Kyle Wyman returns to MotoAmerica Superbike grid at Barber Motorsports Park
Tytlers Cycle Racing is pleased to announce that they will field a third BMW M 1000 RR in the 2022 MotoAmerica season finale at Barber Motorsports Park this coming weekend.
In addition to superbike regulars PJ Jacobsen and Hector Barbera, the team is delighted to welcome back Kyle Wyman who, after giving the team its first podium earlier in the season, will return to the superbike grid as Tytlers Cycle Racing looks to end the year in style.
In addition to flying the Tytlers Cycle Racing flag, Kyle will be flying the flag for One Cure. One Cure’s founding principle is that cancer affects all creatures and that treatment breakthroughs come through collaborations between scientists and doctors who are working with pets and people. One Cure’s goal is to improve the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of cancer in pets.
On-track action at Barber Motorsports Park gets underway with Free Practice on Friday morning with the penultimate and final races of the season taking place on Saturday and Sunday afternoon, respectively.
Dave Weaver – Team Manager: “The superbike hybrid Larry Pegram rode earlier this year was available and Kyle showed interest to ride at the last round since the King of the Baggers championship had finished. Being that he delivered our team’s first superbike podium, offering him the opportunity to ride was the least we could do to say thank you! We look forward to having him join us again this weekend alongside PJ and Hector.”
Kyle Wyman: “I’d like to thank the Tytlers Cycle Racing team for welcoming me back to the program as a third Superbike entry for them this coming weekend. I enjoyed working with the team earlier in the season for our fill-in appearance, and it’s great to have another opportunity to ride with them again. TCR has been a breakout success in its debut season, and I hope to be able to help them improve even further in the final race of 2022. I will also be racing for One Cure this weekend to bring awareness to the Colorado State University cancer research center. CSU and their studies have shown that the cure for cancer may be walking right beside us in our canine companions, because cancer is the same between the species, down to the cellular level. What works for pets with cancer may work for us, and I’m all about speeding toward One Cure on the BMW M 1000 RR.”
Race report: Viltais Racing Igol takes dramatic win as Bol d’Or centenary serves up an EWC thriller
September 18 2022
*Bol d’Or lives up to its legendary status with a 24-hour race of high drama and attrition
*Late heartbreak for ERC Endurance-Ducati lets in privateer Yamaha team for glory
*F.C.C. TSR Honda France wins FIM Endurance World Championship for Teams
*FIM EWC Superstock World Cup goes to Team 18 Sapeurs Pompiers CMS Motostore
*Four different bike manufacturers in the top five highlights EWC’s open competition
*Top two separated by 5.6 seconds after 16 hours of intense endurance racing
Viltaïs Racing Igol won big by winning the 100th-anniversary Bol d’Or but F.C.C. TSR Honda France won bigger still by claiming FIM Endurance World Championship glory after 24 arduous hours of racing at Circuit Paul Ricard this afternoon (Sunday).
F.C.C. TSR Honda France’s title success followed a race of high drama and high attrition in the southern French sunshine and comes at the completion of another action-packed EWC season, which also featured 24-hour races at Le Mans and Spa-Francorchamps, plus a return to Japan for the Suzuka 8 Hours.
In front of packed grandstands, Viltaïs Racing Igol’s maiden EWC victory was dramatic and somewhat unexpected in equal measure but was nevertheless fitting reward for Team Manager Yannick Lucot’s tireless efforts behind the scenes, an impressive display from riding trio Florian Alt (Germany), Erwan Nigon (France) and Steven Odendaal (South Africa), plus important contributions from reserve rider James Westmoreland (Great Britain).
Viltaïs Racing Igol’s Bol d’Or victory meant the four race wins up for grabs in the 2022 EWC were claimed by four different teams, such has been the wide-open nature of the championship this season. And to underline its competitiveness both the EWC qualifying and race lap records at Circuit Paul Ricard were broken by Illya Mykhalchyk (1m51.641s) and Xavi Forés (1m52.979s) respectively.
Late Bol d’Or heartbreak for EWC aces
Up until the final 90 minutes of the Bol d’Or, long-term leader ERC Endurance-Ducati was seemingly on course for victory only to stop with a mechanical failure while comfortably in front. That left Wójcik Racing Team at the head of the pack. But in another late twist, the Polish squad’s Yamaha slowed, forcing Mathieu Gines to push the bike to the pitlane for repairs.
When Dan Linfoot eventually returned the #77 machine to the track, more than five minutes had been lost along with hopes of victory for Gines, Linfoot and Sheridan Morais as France-based Viltaïs Racing Igol, another Yamaha privateer, swept into a lead it wouldn’t relinquish.
Meanwhile, Wójcik Racing Team’s eventual second place represented its best finish of the season with Webike SRC Kawasaki France third in what was Gilles Stafler’s final EWC race as team boss before he retires. Webike SRC Kawasaki France had also failed to land a podium in 2022 prior to the Bol d’Or and actually led for a time before dropping back with an engine wiring issue ahead of its charging comeback.
For ERC Endurance-Ducati riders David Checa and Xavi Forés, their late heartbreak was hard to take after they’d shared riding duties for a large part of the race when Chaz Davies hurt his back and couldn’t continue. Despite the highly emotional scenes in the team garage as a near-certain victory slipped away, Checa regained his composure to return to the action for the last hour following rapid repairs by his German outfit. He took fifth behind the F.C.C. TSR Honda France team, which also made another unscheduled pitstop in the closing two hours having been delayed earlier in the race.
MACO Racing finished a strong sixth, Team Bolliger Switzerland was the next best Formula EWC squad in ninth overall despite Nico Thöni crashing two corners into the race. Team LRP Poland finished two places further back, while Motobox Kremer Racing was next up in the headlining category followed by Japanese newcomer TONE RT Syncedge 4413 BMW.
TATI Team Beringer Racing was leading and in contention for the EWC title when it stopped with a technical issue on Sunday morning, much to the disappointment of the French team and its riders Leon Haslam, Grégory Leblanc and Bastien Mackels.
Success in Superstock for RAC41-Chromeburner and Team 18 Sapeurs Pompiers CMS Motostore
RAC41-Chromeburner claimed Superstock category honours ahead of BMRT 3D Maxxess Nevers in a reversal of last season’s finishing positions with Pitlane Endurance taking third place. In addition to team regulars Chris Leesch and Wayne Tessels, RAC41-Chromeburner recruited Jonathan Hardt for the final round.
The Frenchman was part of the BMRT 3D Maxxess Nevers team that took top Bol d’Or Superstock honours in 2021 and his inclusion appeared to make the difference to the squad, which overcame a late scare when its Honda’s exhaust failed.
No Limits Motor Team, Falcon Racing, Énergie Endurance, JMA Racing Action Bike, Team 33 Louit April Moto, ADSS 97, Team Aviobike, Team 202 and TRT 27 Bazar 2 La Bécane all finished but there was disappointment for Team LH Racing, National Motos Honda and 3ART Best of Bike.
OG Motorsport by Sarazin led until Alex Plancassagne crashed just before 02h50 to bring out the safety car while trackside barriers were repaired, while late mechanical issues denied Wójcik Racing Team’s pole-setting Superstock squad a class podium nearing the finish.
Team 18 Sapeurs Pompiers CMS Motostore took the FIM Endurance World Cup title despite dropping out of contention with a mechanical failure, which took several hours to rectify. However, the Superstock win at Le Mans and a second place at Spa-Francorchamps were enough to secure the title for the Yamaha-powered team, which counted on riders Baptiste Guittet and Hugo Clere from France plus Austrian Philipp Steinmayr.
High five time as F.C.C. TSR Honda France becomes FIM EWC world champion
For F.C.C. TSR Honda France, its FIM Endurance World Championship title success follows on from the 2017-18 season when Josh Hook was partnered by Freddy Foray and Alan Techer to the EWC’s top prize. The Japanese squad was one of five outfits in a firm fight for glory starting the Bol d’Or but prevailed as its four rivals hit trouble. All-season riders Mike Di Meglio and Hook were joined on the #5 Honda for the final event of the year by Alan Techer in place of Gino Rea, who suffered serious head injuries in a crash at Suzuka last month but helped F.C.C. TSR Honda France to podiums in the 24 Heures Motos and the 24H SPA EWC Motos earlier in the campaign. Defending champion Yoshimura SERT Motul placed second in the final championship order with Viltaïs Racing Igol third. All results are subject to final confirmation.
While F.C.C. TSR Honda France celebrated, there was Bol d’Or heartache for several teams, including three EWC title contenders, BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team, which qualified on pole, YART – Yamaha Official Team EWC and Yoshimura SERT Motul. Team Moto Ain also failed to finish through technical issues having impressed with fifth fastest in qualifying.
RIDER QUOTES
Steven Odendaal (Viltaïs Racing Igol, Yamaha YZF-R1, winning Bol d’Or Formula EWC team rider): “This race has been incredible. To be in a French team winning on French soil is just something amazing. Yannick Lucot, my team boss, had a really big dream of this day and my team-mates and I, we fulfilled this so we’re really, really happy with this victory. Obviously we did not expect this, we just knew we had to make everything the maximum and we just did this and finally we’ve got this big trophy, which is amazing, and I’m really happy to walk away with my first EWC podium being a victory.”
