MotoGP: Can The Field Close The Gap To Bagnaia At Catalunya?

David Swarts

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August 28, 2023

MotoGP: Can The Field Close The Gap To Bagnaia At Catalunya?

Advantage Bagnaia: can the field fight back in Barcelona?

The pace is hotting up and so is Pecco’s form. The first back-to-back of the coming crescendo is GO!

Monday, 28 August 2023

The season is about to light up in a stunning crescendo to the fight for the crown, with the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya hosting the first in a back-to-back with Misano before we head for India, Japan, and two triple headers across three continents to bring the curtain down. The form on show for Championship leader Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) showed no signs of feeling the pressure last time out though, with a perfect weekend seeing the number 1 sweep the board. Now it’s on the chasing pack to get the bit between their teeth and see if they can cut that gap, with Barcelona the first stop in a stunning final half of 2023.

Francesco Bagnaia (1). Photo courtesy Ducati.

The closest challengers

We could be forgiven for having expected a slightly different Martinator: Judgment Day for Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) in Austria, but what looked like it could be a key chance to hit back turned into a tougher weekend. Track limits bit him in qualifying, he was judged to have played the wrong kind of starring role in that Turn 1 incident in the Tissot Sprint, and then had his Grand Prix race hampered by a Long Lap to compound the mountain of starting P12. He’s still second overall, but that gap has grown once more. Still, Martin is one of the few on the grid who has gone toe-to-toe with Pecco this season and come out on top, in some style too, and he’s no stranger to a forced reset. He also took second last year in Barcelona.

Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team), meanwhile, also lost out in that Turn 1 Sprint domino effect in Austria. And those were valuable points in play as the number 72 is now only six points off Martin. But sometimes, that’s the luck – or lack thereof – of the draw, and Bezzecchi reset on Sunday to grab a valuable haul and another podium. Heading into Barcelona, he’s somewhat of an unknown quantity too, as last season he crashed out. But he’s been slow nowhere so far in 2023…

In the leading postcode, Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) is hanging on. It’s now a sizeable gap from the South African down to fifth place as he grabbed a double podium on KTM home turf, and vs the rest of the field he was doing far more than hanging on – he left them in the dust except for that one pesky red machine up ahead. If KTM want to beat Ducati, Binder did that seven times out of eight in Austria – twice. Now in Barcelona, can they do it again, or similar? It’s a very different track to the Red Bull Ring… but so is Jerez and there, he was two tenths off. Teammate Jack Miller, meanwhile, is going for a full reset once the lights go out. The Australian started just off the front row in Austria and then positively plummeted on Sunday, so one-lap speed? Check. Race pace? The mission. We’ve seen it in Jerez though, so watch this space.

Keep an eye on…

One rider who leaves Austria with a newly minted return to the top five is Luca Marini (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) as he impressed on Sunday to dispatch Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™), and Marquez himself has impressed of late with that Sprint win at Silverstone only dampened by a mechanical issue thereafter. Marini has won in Moto2™ in Catalunya and took sixth in MotoGP™ last year, and AM73’s record at the track is excellent: a Moto3™ win and two Moto2™ wins. Can they bother the podium battle?

Aprilia also had a fairly solid Austria, all things considered, mostly that it’s supposed to be a tougher venue for their machine. But Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) had PACE and put it on the front row, with those starts just hampering the ultimate result. It’s something the Noale factory say they’re working on, and if they can solve that, the mountain gets a lot less steep. For Aleix Espargaro, meanwhile, Austria was pretty solid and now it’s time for a true home round – with the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya just up the road from his hometown of Granollers. Last year his speed was enough for second place before that late error of judgement, and he’ll come into this one looking for some revenge. Both Viñales and Aleix Espargaro are likely to lay down some serious gauntlets this weekend.

For the CryptoDATA RNF MotoGP™ Team Aprilia contingent, the story remains somewhat familiar: Raul Fernandez wants to move forward, and Miguel Oliveira just wants some luck. For those who don’t believe in luck in racing, Aleix Espargaro doesn’t either – unless you’re talking about Miguel Oliveira’s 2023 season. That sole exception is truly true as the Portuguese rider has seemed to find misfortune through zero fault of his own again and again this year. And what almost makes it even more frustrating? He’s been quick regardless. He’s still impressing and at some point, surely, that luck will turn. He’s a former winner in Barcelona too.

Going back to that true hometown vibe, it’s as true for Pol Espargaro as it is for his brother Aleix. The GASGAS name is also racing at home with Pol and GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3 teammate Augusto Fernandez, and both will want some glory. Espargaro took that impressive Sprint result in Austria as he still gets back in the groove, and Fernandez then took a point after a late penalty for his teammate on Sunday in a mixed bag for the team, but a nice stat for Fernandez. He remains one of only two riders to have scored in every GP race so far this season. What have they got in the locker in Barcelona, and as the mystery rolls on for who will be where with KTM and GASGAS next season?

Looking for more

The first name on the list here has got to be Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing), who is fifth in the Championship and has a season littered with podiums so far… but it just didn’t come together in Austria. Can he fight back in Barcelona, with his future now confirmed? Can Fabio Di Giannantonio (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) move forward and keep his name in the hat? And can Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Team) really start to challenge as his experience on this new machine increases?

