Spaniard Aron Canet, riding his Pons Wegow Los40 Kalex, claimed pole position during Moto2 qualifying Saturday at Mugello with a lap time of 1:50.796.
Canet’s countryman Pedro Acosta was second-fastest with a 1:50.955 on his Red Bull KTM Ajo Kalex.
Brit Sam Lowes earned the third and final spot on the front row with a 1:50.958 on his Elf Marc VDS Racing Team Kalex.
Americans Joe Roberts (1:51.008) and Sean Dylan Kelly (1:52.202) qualified fourth and 22nd, respectively.
Moto2 Comb Q
Turkish racer Deniz Oncu claimed pole position during Moto3 World Championship qualifying Saturday at the Mugello Circuit, in Italy.
Riding his Red Bull KTM Ajo machine, Oncu did a lap time of 1:56.020 to top the 28-rider field.
Moto3 Comb Q
Andrea Mantovani, riding his RNF MotoE Team Ducati electric racebike, won MotoE World Championship Race One Saturday at the Mugello Circuit, in Italy.
Polesitter Matteo Ferrari came up 0.152 second short in second place on his Felo Gresini Ducati.
Mattia Casadei was equally close in third on his HP Pons Los40 Ducati, completing an all-Italian podium.
MotoE R1
More, from a press release issued by Dorna:
Mantovani fends off Ferrari and Casadei in close Race 1
It’s a tricolore podium and a first time winner in the first electric showdown at Mugello
Saturday, 10 June 2023
Andrea Mantovani (RNF MotoE™ Team) is now a MotoE™ race winner! The Italian came out on top in Race 1 at Mugello, fighting off Matteo Ferrari (Felo Gresini MotoE™) and Mattia Casadei (HP Pons Los40) in an all-Italian showdown for the win. Ferrari got oh so close on the final lap but couldn’t quit make a move, forced to settle for second, with Casadei a little disappointed in third but back on the podium on home turf.
Ferrari and Casadei shot off the line as the lights went out, with Eric Granado (LCR E-Team) losing some ground in the shuffle at Turn 1 and Jordi Torres (Openbank Aspar Team) the same. Hector Garzo (Dynavolt Intact GP MotoE™) managed to gain from seventh, but it was Mantovani making waves behind Ferrari and Casadei in the lead as the trio started to break away.
A jolt of drama came at the start of Lap 2, with Nicholas Spinelli (HP Pons Los40) trying a move on Garzo for fourth and overcooking it, sliding out. Rider ok, but it left Garzo at the head of the group chasing the leading trio. As the laps ticked down though, the chasing group became a duo as Garzo and teammate Randy Krummemacher kept some clear air back to Granado, with the Brazilian starting to come under some pressure from behind.
With three to go, Mantovani then hit for the lead. A clean move at Turn 1 saw the number 9 take over, and the very same corner staged another shuffle next time round. Ferrari got past Mantovani on the straight and then headed slightly wide, just as Casadei got past Mantovani. But the number 9 was able to get the cutback on both in stunning style, back in the lead as the final lap approached.
Onto that last lap, Mantovani stayed ahead as Ferrari sliced back past Casadei, and the number 11 then set about chasing the RNF machine down. But as close as he got, he couldn’t make a move through the final sector, with Mantovani taking that stunning home win. Ferrari was forced to settle for second, with Casadei back on the rostrum for the first time in 2023 in third.
Fourth saw Garzo just get the better of rookie teammate Krummenacher, with Granado coming home sixth as he returns to action and managed to hold off Ongetta SIC58 Squadra Corse duo Kevin Manfredi and Kevin Zannoni. Torres eventually took P9 and will want more in Race 2, with Miquel Pons (LCR E-Team) completing the top ten.
Defending Champion Francesco “Pecco” Bagnaia earned pole position during MotoGP qualifying Saturday at the Mugello Circuit, in Italy. Riding his Lenovo Ducati Desmosedici, Bagnaia lapped the 3.2-mile (5.2 km) track in 1:44.855, which eclipsed Fabio Quartararo’s 2021 All-Time Lap Record of 1:45.187.
Earning the other two spots on the front row were Repsol Honda’s Marc Marquez (1:44.933) and his younger brother Alex Marquez (1:45.007), who rode a Gresini Ducati.
MotoGP Comb Q
More, from a press release issued by Dorna:
Bagnaia vs Marquez heats up! Pole decided by 0.078 after close Q2 showdown at Mugello
Less than a tenth of a second and one lengthy on-track debate decides pole in favour of Pecco, with MM93 second and Alex Marquez third fastest
Saturday, 10 June 2023
Another Saturday, another stunning Q2… and another portion of spice for the history books! At the Gran Premio d’Italia Oakley, Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) has beaten Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) to pole by another tiny margin, this time 0.078, and the two once again exchanged some words as the number 93 slotted in behind the reigning World Champion on track. In Q2, Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) was third fastest despite having come through Q1, grabbing a front row for the Tissot Sprint right at the end, but he’ll serve his 3-place grid penalty on Sunday… bumping Luca Marini (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) up to a front row for the Grand Prix race.
Q1
As ever, there were some big names in Q1 looking for a spot in the top ten shootout, including Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™), Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) and Alex Marquez. The number 73 set the benchmark early on and no one could get close – but it was a tense finale for the rest fighting over that second chance to move through.
Initially it was held by Viñales before a late lap from Miller saw the Aussie steal it, but both the number 12 and Quartararo were still out there giving it one last shot. Viñales was close in the first two sectors before his time started to fade, and Quartararo the opposite as he started out of touch, got within two tenths, and then lost out over the line. So that was that: Alex Marquez led Miller through, Viñales loses out, and Franco Morbidelli (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) pips teammate Quartararo to P14.
Q2
Early on, Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Team) was on a race to get back out after a crash, and Marc Marquez was making friends with a tow, this time slotted in behind Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) as they went to the top. Next, Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) took over on provisional pole and the stage was set for a fairly shot at the top.
Then the fireworks really started. Marc Marquez came out of pitlane behind Bezzecchi but at a distance… and Bagnaia was heading down the main straight. As he headed round Turn 1 and saw the Repsol Honda ahead, the Italian immediately started gesticulating. He moved alongside the Honda and did the same, with Marquez not going anywhere, and then Pecco put the hammer down. The number 93 followed and the two shot off round Mugello.
That lap was a different kind of fireworks, with Pecco setting a new lap record and laying down the gauntlet, ignoring the Honda on his tail. Could Marquez do what he did in Portugal and nearly did in France, pipping the reigning World Champion at the post? Not this time. As the Repsol Honda crossed the line, it was into second place… by just 0.078. And what a show!
It wasn’t over there as Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) shot up into third, and Alex Marquez was on the move. The number 73 just shuffled his fellow Q1 graduate off the front row, and that seemed a wrap. Even after the session, however, came a change. After reviewing a suspected track limits infraction for Marini at Turn 5 that had seen the Italian’s lap cancelled, it was later reinstated – putting him fourth in the session.
THE GRID(S)
That makes it Bagnaia – Marquez, Marc – Marquez, Alex fronting the grid for the Tissot Sprint at Mugello, with Marini at the head of Row 2. The Italian has Miller and Martin alongside on Saturday.