Josh Hook (F.C.C. TSR Honda France, Honda CB R1000 RR-R, FIM Endurance World Championship winning team rider): “I know from the past never to think the race is over until the chequered flag. We’ve come back from much worse situations and won races in the past. We did run into some dramas as everyone else did it seems. We never gave up on it and just kept chipping away. We did a lot of really good race runs all throughout the night and we were consistently fast all three of us. Basically we were going to see where we were at when the sun came up in the morning but we never counted the win out at all. But it came to a point in time when we had to toss up whether we focused on the championship, which is obviously our main objective, or the race win. We decided to take care of the engine after getting a little nervous and seeing everyone else’s bikes blowing up and there wasn’t many left in the end. We tried to be as conservative as possible and just bring home the championship for our team, Honda and all our partners.”
Wayne Tessels (RAC41-Chromeburner, Honda CB R1000 RR-R, winning Bol d’Or Superstock rider): “For us it was a really good race. The second part was quite difficult for me personally, but I was very happy that the bike worked well and also my colleagues Jonathan [Hardt] and Chris [Leesch] did a hell of a job, a really good job. I’m also really happy we took this win because at Le Mans Grégory Fastre, our team-mate, had an injury, which was pretty bad, and it’s also for him that we finally won and I’m happy to be on the podium here.”
Philipp Steinmayr (Team 18 Sapeurs Pompiers CMS Motostore, Yamaha YZF-R1, FIM Endurance World Cup winning team rider): “It was a tough race, like a rollercoaster up and down, up and down. It’s great to win the World Cup, we managed it with the points, we had a good qualification and the team worked perfectly all season. It was a good job by all.”
Fores’ sensational slipstream overtake an early Bol d’Or highlight
The opening laps of the 100th-anniversary delivered more classic FIM Endurance World Championship action with Gregg Black, Mike Di Meglio, Xavi Forés and Markus Reiterberger all taking their turn to lead the EWC season decider. But it was Forés who pulled off the most spectacular pass, overtaking his three rivals on a sensational slipstream move on the Mistral Straight.
Yoshimura SERT Motul Team Director Kato speaks of pride following EWC DNF
Yoshimura SERT Motul Team Director Yohei Kato spoke of his pride after a mechanical failure robbed the Japanese squad of a possible Bol d’Or victory repeat and a second consecutive FIM Endurance World Championship crown. After Gregg Black held the lead during the early stages, Kazuki Watanabe was on board the #1 Suzuki GSX-R1000R when trouble struck on lap 34.
EWC community shows its support for Gino Rea
Gino Rea was a much-missed member of the FIM Endurance World Championship family during the Bol d’Or while he continues his recovery from serious head injuries sustained in a crash while practicing for the Suzuka 8 Hours last month. A GoFundMe appeal launched by his family to help his extensive rehabilitation was promoted on live television coverage of the event and across the EWC’s social media channels. All teams were provided with Keep fighting Gino Rea stickers for use on their bikes in a strong show of support for the popular British rider, who helped F.C.C. TSR Honda France to podium finishes at Le Mans and Spa-Francorchamps earlier this season.
Dramatic MotorLand showdown sees Bastianini depose Bagnaia as Quartararo clashes with Marquez
Just 17 points now cover the top three in the title fight as Bastianini vs Bagnaia goes to the wire, Quartararo hits bad luck early and Aleix Espargaro completes the podium
Enea Bastiani (23) narrowly beat Francesco Bagnaia (behind Bastianini) to the finish line. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Sunday, 18 September 2022
The Gran Premio Animoca Brands de Aragon may well prove a truly pivotal day in the 2022 season, with the headlines overflowing almost from lights out and the top three in the title fight now split by only 17 points. By the flag, Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) had served some Misano-flavoured revenge on Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) as the two duelled it out on the final lap for the win, and Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) was both back on the podium and back in serious Championship contention.
Before all that, Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) hit some serious bad luck as he made contact with Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) after a slide for the number 93. The Championship leader crashed out, Marquez continued and then suffered a technical problem from the prior contact that saw Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) caught in the crossfire. From there, the pitboards went out for the other key Championship protagonists – Quartararo out – and the lay of the land after MotorLand is now a whole different story as the paddock heads to Japan.
Where do we start? Bagnaia headed the field into Turn 1 after a dream start off pole position but it was a nightmare for several riders behind him. From 13th on the grid, Marquez was already up to sixth when he then had a moment exiting Turn 3 and closed the throttle, leaving Quartararo with nowhere to go. The Frenchman rammed the back of the RC213V and was thrown off, sliding into the run off. Rider ok, but a 0 on the board. Next the Marquez-Nakagami contact that saw the Japanese rider slide off and a host of riders forced into avoiding action, a second shot of huge drama. Not long after, Marc Marquez would also pit.
After all that, Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) had jumped from 10th on the grid to fifth and then somehow threaded his way past another three bikes to be running an incredible second midway through Lap 1, ahead of Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team), Bastianini, and Aleix Espargaro. Miller then overtook the South African on Lap 3 at Turn 1 and Bastianini did likewise exactly a lap later, putting the KTM back to fourth, but he wasn’t done yet.
Bastianini wasn’t either and he continued his progress with a move on Miller for second on Lap 6 at Turn 15, before Binder executed an impressive overtake on the Australian through Turn 4 on Lap 7. In the blink of an eye, Miller was all the way back to fifth as Espargaro also got through, at Turn 7.
Bad news for one Ducati rider, then, but the Bologna marque’s future factory pairing was about to engage in combat over first position – just as they did two weeks earlier at Misano. Bastianini got the move done at Turn 1 on Lap 9 and it looked like the Gresini rider might be able to pull away, given the pace advantage he seemed to have over Pecco. Instead, he outbraked himself half a lap later at Turn 12 and went very deep, handing the lead back to Bagnaia and barely holding off Binder through the chicane.
From there, however, Bagnaia and Bastianini started to put the hammer down, their margin over Binder up to one full second on Lap 12, two seconds on Lap 18, and three seconds after just one more. The Bologna bullets were trading quick laps around Aragon, and there was still no certainty over who would prevail. Bastianini twice had looks at Turn 16 and thought better of it, but would there be one last attack?
There sure would be! Bastianini sprung a surprise move on his works counterpart on the final lap at the tight Turn 7 right-hander and he was through, cuing up some sweet revenge for home race defeat at Misano. Bagnaia did give chase and when he got a better run off the final corner, it was still in the balance, but the finish line was close enough to the exit of Turn 17 that Bastianini was just able to cling on by a margin of just 0.042 seconds. Another stunning duel, and in the last two races, that means the total of the gaps between those two at the chequered flag totals a mere 0.076 seconds.
As for the other podium position, that went to Espargaro but it was a late attack as Binder held station for much of the race. The Aprilia and Miller tailed Binder for much of the contest before Aprilia’s ‘Captain’ pulled off the block pass at the start of the penultimate lap, and that was decisive. Espargaro finished six seconds behind the top two but Binder was just 0.240 seconds behind him at the chequered flag, and Miller only another 0.585 seconds in arrears in fifth.
Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) took sixth after a late battle with fellow Ducati rider Luca Marini (Mooney VR46 Racing Team), who got home in seventh ahead of Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing), Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar), and Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team). Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) earned 11th, with the rest of the points finishers being Alex Marquez (LCR Honda Castrol) – who dusted himself off after a Warm Up crash – Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing), Cal Crutchlow (WithU Yamaha RNF MotoGP™ team), and Pol Espargaro (Repsol Honda Team). A total of 20 riders made the chequered flag with Marc Marquez, Quartararo, and Nakagami the only retirements. Nakagami escaped fairly unscathed from the drama but was declared unfit for Japan for a finger injury, so he’ll need to pass a medical ahead of his home race.
And so the paddock says goodbye to MotorLand as we head for Motegi for the first time since 2019. The dust will take some time to settle but it’s a quick turnaround for the paddock heading into the Motul Grand Prix of Japan, and there’s not too much time to catch your breath before actions gets back underway next weekend.
Three riders, 17 points, five races. As Aleix says: LET’S PLAY!
MotoGP™ PODIUM
1 Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) – Ducati – 41:35.462
2 Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) – Ducati – +0.042
Enea Bastianini: “Another good race and good battle like in Misano! My start was difficult, when Aleix overtook me I went a bit long and lost some positions compared to where I started but on Lap 9 I was back on top and then made a mistake at turn 10 and went off, but I thought ‘ok, now I have to stay clam to close the gap to Pecco’. He was really fast like Misano and made no mistakes, like Misano, but on the last lap I was closer and I won! It’s amazing for me to be back on top, and I’m happy.
“I didn’t think about which corner to try and make the overtake, but when I saw Pecco really close Turn 5, I thought then was the time to overtake and at Turn 7 I was really strong in this race.”
What makes him and Pecco so strong?
“Pecco, and the other Ducati riders, are so fast, but Pecco has his strongest points like me, we’re riding the same bikes and to overtake him is really difficult but this time I won. 48 points is too much to close the gap, for me, but I want to continue in this direction and be competitive in the last part of the championship. let’s see what happens race by race, but I have a good setup for the future.”
Francesco Bagnaia: “Today was very important to not make mistakes since Fabio was unlucky, it gave us a huge opportunity to recover a lot of points. It was important on the last lap to finish. When I saw Enea was so close to me, I just tried to be relaxed and calm, and I thought if he overtook me I didn’t want to take any risk and jut finish in the best way possible. If I saw an error or mistake I’d try back but he didn’t. I’m happy with the result, I did my best today and I think we made a big difference compared to the others today.”
What makes the difference for the duo?
“For me, we are, like Enea said, we are eight riders and we’re trying every day to raise the level. Step by step we’re growing together and we’re always faster. Enea for sure is motivated like me to win races and be in front, and we’re pushing each other because I know if he’s fast, I can be. It’s like a motivational thing – and we have to use that to improve ourselves.”