Zarco’s new home for 2024, meanwhile, we now know is Honda, and they’re another camp looking for steps forward. There was one small milestone last time out though: Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) scored points on Sunday for the first time since Malaysia last season. It was in P12, but it’s something ticked off. Next mission: top ten? More? This is home turf for Marquez so he could be pushing risk vs reward that bit more. Teammate Joan Mir, meanwhile, wants that finish after a crash out in Austria and also races on home turf. Iker Lecuona too, and he’s back in subbing for Alex Rins at LCR Honda Castrol. On the other side of that box, LCR Honda Idemitsu’s Takaaki Nakagami will just want a little less drama than Turn 1 last year, and will want to get back into those points after a tougher couple of weekends.

Last year holds much better memories for some on the grid, not least of all the winner: Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™). It pays to remember that Marc Marquez has already been on pole and the Sprint podium this season just as it pays to remember Quartararo fought for the Championship last year to the final round – and won a good few races, including this one. It has not been decades, so can they make those steps back forward? Will the venue still prove a good one for the Frenchman and Yamaha? Assen saw him further forward once again so Barcelona could prove similar. For teammate Franco Morbidelli too, as he looks to keep those points rolling in and get back in the top ten.

SHOWTIME IN BARCELONA

The Gran Premi Monster Energy de Catalunya has MotoGP™ last on the menu once more:

Tissot Sprint: Saturday 15:00 (GMT +2)

Grand Prix Race: Sunday 14:00 (GMT +2)

Can Acosta hit back on home turf?

After more than a year, Celestino Vietti (Fantic Racing) got back on the top step in Styria… and that was most definitely not in the script for Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Ajo). The stars were supposed to have aligned: taking the Championship lead right before Red Bull and KTM’s home race, breaking the lap record on Friday, taking pole position despite that crash… the stage was set, but it wasn’t to be. A couple of moments – his own at Turn 3 and then another getting extremely close to Vietti’s rear wheel late on – saw the number 37 forced to call off the dogs and settle for second. And guess who won at Catalunya last year? Celestino Vietti.

Acosta, however, still extended that lead as Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) only came home sixth in Spielberg, and that’s starting to become a problem. A few races ago the Italian was banking podiums on tougher days, but he’ll really need to start hitting back soon to stay in Acosta’s postcode in the Championship. Jake Dixon (Asterius GASGAS Aspar Team) also had a gap to the podium in Austria and will want more in Catalunya, and Alonso Lopez (Beta Tools SpeedUp) is on an even tougher run. Both Lopez and teammate Fermin Aldeguer, who won in Silverstone, will want a starring role.

Then there’s Ai Ogura (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia). The Japanese rider has now taken two podiums from three races after injury plagued his pre-season and start to the year… so can he find that bit more again in Barcelona? We’ll find out on Sunday at 12:15 (GMT +2)!

Öncü & Sasaki ready for another charge at Holgado

Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Ajo) had been a frontrunner in Moto3™ for a good few seasons before he finally took that maiden win in Germany, and only a few races later he’s now added a second Grand Prix victory – in style and on important turf. He’s now third overall after that final corner pickpocket and another dose of bad luck, this time technical, for Jaume Masia (Leopard Racing), and Öncü will be looking to gain more ground again this weekend.

Championship leader Daniel Holgado (Red Bull KTM Tech3), however, remains steadfast in his consistency, speed and racecraft. In only his second full season he’s not giving the veterans any margin at all and Barcelona is another track he knows well. It’s also, interestingly, the last of three tracks before we head from India – new turf for all – to Motegi and the start of a run of venues Öncü and Ayumu Sasaki (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) have been racing quite a while longer.

Speaking of Sasaki, it’s now six podiums in a row for the Japanese rider, but it’s also a run of chasing the carrot to perfection before just getting pipped at the flag. He seems zen about it, however, confident it’ll come – so can he keep that roll of podiums going until the dice roll his way? Or will that be in Barcelona anyway? His teammate, Collin Veijer, needs a shoutout too after that speed in Austria.

Finally, David Alonso (Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team), after winning and then coming back down to Earth with a crash out the lead, will also be one to watch, eager to get back to bothering the more veteran runners in that podium fight. Tune in for more Moto3™ action this weekend, with lights out at 11:00 (GMT +2) on Sunday!

MotoAmerica: More On Beaubier Sitting Out Remainder Of 2023

David Swarts

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August 28, 2023

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MotoAmerica: More On Beaubier Sitting Out Remainder Of 2023

Early this morning, Tytlers Cycle Racing made the bombshell announcement that five-time MotoAmerica Superbike Champion Cameron Beaubier is sitting out the remainder of the 2023 season, but that announcement left a couple of gaps to fill in.

As far as most people knew, Beaubier only suffered serious facial lacerations when he collided with Ashton Yates during MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike Race Two August 20 at Pittsburgh International Race Complex (a.k.a. PittRace) and his face hit his BMW’s windscreen and top triple clamp. But it turns out that the California suffered other injuries, including his second concussion in three weeks.

