Nicolo Bulega was fastest in World Supersport Free Practice Two (FP2) Friday afternoon at Magny-Cours, in France, but Valentin Debise was quickest overall on Friday.
Riding his Aruba.it Racing Ducati Panigale V2, Bulega led FP2 with a time of 1:41.114 with Debise second-best at 1:41.178 on his GMT94 Yamaha YZF-R6. Frenchman Debise, however, was fastest overall with the 1:41.083 he did in FP1 on Friday morning.
WSS FP2
Michael Rinaldi was quickest during World Superbike Free Practice Two (FP2) Friday afternoon at Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli, in San Marino. Riding his Aruba.it Racing Ducati Panigale V4 R, Rinaldi lapped the 2.7-mile (4.4 km) track in 1:36.973 to lead the field of 24 riders.
Like he was in FP1, American Garrett Gerloff was second in FP2 with a lap at 1:36.981 on his Bonovo Action BMW M 1000 RR.
Toprak Razgatlioglu was third-quickest in FP2 with a time of 1:37.114 on his Pata Yamaha by Prometeon machine.
WSBK FP2
More, from a press release issued by Dorna:
Red flags shake up WorldSBK practice at Magny-Cours
A dramatic afternoon at Magny-Cours saw red flags disrupt WorldSBK practice. Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) maintained his leading position, facing stiff competition from Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) and Garrett Gerloff (Bonovo Action BMW), who secured second and third places, respectively. Toprak Razgatlioglu and teammate Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) delivered a solid performance in the combined standings, with fourth and fifth positions. Championship leader Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) settled for sixth place on the combined timesheets, highlighting Ducati’s progress at this traditionally challenging circuit.
Jonathan Rea held his ground at the top, despite the fierce competition in FP2.
P1 | Jonathan Rea | Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK
“It was a positive day. Right from the first lap, I felt really good with my bike. Of course, in the afternoon, the temperature came up, and we tried to do a long run with the rear option tyre. But we had a lot of red flags, which worked in our favor because we were able to go back to this morning’s setup. We changed the front of the bike during that break. I didn’t like it. We were trying to give me more confidence to stop the bike, but in the end, I couldn’t stop; braking on the side of the tire was even worse. The mechanics did a really good job changing everything back. By that stage, the tyre was quite old, but I went out and was consistent, setting my fastest lap at the end of the run.”
Michael Ruben Rinaldi showcased Ducati’s strength by claiming the second spot overall.
Garrett Gerloff impressed as the fastest BMW rider, securing a strong third place.
Championship leader Alvaro Bautista faced a challenging day, finishing in sixth place on the combined timesheets.
WorldSBK Combined Results after FP2
1. Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) 1’36.900
2. Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +0.073s
3. Garrett Gerloff (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) +0.081s
4. Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) +0.160s
5. Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) +0.242s
6. Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +0.274s
Debise dominates Friday at home
Valentin Debise (GMT94 Yamaha) continued his dominance at his home circuit, impressively topping the FP1 timesheets. His mastery of the French venue shone through, securing him the top spot in the combined classification. Despite falling behind Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team) in Free Practice 2, Debise’s morning run ensured he remained in the overall lead. Bulega topped the FP2 timesheets, closing the gap between him and Debise. Adrian Huertas (MTM Kawasaki), facing challenging conditions that led to crashes, managed to secure third place. Stefano Manzi and Yari Montella also delivered strong performances in fourth and fifth places, respectively.
P1 | Valentin Debise | GMT94 Yamaha
“It’s always nice to be in first position after Free Practice. I know it’s only Free Practice but this season I had a few issues during the Superpole sessions so today I tried to ride alone as much as possible so I could understand my pace, which I did. I’m really happy with the work we did with the team. We had the chance to test here with the team a few weeks ago so the base setup was great and I could be fast immediately. Now I’m looking forward to Race 1 tomorrow!”