On the Championship:
“Now it’s clearer: we’re close. 10 points now is the lowest distance I’ve had since the start of the season so for sure I’ll try to think about the Championship but not too much. I’ll just think about my worr. I know Japan won’t be easy, we have less time to test and improve the bike, it won’t be easy. We know our bike needs more time to be prepared compared to others. But I’m sure we can be competitive and I’ll try to work like we are doing and finish the races like we know to do.”
Aleix Espargaro: “Expectations were high arriving to Aragon because I knew that it was one of the bets tracks of the last pat of the championship so maybe I started a bit hot, crashed twice on Friday and lost my confidence. Saturday was tough, I couldn’t get into the top ten in FP3 and from then on I started to build my confidence again, did a good qualifying, solid third place, and in the race too. I didn’t have the pace to follow Enea and Pecco, I knew that they had something else but in the end third is super good for the Championship and I’m happy to be back on the podium.”
Taking third:
“Brad Binder is extremely good, one of the best riders on the grid without any doubt, he doesn’t have the best bike at all without a doubt this year but he’s always strong, always extracting the best from the bike. The first part of the race it was difficult for me to overtake him, he was able to follow Enea! It was crazy. I decided to stay calm behind and wait for his tyre to drop and then in the last laps when I saw his pace started to drop I decided to overtake. Also knowing that with Fabio out of the game, you couldn’t make a mistake so I was relaxed in the second half of the race and took third as a really good bonus.”
On Enea and Pecco:
“It’s not easy what they are doing and what they are achieving. It’s not just a single thing, it’s not that they just have the best bike, it’s a mix and a package. Pecco and Enea are riding at a really high level, I would say the best levels of their careers, and they have a very strong bike with strong teams and a lot of information. This is MotoGP, Ducati, Enea and Pecco are doing a great job and the results are there. But we’re doing a good job because I’m just seven points form Pecco so it means with Aprilia we’re doing a super job and I’m extremely proud and happy.”
Looking ahead in the title fight:
“I never lost faith, I always believed, even on the most difficult weekends like Silverstone and Austria, I tried to not finish 15th, or crash, not 10th, always in the top five or six. This is what makes me proud of the championship I’m doing. I have 200 points because on bad days I was able to get really good results, so now I’m just trying to enjoy it and do the same in the next races. I know it’s not gonna be easy because now we’re going to completely different circuits far from Europe and these two guys next to me are very, very strong… but let’s play!”
After early drama for habitual top Yamaha Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP), and two Ducatis battling for the win, the door of possibility was suddenly open for Ducati to retain the Constructors’ crown impressively early in the season, and that they did. With Bastianini’s win putting another 25 points towards the count, the Borgo Panigale factory are the 2022 Champions with five races remaining!
Pedro Acosta (51). Photo courtesy Dorna.
Acosta aces MotorLand for second rookie Moto2™ win
The Red Bull KTM Ajo rookie puts in another showcase, with Canet second and Fernandez completing the podium
Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Pedro Acosta was back on top at the Gran Premio Animoca Brands de Aragon, picking up his second Moto2™ win and the first since breaking his left femur in a training accident in June. Flexbox HP40 rider Aron Canet took the chequered flag 2.612 seconds back in second, just edging out Augusto Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo) – but the number 37 extended his lead by three points as Ai Ogura (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) took fourth.
At the start, Fernandez got the jump from pole position and led the Shimoku GASGAS Aspar Team duo of Jake Dixon and Albert Arenas through the opening corners. San Marino GP winner Alonso Lopez (CAG Speed Up) launched well, but then drama hit as he crashed out and mayhem unfolded behind as Marcel Schrötter (Liqui Moly Intact GP) hit the deck as well, with a number of other riders forced into avoiding action too.
At the front, as Dixon gave chase to Fernandez, Canet passed Arenas on Lap 1, and so did Acosta at the start of Lap 2. Hopes of a fightback were dashed just half a lap later when Arenas crashed at Turn 12 – with both Manuel Gonzalez (Yamaha VR46 Master Camp Team) and Jeremy Alcoba (Liqui Moly Intact GP) joining him on the floor there just moments later in a separate incident.
Fernandez had pulled a second clear of Dixon on Lap 3 as Canet and Acosta traded third position amongst themselves. In a flash, Dixon dropped from second to fifth on Lap 4 when Acosta went past at Turn 12, Canet at Turn 14, and Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) through the sweeping Turn 16/Turn 17 left-hander. Ogura – who started eighth – tried to join the party on Lap 6 at Turn 1, and while he could not make the move stick at that point in time, the Japanese rider was not going to let the Briton off the hook.
Meanwhile, Acosta was catching Fernandez, reducing the margin to less than a second on Lap 7. Even when he ran wide exiting the Reverse Corkscrew on Lap 8 and gifted second place to Canet, they were still catching the pole-sitter. Acosta made up for his error by re-passing Canet at the end of Lap 9, but by then both were on the tail of Fernandez.
On Lap 10, Acosta blazed past his team-mate Fernandez as they ran up the back straight, while it was Arbolino’s Turn to get into a battle with Canet over third . That would ultimately be resolved when ‘Tiger Tony’ ran wide through the Turn 16/Turn 17 sweeper on Lap 11 and let Canet back through.
Acosta was a full second clear of Fernandez on Lap 14, and two seconds up on the World Championship leader after just three laps more, but Canet was stalking Fernandez. He made his move into the Reverse Corkscrew on Lap 19, and never looked back. Forward of him, however, was three seconds’ worth of fresh air with just a handful of kilometres remaining and that was the podium places settled.
Far from settled was the battle for fourth. Ogura had finally passed Dixon for good at Turn 16 back on Lap 15, and set about throwing down the challenge to Arbolino. They chopped and changed position in the final laps, with Ogura going down the inside yet again at Turn 12 on Lap 21. As he did so, Dixon threw away sixth when he slid out, but the Ogura-Arbolino duel raged on. Into the Turn 16/Turn 17 left-hander at the end of the lap, the Italian sent his Marc VDS entry down the inside but could not make the move stick and had to settle for fifth, just 0.067 seconds behind the Japanese rider.
Sixth went to Fermin Aldeguer (CAG Speed Up), from Somkiat Chantra (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia), Jorge Navarro (Flexbox HP40), Joe Roberts (Italtrans Racing Team), and Celestino Vietti (Mooney VR46 Racing Team), the latter of whom inherited 10th as a result of Dixon’s late spill. The rest of the points finishers, from 11th onwards, were Cameron Beaubier (American Racing), Lorenzo Dalla Porta (Italtrans Racing Team), Barry Baltus (RW Racing GP), Alessandro Zaccone (Gresini Racing Moto2™), and Bo Bendsneyder (Pertamina Mandalika SAG Team).
Fernandez might have missed out on victory, but a MotoGP™ contract to ride for GASGAS Factory Racing, a Moto2™ pole position, and a podium which built his World Championship lead is not bad. His margin over Ogura is now seven points, with Canet third at another 30 points behind. Vietti faded further into fourth, with the Italian’s deficit blowing out to 52 points with just five rounds to go.
The next of those is the Motul Grand Prix of Japan, which takes place at Mobility Resort Motegi just next weekend – so make sure to come back for more!
Pedro Acosta: “Finally! Finally, after the injury we’re here. Austria wasn’t so bad, Misano was more difficult but here, when I started I said ‘ah, we can do it’. I can only thank the team, my girlfriend who is here, and all the people who support me every day.
“The difference today was to manage the tyre, maybe. Augusto was super strong in the beginning and it was a bit difficult but I stayed calm, thanks to the team. They give me the comfort to say ‘ok, if today isn’t the day, it isn’t the day’. We have to be calm and not be so good on the good days and not so bad on the bad days.
“At the beginning of the season everyone was like ‘ah, Pedro Acosta will be the Moto2 World Champion’, you know? And maybe that wasn’t the best way to start the season. Ok the first races weren’t so bad, then some zeros in a row and we made a drop. But after Le Mans where we were fast, and Mugello, I think we started on a good way. From Mugello to here we finished all the races I’ve ridden in the top six. The team help me to be calm, more than in my style. To be calm and say ‘if today isn’t the day, it’s not the day, and nothing happens. We’re here to learn and don’t have to do anything crazy to try to win. If today we have to finish fifth, we finish fifth, no problem’. This is maybe the key the team gave me to be calm.”
Izan Guevara (28). Photo courtesy Dorna.
Masterclass! Guevara outpaces Sasaki to increase his gap at the top
The number 28 is undefeated on home turf after another masterclass at MotorLand – giving him a 33 point lead
Izan Guevara (Autosolar GASGAS Aspar Team) remains undefeated on home turf in 2022 after the Championship leader put in an imperious performance at MotorLand Aragon. With only Ayumu Sasaki (Sterilgarda Husqvarna Max) able to stay in the same postcode, it became a duel for the win before Guevara pulled clear for those valuable 25 points and a 33 point lead. Sasaki took second and another MotorLand podium, moving him closer to the top three overall, with Daniel Holgado (Red Bull KTM Ajo) completing the rostrum for his first ever Grand Prix podium.
Off the line it was as-you-were at the front, with Guevara leading Sasaki and Holgado away and the trio building a gap, too. John McPhee (Sterilgarda Husqvarna Max) was on the charge leading a chasing quintet, along with Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Tech3), Ivan Ortola (Angeluss MTA Team) and Tatsuki Suzuki (Leopard Racing), before another gap back to a group that included Sergio Garcia (Autosolar GASGAS Aspar Team) and Dennis Foggia (Leopard Racing).
