Elf Marc VDS Racing Team’s Sam Lowes broke the lap record on his way to taking pole position during Moto2 qualifying Saturday on the Bugatti Circuit, in Le Mans, France. Riding his Dunlop-shod Kalex, Lowes lapped the 2.6-mile (4.2 km) circuit in 1:35.791, which eclipsed Pedro Acosta’s 2022 All-Time Lap Record of 1:35.803.
Americans Joe Roberts and Sean Dylan Kelly qualified 17th and 19th, respectively.
Moto2 Comb Qual
Ayumu Sasaki, riding his Liqui Moly Intact GP Husqvarna, took pole position during Moto3 qualifying Saturday on the Bugatti Circuit, in Le Mans, France. The Japanese rider lapped the 2.6-mile (4.2 km) road course in 1:41.640 to top the 27-rider field.
Moto3 Comb Qual
Open Bank Aspar Team’s Jordi Torres won FIM MotoE World Championship Race One Saturday on the Bugatti Circuit, in Le Mans, France. Riding a Ducati electric motorcycle, Torres won the eight-lap sprint by 0.092 second over Hector Garzo. Garzo’s Dynovolt Intact GP teammate Randy Krummenacher finished third.
MotoE R1
More, from a press release issued by Dorna:
Bagnaia vs Marquez: pole decided by just 0.058 at Le Mans
The reigning Champion leads the returning Marquez by half a tenth, with Marini and Miller on the chase as Quartararo misses out on Q2
Saturday, 13 May 2023
What’s 0.058 between World Champions? At the Shark Grand Prix de France it’s the difference between pole and the middle of the front row, with Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) denying Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) in the very final seconds of a blockbuster Q2. It looked like the number 93 was on to make it two from two before the late attack, but Bagnaia had other ideas and brought Luca Marini (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) to the front row party. The number 10 starts third, with the best seat in the house for the Bagnaia-Marquez duel alongside.
Quartararo takes on home turf Q1
Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) seized early control of Q1 as he shot to the top with a 1:31.366, with Alex Rins (LCR Honda Castrol) second before he was pipped by Luca Marini (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) and the field started to turn the screw. They couldn’t get close to Quartararo though, with the Frenchman enjoying a gap of four tenths.
On the second runs, that changed. Augusto Fernandez (GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3) put in a sublime effort to take over on top, piping Quartararo by hundredths, and then the red sectors started lighting up for Marini. The Italian kept it together and broke home hearts, crossing the line to depose Fernandez and, consequently, push Quartararo down to third in the session – and out of Q2. The 2021 Champion starts 13th.
A Q2 of two halves
The first runs were a drama free show of speed for Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) as the number 12 took provisional pole, but then the field filed back out for another shot at it… or they did except Viñales. Top Gun had an issue at pit exit and headed back to the box, able to get on track but rhythm then out of whack. It then went from bad to worse for Aprilia as Aleix Espargaro slid out in a fast crash, rider ok, and attention turned to the rest as the red sectors started to pile up.
Bagnaia was the first mover, deposing Marquez from second, but Viñales remained top until a duel attack from Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) and… Marquez. The number 93 had done a quick lap alone for provisional second behind Viñales, but now he was tucked in behind the number 89. Martin took to the top before the Honda right behind him stole it immediately, making it a fairly spicy 1-2.
It looked like it could be job done there, but there were three riders left on threatening laps. Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) was the first but ‘Thriller’ could only split Marquez and Martin, before another duo shot across the the line. Marini just pushed the Aussie off the front row, and Bagnaia? The reigning Champion just had enough in the tank to deny Marquez by an infinitesimal 0.058, forcing the number 93 to settle for second and forfeit a 100% pole record in the events in which he’s competed in 2023. But what a lead duo to fight it out for the holeshot…
How the top 12 are set for the Tissot Sprint and GP race
Bagnaia heads Marquez and Marini, with Miller still in with a shout of a holeshot in fourth. Remember Jerez? Martin is forced to settle for fifth, with Viñales ultimately starting sixth after that late Q2 drama.
Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) launches from seventh after a fast Friday too, ahead of Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) and home hero Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing).
Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) had a tougher Q2 but slots into tenth, and has won a Tissot Sprint from 15th lest we remind, with Aleix Espargaro and Augusto Fernandez completing the fourth row ahead of Quartararo.