WorldSSP Combined Results after FP2
1. Valentin Debise (GMT94 Yamaha) 1’41.083s
2. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team) +0.031s
3. Adrian Huertas (MTM Kawasaki) 0.053s
4. Stefano Manzi (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) +0.302s
5. Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) +0.382s
6. Raffaele De Rosa (Orelac Racing VerdNatura) +0.416s
Vannucci dominates in sweltering French heat, leading Free Practice Sessions
In the blistering heat of the Pirelli French Round at Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours, Matteo Vannucci (AG Motorsport Italia Yamaha) demonstrated his prowess by topping the charts in the combined classifications. Vannucci’s remarkable early lap in Free Practice 2 secured him the top spot, finishing more than three tenths ahead of the competition. Kevin Sabatucci (Team Flembbo – PI Performances), who had earlier claimed the fastest time in Free Practice 1, settled for the second position. German star Dirk Geiger (Freudenberg KTM – Paligo Racing) ended Friday in third place, though he was 0.491 seconds behind Vannucci’s blazing pace. Championship leader Jose Luis Perez Gonzalez (Accolade Smrz Racing BGR) was fifth showcasing his championship-worthy form, staying in contention for another podium to extend his lead.
P1 | Matteo Vannucci | AG Motorsport Italia Yamaha
“I worked on my feeling with the bike in Free Practice 1, and in FP2 I tried to improve compared to the morning session. I’m happy to finish fastest overall on Friday. Tomorrow, I want to do better than in the previous race and try to recover some points to the championship leader.”
WorldSSP Combined Results after FP2
1 Matteo Vannucci (AG Motorsport Italia Yamaha) 1’52.914s
2. Kevin Sabatucci (Team Flembbo – PI Performances) +0.363s
3. Dirk Geiger (Freudenberg KTM – Paligo Racing) +0.491s
4. Loris Veneman (MTM Kawasaki) +0.578s
5. Jose Luis Perez Gonzalez (Accolade Smrz Racing BGR) +0.599s
6. Samuel Di Sora (ProDina Kawasaki Racing) +0.700s
WorldSBK action resumes on Saturday with FP3 from 09:00 (Local Time), followed by Tissot Superpole at 11:10 and Race 1 at 14:00, while WorldSSP action continues on Saturday with the Tissot Superpole from 10:25, and Race 1 at 15:15. WorldSSP300 will be back in action at 9:45 with the Tissot Superpole and then Race 1 at 12:40.
Former MotoGP star Jeremy McWilliams took provisional pole position during MotoAmerica Mission Super Hooligan Qualifying One (Q1) Friday afternoon at Circuit of The Americas, in Austin, Texas. With ambient temperatures approaching 105 degrees F, the Ulsterman lapped the 3.4-mile course in 2:17.055 on his Progressive Insurance/Mission Foods Indian FTR 1200.
Andy DiBrino was next-best with a time of 2:20.149 on his DiBrino Racing KTM 890 Duke R.
McWilliams’ teammate Tyler O’Hara, the defending Champion, did a third-fastest 2:20.311 on his Indian.
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Defending Champion Tyler O’Hara topped MotoAmerica Mission King Of The Baggers Free Practice One (FP1) Friday at Circuit of The Americas (COTA), in Austin, Texas. Riding his Progressive Insurance/Mission Foods Indian Challenger, O’Hara covered the 3.4-mile circuit in 2:17.055 to lead the field of 18 riders.
2021 Champion Kyle Wyman was second-best with a 2:17.283 on his Screamin’ Eagle Harley-Davidson Road Glide, while Bobby Fong was third-fastest with a lap time of 2:17.598 on his Sac Mile/SDI Racing/Roland Sands Design Indian.
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Xavi Fores dominated MotoAmerica Supersport Free Practice One (FP1) Friday morning at Circuit of The Americas (COTA), in Austin, Texas. Riding his Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati Panigale V2, the Spaniard lapped the 3.4-mile course in 2:14.924 to top the field of 36 riders.
Josh Hayes was the best of the rest with a 2:15.603 on his Squid Hunter Racing Yamaha YZF-R6.
Young Gun Tyler Scott was third-fastest with a time of 2:16.733 on his Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki GSX-R750.
Veteran David Anthony’s 2:16.864 on his Wrench Motorcycles Suzuki GSX-R750 ranked him fourth.
Newcomer Torin Collins, an 18-year-old Canadian who normally races in the FIM JuniorGP World Championship, was fifth in his first-ever MotoAmerica Supersport session with a 2:17.076.
Another newcomer to the class, Kayla Yaakov, age 16, was 19th in her debut session on the Tytlers Cycle Racing Kawasaki ZX-6R with a 2:23.559.