On Sunday, however, Alex Marquez has a 3-place grid penalty given in Le Mans, so the Grand Prix race grid will be Bagnaia, Marc Marquez and Marini on the front row, and Miller, Martin and Alex Marquez on Row 2.
Bezzecchi therefore heads up Row 3, joined by Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) as he rode through the pain barrier into P8, just ahead of Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing) and Alex Rins (LCR Honda Castrol). Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), after a crash at Turn 11, will start 11th, looking for some immediate progress off the line. Bastianini rounds out Q2 as he couldn’t move up the order after that early crash.
Young cruises through Q2 to take Superbike pole in Grand Bend
Grand Bend, ON – The leadup to the second round of the Bridgestone Canadian Superbike Championship made it look like a nail-biting qualifying was on the horizon, but Ben Young made sure it was anything but on Friday at the Grand Bend Motorplex.
The defending champion dominated the opening Q1 session aboard his Van Dolder’s Home Team BMW, posting a time of 1:03.533 that put him a comfortable 0.622 seconds clear of rival Alex Dumas and into the top-ten Q2 shootout.
That trend continued into the final session, however, as no one could even come close to matching the blistering pace of Young, who gradually pushed his way further and further into the 1:02 second mark before closing the day out with a best time of 1:02.734, a stunning 0.532 seconds clear of the next rider to win his fourth consecutive BS Battery Pole Award.
Made worse for the competition was not just Young’s one-lap pace, but the fact that he consistently ran in the high 1:02 mark, becoming only the second rider to ever reach that threshold after Trevor Dion smashed the lap record in 2022 behind a 1:02.371 lap.
“It was our first time on the M1000 here – last year we raced the S1000 – and we were trying some things and collecting data, so the result is obviously very interesting,” Young said. “I was hoping for close to a 1:02, but we got well into the 1:02’s, so it proved to be a good lap for the BMW on these Bridgestone tires.”
As if Young’s pole pace wasn’t stunning enough, it was equally shocking to see who will line up next to him on Saturday, as local star Chris Pletsch earned an impressive second ahead of his first ever national GP Bikes Pro Superbike appearance.
“I really couldn’t have asked for a better result. I was just trying to see if I could get into the top five,” Pletsch said. “I would never have expected to be up here next to these guys, so now we just have to hang with them tomorrow.”
The result is also a much needed one for Honda, as the Stratford Cycle Centre Honda rider will eye his brand’s first feature class podium since 2015 this weekend, though it came at the expense of Dumas who was displaced to third.
The Purple Skull Brewing/Liqui Moly Suzuki rider was able to improve his time on his last flying lap across the line, but still 0.037 seconds short of Pletsch as he narrowly settled for third on the grid and the last spot on row one.
Despite the less than ideal qualifying order, Dumas will still carry a 21-point lead into race one on Saturday, and was happy with his pace as he looks to latch on to Young early in both races and keep his championship advantage into round three.
Leading off the second row will be round one star Sam Guerin, who put his EFC Group BMW only 0.124 seconds off the front trio and firmly in podium contention if he can replicate his strong starts from the opening two races.
Right next to Guerin on the second row will be veteran Jordan Szoke, who put his LDS Consultants Kawasaki a half-second off the lead row to complete the top five. While Szoke’s single-lap pace couldn’t match the two most recent champions, his fitness has seemingly improved since round one, making him a sure threat for another podium (or two) this weekend.
Starting off the third row will be Trevor Daley, who put in a late flyer to move 0.124 seconds off Szoke and back into a more familiar spot after previously running outside the top-eight for most of the session aboard his OneSpeed Suzuki.
As for Trevor Dion, the 2022 pole-sitter went the opposite direction in 2023, being forced onto the sidelines early in Q2 thanks to a mechanical issue. The LDS Consultants Kawasaki rookie seemingly had the pace to challenge for a front row spot if not pole once again, but could only watch as a handful of riders managed to better his time in the late stages.
Joining Daley and Dion on the end of row three will be Tomas Casas, who fell just short of the 1:03 mark behind a time of 1:04.096, though still less than a second off second place aboard his Parts Canada Yamaha.
Rounding out the top-ten in Q2 were Jordan Royds on the IBEW BMW, missing out on a third-row spot by just 0.059 seconds to Casas, and Pro Sport Bike pole-sitter David MacKay, who used the extra practice time to put his ODH Snow City Cycle Kawasaki tenth on the feature class grid.
Read the full Pro Sport Bike recap HERE:
https://www.csbk.ca/index.php/news/news/3772-mackay-snatches-sport-bike-pole-at-the-flag-in-grand-bend
Full results from Superbike qualifying can be found on the series’ official website, while a snapshot of the other categories qualifying results are listed below.
Liqui Moly Pro Sport Bike
1. David MacKay (Kawasaki) 1:04.409
2. Matt Simpson (Yamaha) 1:04.601 (+0.192)
3. Sebastian Tremblay (Suzuki) 1:05.148 (+0.739)
4. Elliot Vieira (Ducati) 1:05.567 (+1.158)
5. Zoltan Frast (Kawasaki) 1:05.639 (+1.230)
Bickle Racing Pro Twins
1. Jeff Williams (Aprilia) 1:08.698
2. Andrew Van Winkle (Suzuki) –
Super Sonic Race School Amateur Lightweight
1. Vincent Wilson (Kawasaki) 1:12.983
2. Vincent Lalande (Kawasaki) 1:13.084 (+0.101)
3. Ryan Beattie (Yamaha) 1:13.088 (+0.105)
4. Jack Beaudry (Kawasaki) 1:13.108 (+0.125)
5. Sebastian Silva (Yamaha) 1:14.586 (+1.603)
EBC Brakes Lightweight Pro/Am
1. Ryan Vanderputten (Yamaha) 1:12.375
2. Stacey Nesbitt (Kawasaki) 1:12.407 (+0.032)
3. Vincent Lalande (Kawasaki) 1:12.909 (+0.534)
4. Vincent Wilson (Kawasaki) 1:12.970 (+0.595)
5. Jack Beaudry (Kawasaki) 1:13.098 (+0.723)
Bagnaia heads Bezzecchi by 0.063, Rins and Binder give chase on tight Day 1 at Mugello
The top two in the title race end a scintillating P2 at the summit, with Marc Marquez IN and Quartararo out of Q2 despite stellar start
Friday, 09 June 2023
Caught your breath yet? We haven’t either! A scintillating end to MotoGP™ Practice 2 decided the automatic Q1 and Q2 places at the Gran Premio d’Italia Oakley, and it’s home hero Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) leading the way thanks to a 1:45.436 – but his advantage is slender. Title rival Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) is second and just 0.063s off his compatriot, with third quickest Alex Rins (LCR Honda Castrol) impressing, also within a tenth of Pecco’s effort.
A steady start
After struggling with a cycling injury he picked up on Thursday at the circuit and a crash in Practice 1, a limping Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) was back on track for Practice 2 as the Spaniard and the returning Miguel Oliveira (CryptoDATA RNF MotoGP™ Team) were the only two riders to improve their morning times in the opening half an hour of the afternoon outing. Then, just ahead of the 15-minute remaining mark, Bagnaia joined them – but the reigning World Champion was only up into P15.
A breathless finish
Then, the business end of the session commenced. Espargaro climbed to P15 – just 0.4s off – before Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) then climbed to P5. First shots fired, we then had 12 minutes to go to decide the Q1 and Q2 running order for Saturday morning’s qualifying.
