Defending World Champion Francesco Bagnaia, riding his Leonovo Ducati Desmosedici GP23, broke the All-Time Lap Record and took pole position during MotoGP qualifying Saturday at Circuit of The Americas (COTA), in Austin, Texas.
Bagnaia will start both the Sprint on Saturday and the main event on Sunday from pole position.
MotoGP Comb Qual
Defending World Champion Francesco Bagania, riding his Lenovo Team Ducati Desmosedici GP23, posted the best lap time during MotoGP Free Practice Three Saturday morning at Circuit of The Americas (COTA), in Austin, Texas.
MotoGP FP3
Filip Salac, riding his QJMOTOR Gresini Racing Kalex, was quickest and close to the Race Lap Record during Moto2 Free Practice Three Saturday morning at Circuit of The Americas, in Austin, Texas. Americans Joe Roberts and Sean Dylan Kelly (SDK) were eighth and 24th, respectively, in the session.
Moto2 FP3
Diogo Moreira, riding his MT Helmets – MSi KTM, led Moto3 Free Practice Three Saturday morning at Circuit of The Americas, in Austin, Texas.
Overnight rains washed away some of the rubber from the racing surface, leading to slightly slower lap times than on Friday.
Moto3 FP3
Roadracing World started this exclusive special feature recognizing the most promising young road racers as an answer to pessimists who claimed North America had no new, up-and-coming young racers. This edition of the Roadracing World Young Gun Awards marks the 27th consecutive year of showcasing what is actually 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 12 MotoAmerica/AMA Pro Superbike Championships;
A KTM RC Cup World Final race;
The Daytona 200 (12 times);
WERA National Endurance Championships and WERA National Challenge Championships;
ASRA/Formula USA Grand National and CCS National Championships;
USGPRU National Championships;
Many regional and local titles.
The competition has continually become more intense as more — and younger — racers with higher levels of accomplishments 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 2023 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.
The entire Roadracing World Young Guns, Class of 2023 is featured in the April 2023 issue of Roadracing World & Motorcycle Technology magazine.
Joseph LiMandri Jr.
Age: 18.
Current home: Garden City, New York.
Current height/weight: 5’7”/130 pounds.
Current school grade level: 12th grade.
Began riding at age: 5 years.
First road race: 2012, Millville, New Jersey, NJminiGP, Spec 50 Class, 4thplace.
Current racebike: Yamaha YZF-R7.
Current tuner/mechanic: Altus Motorsports.
Primary race series: MotoAmerica Twins Cup.
Top sponsors: Altus Motorsports, Yamaha bLU cRU, The Space Jammit, CyberSafe Solutions, Moto Liberty, RS Taichi, Arai Americas, Evolve GT Trackdays, TracksidePartsClub, N2 Track Days, Southern Pride Performance.
Recent racing accomplishments: 2022 season, placed 4th in MotoAmerica Junior Cup Championship (2 wins, 10 total podiums in 18 races); 2021 season, finished 10th in MotoAmerica Junior Cup Championship (3 podium finishes), finished 4th in CCS Mid-Atlantic Regional Overall Championship (placed in the top 5 of 4 CCS Mid-Atlantic class Championships); 2020 season, finished 10th in MotoAmerica Junior Cup Championship (best race results was 2nd at NJMP); 2019 season, finished 5th in MotoAmerica Junior Cup race at VIR, injured for most of 2019 season; 2018 season, won 3 CCS Regional Championships, placed 2nd in 3 other CCS Regional Championships, 21 race wins, 29 podium finishes.
2023 racing goal: Win MotoAmerica Twins Cup races.
Racing career goal: To compete in Superbike World Championship.
Racing hero: Valentino Rossi.
Favorite track: Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Favorite hobby: Motocross.
If I wasn’t racing I would be…: Wishing I was racing.
Some of the riders who have graduated from Roadracing World 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 AFT SuperTwins race winner J.D. Beach;
five-time MotoAmerica Superbike Champion 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 two-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, 2018 MotoAmerica Supersport Championship runner-up, and 2022 MotoAmerica Stock 1000 Championship runner-up 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 two-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 podium finisher Patrick “P.J.” Jacobsen;
2021 MotoAmerica Supersport Champion and current Moto2 World Championship competitor Sean Dylan Kelly;
Canadian Superbike race winner Kevin Lacombe;
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 two-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;
2016 MotoAmerica Superstock 600 Champion, MotoAmerica Supersport podium finisher, and current powersports dealership owner Bryce Prince;
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 MotoAmerica King Of The Baggers race winner James Rispoli;
2015 MotoAmerica Superstock 600 Champion, MotoAmerica Supersport race winner, and Moto2 World Championship race winner Joe Roberts;
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 and MotoAmerica Supersport podium finisher Cory West;
MotoAmerica Junior Cup and Superbike Cup race winner Ashton Yates;
and two-time AMA Pro Superbike Championship runner-up Blake Young.
Prima Pramac Racing Ducati’s Jorge Martin, the lap record holder at the Circuit of The Americas, nearly reset his own mark in the second, overcast and misty practice session on Friday at the 3.4-mile Austin circuit.
