The Coleraine and District Motor Club is delighted to announce this year’s fonaCAB and Nicholl Oils North West 200 will take place as planned on May 7-13.
As has been well documented over the past month, this year’s event had been thrown into jeopardy by a huge increase in the cost of public liability insurance. A new insurance deal has finally been secured and the crucial intervention of Co. Tyrone businessman, Derek Keys, with a generous donation from his company, Euro Auctions, has ensured the 2023 NW200 can go ahead.
“March 2023 represents the 25th anniversary of Euro Auctions and helping the North West 200 gives us the ideal chance to thank all of those people who have supported us over that 25 year journey,” Mr. Keys said, “The event sees over 195,000 people visit the region and many businesses, both large and small, depend upon events like this to bring trade and prosperity into the North West area. This event is part of our region’s heritage and I am delighted that with a little help from Euro Auctions, the event can now proceed this year.”
“We are very grateful to Derek Keys and Euro Auctions for this very generous support,” the NW200’s Mervyn Whyte said. “In the absence of any financial assistance from government, the sport has been left to its own devices to deal with the insurance crisis. Mr Keys intervention has been crucial in saving this year’s North West 200. We also wish to express our gratitude to the many members of the motorcycle racing community who donated so generously to the crowd funding initiative launched by the Motorcycle Union of Ireland, Ulster Centre.”
The American Racing Team is delighted to announce its collaboration with the subscription social platform OnlyFans for 2023.
OnlyFans already boasts a vast array of celebrities showcasing their content from artists such as Iggy Azalea and comedian Whitney Cummings along with familiar faces from American motorsport like MotoAmerica’s Josh Herrin and Supercross rider, Logan Karnow.
Giving fans an exclusive, behind-the-scenes experience both at and away from the track, American Racing and its riders will take fans around the world via the OnlyFans platform; showing them the inner workings of the team, life on the road and what it takes to be a world championship rider as well as offering fans exclusive competitions and subscriber-only opportunities.
Rory Skinner (33) on his OnlyFans-branded Moto2 racebike. Photo courtesy American Racing Team.
Eitan Butbul, Team Owner –
I’m thrilled to announce our collaboration with OnlyFans for the 2023 season. They are an enormous brand with a huge online presence across the world and it makes me very proud that the American Racing Team has grown to the point of attracting partners of this size.
This collaboration goes far beyond just a sticker on the bike and a patch on the leathers, it allows us to bring fans closer than ever before to a team in the MotoGP World Championship through content creation. We’ve seen what a real focus on content production has done for other sports and we couldn’t be more excited to take this to the next level in motorcycle racing through this platform.
Ami Gan, CEO of OnlyFans –
We are enthusiastic to welcome American Racing to OnlyFans. This collaboration will truly give MotoGP fans an inside look at what it’s like to race around the world, as the team and its riders showcase exclusive content on the platform.
OnlyFans continues to attract athletes to the platform who are looking for the best way to connect with their fans and share exclusive content.
All 21 Races to be Presented on NBC and CNBC, including LIVE coverage of the Americas GP
Wednesday, 15 March 2023
NBC Sports has announced its schedule for the blockbuster 2023 MotoGP™ season on NBC and CNBC, beginning with the Portuguese Grand Prix from Portimao on Sunday, March 26, at 1:30 p.m. ET on CNBC.
All 21 races will be presented on either NBC or CNBC, with timeslots designed to showcase the best of the sport. The Grand Prix of the Americas from Circuit of the Americas will be presented live for a second consecutive year on Sunday, April 16, at 2:30 p.m. ET on CNBC. NBC will air an hour-long encore on Saturday, April 22, at 3 p.m. ET.
NBC will present coverage of the following five MotoGP™ Grand Prix races, including three consecutive events in September, this season:
• British Grand Prix on Sunday, Aug. 6, at 1:30 p.m. ET
• Catalan Grand Prix on Sunday, Sept. 3, at 1:30 p.m. ET
• San Marino Grand Prix on Sunday, Sept. 10, at 1 p.m. ET
• Indian Grand Prix on Sunday, Sept. 24, at 1:30 p.m. ET
• Malaysian Grand Prix on Sunday, Nov. 12, at 1:30 p.m. ET
Ahead of the 2023 season, NBC Sports’ Leigh Diffey spoke with reigning MotoGP champion Francesco Bagnaia and 2021 MotoGP champion Fabio Quartararo.
2023 marks NBC Sports’ fourth season as the exclusive television home of MotoGP™ in the United States. All race coverage presented on NBC and CNBC will stream on NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app.
In addition to weekend telecasts on NBC and CNBC, live and on-demand coverage of all races will be available to stream on MotoGP™ VideoPass, in addition to every session of MotoGP™, Moto2™ and Moto3™, and races and qualifying for the FIM Enel MotoE™ World Championship.
Below is the full MotoGP schedule on NBC and CNBC (subject to change).
Szoke fastest on day one of Bridgestone Winter Test at Jennings
Jennings, FL – Jordan Szoke’s long-awaited return to the Bridgestone Canadian Superbike Championship was almost perfect on Tuesday, topping day one of the Bridgestone Winter Test at Jennings GP in north Florida.
Szoke didn’t need long to shake off the rust despite a year away from racing (and lingering effects from his serious motocross injury last off season), sitting third-fastest in the morning and fifth overall by mid-afternoon aboard his LDS Consultants Kawasaki.
Facing perhaps more obstacles than anybody given his hiatus, new machine, and abrupt adjustment to the new spec Bridgestone tires, it seemed like top-five pace would be a great accomplishment in his 2023 debut – but the 14-time champion had one more trick left up his sleeve.
In the final session of the day, Szoke crushed the previous benchmark with a time of 1:17.732 to go fastest overall in the combined times ahead of Ben Young. The reigning champion would put in a late flyer of his own to cut the deficit to just 0.077 seconds, but it wasn’t enough to oust his former rival from the top spot.
With most of the grid adapting to the new Bridgestone BATTLAX slick tires for the first time, the reception was almost entirely positive despite worse track conditions than previous tests at Jennings, something Szoke knows better than anyone.
“Any of the issues I think can be blamed on the track right now more than anything,” Szoke said to his crew on pit lane, as well as Bridgestone staff who were on-hand from around the world. “It’s going to take some getting used to, but the grip feels really good so far.”
Despite Szoke’s sensational lap, it was Young who paced majority of the day, rebounding quickly from a frustrating Daytona 200 weekend as he debuted the #1 plate aboard his Van Dolder’s Home Team BMW.
Sitting less than a tenth of a second out of first, Young represented a very tight group at the front on Tuesday, with the top nine riders separated by less than a second prior to the final session. Even with the late blitz from Szoke and Young, just 1.7 seconds will cover the entire top-ten going into Wednesday.
Completing the widely-expected trio of frontrunners was 2021 champion Alex Dumas, who struggled through a number of issues on day one but still managed to put in a strong lap of 1:18.128 – just 0.396 seconds away from making his Purple Skull/Liqui Moly Suzuki the top target.
The big surprise of the day was rookie Pierre Simard in fourth, who stole the show to begin the Bridgestone era aboard his D1C Suzuki effort. After an injury limited his “true rookie” season to just one round, Simard returned to the CSBK grid just 0.023 seconds off Dumas in third.
Rounding out the top-five was fellow LDS Consultants Kawasaki debutant Trevor Dion, who gradually made progress throughout the day aboard his new ZX-10R Ninja alongside teammate Szoke, with Sam Guerin placing his EFC Group BMW sixth and only a second off the top of the timesheets.
The combined top-ten of day one is below:
Cooney the top Amateur, Lalande stars in Lightweight
Andrew Cooney (133), Lightweight Sport Bike star from last season, has moved up to Amateur Sport Bike for 2023. Photo by Rob O’Brien, courtesy CSBK.
The first day of testing also saw a number of Amateurs take to the Jennings GP track, with first-year Scorpion Amateur Sport Bike rider Andrew Cooney setting the bar early on for Honda.
A four-time race winner in the Lightweight division last year, Cooney quickly got up to speed on his bigger 600cc machine, pacing the field with a blistering time of 1:20.625 – only 1.172 seconds off the Pro top-ten.
Trailing Cooney through the first half of testing is fellow youngster Mackenzie Weil, who went second-fastest aboard his MotorcycleCourse Yamaha with a time of 1:21.930. The lead trio was rounded off by Stephen Moxey, roughly two seconds off the pace.
As for the third and final group, it was 14-year-old Vincent Lalande who lived up to all the hype in his first taste of national action, leading the way in the combined Lightweight category.
The inaugural Canadian Mini Superbike Ohvale Cup champion is considered one of the series’ biggest talents in recent memory, and proved it on Tuesday by leading his group aboard a SpeedFactory67 Kawasaki with a time of 1:27.436.
Second to Lalande through day one was Justin Marshall, trailing the teenager by 1.110 seconds. Third in the group was veteran returnee Jeff Williams, who is making his own comeback after a scary Pro Superbike crash in 2020. The Yamaha rider managed an excellent 1:28.911 in his first official action in over two years.
Full results by session can be found on the series’ official website, while action will continue on Wednesday at Jennings GP.
MotoAmerica is paying out the entire $175,000 cash purse to the top 40 riders in the 81st Daytona 200 whether they finished the race or not.
Although the 2023 event ended with an unusual 10-lap “second race” that had only 22 official finishers from the original race’s 44 starters, MotoAmerica is paying out the entire purse.
Payouts will be awarded according to the order of finish in the second/restarted race, the order of retirement from the second/restarted race, and then the order of retirement from the original race down to what is effectively 40th place.
Here are the final finishing order and purse payouts, courtesy MotoAmerica:
81ST DAYTONA 200/SUPERSPORT RACE (March 11):
1. Josh Herrin (Duc), Dunlop, $25,000, 10 laps
2. Josh Hayes (Yam), Dunlop, $20,000, -0.070 second
Rodio takes victory in first MotoAmerica Twins Cup Race of 2023
Rodio Racing powered by Robem Engineering rider leaves Daytona round with championship lead
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — It wasn’t Gus Rodio’s first time racing an Aprilia RS 660 at Daytona International Speedway, but the New Jersey rider kicked off the new-for-2023 Rodio Racing — Robem Engineering collaboration by scoring a win and runner-up finish at the opening round of the 2023 MotoAmerica Twins Cup season.
Rodio piloted his Aprilia to commanding win in his first race with the new team and come oh-so-close to scoring a second triumph at the March 9-11 event.
Rodio’s teammate, New Hampshirite Ben Gloddy, had a positive start to the Daytona round before suffering an unfortunate injury that did not allow him to finish Friday’s Race 1 or contest Saturday’s Race 2.
In the Twins Cup’s first on-track session of 2023, Rodio ended Thursday practice at the top of the time sheets. He best the next fastest rider for the best time in the class’ only practice session by 0.064 seconds. Gloddy finished practice fifth-fastest. Later Thursday, Rodio and Gloddy finished Qualifying 1 fourth- and sixth-fastest, respectively.
Friday morning saw Rodio secure fourth on the starting grid in the second and final qualifying session. He missed out on pole by a mere 0.216 seconds. Gloddy wrapped up qualifying in sixth place.
The Daytona round’s first Twins Cup race took place Friday afternoon and saw Rodio put in a dominant performance. Rodio moved up two places in the first several corners and was battling for the lead before the end of Lap 1. Gloddy also got a good start and ran as high a third before another rider crashed in front of him at the exit of the west horseshoe. The crash forced Gloddy to take evasive action, but unfortunately the crashed bike made contact with Gloddy’s RS 660, which caused Gloddy to crash. What was a three-way battle for the lead between Rodio and two other riders in the middle of the nine-lap race gradually became a one-rider show as Rodio pulled away from the other frontrunners to win by more than eight seconds.
Unfortunately for Gloddy, he suffered an injury when he was forced off track that did now allow him to take part in Saturday’s Twins Cup Race 2.
The second race was an eventful one for Rodio, who made the most of a race restart to extend his lead in the Twins Cup points standings. Rodio’s motorcycle began exhibiting a problem with its fuel cap on the warm-up lap, which caused Rodio to pull back into his pit box while the rest of the field was forming up for the race start. The team worked relentlessly to get the motorcycle repaired in time to rejoin the race, and a short time later the race was stopped on Lap 3 due to a crash.
The race was restarted with its original starting grid and five laps to go, and Rodio once again quickly made his way forward to the battle for the lead. He was in the race lead at the end of Laps 1, 3 and 4 and gradually broke away from the rest of the field with another rider. Rodio put in a valiant effort to get a good drive out of the backstraight chicane but was bested to the finish line by 0.162 seconds. Rodio’s second place added 20 valuable championship points to his tally, and he leaves Daytona with a nine-point lead in the class standings.
The MotoAmerica Twins Cup’s next round takes place April 21-23 at the Road Atlanta circuit in Braselton, Ga.
Gus Rodio / No. 96
“It was an awesome first race of the season. I was able to break away from the pack and win my first Twins Cup race. It was my biggest margin of victory and I’m very happy. In Race 2, I broke away from the pack with another rider and had a race long battle for the lead. I ended up second in a close finish. I’m really happy with this result as I didn’t think we would make it on track due to an issue we had. I’m really excited to get to Atlanta and keep working towards our goals.”
Robem Engineering’s technical partners for 2023 include Aprilia Racing, Piaggio Group Americas, Bitubo Suspension, Dunlop, Woodcraft Technologies, Dymag, Vesrah, Sprint Filter, DID, Sara Chappell Photos, NGK/NTK, Blud Lubricants, Millennium Technologies, Motovation USA and SC-Project.
Rodio Racing’s technical partners for 2023 include NJ MiniGP, Luxestar VIP, MAR Contractors, Evolve GT, N2 Racing, Dunlop, Spellcaster Productions, Kathedral, The Martinn and MVR Endeavor.
More, from a press release issued by N2 Racing/BobbleHeadMoto:
N2/BobbleHeadMoto Blake Davis Scores Two Top Five Finishes at Daytona.
Blake Davis (1). Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy N2 Racing/BobbleHeadMoto.
Media, PA – March 2023 – N2/BobbleHeadMoto Racing’s Blake Davis leaves Daytona with a pair of fourths place finishes in Twins Cup and an 11th-place finish in his first Daytona 200. Blake was fast in every session scoring pole position in Twins Cup and leading both races, but small mechanical issues prevented Davis from capitalizing on his speed. Blake also competed in his first Daytona 200 with a Blake Davis Racing / Biothermal Yamaha YZF-R6 running with some of the best riders in the country in the final laps.
Blake was fast from the moment the team unloaded the championship winning N2/BobbleHeadMoto Yamaha YZF-R7. Blake led nearly every session and qualified on pole despite a crash in Q2. Blake just missed out on a chance at the Time Attack Qualifying session for the Daytona 200 and qualified on row four in 13th place.
Championships are about scoring maximum points on your bad days and that is exactly what Blake did. In Twins Cup Race One, Blake battled for the lead for most of the race until he started having temperature issues with his R7 that require that he back off a bit to make it to the finish in fourth place.
Twins Cup Race Two was very similar with Blake having race winning speed in the beginning, but suffering some minor technical issues. Instead of crashing or pulling in, Blake stayed out and nursed his Yamaha R7 to the finish in fourth place. These two fourth place finishes leave him fourth in the points, 19 points back from Gus Rodio.
Blake’s focus in 2023 is defending his Twins Cup Championship, but Blake will participate in several Supersport rounds on his Blake Davis Racing / Biothermal Yamaha YZF-R6. The Daytona 200 was Blake’s first Supersport race and he did not disappoint. Despite having an issue at the start that saw him fade back to well outside the top 20, Blake kept fighting for the entire race, putting in fast, consistent laps. The N2/BobbleHeadMoto/Blake Davis Racing team gave Blake two great pit stops which put him in the lead group for the final 10-lap sprint. Sixteen-year-old Blake Davis battled with the best, most experience racers in the country for those last 10 laps, running as high as second place. In the end, Blake finished sixth on the race track, but a pit lane speeding penalty pushed him back to 11th. An amazing result for Davis’ first Daytona 200.
Blake Davis – “It was a tough weekend on the Yamaha YZF-R7 in Twins Cup. We were fast straight away and always in the mix, but we had some technical issues related to a crash that kept us from reaching our potential. It was positive that we brought home solid points in every race, and we are in decent shape to start the season. The Daytona 200 was awesome! I made a mistake in the beginning, but we fought the entire race and it was so much fun battling with the lead guys. Thanks to my N2/BobbleHeadMoto crew for an awesome R7 and thanks to Biothermal for all the support with the R6.”
Shiloh Salopek (Crew Chief) – “This was a tough weekend for the team, but we were able to leave with valuable championship points from both races and the knowledge to be more prepared for the next round at Road Atlanta in April.”
About N2: N2 – Ride, Race, Learn.
Founded in 2014, N2’s mission is to build a sustainable motorcycle community through safe, structured motorcycle track days, advanced rider training programs based on Yamaha Champions Riding School teaching methods, with a strong affinity for motorcycle road racing. N2 successfully resurrected Motorcycle Endurance Racing in America partnering with WERA Roadracing and creating the N2/WERA National Endurance Series by Dunlop. N2 is a premier participant in the MotoAmerica Pro Racing Series with a multi-rider team competing in several classes. N2 is also a major contributor to the Roadracing World Action Fund through fundraising efforts and support from its large member base.
N2 Racing is proudly sponsored by: Dunlop Motorcycle Tires, Yamaha Motor Corporation USA, Dainese, BobbleHeadMoto, Trading Paint, GB Racing, Spider, Yoshimura, STM, Sunstar, Giaccmoto, Robem Engineering, Puig, Eazi Grip, SBS Brakes and Yamaha Champions Riding School.