“It’s funny because I didn’t really realize that I hit my head that good because I was so focused on my face bleeding,” Beaubier told Roadracingworld.com in a telephone interview Monday. “Then I got home, and I was having those same [concussion] symptoms I had after Brainerd, which wasn’t very fun.”

Beaubier suffered a concussion and was ruled unfit after crashing out of MotoAmerica Superbike Race One July 29 at Brainerd International Raceway.

“Like I said in the release, I’m just looking at the big picture,” added Beaubier. “I thumped my head twice within a couple of weeks of each other. Obviously, there’s nothing to gain. The Championship is over. I’m just going to heal up and get ready for next year.

“And I’ve been dealing with some [left] knee stuff [from the crash at PittRace]. I just got an MRI this morning. So, I’m waiting to hear back from that and go from there.”

It was known for a long time during this past off-season that Beeaubier would be riding with Tytlers Cycle Racing BMW in 2023. When the official announcement finally came out, it did not mention the length of Beaubier’s deal – two years, which makes this decision a little easier, he said.

“It’s nice talking to [Tytlers Cycle Racing BMW Team Owner] Michael Kiley,” said Beaubier. “He understands it. He gets racing. It’s nice to have a supportive team owner like that who realizes what’s going on.”

WorldSBK: Teams Testing This Week At MotorLand Aragon

David Swarts

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August 28, 2023

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WorldSBK: Teams Testing This Week At MotorLand Aragon

Editorial Note: Some teams scheduled to participate in the test include Aruba.it Racing Ducati, Barni Spark Racing Team Ducati, Bonovo Action BMW, Kawasaki Racing Team, Motocorsa Racing Ducati, ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team, Team GoEleven Ducati, and Team HRC Honda.

Aragon Test Precedes Season Restart

As the long summer break in WorldSBK race action approaches its conclusion there will be a short test session for the official Kawasaki FIM Superbike World Championship team, at Motorland Aragon, between 29-30 August.

With just one day remaining from their mandated limit of ten days of testing, Rea and Lowes will only ride on the final day of the test, Wednesday 30 August.

Lowes’s regular rider coach and team development rider since 2022, Florian Marino, will test the official Ninja ZX-10RR on Tuesday 29 August. He also has great experience in the WorldSBK paddock and the EWC series in his own right.

Florian will be joined on track by MTM Kawasaki WorldSSP rider, Adrian Huertas, as a recognition of winning the WorldSSP300 championship on a Kawasaki in 2021 and his increasingly strong performances since he made the jump to WorldSSP racing in 2022.

Iberia in general has been suffering from heatwaves recently, but despite the tough conditions the KRT squad will look forward to some very hot track and ambient conditions to close-in on the thus-far elusive optimum settings for exceedingly high temperature races.

Motorland Aragon features a 5.077km long WorldSBK track layout, but it is also an extensive motorsport and testing facility in general. It has hosted several WorldSBK rounds in recent years and will do so again in 2023 between 22-24 September. It was also the venue of a recent KRT test session, held in late June.

The next round of the 2023 WorldSBK championship itself takes place at another regular WorldSBK circuit, Magny Cours in France, between 8-10 September.

Jonathan Rea (65). Photo courtesy Kawasaki.

Jonathan Rea, stated: “This Aragon test comes at a really valuable time because with Magny Cours fast approaching after a long summer break, it’s always beneficial to get back into the swing of things and into the flow of riding my ZX-10RR. I will be trying to get the rhythm back but also have one eye on the Motorland race weekend that comes soon after the Magny Cours race. So it’s all about trying to build into this last part of the season and being strong. We’ll continue testing some items that we’ve previously tried. And with one day left on my testing allocation we only have one day to use. We expect hot weather, which is also good to test in to try to further improve our bike settings. We will just keep working. The next three rounds are going to come in quick succession, so it’s important to hit the ground running. We’ll see what the engineers from KMC have for us and we will get stuck into the test.”

Alex Lowes (22). Photo courtesy Kawasaki.

Alex Lowes, stated: “There will be some stuff for 2024 that we are testing, just some ideas. So that will take half a day because we have only one full day of testing left. The other half of that day will be just getting back up to speed and trying a couple of things on the rear of the bike, to try to improve edge grip. Marcel my crew chief has a couple of ideas and I’ve been speaking quite a lot with him about a plan to improve that. Hopefully the conditions will be hot. That’s the target and I am looking forward to getting back into action. It was not the best round in Autodrom Most for me recently, but we’ve got four rounds left. I want to get back on the podiums to finish the year strongly. There are some good tracks coming up for me and the Kawasaki. We haven’t met our goals at the start of this year, so a good end to this year will be what’s needed to set us up for next year as well. We have one eye on 2024, one eye on the final four rounds of this season and a couple of ideas that Marcel has to improve things. So, it’s gonna be a busy day of testing as we only have one day left. It’s gonna be nice to get back out on the bike before Magny Cours.”