Martin ran a 2:02.178 lap at the end of the session, just shy of the all-time fastest lap of 2:02.038 he set last year. World Champion Francesco “Pecco” Bagnaia was second-fastest on his Lenovo factory Ducati GP23, and Alex Rins, a former winner at the circuit, was third on the LCR Honda RC213V, only 0.217 second off of Martin’s time.
Mooney VR46 Racing Ducati’s Luca Marini topped the first session and finished fourth overall, while his teammate Marco Bezzecchi, winner last time out in Argentina, was 11th and will have to go through Q1. Alex Marquez on the Gresini Racing Ducati GP22 was fifth, ahead of Maverick Vinales on the factory Aprilia and Fabio Quartararo on the Yamaha YZR-M1. Both factory KTM RC16s made it into the final qualifying session, with Argentina sprint winner Brad Binder eighth and Jack Miller 10th. Vinales’ teammate, Aleix Espargaro, was ninth.
Pedro Acosta topped the Moto2 timesheets, while Ayumu Sasaki was quickest in Moto3.
APRILIA REVEALS NEW LIMITED EDITION RSV4 FACTORY AND TUONO V4 FACTORY
The newest evolutions of the RSV4 Factory and Tuono V4 Factory feature limited edition liveries that accentuate elevated aerodynamics, ergonomics and aesthetics powered by an industry-leading high-performance 65-degree V4 engine
NEW YORK, N.Y. – April 14, 2023 – Aprilia USA has revealed new versions of its category leading superbike and hypernaked, the RSV4 Factory and Tuono V4 Factory, celebrated for their famous 65-degree narrow V4 platform derived from championship winning experience in World Superbike, now with a new limited edition colorway for both models.
The new V4 models capitalize on a culmination of studious efforts in applied aerodynamics. Significant time spent in a wind tunnel has led to a shape and aesthetic with an ultra-modern look and extremely low aerodynamic resistance. This careful design presents significant performance benefits at high speeds with increases in airbox pressure and downforce.
Along with the aerodynamics, the new V4 Factory models have entirely new and improved ergonomics to maximize rider comfort. The newly designed fuel tanks and saddle allow a rider to fit perfectly with the fairings while still allowing a comfortable amount of onboard space for a more natural and relaxed riding position.
The revamped 1,099cc V4 engine of the RSV4 Factory is stronger than ever and is the most powerful ever built by Aprilia, with an incredible 217 horsepower, while the more upright Tuono V4 makes an impressive 175 horsepower thanks to its 1,077cc V4.
Both models include the new six-axis Marelli 11MP ECU, full ride-by-wire throttle and refined APRC operating system. Along with the introduction of multi-level engine braking control, both Factory models feature six riding modes, three for the track and three for the road (three of which are customizable modes). These riding modes allow best-fit settings for traction control, wheelie control, engine braking and ABS to be calibrated at the touch of a button. Both the RSV4 Factory and Tuono V4 Factory come fitted with forged aluminum wheel rims, a semi-active Ohlins Smart EC 2.0 suspension system and Brembo Stylema brakes.
The RSV4 and Tuono V4 standout thanks to a triple LED front headlight unit with perimeter DRL lights that showcase the signature Aprilia sportbike look. Also included are Aprilia’s cornering lights, a feature that allows for increased visibility while turning by utilizing supplementary lights to illuminate the inside of a turn.
Pricing for the special edition V4 Factory models have increased slightly, with a $500 USD premium and a $750 CAD premium respectively.
RSV4 Factory Special Edition
Availability: U.S. May 2023 / Canada June 2023
Price: U.S. $26,499 / Canada $28,245
Tuono V4 Factory Special Edition
Availability: U.S. May 2023 / Canada June 2023
Price: U.S. $20,099/ Canada $22,845
For more information on the newest evolutions of the RSV4 Factory and Tuono V4 Factory, visit www.aprilia.com.
Sean Dylan Kelly knows he has to step it up. His career is on the line.
“It’s a big year for me. It’s my second year in Moto2, and as of right now I only have a contract until the end of this season. What the future holds for me depends on how I do this year,” Kelly, 20, said in an interview with Roadracing World in Portugal at the 2023 Grand Prix season opener.
Kelly got his first taste of the Moto2 World Championship in 2019, running as a wildcard with the new American Racing Team at the season-ending race in Valencia. He went back to the United States, won the MotoAmerica Supersport Championship, then returned to Europe to race full-time in one of the most competitive classes in the world.
So far the results have not been what Kelly wanted — a best finish of 11th place at a rain-lashed Thailand Grand Prix last year. He knew that in 2022, the learning curve would be steep. And there were unexpected challenges, difficulties he never had faced in his career. This year, he says, he knows he has to put it together and get the finishes he wants.
“Last year was a very, very tough season,” Kelly says. “On the technical side, a Moto2 bike is a different story. It does not compare to what I was riding. I definitely had some troubles getting to understand this bike. It’s a GP chassis — it’s so stiff, so rigid. And at the beginning of the season I had some crashes that really knocked my confidence. I felt like I was in a bit of a hole that I struggled to get out of. I struggled to get the most out of myself…”
Read the rest of the interview with Sean Dylan Kelly in an upcoming issue of Roadracing World & Motorcycle Technology magazine.