More, from a press release issued by Blackmon Racing:
Blackmon Overcomes Injury To Double Podium At Daytona
Jackson Blackmon (18). Photo by Sara Chappell Photos, courtesy Blackmon Racing.
The 2023 MotoAmerica Twins Cup Championship debuted at Daytona International Speedway over this past weekend. There were three days full of close racing from all the classes that were featured at the race. The Twins class saw some new talent enter the class, while other riders made their return such as Jackson Blackmon.
The 21-year-old rider from South Carolina suffered an ankle injury back in June of 2022 at Road America that ultimately put an end to his 2022 season. Trackday Winner/Blackmon Racing has made a return in 2023 with Jackson back aboard a 2022 Yamaha YZF-R7. With this being his third year competing in the class, he was hoping to use that experience to gain great results and minimize mistakes. Upon hitting the banks of Daytona in practice one, it was evident that Jackson hadn’t lost any pace.
Coming out of the offseason, the team encountered multiple challenges while preparing for 2023. New partners for this year include K-Tech Suspension, M4 Exhaust, Robem Engineering, Spears Racing, REV’IT!, and Hustle Hard Racing. Trackday Winner has returned as title sponsor with numerous associate sponsors, including Yamaha, Yamalube, Finishline Machine, HJC, and Wiseco.
Blackmon Racing came to Daytona with a strong package that delivered astonishing finishes and fast speeds. Qualifying was up and down for Jackson. Continuing to make big changes to the race setup made it hard for him to get fast laps. He ended up starting seventh for the races, but he was feeling confident in the settings for Race One on Friday.
The first of the two races scheduled for the weekend consisted of some chaos that broke up the lead pack early on. Jackson had to take evasive action in a crash that saw him back in fourth position and seconds behind. He was able to continually find pace to eventually catch up to the second-place rider, Then, on the final lap he made a draft pass to the line to take over the position. From ending his last race with injury to starting this season with a podium was exactly how he wanted to return to racing.
The second and final race of the Twins class at Daytona saw a different story unfold. Starting with a red flag early on made for a five-lap restart. Blackmon struggled a bit in the infield and that let the top two guys get away, but he was still able to manage third place to make for a double podium weekend.
“The weekend couldn’t have gone much better,” Blackmon said about his 2023 Daytona experience. “It’s been a long road of recovery on my ankle as well as a lot of long nights to prepare the bike for round one. So I was very pleased to pay back my Trackday Winner/Blackmon Racing team with two days on the box. These results give me a lot of confidence heading into Road Atlanta, and I cannot wait to get back on track soon.”
Trackday Winner/Blackmon Racing would like to thank their 2023 partners for their support: Trackday Winner, Finishline Machine, Yamaha, Yamalube, K-Tech, Orient Express, HJC, REV’IT!, Robem Engineering, M4, Spears Racing, Wiseco, Hustle Hard Racing, Drippin’ Wet, and Sidi.
More, from a press release issued by Indian Motorcycle:
INDIAN MOTORCYCLE RACING LEADS MISSION® SUPER HOOLIGAN® NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP FOLLOWING SEASON OPENER AT DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY
2022 Super Hooligan® Champion Tyler O’Hara Takes Early Points Lead Following Back-to-Back Wins At Daytona Doubleheader
Indian Motorcycle Racing Comes Away with Podium Finish in Mission® King of the Baggers,
O’Hara Ranks Fifth In Season Standings with 21 Points, McWilliams Eighth with 19
Tyler O’Hara (1) and Jeremy McWilliams (99) on their Progressive/Mission Foods Indian FTR 1200 Super Hooligan racebikes. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Indian Motorcycle.
MINNEAPOLIS (MARCH 14, 2023) – Following an offseason that expanded the competitive landscape with new manufacturers lining up for the MotoAmerica® Mission® Super Hooligan® National Championship (SHNC), it was Indian Motorcycle Racing and its factory team claiming the top two spots on the leaderboard, following the season-opening doubleheader at Daytona International Speedway. Piloting a pair of S&S®-built Progressive® Mission® Foods Indian FTRs, reigning SHNC champion Tyler O’Hara and teammate Jeremy McWilliams each left Daytona with a pair of podiums, including back-to-back victories for O’Hara and third and second-place finishes for McWilliams.
On Friday, March 10, O’Hara strategically tailed RSD Indian FTR privateer Bobby Fong for nearly the entire six-lap race. Waiting for the final lap to strike, O’Hara was able to carry more speed through the chicane and go up and around the outside of Fong to capture the season’s first win by .0064 seconds. McWilliams rounded out the podium to complete the Indian FTR podium sweep.
“Bobby was running fast all weekend and gapped me for a period until I was able to make up some ground. The lapper through the chicane definitely played a big role as I wasn’t sure if I was going to be able to draft pass him on the finish,” said O’Hara. “But what a fun race, and for Indian Motorcycle to sweep the podium just shows how impressive this Indian FTR really is.”
Race 2 on Saturday, March 11, was filled with plenty of action. After an early crash caused a red-flag restart, it was a five-rider group at the front of the pack. Pushing hard in the group, KTM rider Andy DiBrino lost his front end and laid his bike down, while Fong encountered a technical issue – making it a three-rider run for first between Harley-Davidson rider Cory West, O’Hara and McWilliams. While West ultimately crossed the finish line first, a post-race bike inspection found an illegal air intake that resulted in a disqualification – awarding O’Hara his second win of the weekend and earning McWilliams a second-place finish.
In the MotoAmerica® Mission® King of the Baggers (KOTB) class, O’Hara reached the podium with a third-place finish in Race 1. While the Indian Challenger had been running fast all weekend, even clocking the weekend’s fastest speed on a bagger at 182 mph, both O’Hara and McWilliams suffered technical issues in Race 2. Indian Motorcycle Racing concluded the opening rounds at Daytona with O’Hara in fifth (21 points) and McWilliams in eighth (19 points) on the season’s leaderboard.
“Our issues this weekend were specifically with our tires, MotoAmerica is a spec tire series, we are only given one choice for tires for Daytona and they failed with our higher speeds after four laps, but our new bikes are performing incredibly well, with a significantly higher level of both handling and power, as evidenced by both our riders registering speeds of more than 180 mph throughout the weekend,” said Gary Gray, Vice President – Racing, Technology and Service for Indian Motorcycle. “At the end of the day, the performance of our Indian Challengers, coupled with our success in the Super Hooligan class has us feeling extremely optimistic and incredibly motivated heading into the second round in Atlanta.”
The 2023 KOTB and SHNC seasons continue with Road Atlanta April 21-23. For more information visit MotoAmerica.com.
Indian Motorcycle Racing is presented by Progressive Insurance®, Mission® Foods and Medallia®, with additional support from Indian Motorcycle Motor Oil, S&S®, Parts Unlimited, Drag Specialties®, Performance Finance, and J&P Cycles®.
For information about Indian Motorcycle, visit IndianMotorcycle.com, or follow along on Facebook, Twitterand Instagram.
ABOUT INDIAN MOTORCYCLE®
Indian Motorcycle Company is America’s First Motorcycle Company®. Founded in 1901, Indian Motorcycle has won the hearts of motorcyclists around the world and earned distinction as one of America’s most legendary and iconic brands through unrivaled racing dominance, engineering prowess and countless innovations and industry firsts. Today that heritage and passion is reignited under new brand stewardship. To learn more, please visit www.indianmotorcycle.com.
INDIAN and INDIAN MOTORCYCLE are registered trademarks of Indian Motorcycle International, LLC. Always wear a helmet, protective clothing and eyewear and insist your passenger does the same. Ride within the limits of the law and your own abilities. Read, understand and follow your owner’s manual. Never ride under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
Progressive Insurance® is a registered trademark of Progressive Casualty Insurance Company; MOTOAMERICA® is a registered trademark of Krave Group, American Flat TrackSM is a service trademark of Daytona Motorsports Group LLC; Harley-Davidson® is a registered trademark of H-D U.S.A., LLC; King of the Baggers® is a registered trademark of KRAVE GROUP, LLC; Super Hooligan® is a registered trademark of Roland Sands Design, Inc.; Mission® is a registered trademark of Gruma Corporation; Monster Energy® is a registered trademark; Drag Specialties® is a registered trademark of LeMans Corporation; Bell® is a registered trademark of Bell Sports, Inc; Medallia® is a registered trademark of Medallia Inc.; S&S® is a registered trademark of S&S Cycle, Inc.; J&P Cycles® is a registered trademark of J&P CYCLES, LLC; Öhlins® is a registered trademark of Öhlins Racing AB CORPORATION SWEDEN; Klotz®is a registered trademark of Klotz Synthetic Lubricants, Inc.; Klock Werkssm is a service trademark of Klock, Brian INDIVIDUAL; RK TAKASAGO CHAIN is a registered trademark of RK JAPAN CO., LTD., Engine Ice® is a registered trademark of KOST USA, LLC; VP Racing Fuels® is a registered trademark of VP RACING FUELS Inc.; Motion Pro® is a registered trademark of Motion Pro Inc.; Corbi® is a registered trademark of CORBIN PACIFIC, INC; Unless noted, trademarks are the property of Indian Motorcycle International, LLC.
More, from a press release issued by Royal Enfield North America:
Royal Enfield And MotoAnatomy Get It Started In Daytona
Johnny Lewis and Ryan Wells kick off American Flat Track season at Daytona Short Track Doubleheader
MotoAnatomy’s Johnny Lewis (10) and Ryan Wells (94) put two Royal Enfield motorcycles on the starting line of an American Flat Track SuperTwins race, a milestone for the brand at the Daytona Short Track. Photo courtesy Royal Enfield North America.
Milwaukee, WI (Tuesday, March 14, 2023) – It’s been a busy off-season for Johnny Lewis and the MotoAnatomy Powered by Royal Enfield team, and the Daytona Short Track is where they got to showcase all the hard work, and reach more milestone moments for the brand. For Lewis, his 2023 season started with a heat race win, a main event holeshot and leading the first lap of Thursday night’s Daytona Short Track I. For Wells, it was his first race with the team, and the Daytona Short Track II marked first time ever that two Royal Enfields have been in an AFT SuperTwins main event.
“I love every bit of Short Track,” says Jonny Lewis. “Because it’s intense racing, but you’re really trying to control the motorcycle. We’re really try to push the bike in, get a direction change and you’re coming almost to a dead stop and accelerating really hard… so it’s really about trying to contain the power as much as you can, and keep the bike precise on the track. In Short Track, it’s really hard to do.”
Lewis put his razor-sharp technique to good use as he grabbed the holeshot and led the charge in the very first main event lap of 2023 American Flat Track. It also marked the first-ever unified SuperTwins race in AFT (previously, Lewis competed in the Production Twins class, which is now combined with the premiere Mission SuperTwins class). From there, Lewis settled into a strong fifth-place, but was taken out by another rider. He would soldier on to finish a respectable eighth.
For Ryan Wells, Daytona was his official debut with the MotoAnatomy Powered by Royal Enfield team. Like his teammate, Wells had some shining moments in Florida, and is looking to build on the excitement and progress into the rest of the season.
“It’s when I have someone like Johnny riding the same exact bike,” said Ryan Wells, “because Johnny’s really good at eliminating anything that could be under the bike’s control and puts it under his own control. Seeing what he’s doing made me want to work harder. Because he busts his butt every day of the week and he doesn’t stop. I know we feed off each other when he sees me working hard, he wants to work harder and vice versa.”
“This great team synergy, the progress made with the Royal Enfield Twins FT motorcycle and the enthusiasm for the entire 2023 season are our main takeaways from the Daytona Short Track Doubleheader,” said Adrian Sellers, Royal Enfield Head – Custom & Motorsport. “This is an exciting ride for all of us into uncharted territory and we’re already seeing the work pay off. Mostly, we’re just happy to be officially underway for the 2023 season.”
For more on the MotoAnatomy Powered by Royal Enfield team and a behind-the-scenes look at the Daytona Short Track Doubleheader, head to Instagram @motoanatomyxroyalenfield.
For more on the 2023 Progressive American Flat Track Championship, visit AmericanFlatTrack.com.
About Royal Enfield
The oldest motorcycle company in continuous production in the world, Royal Enfield made its first motorcycle in 1901. A division of Eicher Motors Limited, Royal Enfield has created the midsize motorcycle segment in India with its unique and distinctive modern classic motorcycles. With its manufacturing base in Chennai, India, Royal Enfield has been able to grow its production rapidly against a surge in demand for its motorcycles. Royal Enfield is a leading player in the global middleweight motorcycle market.
Royal Enfield North America (RENA) is headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and is developing a growing network of more than 150 dealers in North America, including the contiguous U.S. and Canada. RENA currently offers the all-new Scram 411, Classic 350, Meteor 350, Himalayan and the 650 Twins (INT650 and Continental GT 650) motorcycles, along with a range of Genuine Motorcycle Accessories and apparel.
For more information on Royal Enfield North America, visit www.RoyalEnfield.com/us/en/, www.Instagram.com/RoyalEnfield_NA, www.Facebook.com/RoyalEnfieldNorthAmerica.
Following fatigue in his right forearm, which occurred during the recent MotoGP tests at Portimao, Aprilia Racing rider Aleix Espargaró underwent a series of tests between yesterday and today at the Dexeus University Clinic in Barcelona. The checks revealed a fibrosis in the muscle for which a surgical operation was necessary.
The cleaning operation, carried out today, was largely successful and will allow the rider to recover in view of the first race of the season, scheduled for the weekend of 24-26 March.
Dr. XAVIER MIR – MD PhD
“Aleix Espargaró underwent surgery on his right forearm, due to a fibrotic retraction of the forearm fascia with compression of the median nerve in the proximal third of the forearm. An antebrachial fasciotomy and an arch release of the pronator teres muscle was performed using microsurgical techniques. He will start his recovery as soon as tomorrow”.
“King Kenny” Roberts is arguably the most significant figure in motorcycle racing history: Twice AMA Grand National Champion, triple MotoGP World Champion, indefatigable fighter for riders’ safety and rights, championship-winning team owner, and constructor of the last two-stroke to score a MotoGP pole position.
Roberts came of age in 1973 when he wrapped up his first American Grand National Championship, a series that combined road racing with all kinds of dirt-track—short track, mile, half-mile, and TT, which included motocross-style jumps. The title was also his first success with Yamaha, which led to a hat-trick of 500cc/MotoGP world titles, from 1978 to 1980, and three more, as team owner with rider Wayne Rainey, from 1990 to 1993.
The Roberts story started when he was age 13 and learning to be a
cowboy…
—Racing History: “King Kenny” Roberts, by Mat Oxley
It was 50 years ago that “King Kenny” Roberts won his first major championship, lost a testicle, shot himself in the leg and nearly wound up riding for MV Agusta. Pretty intense year. But as Roberts says, “You kind of fumble through life…” Read about one of road racing’s greatest riders of all time’s most intense 12 months of fumbling, in the latest issue of Roadracing World!
Roadracing World & Motorcycle Technology magazine is available in print and digital formats.
Cameron Petersen (45). Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Yamaha.
MARIETTA, Ga. – Attack Performance Yamaha Racing’s Cameron Petersen overcame adversity to cross the line third in a drama-filled 81st running of the Daytona 200 at the Daytona International Speedway.
Coming just .007 seconds shy of the win last year, Petersen and the team were aiming for the top spot at the historic 200-mile race in Daytona Beach, Florida. When the lights went out, he quickly made his way to fifth from the seventh spot on the grid and then advanced to third. Unfortunately, he had a technical issue two laps into the race and ultimately was shuffled back and lost touch with the lead group. The South African pulled into the pits on Lap 12, and although he still was struggling to find his comfort zone, he kept pushing to make up lost ground. After his third pit stop, he made a big push and was able to close the gap on the race leader. Petersen passed the leader to join the lead lap, and then a crash brought out the red flag with five laps remaining.
With the red flag being drawn before Lap 53, the rules called for a restart and that there be a minimum of 10 laps. So it was a new race with Petersen in the sixth for the restart in a 10-lap sprint. Sitting sixth after the first lap, he put his head down to join the lead group and battled for the win. It was the typical chess match with drafting battles on the high banks of Daytona with multiple lead changes. Petersen fought to the end, ultimately taking third to earn his second-consecutive podium finish at the historic race.
The team now sets their sites on defending the title in the premier class and preparing for the MotoAmerica Superbike season opener at the Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta on April 21-23 in Braselton, Georgia.
Richard Stanboli – Attack Performance Yamaha Racing Team Manager
“The race really was just the last 10 laps. It showed how good the Yamaha R6 is and that it’s very competitive against the other bigger bikes. We’re pretty pleased with our result, even though we thought we could have had a little bit better race. Something happened with the clutch, I think, after the start. He was able to collect it up and un-lap himself, and that got us the opportunity to race for the win, which was great. This was a shop project. We came here to have a little fun with our little bike, but now it’s time to get serious with Superbike racing.”
Cameron Petersen – Attack Performance Yamaha Racing
“It was a crazy Daytona 200. The 57 laps didn’t really matter because the red flag came out, so it was a sprint toward the end. It was just a little bit unfortunate that after the first start, I had a problem with the clutch and just kind of struggled to stay with the group. I couldn’t get on the brakes. I couldn’t tip the bike into the corners the way I wanted to, so, I was really struggling through the infield. Thank god for that red flag because the last 10 laps, I just put my head down, and I was like, ‘Man, give it your all. Whatever happens, happens.’ There was just so much chaos. I didn’t even know I got on the podium. I was about to get undressed and was ready to go home, and somebody ran over and was like, ‘Hey, you’re on the podium.’ It’s not only for me. I think it’s just massive for the team to get a podium. A lot of effort goes into this single event with the bike, the travel expenses, and everything. So, I’m glad I could get on the box for the team, but I’m ready to get back on my superbike.