The first bit of drama saw Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) crash as he turned up the wick on fresh soft rubber, down unhurt at Turn 14 while the #93 was sat P9. How costly would that prove? Well, straight away, he was shoved to P11 as a quintet of riders pounced to P1, P2, P3, P4 and P5, with Bezzecchi then fronting the times with a 1:45.808. Joining the Italian in the top five were Martin, Bagnaia, Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) and Raul Fernandez (CryptoDATA RNF MotoGP™ Team) with six minutes to go, as the riders ventured out for their second time attacks. 0.7s split the top 18, it was time to strap in for a barnstorming end to Friday as Marc Marquez completed his sprint to the box to get back out.
Once he was, he slotted in just behind Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) as his reference. And it was a great reference. Both were 0.2s under Bezzecchi’s time through the second split and coming across the line, Marc Marquez went P1! But not for long. First Rins and then Bagnaia stole top spot as MotoGP™ lit up magnificent Mugello. There was still more to come as, shadowing Bagnaia, Bezzecchi went P2, and in the blink of an eye Marc Marquez was shoved to P7.
Two late laps shuffled the order further after the chequered flag was waved. Binder fired his way up to P4 and the wounded Espargaro worked wonders to pinch a late P9, which subsequently pushed his teammate Viñales out of an all-important top 10.
That leaves a top three of Bagnaia, Bezzecchi and Rins, with Binder just 0.118s off in P4 and Martin a close P5. The returning Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Team) shows us and Ducati what we’ve been missing with a classy P6, ahead of Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing) in P7.
Marc Marquez takes P8 in the end, as Espargaro and Luca Marini (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) pull rabbits out the hat to claim P9 and P10 respectively, both riding through the pain barrier.
As we so often see, Q1 is brimming with stars. Practice 1 pacesetter Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) ended up 0.4s off top spot in P13 as Viñales and Raul Fernandez miss out by a hairs width too. And Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™), after a storming P1 session, cut a frustrated figure at the end of Friday, having only managed P16. He sits behind Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) and Yamaha teammate Franco Morbidelli heading into qualifying.
SHOWTIME
And so, after an action-packed Friday, there’s no telling what’s yet to come at Mugello! The stage is set for Qualifying and the Tissot Sprint, and here’s when it all gets underway in GMT+2:
MotoGP™ FP: 10:10
MotoGP™ Q1: 10:50
MotoGP™ Q2: 11:15
Tissot Sprint: 15:00
Moto2™: Advantage Acosta on Friday
As track temperatures soared in Practice 2, Pedro Acosta’s (Red Bull KTM Ajo) dominant 1:50.928 from P1 remained the fastest laptime of the day by the close of action. Celestino Vietti (Fantic Racing) kicked off his home GP in P2, 0.196s shy of the top spot, with Alonso Lopez (MB Conveyors SpeedUp) rounding out the top three.
Championship leader Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) is down in P8 after Day 1, with some time to find on Saturday to take on Acosta.
Fermin Aldeguer (MB Conveyors SpeedUp) joined his teammate inside the top 4, just ahead of Mattia Pasini (Fieten Olie Racing GP) as the veteran Italian put in an impressive display to round out the top 5 as he wildcards with the Fieten Olie Racing GP squad. Filip Salač (QJMOTOR Gresini Moto2™) is next up, completing a top six who all set their best laps in P1, ahead of first improver Jake Dixon (Autosolar GASGAS Aspar).
Sam Lowes is just behind teammate Arbolino, with Dennis Foggia (Italtrans Racing Team) completing the top ten. Check out the full results below, and tune in as Moto2™ will be back in action on Saturday for Practice 3 at 9:25 and qualifying at 13:45 local (GMT +2).
Can anyone catch Öncü in qualifying?
It was a dominant Friday for Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Ajo) at the Gran Premio d’Italia Oakley as a 1:56.485 in Practice 2 saw the #53 claim top spot by an impressive 0.489s, quite a margin for the rest to target. Ayumu Sasaki (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) claimed second, with Jaume Masia (Leopard Racing) occupying third heading into Saturday’s action and qualifying.
There weren’t many improvements in Practice 2 but while pushing for a personal best time in the final 10 minutes, World Championship leader Daniel Holgado (Red Bull KTM Ajo) highsided at Turn 12. Rider ok, but looking for a place in Q2 once P3 gets underway on Saturday morning.
It was after that a flurry of quick times come in. Practice 1 pacesetter Öncü again was showing superior pace, his progress saw him sit 0.4s clear with five minutes to go – and that was the gap and the end of play on Friday. Sasaki was the only rider within half a second of Öncü on Day 1.
Ivan Ortola (Angeluss MTA Team) jumped up to P4 from P24 in Practice 1 to end his opening day on a high, as Scott Ogden (VisionTrack Racing Team) completed the top five having ended P1 inside the top 10 too. Romano Fenati (Rivacold Snipers Team) was the final rider to finish within a second of Öncü, the Italian was P6.
Filippo Farioli (Red Bull KTM Tech3), Joel Kelso (CFMOTO Racing PrüstelGP), Stefano Nepa (Angeluss MTA Team) and Taiyo Furusato (Honda Team Asia) were the riders to round out the combined top 10 on Friday at Mugello, as Holgado slipped to P15 and outside the provisional automatic Q2 places after his crash. Check out the full results below and tune in for more on Saturday!
HICKMAN SECURES HIS 12TH VICTORY IN CAROLE NASH SUPERTWIN TT RACE 2
Peter Hickman made it two wins in a day and 12 in total at the Isle of Man TT Races when he won a dramatic second Carole Nash Supertwin TT Race on Friday afternoon, after Michael Dunlop and Mike Browne both retired from the lead.
Riding his own PHR Performance Yamaha, Hickman came home 47.7 seconds ahead of Pierre-Yves Bian (VAS Racing Paton) and Josh Brookes (Dafabet Racing Kawasaki), both TT podium debutantes, to move alongside Kiwi Bruce Anstey on 12 TT wins.
As expected, Dunlop (SC Project Corse Paton) led through Glen Helen on the opening lap, but it was tight as his advantage over Browne (Burrows Engineering/RK Racing Paton) was just one second with Hickman a further 3.5 seconds further adrift. Jamie Coward slotted into fourth ahead of Stefano Bonetti and Brookes, but Paul Jordan was already out, having stopped at Harold’s, just before Gorse Lea.
Coward was also in trouble, stopping at Kirk Michael and although he got going again, he retired shortly afterwards but, at the head of the field, Dunlop was pressing ahead and after extending his lead to 3.3 seconds at Ballaugh, the gap went out to 5.2 seconds at Ramsey Hairpin for the first time. Hickman was still running in third, 9.2 seconds behind Browne but 8 seconds ahead of new fourth-placed rider Brookes.
However, drama soon followed and as Dunlop left the Bungalow, he begun to slow down eventually retiring. That promoted Browne into the lead and with an opening lap of 121.069mph he led Hickman by 11.6 seconds as the riders made their mandatory pit stop, Brookes completing the lap in third ahead of Bian, Bonetti and Dominic Herbertson.