Maverick Vinales, riding his factory Aprilia RS-GP, was fastest during MotoGP Free Practice Three (FP3) Saturday morning on the Bugatti Circuit, in Le Mans, France. The Spaniard lapped the 2.6-mile (4.2 km) track in 1:31.898 to lead the 21-rider field.
MotoGP FP3
Thai racer Somkiat Chantra, riding his Idemitsu Team Asia Kalex, was fastest during Moto2 Free Practice Three (FP3) Saturday on the Bugatti Circuit, in Le Mans, France. In wet-but-drying conditions, Chantra lapped the 2.6-mile (4.2 km) course in 1:39.171.
Americans Sean Dylan Kelly (SDK), riding his American Racing Team Kalex, and Joe Roberts, riding his Italtrans Racing Kalex, were third and seventh, respectively in the session.
Moto2 FP3
Andrea Migno, riding his CIP Green Power KTM, was quickest during wet Moto3 Free Practice Three (FP3) Saturday morning on the Bugatti Circuit, in Le Mans, France. Migno lapped the 2.6-mile (4.2 km) circuit in 1:53.767 to lead the 27-rider field.
Moto3 FP3
MotoE™: just 0.025 covers the front row as Ferrari nabs pole from Garzo & Torres
With rain in the air but slicks on the bikes, it was a tricky first qualifying of the new era – but Ferrari came out on top as we bid farewell to the lap record on Friday
Friday, 12 May 2023
Day 1 of the 2023 FIM Enel MotoE™ World Championship kicked off with an immediate arrivederci to the old lap record, with P1 seeing it fall by over 1.2 seconds as Hector Garzo (Dynavolt Intact GP MotoE™) started the weekend in style. In P2 the field went even quicker with Matteo Ferrari (Felo Gresini MotoE™) topping the timesheets, and the Italian nearly, nearly bettered it again in qualifying despite some drops of rain. He takes the first pole of the new era and the first with Ducati, joined on the front row by Garzo and two-time Cup winner Jordi Torres (Openbank Aspar Team) – and the three were covered by just 0.025!
After a dry Q1 gave way to ominous skies, the Q2 runners piled out of pitlane in a rush to set a lap and the red sectors lit up the timing screens. But Ferrari kept his advantage from practice to just hold on to pole by 0.022, despite a more adventurous end to the session with a tip off at Turn 3. No harm done, no one could quite better it regardless.
Garzo did leapfrog Torres, however, with Randy Krummenacher (Dynavolt Intact MotoE™) slotting into fourth to head the second row on his MotoE™ debut. Kevin Manfredi (Ongetta SIC58 Squadra Corse) and rookie Nicolas Spinelli (HP Pons Los40) complete that Row 2, demoting former Le Mans winner Mattia Casadei (HP Pons Los40) to seventh.
Tune in for the first super Saturday of the new MotoE™ era tomorrow, with both races book-ending the new Tissot Sprint. They’re sure to be showstoppers, so join us at 12:10 (GMT +2) for Race 1 before the second showdown fires up at 16:10!
MotoE Q2
Matteo Ferrari, riding his Felo Gresini Ducati electric motorcycle, destroyed the All-Time Lap Record during MotoE Free Practice Two (FP2) Friday afternoon in Le Mans, France.
Ferrari lapped the 2.6-mile (4.2 km) course in 1:40.953, which was much faster than the previous All-Time and Race Lap Record of 1:43.465, which was set by Niki Tuuli in 2020 on an Energica electric motorcycle.
MotoE FP1 + FP2
WorldSBK Supported Test ends with Ducati 1-2 in Misano
Alvaro Bautista leads teammate Michael Ruben Rinaldi in rain-affected Day 2
Already fastest on Thursday, Ducati’s Alvaro Bautista remained fastest on day two of the Supported Test. After 72 laps completed, his fastest time on Friday was a 1’33.627s as he was 0.138s quicker than teammate Rinaldi.
Michael Ruben Rinaldi ended the Supported Test with the second-best time with a 1’33.765s. Rinaldi and Bautista were the only riders to ride within 1’33s.
Toprak Razgatlioglu was the third fastest rider, having set a fastest time of 1’33.765s. Andrea Locatelli was fourth.
Rookie Lorenzo Baldassarri had a solid test as he concluded the two-day test in fifth place with a 1’34.681s, 1.054s behind Bautista.