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Travis Wyman led MotoAmerica Steel Commander Stock 1000 Free Practice One (FP1) Friday morning at Circuit of The Americas (COTA), in Austin, Texas. Wyman, riding his Travis Wyman Racing BMW M 1000 RR, circulated the 3.4-mile course in 2:13.620, 1.1 seconds faster than the rest of the field.
Hayden Gillim was second-best with a 2:14.810 on his Disrupt Racing Suzuki GSX-R1000R, and Benjamin Smith was third-fastest with a lap of 2:15.695 on his Benjamin Smith Racing Yamaha.
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Newly crowned 2023 MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike Champion Jake Gagne threw down a lap time late in Free Practice One to jump to the top of the order Friday at Circuit of The Americas (COTA), in Austin, Texas. Riding his Fresh N Lean Progressive Insurance Yamaha YZF-R1, Gagne covered the 3.4-mile course in 2:10.579.
That time put Gagne just ahead of Josh Herrin, who led a lot of the session on his Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati Panigale V4 R but ended up second-best with a time of 2:10.842.
Gagne, Herrin, and Gagne’s teammate JD Beach all tested at COTA in August.
PJ Jacobsen was third in the session with a 2:11.381 on his Tytlers Cycle Racing BMW M 1000 RR.
Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki teammates Richie Escalante (2:11.942) and Brandon Paasch (2:12.461) were fourth and fifth, respectively.
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Marco Bezzecchi posted the best lap time in MotoGP “Practice” Friday afternoon at Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli, in San Marino. Riding his Mooney VR46 Racing Team Ducati Desmosedici, the Italian lapped his 2.6-mile (4.2 km) home track in 1:30.846 to lead the field of 24 riders.
Maverick Vinales was second-quickest with a 1:30.972 on his factory Aprilia RS-GP, while retired MotoGP Legend/KTM test rider Dani Pedrosa was third-fastest with a 1:31.101 on his Red Bull KTM RC16.
MotoGP Practice
More, from a press release issued by Dorna:
Bezzecchi slams in new lap record to head Viñales and Pedrosa at Misano
Bezzecchi meant business in Practice as Pedrosa, Marc Marquez and Bagnaia make it into the all-important top 10
Friday, 08 September 2023
Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) put in a superhuman Day 1 at the Gran Premio Red Bull di San Marino e della Riviera di Rimini, putting in a new Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli all-time lap record to place himself 0.126s clear of Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) in Practice. The ever-impressive Dani Pedrosa (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) completes the Friday top three as the MotoGP™ Legend rolls back the years in his second wildcard appearance of the season.
Records tumble in Misano
Until there were just over 20 minutes to go, Pedrosa was leading the way before Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) took over at the summit. The benchmark was a 1:31.416 as the riders began to turn up the wick in their pursuit of automatic Q2 promotion.
Bezzecchi, still riding through the pain barrier after the Turn 1 incident in Barcelona, then pounced to P1 with just over 10 minutes left on the clock, his advantage over Martin was a slender 0.028s, as rapid times were now starting to come in. Example A: Viñales’ new all-time lap record – a scintillating 1:30.972, the very first 1:30 lap around Misano in MotoGP™.
Pedrosa climbed back up to second on his penultimate lap and in the Little Samurai’s shadow was an old foe – Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team). The eight-time World Champion went P3 as Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) crashed at Turn 15, bringing out the yellow flags. That proved crucial for Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) whose lap – that was good enough for P6 – was cancelled, but the World Champion responded brilliantly to propel himself back into the top 10.
Bezzecchi landed a late barnstormer to eventually claim P1 as Catalan GP winner Aleix Espargaro slipped outside the top 10 to P12 as riders improved their previous best efforts. A Turn 15 crash for Pol Espargaro (GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3) cost the younger Espargaro sibling a top 10 too, as the automatic Q2 qualifiers were set in Misano.
The top 10 ahead of qualifying
Martin and Luca Marini (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) will head into Saturday inside the top five, with Marc Marquez and Bagnaia P6 and P7 respectively. P8 went the way of Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™), as Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) and Raul Fernandez (CryptoDATA RNF MotoGP™ Team) seal P9 and P10 – the latter gaining Q2 entry for the first time in his MotoGP™ career despite a small crash in Practice.