Rob Hodson, Michael Rutter, Barry Furber and Michael Evans completed the top ten but there were further changes as Brookes lost considerable time as he left the pits and dropped down the order. Rutter was another rider in trouble and retired at the pits.
With the flurry of activity towards the end of lap one, the race settled down by the time the riders reached Glen Helen second time around and Browne now led Hickman by 12.1s. Brookes’ problems at the pits dropped him back to seventh and that meant Bian was now running in third from Herbertson, Bonetti and Hodson.
At Ballaugh, Browne had stretched his lead to 13.8s with almost three more seconds added to his advantage round Ramsey Hairpin but whilst he and Hickman were looking comfortable in first and second, only 17s covered new third placed rider Herbertson, Bian, Bonetti, Hodson and Brookes.
Browne still led at the Grandstand, but more drama followed as he retired almost immediately after crossing the line with clutch problems and that meant Hickman was now in the lead of a TT once more. The race for what was now the final two podium places was continuing to rage as 17s covered Herbertson, Bian, Bonetti and Brookes.
Hickman’s lead was more than 40 seconds sweeping through Glen Helen for the third and final time and although Herbertson and Bian were running in third, Brookes was taking time out of both of them through each sector. Drama followed again though with Herbertson going out at Barregarrow.
In what was proving to be a race of attrition, Hickman now led on the roads and with Brookes having overhauled Bian on the road once more, he quickly opened a gap as he closed in on second place. He was still seconds adrift though as they made the final Mountain climb.
Hickman duly came home for the victory, his eventual winning margin 47.7 seconds, and it was Bian who claimed second as he held off Brookes by two seconds. Bian’s podium was the first TT rostrum finish by a rider from mainland Europe since German Helmut Dahne in 1986.
Bonetti repeated his fourth-place finish from 2018 with Hodson and Barry Furber taking personal best TT finishes in fifth and sixth respectively. The same applied to the remainder of the top ten which was completed by Michael Evans, Francesco Curinga, Michal Dokoupil and Michael Russell.
HICKMAN BREAKS OUTRIGHT LAP RECORD IN RL360 SUPERSTOCK TT RACE 2
Peter Hickman clinched his 11th victory at the Isle of Man TT Races when he won today’s second RL360 Superstock race in sensational style, the Monster Energy by FHO Racing BMW rider smashing his own outright lap record with a stunning final lap speed of 136.358mph.
Just like the previous Superstock race, Hickman quickly grabbed the lead from the outset and never looked back as he won by more than 17 seconds from Michael Dunlop (MD Racing Honda) with Dean Harrison (DAO Racing Kawasaki) once more taking third.
After an hour’s delay allowing a tree to be repaired at Greeba Castle, the race got underway at 12.45pm under sunny skies but with a blustery wind, especially over the Mountain and Hickman grabbed the lead at Glen Helen on the opening lap, his advantage over Dunlop just one tenth of a second. Harrison was in third, a further 2.6 seconds in arrears, followed by Conor Cummins (MIlenco by Padgett’s Motorcycles Honda), Jamie Coward (KTS Racing powered by Steadplan Honda) and James Hillier (OMG Racing Yamaha).
Cummins’ team-mate Todd, suffering with a sickness bug, which required a pre-race injection, was down in eighth with David Johnson, who’d started number one on the road, already out after retiring at Ballacraine with the same fate befalling Julian Trummer.
By Ballaugh, Hickman had stretched his lead out to 1.5 seconds but it had come back down to 0.8 seconds as they rounded Ramsey Hairpin for the first time and although Harrison and Cummins continued in third and fourth respectively, Hillier had relegated Coward to sixth albeit by just half a second. Todd was clearly struggling though and had slipped back further to 11th.
At the end of lap one, the riders pitted for their solitary fuel stop and an opening lap of 134.068mph gave Hickman a 1.8 seconds lead over Dunlop with Harrison still in third but now 11.6 seconds adrift. Cummins continued to hold fourth and with Coward getting back in front of Hillier for fifth, the top ten was rounded out by Josh Brookes, John McGuinness, Shaun Anderson and Dominic Herbertson.
James Hind, meanwhile, had retired at Sulby Bridge but Ryan Cringle was having another great ride, the Manx newcomer setting a personal best lap of 124.414mph as he slotted into 21st.
Hickman’s lead had gone out to 2.3 seconds as they went through Glen Helen for the second time with Harrison remaining just over 11 seconds behind in third. Cummins was a similar distance back in fourth but whilst Coward held station in fifth, there was change further back as Brookes and McGuinness moved up to sixth and seventh as Hillier slipped back to eighth.
Over Ballaugh Bridge on lap two, Hickman had added another second to his lead and by Ramsey Hairpin it was 3.8 seconds with Harrison losing more time in third, the gap to second now 16 seconds. He held the same advantage over Coward, but he was only 1.5s in front of Brookes who, in turn, only had a half second buffer to McGuinness. Hillier wasn’t out of the battle for fifth either as he sat 2.2s behind McGuinness.
Hickman was extending his lead ever so slightly through each timing point and as he started his third and final lap, he led Dunlop by 5.1s, Harrison continuing to run in a comfortable third. The same applied to Cummins in fourth but the battle for fifth continued to rage with nine seconds covering Coward, Brookes, Hillier and McGuinness. Rutter and Herbertson were now in ninth and tenth, but Todd’s brave ride came to an end as he retired at the pits.
The lead was up to 6 seconds at Glen Helen on lap three and little wonder as Hickman broke Harrison’s five-year old sector time from the Grandstand to Glen Helen. Harrison and Cummins were looking secure in third and fourth with Coward extending his gap over Brookes to 4.5 seconds and Hillier had now overhauled McGuinness for seventh.
All eyes were on Hickman as he circulated at outright lap record pace and the lead was over eight seconds at Ballaugh, which had jumped out to 13.2 seconds at the Bungalow and as he crossed the line at the end of the three laps, his winning margin over Dunlop was 17.1 seconds. The lap speed stood out more though at a sensational 136.358mph which obliterated the class lap record and added almost a full mph on to the outright lap record!
Harrison and Cummins took comfortable third and fourth place finishes and the battle for fifth went the way of Brookes by just 0.49 seconds after setting a new personal best lap of 131.759mph. Hillier grabbed seventh from McGuinness with Herbertson taking ninth from Rutter on the final lap. Meanwhile, Cringle went quicker again on his final lap with an excellent speed of 126.096mph seeing him rewarded with 19th position.
Carole Nash Supertwin TT Race 2 will begin at 15:00.
Defending World Champion Francesco Bagnaia set the best lap time during MotoGP Free Practice Two (FP2) Friday afternoon at Mugello, in Italy. Riding his Lenovo Ducati Desmosedici, Bagnaia lapped the 3.2-mile (5.2 km) road course in 1:45.436, which was significantly quicker than Bagnaia’s own Race Lap Record of 1:46.588 and close to Fabio Quartararo’s All-Time Lap Record of 1:45.187.
Marco Bezzecchi was best of the rest with a very close 1:45.499 on his Mooney VR46 Racing Team Ducati.
Alex Rins was third overall and the top Honda rider with a lap of 1:45.517 on his LCR Honda Castrol machine.
The top 16 riders in FP2 were covered by 0.868 second. That 16th rider was 2021 World Champion Fabio Quartararo (1:46.304).