About Yamaha Motor Corporation, USA
Yamaha Motor Corporation, USA (YMUS), is a recognized leader in the outdoor recreation industry. The company’s ever-expanding product offerings include Motorcycles and Scooters, ATV and Side-by-Side vehicles, Snowmobiles, WaveRunner Personal Watercraft, Boats, Outboard Motors, Outdoor Power Equipment, Power Assist Bicycles, Golf Cars, Power Assist Wheelchair Systems, Surface Mount Technology (SMT) and Robotic Machines, Unmanned Helicopters, Accessories, Apparel, Yamalube products, and much more. YMUS products are sold through a nationwide network of distributors and dealers in the United States.
YMUS has a corporate office in California, two corporate offices in Georgia, facilities in Wisconsin and Alabama, and factory operations in Tennessee and Georgia. Additional U.S.-based subsidiaries include Yamaha Marine Systems Company (YMSC) with divisions Bennett Marine (Florida), Kracor Systems (Wisconsin) and Siren Marine, Inc. (Rhode Island), Skeeter Boats (Texas), with division G3 Boats (Missouri), and Yamaha Precision Propeller (Indiana).
More, from a press release issued by Altus Motorsports:
MotoAmerica: Limandri Impresses on his Debut Ride in the Twins Cup
Joseph LiMandri, Jr. (62). Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Altus Motorsports.
(Daytona, FL) The 2023 MotoAmerica season kicked off in Daytona Florida. With the Twins Cup running as one of the support classes to the famous Daytona 200, Altus Motorsports was there in support of Joseph Limandri Jr. onboard the team’s new Yamaha R7 entry in the class.
Twins Cup
Altus Motorsports rider Joseph Limandri Jr. made his debut in the Twins class at Daytona 2023, and it was a successful transition for him. Despite having minimal seat time on the new platform, Limandri quickly adapted and qualified 12th for Race 1 on Friday.
During the race, he engaged in a three-bike battle and emerged as the victor, finishing in 7th place. On Saturday, the Altus team made some modifications to the bike that improved its aerodynamics significantly. Limandri started from 11th in Race 2 and managed to stay with the lead group, finishing an impressive 5th after a red flag forced a restart.
“I’m really thankful to Mike Castro, Eric Gray, and the entire Altus team. They worked hard and gave me a great bike. I love working with the team and I’m ready to push to the top step. I can’t think of a better way to celebrate my 18th birthday than racing at Daytona!,” said Joseph Limandri Jr.
With the successful debut in the Twins class, Limandri is optimistic about the season ahead and is looking forward to competing at the front.
Team owner George Nassaney acknowledged the tremendous effort that went into preparing the Altus Factory-built Yamaha R7. The bike was built in-house by Team Manager Eric Gray, who worked long hours to ensure it was ready for the Daytona race, even with several key parts arriving just a couple of weeks before the event. “This past weekend was amazing to see all of the work paying off. Joseph rode very well and gave excellent feedback to his Crew Chief Mike Castro and Team Manager Eric Gray. Both worked to improve the bike every session and the results showed. We are excited to leave Daytona with solid points and we are all very proud of Joseph. Now it’s time to get back to the race shop and get the Team ready for Atlanta.”
Altus Motorsports team is supported by our great family of sponsors: Altus Motorsports, FLY Racing WPS, Suzuki Motor Corporation, Yamaha Motor Company, Barnett, Maxima Racing Oils, Moto-D Racing, Bonamici, Hot Bodies Racing, M4 Exhausts, Vortex EK, Motion Pro, SBS Brakes, BrakeTech USA, Inc., Ohlins, K-Tech, RS Taichi, Arai, Law Tigers Oklahoma, and Altus Factory Racing
MONSTER ENERGY YAMAHA MOTOGP MAKE STEPS ON FINAL 2023 TESTING DAY
Portimao (Portugal), 12th March 2023
PORTIMAO MOTOGP OFFICIAL TEST
Today Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP‘s Fabio Quartararo and Franco Morbidelli concluded the final day of 2023 pre-season testing. The teammates got in as many laps as possible at the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve and wrapped up the Portimão MotoGP Official Test in 3rd and 19th place respectively in both the Day-2 and combined timesheets.
3rd FABIO QUARTARARO 1‘38.302 / 88 LAPS
19th FRANCO MORBIDELLI 1‘39.066 / 89 LAPS
Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP‘s Fabio Quartararo and Franco Morbidelli used the second day of testing in Portimão, Portugal, to conclude their 2023 testing plans. Today the duo made the most of the perfect riding conditions again and booked progress, taking 3rd and 19th place respectively in today‘s standings and the Portimão MotoGP Official Test combined rankings.
Quartararo was quick to find a good rhythm on Day 2, and by 10:30 local time he had set a 1‘39.292s, more than 0.3s quicker than his fastest lap on Day 1. At the time it put him in third place provisionally. He then continued assessing aero-packages and trying settings in preparation for the first race weekend, held at the same circuit in two weeks‘ time. Once satisfied, he gave another push in the afternoon. Setting a 1‘38.302s on lap 61/88, he initially took second place but ultimately ended the day in third place in the Day-2 and combined results, 0.334s from first.
After putting in 95 laps on Day 1, Morbidelli again showed his motivation on Day 2 by completing another 89 laps, more than any other rider. He stayed fully focused during an intensive session, aiming to further improve his feeling with the bike and better his pace, and successfully shaved over 1.3s off his Day-1 time. His 1‘39.066s, posted on lap 79/89, saw him finish 19th in the Day-2 and combined timesheets, with a 1.098s margin to first.
MASSIMO MEREGALLI
TEAM DIRECTOR
Today we wrapped up pre-season testing. Because Yamaha had prepared many items this winter, we knew we had a lot on our plate for this final 2023 pre-season test. We only had two days, so we prioritised accordingly. Fabio and Franky both evaluated aero-package options and tried settings we felt are promising for the first GP weekend, held here two week’s from now. Fabio made a big step today, so that’s positive. Franky also tried many things during this test and gathered a lot of data that should be helpful for Round 1. We got a lot of work done, but there’s still more to do. We will now carefully go over the data we collected here, and subsequently draft a strategy on how we will tackle the first GP of the 2023 season. I’m sure the fans are as impatient to get the racing started as we are. We will put in our full effort to be ready to go.
Fabio Quartararo (20). Photo courtesy Monster Energy Yamaha.
FABIO QUARTARARO
Today we made a big improvement, especially with new tyres. We‘ve tried all aero-packages Yamaha brought here and also some settings from the past that were working well. I‘m pretty happy. We are still missing a few things, but we made a massive step from yesterday and from Sepang. We are much closer to be ready for GP1 than we were yesterday, although we are not 100% ready yet. We will be giving our best, for sure. We are not giving up.
Franco Morbidelli (21). Photo courtesy Monster Energy Yamaha.
FRANCO MORBIDELLI
These were busy days of testing. We tried many things, did a lot of stuff, and did a lot of testing – that‘s what testing is for, so I‘m happy about that. It will be important to analyse well the data we‘ve gathered and make the right choices for the race weekend.
More, from a press release issued by RNF MotoGP Team:
Oliveira and Fernandez complete successful test in Portugal
The RNF MotoGP Team has concluded its pre-season testing today at the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve with a positive outlook for the upcoming 21 rounds of the 2023 MotoGP World Championship.
Sunshine and decent temperatures have been accompanying the second and final day of testing ahead of the 2023 MotoGP World Championship season today at the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve. Like on Saturday, both RNF MotoGP Team riders, Miguel Oliveira and Raul Fernandez were able to make use of the full track time from the morning until sunset.
With more and more laps aboard his Aprilia RS-GP under his belt and being at ease with the home track, Oliveira improved on his fastest lap from Saturday quite quick today. The Portuguese local hero did a total of 147 laps in the course of the two days of testing. On Sunday he went 1.024 seconds faster than on day one and ended the official test in P11, just 0.616 seconds off the fastest.
Meanwhile, Fernandez is making significant steps. Following the fifth fastest time of the entire MotoGP field on Saturday, he ended the test in 16th position, 0.270 seconds behind his teammate and did his personal fastest ever lap in Portimao. The young Spaniard did 127 laps on Saturday and Sunday and feels ready and eager to start the new season with high motivation.
Less than two weeks from now, the 2023 MotoGP World Championship season will kick off with the first of 21 rounds at the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve in Portugal, where both Oliveira and Fernandez are aiming high. The RNF MotoGP Team is set to showcase their official 2023 colors to the world in a unique virtual launch on Monday, the 20th of March.
Miguel Oliveira (88). Photo courtesy RNF MotoGP Team.
MIGUEL OLIVEIRA
“After today, we are in a good place to start the first Grand Prix. Though we would like to be a bit more in front in the standings, our pace was quite strong and we have been there during the whole day which is good. Unfortunately, in the afternoon today during the time attack, I had a small crash, I was pushing and there was nothing I could do. We have some work to do, I just need to start the race weekend to see where we are.”
Raul Fernandez (25). Photo courtesy RNF MotoGP Team.
RAUL FERNANDEZ
“I’m really happy about our test, especially about today. We had a great day and have been working alone on the pace. The speed is very good. In the last moment, when I tried to do the time attack, I had a small crash. For that I want to apologize to my team. But anyway, also thanks to them, we did a really good job. I’m very happy, we have an amazing bike and I think 2023 is going to be a very nice season for us. Aprilia worked really well last year, they created a fantastic bike and I’m very satisfied overall.”
Razlan Razali, Founder and Team Principal RNF MotoGP Team
“It was a positive final day of the second winter test for both of our riders Miguel Oliveira and Raul Fernandez. They showed great speed and pace between the day. Unfortunately, when they were about to start the time attack, both riders had a crash and had to abandon their plans for the time attack. Though, it’s not the best way to end the test but more importantly the riders are okay and all the targets we wanted to achieve for this weekend was fulfilled and completed. We save the energy this weekend and aim to go faster during the actual race weekend in two weeks. Being the third time for both riders on the RS-GP, I’m happy that they showed a lot of potential, speed and pace and I’m confident that their performance will be there when it matters most which is during the race weekend.”
Wilco Zeelenberg, Team Manager RNF MotoGP Team
“The last day of testing is done. It was a very important last test, both, riders felt much more connected to their bikes than we had it during the first two tests. Of course, now they got more kilometers in on their bikes, but we also found better settings for them and they felt more confident electronic-wise and with their base setups. We actually feel ready to start the season. Our target here was to try to do 1:38, but actually half of the grid did it, so it was a little bit disappointing, but at least we also made it. So, let’s see what we can do next week when the sessions are shorter and track time is reduced, which is the main difference to the tests. Overall, we are very happy. We are competitive and ready to start racing!”
More, from a press release issued by Mooney VR46 Racing Team:
MARINI AND BEZZECCHI ENDED THE PRESEASON AMONG THE FASTEST GUYS AT PORTIMAO
The riders of the Mooney VR46 Racing Team are constantly in the top positions in P4 and P5 in the combined of the two-days
Portimao (Portugal), March 12th 2023 – Last act of the 2023 pre-season and another proof of solidity for the Mooney VR46 Racing Team at the Portimao test on the Ducati Desmosedici GP. Luca Marini and Marco Bezzecchi, already very fast yesterday, close the two days of work in Portugal in fourth and fifth place in the combined standings, ready to face the first race weekend, in less than two weeks, on the Algarve circuit.
Second yesterday and always among the most consistent, Luca, forced into the garage for a part of today’s session due to technical problems (64 laps), improves up to 1’38.310, a time that means a gap of three tenths from Bagnaia (1’37.968).
Step forward also for Marco (86 laps), P7 on Day1, capable of signing an excellent 1’38.351 and climbing the standings up to the fifth place.
Luca Marini (10). Photo courtesy Mooney VR46 Racing Team.
LUCA MARINI – 10
Overall I’m satisfied with the pre-season: there’s a good atmosphere within the Team and we’ve worked hard. I had fun, I feel good and I enjoyed every lap on the bike. Today was probably the hardest day, I had some bad luck and too many technical problems. In the final I gave my all, went out for the last 20 minutes and set my best lap time. I feel good, I can fight for the Top6 in qualifying and in the sprint with the soft. For the race, I think I’ll opt for the medium rear, the performances aren’t very different, but in terms of long distance it’s more performing.
Marco Bezzecchi (72). Photo courtesy Mooney VR46 Racing Team.
MARCO BEZZECCHI – 72
A good test, I’m happy even if the afternoon wasn’t easy at all. Putting everything together was more complicated than we expected. We made a step back and then it started to feel good. I’m not at 100% yet, but we did a great job and the sprint race simulation isn’t bad either. I can improve by 2/3 tenths on the single lap and keep the pace of the fastest.
PABLO NIETO, TEAM MANAGER
We have to be satisfied, not so much with this test, but with the whole pre-season. In Malaysia we worked well and here we continued in the same direction. We are ready to face the race in the best possible way. Ducati and the whole Team have done a lot and we are a very solid team with two very fast riders. We just have to discover the new format of the weekend, the last real unknown factor.
More, from a press release issued by GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3:
2023 PRE-SEASON COMPLETED FOR GASGAS FACTORY RACING TECH3: TIME TO GET ON THE GAS!
Testing work resumed on Sunday morning at the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve for the second and last day of the Official Portimao MotoGP™ Test, closing officially the 2023 pre-season for the class. Spaniards Pol Espargaro and Augusto Fernandez closed the test in 18th and 21st after two hard-working days on their red GASGAS RC16.
The day was again set ideally for riders to complete their testing programmes on a dry track, with the sun shining nicely and no clouds to be seen. Pol Espargaro was the first to go on track this morning at around 10:00 am local time (GMT+0). After a rather difficult Saturday and an evening spent finding solutions to yesterday’s issues, the GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3 seemed to find himself more comfortable on the bike today. He eventually managed to go under the bar of the 1’40 with a fast lap in 1’39.526 on lap 18 thanks to a change of bike’s setting. In the afternoon, he focused on different areas, including getting the fast laps in. Lap after lap, he progressed through the lap times until reaching 1’38.974 within the final laps of the day. He closes the day eighteenth in the standings, 1.006 seconds from the fastest of day 2.
His teammate and rookie Augusto Fernandez continued his progression on the Portuguese layout with the main goal to develop the learnings from Saturday and prepare for his first ever MotoGP™ race at the opening round of the 2023 season in two weeks. With just seven laps in this morning, he had already improved from his best lap of Saturday by 0.435 seconds. Seven laps later, the Spaniard went under the 1’40 bar, in 1’39.907, a very encouraging step for the rookie. In a similar way to his teammate, he also dedicated his day to fast laps and race preparation, integrating a race simulation at the end of the morning. The outcome was positive, highlighted by Augusto’s fastest lap set with his final lap. In the afternoon, he worked on time-attacks and eventually gained a few hundredths of seconds to set his fastest lap of the weekend in 1’39.667. After sixty-four laps, he sits in twenty-first in the standings, 0.693 seconds away from his teammate.
There is no more testing now, it is finally time to go racing! GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3 riders Pol Espargaro and Augusto Fernandez will be back in two weeks in Portimao for the opening round of the 2023 season! We’ll see you on March 24-26!
Pol Espargaro (44). Photo courtesy GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3.
Pol Espargaro
Position: 18th
Time: 1’38.974
Laps: 79
“Today was much better than yesterday so it feels good. We are just one second away from today’s fastest man, which is not bad on this track. Of course, we would like to be higher in the standings, but we tried many things these two days. We worked on the race pace quite a lot and there are some positive things, but we are missing something, especially on this track on which our grip is not the best in the rear. We had a very productive day today, so I am happy. Let’s go racing!”
Augusto Fernandez (37). Photo courtesy GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3.
Augusto Fernandez
Position: 21st
Time: 1’39.667
Laps: 64
“We had a good morning and made good progress with the bike. We did a race simulation and I am happy because I had a good race pace and felt good physically. I was able to understand more things about the bike, such as tyre management and how to ride it in race conditions. In Moto2, I was always very good towards the last part of the races, so it is good that I am also able to replicate this to the MotoGP class. In the afternoon, we worked on a time-attack and I think that we still have a lot of work to do to understand how to get the maximum of new soft tyres.”
Nicolas Goyon
Team Manager
“We just finished the pre-season with the final test in Portimao before we all finally start the championship here in two weeks. I would like to thank both our riders Pol Espargaro and Augusto Fernandez for their hard work over the past two days. All together, they did around 150 laps each, which is a lot of time on the track that allowed us to gather important data and information for the GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3 engineers.
Pol focused on trying to finalize a setup that suits him for the race in two weeks, but it has not been easy for him. He tried many options and it looks like towards the end of the day some positive came out of it as he registered his fastest lap of the weekend.
Our rookie Augusto worked hard and the day was highlighted by a race simulation with a total of twenty-two laps and twenty fast laps. What is very interesting is that he set his fastest lap at the very last lap of his simulation. It is promising because it shows that he has understood how to manage both his physical condition and his tyres.
Overall, we are satisfied with the work we did here in Portimao with both our riders. It was also the first time that our red GASGAS RC16 went on track and we were all really proud of our 2023 livery. We have two weeks to analyse the data, but we feel ready to race! Thank you to the whole team for their hard work, and we will be back in two weeks for the season opener !”
More, from a press release issued by Repsol Honda:
0.016s between Repsol Honda Team duo after five days of MotoGP testing
Sunday in Portimao saw both Repsol Honda Team riders focus on time attacks, Sprint race runs and refinements as Joan Mir ends the test in 13th with Marc Marquez just behind in 14th.