Jorge Martin, riding his Prima Pramac Racing Ducati Desmosedici, was just 0.14 second short of his own lap during MotoGP Free Practice Two Friday afternoon at Circuit of The Americas, in Austin, Texas. Martin did a 2:02.178, and the current All-Time Lap Record is 2:02.039.
MotoGP FP2
More, from a press release issued by Dorna:
Martin sets a stunner as Bezzecchi fails to make the cut
The top ten heading for Q2 is decided and it’s Martin ahead of Bagnaia and Rins on Day 1 – with Bezzecchi out and both KTMs in
Saturday, 15 April 2023
‘It was blink-and-you-miss-it stuff to end the first day of action at the Red Bull Grand Prix of the Americas as the fastest riders on the planet attacked the track to secure Q2 spots and with it their chance to fight for pole position. Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) drew first blood and came incredibly close to lap record pace to take top honours, pipping reigning Champion Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) to the top, with former COTA winner Alex Rins (LCR Honda Castrol) excelling in the Americas once again to take an impressive 3rd.
One big headline from the day saw Championship leader Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) miss the cut, ending the day in P11 by just hundredths.
THE FIGHT FOR Q2
After P1 saw Luca Marini (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) beat Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) to the top, it looked like rain could derail the best laid plans for the premier class in the afternoon. But not so, as track conditions were back up to prime by the time the field headed out, and with that the times began to tumble.
The battle for Q2 honours was well and truly underway as the riders attacked with the clock ticking in Practice 2. Ten minutes to go and red sectors were flooding the timing screens, with the pace getting hotter and hotter. Marini and Bagnaia were leading the way in that order until the reigning champion took charge and placed his factory Ducati at the top of the pile, but the final runs were still to come.
Silence fell on the circuit as the riders returned to the pitlane in the calm before the storm. Minutes later a whole gaggle of riders went out on circuit for the final bite at the cherry, but 2022 Championship rivals Bagnaia and Quartararo let the group take to the circuit and waited behind for clear space…
Martin, however, had other plans and moved the goalposts by almost half a second, leaving the rest to battle for the scraps. Bagnaia put in a hot lap soon after though and managed to close back in, but it wasn’t quite enough as he finishes the day 0.063s off. Rins also took up the challenge with a truly impressive third overall, getting to within 0.154 of the top to push Marini down to fourth.
For some, the final very lap was a no-go as Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing) went down and brought out the yellow flags, also forcing the Repsol Honda Joan Mir to take evasive action, riders ok. There had been another moment of adrenaline earlier in the session for Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) too, who saved a massive moment that nearly saw the Spaniard fly over the handlebars. It was a good recovery, however, as he finishes Day 1 in fifth.
Sixth goes to Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) as Top Gun ends Day 1 as top Aprilia, with Quartararo getting shuffled a little further down the order in the afternoon to finish up in P7. Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing), and Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) took the final Q2 spots in 8th, 9th, and 10th respectively, making it both KTMs in the top ten for the first time since Motegi last year.
There is a very notable name missing there though: the Championship leader. Bezzecchi missed the cut by just 0.037s, and from 11th spot, the Argentina GP winner will have to fight his way through Q1 for a chance at pole. The Italian will have to fend off Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda CASTROL), Zarco, Franco Morbidelli (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™), and Miguel Oliveira (CryptoDATA RNF MotoGP™ Team), who will all have to face Saturday’s Q1 session.
GAME ON!
Friday delivered a perfect appetizer in Austin, and with qualifying and the Tissot Sprint awaiting on Saturday, you don’t want to miss a thing. Find out who will take the glory with Q1 at 10:50 (GMT -5) after FP, and the Sprint then underway at 15:00!
Acosta back on top in Austin
Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Ajo) began his Red Bull Grand Prix of the Americas in fine fashion as the Spaniard set the time to beat in the final moments of the day with a 2:09.856. Despite a valiant effort, Championship leader Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) fell just short, finishing the day in 2nd, with Aron Canet (Pons Wegow Los40) completing the top three.
The track remained dry all day for Moto2™ Practice 1, but Practice 2 gave the riders much more to think about with spits of rain in the opening stages. The conditions began to improve as the session went on but with twenty minutes remaining the rain began to pick up once again, before a reprieve finally came in the final few minutes. The hot laps then came flying back in, and Acosta improved his time dramatically. The Portuguese GP victor put in the only 2:09 of the day and snatched the top spot, from Arbolino and Canet.
Joe Roberts (Italtrans Racing Team) also lit up the timesheets at the end of Practice 2, with the American kicking off his home GP with 4th place on Day 1, and Jake Dixon (Asterius GASGAS Aspar) was fifth overall by the end of play after the Brit also dominated P1.
Check out the full timesheets below! Moto2™ will be back in action on Saturday for more practice, before qualifying at 13:45 local (GMT -5).
Sasaki sends a message with more scintillating pace on Friday
Day 1 at COTA goes to Ayumu Sasaki (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) as the Japanese rider kicked off his weekend at the Red Bull Grand Prix of the Americas with a 2:16.306. Completing the top three on combined times were fellow veteran Jaume Masia (Leopard Racing) and sophomore Ivan Ortola (Angeluss MTA Team).