By 10 to go, the top trio pounded on but the group behind had closed up. Öncü was leading it but continuing to lose ground, with David Muñoz (BOE Motorsports) next up and starting to make some moves. That gaggle was a classic freight train battle, but one of Muñoz’ moves was deemed too much as he got a Long Lap for a move making contact with Adrian Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Tech3) a few laps later.
Meanwhile at the front, Guevara and Sasaki had got the hammer down. Holgado started to lose touch with the duo as the gap grew to over a second and then beyond that, with the fight for the win quickly becoming a duel.
Onto the last lap though, Guevara had some time in hand, turning the screw even further to pull out a few tenths. The last final kilometers of racing saw Sasaki shadow the number 28 but find no answer for his pace, leaving Guevara to cross the line with just under a second of advantage for an imperious win – and a big advantage in the standings. Sasaki takes second and gains points on all his key rivals except the rider just ahead, with Holgado putting in an impressive ride to take his first ever GP podium in third.
Öncü was able to pull away from the freight train fight to take a comfortable fourth, leaving the battle behind to get decided on the drag to the line. Despite getting pushed off earlier in the race by Muñoz, Fernandez came back to take fifth place and his best ever result, just ahead of Ivan Ortola (Angeluss MTA Team) as the rookie likewise took his best finish. Muñoz was just a tenth behind them, with Jaume Masia (Red Bull KTM Ajo) in eighth, Carlos Tatay (CFMoto Racing PrüstelGP) and McPhee completing the top ten.
Xavier Artigas (CFMoto Racing PrüstelGP) pipped Suzuki to P11, with Garcia struggling in the latter stages to move forward and the former points leader finishing the race in P13 – just ahead of Foggia after tough day for two key protagonists in the fight for the crown.
The final point went to Diogo Moreira (MT Helmets – MSI) despite a Long Lap for track limits.
Guevara now leads the field to Motegi with a 33-point lead as Garcia and Foggia are left licking their wounds after a tough start to the triple-header. Sasaki moves up to 13 behind Foggia before his first race on home soil since 2019, and with his experience that could prove crucial too. Tune in for more next weekend!
Izan Guevara: “Incredible race for me, pole helped me for this race. In the first moments I pushed, with my pace alone from Practice… it was an incredible race, incredible work with my team, I lead the Championship with 33 points to Sergio… amazing race and I enjoyed it! Now I’m going to new tracks for me and I’ll push in these circuits!”
The Grand Prix Commission, composed of Messrs. Carmelo Ezpeleta (Dorna, Chairman), Paul Duparc (FIM); joining remotely, Hervé Poncharal (IRTA) and Biense Bierma (MSMA), in the presence of Carlos Ezpeleta (Dorna), Mike Trimby (IRTA, Secretary of the meeting) and Corrado Cecchinelli (Director of Technology), in a meeting held in Aragon on 16 September 2022, made the following decisions after numerous prior discussions:
Sporting Format – Effective season 2023
Grand Prix weekend schedule – MotoGP class
With the introduction of Sprint Races for the MotoGP class from 2023, the weekend schedule for each Grand Prix will change. MotoGP sessions will be the last session of each block, following Moto3 and Moto2.
Practice 1 for the MotoGP class will take place on Friday morning and will be 45 minutes long. Practice 2, on Friday afternoon, will be 60 minutes long. The combined times of P1 and P2 will decide the direct entrants to Q2.
The MotoGP class will have a 30-minute Free Practice session on Saturday morning, similar to the current FP4, from 10:10 to 10:40 LT. Q1 qualifying will begin at 10:50 before Q2 at 11:15.
Every Sprint Race will take place on Saturday at 15:00.
On Sunday morning, Warm Up for the MotoGP class will be reduced from 20 minutes to 10 minutes.
Grand Prix weekend schedule and race lengths – Moto2 and Moto3 classes
The Moto2 and Moto3 classes will each have three practice sessions followed by Q1-Q2 qualifying.
Moto3 Practice 1 and 2 will be 35 minutes long, five minutes shorter than current sessions. Moto2 Practice 1 and 2 will remain 40 minutes long. These sessions will take place on Friday and determine automatic entry into Q2.
For both Moto2 and Moto3, the third practice session will take place on Saturday morning and be 30 minutes long. This session will be a Free Practice for each class and will not be counted on the combined timesheets nor for entry to Q2.
There will be no Warm Up sessions for Moto2 and Moto3.
Race distances for both classes will also be shortened. To bring Moto2 and Moto3 in line with other competitions on similar machinery, it has been agreed to target new approximate race durations of 36 minutes for Moto2 and 34 minutes for Moto3.
MotoGP Sprint Race Regulations – effective season 2023
Race length, points and grid procedure
Each Sprint Race will be 50% of the Grand Prix race distance at the same event. Uneven numbers will be rounded down.
Points will be awarded as follows from 1st position to ninth position: 12, 9, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.
There will be a 15-minute grid procedure and same rules as the Grand Prix race regarding rain on the grid, flag-to-flag races and quick restarts. If a Sprint Race is interrupted the quick restart procedure will apply. Restarts will be in order to complete the original race distance, minus one lap, with a minimum distance of five laps. Results will be declared at ¾ of Sprint Race distance.
Technical Regulations – Fuel limitations
The limitation for fuel usage in Sprint Races has been agreed as approximately 12 litres.
Technical Penalties
Failure to abide by the technical rules during Practice or Qualifying sessions can result in a disqualification from Qualifying. This disqualification will apply to the grid for both the Sprint Race and Grand Prix Race.
Track Limit infringements
MotoGP Sprint Races will follow the same track limit infringement protocol as MotoE, which also has shorter race distances:
• 1 infringement = Track Limits Warning
• 3 infringements = Long Lap Penalty
Jump Starts
Jump Starts will result in the same penalty as in Grand Prix races: a double Long Lap penalty.
Disciplinary Penalties
Penalties awarded following incidents in any session – after the session in question has concluded – will normally apply to the Grand Prix race. For example, a Long Lap penalty awarded for irresponsible riding in Practice 1 will be served during the Grand Prix race.
The grid for both races will be the grid set by Q1 and Q2 qualifying. However, should a rider incur a grid penalty for
irresponsible riding or similar, this grid penalty will only be served on the grid for the Grand Prix race.
Moto3 and Moto2 Aerodynamics – Season 2023
Following confirmation by email from the FIM, this proposal was approved unanimously.
A regularly updated version of the FIM Grand Prix Regulations which contains the detailed text of the regulation changes may be viewed shortly onHERE.
MIR FORCED TO SIT OUT NEXT TWO RACES WITH ONGOING INJURY
Following the ankle injury suffered in a horror highside at the Austrian GP which forced him to miss the San Marino GP, Joan Mir has now had to withdraw from the Aragon and Japanese GPs.
His diagnosis of damage to the talus head and ligaments of his right ankle required a period of absolute rest, and this appeared to have lessened the pain and increased his strength. Joan was cleared to ride in Aragon by his own doctors and circuit medical staff, and he was hopeful of his ability to ride, but following the first three Free Practice sessions at the Spanish circuit the Mallorcan found a severe lack of mobility and an increase in pain. For his own safety, and the safety of those around him, he has decided to withdraw from the weekend’s proceedings. He will also sit out the forthcoming Japanese GP, which will take place next weekend.
The team support Joan’s decision and wish him a smooth and continued recovery.
Joan Mir:
“I tried but it doesn’t make sense to keep going. I don’t have the flexibility and sensitivity to ride properly. I also have a bit more pain that expected. I’m disappointed because I thought I would be able to ride without problems, and after the first two practice sessions I realised that wasn’t the case. I rested overnight and tried FP3 this morning, but the problems hadn’t improved. The doctors and physiotherapists have advised me to rest, and I accept this decision. I’m sorry for the team who have tried hard to help me, as always. Now the most important thing is to focus on coming back as soon as possible.”
Livio Suppo:
“Of course we’re really sorry for Joan, and we know he was really looking forward to racing at a circuit that he loves here in Spain. But safety first, and as the doctors have suggested to stop pushing on this injury to prevent further damage, then we obviously back this decision. We hope that 10 more days of physio will allow him to join us again in Thailand and we wish him all the best.”
Advantage Bagnaia at Aragon: Pecco’s perfect pole lap sees him take aim at win number five
Quartararo sixth, Aleix Espargaro fourth and Bagnaia on pole? Sunday’s MotorLand showdown promises another storm
Francesco Bagnaia (63). Photo courtesy Dorna.
Saturday, 17 September 2022
Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) has given himself the best possible opportunity to take a fifth straight MotoGP™ win, taking pole position with a new All Time Lap Record at the Gran Premio Animoca Brands de Aragon. Not only did Bagnaia take pole with a 1:46.069, just quicker than Jack Miller in a Ducati Lenovo one-two, he is set to start a full row ahead of his key World Championship rivals at MotorLand Aragon. Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) came from Q1 to take fourth on the grid, while Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) could only manage sixth. Will that 30 point gap look even smaller come Sunday?
Q1
With so many big names starting Q1, someone was bound to be disappointed and it turned out that Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) would be one of them. He was quickest after the first runs on a 1:46.909 before Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing) went to the top on a 1:46.843, but then then Aleix Espargaro usurped both with a 1:46.569. Eight-time World Champion Marquez was unable to improve as a Yellow Flag came out too, and he will start 13th, sharing Row 5 with Luca Marini (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) and Fabio Di Giannantonio (Gresini Racing MotoGP™).
Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) had his first crash of the year, the usual front-end wash-out at Turn 2, and is set to start 16th alongside Alex Marquez (LCR Honda Castrol) and Pol Espargaro (Repsol Honda Team). The latter was the crasher late in the Q1 session at Turn 5, the yellow flag cancelling a faster lap from team-mate Marc Marquez, among others.