A stacked Q1 and intriguing qualifying awaits
Aleix Espargaro, Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™), Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing)… the list goes on. Q1 is set to be a belter, as is Q2!
SHOWTIME
The stage is set for Qualifying and then the Tissot Sprint. Make sure you tune in:
MotoGP™ FP2: 10:10
MotoGP™ Q1: 10:50
MotoGP™ Q2: 11:15
Tissot Sprint: 15:00
Acosta makes a statement on Day 1 in San Marino
Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Ajo) topped the timesheets on Day 1 of the Gran Premio Red Bull di San Marino e della Riviera di Rimini as his 1:44.804 took him half a second clear of the field. Celestino Vietti (Fantic Racing) heads the chasing pack at his home round despite being 0.541s away from the top spot. Jake Dixon’s (Inde GASGAS Aspar Team) fine form continues into Misano. Fresh from his Barcelona victory, the Brit started his weekend in third on combined times.
Alonso Lopez (+Ego SpeedUp) finished just 0.010s away from the top three in P4 ahead of Sam Lowes (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) who made a big step in Practice 2 to jump up to the top 5. Ai Ogura (IDEMITSU Honda Team Asia) struggled to improve in Practice 2, but did consolidate P6 with his P1 time, ahead of Joe Roberts (Italtrans Racing), Filip Salač (QJMOTOR Gresini Moto2™) and Bo Bendsneyder (Pertamina Mandalika SAG Team).
Somkiat Chantra (IDEMITSU Honda Team Asia) crashed twice in Practice 2 and subsequently failed to improve. However, the Thai rider’s P1 time was enough for him to secure a top 10 ahead of Aron Canet (Pons Wegow Los40), who also hit the deck in P2, rider also ok. Fermin Aldeguer (+Ego SpeedUp), Jeremy Alcoba (QJMOTOR Gresini Moto2™) and Manuel Gonzalez (Yamaha VR46 Master Camp Team) provisionally sit in the final provisional Q2 spots with Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) all the way down in 18th.
Moto2™ will be back in action on Saturday for Practice 3 at 9:25 and qualifying at 13:45 local (GMT +2)!
Moto3™: Masia back on top in Misano
Jaume Masia (Leopard Racing) made it two Fridays in a row on top as he pipped Ayumu Sasaki (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) to the top at Misano, just 0.075s separating the two. Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Ajo) rounded out the top 3, with the Championship leader Daniel Holgado (Red Bull KTM Tech3) struggling for form in P13.
David Alonso (Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team) had another strong Moto3™ showing. The Colombian rookie finds himself in P4 on Day 1 with just 0.134s covering the top four. Ivan Ortola (Angeluss MTA Team) rounded out the top five, with Joel Kelso (CFMOTO Racing PruestelGP) in P6.
Stefano Nepa (Angeluss MTA Team) bagged P7 to kick off his home Grand Prix ahead of Kaito Toba (SIC58 Sqaudra Corse) and Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo), with Romano Fenati (Rivacold Snipers Team) rounding out the top 10.
Moto3™ action continues on Saturday, make sure not to miss any of the action with Practice 3 at 08:40 and qualifying at 12:50 local time (GMT +2)!
Pedro Acosta led Moto2 World Championship Practice Two (P2) Friday afternoon at Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli, in San Marino. The Spaniard navigated the 2.6-mile (4.2 km) course in 1:35.921 on his Triumph-powered Red Bull KTM Ajo Kalex to top the field of 31 riders.
American Joe Roberts was sixth-fastest with a 1:36.707 on his Italtrans Racing Kalex.
American Sean Dylan Kelly was 30th with a 1:38.421 as he gets used to his new Forward Racing machine.
Moto2 P2
Defending Champion Tyler O’Hara was quickest in MotoAmerica Mission Super Hooligan Free Practice One (FP1) Friday morning at Circuit of The Americas (COTA), in Austin, Texas. Riding his Progressive Insurance/Mission Foods Indian FTR 1200, O’Hara covered the 3.4-mile, 20-turn track in 2:19.828 to lead the field of 47 entries.
O’Hara’s teammate Jeremy McWilliams was second-best with a time of 2:20.139, and Andy DiBrino was third-fastest with a 2:21.569 on his DiBrino Racing KTM 890 Duke R.