The dark clouds loomed over Austin Texas but the Moto3™ riders were lucky to have a full day of dry running. The final five minutes of P2 saw Sasaki put the hammer down. Ortola was the first to improve but the Japanese rider had something special in his back pocket and stamped his authority on the rest of the field, moving the goalposts by almost half a second. Masia then put in an impressive effort to try and topple Sasaki, setting the fastest first sector but ultimately falling short by 0.176s.
Diogo Moreira (MT Helmets – MSI) topped Practice 1 and will be one watch heading into the race as he finishes the day in P4. Equally, Daniel Holgado (Red Bull KTM Ajo) and Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Ajo) have had positive starts to their weekend finishing the day in 5th and 7th respectively. Kaito Toba (SIC58 Squadra Corse) slots into sixth.
Moto3™ action continues on Saturday, with more practice in the morning before qualifying at 12:50 local time (GMT -5)! Check out the full timesheets below.
Quotes: new Dorna CCO Dan Rossomondo
A special press conference at the Red Bull Grand Prix of the Americas saw Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta welcome Dan Rossomondo to his new role as Chief Commercial Officer.
Here are some key quotes!
Dan Rossomondo, CCO of Dorna Sports: “I want to thank Carmelo, Carlos and Enrique for giving me this opportunity. I don’t have the vocabulary to keep finding synonyms for excited, but I keep saying that. I’m over the moon! I also want to thank all my Dorna teammates, who’ve made me feel so welcome. But as soon as I stepped off the plane they’ve made me feel so welcome and I know we’re going to do great things together. I spent close to 17 years with the NBA so it’s quite a step from basketball to motorbikes, but I’m super excited.
“I think this sport, and this is the key thing for me, is primed to have its moment. It’s poised for us to talk about the greatness of it. I’d done a ton of research when me and Carmelo talked, and with Carlos and Enrique, and I knew what the sport was about, but over the last two days there have been a lot of ‘oh my goodness’ moments! My mind has been blown. What I see as my primary role is how to become the mouthpiece for this sport in the global business community. How do I evangelise for this sport across the world and get people to understand just how great it is. I look at our riders, and these guys are exceptional athletes. The skill it takes to do this, it’s hard for me to imagine. We need to tell the world about their exceptional nature. And thank you to our manufacturers and teams, this sport has so many attributes that people want to understand. The technology that makes the bikes more efficient, to make them go round the track at this incredible pace, and make them safer. It’s really something we should be proud of. The way we innovate, the shoulder cams, how we bring the sport to over 215 countries and territories around the world. That’s really important. I traveled a lot for the NBA, and used to joke it was easier to fly to London than commute to New York! I was all over the world and whenever I couldn’t sleep from jet lag, I’d turn on the TV and there would be these riders going round these tracks. I was so envious of the global nature of the sport. They brought the sport to the fans, in 18 different countries, showing the fans what it is. That’s what makes this show spectacular.
“What I wanted for the next step in my career is to take what I learned in the NBA, which is an unbelievable training ground… this sport is fantastic, it’s in a great place, but how do we promote it? To our partners, sponsors, broadcast partners, licensees… we’re going to build a commercial team that is going to be your best long-term partner. What appealed is the global nature of the sport, and so many sports should be envious of our show. It’s a spectacle. For this generation, it’s fast, and the Sprint is 20 minutes, the Grand Prix race is 40. It’s built perfectly for today’s day and age. What I was looking for was to take my minuscule talents to a huge platform and see if they can work together.
“I want to a learn, I know I can learn a lot from the Dorna team, every time I talk to Carmelo or Carlos I learn something new. My first plan is to study! I was a decent student so I’ll figure that out. we’re going to set lofty goals on the commercial side. and lofty goals for increasing our fandoms across the world. And I want to learn my team, get myself to Madrid and then I’m gonna just dive in.”
Carmelo Ezpeleta, CEO of Dorna Sports: “It’s a lot of pressure for me to introduce Dan! All the paddock, with the FIM and everyone, we’ve been building a fantastic sport for many years. I think we have one of the greatest shows in the world, and we’ve been working together since 1992 to do everything better, that’s been our aspiration. Last year, Manel Arroyo, who was working with me form the beginning, decided to step away, although he will continue advising me. It was the moment to nominate a new Chief commercial officer, and we decided it was the moment to make MotoGP even better, and an even more global sport. To do that we organised a search and we received around 25 very important people from sport were interested in joining Dorna, and in being part of this sport. We thought it was important to take the recruitment seriously, and spend three months deciding who it should be. Now it’s my pleasure to introduce Dan Rossomondo, who comes from the NBA. Nothing is more global than the NBA, and I think his experience and what he’s been doing, will be a big help for us to continue growing. It’s a real pleasure for me to introduce him.”
Red Bull KTM’s Pedro Acosta was quickest while Americans Joe Roberts and Sean Dylan Kelly (SDK) were fourth and 25th, respectively, in Moto2 Free Practice Two Friday afternoon at Circuit of The Americas (COTA).