Jack Miller (43). Photo courtesy Dorna.
Q2
As Q2 got underway, it was Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) who bolted out of the blocks with a 1:46.580 on his initial flying lap, and that would still be the benchmark when the first runs came to an end. As the track went quiet at the midway point, Bagnaia was still second on a 1:46.633 and Miller – one of two with a soft Michelin slick on the front as well as the rear (the other being Team Suzuki Ecstar’s Alex Rins) – was third. Quartararo was only seventh on a 1:46.952 and Aleix Espargaro sat 11th with a 1:48.742, but having reused a rear tyre after coming through Q1.
Once Espargaro got a new soft Michelin slick onto the back of his RS-GP, he was able to go second-quickest on a 1:46.590. That became third when Bagnaia set the 1:46.069 – 0.253 seconds up on his year-old lap record – before Bastianini clocked a 1:46.313 and then Miller a 1:46.159. Those laps decided the front row – a Ducati lockout – and Espargaro would be classified fourth.
Enea Bastianini (23). Photo courtesy Dorna.
At a tougher track for man and machine, Quartararo was pushing hard to make up the deficit to Bagnaia and company when he was forced into a super save at Turn 2 on his penultimate lap, which ruined that flyer but gave ‘El Diablo’ a fighting chance. Quartararo was only 10th when the chequered flag came out and dug ever so deep with his final attempt, but the 1:46.802 was only able to move him up to sixth. Starting between Espargaro and Yamaha’s Frenchman on Row 2 will be another Frenchman in Zarco, who also advanced from Q1 before setting a 1:46.646 in Q2.
Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team), Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) and Rins lock out Row 3, the latter a place ahead of where he started when he won at MotorLand. Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) is in tenth ahead of teammate Miguel Oliveira and Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu).
With Marquez back on track but back in the pack, Quartararo mid-top ten and Aleix Espargaro only just up the grid, there are already a whole host of headlines to be made on Sunday. Can Bagnaia make sure they’re all about a fifth win in a row? We’ll find out at 14:00 (GMT +2) as the lights go out for the premier class!
MotoGP™: TOP THREE
1 Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) – Ducati – 1’46.069
2 Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) – Ducati – +0.090
3 Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing MotoGP) – Ducati – +0.244
Francesco Bagnaia: “Thank you very much. Like I said before, I think it’s my best lap time ever. I never did a lap before that’s so perfect, when I’ve pushed so hard, so I’m very, very happy about what we have done. It’s the best way possible to finish the Saturday. Looking at the race, we are strong, but Fabio is also very strong so starting at the front is for sure an advantage.”
Fernandez flies clear of GASGAS duo for pole
The Championship leader looks to make more gains ahead of Ogura’s home race in Japan
Augusto Fernandez (37). Photo courtesy Dorna.
It’s a good time to be Augusto Fernandez. On top of his move to MotoGP™ next year at GASGAS Factory Racing now being confirmed, the current Red Bull KTM Ajo Moto2™ rider has qualified on pole position at the Gran Premio Animoca Brands de Aragon with a 1:51.888. Fernandez will share the front row of the grid at MotorLand Aragon with none other than the Shimoku GASGAS Aspar Team duo of Albert Arenas and Jake Dixon, whom he beat to pole by 0.124 and 0.291 seconds respectively. His nearest rival for the intermediate class title, Ai Ogura (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia), is set to get away from Row 3 come Sunday afternoon…
Ogura had dropped into Q1 but got himself out of there with the second-fastest time of that initial, 15-minute session, before setting the early pace in Q2 on a 1:52.402. That was the fastest lap of the session until Aron Canet (Flexbox HP40) clocked a 1:52.274 with less than five minutes remaining, but the Flexbox HP40 rider’s time would ultimately prove insufficient for a place on the front row at all.
Dixon took over top spot with a 1:52.179 before Fernandez jumped from a provisional Row 4 starting berth to first position with his 1:51.888. No one would go faster than that, but Arenas did follow him across the line to improve from seventh to second with a 1:52.012. With last-start winner Alonso Lopez (CAG Speed Up) setting a late 1:52.270, Canet was shuffled to fifth and they are set to share the second row – one which is covered by just a single hundredth of a second – with Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Ajo).
Behind that close trio, Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) earned seventh with a 1:52.289 as the chequered flag was out, and will head up Row 3 alongside the Idemitsu Honda Team Asia duo of Ogura, who went as quick as a 1:52.397, and Somkiat Chantra. Joe Roberts (Italtrans Racing Team) rounds out the top 10, ahead of Fermin Aldeguer (CAG Speed Up), Filip Salac (Gresini Racing Moto2™), and Jorge Navarro (Flexbox HP40), the latter of whom crashed at Turn 5 earlier in the session.
Manuel Gonzalez (Yamaha VR46 Master Camp Team) took 14th, from Q1 pace-setter Cameron Beaubier (American Racing), Bo Bendsneyder (Pertamina Mandalika SAG Team), and Celestino Vietti (Mooney VR46 Racing Team). Vietti’s had already been an eventful day given he looked to be directly through to Q2 until he lost his best lap for a track limits breach and slipped into Q1. The Italian advanced from that opening qualifying session but was soon on the back foot again due to an early crash at Turn 1 and would ultimately claim just 17th on a 1:53.481, one spot up on Alessandro Zaccone (Gresini Racing Moto2™).
It could be a decisive day in the title fight on Sunday, so make sure to tune in at 12:20 (GMT +2) for another intermediate class showdown!
Augusto Fernandez: “Of course, it helps to now be confirmed and everything is announced and the news is out, so I can focus a hundred percent on Moto2™. I have another big dream, I’m so close to it, so I want to keep focused on it. It was a very good day today; happy with the pole. I’m not so good on Saturdays, normally, so an important one, and we are ready for tomorrow.”
Guevara holds off Sasaki for pole
The points leader takes it by less than a tenth, with Sasaki and Holgado locking out the front row
Izan Guevara (28). Photo courtesy Dorna.
Autosolar GASGAS Aspar Team’s Izan Guevara held onto pole position at the Gran Premio Animoca Brands de Aragon, ending qualifying just 0.095 ahead of Sterilgarda Husqvarna Max’s Ayumu Sasaki and with Daniel Holgado (Red Bull KTM Ajo) set to start alongside the two in third. Guevara had been left vulnerable after proving too late to mount a final time attack, but in the end it was his team-mate and nearest rival for the title, Sergio Garcia, shuffled back as he prepares to line up in P12.
Holgado had been quickest once everyone had been through for one flying lap in Q2, on a 1:58.027, before Sasaki responded with a 1:57.963 next time through. Guevara then clocked a 1:57.868 to be the pace-setter with five minutes to go, but the final time attacks were still to come from most.
With the slipstream so important down Aragon’s back straight, there were the usual track position games at the start of the session and then again at the start of the final runs – even in terms of rolling bikes out of their boxes in pit lane, in some cases! Guevara left his run a little bit too late, however, and took the chequered flag before he had a chance to start another flying lap.
Fortunately for him, the first two rows did not change. Behind Guevara, Sasaki, and Holgado on the starting grid will be Tatsuki Suzuki (Leopard Racing), John McPhee (Sterilgarda Husqvarna Max), and Dennis Foggia (Leopard Racing). Suzuki managed a 1:58.271 on his first run and McPhee a 1:58.296, while Foggia improved to a 1:58.363 on his final lap to consolidate sixth position.
Rounding out the top 10 were Ivan Ortola (Angeluss MTA Team), Jaume Masia (Red Bull KTM Ajo), Stefano Nepa (Angeluss MTA Team), and Xavier Artigas (CFMoto Racing PruestelGP). Q1 fast man Carlos Tatay (CFMoto Racing PruestelGP) snatched 11th with the chequered flag out, while Garcia just got a spot on Row 4.
There was frustration for Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Tech3), who blitzed FP3 but then pulled off the race track early in Q2 with an apparent technical problem. He and bike got back to the pits and while his KTM was eventually re-fired, it would be seconds too late for him to make it back around and start another hot lap before the chequered flag came out. The Turk will start 13th, ahead of Taiyo Furusato (Honda Team Asia), Adrian Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Tech3), David Muñoz (BOE Motorsports), Diogo Moreira (MT Helmets – MSI), and Riccardo Rossi (SIC58 Squadra Corse). Neither of the latter two set a time in Q2, with Moreira having a crash at the Reverse Corkscrew – rider okay.
Earlier in the day, Alberto Surra (Rivacold Snipers Team) was declared unfit, however, after sustaining a fractured left wrist in a crash in FP3.
The grid for Sunday’s race is an interesting one, so make sure to tune in at 11am (GMT +2) as Guevara looks to hammer home his advantage – and the rest dig in to stop him!
Izan Guevara: “I had victory in the first two races in Spain, this is the third race. I’m really happy with this day today. It’s my fourth pole position this year, which is amazing. For tomorrow, I have good pace alone, in the race I will push, and it’s possible that I will battle for victory tomorrow.
“I have good memories here. In 2020, with the CEV, I started P22 and I won three races. Tomorrow, I will try to push alone if there is a free moment.”
Kyle Wyman on the podium following Superbike Race Two at Road Atlanta. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Tytlers Cycle Racing.
Kyle Wyman returns to MotoAmerica Superbike grid at Barber Motorsports Park
Tytlers Cycle Racing is pleased to announce that they will field a third BMW M 1000 RR in the 2022 MotoAmerica season finale at Barber Motorsports Park this coming weekend.