BMW’s Scott Redding completed the top six 1.169s behind Bautista, while Tom Sykes was 10th.
WorldSBK Day 2 Report
The second and final day of testing at the Misano World Circuit “Marco Simoncelli” for the majority of the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship concluded with reigning Champion Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) taking top spot and leading a Ducati 1-2 on a rain-affected day in Italy. A shower an hour before the scheduled one-hour break, and more rain in the afternoon, limited running across the day but teams and riders were still able to take advantage of periods of dry conditions while most did use the test to get some wet-weather running in.
Top spot on Day 2 belonged to Bautista once again as he set a 1’33.627s and completed 72 laps to take top spot, lapping around six tenths slower than his best time from Day 1 as he focused on the setup of his Panigale V4 R. Bautista led a Ducati 1-2 as teammate Michael Ruben Rinaldi finished in second. Rinaldi was 0.138s slower than Bautista as he looked to find a setup ahead of the Emilia-Romagna Round at the start of June.
The Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK squad had five bikes to ride between Toprak Razgatlioglu and Andrea Locatelli during the test, with 2021 Champion Razgatlioglu using the extra bike on Day 2. He finished third after setting a 1’34.181s on Day 2 and completing 43 laps across his three bikes. Teammate Locatelli was fourth and three tenths behind Razgatlioglu at the end of the test, with Locatelli completing 51 laps with his two bikes.
Lorenzo Baldassarri (GMT94 Yamaha) enjoyed a strong test on home soil at Misano and took sixth place on Day 2, half-a-second down on Razgatlioglu and just over a second off Bautista’s time. Baldassarri, on Day 1, had similar problems to those he had in Barcelona but was able to make a step forward and he continued that work on Day 2 while also looking at the geometry of his Yamaha YZF R1 machine.
After a strong performance on Day 1, eyes were on BMW to see if they could repeat that on Day 2 and they did so with three riders in the top ten. Scott Redding (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) took sixth spot with a best time of 1’34.796s and 53 laps to his name while teammate Tom Sykes, testing new components that Redding had yesterday, was inside the top ten once again and only two tenths behind Redding.
WorldSBK_2023_Misano_Test_Final_Results_Friday
Elf Marc VDS Racing Team’s Sam Lowes broke the lap record on his way to taking pole position during Moto2 qualifying Saturday on the Bugatti Circuit, in Le Mans, France. Riding his Dunlop-shod Kalex, Lowes lapped the 2.6-mile (4.2 km) circuit in 1:35.791, which eclipsed Pedro Acosta’s 2022 All-Time Lap Record of 1:35.803.
Americans Joe Roberts and Sean Dylan Kelly qualified 17th and 19th, respectively.
Moto2 Comb Qual
Ayumu Sasaki, riding his Liqui Moly Intact GP Husqvarna, took pole position during Moto3 qualifying Saturday on the Bugatti Circuit, in Le Mans, France. The Japanese rider lapped the 2.6-mile (4.2 km) road course in 1:41.640 to top the 27-rider field.
Moto3 Comb Qual
Open Bank Aspar Team’s Jordi Torres won FIM MotoE World Championship Race One Saturday on the Bugatti Circuit, in Le Mans, France. Riding a Ducati electric motorcycle, Torres won the eight-lap sprint by 0.092 second over Hector Garzo. Garzo’s Dynovolt Intact GP teammate Randy Krummenacher finished third.
MotoE R1
More, from a press release issued by Dorna:
Bagnaia vs Marquez: pole decided by just 0.058 at Le Mans
The reigning Champion leads the returning Marquez by half a tenth, with Marini and Miller on the chase as Quartararo misses out on Q2
Saturday, 13 May 2023
What’s 0.058 between World Champions? At the Shark Grand Prix de France it’s the difference between pole and the middle of the front row, with Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) denying Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) in the very final seconds of a blockbuster Q2. It looked like the number 93 was on to make it two from two before the late attack, but Bagnaia had other ideas and brought Luca Marini (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) to the front row party. The number 10 starts third, with the best seat in the house for the Bagnaia-Marquez duel alongside.
Quartararo takes on home turf Q1
Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) seized early control of Q1 as he shot to the top with a 1:31.366, with Alex Rins (LCR Honda Castrol) second before he was pipped by Luca Marini (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) and the field started to turn the screw. They couldn’t get close to Quartararo though, with the Frenchman enjoying a gap of four tenths.