Moto2 FP2
Defending World Champion Francesco Bagnaia, riding his Leonovo Ducati Desmosedici GP23, broke the All-Time Lap Record and took pole position during MotoGP qualifying Saturday at Circuit of The Americas (COTA), in Austin, Texas.
Bagnaia will start both the Sprint on Saturday and the main event on Sunday from pole position.
MotoGP Comb Qual
Defending World Champion Francesco Bagania, riding his Lenovo Team Ducati Desmosedici GP23, posted the best lap time during MotoGP Free Practice Three Saturday morning at Circuit of The Americas (COTA), in Austin, Texas.
MotoGP FP3
Filip Salac, riding his QJMOTOR Gresini Racing Kalex, was quickest and close to the Race Lap Record during Moto2 Free Practice Three Saturday morning at Circuit of The Americas, in Austin, Texas. Americans Joe Roberts and Sean Dylan Kelly (SDK) were eighth and 24th, respectively, in the session.
Moto2 FP3
Diogo Moreira, riding his MT Helmets – MSi KTM, led Moto3 Free Practice Three Saturday morning at Circuit of The Americas, in Austin, Texas.
Overnight rains washed away some of the rubber from the racing surface, leading to slightly slower lap times than on Friday.
Moto3 FP3
Roadracing World started this exclusive special feature recognizing the most promising young road racers as an answer to pessimists who claimed North America had no new, up-and-coming young racers. This edition of the Roadracing World Young Gun Awards marks the 27th consecutive year of showcasing what is actually 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 12 MotoAmerica/AMA Pro Superbike Championships;
A KTM RC Cup World Final race;
The Daytona 200 (12 times);
WERA National Endurance Championships and WERA National Challenge Championships;
ASRA/Formula USA Grand National and CCS National Championships;
USGPRU National Championships;
Many regional and local titles.
The competition has continually become more intense as more — and younger — racers with higher levels of accomplishments 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 2023 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.
The entire Roadracing World Young Guns, Class of 2023 is featured in the April 2023 issue of Roadracing World & Motorcycle Technology magazine.
Joseph LiMandri Jr.
Age: 18.
Current home: Garden City, New York.
Current height/weight: 5’7”/130 pounds.
Current school grade level: 12th grade.
Began riding at age: 5 years.
First road race: 2012, Millville, New Jersey, NJminiGP, Spec 50 Class, 4thplace.
Current racebike: Yamaha YZF-R7.
Current tuner/mechanic: Altus Motorsports.
Primary race series: MotoAmerica Twins Cup.
Top sponsors: Altus Motorsports, Yamaha bLU cRU, The Space Jammit, CyberSafe Solutions, Moto Liberty, RS Taichi, Arai Americas, Evolve GT Trackdays, TracksidePartsClub, N2 Track Days, Southern Pride Performance.
Recent racing accomplishments: 2022 season, placed 4th in MotoAmerica Junior Cup Championship (2 wins, 10 total podiums in 18 races); 2021 season, finished 10th in MotoAmerica Junior Cup Championship (3 podium finishes), finished 4th in CCS Mid-Atlantic Regional Overall Championship (placed in the top 5 of 4 CCS Mid-Atlantic class Championships); 2020 season, finished 10th in MotoAmerica Junior Cup Championship (best race results was 2nd at NJMP); 2019 season, finished 5th in MotoAmerica Junior Cup race at VIR, injured for most of 2019 season; 2018 season, won 3 CCS Regional Championships, placed 2nd in 3 other CCS Regional Championships, 21 race wins, 29 podium finishes.
2023 racing goal: Win MotoAmerica Twins Cup races.
Racing career goal: To compete in Superbike World Championship.
Racing hero: Valentino Rossi.
Favorite track: Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Favorite hobby: Motocross.
If I wasn’t racing I would be…: Wishing I was racing.
Some of the riders who have graduated from Roadracing World 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 AFT SuperTwins race winner J.D. Beach;
five-time MotoAmerica Superbike Champion 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 two-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, 2018 MotoAmerica Supersport Championship runner-up, and 2022 MotoAmerica Stock 1000 Championship runner-up 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 two-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 podium finisher Patrick “P.J.” Jacobsen;
2021 MotoAmerica Supersport Champion and current Moto2 World Championship competitor Sean Dylan Kelly;
Canadian Superbike race winner Kevin Lacombe;
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 two-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;
2016 MotoAmerica Superstock 600 Champion, MotoAmerica Supersport podium finisher, and current powersports dealership owner Bryce Prince;
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 MotoAmerica King Of The Baggers race winner James Rispoli;
2015 MotoAmerica Superstock 600 Champion, MotoAmerica Supersport race winner, and Moto2 World Championship race winner Joe Roberts;
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 and MotoAmerica Supersport podium finisher Cory West;
MotoAmerica Junior Cup and Superbike Cup race winner Ashton Yates;
and two-time AMA Pro Superbike Championship runner-up Blake Young.
Prima Pramac Racing Ducati’s Jorge Martin, the lap record holder at the Circuit of The Americas, nearly reset his own mark in the second, overcast and misty practice session on Friday at the 3.4-mile Austin circuit.