Perfect conditions saw out the MotoGP pre-season as the Repsol Honda Team completed their testing programme with the rest of the championship in Portimao. Two busy days saw a number of items tested and 289 laps completed between Joan Mir and Marc Marquez.
Joan Mir’s adaption to the Honda RC213V continued and Sunday in Portugal saw him make strong forward progress especially on his one lap pace. A best time of 1’38.762 meant the 2020 MotoGP World Champion ended the test as the 13th fastest rider and top Honda machine. Able to do a time attack, Mir was able to further understand where he and the Honda need to continue improving. As with the previous day, Mir’s race pace was more promising across his 61 laps.
On the other side of the Repsol Honda Team garage, Marc Marquez continued to diligently work as his attention shifted from fully focused on development to beginning to prepare for the coming race weekend in Portugal. The eight-time World Champion completed his first simulation of a new Sprint Race with his longest run of the test. A fall at Turn 1 midway through the final day did little to upset Marquez’s overall testing plan.
The MotoGP World Championship now begins their final preparations before the Grande Premio de Portugal, March 24 – 26, and the start of the longest MotoGP season in history with 21 Grands Prix.
Joan Mir (36). Photo courtesy Repsol Honda.
Joan Mir
13TH 1’38.762
“Today we were able to make some more progress forward in adapting to the Honda. There is still a lot I need to learn and adapt to because it’s still a new bike and some aspects that are not yet second nature. Overall it has been an off-season of progress but of course as a rider you are always wanting more and more. We head into the opening races wanting to keep improving and to see what’s possible.”
Marc Marquez (93). Photo courtesy Repsol Honda.
Marc Marquez
14TH 1’38.778
“We had the best feeling of our pre-season today, I was riding well and I was able to do a Sprint Race simulation. Riding for a longer run I was able to focus more on my riding style and keep making improvements there. Our rhythm wasn’t bad and today we worked more towards what will come at the Portugal GP. We were able to make a few steps, of course you want more. The most important thing was that today I had the best feeling with the bike so far.”
More, from a press release issued by LCR Honda Castrol:
LCR Honda CASTROL rider Alex Rins completes the last preseason test at Portimao
The last test before the start of the season has finished at the Autodromo do Algarve for Alex Rins and the LCR Honda CASTROL.
Despite the final position on the standings (15th), there are some positive elements to point out, as Alex admits feeling more comfortable riding the bike and happier with how he can handle it.
Rins and the crew have been testing several items brought by HRC, and overall, they are pleased with the steps made. There’s still considerable room for improvement, but the path is more precise after the test at Portimao.
Preseason is officially done; the next stop will be the opening round of the 2023 season at the same place, the circuit of Portimao.
Alex Rins (42). Photo courtesy LCR Honda.
Alex Rins 15th
(1’38.782)
“I’m pleased after the preseason we’ve done. Since Sepang, we’ve taken a step forward, and counting on new parts in Portimao has helped me understand our current situation. I’ve been focusing on testing them to provide useful information to HRC. The main thing is that we’ve improved, and that’s crucial. I want to thank the whole team because they’ve done a great job”.
More, from a press release issued by LCR Honda Idemitsu:
LCR Honda IDEMITSU rider Takaaki Nakagami finishes the last test at Portimao
The last test before the start of the season has finished at the Autodromo do Algarve for Takaaki Nakagami and the LCR Honda IDEMITSU. Despite the final position on the standings (20th), there are some positive elements to point out, as Nakagami has noticed a significant improvement during the second and last day of tests.
Since the beginning, Takaaki has struggled to find the feeling on the bike and admits he still needs to be more comfortable riding it. However, after testing some evolution parts brought by HRC, especially on the second day, he believes there is potential and room for improvement in some areas that would help both rider and crew to make a further step forward.
Preseason is officially done; the next stop will be the opening round of the 2023 season at the same place, the circuit of Portimao.
Takaaki Nakagami (30). Photo courtesy LCR Honda.
Takaaki Nakagami 20th
(1’39.309)
“The three days in Sepang and the two days here haven’t been easy, but today, in terms of lap times, everything is very tight, the gap has reduced, and we’ve taken a step. The feedback with the bike is better, but both the bike and I need to improve. We could take another step forward during the race weekend, so let’s keep working. The team has done a good job as always”.
More, from a press release issued by KTM Factory Racing:
2023 MOTOGP™ PREP ALMOST COMPLETE WITH SECOND AND FINAL PRE-SEASON TEST LOGGED IN PORTUGAL
2023 Motorsport news
Two days of intense testing work brought the 2023 MotoGP pre-season to a conclusion for Red Bull KTM Factory Racing at the Algarve International Circuit. Brad Binder and Jack Miller sifted through solutions for the settings of their KTM RC16s both for the long Grand Prix year ahead and for the first round of the series at the same circuit in a fortnight’s time. Binder ended the weekend 9th fastest while Miller was 17th but both less than one second from times that shattered the Portimao lap-record.
MotoGP teams left the heat of Malaysia last month to reassemble and bask in the sunshine of the Algarve for the second and last appointment in preparation for 2023. The two-day session allowed the Red Bull KTM works squad to drill through solutions and options to be ready for the 21-race championship (and brand new Sprint format) as well as look towards optimum settings for the Grande Premio de Portugal at the same fast and technical circuit at the end of March.
Brad Binder and Jack Miller were given a second opportunity to give their feedback on the potential of the RC16s around the 15 corner and 4.5 km layout in southern Portugal. The climate was steady and ideal for testing duties, even if the undulations of the track and diversity of the curves means it is a unique setting for bike behaviour and competitiveness.
Binder sat in P6 at one stage and ended the second day with the 9th fastest circulation just half a second from P1 and close to the lap record. The South African was reaching for rear grip but noted an improvement on Sunday. Miller, who is still trying to unlock the full possibilities of the race bike in what was just his third outing, was continually making gains. The Australian was just nine tenths of a second from the peak of the overall classification.
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing now have a few precious days back at the race workshop in Munderfing to condense the rest of the data accumulated in Portugal before the whole effort returns to the Algarve for the first real race action of ’23 on March 25-26.
Brad Binder: “We made a good step forward today. We had to re-think things last night because I wasn’t that happy with what we were doing: the team did a great job to make me more comfortable on the bike and I could push a bit harder. We are closer to where we need to be. The time attack went better than I expected. There is definitely a step we can still make before the race but I think we are more or less ready to go into the season.”
Jack Miller (43). Photo courtesy KTM Factory Racing.
Jack Miller: “We’re getting there. We cut almost another second today and got closer to the top rider who was six tenths under the lap-record! I’m just trying to understand the bike and try different things to get comfortable. We are improving every day and it is taking some time but we’re getting to a decent spot before the first race. Our [engine] maps need a little polishing but I think we can be quietly confident.”
Francesco Guidotti, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team Manager: “This test was the first time we tried the 2023 spec of the bike and we had some unexpected issues but also some progress. We perhaps don’t have enough time now to fix everything but we hope to give the riders a better package asap. Jack is gaining confidence and speed run-by-run and Brad was a bit surprised by this test but turned it around today. We know where we need to improve and thanks to the whole team for another big effort. Let’s get the season underway now.”
Sebastian Risse, Red Bull KTM Technical Manager MotoGP: “I would say we had a difficult start to the test and had to work through a lot on the first day. The main topic for some riders was rear grip, and looking at the lap-times overall, it was clear that the track today was in better shape and this helped us but we also improved our cause. We made a step and now we just have to see how much we can transfer this on the race weekend. I think we can be happy with the evolution we made these two days and we have the baseline. Now that we have had this test everybody should be up to pace right away at the GP and I think there is still some room to work there.”
Algarve International Circuit Official Test final combined times
1. Francesco Bagnaia (ITA) Ducati 1:37.968
2. Johann Zarco (FRA) Ducati +0.296
3. Fabio Quartararo (FRA) Yamaha +0.334
4. Luca Marini (ITA) Ducati ) +0.342
5. Marco Bezzecchi (ITA) Ducati +0.383
9. Brad Binder (RSA) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing +0.512
17. Jack Miller (AUS) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing +0.941
More, from a press release issued by Lenovo Ducati Team:
Francesco Bagnaia tops the timesheets in the final pre-season test at Portimao. Sixth quickest time for Enea Bastianini
Seven Desmosedici GPs in the first eight places of the standings at the end of two days of testing in Portugal
Francesco Bagnaia dominated the latest pre-season test, which concluded this afternoon at the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve in Portimão (Portugal). The Ducati Lenovo Team rider, who was already the fastest at the end of the first day yesterday, could set a formidable lap time of 1:37.968 this afternoon, confirming himself at the top and improving the current circuit record by 757 thousandths. At the Portimão track, which will host the opening round of the 2023 MotoGP season in less than two weeks, Bagnaia got positive feedback from his Desmosedici GP 2023 and declared himself satisfied with the work completed with his team.
Despite being hindered by technical issues and a crash on the first day, the last test was also positive for Enea Bastianini. The rider from Rimini finished in sixth position, with a time of 1:38.373, 405 thousandths behind his teammate, as he completed a total of 118 laps over the two days.
There are seven Ducatis in the top eight positions. Johann Zarco (Pramac Racing) finished in second place behind Bagnaia, while Luca Marini (VR46 Racing Team) finished fourth ahead of teammate Marco Bezzecchi. Behind Bastianini finished Alex Márquez (Gresini Racing) in seventh and Jorge Martín (Pramac Racing) in eighth.
“I’m thrilled with how the five days of pre-season testing went, including the three days in Malaysia last month. We improved in every session and completed our work programme. I like the new bike and prefer it to last year’s, but now we must keep our feet on the ground and keep working with our heads down to be fast on every track. The other manufacturers have also taken important steps forward, so we must stay focused. We can say ‘mission accomplished’: we are ready to face the new season.”
“These two days have been positive even though we were really unlucky yesterday. Today we started with a different mentality, which allowed us to take big steps forward straight away, and in general, we worked really well. We didn’t do any particular tests, but we focused mainly on the set-up of the bike and my riding style ahead of the first race, which will be held here in less than two weeks. I think we are still missing something to be able to fight for the win, but we are not far away. Today I also did my first sprint race simulation, and I think tyre life won’t be a problem, but we still haven’t chosen which one to use for Sunday’s race. In any case, I am happy and ready to get back on track for the first Grand Prix of the year”.
Everything is ready for the first round of the 2023 MotoGP World Championship, which will be held at the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve in Portimão from 24th-26th March.
More, from a press release issued by Aprilia:
MOTOGP TESTS IN PORTIMÃO
APRILIA HONES ITS WEAPONS AHEAD OF THE SEASON OPENER
LOTS OF WORK AND LOTS OF NEWS FOR THE ITALIAN TEAM. MAVERICK FAST AND INCISIVE, ALEIX AGGRESSIVE DESPITE A FATIGUED RIGHT ARM
The testing time, although brief, has come to an end and for Aprilia the conclusions can only be positive. Aleix and Maverick, but also the team RNF riders, Oliveira and Fernandez, demonstrated a good level of competitiveness ahead of the official race début.
The Italian team brought an abundant series of innovations to the track, from the highly visible aerodynamic appendages to the less evident (but just as substantial) evolutions of every aspect of the 2023 RS-GP. The analysis of the data and the comments collected throughout these two days will provide the Aprilia techs with the information needed to define the base technical configuration for both riders.
At the end of the two days, Maverick had ridden a total of 170 laps, the best at a time of 1’38.678, whereas Aleix did 112 laps with his best stopping the clock at 1’38.569.
Aleix Espargaro (41). Photo courtesy Aprilia.
Aleix Espargaró
“We can consider ourselves ready for the first race of the season. Once again today, despite some problems with my right arm, I was able to be fast, limiting my activity to shorter runs. Overall, we worked well during these two days. The package we have available is still not perfect, but it is a good starting point. Tomorrow morning I’ll go to the Dexeus Clinic in Barcelona straight away for a series of tests and, if necessary, I’ll undergo surgery immediately so I can fully recover before the race here in Portimão.”
Maverick Vinales (12). Photo courtesy Aprilia.
Maverick Viñales
“Two positive days, I’d say just like all of our preparation for the championship season. I felt really good yesterday, also in terms of lap times, whereas today our work was slightly different. I never used the best combination of tyre compounds, turning a lot of laps in less than perfect grip conditions, and I was able to learn a lot that way. I’d like to always lap at the top, but I’m confident that this type of work will provide us with advantages during a weekend. I can’t wait to really get down to business so we can see our level and begin to battle.”
The start of a race at a previous North West 200 race. Photo by Stephen Davison/Pacemaker Press International, courtesy Coleraine and District Motor Club Ltd.
The Coleraine and District Motor Club is delighted to announce this year’s fonaCAB and Nicholl Oils North West 200 will take place as planned on May 7-13.
As has been well documented over the past month, this year’s event had been thrown into jeopardy by a huge increase in the cost of public liability insurance. A new insurance deal has finally been secured and the crucial intervention of Co. Tyrone businessman, Derek Keys, with a generous donation from his company, Euro Auctions, has ensured the 2023 NW200 can go ahead.
“March 2023 represents the 25th anniversary of Euro Auctions and helping the North West 200 gives us the ideal chance to thank all of those people who have supported us over that 25 year journey,” Mr. Keys said, “The event sees over 195,000 people visit the region and many businesses, both large and small, depend upon events like this to bring trade and prosperity into the North West area. This event is part of our region’s heritage and I am delighted that with a little help from Euro Auctions, the event can now proceed this year.”
“We are very grateful to Derek Keys and Euro Auctions for this very generous support,” the NW200’s Mervyn Whyte said. “In the absence of any financial assistance from government, the sport has been left to its own devices to deal with the insurance crisis. Mr Keys intervention has been crucial in saving this year’s North West 200. We also wish to express our gratitude to the many members of the motorcycle racing community who donated so generously to the crowd funding initiative launched by the Motorcycle Union of Ireland, Ulster Centre.”
American Racing Team Moto2 World Championship rider Sean Dylan Kelly. Photo courtesy American Racing Team.
The American Racing Team is delighted to announce its collaboration with the subscription social platform OnlyFans for 2023.
OnlyFans already boasts a vast array of celebrities showcasing their content from artists such as Iggy Azalea and comedian Whitney Cummings along with familiar faces from American motorsport like MotoAmerica’s Josh Herrin and Supercross rider, Logan Karnow.
Giving fans an exclusive, behind-the-scenes experience both at and away from the track, American Racing and its riders will take fans around the world via the OnlyFans platform; showing them the inner workings of the team, life on the road and what it takes to be a world championship rider as well as offering fans exclusive competitions and subscriber-only opportunities.
Rory Skinner (33) on his OnlyFans-branded Moto2 racebike. Photo courtesy American Racing Team.
Eitan Butbul, Team Owner –
I’m thrilled to announce our collaboration with OnlyFans for the 2023 season. They are an enormous brand with a huge online presence across the world and it makes me very proud that the American Racing Team has grown to the point of attracting partners of this size.
This collaboration goes far beyond just a sticker on the bike and a patch on the leathers, it allows us to bring fans closer than ever before to a team in the MotoGP World Championship through content creation. We’ve seen what a real focus on content production has done for other sports and we couldn’t be more excited to take this to the next level in motorcycle racing through this platform.
Ami Gan, CEO of OnlyFans –
We are enthusiastic to welcome American Racing to OnlyFans. This collaboration will truly give MotoGP fans an inside look at what it’s like to race around the world, as the team and its riders showcase exclusive content on the platform.
OnlyFans continues to attract athletes to the platform who are looking for the best way to connect with their fans and share exclusive content.
Francesco Bagnaia (63) leading at Phillip Island on his way to the 2022 MotoGP World Championship. Photo courtesy Dorna.
NBC Sports announces 2023 MotoGP™ season schedule
All 21 Races to be Presented on NBC and CNBC, including LIVE coverage of the Americas GP
Wednesday, 15 March 2023
NBC Sports has announced its schedule for the blockbuster 2023 MotoGP™ season on NBC and CNBC, beginning with the Portuguese Grand Prix from Portimao on Sunday, March 26, at 1:30 p.m. ET on CNBC.
All 21 races will be presented on either NBC or CNBC, with timeslots designed to showcase the best of the sport. The Grand Prix of the Americas from Circuit of the Americas will be presented live for a second consecutive year on Sunday, April 16, at 2:30 p.m. ET on CNBC. NBC will air an hour-long encore on Saturday, April 22, at 3 p.m. ET.
NBC will present coverage of the following five MotoGP™ Grand Prix races, including three consecutive events in September, this season:
• British Grand Prix on Sunday, Aug. 6, at 1:30 p.m. ET
• Catalan Grand Prix on Sunday, Sept. 3, at 1:30 p.m. ET
• San Marino Grand Prix on Sunday, Sept. 10, at 1 p.m. ET
• Indian Grand Prix on Sunday, Sept. 24, at 1:30 p.m. ET
• Malaysian Grand Prix on Sunday, Nov. 12, at 1:30 p.m. ET
Ahead of the 2023 season, NBC Sports’ Leigh Diffey spoke with reigning MotoGP champion Francesco Bagnaia and 2021 MotoGP champion Fabio Quartararo.
2023 marks NBC Sports’ fourth season as the exclusive television home of MotoGP™ in the United States. All race coverage presented on NBC and CNBC will stream on NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app.
In addition to weekend telecasts on NBC and CNBC, live and on-demand coverage of all races will be available to stream on MotoGP™ VideoPass, in addition to every session of MotoGP™, Moto2™ and Moto3™, and races and qualifying for the FIM Enel MotoE™ World Championship.