Guim Roda, KRT Team Manager, stated: “Now we go back to work after the Autodrom Most race weekend. This test will be a good chance to prepare for Magny Cours and the last rounds of the year, and at the same time we will introduce new ideas to improve the bike for the 2024 season. Unfortunately, in the year we needed them the most, we only can test for 10 days. We have already used nine days, so even though we will be at the track for two days, Jonathan and Alex will test only day each. We’ll work with Florian Marino on the first day, and we’ll give Adrian Huertas the opportunity to test the WorldSBK bike, to see his abilities. We promised him in Most if he made the WorldSSP podium we would give him the chance to test. He could not achieve a podium, but finally we considered he deserved the chance, so let’s see how he manages it.”

MotoAmerica: Beaubier Sitting Out Remainder Of Season, Mesa Filling In

David Swarts

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August 28, 2023

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MotoAmerica: Beaubier Sitting Out Remainder Of Season, Mesa Filling In

Cameron Beaubier to sit out remainder of 2023 MotoAmerica season – Mesa steps up

Tytlers Cycle Racing regrets to announce that Cameron Beaubier will take no further part in the 2023 MotoAmerica Superbike Season.

Beaubier, who immediately returned to winning ways on his return to MotoAmerica, was a title contender prior to a series of on track incidents that ruled him out of contention.

With the championship already decided Cameron has decided to call time on 2023 and look at the bigger picture.

The team will change the #6 to a #37 after deciding Stefano Mesa will make his Superbike debut aboard the BMW M 1000 RR at COTA alongside his Super Hooligan commitments. He will also ride in Superbike in the season finale in New Jersey. The move to the Superbike class sees Stefano cut short his Supersport campaign!

Michael Kiley – Team Principal: “I respect Cam’s decision to sit out the rest of this season. The effect he has had on our program with BMW has been great. We look forward to many more podiums next year. Summarising the rest of the season with our other riders, PJ has demonstrated that he can run at the front and take the top step. He has a shot at moving into second place in the championship and the racing to decide the series runner up is going to be exciting to watch! I have developed great respect for Josh Herrin’s abilities this season. He is a great rider and PJ will have his work cut out for him to take that spot away from him, but we will be heading to COTA and NJMP with that aim. Corey has had some rough luck but when you set that aside you see that he is making steady remarkable progress. I am grateful to Stefano for stepping out of a successful and exciting Supersport run to help us with the Superbike program. Finally – I cannot say enough about Jake Gagne, Richard, and the entire Attack Yamaha team. They are great competitors and great champions, and it is an honour to be on the track with them. 2024 is going to be epic in the MotoAmerica Superbike class but right now we are focused on finishing 2023 in style.”

Cameron Beaubier: “After two hits to the head and some knee trouble, I’ve decided it’s the end of the season for me. I’m bummed to not finish the season strong with Tytlers but I’m looking at the bigger picture. We’ve had some bad luck, but on the positive it’s been great racing back in the US with this team. They have put a great program together and It’s been really fulfilling to rack up some wins with them this season.”

Stefano Mesa (37) is stepping up to the Superbike class to fill in for Cameron Beaubier. Photo courtesy Tytlers Cycle Racing.

Stefano Mesa: “Firstly I want to wish Cam a speedy recovery after that crazy accident at Pitt Race last weekend. Secondly, I’m very excited and it’s a true privilege to get the phone call to fill in for him for the rest of the season. It was a difficult decision to make knowing I’ll have to step off the Supersport bike to be able to concentrate, do a good job, and start learning a whole new piece of equipment that is a Superbike while also learning the COTA track – as I’ve never been there. I am also looking forward to riding the Energica in the Super Hooligans class so it will be a busy weekend in Texas full of learning with the new crew, with the expectation of having fun on the bikes. I think it will be a great experience for me to get my feet wet on the Superbike class and see what a true Superbike is all about. I know leaving the Supersport class behind might seem crazy but not taking this amazing opportunity wasn’t on my books. I pause a moment to truly thank my Supersport team and crew for always being by my side, believing in me, and helping me achieve so much this year. I wouldn’t have been able to accomplish everything that I have achieved in Supersport year without them, and I truly appreciate all the hard work and efforts. I’m ready to get to Cota, get to work with the team, and see what we can do in the Superbike class. I cannot thank Michael Kiley, his family, and the whole Superbike team enough for offering me the opportunity to fill in for a great champion. What a great honour.”

British Superbike: Race One Results From Cadwell Park

David Swarts

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August 27, 2023

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British Superbike: Race One Results From Cadwell Park

BSB R1
BSB Points after R1

More, from a press release issued by MotorSport Vision Racing:

Irwin wins his 200th Bennetts BSB race with the top four covered by 0.472s at Cadwell Park

Glenn Irwin was victorious in his 200th Bennetts British Superbike Championship race, winning the BikeSocial Sprint Race at Cadwell Park, holding off the hard-charging Yamahas with just 0.472s separating the top four to reduce the deficit at the top of the standings to 19.5 points.

At the start of the race, Ryan Vickers had initially led the pack, but Irwin was instantly on the attack and he claimed the lead ahead of the LAMI OMG Racing Yamaha rider and Leon Haslam as the trio made the best of their front row starts.

As Irwin maintained his lead, Kyle Ryde had moved into third place with Jason O’Halloran just adrift. Haslam was forced to retire from the race with a technical problem on lap three, ending his hopes of a podium return at Cadwell Park prematurely.