MotoGP Fp2
Spaniard Aron Canet, riding his Pons Wegow Los40 Kalex, claimed pole position during Moto2 qualifying Saturday at Mugello with a lap time of 1:50.796.
Canet’s countryman Pedro Acosta was second-fastest with a 1:50.955 on his Red Bull KTM Ajo Kalex.
Brit Sam Lowes earned the third and final spot on the front row with a 1:50.958 on his Elf Marc VDS Racing Team Kalex.
Americans Joe Roberts (1:51.008) and Sean Dylan Kelly (1:52.202) qualified fourth and 22nd, respectively.
Moto2 Comb Q
Turkish racer Deniz Oncu claimed pole position during Moto3 World Championship qualifying Saturday at the Mugello Circuit, in Italy.
Riding his Red Bull KTM Ajo machine, Oncu did a lap time of 1:56.020 to top the 28-rider field.
Moto3 Comb Q
Andrea Mantovani, riding his RNF MotoE Team Ducati electric racebike, won MotoE World Championship Race One Saturday at the Mugello Circuit, in Italy.
Polesitter Matteo Ferrari came up 0.152 second short in second place on his Felo Gresini Ducati.
Mattia Casadei was equally close in third on his HP Pons Los40 Ducati, completing an all-Italian podium.
MotoE R1
More, from a press release issued by Dorna:
Mantovani fends off Ferrari and Casadei in close Race 1
It’s a tricolore podium and a first time winner in the first electric showdown at Mugello
Saturday, 10 June 2023
Andrea Mantovani (RNF MotoE™ Team) is now a MotoE™ race winner! The Italian came out on top in Race 1 at Mugello, fighting off Matteo Ferrari (Felo Gresini MotoE™) and Mattia Casadei (HP Pons Los40) in an all-Italian showdown for the win. Ferrari got oh so close on the final lap but couldn’t quit make a move, forced to settle for second, with Casadei a little disappointed in third but back on the podium on home turf.
Ferrari and Casadei shot off the line as the lights went out, with Eric Granado (LCR E-Team) losing some ground in the shuffle at Turn 1 and Jordi Torres (Openbank Aspar Team) the same. Hector Garzo (Dynavolt Intact GP MotoE™) managed to gain from seventh, but it was Mantovani making waves behind Ferrari and Casadei in the lead as the trio started to break away.
A jolt of drama came at the start of Lap 2, with Nicholas Spinelli (HP Pons Los40) trying a move on Garzo for fourth and overcooking it, sliding out. Rider ok, but it left Garzo at the head of the group chasing the leading trio. As the laps ticked down though, the chasing group became a duo as Garzo and teammate Randy Krummemacher kept some clear air back to Granado, with the Brazilian starting to come under some pressure from behind.
With three to go, Mantovani then hit for the lead. A clean move at Turn 1 saw the number 9 take over, and the very same corner staged another shuffle next time round. Ferrari got past Mantovani on the straight and then headed slightly wide, just as Casadei got past Mantovani. But the number 9 was able to get the cutback on both in stunning style, back in the lead as the final lap approached.
Onto that last lap, Mantovani stayed ahead as Ferrari sliced back past Casadei, and the number 11 then set about chasing the RNF machine down. But as close as he got, he couldn’t make a move through the final sector, with Mantovani taking that stunning home win. Ferrari was forced to settle for second, with Casadei back on the rostrum for the first time in 2023 in third.
Fourth saw Garzo just get the better of rookie teammate Krummenacher, with Granado coming home sixth as he returns to action and managed to hold off Ongetta SIC58 Squadra Corse duo Kevin Manfredi and Kevin Zannoni. Torres eventually took P9 and will want more in Race 2, with Miquel Pons (LCR E-Team) completing the top ten.
Defending Champion Francesco “Pecco” Bagnaia earned pole position during MotoGP qualifying Saturday at the Mugello Circuit, in Italy. Riding his Lenovo Ducati Desmosedici, Bagnaia lapped the 3.2-mile (5.2 km) track in 1:44.855, which eclipsed Fabio Quartararo’s 2021 All-Time Lap Record of 1:45.187.
Earning the other two spots on the front row were Repsol Honda’s Marc Marquez (1:44.933) and his younger brother Alex Marquez (1:45.007), who rode a Gresini Ducati.
MotoGP Comb Q
More, from a press release issued by Dorna:
Bagnaia vs Marquez heats up! Pole decided by 0.078 after close Q2 showdown at Mugello
Less than a tenth of a second and one lengthy on-track debate decides pole in favour of Pecco, with MM93 second and Alex Marquez third fastest
Saturday, 10 June 2023
Another Saturday, another stunning Q2… and another portion of spice for the history books! At the Gran Premio d’Italia Oakley, Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) has beaten Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) to pole by another tiny margin, this time 0.078, and the two once again exchanged some words as the number 93 slotted in behind the reigning World Champion on track. In Q2, Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) was third fastest despite having come through Q1, grabbing a front row for the Tissot Sprint right at the end, but he’ll serve his 3-place grid penalty on Sunday… bumping Luca Marini (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) up to a front row for the Grand Prix race.
Q1
As ever, there were some big names in Q1 looking for a spot in the top ten shootout, including Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™), Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) and Alex Marquez. The number 73 set the benchmark early on and no one could get close – but it was a tense finale for the rest fighting over that second chance to move through.
Initially it was held by Viñales before a late lap from Miller saw the Aussie steal it, but both the number 12 and Quartararo were still out there giving it one last shot. Viñales was close in the first two sectors before his time started to fade, and Quartararo the opposite as he started out of touch, got within two tenths, and then lost out over the line. So that was that: Alex Marquez led Miller through, Viñales loses out, and Franco Morbidelli (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) pips teammate Quartararo to P14.
Q2
Early on, Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Team) was on a race to get back out after a crash, and Marc Marquez was making friends with a tow, this time slotted in behind Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) as they went to the top. Next, Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) took over on provisional pole and the stage was set for a fairly shot at the top.
Then the fireworks really started. Marc Marquez came out of pitlane behind Bezzecchi but at a distance… and Bagnaia was heading down the main straight. As he headed round Turn 1 and saw the Repsol Honda ahead, the Italian immediately started gesticulating. He moved alongside the Honda and did the same, with Marquez not going anywhere, and then Pecco put the hammer down. The number 93 followed and the two shot off round Mugello.
That lap was a different kind of fireworks, with Pecco setting a new lap record and laying down the gauntlet, ignoring the Honda on his tail. Could Marquez do what he did in Portugal and nearly did in France, pipping the reigning World Champion at the post? Not this time. As the Repsol Honda crossed the line, it was into second place… by just 0.078. And what a show!
It wasn’t over there as Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) shot up into third, and Alex Marquez was on the move. The number 73 just shuffled his fellow Q1 graduate off the front row, and that seemed a wrap. Even after the session, however, came a change. After reviewing a suspected track limits infraction for Marini at Turn 5 that had seen the Italian’s lap cancelled, it was later reinstated – putting him fourth in the session.
THE GRID(S)
That makes it Bagnaia – Marquez, Marc – Marquez, Alex fronting the grid for the Tissot Sprint at Mugello, with Marini at the head of Row 2. The Italian has Miller and Martin alongside on Saturday.