Martin ran a 2:02.178 lap at the end of the session, just shy of the all-time fastest lap of 2:02.038 he set last year. World Champion Francesco “Pecco” Bagnaia was second-fastest on his Lenovo factory Ducati GP23, and Alex Rins, a former winner at the circuit, was third on the LCR Honda RC213V, only 0.217 second off of Martin’s time.
Mooney VR46 Racing Ducati’s Luca Marini topped the first session and finished fourth overall, while his teammate Marco Bezzecchi, winner last time out in Argentina, was 11th and will have to go through Q1. Alex Marquez on the Gresini Racing Ducati GP22 was fifth, ahead of Maverick Vinales on the factory Aprilia and Fabio Quartararo on the Yamaha YZR-M1. Both factory KTM RC16s made it into the final qualifying session, with Argentina sprint winner Brad Binder eighth and Jack Miller 10th. Vinales’ teammate, Aleix Espargaro, was ninth.
Pedro Acosta topped the Moto2 timesheets, while Ayumu Sasaki was quickest in Moto3.
APRILIA REVEALS NEW LIMITED EDITION RSV4 FACTORY AND TUONO V4 FACTORY
The newest evolutions of the RSV4 Factory and Tuono V4 Factory feature limited edition liveries that accentuate elevated aerodynamics, ergonomics and aesthetics powered by an industry-leading high-performance 65-degree V4 engine
NEW YORK, N.Y. – April 14, 2023 – Aprilia USA has revealed new versions of its category leading superbike and hypernaked, the RSV4 Factory and Tuono V4 Factory, celebrated for their famous 65-degree narrow V4 platform derived from championship winning experience in World Superbike, now with a new limited edition colorway for both models.
The new V4 models capitalize on a culmination of studious efforts in applied aerodynamics. Significant time spent in a wind tunnel has led to a shape and aesthetic with an ultra-modern look and extremely low aerodynamic resistance. This careful design presents significant performance benefits at high speeds with increases in airbox pressure and downforce.
Along with the aerodynamics, the new V4 Factory models have entirely new and improved ergonomics to maximize rider comfort. The newly designed fuel tanks and saddle allow a rider to fit perfectly with the fairings while still allowing a comfortable amount of onboard space for a more natural and relaxed riding position.
The revamped 1,099cc V4 engine of the RSV4 Factory is stronger than ever and is the most powerful ever built by Aprilia, with an incredible 217 horsepower, while the more upright Tuono V4 makes an impressive 175 horsepower thanks to its 1,077cc V4.
Both models include the new six-axis Marelli 11MP ECU, full ride-by-wire throttle and refined APRC operating system. Along with the introduction of multi-level engine braking control, both Factory models feature six riding modes, three for the track and three for the road (three of which are customizable modes). These riding modes allow best-fit settings for traction control, wheelie control, engine braking and ABS to be calibrated at the touch of a button. Both the RSV4 Factory and Tuono V4 Factory come fitted with forged aluminum wheel rims, a semi-active Ohlins Smart EC 2.0 suspension system and Brembo Stylema brakes.
The RSV4 and Tuono V4 standout thanks to a triple LED front headlight unit with perimeter DRL lights that showcase the signature Aprilia sportbike look. Also included are Aprilia’s cornering lights, a feature that allows for increased visibility while turning by utilizing supplementary lights to illuminate the inside of a turn.
Pricing for the special edition V4 Factory models have increased slightly, with a $500 USD premium and a $750 CAD premium respectively.
RSV4 Factory Special Edition
Availability: U.S. May 2023 / Canada June 2023
Price: U.S. $26,499 / Canada $28,245
Tuono V4 Factory Special Edition
Availability: U.S. May 2023 / Canada June 2023
Price: U.S. $20,099/ Canada $22,845
For more information on the newest evolutions of the RSV4 Factory and Tuono V4 Factory, visit www.aprilia.com.
Sean Dylan Kelly knows he has to step it up. His career is on the line.
“It’s a big year for me. It’s my second year in Moto2, and as of right now I only have a contract until the end of this season. What the future holds for me depends on how I do this year,” Kelly, 20, said in an interview with Roadracing World in Portugal at the 2023 Grand Prix season opener.
Kelly got his first taste of the Moto2 World Championship in 2019, running as a wildcard with the new American Racing Team at the season-ending race in Valencia. He went back to the United States, won the MotoAmerica Supersport Championship, then returned to Europe to race full-time in one of the most competitive classes in the world.
So far the results have not been what Kelly wanted — a best finish of 11th place at a rain-lashed Thailand Grand Prix last year. He knew that in 2022, the learning curve would be steep. And there were unexpected challenges, difficulties he never had faced in his career. This year, he says, he knows he has to put it together and get the finishes he wants.
“Last year was a very, very tough season,” Kelly says. “On the technical side, a Moto2 bike is a different story. It does not compare to what I was riding. I definitely had some troubles getting to understand this bike. It’s a GP chassis — it’s so stiff, so rigid. And at the beginning of the season I had some crashes that really knocked my confidence. I felt like I was in a bit of a hole that I struggled to get out of. I struggled to get the most out of myself…”
Read the rest of the interview with Sean Dylan Kelly in an upcoming issue of Roadracing World & Motorcycle Technology magazine.