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Nicolo Bulega was fastest in World Supersport Free Practice Two (FP2) Friday afternoon at Magny-Cours, in France, but Valentin Debise was quickest overall on Friday.
Riding his Aruba.it Racing Ducati Panigale V2, Bulega led FP2 with a time of 1:41.114 with Debise second-best at 1:41.178 on his GMT94 Yamaha YZF-R6. Frenchman Debise, however, was fastest overall with the 1:41.083 he did in FP1 on Friday morning.
WSS FP2
Michael Rinaldi was quickest during World Superbike Free Practice Two (FP2) Friday afternoon at Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli, in San Marino. Riding his Aruba.it Racing Ducati Panigale V4 R, Rinaldi lapped the 2.7-mile (4.4 km) track in 1:36.973 to lead the field of 24 riders.
Like he was in FP1, American Garrett Gerloff was second in FP2 with a lap at 1:36.981 on his Bonovo Action BMW M 1000 RR.
Toprak Razgatlioglu was third-quickest in FP2 with a time of 1:37.114 on his Pata Yamaha by Prometeon machine.
WSBK FP2
More, from a press release issued by Dorna:
Red flags shake up WorldSBK practice at Magny-Cours
A dramatic afternoon at Magny-Cours saw red flags disrupt WorldSBK practice. Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) maintained his leading position, facing stiff competition from Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) and Garrett Gerloff (Bonovo Action BMW), who secured second and third places, respectively. Toprak Razgatlioglu and teammate Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) delivered a solid performance in the combined standings, with fourth and fifth positions. Championship leader Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) settled for sixth place on the combined timesheets, highlighting Ducati’s progress at this traditionally challenging circuit.
Jonathan Rea held his ground at the top, despite the fierce competition in FP2.
P1 | Jonathan Rea | Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK
“It was a positive day. Right from the first lap, I felt really good with my bike. Of course, in the afternoon, the temperature came up, and we tried to do a long run with the rear option tyre. But we had a lot of red flags, which worked in our favor because we were able to go back to this morning’s setup. We changed the front of the bike during that break. I didn’t like it. We were trying to give me more confidence to stop the bike, but in the end, I couldn’t stop; braking on the side of the tire was even worse. The mechanics did a really good job changing everything back. By that stage, the tyre was quite old, but I went out and was consistent, setting my fastest lap at the end of the run.”
Michael Ruben Rinaldi showcased Ducati’s strength by claiming the second spot overall.
Garrett Gerloff impressed as the fastest BMW rider, securing a strong third place.
Championship leader Alvaro Bautista faced a challenging day, finishing in sixth place on the combined timesheets.
WorldSBK Combined Results after FP2
1. Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) 1’36.900
2. Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +0.073s
3. Garrett Gerloff (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) +0.081s
4. Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) +0.160s
5. Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) +0.242s
6. Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +0.274s
Debise dominates Friday at home
Valentin Debise (GMT94 Yamaha) continued his dominance at his home circuit, impressively topping the FP1 timesheets. His mastery of the French venue shone through, securing him the top spot in the combined classification. Despite falling behind Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team) in Free Practice 2, Debise’s morning run ensured he remained in the overall lead. Bulega topped the FP2 timesheets, closing the gap between him and Debise. Adrian Huertas (MTM Kawasaki), facing challenging conditions that led to crashes, managed to secure third place. Stefano Manzi and Yari Montella also delivered strong performances in fourth and fifth places, respectively.
P1 | Valentin Debise | GMT94 Yamaha
“It’s always nice to be in first position after Free Practice. I know it’s only Free Practice but this season I had a few issues during the Superpole sessions so today I tried to ride alone as much as possible so I could understand my pace, which I did. I’m really happy with the work we did with the team. We had the chance to test here with the team a few weeks ago so the base setup was great and I could be fast immediately. Now I’m looking forward to Race 1 tomorrow!”