Below is the full MotoGP schedule on NBC and CNBC (subject to change).
Jordan Szoke (101) was fastest after the first day of Bridgestone CSBK testing at Jennings GP. Testing continues on Wednesday at the Florida circuit.
Photo by Rob O'Brien, courtesy CSBK.
Szoke fastest on day one of Bridgestone Winter Test at Jennings
Jennings, FL – Jordan Szoke’s long-awaited return to the Bridgestone Canadian Superbike Championship was almost perfect on Tuesday, topping day one of the Bridgestone Winter Test at Jennings GP in north Florida.
Szoke didn’t need long to shake off the rust despite a year away from racing (and lingering effects from his serious motocross injury last off season), sitting third-fastest in the morning and fifth overall by mid-afternoon aboard his LDS Consultants Kawasaki.
Facing perhaps more obstacles than anybody given his hiatus, new machine, and abrupt adjustment to the new spec Bridgestone tires, it seemed like top-five pace would be a great accomplishment in his 2023 debut – but the 14-time champion had one more trick left up his sleeve.
In the final session of the day, Szoke crushed the previous benchmark with a time of 1:17.732 to go fastest overall in the combined times ahead of Ben Young. The reigning champion would put in a late flyer of his own to cut the deficit to just 0.077 seconds, but it wasn’t enough to oust his former rival from the top spot.
With most of the grid adapting to the new Bridgestone BATTLAX slick tires for the first time, the reception was almost entirely positive despite worse track conditions than previous tests at Jennings, something Szoke knows better than anyone.
“Any of the issues I think can be blamed on the track right now more than anything,” Szoke said to his crew on pit lane, as well as Bridgestone staff who were on-hand from around the world. “It’s going to take some getting used to, but the grip feels really good so far.”
Despite Szoke’s sensational lap, it was Young who paced majority of the day, rebounding quickly from a frustrating Daytona 200 weekend as he debuted the #1 plate aboard his Van Dolder’s Home Team BMW.
Sitting less than a tenth of a second out of first, Young represented a very tight group at the front on Tuesday, with the top nine riders separated by less than a second prior to the final session. Even with the late blitz from Szoke and Young, just 1.7 seconds will cover the entire top-ten going into Wednesday.
Completing the widely-expected trio of frontrunners was 2021 champion Alex Dumas, who struggled through a number of issues on day one but still managed to put in a strong lap of 1:18.128 – just 0.396 seconds away from making his Purple Skull/Liqui Moly Suzuki the top target.
The big surprise of the day was rookie Pierre Simard in fourth, who stole the show to begin the Bridgestone era aboard his D1C Suzuki effort. After an injury limited his “true rookie” season to just one round, Simard returned to the CSBK grid just 0.023 seconds off Dumas in third.
Rounding out the top-five was fellow LDS Consultants Kawasaki debutant Trevor Dion, who gradually made progress throughout the day aboard his new ZX-10R Ninja alongside teammate Szoke, with Sam Guerin placing his EFC Group BMW sixth and only a second off the top of the timesheets.
The combined top-ten of day one is below:
Cooney the top Amateur, Lalande stars in Lightweight
Andrew Cooney (133), Lightweight Sport Bike star from last season, has moved up to Amateur Sport Bike for 2023. Photo by Rob O’Brien, courtesy CSBK.
The first day of testing also saw a number of Amateurs take to the Jennings GP track, with first-year Scorpion Amateur Sport Bike rider Andrew Cooney setting the bar early on for Honda.
A four-time race winner in the Lightweight division last year, Cooney quickly got up to speed on his bigger 600cc machine, pacing the field with a blistering time of 1:20.625 – only 1.172 seconds off the Pro top-ten.
Trailing Cooney through the first half of testing is fellow youngster Mackenzie Weil, who went second-fastest aboard his MotorcycleCourse Yamaha with a time of 1:21.930. The lead trio was rounded off by Stephen Moxey, roughly two seconds off the pace.
As for the third and final group, it was 14-year-old Vincent Lalande who lived up to all the hype in his first taste of national action, leading the way in the combined Lightweight category.
The inaugural Canadian Mini Superbike Ohvale Cup champion is considered one of the series’ biggest talents in recent memory, and proved it on Tuesday by leading his group aboard a SpeedFactory67 Kawasaki with a time of 1:27.436.
Second to Lalande through day one was Justin Marshall, trailing the teenager by 1.110 seconds. Third in the group was veteran returnee Jeff Williams, who is making his own comeback after a scary Pro Superbike crash in 2020. The Yamaha rider managed an excellent 1:28.911 in his first official action in over two years.
Full results by session can be found on the series’ official website, while action will continue on Wednesday at Jennings GP.
Fans in the infield grandstands watch Cameron Petersen (45) lead Josh Herrin (1), Josh Hayes (4), Brandon Paasch (96), Hayden Gillim (95), Geoff May (behind Paasch), Teagg Hobbs (behind Hayes), Danny Eslick (69), Blake Davis (behind Eslick), PJ Jacobsen (66), and the rest in the restarted 2023 Daytona 200. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
MotoAmerica is paying out the entire $175,000 cash purse to the top 40 riders in the 81st Daytona 200 whether they finished the race or not.
Although the 2023 event ended with an unusual 10-lap “second race” that had only 22 official finishers from the original race’s 44 starters, MotoAmerica is paying out the entire purse.
Payouts will be awarded according to the order of finish in the second/restarted race, the order of retirement from the second/restarted race, and then the order of retirement from the original race down to what is effectively 40th place.
Here are the final finishing order and purse payouts, courtesy MotoAmerica:
81ST DAYTONA 200/SUPERSPORT RACE (March 11):
1. Josh Herrin (Duc), Dunlop, $25,000, 10 laps
2. Josh Hayes (Yam), Dunlop, $20,000, -0.070 second
Gus Rodio (96). Photo from 2023 by Sara Chappell Photos, courtesy Rodio Racing.
Rodio takes victory in first MotoAmerica Twins Cup Race of 2023
Rodio Racing powered by Robem Engineering rider leaves Daytona round with championship lead
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — It wasn’t Gus Rodio’s first time racing an Aprilia RS 660 at Daytona International Speedway, but the New Jersey rider kicked off the new-for-2023 Rodio Racing — Robem Engineering collaboration by scoring a win and runner-up finish at the opening round of the 2023 MotoAmerica Twins Cup season.
Rodio piloted his Aprilia to commanding win in his first race with the new team and come oh-so-close to scoring a second triumph at the March 9-11 event.
Rodio’s teammate, New Hampshirite Ben Gloddy, had a positive start to the Daytona round before suffering an unfortunate injury that did not allow him to finish Friday’s Race 1 or contest Saturday’s Race 2.
In the Twins Cup’s first on-track session of 2023, Rodio ended Thursday practice at the top of the time sheets. He best the next fastest rider for the best time in the class’ only practice session by 0.064 seconds. Gloddy finished practice fifth-fastest. Later Thursday, Rodio and Gloddy finished Qualifying 1 fourth- and sixth-fastest, respectively.
Friday morning saw Rodio secure fourth on the starting grid in the second and final qualifying session. He missed out on pole by a mere 0.216 seconds. Gloddy wrapped up qualifying in sixth place.
The Daytona round’s first Twins Cup race took place Friday afternoon and saw Rodio put in a dominant performance. Rodio moved up two places in the first several corners and was battling for the lead before the end of Lap 1. Gloddy also got a good start and ran as high a third before another rider crashed in front of him at the exit of the west horseshoe. The crash forced Gloddy to take evasive action, but unfortunately the crashed bike made contact with Gloddy’s RS 660, which caused Gloddy to crash. What was a three-way battle for the lead between Rodio and two other riders in the middle of the nine-lap race gradually became a one-rider show as Rodio pulled away from the other frontrunners to win by more than eight seconds.
Unfortunately for Gloddy, he suffered an injury when he was forced off track that did now allow him to take part in Saturday’s Twins Cup Race 2.
The second race was an eventful one for Rodio, who made the most of a race restart to extend his lead in the Twins Cup points standings. Rodio’s motorcycle began exhibiting a problem with its fuel cap on the warm-up lap, which caused Rodio to pull back into his pit box while the rest of the field was forming up for the race start. The team worked relentlessly to get the motorcycle repaired in time to rejoin the race, and a short time later the race was stopped on Lap 3 due to a crash.
The race was restarted with its original starting grid and five laps to go, and Rodio once again quickly made his way forward to the battle for the lead. He was in the race lead at the end of Laps 1, 3 and 4 and gradually broke away from the rest of the field with another rider. Rodio put in a valiant effort to get a good drive out of the backstraight chicane but was bested to the finish line by 0.162 seconds. Rodio’s second place added 20 valuable championship points to his tally, and he leaves Daytona with a nine-point lead in the class standings.
The MotoAmerica Twins Cup’s next round takes place April 21-23 at the Road Atlanta circuit in Braselton, Ga.
Gus Rodio / No. 96
“It was an awesome first race of the season. I was able to break away from the pack and win my first Twins Cup race. It was my biggest margin of victory and I’m very happy. In Race 2, I broke away from the pack with another rider and had a race long battle for the lead. I ended up second in a close finish. I’m really happy with this result as I didn’t think we would make it on track due to an issue we had. I’m really excited to get to Atlanta and keep working towards our goals.”
Robem Engineering’s technical partners for 2023 include Aprilia Racing, Piaggio Group Americas, Bitubo Suspension, Dunlop, Woodcraft Technologies, Dymag, Vesrah, Sprint Filter, DID, Sara Chappell Photos, NGK/NTK, Blud Lubricants, Millennium Technologies, Motovation USA and SC-Project.
Rodio Racing’s technical partners for 2023 include NJ MiniGP, Luxestar VIP, MAR Contractors, Evolve GT, N2 Racing, Dunlop, Spellcaster Productions, Kathedral, The Martinn and MVR Endeavor.
More, from a press release issued by N2 Racing/BobbleHeadMoto:
N2/BobbleHeadMoto Blake Davis Scores Two Top Five Finishes at Daytona.
Blake Davis (1). Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy N2 Racing/BobbleHeadMoto.
Media, PA – March 2023 – N2/BobbleHeadMoto Racing’s Blake Davis leaves Daytona with a pair of fourths place finishes in Twins Cup and an 11th-place finish in his first Daytona 200. Blake was fast in every session scoring pole position in Twins Cup and leading both races, but small mechanical issues prevented Davis from capitalizing on his speed. Blake also competed in his first Daytona 200 with a Blake Davis Racing / Biothermal Yamaha YZF-R6 running with some of the best riders in the country in the final laps.
Blake was fast from the moment the team unloaded the championship winning N2/BobbleHeadMoto Yamaha YZF-R7. Blake led nearly every session and qualified on pole despite a crash in Q2. Blake just missed out on a chance at the Time Attack Qualifying session for the Daytona 200 and qualified on row four in 13th place.
Championships are about scoring maximum points on your bad days and that is exactly what Blake did. In Twins Cup Race One, Blake battled for the lead for most of the race until he started having temperature issues with his R7 that require that he back off a bit to make it to the finish in fourth place.
Twins Cup Race Two was very similar with Blake having race winning speed in the beginning, but suffering some minor technical issues. Instead of crashing or pulling in, Blake stayed out and nursed his Yamaha R7 to the finish in fourth place. These two fourth place finishes leave him fourth in the points, 19 points back from Gus Rodio.
Blake’s focus in 2023 is defending his Twins Cup Championship, but Blake will participate in several Supersport rounds on his Blake Davis Racing / Biothermal Yamaha YZF-R6. The Daytona 200 was Blake’s first Supersport race and he did not disappoint. Despite having an issue at the start that saw him fade back to well outside the top 20, Blake kept fighting for the entire race, putting in fast, consistent laps. The N2/BobbleHeadMoto/Blake Davis Racing team gave Blake two great pit stops which put him in the lead group for the final 10-lap sprint. Sixteen-year-old Blake Davis battled with the best, most experience racers in the country for those last 10 laps, running as high as second place. In the end, Blake finished sixth on the race track, but a pit lane speeding penalty pushed him back to 11th. An amazing result for Davis’ first Daytona 200.
Blake Davis – “It was a tough weekend on the Yamaha YZF-R7 in Twins Cup. We were fast straight away and always in the mix, but we had some technical issues related to a crash that kept us from reaching our potential. It was positive that we brought home solid points in every race, and we are in decent shape to start the season. The Daytona 200 was awesome! I made a mistake in the beginning, but we fought the entire race and it was so much fun battling with the lead guys. Thanks to my N2/BobbleHeadMoto crew for an awesome R7 and thanks to Biothermal for all the support with the R6.”
Shiloh Salopek (Crew Chief) – “This was a tough weekend for the team, but we were able to leave with valuable championship points from both races and the knowledge to be more prepared for the next round at Road Atlanta in April.”
About N2: N2 – Ride, Race, Learn.
Founded in 2014, N2’s mission is to build a sustainable motorcycle community through safe, structured motorcycle track days, advanced rider training programs based on Yamaha Champions Riding School teaching methods, with a strong affinity for motorcycle road racing. N2 successfully resurrected Motorcycle Endurance Racing in America partnering with WERA Roadracing and creating the N2/WERA National Endurance Series by Dunlop. N2 is a premier participant in the MotoAmerica Pro Racing Series with a multi-rider team competing in several classes. N2 is also a major contributor to the Roadracing World Action Fund through fundraising efforts and support from its large member base.
N2 Racing is proudly sponsored by: Dunlop Motorcycle Tires, Yamaha Motor Corporation USA, Dainese, BobbleHeadMoto, Trading Paint, GB Racing, Spider, Yoshimura, STM, Sunstar, Giaccmoto, Robem Engineering, Puig, Eazi Grip, SBS Brakes and Yamaha Champions Riding School.
More, from a press release issued by Blackmon Racing:
Blackmon Overcomes Injury To Double Podium At Daytona
Jackson Blackmon (18). Photo by Sara Chappell Photos, courtesy Blackmon Racing.
The 2023 MotoAmerica Twins Cup Championship debuted at Daytona International Speedway over this past weekend. There were three days full of close racing from all the classes that were featured at the race. The Twins class saw some new talent enter the class, while other riders made their return such as Jackson Blackmon.
The 21-year-old rider from South Carolina suffered an ankle injury back in June of 2022 at Road America that ultimately put an end to his 2022 season. Trackday Winner/Blackmon Racing has made a return in 2023 with Jackson back aboard a 2022 Yamaha YZF-R7. With this being his third year competing in the class, he was hoping to use that experience to gain great results and minimize mistakes. Upon hitting the banks of Daytona in practice one, it was evident that Jackson hadn’t lost any pace.
Coming out of the offseason, the team encountered multiple challenges while preparing for 2023. New partners for this year include K-Tech Suspension, M4 Exhaust, Robem Engineering, Spears Racing, REV’IT!, and Hustle Hard Racing. Trackday Winner has returned as title sponsor with numerous associate sponsors, including Yamaha, Yamalube, Finishline Machine, HJC, and Wiseco.
Blackmon Racing came to Daytona with a strong package that delivered astonishing finishes and fast speeds. Qualifying was up and down for Jackson. Continuing to make big changes to the race setup made it hard for him to get fast laps. He ended up starting seventh for the races, but he was feeling confident in the settings for Race One on Friday.
The first of the two races scheduled for the weekend consisted of some chaos that broke up the lead pack early on. Jackson had to take evasive action in a crash that saw him back in fourth position and seconds behind. He was able to continually find pace to eventually catch up to the second-place rider, Then, on the final lap he made a draft pass to the line to take over the position. From ending his last race with injury to starting this season with a podium was exactly how he wanted to return to racing.
The second and final race of the Twins class at Daytona saw a different story unfold. Starting with a red flag early on made for a five-lap restart. Blackmon struggled a bit in the infield and that let the top two guys get away, but he was still able to manage third place to make for a double podium weekend.
“The weekend couldn’t have gone much better,” Blackmon said about his 2023 Daytona experience. “It’s been a long road of recovery on my ankle as well as a lot of long nights to prepare the bike for round one. So I was very pleased to pay back my Trackday Winner/Blackmon Racing team with two days on the box. These results give me a lot of confidence heading into Road Atlanta, and I cannot wait to get back on track soon.”
Trackday Winner/Blackmon Racing would like to thank their 2023 partners for their support: Trackday Winner, Finishline Machine, Yamaha, Yamalube, K-Tech, Orient Express, HJC, REV’IT!, Robem Engineering, M4, Spears Racing, Wiseco, Hustle Hard Racing, Drippin’ Wet, and Sidi.
More, from a press release issued by Indian Motorcycle:
INDIAN MOTORCYCLE RACING LEADS MISSION® SUPER HOOLIGAN® NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP FOLLOWING SEASON OPENER AT DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY
2022 Super Hooligan® Champion Tyler O’Hara Takes Early Points Lead Following Back-to-Back Wins At Daytona Doubleheader
Indian Motorcycle Racing Comes Away with Podium Finish in Mission® King of the Baggers,
O’Hara Ranks Fifth In Season Standings with 21 Points, McWilliams Eighth with 19
Tyler O’Hara (1) and Jeremy McWilliams (99) on their Progressive/Mission Foods Indian FTR 1200 Super Hooligan racebikes. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Indian Motorcycle.
MINNEAPOLIS (MARCH 14, 2023) – Following an offseason that expanded the competitive landscape with new manufacturers lining up for the MotoAmerica® Mission® Super Hooligan® National Championship (SHNC), it was Indian Motorcycle Racing and its factory team claiming the top two spots on the leaderboard, following the season-opening doubleheader at Daytona International Speedway. Piloting a pair of S&S®-built Progressive® Mission® Foods Indian FTRs, reigning SHNC champion Tyler O’Hara and teammate Jeremy McWilliams each left Daytona with a pair of podiums, including back-to-back victories for O’Hara and third and second-place finishes for McWilliams.