Jorge Martin, riding his Prima Pramac Racing Ducati Desmosedici, was just 0.14 second short of his own lap during MotoGP Free Practice Two Friday afternoon at Circuit of The Americas, in Austin, Texas. Martin did a 2:02.178, and the current All-Time Lap Record is 2:02.039.
MotoGP FP2
More, from a press release issued by Dorna:
Martin sets a stunner as Bezzecchi fails to make the cut
The top ten heading for Q2 is decided and it’s Martin ahead of Bagnaia and Rins on Day 1 – with Bezzecchi out and both KTMs in
Saturday, 15 April 2023
‘It was blink-and-you-miss-it stuff to end the first day of action at the Red Bull Grand Prix of the Americas as the fastest riders on the planet attacked the track to secure Q2 spots and with it their chance to fight for pole position. Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) drew first blood and came incredibly close to lap record pace to take top honours, pipping reigning Champion Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) to the top, with former COTA winner Alex Rins (LCR Honda Castrol) excelling in the Americas once again to take an impressive 3rd.
One big headline from the day saw Championship leader Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) miss the cut, ending the day in P11 by just hundredths.
THE FIGHT FOR Q2
After P1 saw Luca Marini (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) beat Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) to the top, it looked like rain could derail the best laid plans for the premier class in the afternoon. But not so, as track conditions were back up to prime by the time the field headed out, and with that the times began to tumble.
The battle for Q2 honours was well and truly underway as the riders attacked with the clock ticking in Practice 2. Ten minutes to go and red sectors were flooding the timing screens, with the pace getting hotter and hotter. Marini and Bagnaia were leading the way in that order until the reigning champion took charge and placed his factory Ducati at the top of the pile, but the final runs were still to come.
Silence fell on the circuit as the riders returned to the pitlane in the calm before the storm. Minutes later a whole gaggle of riders went out on circuit for the final bite at the cherry, but 2022 Championship rivals Bagnaia and Quartararo let the group take to the circuit and waited behind for clear space…
Martin, however, had other plans and moved the goalposts by almost half a second, leaving the rest to battle for the scraps. Bagnaia put in a hot lap soon after though and managed to close back in, but it wasn’t quite enough as he finishes the day 0.063s off. Rins also took up the challenge with a truly impressive third overall, getting to within 0.154 of the top to push Marini down to fourth.
For some, the final very lap was a no-go as Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing) went down and brought out the yellow flags, also forcing the Repsol Honda Joan Mir to take evasive action, riders ok. There had been another moment of adrenaline earlier in the session for Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) too, who saved a massive moment that nearly saw the Spaniard fly over the handlebars. It was a good recovery, however, as he finishes Day 1 in fifth.
Sixth goes to Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) as Top Gun ends Day 1 as top Aprilia, with Quartararo getting shuffled a little further down the order in the afternoon to finish up in P7. Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing), and Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) took the final Q2 spots in 8th, 9th, and 10th respectively, making it both KTMs in the top ten for the first time since Motegi last year.
There is a very notable name missing there though: the Championship leader. Bezzecchi missed the cut by just 0.037s, and from 11th spot, the Argentina GP winner will have to fight his way through Q1 for a chance at pole. The Italian will have to fend off Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda CASTROL), Zarco, Franco Morbidelli (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™), and Miguel Oliveira (CryptoDATA RNF MotoGP™ Team), who will all have to face Saturday’s Q1 session.
GAME ON!
Friday delivered a perfect appetizer in Austin, and with qualifying and the Tissot Sprint awaiting on Saturday, you don’t want to miss a thing. Find out who will take the glory with Q1 at 10:50 (GMT -5) after FP, and the Sprint then underway at 15:00!
Acosta back on top in Austin
Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Ajo) began his Red Bull Grand Prix of the Americas in fine fashion as the Spaniard set the time to beat in the final moments of the day with a 2:09.856. Despite a valiant effort, Championship leader Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) fell just short, finishing the day in 2nd, with Aron Canet (Pons Wegow Los40) completing the top three.
The track remained dry all day for Moto2™ Practice 1, but Practice 2 gave the riders much more to think about with spits of rain in the opening stages. The conditions began to improve as the session went on but with twenty minutes remaining the rain began to pick up once again, before a reprieve finally came in the final few minutes. The hot laps then came flying back in, and Acosta improved his time dramatically. The Portuguese GP victor put in the only 2:09 of the day and snatched the top spot, from Arbolino and Canet.
Joe Roberts (Italtrans Racing Team) also lit up the timesheets at the end of Practice 2, with the American kicking off his home GP with 4th place on Day 1, and Jake Dixon (Asterius GASGAS Aspar) was fifth overall by the end of play after the Brit also dominated P1.
Check out the full timesheets below! Moto2™ will be back in action on Saturday for more practice, before qualifying at 13:45 local (GMT -5).
Sasaki sends a message with more scintillating pace on Friday
Day 1 at COTA goes to Ayumu Sasaki (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) as the Japanese rider kicked off his weekend at the Red Bull Grand Prix of the Americas with a 2:16.306. Completing the top three on combined times were fellow veteran Jaume Masia (Leopard Racing) and sophomore Ivan Ortola (Angeluss MTA Team).