In addition to superbike regulars PJ Jacobsen and Hector Barbera, the team is delighted to welcome back Kyle Wyman who, after giving the team its first podium earlier in the season, will return to the superbike grid as Tytlers Cycle Racing looks to end the year in style.
In addition to flying the Tytlers Cycle Racing flag, Kyle will be flying the flag for One Cure. One Cure’s founding principle is that cancer affects all creatures and that treatment breakthroughs come through collaborations between scientists and doctors who are working with pets and people. One Cure’s goal is to improve the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of cancer in pets.
On-track action at Barber Motorsports Park gets underway with Free Practice on Friday morning with the penultimate and final races of the season taking place on Saturday and Sunday afternoon, respectively.
Dave Weaver – Team Manager: “The superbike hybrid Larry Pegram rode earlier this year was available and Kyle showed interest to ride at the last round since the King of the Baggers championship had finished. Being that he delivered our team’s first superbike podium, offering him the opportunity to ride was the least we could do to say thank you! We look forward to having him join us again this weekend alongside PJ and Hector.”
Kyle Wyman: “I’d like to thank the Tytlers Cycle Racing team for welcoming me back to the program as a third Superbike entry for them this coming weekend. I enjoyed working with the team earlier in the season for our fill-in appearance, and it’s great to have another opportunity to ride with them again. TCR has been a breakout success in its debut season, and I hope to be able to help them improve even further in the final race of 2022. I will also be racing for One Cure this weekend to bring awareness to the Colorado State University cancer research center. CSU and their studies have shown that the cure for cancer may be walking right beside us in our canine companions, because cancer is the same between the species, down to the cellular level. What works for pets with cancer may work for us, and I’m all about speeding toward One Cure on the BMW M 1000 RR.”
Race report: Viltais Racing Igol takes dramatic win as Bol d’Or centenary serves up an EWC thriller
September 18 2022
*Bol d’Or lives up to its legendary status with a 24-hour race of high drama and attrition
*Late heartbreak for ERC Endurance-Ducati lets in privateer Yamaha team for glory
*F.C.C. TSR Honda France wins FIM Endurance World Championship for Teams
*FIM EWC Superstock World Cup goes to Team 18 Sapeurs Pompiers CMS Motostore
*Four different bike manufacturers in the top five highlights EWC’s open competition
*Top two separated by 5.6 seconds after 16 hours of intense endurance racing
Viltaïs Racing Igol won big by winning the 100th-anniversary Bol d’Or but F.C.C. TSR Honda France won bigger still by claiming FIM Endurance World Championship glory after 24 arduous hours of racing at Circuit Paul Ricard this afternoon (Sunday).
F.C.C. TSR Honda France’s title success followed a race of high drama and high attrition in the southern French sunshine and comes at the completion of another action-packed EWC season, which also featured 24-hour races at Le Mans and Spa-Francorchamps, plus a return to Japan for the Suzuka 8 Hours.
In front of packed grandstands, Viltaïs Racing Igol’s maiden EWC victory was dramatic and somewhat unexpected in equal measure but was nevertheless fitting reward for Team Manager Yannick Lucot’s tireless efforts behind the scenes, an impressive display from riding trio Florian Alt (Germany), Erwan Nigon (France) and Steven Odendaal (South Africa), plus important contributions from reserve rider James Westmoreland (Great Britain).
Viltaïs Racing Igol’s Bol d’Or victory meant the four race wins up for grabs in the 2022 EWC were claimed by four different teams, such has been the wide-open nature of the championship this season. And to underline its competitiveness both the EWC qualifying and race lap records at Circuit Paul Ricard were broken by Illya Mykhalchyk (1m51.641s) and Xavi Forés (1m52.979s) respectively.
Late Bol d’Or heartbreak for EWC aces
Up until the final 90 minutes of the Bol d’Or, long-term leader ERC Endurance-Ducati was seemingly on course for victory only to stop with a mechanical failure while comfortably in front. That left Wójcik Racing Team at the head of the pack. But in another late twist, the Polish squad’s Yamaha slowed, forcing Mathieu Gines to push the bike to the pitlane for repairs.
When Dan Linfoot eventually returned the #77 machine to the track, more than five minutes had been lost along with hopes of victory for Gines, Linfoot and Sheridan Morais as France-based Viltaïs Racing Igol, another Yamaha privateer, swept into a lead it wouldn’t relinquish.
Meanwhile, Wójcik Racing Team’s eventual second place represented its best finish of the season with Webike SRC Kawasaki France third in what was Gilles Stafler’s final EWC race as team boss before he retires. Webike SRC Kawasaki France had also failed to land a podium in 2022 prior to the Bol d’Or and actually led for a time before dropping back with an engine wiring issue ahead of its charging comeback.
For ERC Endurance-Ducati riders David Checa and Xavi Forés, their late heartbreak was hard to take after they’d shared riding duties for a large part of the race when Chaz Davies hurt his back and couldn’t continue. Despite the highly emotional scenes in the team garage as a near-certain victory slipped away, Checa regained his composure to return to the action for the last hour following rapid repairs by his German outfit. He took fifth behind the F.C.C. TSR Honda France team, which also made another unscheduled pitstop in the closing two hours having been delayed earlier in the race.
MACO Racing finished a strong sixth, Team Bolliger Switzerland was the next best Formula EWC squad in ninth overall despite Nico Thöni crashing two corners into the race. Team LRP Poland finished two places further back, while Motobox Kremer Racing was next up in the headlining category followed by Japanese newcomer TONE RT Syncedge 4413 BMW.
TATI Team Beringer Racing was leading and in contention for the EWC title when it stopped with a technical issue on Sunday morning, much to the disappointment of the French team and its riders Leon Haslam, Grégory Leblanc and Bastien Mackels.
Success in Superstock for RAC41-Chromeburner and Team 18 Sapeurs Pompiers CMS Motostore
RAC41-Chromeburner claimed Superstock category honours ahead of BMRT 3D Maxxess Nevers in a reversal of last season’s finishing positions with Pitlane Endurance taking third place. In addition to team regulars Chris Leesch and Wayne Tessels, RAC41-Chromeburner recruited Jonathan Hardt for the final round.
The Frenchman was part of the BMRT 3D Maxxess Nevers team that took top Bol d’Or Superstock honours in 2021 and his inclusion appeared to make the difference to the squad, which overcame a late scare when its Honda’s exhaust failed.
No Limits Motor Team, Falcon Racing, Énergie Endurance, JMA Racing Action Bike, Team 33 Louit April Moto, ADSS 97, Team Aviobike, Team 202 and TRT 27 Bazar 2 La Bécane all finished but there was disappointment for Team LH Racing, National Motos Honda and 3ART Best of Bike.
OG Motorsport by Sarazin led until Alex Plancassagne crashed just before 02h50 to bring out the safety car while trackside barriers were repaired, while late mechanical issues denied Wójcik Racing Team’s pole-setting Superstock squad a class podium nearing the finish.
Team 18 Sapeurs Pompiers CMS Motostore took the FIM Endurance World Cup title despite dropping out of contention with a mechanical failure, which took several hours to rectify. However, the Superstock win at Le Mans and a second place at Spa-Francorchamps were enough to secure the title for the Yamaha-powered team, which counted on riders Baptiste Guittet and Hugo Clere from France plus Austrian Philipp Steinmayr.
High five time as F.C.C. TSR Honda France becomes FIM EWC world champion
For F.C.C. TSR Honda France, its FIM Endurance World Championship title success follows on from the 2017-18 season when Josh Hook was partnered by Freddy Foray and Alan Techer to the EWC’s top prize. The Japanese squad was one of five outfits in a firm fight for glory starting the Bol d’Or but prevailed as its four rivals hit trouble. All-season riders Mike Di Meglio and Hook were joined on the #5 Honda for the final event of the year by Alan Techer in place of Gino Rea, who suffered serious head injuries in a crash at Suzuka last month but helped F.C.C. TSR Honda France to podiums in the 24 Heures Motos and the 24H SPA EWC Motos earlier in the campaign. Defending champion Yoshimura SERT Motul placed second in the final championship order with Viltaïs Racing Igol third. All results are subject to final confirmation.
While F.C.C. TSR Honda France celebrated, there was Bol d’Or heartache for several teams, including three EWC title contenders, BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team, which qualified on pole, YART – Yamaha Official Team EWC and Yoshimura SERT Motul. Team Moto Ain also failed to finish through technical issues having impressed with fifth fastest in qualifying.
RIDER QUOTES
Steven Odendaal (Viltaïs Racing Igol, Yamaha YZF-R1, winning Bol d’Or Formula EWC team rider): “This race has been incredible. To be in a French team winning on French soil is just something amazing. Yannick Lucot, my team boss, had a really big dream of this day and my team-mates and I, we fulfilled this so we’re really, really happy with this victory. Obviously we did not expect this, we just knew we had to make everything the maximum and we just did this and finally we’ve got this big trophy, which is amazing, and I’m really happy to walk away with my first EWC podium being a victory.”
Josh Hook (F.C.C. TSR Honda France, Honda CB R1000 RR-R, FIM Endurance World Championship winning team rider): “I know from the past never to think the race is over until the chequered flag. We’ve come back from much worse situations and won races in the past. We did run into some dramas as everyone else did it seems. We never gave up on it and just kept chipping away. We did a lot of really good race runs all throughout the night and we were consistently fast all three of us. Basically we were going to see where we were at when the sun came up in the morning but we never counted the win out at all. But it came to a point in time when we had to toss up whether we focused on the championship, which is obviously our main objective, or the race win. We decided to take care of the engine after getting a little nervous and seeing everyone else’s bikes blowing up and there wasn’t many left in the end. We tried to be as conservative as possible and just bring home the championship for our team, Honda and all our partners.”