WorldSSP Combined Results after FP2
1. Valentin Debise (GMT94 Yamaha) 1’41.083s
2. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team) +0.031s
3. Adrian Huertas (MTM Kawasaki) 0.053s
4. Stefano Manzi (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) +0.302s
5. Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) +0.382s
6. Raffaele De Rosa (Orelac Racing VerdNatura) +0.416s
Vannucci dominates in sweltering French heat, leading Free Practice Sessions
In the blistering heat of the Pirelli French Round at Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours, Matteo Vannucci (AG Motorsport Italia Yamaha) demonstrated his prowess by topping the charts in the combined classifications. Vannucci’s remarkable early lap in Free Practice 2 secured him the top spot, finishing more than three tenths ahead of the competition. Kevin Sabatucci (Team Flembbo – PI Performances), who had earlier claimed the fastest time in Free Practice 1, settled for the second position. German star Dirk Geiger (Freudenberg KTM – Paligo Racing) ended Friday in third place, though he was 0.491 seconds behind Vannucci’s blazing pace. Championship leader Jose Luis Perez Gonzalez (Accolade Smrz Racing BGR) was fifth showcasing his championship-worthy form, staying in contention for another podium to extend his lead.
P1 | Matteo Vannucci | AG Motorsport Italia Yamaha
“I worked on my feeling with the bike in Free Practice 1, and in FP2 I tried to improve compared to the morning session. I’m happy to finish fastest overall on Friday. Tomorrow, I want to do better than in the previous race and try to recover some points to the championship leader.”
WorldSSP Combined Results after FP2
1 Matteo Vannucci (AG Motorsport Italia Yamaha) 1’52.914s
2. Kevin Sabatucci (Team Flembbo – PI Performances) +0.363s
3. Dirk Geiger (Freudenberg KTM – Paligo Racing) +0.491s
4. Loris Veneman (MTM Kawasaki) +0.578s
5. Jose Luis Perez Gonzalez (Accolade Smrz Racing BGR) +0.599s
6. Samuel Di Sora (ProDina Kawasaki Racing) +0.700s
WorldSBK action resumes on Saturday with FP3 from 09:00 (Local Time), followed by Tissot Superpole at 11:10 and Race 1 at 14:00, while WorldSSP action continues on Saturday with the Tissot Superpole from 10:25, and Race 1 at 15:15. WorldSSP300 will be back in action at 9:45 with the Tissot Superpole and then Race 1 at 12:40.
Former MotoGP star Jeremy McWilliams took provisional pole position during MotoAmerica Mission Super Hooligan Qualifying One (Q1) Friday afternoon at Circuit of The Americas, in Austin, Texas. With ambient temperatures approaching 105 degrees F, the Ulsterman lapped the 3.4-mile course in 2:17.055 on his Progressive Insurance/Mission Foods Indian FTR 1200.
Andy DiBrino was next-best with a time of 2:20.149 on his DiBrino Racing KTM 890 Duke R.
McWilliams’ teammate Tyler O’Hara, the defending Champion, did a third-fastest 2:20.311 on his Indian.
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Defending Champion Tyler O’Hara topped MotoAmerica Mission King Of The Baggers Free Practice One (FP1) Friday at Circuit of The Americas (COTA), in Austin, Texas. Riding his Progressive Insurance/Mission Foods Indian Challenger, O’Hara covered the 3.4-mile circuit in 2:17.055 to lead the field of 18 riders.
2021 Champion Kyle Wyman was second-best with a 2:17.283 on his Screamin’ Eagle Harley-Davidson Road Glide, while Bobby Fong was third-fastest with a lap time of 2:17.598 on his Sac Mile/SDI Racing/Roland Sands Design Indian.
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Xavi Fores dominated MotoAmerica Supersport Free Practice One (FP1) Friday morning at Circuit of The Americas (COTA), in Austin, Texas. Riding his Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati Panigale V2, the Spaniard lapped the 3.4-mile course in 2:14.924 to top the field of 36 riders.
Josh Hayes was the best of the rest with a 2:15.603 on his Squid Hunter Racing Yamaha YZF-R6.
Young Gun Tyler Scott was third-fastest with a time of 2:16.733 on his Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki GSX-R750.
Veteran David Anthony’s 2:16.864 on his Wrench Motorcycles Suzuki GSX-R750 ranked him fourth.
Newcomer Torin Collins, an 18-year-old Canadian who normally races in the FIM JuniorGP World Championship, was fifth in his first-ever MotoAmerica Supersport session with a 2:17.076.
Another newcomer to the class, Kayla Yaakov, age 16, was 19th in her debut session on the Tytlers Cycle Racing Kawasaki ZX-6R with a 2:23.559.