On the second runs, that changed. Augusto Fernandez (GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3) put in a sublime effort to take over on top, piping Quartararo by hundredths, and then the red sectors started lighting up for Marini. The Italian kept it together and broke home hearts, crossing the line to depose Fernandez and, consequently, push Quartararo down to third in the session – and out of Q2. The 2021 Champion starts 13th.
A Q2 of two halves
The first runs were a drama free show of speed for Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) as the number 12 took provisional pole, but then the field filed back out for another shot at it… or they did except Viñales. Top Gun had an issue at pit exit and headed back to the box, able to get on track but rhythm then out of whack. It then went from bad to worse for Aprilia as Aleix Espargaro slid out in a fast crash, rider ok, and attention turned to the rest as the red sectors started to pile up.
Bagnaia was the first mover, deposing Marquez from second, but Viñales remained top until a duel attack from Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) and… Marquez. The number 93 had done a quick lap alone for provisional second behind Viñales, but now he was tucked in behind the number 89. Martin took to the top before the Honda right behind him stole it immediately, making it a fairly spicy 1-2.
It looked like it could be job done there, but there were three riders left on threatening laps. Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) was the first but ‘Thriller’ could only split Marquez and Martin, before another duo shot across the the line. Marini just pushed the Aussie off the front row, and Bagnaia? The reigning Champion just had enough in the tank to deny Marquez by an infinitesimal 0.058, forcing the number 93 to settle for second and forfeit a 100% pole record in the events in which he’s competed in 2023. But what a lead duo to fight it out for the holeshot…
How the top 12 are set for the Tissot Sprint and GP race
Bagnaia heads Marquez and Marini, with Miller still in with a shout of a holeshot in fourth. Remember Jerez? Martin is forced to settle for fifth, with Viñales ultimately starting sixth after that late Q2 drama.
Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) launches from seventh after a fast Friday too, ahead of Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) and home hero Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing).
Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) had a tougher Q2 but slots into tenth, and has won a Tissot Sprint from 15th lest we remind, with Aleix Espargaro and Augusto Fernandez completing the fourth row ahead of Quartararo.
Maverick Vinales, riding his factory Aprilia RS-GP, was fastest during MotoGP Free Practice Three (FP3) Saturday morning on the Bugatti Circuit, in Le Mans, France. The Spaniard lapped the 2.6-mile (4.2 km) track in 1:31.898 to lead the 21-rider field.
MotoGP FP3
Thai racer Somkiat Chantra, riding his Idemitsu Team Asia Kalex, was fastest during Moto2 Free Practice Three (FP3) Saturday on the Bugatti Circuit, in Le Mans, France. In wet-but-drying conditions, Chantra lapped the 2.6-mile (4.2 km) course in 1:39.171.
Americans Sean Dylan Kelly (SDK), riding his American Racing Team Kalex, and Joe Roberts, riding his Italtrans Racing Kalex, were third and seventh, respectively in the session.
Moto2 FP3
Andrea Migno, riding his CIP Green Power KTM, was quickest during wet Moto3 Free Practice Three (FP3) Saturday morning on the Bugatti Circuit, in Le Mans, France. Migno lapped the 2.6-mile (4.2 km) circuit in 1:53.767 to lead the 27-rider field.
Moto3 FP3
MotoE™: just 0.025 covers the front row as Ferrari nabs pole from Garzo & Torres
With rain in the air but slicks on the bikes, it was a tricky first qualifying of the new era – but Ferrari came out on top as we bid farewell to the lap record on Friday
Friday, 12 May 2023
Day 1 of the 2023 FIM Enel MotoE™ World Championship kicked off with an immediate arrivederci to the old lap record, with P1 seeing it fall by over 1.2 seconds as Hector Garzo (Dynavolt Intact GP MotoE™) started the weekend in style. In P2 the field went even quicker with Matteo Ferrari (Felo Gresini MotoE™) topping the timesheets, and the Italian nearly, nearly bettered it again in qualifying despite some drops of rain. He takes the first pole of the new era and the first with Ducati, joined on the front row by Garzo and two-time Cup winner Jordi Torres (Openbank Aspar Team) – and the three were covered by just 0.025!