On Friday, March 10, O’Hara strategically tailed RSD Indian FTR privateer Bobby Fong for nearly the entire six-lap race. Waiting for the final lap to strike, O’Hara was able to carry more speed through the chicane and go up and around the outside of Fong to capture the season’s first win by .0064 seconds. McWilliams rounded out the podium to complete the Indian FTR podium sweep.
“Bobby was running fast all weekend and gapped me for a period until I was able to make up some ground. The lapper through the chicane definitely played a big role as I wasn’t sure if I was going to be able to draft pass him on the finish,” said O’Hara. “But what a fun race, and for Indian Motorcycle to sweep the podium just shows how impressive this Indian FTR really is.”
Race 2 on Saturday, March 11, was filled with plenty of action. After an early crash caused a red-flag restart, it was a five-rider group at the front of the pack. Pushing hard in the group, KTM rider Andy DiBrino lost his front end and laid his bike down, while Fong encountered a technical issue – making it a three-rider run for first between Harley-Davidson rider Cory West, O’Hara and McWilliams. While West ultimately crossed the finish line first, a post-race bike inspection found an illegal air intake that resulted in a disqualification – awarding O’Hara his second win of the weekend and earning McWilliams a second-place finish.
In the MotoAmerica® Mission® King of the Baggers (KOTB) class, O’Hara reached the podium with a third-place finish in Race 1. While the Indian Challenger had been running fast all weekend, even clocking the weekend’s fastest speed on a bagger at 182 mph, both O’Hara and McWilliams suffered technical issues in Race 2. Indian Motorcycle Racing concluded the opening rounds at Daytona with O’Hara in fifth (21 points) and McWilliams in eighth (19 points) on the season’s leaderboard.
“Our issues this weekend were specifically with our tires, MotoAmerica is a spec tire series, we are only given one choice for tires for Daytona and they failed with our higher speeds after four laps, but our new bikes are performing incredibly well, with a significantly higher level of both handling and power, as evidenced by both our riders registering speeds of more than 180 mph throughout the weekend,” said Gary Gray, Vice President – Racing, Technology and Service for Indian Motorcycle. “At the end of the day, the performance of our Indian Challengers, coupled with our success in the Super Hooligan class has us feeling extremely optimistic and incredibly motivated heading into the second round in Atlanta.”
The 2023 KOTB and SHNC seasons continue with Road Atlanta April 21-23. For more information visit MotoAmerica.com.
Indian Motorcycle Racing is presented by Progressive Insurance®, Mission® Foods and Medallia®, with additional support from Indian Motorcycle Motor Oil, S&S®, Parts Unlimited, Drag Specialties®, Performance Finance, and J&P Cycles®.
For information about Indian Motorcycle, visit IndianMotorcycle.com, or follow along on Facebook, Twitterand Instagram.
ABOUT INDIAN MOTORCYCLE®
Indian Motorcycle Company is America’s First Motorcycle Company®. Founded in 1901, Indian Motorcycle has won the hearts of motorcyclists around the world and earned distinction as one of America’s most legendary and iconic brands through unrivaled racing dominance, engineering prowess and countless innovations and industry firsts. Today that heritage and passion is reignited under new brand stewardship. To learn more, please visit www.indianmotorcycle.com.
INDIAN and INDIAN MOTORCYCLE are registered trademarks of Indian Motorcycle International, LLC. Always wear a helmet, protective clothing and eyewear and insist your passenger does the same. Ride within the limits of the law and your own abilities. Read, understand and follow your owner’s manual. Never ride under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
Progressive Insurance® is a registered trademark of Progressive Casualty Insurance Company; MOTOAMERICA® is a registered trademark of Krave Group, American Flat TrackSM is a service trademark of Daytona Motorsports Group LLC; Harley-Davidson® is a registered trademark of H-D U.S.A., LLC; King of the Baggers® is a registered trademark of KRAVE GROUP, LLC; Super Hooligan® is a registered trademark of Roland Sands Design, Inc.; Mission® is a registered trademark of Gruma Corporation; Monster Energy® is a registered trademark; Drag Specialties® is a registered trademark of LeMans Corporation; Bell® is a registered trademark of Bell Sports, Inc; Medallia® is a registered trademark of Medallia Inc.; S&S® is a registered trademark of S&S Cycle, Inc.; J&P Cycles® is a registered trademark of J&P CYCLES, LLC; Öhlins® is a registered trademark of Öhlins Racing AB CORPORATION SWEDEN; Klotz®is a registered trademark of Klotz Synthetic Lubricants, Inc.; Klock Werkssm is a service trademark of Klock, Brian INDIVIDUAL; RK TAKASAGO CHAIN is a registered trademark of RK JAPAN CO., LTD., Engine Ice® is a registered trademark of KOST USA, LLC; VP Racing Fuels® is a registered trademark of VP RACING FUELS Inc.; Motion Pro® is a registered trademark of Motion Pro Inc.; Corbi® is a registered trademark of CORBIN PACIFIC, INC; Unless noted, trademarks are the property of Indian Motorcycle International, LLC.
More, from a press release issued by Royal Enfield North America:
Royal Enfield And MotoAnatomy Get It Started In Daytona
Johnny Lewis and Ryan Wells kick off American Flat Track season at Daytona Short Track Doubleheader
MotoAnatomy’s Johnny Lewis (10) and Ryan Wells (94) put two Royal Enfield motorcycles on the starting line of an American Flat Track SuperTwins race, a milestone for the brand at the Daytona Short Track. Photo courtesy Royal Enfield North America.
Milwaukee, WI (Tuesday, March 14, 2023) – It’s been a busy off-season for Johnny Lewis and the MotoAnatomy Powered by Royal Enfield team, and the Daytona Short Track is where they got to showcase all the hard work, and reach more milestone moments for the brand. For Lewis, his 2023 season started with a heat race win, a main event holeshot and leading the first lap of Thursday night’s Daytona Short Track I. For Wells, it was his first race with the team, and the Daytona Short Track II marked first time ever that two Royal Enfields have been in an AFT SuperTwins main event.
“I love every bit of Short Track,” says Jonny Lewis. “Because it’s intense racing, but you’re really trying to control the motorcycle. We’re really try to push the bike in, get a direction change and you’re coming almost to a dead stop and accelerating really hard… so it’s really about trying to contain the power as much as you can, and keep the bike precise on the track. In Short Track, it’s really hard to do.”
Lewis put his razor-sharp technique to good use as he grabbed the holeshot and led the charge in the very first main event lap of 2023 American Flat Track. It also marked the first-ever unified SuperTwins race in AFT (previously, Lewis competed in the Production Twins class, which is now combined with the premiere Mission SuperTwins class). From there, Lewis settled into a strong fifth-place, but was taken out by another rider. He would soldier on to finish a respectable eighth.
For Ryan Wells, Daytona was his official debut with the MotoAnatomy Powered by Royal Enfield team. Like his teammate, Wells had some shining moments in Florida, and is looking to build on the excitement and progress into the rest of the season.
“It’s when I have someone like Johnny riding the same exact bike,” said Ryan Wells, “because Johnny’s really good at eliminating anything that could be under the bike’s control and puts it under his own control. Seeing what he’s doing made me want to work harder. Because he busts his butt every day of the week and he doesn’t stop. I know we feed off each other when he sees me working hard, he wants to work harder and vice versa.”
“This great team synergy, the progress made with the Royal Enfield Twins FT motorcycle and the enthusiasm for the entire 2023 season are our main takeaways from the Daytona Short Track Doubleheader,” said Adrian Sellers, Royal Enfield Head – Custom & Motorsport. “This is an exciting ride for all of us into uncharted territory and we’re already seeing the work pay off. Mostly, we’re just happy to be officially underway for the 2023 season.”
For more on the MotoAnatomy Powered by Royal Enfield team and a behind-the-scenes look at the Daytona Short Track Doubleheader, head to Instagram @motoanatomyxroyalenfield.
For more on the 2023 Progressive American Flat Track Championship, visit AmericanFlatTrack.com.
About Royal Enfield
The oldest motorcycle company in continuous production in the world, Royal Enfield made its first motorcycle in 1901. A division of Eicher Motors Limited, Royal Enfield has created the midsize motorcycle segment in India with its unique and distinctive modern classic motorcycles. With its manufacturing base in Chennai, India, Royal Enfield has been able to grow its production rapidly against a surge in demand for its motorcycles. Royal Enfield is a leading player in the global middleweight motorcycle market.
Royal Enfield North America (RENA) is headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and is developing a growing network of more than 150 dealers in North America, including the contiguous U.S. and Canada. RENA currently offers the all-new Scram 411, Classic 350, Meteor 350, Himalayan and the 650 Twins (INT650 and Continental GT 650) motorcycles, along with a range of Genuine Motorcycle Accessories and apparel.
For more information on Royal Enfield North America, visit www.RoyalEnfield.com/us/en/, www.Instagram.com/RoyalEnfield_NA, www.Facebook.com/RoyalEnfieldNorthAmerica.
Aleix Espargaro (left), as seen at the pre-season test at Portimao. Photo courtesy Aprilia.
APRILIA RACING – UPDATE ON ALEIX ESPARGARÓ
Following fatigue in his right forearm, which occurred during the recent MotoGP tests at Portimao, Aprilia Racing rider Aleix Espargaró underwent a series of tests between yesterday and today at the Dexeus University Clinic in Barcelona. The checks revealed a fibrosis in the muscle for which a surgical operation was necessary.
The cleaning operation, carried out today, was largely successful and will allow the rider to recover in view of the first race of the season, scheduled for the weekend of 24-26 March.
Dr. XAVIER MIR – MD PhD
“Aleix Espargaró underwent surgery on his right forearm, due to a fibrotic retraction of the forearm fascia with compression of the median nerve in the proximal third of the forearm. An antebrachial fasciotomy and an arch release of the pronator teres muscle was performed using microsurgical techniques. He will start his recovery as soon as tomorrow”.
"King Kenny" Roberts leading a 1975 AMA National at the now defunct Ontario Motor Speedway in Ontario, California, riding
a two-stroke, four-cylinder Yamaha TZ750 variant. Photo by Mush Emmons.
Featured In The March 2023 Issue:
“King Kenny” Roberts is arguably the most significant figure in motorcycle racing history: Twice AMA Grand National Champion, triple MotoGP World Champion, indefatigable fighter for riders’ safety and rights, championship-winning team owner, and constructor of the last two-stroke to score a MotoGP pole position.
Roberts came of age in 1973 when he wrapped up his first American Grand National Championship, a series that combined road racing with all kinds of dirt-track—short track, mile, half-mile, and TT, which included motocross-style jumps. The title was also his first success with Yamaha, which led to a hat-trick of 500cc/MotoGP world titles, from 1978 to 1980, and three more, as team owner with rider Wayne Rainey, from 1990 to 1993.
The Roberts story started when he was age 13 and learning to be a
cowboy…
—Racing History: “King Kenny” Roberts, by Mat Oxley
It was 50 years ago that “King Kenny” Roberts won his first major championship, lost a testicle, shot himself in the leg and nearly wound up riding for MV Agusta. Pretty intense year. But as Roberts says, “You kind of fumble through life…” Read about one of road racing’s greatest riders of all time’s most intense 12 months of fumbling, in the latest issue of Roadracing World!
Roadracing World & Motorcycle Technology magazine is available in print and digital formats.
Cameron Petersen (45). Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Yamaha.
MARIETTA, Ga. – Attack Performance Yamaha Racing’s Cameron Petersen overcame adversity to cross the line third in a drama-filled 81st running of the Daytona 200 at the Daytona International Speedway.
Coming just .007 seconds shy of the win last year, Petersen and the team were aiming for the top spot at the historic 200-mile race in Daytona Beach, Florida. When the lights went out, he quickly made his way to fifth from the seventh spot on the grid and then advanced to third. Unfortunately, he had a technical issue two laps into the race and ultimately was shuffled back and lost touch with the lead group. The South African pulled into the pits on Lap 12, and although he still was struggling to find his comfort zone, he kept pushing to make up lost ground. After his third pit stop, he made a big push and was able to close the gap on the race leader. Petersen passed the leader to join the lead lap, and then a crash brought out the red flag with five laps remaining.
With the red flag being drawn before Lap 53, the rules called for a restart and that there be a minimum of 10 laps. So it was a new race with Petersen in the sixth for the restart in a 10-lap sprint. Sitting sixth after the first lap, he put his head down to join the lead group and battled for the win. It was the typical chess match with drafting battles on the high banks of Daytona with multiple lead changes. Petersen fought to the end, ultimately taking third to earn his second-consecutive podium finish at the historic race.
The team now sets their sites on defending the title in the premier class and preparing for the MotoAmerica Superbike season opener at the Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta on April 21-23 in Braselton, Georgia.
Richard Stanboli – Attack Performance Yamaha Racing Team Manager
“The race really was just the last 10 laps. It showed how good the Yamaha R6 is and that it’s very competitive against the other bigger bikes. We’re pretty pleased with our result, even though we thought we could have had a little bit better race. Something happened with the clutch, I think, after the start. He was able to collect it up and un-lap himself, and that got us the opportunity to race for the win, which was great. This was a shop project. We came here to have a little fun with our little bike, but now it’s time to get serious with Superbike racing.”
Cameron Petersen – Attack Performance Yamaha Racing
“It was a crazy Daytona 200. The 57 laps didn’t really matter because the red flag came out, so it was a sprint toward the end. It was just a little bit unfortunate that after the first start, I had a problem with the clutch and just kind of struggled to stay with the group. I couldn’t get on the brakes. I couldn’t tip the bike into the corners the way I wanted to, so, I was really struggling through the infield. Thank god for that red flag because the last 10 laps, I just put my head down, and I was like, ‘Man, give it your all. Whatever happens, happens.’ There was just so much chaos. I didn’t even know I got on the podium. I was about to get undressed and was ready to go home, and somebody ran over and was like, ‘Hey, you’re on the podium.’ It’s not only for me. I think it’s just massive for the team to get a podium. A lot of effort goes into this single event with the bike, the travel expenses, and everything. So, I’m glad I could get on the box for the team, but I’m ready to get back on my superbike.
About Yamaha Motor Corporation, USA
Yamaha Motor Corporation, USA (YMUS), is a recognized leader in the outdoor recreation industry. The company’s ever-expanding product offerings include Motorcycles and Scooters, ATV and Side-by-Side vehicles, Snowmobiles, WaveRunner Personal Watercraft, Boats, Outboard Motors, Outdoor Power Equipment, Power Assist Bicycles, Golf Cars, Power Assist Wheelchair Systems, Surface Mount Technology (SMT) and Robotic Machines, Unmanned Helicopters, Accessories, Apparel, Yamalube products, and much more. YMUS products are sold through a nationwide network of distributors and dealers in the United States.
YMUS has a corporate office in California, two corporate offices in Georgia, facilities in Wisconsin and Alabama, and factory operations in Tennessee and Georgia. Additional U.S.-based subsidiaries include Yamaha Marine Systems Company (YMSC) with divisions Bennett Marine (Florida), Kracor Systems (Wisconsin) and Siren Marine, Inc. (Rhode Island), Skeeter Boats (Texas), with division G3 Boats (Missouri), and Yamaha Precision Propeller (Indiana).
More, from a press release issued by Altus Motorsports:
MotoAmerica: Limandri Impresses on his Debut Ride in the Twins Cup
Joseph LiMandri, Jr. (62). Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Altus Motorsports.
(Daytona, FL) The 2023 MotoAmerica season kicked off in Daytona Florida. With the Twins Cup running as one of the support classes to the famous Daytona 200, Altus Motorsports was there in support of Joseph Limandri Jr. onboard the team’s new Yamaha R7 entry in the class.
Twins Cup
Altus Motorsports rider Joseph Limandri Jr. made his debut in the Twins class at Daytona 2023, and it was a successful transition for him. Despite having minimal seat time on the new platform, Limandri quickly adapted and qualified 12th for Race 1 on Friday.
During the race, he engaged in a three-bike battle and emerged as the victor, finishing in 7th place. On Saturday, the Altus team made some modifications to the bike that improved its aerodynamics significantly. Limandri started from 11th in Race 2 and managed to stay with the lead group, finishing an impressive 5th after a red flag forced a restart.
“I’m really thankful to Mike Castro, Eric Gray, and the entire Altus team. They worked hard and gave me a great bike. I love working with the team and I’m ready to push to the top step. I can’t think of a better way to celebrate my 18th birthday than racing at Daytona!,” said Joseph Limandri Jr.
With the successful debut in the Twins class, Limandri is optimistic about the season ahead and is looking forward to competing at the front.
Team owner George Nassaney acknowledged the tremendous effort that went into preparing the Altus Factory-built Yamaha R7. The bike was built in-house by Team Manager Eric Gray, who worked long hours to ensure it was ready for the Daytona race, even with several key parts arriving just a couple of weeks before the event. “This past weekend was amazing to see all of the work paying off. Joseph rode very well and gave excellent feedback to his Crew Chief Mike Castro and Team Manager Eric Gray. Both worked to improve the bike every session and the results showed. We are excited to leave Daytona with solid points and we are all very proud of Joseph. Now it’s time to get back to the race shop and get the Team ready for Atlanta.”