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Travis Wyman led MotoAmerica Steel Commander Stock 1000 Free Practice One (FP1) Friday morning at Circuit of The Americas (COTA), in Austin, Texas. Wyman, riding his Travis Wyman Racing BMW M 1000 RR, circulated the 3.4-mile course in 2:13.620, 1.1 seconds faster than the rest of the field.
Hayden Gillim was second-best with a 2:14.810 on his Disrupt Racing Suzuki GSX-R1000R, and Benjamin Smith was third-fastest with a lap of 2:15.695 on his Benjamin Smith Racing Yamaha.
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Newly crowned 2023 MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike Champion Jake Gagne threw down a lap time late in Free Practice One to jump to the top of the order Friday at Circuit of The Americas (COTA), in Austin, Texas. Riding his Fresh N Lean Progressive Insurance Yamaha YZF-R1, Gagne covered the 3.4-mile course in 2:10.579.
That time put Gagne just ahead of Josh Herrin, who led a lot of the session on his Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati Panigale V4 R but ended up second-best with a time of 2:10.842.
Gagne, Herrin, and Gagne’s teammate JD Beach all tested at COTA in August.
PJ Jacobsen was third in the session with a 2:11.381 on his Tytlers Cycle Racing BMW M 1000 RR.
Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki teammates Richie Escalante (2:11.942) and Brandon Paasch (2:12.461) were fourth and fifth, respectively.
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Marco Bezzecchi posted the best lap time in MotoGP “Practice” Friday afternoon at Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli, in San Marino. Riding his Mooney VR46 Racing Team Ducati Desmosedici, the Italian lapped his 2.6-mile (4.2 km) home track in 1:30.846 to lead the field of 24 riders.
Maverick Vinales was second-quickest with a 1:30.972 on his factory Aprilia RS-GP, while retired MotoGP Legend/KTM test rider Dani Pedrosa was third-fastest with a 1:31.101 on his Red Bull KTM RC16.
MotoGP Practice
More, from a press release issued by Dorna:
Bezzecchi slams in new lap record to head Viñales and Pedrosa at Misano
Bezzecchi meant business in Practice as Pedrosa, Marc Marquez and Bagnaia make it into the all-important top 10
Friday, 08 September 2023
Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) put in a superhuman Day 1 at the Gran Premio Red Bull di San Marino e della Riviera di Rimini, putting in a new Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli all-time lap record to place himself 0.126s clear of Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) in Practice. The ever-impressive Dani Pedrosa (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) completes the Friday top three as the MotoGP™ Legend rolls back the years in his second wildcard appearance of the season.
Records tumble in Misano
Until there were just over 20 minutes to go, Pedrosa was leading the way before Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) took over at the summit. The benchmark was a 1:31.416 as the riders began to turn up the wick in their pursuit of automatic Q2 promotion.
Bezzecchi, still riding through the pain barrier after the Turn 1 incident in Barcelona, then pounced to P1 with just over 10 minutes left on the clock, his advantage over Martin was a slender 0.028s, as rapid times were now starting to come in. Example A: Viñales’ new all-time lap record – a scintillating 1:30.972, the very first 1:30 lap around Misano in MotoGP™.
Pedrosa climbed back up to second on his penultimate lap and in the Little Samurai’s shadow was an old foe – Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team). The eight-time World Champion went P3 as Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) crashed at Turn 15, bringing out the yellow flags. That proved crucial for Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) whose lap – that was good enough for P6 – was cancelled, but the World Champion responded brilliantly to propel himself back into the top 10.
Bezzecchi landed a late barnstormer to eventually claim P1 as Catalan GP winner Aleix Espargaro slipped outside the top 10 to P12 as riders improved their previous best efforts. A Turn 15 crash for Pol Espargaro (GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3) cost the younger Espargaro sibling a top 10 too, as the automatic Q2 qualifiers were set in Misano.
The top 10 ahead of qualifying
Martin and Luca Marini (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) will head into Saturday inside the top five, with Marc Marquez and Bagnaia P6 and P7 respectively. P8 went the way of Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™), as Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) and Raul Fernandez (CryptoDATA RNF MotoGP™ Team) seal P9 and P10 – the latter gaining Q2 entry for the first time in his MotoGP™ career despite a small crash in Practice.