Vickers made a move at Charlies for the lead on the eleventh lap, but Irwin wasted no time in regaining the position and by Park, he was back ahead on the BeerMonster Ducati.

The leading trio had a slight edge, but in the final stages of the race, O’Halloran had closed back in on his rivals ahead of him.

Ryde snatched second from Vickers on the final lap with a move on the brakes into Park, but Irwin had just enough on the dash to the chequered flag to claim victory in his milestone 200th Bennetts BSB race by just 0.118s.

O’Halloran had been closing in, but he had to settle for fourth on the McAMS Yamaha with championship leader Tommy Bridewell claiming fifth place as his lead in the standings was reduced to 19.5 points ahead of tomorrow’s two races.

Lee Jackson was sixth for the Cheshire Mouldings Kawasaki team, just ahead of Christian Iddon who maintained his position ahead of FHO Racing BMW Motorrad Team pairing Josh Brookes and Peter Hickman. Jack Kennedy completed the top ten for the Mar-Train Yamaha team.

Bennetts British Superbike Championship, Cadwell Park, BikeSocial Sprint Race result:

Glenn Irwin (BeerMonster Ducati)
Kyle Ryde (LAMI OMG Racing Yamaha) +0.118s
Ryan Vickers (LAMI OMG Racing Yamaha) +0.250s
Jason O’Halloran (McAMS Yamaha) +0.472s
Tommy Bridewell (BeerMonster Ducati) +1.686s
Lee Jackson (Cheshire Mouldings Kawasaki) +1.887s
Christian Iddon (Oxford Products Racing Ducati) +2.796s
Josh Brookes (FHO Racing BMW Motorrad Team) +8.105s
Peter Hickman (FHO Racing BMW Motorrad Team) +8.940s
Jack Kennedy (Mar-Train Racing Yamaha) +9.255s

Bennetts British Superbike Championship standings:

Tommy Bridewell (BeerMonster Ducati) 274
Glenn Irwin (BeerMonster Ducati) 254.5
Jason O’Halloran (McAMS Yamaha) 224.5
Kyle Ryde (LAMI OMG Racing Yamaha) 224
Leon Haslam (ROKiT BMW Motorrad Team) 201
Lee Jackson (Cheshire Mouldings Kawasaki) 195.5
Ryan Vickers (LAMI OMG Racing Yamaha) 189
Josh Brookes (FHO Racing BMW Motorrad Team) 186
Christian Iddon (Oxford Products Racing Ducati) 168
Jack Kennedy (Mar-Train Racing Yamaha) 116

For more information on the Bennetts British Superbike Championship visit www.britishsuperbike.com

Glenn Irwin

BeerMonster Ducati

“It has been a good day for us, especially with that being my 200th BSB race so it felt really good to win.

“It was a really enjoyable race, I knew I needed to get a good start and dispose of Leon quite fast. I felt the lap time came quite easily but I tried to win the race at the slowest possible pace. I slowed the pace up with the stop, go tactics as I knew a manoeuvre could come anywhere here.

“All that matters is getting those points back on Tommy in the standings and I am so grateful for this win.

“I have worked hard and that was a high pressure race, but we work hard behind the scenes, so it was nice to get my first win at Cadwell Park in my 200th race.”

British Superbike: Vickers On Pole Position At Cadwell Park

David Swarts

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August 27, 2023

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British Superbike: Vickers On Pole Position At Cadwell Park

Ryan Vickers captured pole position during Bennetts British Superbike Omologato Superpole qualifying Sunday at Cadwell Park, in Lincolnshire, England. Riding his LAMI OMG Racing Yamaha YZF-R1, Vickers covered the 2.18-mile course in 1:25.847 to top the field of 21 riders.

Leon Haslam was best of the rest with a time of 1:25.895 on his ROKiT BMW Motorrad M 1000 RR, and Glenn Irwin qualified third with a lap of 1:25.979 on his BeerMonster Ducati Panigale V4 R.

BSB Comb Qual

British Superbike: O’Halloran Quickest During Practice Saturday At Cadwell Park

David Swarts

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August 26, 2023

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British Superbike: O’Halloran Quickest During Practice Saturday At Cadwell Park

BSB FP1 + FP2

More, from a press release issued by MotorSport Vision Racing:

O’Halloran sets personal best lap of Cadwell Park to top Free Practice

Jason O’Halloran continued his momentum from the previous round of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship by topping the combined Free Practice times at Cadwell Park with the dry morning session setting the order after a damp afternoon.

The McAMS Yamaha rider took the treble win at Thruxton and he continued to lead his rivals by setting his personal best lap of the Lincolnshire circuit in the opening session. The Australian and LAMI OMG Racing Yamaha rival Kyle Ryde lapped under the existing lap race record, with 0.097s between them at the top of the times.

LAMI OMG Racing Yamaha had both riders inside the top three with Ryan Vickers having another strong start to the weekend, holding off Storm Stacey on the Starline Racing Kawasaki and Glenn Irwin completing the top five for the BeerMonster Ducati team.

Josh Brookes was the leading FHO Racing BMW Motorrad Team rider in sixth place as he moved ahead of Lee Jackson on the Cheshire Mouldings Kawasaki and Christian Iddon who completed the top eight for Oxford Products Racing Ducati.