Altus Motorsports team is supported by our great family of sponsors: Altus Motorsports, FLY Racing WPS, Suzuki Motor Corporation, Yamaha Motor Company, Barnett, Maxima Racing Oils, Moto-D Racing, Bonamici, Hot Bodies Racing, M4 Exhausts, Vortex EK, Motion Pro, SBS Brakes, BrakeTech USA, Inc., Ohlins, K-Tech, RS Taichi, Arai, Law Tigers Oklahoma, and Altus Factory Racing
Francesco Bagnaia was quickest during MotoGP pre-season testing at Algarve International Circuit, in Portimao, Portugal. Photo courtesy Ducati.
MONSTER ENERGY YAMAHA MOTOGP MAKE STEPS ON FINAL 2023 TESTING DAY
Portimao (Portugal), 12th March 2023
PORTIMAO MOTOGP OFFICIAL TEST
Today Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP‘s Fabio Quartararo and Franco Morbidelli concluded the final day of 2023 pre-season testing. The teammates got in as many laps as possible at the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve and wrapped up the Portimão MotoGP Official Test in 3rd and 19th place respectively in both the Day-2 and combined timesheets.
3rd FABIO QUARTARARO 1‘38.302 / 88 LAPS
19th FRANCO MORBIDELLI 1‘39.066 / 89 LAPS
Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP‘s Fabio Quartararo and Franco Morbidelli used the second day of testing in Portimão, Portugal, to conclude their 2023 testing plans. Today the duo made the most of the perfect riding conditions again and booked progress, taking 3rd and 19th place respectively in today‘s standings and the Portimão MotoGP Official Test combined rankings.
Quartararo was quick to find a good rhythm on Day 2, and by 10:30 local time he had set a 1‘39.292s, more than 0.3s quicker than his fastest lap on Day 1. At the time it put him in third place provisionally. He then continued assessing aero-packages and trying settings in preparation for the first race weekend, held at the same circuit in two weeks‘ time. Once satisfied, he gave another push in the afternoon. Setting a 1‘38.302s on lap 61/88, he initially took second place but ultimately ended the day in third place in the Day-2 and combined results, 0.334s from first.
After putting in 95 laps on Day 1, Morbidelli again showed his motivation on Day 2 by completing another 89 laps, more than any other rider. He stayed fully focused during an intensive session, aiming to further improve his feeling with the bike and better his pace, and successfully shaved over 1.3s off his Day-1 time. His 1‘39.066s, posted on lap 79/89, saw him finish 19th in the Day-2 and combined timesheets, with a 1.098s margin to first.
MASSIMO MEREGALLI
TEAM DIRECTOR
Today we wrapped up pre-season testing. Because Yamaha had prepared many items this winter, we knew we had a lot on our plate for this final 2023 pre-season test. We only had two days, so we prioritised accordingly. Fabio and Franky both evaluated aero-package options and tried settings we felt are promising for the first GP weekend, held here two week’s from now. Fabio made a big step today, so that’s positive. Franky also tried many things during this test and gathered a lot of data that should be helpful for Round 1. We got a lot of work done, but there’s still more to do. We will now carefully go over the data we collected here, and subsequently draft a strategy on how we will tackle the first GP of the 2023 season. I’m sure the fans are as impatient to get the racing started as we are. We will put in our full effort to be ready to go.
Fabio Quartararo (20). Photo courtesy Monster Energy Yamaha.
FABIO QUARTARARO
Today we made a big improvement, especially with new tyres. We‘ve tried all aero-packages Yamaha brought here and also some settings from the past that were working well. I‘m pretty happy. We are still missing a few things, but we made a massive step from yesterday and from Sepang. We are much closer to be ready for GP1 than we were yesterday, although we are not 100% ready yet. We will be giving our best, for sure. We are not giving up.
Franco Morbidelli (21). Photo courtesy Monster Energy Yamaha.
FRANCO MORBIDELLI
These were busy days of testing. We tried many things, did a lot of stuff, and did a lot of testing – that‘s what testing is for, so I‘m happy about that. It will be important to analyse well the data we‘ve gathered and make the right choices for the race weekend.
More, from a press release issued by RNF MotoGP Team:
Oliveira and Fernandez complete successful test in Portugal
The RNF MotoGP Team has concluded its pre-season testing today at the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve with a positive outlook for the upcoming 21 rounds of the 2023 MotoGP World Championship.
Sunshine and decent temperatures have been accompanying the second and final day of testing ahead of the 2023 MotoGP World Championship season today at the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve. Like on Saturday, both RNF MotoGP Team riders, Miguel Oliveira and Raul Fernandez were able to make use of the full track time from the morning until sunset.
With more and more laps aboard his Aprilia RS-GP under his belt and being at ease with the home track, Oliveira improved on his fastest lap from Saturday quite quick today. The Portuguese local hero did a total of 147 laps in the course of the two days of testing. On Sunday he went 1.024 seconds faster than on day one and ended the official test in P11, just 0.616 seconds off the fastest.
Meanwhile, Fernandez is making significant steps. Following the fifth fastest time of the entire MotoGP field on Saturday, he ended the test in 16th position, 0.270 seconds behind his teammate and did his personal fastest ever lap in Portimao. The young Spaniard did 127 laps on Saturday and Sunday and feels ready and eager to start the new season with high motivation.
Less than two weeks from now, the 2023 MotoGP World Championship season will kick off with the first of 21 rounds at the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve in Portugal, where both Oliveira and Fernandez are aiming high. The RNF MotoGP Team is set to showcase their official 2023 colors to the world in a unique virtual launch on Monday, the 20th of March.
Miguel Oliveira (88). Photo courtesy RNF MotoGP Team.
MIGUEL OLIVEIRA
“After today, we are in a good place to start the first Grand Prix. Though we would like to be a bit more in front in the standings, our pace was quite strong and we have been there during the whole day which is good. Unfortunately, in the afternoon today during the time attack, I had a small crash, I was pushing and there was nothing I could do. We have some work to do, I just need to start the race weekend to see where we are.”
Raul Fernandez (25). Photo courtesy RNF MotoGP Team.
RAUL FERNANDEZ
“I’m really happy about our test, especially about today. We had a great day and have been working alone on the pace. The speed is very good. In the last moment, when I tried to do the time attack, I had a small crash. For that I want to apologize to my team. But anyway, also thanks to them, we did a really good job. I’m very happy, we have an amazing bike and I think 2023 is going to be a very nice season for us. Aprilia worked really well last year, they created a fantastic bike and I’m very satisfied overall.”
Razlan Razali, Founder and Team Principal RNF MotoGP Team
“It was a positive final day of the second winter test for both of our riders Miguel Oliveira and Raul Fernandez. They showed great speed and pace between the day. Unfortunately, when they were about to start the time attack, both riders had a crash and had to abandon their plans for the time attack. Though, it’s not the best way to end the test but more importantly the riders are okay and all the targets we wanted to achieve for this weekend was fulfilled and completed. We save the energy this weekend and aim to go faster during the actual race weekend in two weeks. Being the third time for both riders on the RS-GP, I’m happy that they showed a lot of potential, speed and pace and I’m confident that their performance will be there when it matters most which is during the race weekend.”
Wilco Zeelenberg, Team Manager RNF MotoGP Team
“The last day of testing is done. It was a very important last test, both, riders felt much more connected to their bikes than we had it during the first two tests. Of course, now they got more kilometers in on their bikes, but we also found better settings for them and they felt more confident electronic-wise and with their base setups. We actually feel ready to start the season. Our target here was to try to do 1:38, but actually half of the grid did it, so it was a little bit disappointing, but at least we also made it. So, let’s see what we can do next week when the sessions are shorter and track time is reduced, which is the main difference to the tests. Overall, we are very happy. We are competitive and ready to start racing!”
More, from a press release issued by Mooney VR46 Racing Team:
MARINI AND BEZZECCHI ENDED THE PRESEASON AMONG THE FASTEST GUYS AT PORTIMAO
The riders of the Mooney VR46 Racing Team are constantly in the top positions in P4 and P5 in the combined of the two-days
Portimao (Portugal), March 12th 2023 – Last act of the 2023 pre-season and another proof of solidity for the Mooney VR46 Racing Team at the Portimao test on the Ducati Desmosedici GP. Luca Marini and Marco Bezzecchi, already very fast yesterday, close the two days of work in Portugal in fourth and fifth place in the combined standings, ready to face the first race weekend, in less than two weeks, on the Algarve circuit.
Second yesterday and always among the most consistent, Luca, forced into the garage for a part of today’s session due to technical problems (64 laps), improves up to 1’38.310, a time that means a gap of three tenths from Bagnaia (1’37.968).
Step forward also for Marco (86 laps), P7 on Day1, capable of signing an excellent 1’38.351 and climbing the standings up to the fifth place.
Luca Marini (10). Photo courtesy Mooney VR46 Racing Team.
LUCA MARINI – 10
Overall I’m satisfied with the pre-season: there’s a good atmosphere within the Team and we’ve worked hard. I had fun, I feel good and I enjoyed every lap on the bike. Today was probably the hardest day, I had some bad luck and too many technical problems. In the final I gave my all, went out for the last 20 minutes and set my best lap time. I feel good, I can fight for the Top6 in qualifying and in the sprint with the soft. For the race, I think I’ll opt for the medium rear, the performances aren’t very different, but in terms of long distance it’s more performing.
Marco Bezzecchi (72). Photo courtesy Mooney VR46 Racing Team.
MARCO BEZZECCHI – 72
A good test, I’m happy even if the afternoon wasn’t easy at all. Putting everything together was more complicated than we expected. We made a step back and then it started to feel good. I’m not at 100% yet, but we did a great job and the sprint race simulation isn’t bad either. I can improve by 2/3 tenths on the single lap and keep the pace of the fastest.
PABLO NIETO, TEAM MANAGER
We have to be satisfied, not so much with this test, but with the whole pre-season. In Malaysia we worked well and here we continued in the same direction. We are ready to face the race in the best possible way. Ducati and the whole Team have done a lot and we are a very solid team with two very fast riders. We just have to discover the new format of the weekend, the last real unknown factor.
More, from a press release issued by GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3:
2023 PRE-SEASON COMPLETED FOR GASGAS FACTORY RACING TECH3: TIME TO GET ON THE GAS!
Testing work resumed on Sunday morning at the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve for the second and last day of the Official Portimao MotoGP™ Test, closing officially the 2023 pre-season for the class. Spaniards Pol Espargaro and Augusto Fernandez closed the test in 18th and 21st after two hard-working days on their red GASGAS RC16.
The day was again set ideally for riders to complete their testing programmes on a dry track, with the sun shining nicely and no clouds to be seen. Pol Espargaro was the first to go on track this morning at around 10:00 am local time (GMT+0). After a rather difficult Saturday and an evening spent finding solutions to yesterday’s issues, the GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3 seemed to find himself more comfortable on the bike today. He eventually managed to go under the bar of the 1’40 with a fast lap in 1’39.526 on lap 18 thanks to a change of bike’s setting. In the afternoon, he focused on different areas, including getting the fast laps in. Lap after lap, he progressed through the lap times until reaching 1’38.974 within the final laps of the day. He closes the day eighteenth in the standings, 1.006 seconds from the fastest of day 2.
His teammate and rookie Augusto Fernandez continued his progression on the Portuguese layout with the main goal to develop the learnings from Saturday and prepare for his first ever MotoGP™ race at the opening round of the 2023 season in two weeks. With just seven laps in this morning, he had already improved from his best lap of Saturday by 0.435 seconds. Seven laps later, the Spaniard went under the 1’40 bar, in 1’39.907, a very encouraging step for the rookie. In a similar way to his teammate, he also dedicated his day to fast laps and race preparation, integrating a race simulation at the end of the morning. The outcome was positive, highlighted by Augusto’s fastest lap set with his final lap. In the afternoon, he worked on time-attacks and eventually gained a few hundredths of seconds to set his fastest lap of the weekend in 1’39.667. After sixty-four laps, he sits in twenty-first in the standings, 0.693 seconds away from his teammate.
There is no more testing now, it is finally time to go racing! GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3 riders Pol Espargaro and Augusto Fernandez will be back in two weeks in Portimao for the opening round of the 2023 season! We’ll see you on March 24-26!
Pol Espargaro (44). Photo courtesy GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3.
Pol Espargaro
Position: 18th
Time: 1’38.974
Laps: 79
“Today was much better than yesterday so it feels good. We are just one second away from today’s fastest man, which is not bad on this track. Of course, we would like to be higher in the standings, but we tried many things these two days. We worked on the race pace quite a lot and there are some positive things, but we are missing something, especially on this track on which our grip is not the best in the rear. We had a very productive day today, so I am happy. Let’s go racing!”
Augusto Fernandez (37). Photo courtesy GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3.
Augusto Fernandez
Position: 21st
Time: 1’39.667
Laps: 64
“We had a good morning and made good progress with the bike. We did a race simulation and I am happy because I had a good race pace and felt good physically. I was able to understand more things about the bike, such as tyre management and how to ride it in race conditions. In Moto2, I was always very good towards the last part of the races, so it is good that I am also able to replicate this to the MotoGP class. In the afternoon, we worked on a time-attack and I think that we still have a lot of work to do to understand how to get the maximum of new soft tyres.”
Nicolas Goyon
Team Manager
“We just finished the pre-season with the final test in Portimao before we all finally start the championship here in two weeks. I would like to thank both our riders Pol Espargaro and Augusto Fernandez for their hard work over the past two days. All together, they did around 150 laps each, which is a lot of time on the track that allowed us to gather important data and information for the GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3 engineers.
Pol focused on trying to finalize a setup that suits him for the race in two weeks, but it has not been easy for him. He tried many options and it looks like towards the end of the day some positive came out of it as he registered his fastest lap of the weekend.
Our rookie Augusto worked hard and the day was highlighted by a race simulation with a total of twenty-two laps and twenty fast laps. What is very interesting is that he set his fastest lap at the very last lap of his simulation. It is promising because it shows that he has understood how to manage both his physical condition and his tyres.
Overall, we are satisfied with the work we did here in Portimao with both our riders. It was also the first time that our red GASGAS RC16 went on track and we were all really proud of our 2023 livery. We have two weeks to analyse the data, but we feel ready to race! Thank you to the whole team for their hard work, and we will be back in two weeks for the season opener !”
More, from a press release issued by Repsol Honda:
0.016s between Repsol Honda Team duo after five days of MotoGP testing
Sunday in Portimao saw both Repsol Honda Team riders focus on time attacks, Sprint race runs and refinements as Joan Mir ends the test in 13th with Marc Marquez just behind in 14th.
Perfect conditions saw out the MotoGP pre-season as the Repsol Honda Team completed their testing programme with the rest of the championship in Portimao. Two busy days saw a number of items tested and 289 laps completed between Joan Mir and Marc Marquez.
Joan Mir’s adaption to the Honda RC213V continued and Sunday in Portugal saw him make strong forward progress especially on his one lap pace. A best time of 1’38.762 meant the 2020 MotoGP World Champion ended the test as the 13th fastest rider and top Honda machine. Able to do a time attack, Mir was able to further understand where he and the Honda need to continue improving. As with the previous day, Mir’s race pace was more promising across his 61 laps.
On the other side of the Repsol Honda Team garage, Marc Marquez continued to diligently work as his attention shifted from fully focused on development to beginning to prepare for the coming race weekend in Portugal. The eight-time World Champion completed his first simulation of a new Sprint Race with his longest run of the test. A fall at Turn 1 midway through the final day did little to upset Marquez’s overall testing plan.
The MotoGP World Championship now begins their final preparations before the Grande Premio de Portugal, March 24 – 26, and the start of the longest MotoGP season in history with 21 Grands Prix.
Joan Mir (36). Photo courtesy Repsol Honda.
Joan Mir
13TH 1’38.762
“Today we were able to make some more progress forward in adapting to the Honda. There is still a lot I need to learn and adapt to because it’s still a new bike and some aspects that are not yet second nature. Overall it has been an off-season of progress but of course as a rider you are always wanting more and more. We head into the opening races wanting to keep improving and to see what’s possible.”
Marc Marquez (93). Photo courtesy Repsol Honda.
Marc Marquez
14TH 1’38.778
“We had the best feeling of our pre-season today, I was riding well and I was able to do a Sprint Race simulation. Riding for a longer run I was able to focus more on my riding style and keep making improvements there. Our rhythm wasn’t bad and today we worked more towards what will come at the Portugal GP. We were able to make a few steps, of course you want more. The most important thing was that today I had the best feeling with the bike so far.”
More, from a press release issued by LCR Honda Castrol:
LCR Honda CASTROL rider Alex Rins completes the last preseason test at Portimao
The last test before the start of the season has finished at the Autodromo do Algarve for Alex Rins and the LCR Honda CASTROL.
Despite the final position on the standings (15th), there are some positive elements to point out, as Alex admits feeling more comfortable riding the bike and happier with how he can handle it.
Rins and the crew have been testing several items brought by HRC, and overall, they are pleased with the steps made. There’s still considerable room for improvement, but the path is more precise after the test at Portimao.
Preseason is officially done; the next stop will be the opening round of the 2023 season at the same place, the circuit of Portimao.
Alex Rins (42). Photo courtesy LCR Honda.
Alex Rins 15th
(1’38.782)
“I’m pleased after the preseason we’ve done. Since Sepang, we’ve taken a step forward, and counting on new parts in Portimao has helped me understand our current situation. I’ve been focusing on testing them to provide useful information to HRC. The main thing is that we’ve improved, and that’s crucial. I want to thank the whole team because they’ve done a great job”.
More, from a press release issued by LCR Honda Idemitsu:
LCR Honda IDEMITSU rider Takaaki Nakagami finishes the last test at Portimao
The last test before the start of the season has finished at the Autodromo do Algarve for Takaaki Nakagami and the LCR Honda IDEMITSU. Despite the final position on the standings (20th), there are some positive elements to point out, as Nakagami has noticed a significant improvement during the second and last day of tests.