A stacked Q1 and intriguing qualifying awaits
Aleix Espargaro, Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™), Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing)… the list goes on. Q1 is set to be a belter, as is Q2!
SHOWTIME
The stage is set for Qualifying and then the Tissot Sprint. Make sure you tune in:
MotoGP™ FP2: 10:10
MotoGP™ Q1: 10:50
MotoGP™ Q2: 11:15
Tissot Sprint: 15:00
Acosta makes a statement on Day 1 in San Marino
Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Ajo) topped the timesheets on Day 1 of the Gran Premio Red Bull di San Marino e della Riviera di Rimini as his 1:44.804 took him half a second clear of the field. Celestino Vietti (Fantic Racing) heads the chasing pack at his home round despite being 0.541s away from the top spot. Jake Dixon’s (Inde GASGAS Aspar Team) fine form continues into Misano. Fresh from his Barcelona victory, the Brit started his weekend in third on combined times.
Alonso Lopez (+Ego SpeedUp) finished just 0.010s away from the top three in P4 ahead of Sam Lowes (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) who made a big step in Practice 2 to jump up to the top 5. Ai Ogura (IDEMITSU Honda Team Asia) struggled to improve in Practice 2, but did consolidate P6 with his P1 time, ahead of Joe Roberts (Italtrans Racing), Filip Salač (QJMOTOR Gresini Moto2™) and Bo Bendsneyder (Pertamina Mandalika SAG Team).
Somkiat Chantra (IDEMITSU Honda Team Asia) crashed twice in Practice 2 and subsequently failed to improve. However, the Thai rider’s P1 time was enough for him to secure a top 10 ahead of Aron Canet (Pons Wegow Los40), who also hit the deck in P2, rider also ok. Fermin Aldeguer (+Ego SpeedUp), Jeremy Alcoba (QJMOTOR Gresini Moto2™) and Manuel Gonzalez (Yamaha VR46 Master Camp Team) provisionally sit in the final provisional Q2 spots with Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) all the way down in 18th.
Moto2™ will be back in action on Saturday for Practice 3 at 9:25 and qualifying at 13:45 local (GMT +2)!
Moto3™: Masia back on top in Misano
Jaume Masia (Leopard Racing) made it two Fridays in a row on top as he pipped Ayumu Sasaki (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) to the top at Misano, just 0.075s separating the two. Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Ajo) rounded out the top 3, with the Championship leader Daniel Holgado (Red Bull KTM Tech3) struggling for form in P13.
David Alonso (Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team) had another strong Moto3™ showing. The Colombian rookie finds himself in P4 on Day 1 with just 0.134s covering the top four. Ivan Ortola (Angeluss MTA Team) rounded out the top five, with Joel Kelso (CFMOTO Racing PruestelGP) in P6.
Stefano Nepa (Angeluss MTA Team) bagged P7 to kick off his home Grand Prix ahead of Kaito Toba (SIC58 Sqaudra Corse) and Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo), with Romano Fenati (Rivacold Snipers Team) rounding out the top 10.
Moto3™ action continues on Saturday, make sure not to miss any of the action with Practice 3 at 08:40 and qualifying at 12:50 local time (GMT +2)!
Pedro Acosta led Moto2 World Championship Practice Two (P2) Friday afternoon at Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli, in San Marino. The Spaniard navigated the 2.6-mile (4.2 km) course in 1:35.921 on his Triumph-powered Red Bull KTM Ajo Kalex to top the field of 31 riders.
American Joe Roberts was sixth-fastest with a 1:36.707 on his Italtrans Racing Kalex.
American Sean Dylan Kelly was 30th with a 1:38.421 as he gets used to his new Forward Racing machine.
Moto2 P2
Defending Champion Tyler O’Hara was quickest in MotoAmerica Mission Super Hooligan Free Practice One (FP1) Friday morning at Circuit of The Americas (COTA), in Austin, Texas. Riding his Progressive Insurance/Mission Foods Indian FTR 1200, O’Hara covered the 3.4-mile, 20-turn track in 2:19.828 to lead the field of 47 entries.
O’Hara’s teammate Jeremy McWilliams was second-best with a time of 2:20.139, and Andy DiBrino was third-fastest with a 2:21.569 on his DiBrino Racing KTM 890 Duke R.
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