On Sunday, however, Alex Marquez has a 3-place grid penalty given in Le Mans, so the Grand Prix race grid will be Bagnaia, Marc Marquez and Marini on the front row, and Miller, Martin and Alex Marquez on Row 2.
Bezzecchi therefore heads up Row 3, joined by Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) as he rode through the pain barrier into P8, just ahead of Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing) and Alex Rins (LCR Honda Castrol). Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), after a crash at Turn 11, will start 11th, looking for some immediate progress off the line. Bastianini rounds out Q2 as he couldn’t move up the order after that early crash.
Young cruises through Q2 to take Superbike pole in Grand Bend
Grand Bend, ON – The leadup to the second round of the Bridgestone Canadian Superbike Championship made it look like a nail-biting qualifying was on the horizon, but Ben Young made sure it was anything but on Friday at the Grand Bend Motorplex.
The defending champion dominated the opening Q1 session aboard his Van Dolder’s Home Team BMW, posting a time of 1:03.533 that put him a comfortable 0.622 seconds clear of rival Alex Dumas and into the top-ten Q2 shootout.
That trend continued into the final session, however, as no one could even come close to matching the blistering pace of Young, who gradually pushed his way further and further into the 1:02 second mark before closing the day out with a best time of 1:02.734, a stunning 0.532 seconds clear of the next rider to win his fourth consecutive BS Battery Pole Award.
Made worse for the competition was not just Young’s one-lap pace, but the fact that he consistently ran in the high 1:02 mark, becoming only the second rider to ever reach that threshold after Trevor Dion smashed the lap record in 2022 behind a 1:02.371 lap.
“It was our first time on the M1000 here – last year we raced the S1000 – and we were trying some things and collecting data, so the result is obviously very interesting,” Young said. “I was hoping for close to a 1:02, but we got well into the 1:02’s, so it proved to be a good lap for the BMW on these Bridgestone tires.”
As if Young’s pole pace wasn’t stunning enough, it was equally shocking to see who will line up next to him on Saturday, as local star Chris Pletsch earned an impressive second ahead of his first ever national GP Bikes Pro Superbike appearance.
“I really couldn’t have asked for a better result. I was just trying to see if I could get into the top five,” Pletsch said. “I would never have expected to be up here next to these guys, so now we just have to hang with them tomorrow.”
The result is also a much needed one for Honda, as the Stratford Cycle Centre Honda rider will eye his brand’s first feature class podium since 2015 this weekend, though it came at the expense of Dumas who was displaced to third.
The Purple Skull Brewing/Liqui Moly Suzuki rider was able to improve his time on his last flying lap across the line, but still 0.037 seconds short of Pletsch as he narrowly settled for third on the grid and the last spot on row one.
Despite the less than ideal qualifying order, Dumas will still carry a 21-point lead into race one on Saturday, and was happy with his pace as he looks to latch on to Young early in both races and keep his championship advantage into round three.
Leading off the second row will be round one star Sam Guerin, who put his EFC Group BMW only 0.124 seconds off the front trio and firmly in podium contention if he can replicate his strong starts from the opening two races.
Right next to Guerin on the second row will be veteran Jordan Szoke, who put his LDS Consultants Kawasaki a half-second off the lead row to complete the top five. While Szoke’s single-lap pace couldn’t match the two most recent champions, his fitness has seemingly improved since round one, making him a sure threat for another podium (or two) this weekend.
Starting off the third row will be Trevor Daley, who put in a late flyer to move 0.124 seconds off Szoke and back into a more familiar spot after previously running outside the top-eight for most of the session aboard his OneSpeed Suzuki.
As for Trevor Dion, the 2022 pole-sitter went the opposite direction in 2023, being forced onto the sidelines early in Q2 thanks to a mechanical issue. The LDS Consultants Kawasaki rookie seemingly had the pace to challenge for a front row spot if not pole once again, but could only watch as a handful of riders managed to better his time in the late stages.
Joining Daley and Dion on the end of row three will be Tomas Casas, who fell just short of the 1:03 mark behind a time of 1:04.096, though still less than a second off second place aboard his Parts Canada Yamaha.
Rounding out the top-ten in Q2 were Jordan Royds on the IBEW BMW, missing out on a third-row spot by just 0.059 seconds to Casas, and Pro Sport Bike pole-sitter David MacKay, who used the extra practice time to put his ODH Snow City Cycle Kawasaki tenth on the feature class grid.
Read the full Pro Sport Bike recap HERE:
https://www.csbk.ca/index.php/news/news/3772-mackay-snatches-sport-bike-pole-at-the-flag-in-grand-bend
Full results from Superbike qualifying can be found on the series’ official website, while a snapshot of the other categories qualifying results are listed below.
Liqui Moly Pro Sport Bike
1. David MacKay (Kawasaki) 1:04.409
2. Matt Simpson (Yamaha) 1:04.601 (+0.192)
3. Sebastian Tremblay (Suzuki) 1:05.148 (+0.739)
4. Elliot Vieira (Ducati) 1:05.567 (+1.158)
5. Zoltan Frast (Kawasaki) 1:05.639 (+1.230)
Bickle Racing Pro Twins
1. Jeff Williams (Aprilia) 1:08.698
2. Andrew Van Winkle (Suzuki) –
Super Sonic Race School Amateur Lightweight
1. Vincent Wilson (Kawasaki) 1:12.983
2. Vincent Lalande (Kawasaki) 1:13.084 (+0.101)
3. Ryan Beattie (Yamaha) 1:13.088 (+0.105)
4. Jack Beaudry (Kawasaki) 1:13.108 (+0.125)
5. Sebastian Silva (Yamaha) 1:14.586 (+1.603)
EBC Brakes Lightweight Pro/Am
1. Ryan Vanderputten (Yamaha) 1:12.375
2. Stacey Nesbitt (Kawasaki) 1:12.407 (+0.032)
3. Vincent Lalande (Kawasaki) 1:12.909 (+0.534)
4. Vincent Wilson (Kawasaki) 1:12.970 (+0.595)
5. Jack Beaudry (Kawasaki) 1:13.098 (+0.723)
Bagnaia heads Bezzecchi by 0.063, Rins and Binder give chase on tight Day 1 at Mugello
The top two in the title race end a scintillating P2 at the summit, with Marc Marquez IN and Quartararo out of Q2 despite stellar start
Friday, 09 June 2023
Caught your breath yet? We haven’t either! A scintillating end to MotoGP™ Practice 2 decided the automatic Q1 and Q2 places at the Gran Premio d’Italia Oakley, and it’s home hero Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) leading the way thanks to a 1:45.436 – but his advantage is slender. Title rival Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) is second and just 0.063s off his compatriot, with third quickest Alex Rins (LCR Honda Castrol) impressing, also within a tenth of Pecco’s effort.
A steady start
After struggling with a cycling injury he picked up on Thursday at the circuit and a crash in Practice 1, a limping Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) was back on track for Practice 2 as the Spaniard and the returning Miguel Oliveira (CryptoDATA RNF MotoGP™ Team) were the only two riders to improve their morning times in the opening half an hour of the afternoon outing. Then, just ahead of the 15-minute remaining mark, Bagnaia joined them – but the reigning World Champion was only up into P15.
A breathless finish
Then, the business end of the session commenced. Espargaro climbed to P15 – just 0.4s off – before Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) then climbed to P5. First shots fired, we then had 12 minutes to go to decide the Q1 and Q2 running order for Saturday morning’s qualifying.