Since the beginning, Takaaki has struggled to find the feeling on the bike and admits he still needs to be more comfortable riding it. However, after testing some evolution parts brought by HRC, especially on the second day, he believes there is potential and room for improvement in some areas that would help both rider and crew to make a further step forward.
Preseason is officially done; the next stop will be the opening round of the 2023 season at the same place, the circuit of Portimao.
Takaaki Nakagami (30). Photo courtesy LCR Honda.
Takaaki Nakagami 20th
(1’39.309)
“The three days in Sepang and the two days here haven’t been easy, but today, in terms of lap times, everything is very tight, the gap has reduced, and we’ve taken a step. The feedback with the bike is better, but both the bike and I need to improve. We could take another step forward during the race weekend, so let’s keep working. The team has done a good job as always”.
More, from a press release issued by KTM Factory Racing:
2023 MOTOGP™ PREP ALMOST COMPLETE WITH SECOND AND FINAL PRE-SEASON TEST LOGGED IN PORTUGAL
2023 Motorsport news
Two days of intense testing work brought the 2023 MotoGP pre-season to a conclusion for Red Bull KTM Factory Racing at the Algarve International Circuit. Brad Binder and Jack Miller sifted through solutions for the settings of their KTM RC16s both for the long Grand Prix year ahead and for the first round of the series at the same circuit in a fortnight’s time. Binder ended the weekend 9th fastest while Miller was 17th but both less than one second from times that shattered the Portimao lap-record.
MotoGP teams left the heat of Malaysia last month to reassemble and bask in the sunshine of the Algarve for the second and last appointment in preparation for 2023. The two-day session allowed the Red Bull KTM works squad to drill through solutions and options to be ready for the 21-race championship (and brand new Sprint format) as well as look towards optimum settings for the Grande Premio de Portugal at the same fast and technical circuit at the end of March.
Brad Binder and Jack Miller were given a second opportunity to give their feedback on the potential of the RC16s around the 15 corner and 4.5 km layout in southern Portugal. The climate was steady and ideal for testing duties, even if the undulations of the track and diversity of the curves means it is a unique setting for bike behaviour and competitiveness.
Binder sat in P6 at one stage and ended the second day with the 9th fastest circulation just half a second from P1 and close to the lap record. The South African was reaching for rear grip but noted an improvement on Sunday. Miller, who is still trying to unlock the full possibilities of the race bike in what was just his third outing, was continually making gains. The Australian was just nine tenths of a second from the peak of the overall classification.
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing now have a few precious days back at the race workshop in Munderfing to condense the rest of the data accumulated in Portugal before the whole effort returns to the Algarve for the first real race action of ’23 on March 25-26.
Brad Binder: “We made a good step forward today. We had to re-think things last night because I wasn’t that happy with what we were doing: the team did a great job to make me more comfortable on the bike and I could push a bit harder. We are closer to where we need to be. The time attack went better than I expected. There is definitely a step we can still make before the race but I think we are more or less ready to go into the season.”
Jack Miller (43). Photo courtesy KTM Factory Racing.
Jack Miller: “We’re getting there. We cut almost another second today and got closer to the top rider who was six tenths under the lap-record! I’m just trying to understand the bike and try different things to get comfortable. We are improving every day and it is taking some time but we’re getting to a decent spot before the first race. Our [engine] maps need a little polishing but I think we can be quietly confident.”
Francesco Guidotti, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team Manager: “This test was the first time we tried the 2023 spec of the bike and we had some unexpected issues but also some progress. We perhaps don’t have enough time now to fix everything but we hope to give the riders a better package asap. Jack is gaining confidence and speed run-by-run and Brad was a bit surprised by this test but turned it around today. We know where we need to improve and thanks to the whole team for another big effort. Let’s get the season underway now.”
Sebastian Risse, Red Bull KTM Technical Manager MotoGP: “I would say we had a difficult start to the test and had to work through a lot on the first day. The main topic for some riders was rear grip, and looking at the lap-times overall, it was clear that the track today was in better shape and this helped us but we also improved our cause. We made a step and now we just have to see how much we can transfer this on the race weekend. I think we can be happy with the evolution we made these two days and we have the baseline. Now that we have had this test everybody should be up to pace right away at the GP and I think there is still some room to work there.”
Algarve International Circuit Official Test final combined times
1. Francesco Bagnaia (ITA) Ducati 1:37.968
2. Johann Zarco (FRA) Ducati +0.296
3. Fabio Quartararo (FRA) Yamaha +0.334
4. Luca Marini (ITA) Ducati ) +0.342
5. Marco Bezzecchi (ITA) Ducati +0.383
9. Brad Binder (RSA) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing +0.512
17. Jack Miller (AUS) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing +0.941
More, from a press release issued by Lenovo Ducati Team:
Francesco Bagnaia tops the timesheets in the final pre-season test at Portimao. Sixth quickest time for Enea Bastianini
Seven Desmosedici GPs in the first eight places of the standings at the end of two days of testing in Portugal
Francesco Bagnaia dominated the latest pre-season test, which concluded this afternoon at the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve in Portimão (Portugal). The Ducati Lenovo Team rider, who was already the fastest at the end of the first day yesterday, could set a formidable lap time of 1:37.968 this afternoon, confirming himself at the top and improving the current circuit record by 757 thousandths. At the Portimão track, which will host the opening round of the 2023 MotoGP season in less than two weeks, Bagnaia got positive feedback from his Desmosedici GP 2023 and declared himself satisfied with the work completed with his team.
Despite being hindered by technical issues and a crash on the first day, the last test was also positive for Enea Bastianini. The rider from Rimini finished in sixth position, with a time of 1:38.373, 405 thousandths behind his teammate, as he completed a total of 118 laps over the two days.
There are seven Ducatis in the top eight positions. Johann Zarco (Pramac Racing) finished in second place behind Bagnaia, while Luca Marini (VR46 Racing Team) finished fourth ahead of teammate Marco Bezzecchi. Behind Bastianini finished Alex Márquez (Gresini Racing) in seventh and Jorge Martín (Pramac Racing) in eighth.
“I’m thrilled with how the five days of pre-season testing went, including the three days in Malaysia last month. We improved in every session and completed our work programme. I like the new bike and prefer it to last year’s, but now we must keep our feet on the ground and keep working with our heads down to be fast on every track. The other manufacturers have also taken important steps forward, so we must stay focused. We can say ‘mission accomplished’: we are ready to face the new season.”
“These two days have been positive even though we were really unlucky yesterday. Today we started with a different mentality, which allowed us to take big steps forward straight away, and in general, we worked really well. We didn’t do any particular tests, but we focused mainly on the set-up of the bike and my riding style ahead of the first race, which will be held here in less than two weeks. I think we are still missing something to be able to fight for the win, but we are not far away. Today I also did my first sprint race simulation, and I think tyre life won’t be a problem, but we still haven’t chosen which one to use for Sunday’s race. In any case, I am happy and ready to get back on track for the first Grand Prix of the year”.
Everything is ready for the first round of the 2023 MotoGP World Championship, which will be held at the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve in Portimão from 24th-26th March.
More, from a press release issued by Aprilia:
MOTOGP TESTS IN PORTIMÃO
APRILIA HONES ITS WEAPONS AHEAD OF THE SEASON OPENER
LOTS OF WORK AND LOTS OF NEWS FOR THE ITALIAN TEAM. MAVERICK FAST AND INCISIVE, ALEIX AGGRESSIVE DESPITE A FATIGUED RIGHT ARM
The testing time, although brief, has come to an end and for Aprilia the conclusions can only be positive. Aleix and Maverick, but also the team RNF riders, Oliveira and Fernandez, demonstrated a good level of competitiveness ahead of the official race début.
The Italian team brought an abundant series of innovations to the track, from the highly visible aerodynamic appendages to the less evident (but just as substantial) evolutions of every aspect of the 2023 RS-GP. The analysis of the data and the comments collected throughout these two days will provide the Aprilia techs with the information needed to define the base technical configuration for both riders.
At the end of the two days, Maverick had ridden a total of 170 laps, the best at a time of 1’38.678, whereas Aleix did 112 laps with his best stopping the clock at 1’38.569.
Aleix Espargaro (41). Photo courtesy Aprilia.
Aleix Espargaró
“We can consider ourselves ready for the first race of the season. Once again today, despite some problems with my right arm, I was able to be fast, limiting my activity to shorter runs. Overall, we worked well during these two days. The package we have available is still not perfect, but it is a good starting point. Tomorrow morning I’ll go to the Dexeus Clinic in Barcelona straight away for a series of tests and, if necessary, I’ll undergo surgery immediately so I can fully recover before the race here in Portimão.”
Maverick Vinales (12). Photo courtesy Aprilia.
Maverick Viñales
“Two positive days, I’d say just like all of our preparation for the championship season. I felt really good yesterday, also in terms of lap times, whereas today our work was slightly different. I never used the best combination of tyre compounds, turning a lot of laps in less than perfect grip conditions, and I was able to learn a lot that way. I’d like to always lap at the top, but I’m confident that this type of work will provide us with advantages during a weekend. I can’t wait to really get down to business so we can see our level and begin to battle.”
A “press release” is promotional text issued by a rider, team, company or organization to inform
the public about an event, product, or service from the issuer’s own point of view, and if deemed
to have news value, may be placed on roadracingworld.com as a service to our readers.
A press release is not an article written by Roadracingworld.com staffers. When a post is labeled with the words “press release”, it means that Roadracingworld.com is not responsible for its content and that Roadracingworld.com makes no guarantee that it is accurate. Not all press releases are posted and Roadracingworld.com may reject press releases if the content is too heavy on commercial promotion with little or no news value or if the press release contains obvious errors.
Accessibility
Accessibility modes
Epilepsy Safe Mode
Dampens color and removes blinks
This mode enables people with epilepsy to use the website safely by eliminating the risk of seizures that result from flashing or blinking animations and risky color combinations.
Visually Impaired Mode
Improves website's visuals
This mode adjusts the website for the convenience of users with visual impairments such as Degrading Eyesight, Tunnel Vision, Cataract, Glaucoma, and others.
Cognitive Disability Mode
Helps to focus on specific content
This mode provides different assistive options to help users with cognitive impairments such as Dyslexia, Autism, CVA, and others, to focus on the essential elements of the website more easily.
ADHD Friendly Mode
Reduces distractions and improve focus
This mode helps users with ADHD and Neurodevelopmental disorders to read, browse, and focus on the main website elements more easily while significantly reducing distractions.
Blindness Mode
Allows using the site with your screen-reader
This mode configures the website to be compatible with screen-readers such as JAWS, NVDA, VoiceOver, and TalkBack. A screen-reader is software for blind users that is installed on a computer and smartphone, and websites must be compatible with it.
Online Dictionary
Readable Experience
Content Scaling
Default
Text Magnifier
Readable Font
Dyslexia Friendly
Highlight Titles
Highlight Links
Font Sizing
Default
Line Height
Default
Letter Spacing
Default
Left Aligned
Center Aligned
Right Aligned
Visually Pleasing Experience
Dark Contrast
Light Contrast
Monochrome
High Contrast
High Saturation
Low Saturation
Adjust Text Colors
Adjust Title Colors
Adjust Background Colors
Easy Orientation
Mute Sounds
Hide Images
Hide Emoji
Reading Guide
Stop Animations
Reading Mask
Highlight Hover
Highlight Focus
Big Dark Cursor
Big Light Cursor
Cognitive Reading
Virtual Keyboard
Navigation Keys
Voice Navigation
Accessibility Statement
www.roadracingworld.com
May 12, 2026
Compliance status
We firmly believe that the internet should be available and accessible to anyone, and are committed to providing a website that is accessible to the widest possible audience,
regardless of circumstance and ability.
To fulfill this, we aim to adhere as strictly as possible to the World Wide Web Consortium’s (W3C) Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.1 (WCAG 2.1) at the AA level.
These guidelines explain how to make web content accessible to people with a wide array of disabilities. Complying with those guidelines helps us ensure that the website is accessible
to all people: blind people, people with motor impairments, visual impairment, cognitive disabilities, and more.
This website utilizes various technologies that are meant to make it as accessible as possible at all times. We utilize an accessibility interface that allows persons with specific
disabilities to adjust the website’s UI (user interface) and design it to their personal needs.
Additionally, the website utilizes an AI-based application that runs in the background and optimizes its accessibility level constantly. This application remediates the website’s HTML,
adapts Its functionality and behavior for screen-readers used by the blind users, and for keyboard functions used by individuals with motor impairments.
If you’ve found a malfunction or have ideas for improvement, we’ll be happy to hear from you. You can reach out to the website’s operators by using the following email
Screen-reader and keyboard navigation
Our website implements the ARIA attributes (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) technique, alongside various different behavioral changes, to ensure blind users visiting with
screen-readers are able to read, comprehend, and enjoy the website’s functions. As soon as a user with a screen-reader enters your site, they immediately receive
a prompt to enter the Screen-Reader Profile so they can browse and operate your site effectively. Here’s how our website covers some of the most important screen-reader requirements,
alongside console screenshots of code examples:
Screen-reader optimization: we run a background process that learns the website’s components from top to bottom, to ensure ongoing compliance even when updating the website.
In this process, we provide screen-readers with meaningful data using the ARIA set of attributes. For example, we provide accurate form labels;
descriptions for actionable icons (social media icons, search icons, cart icons, etc.); validation guidance for form inputs; element roles such as buttons, menus, modal dialogues (popups),
and others. Additionally, the background process scans all the website’s images and provides an accurate and meaningful image-object-recognition-based description as an ALT (alternate text) tag
for images that are not described. It will also extract texts that are embedded within the image, using an OCR (optical character recognition) technology.
To turn on screen-reader adjustments at any time, users need only to press the Alt+1 keyboard combination. Screen-reader users also get automatic announcements to turn the Screen-reader mode on
as soon as they enter the website.
These adjustments are compatible with all popular screen readers, including JAWS and NVDA.
Keyboard navigation optimization: The background process also adjusts the website’s HTML, and adds various behaviors using JavaScript code to make the website operable by the keyboard. This includes the ability to navigate the website using the Tab and Shift+Tab keys, operate dropdowns with the arrow keys, close them with Esc, trigger buttons and links using the Enter key, navigate between radio and checkbox elements using the arrow keys, and fill them in with the Spacebar or Enter key.Additionally, keyboard users will find quick-navigation and content-skip menus, available at any time by clicking Alt+1, or as the first elements of the site while navigating with the keyboard. The background process also handles triggered popups by moving the keyboard focus towards them as soon as they appear, and not allow the focus drift outside it.
Users can also use shortcuts such as “M” (menus), “H” (headings), “F” (forms), “B” (buttons), and “G” (graphics) to jump to specific elements.
Disability profiles supported in our website
Epilepsy Safe Mode: this profile enables people with epilepsy to use the website safely by eliminating the risk of seizures that result from flashing or blinking animations and risky color combinations.
Visually Impaired Mode: this mode adjusts the website for the convenience of users with visual impairments such as Degrading Eyesight, Tunnel Vision, Cataract, Glaucoma, and others.
Cognitive Disability Mode: this mode provides different assistive options to help users with cognitive impairments such as Dyslexia, Autism, CVA, and others, to focus on the essential elements of the website more easily.
ADHD Friendly Mode: this mode helps users with ADHD and Neurodevelopmental disorders to read, browse, and focus on the main website elements more easily while significantly reducing distractions.
Blindness Mode: this mode configures the website to be compatible with screen-readers such as JAWS, NVDA, VoiceOver, and TalkBack. A screen-reader is software for blind users that is installed on a computer and smartphone, and websites must be compatible with it.
Keyboard Navigation Profile (Motor-Impaired): this profile enables motor-impaired persons to operate the website using the keyboard Tab, Shift+Tab, and the Enter keys. Users can also use shortcuts such as “M” (menus), “H” (headings), “F” (forms), “B” (buttons), and “G” (graphics) to jump to specific elements.
Additional UI, design, and readability adjustments
Font adjustments – users, can increase and decrease its size, change its family (type), adjust the spacing, alignment, line height, and more.
Color adjustments – users can select various color contrast profiles such as light, dark, inverted, and monochrome. Additionally, users can swap color schemes of titles, texts, and backgrounds, with over seven different coloring options.
Animations – person with epilepsy can stop all running animations with the click of a button. Animations controlled by the interface include videos, GIFs, and CSS flashing transitions.
Content highlighting – users can choose to emphasize important elements such as links and titles. They can also choose to highlight focused or hovered elements only.
Audio muting – users with hearing devices may experience headaches or other issues due to automatic audio playing. This option lets users mute the entire website instantly.
Cognitive disorders – we utilize a search engine that is linked to Wikipedia and Wiktionary, allowing people with cognitive disorders to decipher meanings of phrases, initials, slang, and others.
Additional functions – we provide users the option to change cursor color and size, use a printing mode, enable a virtual keyboard, and many other functions.
Browser and assistive technology compatibility
We aim to support the widest array of browsers and assistive technologies as possible, so our users can choose the best fitting tools for them, with as few limitations as possible. Therefore, we have worked very hard to be able to support all major systems that comprise over 95% of the user market share including Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari, Opera and Microsoft Edge, JAWS and NVDA (screen readers).
Notes, comments, and feedback
Despite our very best efforts to allow anybody to adjust the website to their needs. There may still be pages or sections that are not fully accessible, are in the process of becoming accessible, or are lacking an adequate technological solution to make them accessible. Still, we are continually improving our accessibility, adding, updating and improving its options and features, and developing and adopting new technologies. All this is meant to reach the optimal level of accessibility, following technological advancements. For any assistance, please reach out to
