After battling Bagnaia early in the race as the two started in P4 and P5, Martin made his way into the lead and then held off a charging Fabio Di Giannantonio (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) over a tense final lap, halving Pecco’s points lead in the process as the Championship leader came home only fifth.
Diggia took a stunning second and from second on the grid, with Luca Marini (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) taking third after leading much of the Sprint from pole. Then came Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™), and then Bagnaia after a fascinating showdown in the desert.
It was an immediate shot of adrenaline in the title fight in Turn 1 too, with Marini getting the holeshot as Alex Marquez slotted into second – but there was contact right behind the two between Martin and Bagnaia. Martin, the rider on the inside, just kept third, with Bagnaia left with a few metres to make up. Later round the lap both Alex Marquez and Martin were slightly wide though, and Pecco shot back past Martin as Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) also attacked and got through.
Martin hit back not long after, putting him right back on the rear wheel of Bagnaia. On Lap 2, it got seriously close again as the number 89 opened the door for himself and made it through, with Diggia trying to do the same. A few corners later, he did.
Meanwhile in the lead, Marini was under attack. Alex Marquez got through but the Italian answered straight back, holding on to it as Martin got the hammer down just behind and set the fastest lap.
Over the line for seven laps to go, Alex Marquez had reloaded and was ready to try again. He once again made it through too, but Martini was even quicker to respond with an immediate cutback. That gave Martin a few more metres too as they squabbled, and the number 89 struck as soon as he had the chance to take over in second, homing in on Marini as Alex Marquez was left to defend against Diggia.
The move from Martin came at the final corner, taking over in the lead and able to hold Marini off into Turn 1. Alex Marquez couldn’t say the same, with Diggia able to get through at Turn 1 and set off after the battle ahead.
Bagnaia, meanwhile, was in fifth and just off the back of the gaggle at the front, but with Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) and Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) charging on, around half a second back.
The next move saw Diggia attack Marini for second, and from there the number 49 set off after Martin. Or more, the mission began to keep up with the title contender as the hammer went absolutely down. Lap by lap, they both pulled away, with Marini holding a safe third and Alex Marquez able to gather up a bit of breathing space ahead of Bagnaia.
The leading duo were locked together at the start of the final lap, with Diggia shadowing Martin’s every move. But the number 89 just kept turning the screw and the Gresini machine lost a few metres here and a few there, unable to quite get back on terms with the race leader. Martin crossed the line 0.391s clear to take a valuable 12-point haul from the Tissot Sprint, with Diggia impressing once again after an incredible weekend so far. Marini completes the podium on Saturday.
Alex Marquez held on to fourth as Bagnaia was only able to take fifth, and under some late pressure from Viñales, who got past Binder and was on the march. But the number #1 was just about able to respond and keep a two to three tenth buffer, defending P5 but seeing his lead cut to just seven points.
Binder came home in P7, with Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) putting in an even bigger charge up from P14 on the grid. The Frenchman was able to get past Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing), who was forced to settle for 10th as Augusto Fernandez (GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3) – now officially Rookie of the Year – grabbed P9 and the last point on Saturday too.
An early, multi-rider crash saw Miguel Oliveira (CryptoDATA RNF MotoGP™ Team) make contact with Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing), and Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Team) was also caught up. Oliveira was declared unfit due to a scapula fracture, and Aleix Espargaro has to be passed fit in a review on Sunday morning – with that penalty from Fp2 pending as well…
And so it’s just seven points between Bagnaia and Martin, with 62 still on the table. 25 more go up for grabs on Sunday in the Qatar Airways Grand Prix of Qatar, and if the Sprint is anything to go by, there will be fireworks. Don’t miss it – tune in for more on Sunday at 20:00 (GMT +3) for another spectacular showdown under the floodlights.
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