Charlie Nesbitt and Peter Hickman completed the top ten with Leon Haslam and championship leader Tommy Bridewell the riders progressing into tomorrow’s Omologato Superpole starting list.

Brookes topped the damp afternoon session for the FHO Racing BMW Motorrad Team in the final minutes ahead of Irwin and Bridewell with Nesbitt and Jackson completing the top five. However, the dry session this morning determined the top 12 riders progressing directly into tomorrow’s Omologato Superpole.

Bennetts British Superbike Championship, Cadwell Park, combined Free Practice times:

Jason O’Halloran (McAMS Yamaha) 1m:25.667s
Kyle Ryde (LAMI OMG Racing Yamaha) +0.097s
Ryan Vickers (LAMI OMG Racing Yamaha) +0.527s
Storm Stacey (Starline Racing Kawasaki) +0.582s
Glenn Irwin (BeerMonster Ducati) +0.767s
Josh Brookes (FHO Racing BMW Motorrad Team) +0.783s
Lee Jackson (Cheshire Mouldings Kawasaki) +0.829s
Christian Iddon (Oxford Products Racing Ducati) +0.928s
Charlie Nesbitt (MasterMac Honda by Hawk Racing) +1.065s
Peter Hickman (FHO Racing BMW Motorrad Team) +1.083s
Leon Haslam (ROKiT BMW Motorrad) +1.171s
Tommy Bridewell (BeerMonster Ducati) +1.294s

For more information on the Bennetts British Superbike Championship visit www.britishsuperbike.com

Jason O’Halloran

McAMS Yamaha

“It’s been a really good first day. It was nice to have the test evening last night, that meant we started in a pretty good place today and knew the area we needed to improve.

“I felt comfortable from the opening laps of free practice so we worked through our session plan and I ended up fastest which was nice. More importantly I had a very good feeling on the bike!

“That was my fastest ever lap here and not too far off what Brad [Ray] did in Superpole last year but it didn’t feel that fast and I surprised myself when I saw it come up on the dash. So that makes it even better.

“Tomorrow we have the Superpole format for qualifying which is a bit different but I tested my one lap pace today and that’s when we were able to do that lap time, so I’m looking forward to that and the Sprint race!”

British Superbike: O’Halloran On Top In FP1 At Cadwell Park

David Swarts

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August 26, 2023

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British Superbike: O’Halloran On Top In FP1 At Cadwell Park

Jason O’Halloran topped Bennetts British Superbike Free Practice One (FP1) Saturday morning at Cadwell Park, in Lincolnshire, England. Riding his McAMS Yamaha YZF-R1 on Pirelli control tires, the Australian lapped the narrow 2.18-mile track in 1:25.667 to lead the field of 22 riders.

BSB FP1

AMA Road Race Grand Championship Running With ASRA At Daytona Oct. 19-22

David Swarts

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August 26, 2023

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AMA Road Race Grand Championship Running With ASRA At Daytona Oct. 19-22

AMA Road Race Grand Championship With ASRA Slated To Run Oct. 19-22

The event returns to historic Daytona International Speedway, with seven competition classes of motorcycle racing

PICKERINGTON, Ohio — Thirteen American Motorcyclist Association No. 1 plates will be up for grabs at the 2023 AMA Amateur Road Race Grand Championship, which runs Oct. 19-22 at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla.

“The AMA Road Race Grand Championship is always a stellar event,” AMA Track Racing Manager Ken Saillant said, “and we can’t wait to get down to historic Daytona to see some fierce competition out on the track with several No. 1 plates and AMA awards up for grabs.”

The AMA Amateur Road Race Grand Championship, sanctioned by the AMA and operated by the American Superbike Racing Association (ASRA), will include four full days of road racing action and coincide with the ASRA team challenge series and ASRA sprint races during the four-day event at Daytona International Speedway.

“We have been making progress in the sport and bringing many improvements to motorcycle racing,” said Alex Spellman, Partner of the ASRA. “This event is a celebration of the AMA and will crown several champions.”

Racers will have the opportunity to compete for AMA No. 1 plates in seven different classes.

Outside of the national championships, other awards presented at the event include the Nicky Hayden AMA Road Race Horizon Award, the AMA Road Race Youth Award, the AMA Road Race Top Novice Award and the AMA Road Race Vet/Senior Award.

For more information regarding the AMA Road Race Grand Championship, visit AmericanMotorcyclist.com/racing/road-racing/ and asraracing.com/.

About the American Motorcyclist Association

Founded in 1924, the AMA is a not-for-profit member-based association whose mission is to promote the motorcycle lifestyle and protect the future of motorcycling. As the world’s largest motorcycling rights and event sanctioning organization, the AMA advocates for riders’ interests at all levels of government and sanctions thousands of competition and recreational events every year. Besides offering members money-saving discounts on products and services, the AMA also publishes American Motorcyclist, a recently revitalized and monthly full-color magazine (and digital version of same) that covers current events and motorcycle history with brilliant photography and compelling writing. American Motorcyclist is also North America’s largest-circulation magazine. Through the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in Pickerington, Ohio, the AMA honors the heroes and heritage of motorcycling. For more information, visit AmericanMotorcyclist.com.