The dark clouds loomed over Austin Texas but the Moto3™ riders were lucky to have a full day of dry running. The final five minutes of P2 saw Sasaki put the hammer down. Ortola was the first to improve but the Japanese rider had something special in his back pocket and stamped his authority on the rest of the field, moving the goalposts by almost half a second. Masia then put in an impressive effort to try and topple Sasaki, setting the fastest first sector but ultimately falling short by 0.176s.
Diogo Moreira (MT Helmets – MSI) topped Practice 1 and will be one watch heading into the race as he finishes the day in P4. Equally, Daniel Holgado (Red Bull KTM Ajo) and Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Ajo) have had positive starts to their weekend finishing the day in 5th and 7th respectively. Kaito Toba (SIC58 Squadra Corse) slots into sixth.
Moto3™ action continues on Saturday, with more practice in the morning before qualifying at 12:50 local time (GMT -5)! Check out the full timesheets below.
Quotes: new Dorna CCO Dan Rossomondo
A special press conference at the Red Bull Grand Prix of the Americas saw Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta welcome Dan Rossomondo to his new role as Chief Commercial Officer.
Here are some key quotes!
Dan Rossomondo, CCO of Dorna Sports: “I want to thank Carmelo, Carlos and Enrique for giving me this opportunity. I don’t have the vocabulary to keep finding synonyms for excited, but I keep saying that. I’m over the moon! I also want to thank all my Dorna teammates, who’ve made me feel so welcome. But as soon as I stepped off the plane they’ve made me feel so welcome and I know we’re going to do great things together. I spent close to 17 years with the NBA so it’s quite a step from basketball to motorbikes, but I’m super excited.
“I think this sport, and this is the key thing for me, is primed to have its moment. It’s poised for us to talk about the greatness of it. I’d done a ton of research when me and Carmelo talked, and with Carlos and Enrique, and I knew what the sport was about, but over the last two days there have been a lot of ‘oh my goodness’ moments! My mind has been blown. What I see as my primary role is how to become the mouthpiece for this sport in the global business community. How do I evangelise for this sport across the world and get people to understand just how great it is. I look at our riders, and these guys are exceptional athletes. The skill it takes to do this, it’s hard for me to imagine. We need to tell the world about their exceptional nature. And thank you to our manufacturers and teams, this sport has so many attributes that people want to understand. The technology that makes the bikes more efficient, to make them go round the track at this incredible pace, and make them safer. It’s really something we should be proud of. The way we innovate, the shoulder cams, how we bring the sport to over 215 countries and territories around the world. That’s really important. I traveled a lot for the NBA, and used to joke it was easier to fly to London than commute to New York! I was all over the world and whenever I couldn’t sleep from jet lag, I’d turn on the TV and there would be these riders going round these tracks. I was so envious of the global nature of the sport. They brought the sport to the fans, in 18 different countries, showing the fans what it is. That’s what makes this show spectacular.
“What I wanted for the next step in my career is to take what I learned in the NBA, which is an unbelievable training ground… this sport is fantastic, it’s in a great place, but how do we promote it? To our partners, sponsors, broadcast partners, licensees… we’re going to build a commercial team that is going to be your best long-term partner. What appealed is the global nature of the sport, and so many sports should be envious of our show. It’s a spectacle. For this generation, it’s fast, and the Sprint is 20 minutes, the Grand Prix race is 40. It’s built perfectly for today’s day and age. What I was looking for was to take my minuscule talents to a huge platform and see if they can work together.
“I want to a learn, I know I can learn a lot from the Dorna team, every time I talk to Carmelo or Carlos I learn something new. My first plan is to study! I was a decent student so I’ll figure that out. we’re going to set lofty goals on the commercial side. and lofty goals for increasing our fandoms across the world. And I want to learn my team, get myself to Madrid and then I’m gonna just dive in.”
Carmelo Ezpeleta, CEO of Dorna Sports: “It’s a lot of pressure for me to introduce Dan! All the paddock, with the FIM and everyone, we’ve been building a fantastic sport for many years. I think we have one of the greatest shows in the world, and we’ve been working together since 1992 to do everything better, that’s been our aspiration. Last year, Manel Arroyo, who was working with me form the beginning, decided to step away, although he will continue advising me. It was the moment to nominate a new Chief commercial officer, and we decided it was the moment to make MotoGP even better, and an even more global sport. To do that we organised a search and we received around 25 very important people from sport were interested in joining Dorna, and in being part of this sport. We thought it was important to take the recruitment seriously, and spend three months deciding who it should be. Now it’s my pleasure to introduce Dan Rossomondo, who comes from the NBA. Nothing is more global than the NBA, and I think his experience and what he’s been doing, will be a big help for us to continue growing. It’s a real pleasure for me to introduce him.”
Red Bull KTM’s Pedro Acosta was quickest while Americans Joe Roberts and Sean Dylan Kelly (SDK) were fourth and 25th, respectively, in Moto2 Free Practice Two Friday afternoon at Circuit of The Americas (COTA).
Moto2 FP2