The first bit of drama saw Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) crash as he turned up the wick on fresh soft rubber, down unhurt at Turn 14 while the #93 was sat P9. How costly would that prove? Well, straight away, he was shoved to P11 as a quintet of riders pounced to P1, P2, P3, P4 and P5, with Bezzecchi then fronting the times with a 1:45.808. Joining the Italian in the top five were Martin, Bagnaia, Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) and Raul Fernandez (CryptoDATA RNF MotoGP™ Team) with six minutes to go, as the riders ventured out for their second time attacks. 0.7s split the top 18, it was time to strap in for a barnstorming end to Friday as Marc Marquez completed his sprint to the box to get back out.
Once he was, he slotted in just behind Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) as his reference. And it was a great reference. Both were 0.2s under Bezzecchi’s time through the second split and coming across the line, Marc Marquez went P1! But not for long. First Rins and then Bagnaia stole top spot as MotoGP™ lit up magnificent Mugello. There was still more to come as, shadowing Bagnaia, Bezzecchi went P2, and in the blink of an eye Marc Marquez was shoved to P7.
Two late laps shuffled the order further after the chequered flag was waved. Binder fired his way up to P4 and the wounded Espargaro worked wonders to pinch a late P9, which subsequently pushed his teammate Viñales out of an all-important top 10.
That leaves a top three of Bagnaia, Bezzecchi and Rins, with Binder just 0.118s off in P4 and Martin a close P5. The returning Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Team) shows us and Ducati what we’ve been missing with a classy P6, ahead of Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing) in P7.
Marc Marquez takes P8 in the end, as Espargaro and Luca Marini (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) pull rabbits out the hat to claim P9 and P10 respectively, both riding through the pain barrier.
As we so often see, Q1 is brimming with stars. Practice 1 pacesetter Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) ended up 0.4s off top spot in P13 as Viñales and Raul Fernandez miss out by a hairs width too. And Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™), after a storming P1 session, cut a frustrated figure at the end of Friday, having only managed P16. He sits behind Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) and Yamaha teammate Franco Morbidelli heading into qualifying.
SHOWTIME
And so, after an action-packed Friday, there’s no telling what’s yet to come at Mugello! The stage is set for Qualifying and the Tissot Sprint, and here’s when it all gets underway in GMT+2:
MotoGP™ FP: 10:10
MotoGP™ Q1: 10:50
MotoGP™ Q2: 11:15
Tissot Sprint: 15:00
Moto2™: Advantage Acosta on Friday
As track temperatures soared in Practice 2, Pedro Acosta’s (Red Bull KTM Ajo) dominant 1:50.928 from P1 remained the fastest laptime of the day by the close of action. Celestino Vietti (Fantic Racing) kicked off his home GP in P2, 0.196s shy of the top spot, with Alonso Lopez (MB Conveyors SpeedUp) rounding out the top three.
Championship leader Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) is down in P8 after Day 1, with some time to find on Saturday to take on Acosta.
Fermin Aldeguer (MB Conveyors SpeedUp) joined his teammate inside the top 4, just ahead of Mattia Pasini (Fieten Olie Racing GP) as the veteran Italian put in an impressive display to round out the top 5 as he wildcards with the Fieten Olie Racing GP squad. Filip Salač (QJMOTOR Gresini Moto2™) is next up, completing a top six who all set their best laps in P1, ahead of first improver Jake Dixon (Autosolar GASGAS Aspar).
Sam Lowes is just behind teammate Arbolino, with Dennis Foggia (Italtrans Racing Team) completing the top ten. Check out the full results below, and tune in as Moto2™ will be back in action on Saturday for Practice 3 at 9:25 and qualifying at 13:45 local (GMT +2).
Can anyone catch Öncü in qualifying?
It was a dominant Friday for Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Ajo) at the Gran Premio d’Italia Oakley as a 1:56.485 in Practice 2 saw the #53 claim top spot by an impressive 0.489s, quite a margin for the rest to target. Ayumu Sasaki (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) claimed second, with Jaume Masia (Leopard Racing) occupying third heading into Saturday’s action and qualifying.
There weren’t many improvements in Practice 2 but while pushing for a personal best time in the final 10 minutes, World Championship leader Daniel Holgado (Red Bull KTM Ajo) highsided at Turn 12. Rider ok, but looking for a place in Q2 once P3 gets underway on Saturday morning.
It was after that a flurry of quick times come in. Practice 1 pacesetter Öncü again was showing superior pace, his progress saw him sit 0.4s clear with five minutes to go – and that was the gap and the end of play on Friday. Sasaki was the only rider within half a second of Öncü on Day 1.
Ivan Ortola (Angeluss MTA Team) jumped up to P4 from P24 in Practice 1 to end his opening day on a high, as Scott Ogden (VisionTrack Racing Team) completed the top five having ended P1 inside the top 10 too. Romano Fenati (Rivacold Snipers Team) was the final rider to finish within a second of Öncü, the Italian was P6.
Filippo Farioli (Red Bull KTM Tech3), Joel Kelso (CFMOTO Racing PrüstelGP), Stefano Nepa (Angeluss MTA Team) and Taiyo Furusato (Honda Team Asia) were the riders to round out the combined top 10 on Friday at Mugello, as Holgado slipped to P15 and outside the provisional automatic Q2 places after his crash. Check out the full results below and tune in for more on Saturday!
HICKMAN SECURES HIS 12TH VICTORY IN CAROLE NASH SUPERTWIN TT RACE 2
Peter Hickman made it two wins in a day and 12 in total at the Isle of Man TT Races when he won a dramatic second Carole Nash Supertwin TT Race on Friday afternoon, after Michael Dunlop and Mike Browne both retired from the lead.
Riding his own PHR Performance Yamaha, Hickman came home 47.7 seconds ahead of Pierre-Yves Bian (VAS Racing Paton) and Josh Brookes (Dafabet Racing Kawasaki), both TT podium debutantes, to move alongside Kiwi Bruce Anstey on 12 TT wins.
As expected, Dunlop (SC Project Corse Paton) led through Glen Helen on the opening lap, but it was tight as his advantage over Browne (Burrows Engineering/RK Racing Paton) was just one second with Hickman a further 3.5 seconds further adrift. Jamie Coward slotted into fourth ahead of Stefano Bonetti and Brookes, but Paul Jordan was already out, having stopped at Harold’s, just before Gorse Lea.
Coward was also in trouble, stopping at Kirk Michael and although he got going again, he retired shortly afterwards but, at the head of the field, Dunlop was pressing ahead and after extending his lead to 3.3 seconds at Ballaugh, the gap went out to 5.2 seconds at Ramsey Hairpin for the first time. Hickman was still running in third, 9.2 seconds behind Browne but 8 seconds ahead of new fourth-placed rider Brookes.
However, drama soon followed and as Dunlop left the Bungalow, he begun to slow down eventually retiring. That promoted Browne into the lead and with an opening lap of 121.069mph he led Hickman by 11.6 seconds as the riders made their mandatory pit stop, Brookes completing the lap in third ahead of Bian, Bonetti and Dominic Herbertson.