Not a member? Join the AMA today: AmericanMotorcyclist.com.

Racer Max Toth Cuts Ties With American Racing & Apex Management

John Ulrich

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August 25, 2023

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Racer Max Toth Cuts Ties With American Racing & Apex Management

August 25, 2023. Belmont, California: Due to irreconcilable differences, we have decided to terminate our relationship with American Racing and Apex Management, effective immediately.

We went into this relationship with high hopes for this team and management company having our best interests at heart.

We hope to have exciting news about the remainder of the season and 2024 in the near future. We’d like to thank our personal sponsors for their enduring support.

– Maxwell Toth

MotoGP: Can The Field Close The Gap To Bagnaia At Catalunya?

August 28, 2023

Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. Photo by Kohei Hirota.

Advantage Bagnaia: can the field fight back in Barcelona?

The pace is hotting up and so is Pecco’s form. The first back-to-back of the coming crescendo is GO!

Monday, 28 August 2023

The season is about to light up in a stunning crescendo to the fight for the crown, with the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya hosting the first in a back-to-back with Misano before we head for India, Japan, and two triple headers across three continents to bring the curtain down. The form on show for Championship leader Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) showed no signs of feeling the pressure last time out though, with a perfect weekend seeing the number 1 sweep the board. Now it’s on the chasing pack to get the bit between their teeth and see if they can cut that gap, with Barcelona the first stop in a stunning final half of 2023.

The closest challengers

We could be forgiven for having expected a slightly different Martinator: Judgment Day for Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) in Austria, but what looked like it could be a key chance to hit back turned into a tougher weekend. Track limits bit him in qualifying, he was judged to have played the wrong kind of starring role in that Turn 1 incident in the Tissot Sprint, and then had his Grand Prix race hampered by a Long Lap to compound the mountain of starting P12. He’s still second overall, but that gap has grown once more. Still, Martin is one of the few on the grid who has gone toe-to-toe with Pecco this season and come out on top, in some style too, and he’s no stranger to a forced reset. He also took second last year in Barcelona.

Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team), meanwhile, also lost out in that Turn 1 Sprint domino effect in Austria. And those were valuable points in play as the number 72 is now only six points off Martin. But sometimes, that’s the luck – or lack thereof – of the draw, and Bezzecchi reset on Sunday to grab a valuable haul and another podium. Heading into Barcelona, he’s somewhat of an unknown quantity too, as last season he crashed out. But he’s been slow nowhere so far in 2023…

In the leading postcode, Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) is hanging on. It’s now a sizeable gap from the South African down to fifth place as he grabbed a double podium on KTM home turf, and vs the rest of the field he was doing far more than hanging on – he left them in the dust except for that one pesky red machine up ahead. If KTM want to beat Ducati, Binder did that seven times out of eight in Austria – twice. Now in Barcelona, can they do it again, or similar? It’s a very different track to the Red Bull Ring… but so is Jerez and there, he was two tenths off. Teammate Jack Miller, meanwhile, is going for a full reset once the lights go out. The Australian started just off the front row in Austria and then positively plummeted on Sunday, so one-lap speed? Check. Race pace? The mission. We’ve seen it in Jerez though, so watch this space.

Keep an eye on…

One rider who leaves Austria with a newly minted return to the top five is Luca Marini (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) as he impressed on Sunday to dispatch Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™), and Marquez himself has impressed of late with that Sprint win at Silverstone only dampened by a mechanical issue thereafter. Marini has won in Moto2™ in Catalunya and took sixth in MotoGP™ last year, and AM73’s record at the track is excellent: a Moto3™ win and two Moto2™ wins. Can they bother the podium battle?

Aprilia also had a fairly solid Austria, all things considered, mostly that it’s supposed to be a tougher venue for their machine. But Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) had PACE and put it on the front row, with those starts just hampering the ultimate result. It’s something the Noale factory say they’re working on, and if they can solve that, the mountain gets a lot less steep. For Aleix Espargaro, meanwhile, Austria was pretty solid and now it’s time for a true home round – with the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya just up the road from his hometown of Granollers. Last year his speed was enough for second place before that late error of judgement, and he’ll come into this one looking for some revenge. Both Viñales and Aleix Espargaro are likely to lay down some serious gauntlets this weekend.

For the CryptoDATA RNF MotoGP™ Team Aprilia contingent, the story remains somewhat familiar: Raul Fernandez wants to move forward, and Miguel Oliveira just wants some luck. For those who don’t believe in luck in racing, Aleix Espargaro doesn’t either – unless you’re talking about Miguel Oliveira’s 2023 season. That sole exception is truly true as the Portuguese rider has seemed to find misfortune through zero fault of his own again and again this year. And what almost makes it even more frustrating? He’s been quick regardless. He’s still impressing and at some point, surely, that luck will turn. He’s a former winner in Barcelona too.