After a dry Q1 gave way to ominous skies, the Q2 runners piled out of pitlane in a rush to set a lap and the red sectors lit up the timing screens. But Ferrari kept his advantage from practice to just hold on to pole by 0.022, despite a more adventurous end to the session with a tip off at Turn 3. No harm done, no one could quite better it regardless.
Garzo did leapfrog Torres, however, with Randy Krummenacher (Dynavolt Intact MotoE™) slotting into fourth to head the second row on his MotoE™ debut. Kevin Manfredi (Ongetta SIC58 Squadra Corse) and rookie Nicolas Spinelli (HP Pons Los40) complete that Row 2, demoting former Le Mans winner Mattia Casadei (HP Pons Los40) to seventh.
Tune in for the first super Saturday of the new MotoE™ era tomorrow, with both races book-ending the new Tissot Sprint. They’re sure to be showstoppers, so join us at 12:10 (GMT +2) for Race 1 before the second showdown fires up at 16:10!
MotoE Q2
Matteo Ferrari, riding his Felo Gresini Ducati electric motorcycle, destroyed the All-Time Lap Record during MotoE Free Practice Two (FP2) Friday afternoon in Le Mans, France.
Ferrari lapped the 2.6-mile (4.2 km) course in 1:40.953, which was much faster than the previous All-Time and Race Lap Record of 1:43.465, which was set by Niki Tuuli in 2020 on an Energica electric motorcycle.
MotoE FP1 + FP2
WorldSBK Supported Test ends with Ducati 1-2 in Misano
Alvaro Bautista leads teammate Michael Ruben Rinaldi in rain-affected Day 2
Already fastest on Thursday, Ducati’s Alvaro Bautista remained fastest on day two of the Supported Test. After 72 laps completed, his fastest time on Friday was a 1’33.627s as he was 0.138s quicker than teammate Rinaldi.
Michael Ruben Rinaldi ended the Supported Test with the second-best time with a 1’33.765s. Rinaldi and Bautista were the only riders to ride within 1’33s.
Toprak Razgatlioglu was the third fastest rider, having set a fastest time of 1’33.765s. Andrea Locatelli was fourth.
Rookie Lorenzo Baldassarri had a solid test as he concluded the two-day test in fifth place with a 1’34.681s, 1.054s behind Bautista.
BMW’s Scott Redding completed the top six 1.169s behind Bautista, while Tom Sykes was 10th.
WorldSBK Day 2 Report
The second and final day of testing at the Misano World Circuit “Marco Simoncelli” for the majority of the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship concluded with reigning Champion Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) taking top spot and leading a Ducati 1-2 on a rain-affected day in Italy. A shower an hour before the scheduled one-hour break, and more rain in the afternoon, limited running across the day but teams and riders were still able to take advantage of periods of dry conditions while most did use the test to get some wet-weather running in.
Top spot on Day 2 belonged to Bautista once again as he set a 1’33.627s and completed 72 laps to take top spot, lapping around six tenths slower than his best time from Day 1 as he focused on the setup of his Panigale V4 R. Bautista led a Ducati 1-2 as teammate Michael Ruben Rinaldi finished in second. Rinaldi was 0.138s slower than Bautista as he looked to find a setup ahead of the Emilia-Romagna Round at the start of June.
The Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK squad had five bikes to ride between Toprak Razgatlioglu and Andrea Locatelli during the test, with 2021 Champion Razgatlioglu using the extra bike on Day 2. He finished third after setting a 1’34.181s on Day 2 and completing 43 laps across his three bikes. Teammate Locatelli was fourth and three tenths behind Razgatlioglu at the end of the test, with Locatelli completing 51 laps with his two bikes.
Lorenzo Baldassarri (GMT94 Yamaha) enjoyed a strong test on home soil at Misano and took sixth place on Day 2, half-a-second down on Razgatlioglu and just over a second off Bautista’s time. Baldassarri, on Day 1, had similar problems to those he had in Barcelona but was able to make a step forward and he continued that work on Day 2 while also looking at the geometry of his Yamaha YZF R1 machine.
After a strong performance on Day 1, eyes were on BMW to see if they could repeat that on Day 2 and they did so with three riders in the top ten. Scott Redding (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) took sixth spot with a best time of 1’34.796s and 53 laps to his name while teammate Tom Sykes, testing new components that Redding had yesterday, was inside the top ten once again and only two tenths behind Redding.
WorldSBK_2023_Misano_Test_Final_Results_Friday