Rob Hodson, Michael Rutter, Barry Furber and Michael Evans completed the top ten but there were further changes as Brookes lost considerable time as he left the pits and dropped down the order. Rutter was another rider in trouble and retired at the pits.
With the flurry of activity towards the end of lap one, the race settled down by the time the riders reached Glen Helen second time around and Browne now led Hickman by 12.1s. Brookes’ problems at the pits dropped him back to seventh and that meant Bian was now running in third from Herbertson, Bonetti and Hodson.
At Ballaugh, Browne had stretched his lead to 13.8s with almost three more seconds added to his advantage round Ramsey Hairpin but whilst he and Hickman were looking comfortable in first and second, only 17s covered new third placed rider Herbertson, Bian, Bonetti, Hodson and Brookes.
Browne still led at the Grandstand, but more drama followed as he retired almost immediately after crossing the line with clutch problems and that meant Hickman was now in the lead of a TT once more. The race for what was now the final two podium places was continuing to rage as 17s covered Herbertson, Bian, Bonetti and Brookes.
Hickman’s lead was more than 40 seconds sweeping through Glen Helen for the third and final time and although Herbertson and Bian were running in third, Brookes was taking time out of both of them through each sector. Drama followed again though with Herbertson going out at Barregarrow.
In what was proving to be a race of attrition, Hickman now led on the roads and with Brookes having overhauled Bian on the road once more, he quickly opened a gap as he closed in on second place. He was still seconds adrift though as they made the final Mountain climb.
Hickman duly came home for the victory, his eventual winning margin 47.7 seconds, and it was Bian who claimed second as he held off Brookes by two seconds. Bian’s podium was the first TT rostrum finish by a rider from mainland Europe since German Helmut Dahne in 1986.
Bonetti repeated his fourth-place finish from 2018 with Hodson and Barry Furber taking personal best TT finishes in fifth and sixth respectively. The same applied to the remainder of the top ten which was completed by Michael Evans, Francesco Curinga, Michal Dokoupil and Michael Russell.
HICKMAN BREAKS OUTRIGHT LAP RECORD IN RL360 SUPERSTOCK TT RACE 2
Peter Hickman clinched his 11th victory at the Isle of Man TT Races when he won today’s second RL360 Superstock race in sensational style, the Monster Energy by FHO Racing BMW rider smashing his own outright lap record with a stunning final lap speed of 136.358mph.
Just like the previous Superstock race, Hickman quickly grabbed the lead from the outset and never looked back as he won by more than 17 seconds from Michael Dunlop (MD Racing Honda) with Dean Harrison (DAO Racing Kawasaki) once more taking third.
After an hour’s delay allowing a tree to be repaired at Greeba Castle, the race got underway at 12.45pm under sunny skies but with a blustery wind, especially over the Mountain and Hickman grabbed the lead at Glen Helen on the opening lap, his advantage over Dunlop just one tenth of a second. Harrison was in third, a further 2.6 seconds in arrears, followed by Conor Cummins (MIlenco by Padgett’s Motorcycles Honda), Jamie Coward (KTS Racing powered by Steadplan Honda) and James Hillier (OMG Racing Yamaha).
Cummins’ team-mate Todd, suffering with a sickness bug, which required a pre-race injection, was down in eighth with David Johnson, who’d started number one on the road, already out after retiring at Ballacraine with the same fate befalling Julian Trummer.
By Ballaugh, Hickman had stretched his lead out to 1.5 seconds but it had come back down to 0.8 seconds as they rounded Ramsey Hairpin for the first time and although Harrison and Cummins continued in third and fourth respectively, Hillier had relegated Coward to sixth albeit by just half a second. Todd was clearly struggling though and had slipped back further to 11th.
At the end of lap one, the riders pitted for their solitary fuel stop and an opening lap of 134.068mph gave Hickman a 1.8 seconds lead over Dunlop with Harrison still in third but now 11.6 seconds adrift. Cummins continued to hold fourth and with Coward getting back in front of Hillier for fifth, the top ten was rounded out by Josh Brookes, John McGuinness, Shaun Anderson and Dominic Herbertson.
James Hind, meanwhile, had retired at Sulby Bridge but Ryan Cringle was having another great ride, the Manx newcomer setting a personal best lap of 124.414mph as he slotted into 21st.
Hickman’s lead had gone out to 2.3 seconds as they went through Glen Helen for the second time with Harrison remaining just over 11 seconds behind in third. Cummins was a similar distance back in fourth but whilst Coward held station in fifth, there was change further back as Brookes and McGuinness moved up to sixth and seventh as Hillier slipped back to eighth.
Over Ballaugh Bridge on lap two, Hickman had added another second to his lead and by Ramsey Hairpin it was 3.8 seconds with Harrison losing more time in third, the gap to second now 16 seconds. He held the same advantage over Coward, but he was only 1.5s in front of Brookes who, in turn, only had a half second buffer to McGuinness. Hillier wasn’t out of the battle for fifth either as he sat 2.2s behind McGuinness.
Hickman was extending his lead ever so slightly through each timing point and as he started his third and final lap, he led Dunlop by 5.1s, Harrison continuing to run in a comfortable third. The same applied to Cummins in fourth but the battle for fifth continued to rage with nine seconds covering Coward, Brookes, Hillier and McGuinness. Rutter and Herbertson were now in ninth and tenth, but Todd’s brave ride came to an end as he retired at the pits.
The lead was up to 6 seconds at Glen Helen on lap three and little wonder as Hickman broke Harrison’s five-year old sector time from the Grandstand to Glen Helen. Harrison and Cummins were looking secure in third and fourth with Coward extending his gap over Brookes to 4.5 seconds and Hillier had now overhauled McGuinness for seventh.
All eyes were on Hickman as he circulated at outright lap record pace and the lead was over eight seconds at Ballaugh, which had jumped out to 13.2 seconds at the Bungalow and as he crossed the line at the end of the three laps, his winning margin over Dunlop was 17.1 seconds. The lap speed stood out more though at a sensational 136.358mph which obliterated the class lap record and added almost a full mph on to the outright lap record!
Harrison and Cummins took comfortable third and fourth place finishes and the battle for fifth went the way of Brookes by just 0.49 seconds after setting a new personal best lap of 131.759mph. Hillier grabbed seventh from McGuinness with Herbertson taking ninth from Rutter on the final lap. Meanwhile, Cringle went quicker again on his final lap with an excellent speed of 126.096mph seeing him rewarded with 19th position.
Carole Nash Supertwin TT Race 2 will begin at 15:00.
Defending World Champion Francesco Bagnaia set the best lap time during MotoGP Free Practice Two (FP2) Friday afternoon at Mugello, in Italy. Riding his Lenovo Ducati Desmosedici, Bagnaia lapped the 3.2-mile (5.2 km) road course in 1:45.436, which was significantly quicker than Bagnaia’s own Race Lap Record of 1:46.588 and close to Fabio Quartararo’s All-Time Lap Record of 1:45.187.
Marco Bezzecchi was best of the rest with a very close 1:45.499 on his Mooney VR46 Racing Team Ducati.
Alex Rins was third overall and the top Honda rider with a lap of 1:45.517 on his LCR Honda Castrol machine.
The top 16 riders in FP2 were covered by 0.868 second. That 16th rider was 2021 World Champion Fabio Quartararo (1:46.304).
MotoGP Fp2