Going back to that true hometown vibe, it’s as true for Pol Espargaro as it is for his brother Aleix. The GASGAS name is also racing at home with Pol and GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3 teammate Augusto Fernandez, and both will want some glory. Espargaro took that impressive Sprint result in Austria as he still gets back in the groove, and Fernandez then took a point after a late penalty for his teammate on Sunday in a mixed bag for the team, but a nice stat for Fernandez. He remains one of only two riders to have scored in every GP race so far this season. What have they got in the locker in Barcelona, and as the mystery rolls on for who will be where with KTM and GASGAS next season?

Looking for more

The first name on the list here has got to be Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing), who is fifth in the Championship and has a season littered with podiums so far… but it just didn’t come together in Austria. Can he fight back in Barcelona, with his future now confirmed? Can Fabio Di Giannantonio (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) move forward and keep his name in the hat? And can Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Team) really start to challenge as his experience on this new machine increases?

Zarco’s new home for 2024, meanwhile, we now know is Honda, and they’re another camp looking for steps forward. There was one small milestone last time out though: Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) scored points on Sunday for the first time since Malaysia last season. It was in P12, but it’s something ticked off. Next mission: top ten? More? This is home turf for Marquez so he could be pushing risk vs reward that bit more. Teammate Joan Mir, meanwhile, wants that finish after a crash out in Austria and also races on home turf. Iker Lecuona too, and he’s back in subbing for Alex Rins at LCR Honda Castrol. On the other side of that box, LCR Honda Idemitsu’s Takaaki Nakagami will just want a little less drama than Turn 1 last year, and will want to get back into those points after a tougher couple of weekends.

Last year holds much better memories for some on the grid, not least of all the winner: Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™). It pays to remember that Marc Marquez has already been on pole and the Sprint podium this season just as it pays to remember Quartararo fought for the Championship last year to the final round – and won a good few races, including this one. It has not been decades, so can they make those steps back forward? Will the venue still prove a good one for the Frenchman and Yamaha? Assen saw him further forward once again so Barcelona could prove similar. For teammate Franco Morbidelli too, as he looks to keep those points rolling in and get back in the top ten.

SHOWTIME IN BARCELONA

The Gran Premi Monster Energy de Catalunya has MotoGP™ last on the menu once more:

Tissot Sprint: Saturday 15:00 (GMT +2)

Grand Prix Race: Sunday 14:00 (GMT +2)

Can Acosta hit back on home turf?

After more than a year, Celestino Vietti (Fantic Racing) got back on the top step in Styria… and that was most definitely not in the script for Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Ajo). The stars were supposed to have aligned: taking the Championship lead right before Red Bull and KTM’s home race, breaking the lap record on Friday, taking pole position despite that crash… the stage was set, but it wasn’t to be. A couple of moments – his own at Turn 3 and then another getting extremely close to Vietti’s rear wheel late on – saw the number 37 forced to call off the dogs and settle for second. And guess who won at Catalunya last year? Celestino Vietti.

Acosta, however, still extended that lead as Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) only came home sixth in Spielberg, and that’s starting to become a problem. A few races ago the Italian was banking podiums on tougher days, but he’ll really need to start hitting back soon to stay in Acosta’s postcode in the Championship. Jake Dixon (Asterius GASGAS Aspar Team) also had a gap to the podium in Austria and will want more in Catalunya, and Alonso Lopez (Beta Tools SpeedUp) is on an even tougher run. Both Lopez and teammate Fermin Aldeguer, who won in Silverstone, will want a starring role.

Then there’s Ai Ogura (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia). The Japanese rider has now taken two podiums from three races after injury plagued his pre-season and start to the year… so can he find that bit more again in Barcelona? We’ll find out on Sunday at 12:15 (GMT +2)!

Öncü & Sasaki ready for another charge at Holgado

Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Ajo) had been a frontrunner in Moto3™ for a good few seasons before he finally took that maiden win in Germany, and only a few races later he’s now added a second Grand Prix victory – in style and on important turf. He’s now third overall after that final corner pickpocket and another dose of bad luck, this time technical, for Jaume Masia (Leopard Racing), and Öncü will be looking to gain more ground again this weekend.

Championship leader Daniel Holgado (Red Bull KTM Tech3), however, remains steadfast in his consistency, speed and racecraft. In only his second full season he’s not giving the veterans any margin at all and Barcelona is another track he knows well. It’s also, interestingly, the last of three tracks before we head from India – new turf for all – to Motegi and the start of a run of venues Öncü and Ayumu Sasaki (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) have been racing quite a while longer.

Speaking of Sasaki, it’s now six podiums in a row for the Japanese rider, but it’s also a run of chasing the carrot to perfection before just getting pipped at the flag. He seems zen about it, however, confident it’ll come – so can he keep that roll of podiums going until the dice roll his way? Or will that be in Barcelona anyway? His teammate, Collin Veijer, needs a shoutout too after that speed in Austria.

Finally, David Alonso (Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team), after winning and then coming back down to Earth with a crash out the lead, will also be one to watch, eager to get back to bothering the more veteran runners in that podium fight. Tune in for more Moto3™ action this weekend, with lights out at 11:00 (GMT +2) on Sunday!

MotoAmerica: More On Beaubier Sitting Out Remainder Of 2023

August 28, 2023

Cameron Beaubier, as seen at Pittsburgh International Race Complex. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.