Wayne Tessels (RAC41-Chromeburner, Honda CB R1000 RR-R, winning Bol d’Or Superstock rider): “For us it was a really good race. The second part was quite difficult for me personally, but I was very happy that the bike worked well and also my colleagues Jonathan [Hardt] and Chris [Leesch] did a hell of a job, a really good job. I’m also really happy we took this win because at Le Mans Grégory Fastre, our team-mate, had an injury, which was pretty bad, and it’s also for him that we finally won and I’m happy to be on the podium here.”
Philipp Steinmayr (Team 18 Sapeurs Pompiers CMS Motostore, Yamaha YZF-R1, FIM Endurance World Cup winning team rider): “It was a tough race, like a rollercoaster up and down, up and down. It’s great to win the World Cup, we managed it with the points, we had a good qualification and the team worked perfectly all season. It was a good job by all.”
Fores’ sensational slipstream overtake an early Bol d’Or highlight
The opening laps of the 100th-anniversary delivered more classic FIM Endurance World Championship action with Gregg Black, Mike Di Meglio, Xavi Forés and Markus Reiterberger all taking their turn to lead the EWC season decider. But it was Forés who pulled off the most spectacular pass, overtaking his three rivals on a sensational slipstream move on the Mistral Straight.
Yoshimura SERT Motul Team Director Kato speaks of pride following EWC DNF
Yoshimura SERT Motul Team Director Yohei Kato spoke of his pride after a mechanical failure robbed the Japanese squad of a possible Bol d’Or victory repeat and a second consecutive FIM Endurance World Championship crown. After Gregg Black held the lead during the early stages, Kazuki Watanabe was on board the #1 Suzuki GSX-R1000R when trouble struck on lap 34.
EWC community shows its support for Gino Rea
Gino Rea was a much-missed member of the FIM Endurance World Championship family during the Bol d’Or while he continues his recovery from serious head injuries sustained in a crash while practicing for the Suzuka 8 Hours last month. A GoFundMe appeal launched by his family to help his extensive rehabilitation was promoted on live television coverage of the event and across the EWC’s social media channels. All teams were provided with Keep fighting Gino Rea stickers for use on their bikes in a strong show of support for the popular British rider, who helped F.C.C. TSR Honda France to podium finishes at Le Mans and Spa-Francorchamps earlier this season.
Dramatic MotorLand showdown sees Bastianini depose Bagnaia as Quartararo clashes with Marquez
Just 17 points now cover the top three in the title fight as Bastianini vs Bagnaia goes to the wire, Quartararo hits bad luck early and Aleix Espargaro completes the podium
Enea Bastiani (23) narrowly beat Francesco Bagnaia (behind Bastianini) to the finish line. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Sunday, 18 September 2022
The Gran Premio Animoca Brands de Aragon may well prove a truly pivotal day in the 2022 season, with the headlines overflowing almost from lights out and the top three in the title fight now split by only 17 points. By the flag, Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) had served some Misano-flavoured revenge on Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) as the two duelled it out on the final lap for the win, and Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) was both back on the podium and back in serious Championship contention.
Before all that, Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) hit some serious bad luck as he made contact with Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) after a slide for the number 93. The Championship leader crashed out, Marquez continued and then suffered a technical problem from the prior contact that saw Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) caught in the crossfire. From there, the pitboards went out for the other key Championship protagonists – Quartararo out – and the lay of the land after MotorLand is now a whole different story as the paddock heads to Japan.
Where do we start? Bagnaia headed the field into Turn 1 after a dream start off pole position but it was a nightmare for several riders behind him. From 13th on the grid, Marquez was already up to sixth when he then had a moment exiting Turn 3 and closed the throttle, leaving Quartararo with nowhere to go. The Frenchman rammed the back of the RC213V and was thrown off, sliding into the run off. Rider ok, but a 0 on the board. Next the Marquez-Nakagami contact that saw the Japanese rider slide off and a host of riders forced into avoiding action, a second shot of huge drama. Not long after, Marc Marquez would also pit.
After all that, Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) had jumped from 10th on the grid to fifth and then somehow threaded his way past another three bikes to be running an incredible second midway through Lap 1, ahead of Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team), Bastianini, and Aleix Espargaro. Miller then overtook the South African on Lap 3 at Turn 1 and Bastianini did likewise exactly a lap later, putting the KTM back to fourth, but he wasn’t done yet.
Bastianini wasn’t either and he continued his progress with a move on Miller for second on Lap 6 at Turn 15, before Binder executed an impressive overtake on the Australian through Turn 4 on Lap 7. In the blink of an eye, Miller was all the way back to fifth as Espargaro also got through, at Turn 7.
Bad news for one Ducati rider, then, but the Bologna marque’s future factory pairing was about to engage in combat over first position – just as they did two weeks earlier at Misano. Bastianini got the move done at Turn 1 on Lap 9 and it looked like the Gresini rider might be able to pull away, given the pace advantage he seemed to have over Pecco. Instead, he outbraked himself half a lap later at Turn 12 and went very deep, handing the lead back to Bagnaia and barely holding off Binder through the chicane.
From there, however, Bagnaia and Bastianini started to put the hammer down, their margin over Binder up to one full second on Lap 12, two seconds on Lap 18, and three seconds after just one more. The Bologna bullets were trading quick laps around Aragon, and there was still no certainty over who would prevail. Bastianini twice had looks at Turn 16 and thought better of it, but would there be one last attack?
There sure would be! Bastianini sprung a surprise move on his works counterpart on the final lap at the tight Turn 7 right-hander and he was through, cuing up some sweet revenge for home race defeat at Misano. Bagnaia did give chase and when he got a better run off the final corner, it was still in the balance, but the finish line was close enough to the exit of Turn 17 that Bastianini was just able to cling on by a margin of just 0.042 seconds. Another stunning duel, and in the last two races, that means the total of the gaps between those two at the chequered flag totals a mere 0.076 seconds.
As for the other podium position, that went to Espargaro but it was a late attack as Binder held station for much of the race. The Aprilia and Miller tailed Binder for much of the contest before Aprilia’s ‘Captain’ pulled off the block pass at the start of the penultimate lap, and that was decisive. Espargaro finished six seconds behind the top two but Binder was just 0.240 seconds behind him at the chequered flag, and Miller only another 0.585 seconds in arrears in fifth.
Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) took sixth after a late battle with fellow Ducati rider Luca Marini (Mooney VR46 Racing Team), who got home in seventh ahead of Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing), Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar), and Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team). Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) earned 11th, with the rest of the points finishers being Alex Marquez (LCR Honda Castrol) – who dusted himself off after a Warm Up crash – Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing), Cal Crutchlow (WithU Yamaha RNF MotoGP™ team), and Pol Espargaro (Repsol Honda Team). A total of 20 riders made the chequered flag with Marc Marquez, Quartararo, and Nakagami the only retirements. Nakagami escaped fairly unscathed from the drama but was declared unfit for Japan for a finger injury, so he’ll need to pass a medical ahead of his home race.
And so the paddock says goodbye to MotorLand as we head for Motegi for the first time since 2019. The dust will take some time to settle but it’s a quick turnaround for the paddock heading into the Motul Grand Prix of Japan, and there’s not too much time to catch your breath before actions gets back underway next weekend.
Three riders, 17 points, five races. As Aleix says: LET’S PLAY!
MotoGP™ PODIUM
1 Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) – Ducati – 41:35.462
2 Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) – Ducati – +0.042
Enea Bastianini: “Another good race and good battle like in Misano! My start was difficult, when Aleix overtook me I went a bit long and lost some positions compared to where I started but on Lap 9 I was back on top and then made a mistake at turn 10 and went off, but I thought ‘ok, now I have to stay clam to close the gap to Pecco’. He was really fast like Misano and made no mistakes, like Misano, but on the last lap I was closer and I won! It’s amazing for me to be back on top, and I’m happy.
“I didn’t think about which corner to try and make the overtake, but when I saw Pecco really close Turn 5, I thought then was the time to overtake and at Turn 7 I was really strong in this race.”
What makes him and Pecco so strong?
“Pecco, and the other Ducati riders, are so fast, but Pecco has his strongest points like me, we’re riding the same bikes and to overtake him is really difficult but this time I won. 48 points is too much to close the gap, for me, but I want to continue in this direction and be competitive in the last part of the championship. let’s see what happens race by race, but I have a good setup for the future.”
Francesco Bagnaia: “Today was very important to not make mistakes since Fabio was unlucky, it gave us a huge opportunity to recover a lot of points. It was important on the last lap to finish. When I saw Enea was so close to me, I just tried to be relaxed and calm, and I thought if he overtook me I didn’t want to take any risk and jut finish in the best way possible. If I saw an error or mistake I’d try back but he didn’t. I’m happy with the result, I did my best today and I think we made a big difference compared to the others today.”
What makes the difference for the duo?
“For me, we are, like Enea said, we are eight riders and we’re trying every day to raise the level. Step by step we’re growing together and we’re always faster. Enea for sure is motivated like me to win races and be in front, and we’re pushing each other because I know if he’s fast, I can be. It’s like a motivational thing – and we have to use that to improve ourselves.”
On the Championship:
“Now it’s clearer: we’re close. 10 points now is the lowest distance I’ve had since the start of the season so for sure I’ll try to think about the Championship but not too much. I’ll just think about my worr. I know Japan won’t be easy, we have less time to test and improve the bike, it won’t be easy. We know our bike needs more time to be prepared compared to others. But I’m sure we can be competitive and I’ll try to work like we are doing and finish the races like we know to do.”
Aleix Espargaro: “Expectations were high arriving to Aragon because I knew that it was one of the bets tracks of the last pat of the championship so maybe I started a bit hot, crashed twice on Friday and lost my confidence. Saturday was tough, I couldn’t get into the top ten in FP3 and from then on I started to build my confidence again, did a good qualifying, solid third place, and in the race too. I didn’t have the pace to follow Enea and Pecco, I knew that they had something else but in the end third is super good for the Championship and I’m happy to be back on the podium.”
Taking third:
“Brad Binder is extremely good, one of the best riders on the grid without any doubt, he doesn’t have the best bike at all without a doubt this year but he’s always strong, always extracting the best from the bike. The first part of the race it was difficult for me to overtake him, he was able to follow Enea! It was crazy. I decided to stay calm behind and wait for his tyre to drop and then in the last laps when I saw his pace started to drop I decided to overtake. Also knowing that with Fabio out of the game, you couldn’t make a mistake so I was relaxed in the second half of the race and took third as a really good bonus.”
On Enea and Pecco:
“It’s not easy what they are doing and what they are achieving. It’s not just a single thing, it’s not that they just have the best bike, it’s a mix and a package. Pecco and Enea are riding at a really high level, I would say the best levels of their careers, and they have a very strong bike with strong teams and a lot of information. This is MotoGP, Ducati, Enea and Pecco are doing a great job and the results are there. But we’re doing a good job because I’m just seven points form Pecco so it means with Aprilia we’re doing a super job and I’m extremely proud and happy.”
Looking ahead in the title fight:
“I never lost faith, I always believed, even on the most difficult weekends like Silverstone and Austria, I tried to not finish 15th, or crash, not 10th, always in the top five or six. This is what makes me proud of the championship I’m doing. I have 200 points because on bad days I was able to get really good results, so now I’m just trying to enjoy it and do the same in the next races. I know it’s not gonna be easy because now we’re going to completely different circuits far from Europe and these two guys next to me are very, very strong… but let’s play!”
After early drama for habitual top Yamaha Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP), and two Ducatis battling for the win, the door of possibility was suddenly open for Ducati to retain the Constructors’ crown impressively early in the season, and that they did. With Bastianini’s win putting another 25 points towards the count, the Borgo Panigale factory are the 2022 Champions with five races remaining!
Pedro Acosta (51). Photo courtesy Dorna.
Acosta aces MotorLand for second rookie Moto2™ win
The Red Bull KTM Ajo rookie puts in another showcase, with Canet second and Fernandez completing the podium
Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Pedro Acosta was back on top at the Gran Premio Animoca Brands de Aragon, picking up his second Moto2™ win and the first since breaking his left femur in a training accident in June. Flexbox HP40 rider Aron Canet took the chequered flag 2.612 seconds back in second, just edging out Augusto Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo) – but the number 37 extended his lead by three points as Ai Ogura (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) took fourth.
At the start, Fernandez got the jump from pole position and led the Shimoku GASGAS Aspar Team duo of Jake Dixon and Albert Arenas through the opening corners. San Marino GP winner Alonso Lopez (CAG Speed Up) launched well, but then drama hit as he crashed out and mayhem unfolded behind as Marcel Schrötter (Liqui Moly Intact GP) hit the deck as well, with a number of other riders forced into avoiding action too.
At the front, as Dixon gave chase to Fernandez, Canet passed Arenas on Lap 1, and so did Acosta at the start of Lap 2. Hopes of a fightback were dashed just half a lap later when Arenas crashed at Turn 12 – with both Manuel Gonzalez (Yamaha VR46 Master Camp Team) and Jeremy Alcoba (Liqui Moly Intact GP) joining him on the floor there just moments later in a separate incident.
Fernandez had pulled a second clear of Dixon on Lap 3 as Canet and Acosta traded third position amongst themselves. In a flash, Dixon dropped from second to fifth on Lap 4 when Acosta went past at Turn 12, Canet at Turn 14, and Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) through the sweeping Turn 16/Turn 17 left-hander. Ogura – who started eighth – tried to join the party on Lap 6 at Turn 1, and while he could not make the move stick at that point in time, the Japanese rider was not going to let the Briton off the hook.
Meanwhile, Acosta was catching Fernandez, reducing the margin to less than a second on Lap 7. Even when he ran wide exiting the Reverse Corkscrew on Lap 8 and gifted second place to Canet, they were still catching the pole-sitter. Acosta made up for his error by re-passing Canet at the end of Lap 9, but by then both were on the tail of Fernandez.
On Lap 10, Acosta blazed past his team-mate Fernandez as they ran up the back straight, while it was Arbolino’s Turn to get into a battle with Canet over third . That would ultimately be resolved when ‘Tiger Tony’ ran wide through the Turn 16/Turn 17 sweeper on Lap 11 and let Canet back through.
Acosta was a full second clear of Fernandez on Lap 14, and two seconds up on the World Championship leader after just three laps more, but Canet was stalking Fernandez. He made his move into the Reverse Corkscrew on Lap 19, and never looked back. Forward of him, however, was three seconds’ worth of fresh air with just a handful of kilometres remaining and that was the podium places settled.
Far from settled was the battle for fourth. Ogura had finally passed Dixon for good at Turn 16 back on Lap 15, and set about throwing down the challenge to Arbolino. They chopped and changed position in the final laps, with Ogura going down the inside yet again at Turn 12 on Lap 21. As he did so, Dixon threw away sixth when he slid out, but the Ogura-Arbolino duel raged on. Into the Turn 16/Turn 17 left-hander at the end of the lap, the Italian sent his Marc VDS entry down the inside but could not make the move stick and had to settle for fifth, just 0.067 seconds behind the Japanese rider.
Sixth went to Fermin Aldeguer (CAG Speed Up), from Somkiat Chantra (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia), Jorge Navarro (Flexbox HP40), Joe Roberts (Italtrans Racing Team), and Celestino Vietti (Mooney VR46 Racing Team), the latter of whom inherited 10th as a result of Dixon’s late spill. The rest of the points finishers, from 11th onwards, were Cameron Beaubier (American Racing), Lorenzo Dalla Porta (Italtrans Racing Team), Barry Baltus (RW Racing GP), Alessandro Zaccone (Gresini Racing Moto2™), and Bo Bendsneyder (Pertamina Mandalika SAG Team).
Fernandez might have missed out on victory, but a MotoGP™ contract to ride for GASGAS Factory Racing, a Moto2™ pole position, and a podium which built his World Championship lead is not bad. His margin over Ogura is now seven points, with Canet third at another 30 points behind. Vietti faded further into fourth, with the Italian’s deficit blowing out to 52 points with just five rounds to go.
The next of those is the Motul Grand Prix of Japan, which takes place at Mobility Resort Motegi just next weekend – so make sure to come back for more!
Pedro Acosta: “Finally! Finally, after the injury we’re here. Austria wasn’t so bad, Misano was more difficult but here, when I started I said ‘ah, we can do it’. I can only thank the team, my girlfriend who is here, and all the people who support me every day.
“The difference today was to manage the tyre, maybe. Augusto was super strong in the beginning and it was a bit difficult but I stayed calm, thanks to the team. They give me the comfort to say ‘ok, if today isn’t the day, it isn’t the day’. We have to be calm and not be so good on the good days and not so bad on the bad days.
“At the beginning of the season everyone was like ‘ah, Pedro Acosta will be the Moto2 World Champion’, you know? And maybe that wasn’t the best way to start the season. Ok the first races weren’t so bad, then some zeros in a row and we made a drop. But after Le Mans where we were fast, and Mugello, I think we started on a good way. From Mugello to here we finished all the races I’ve ridden in the top six. The team help me to be calm, more than in my style. To be calm and say ‘if today isn’t the day, it’s not the day, and nothing happens. We’re here to learn and don’t have to do anything crazy to try to win. If today we have to finish fifth, we finish fifth, no problem’. This is maybe the key the team gave me to be calm.”
Izan Guevara (28). Photo courtesy Dorna.
Masterclass! Guevara outpaces Sasaki to increase his gap at the top
The number 28 is undefeated on home turf after another masterclass at MotorLand – giving him a 33 point lead
Izan Guevara (Autosolar GASGAS Aspar Team) remains undefeated on home turf in 2022 after the Championship leader put in an imperious performance at MotorLand Aragon. With only Ayumu Sasaki (Sterilgarda Husqvarna Max) able to stay in the same postcode, it became a duel for the win before Guevara pulled clear for those valuable 25 points and a 33 point lead. Sasaki took second and another MotorLand podium, moving him closer to the top three overall, with Daniel Holgado (Red Bull KTM Ajo) completing the rostrum for his first ever Grand Prix podium.
Off the line it was as-you-were at the front, with Guevara leading Sasaki and Holgado away and the trio building a gap, too. John McPhee (Sterilgarda Husqvarna Max) was on the charge leading a chasing quintet, along with Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Tech3), Ivan Ortola (Angeluss MTA Team) and Tatsuki Suzuki (Leopard Racing), before another gap back to a group that included Sergio Garcia (Autosolar GASGAS Aspar Team) and Dennis Foggia (Leopard Racing).
By 10 to go, the top trio pounded on but the group behind had closed up. Öncü was leading it but continuing to lose ground, with David Muñoz (BOE Motorsports) next up and starting to make some moves. That gaggle was a classic freight train battle, but one of Muñoz’ moves was deemed too much as he got a Long Lap for a move making contact with Adrian Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Tech3) a few laps later.
Meanwhile at the front, Guevara and Sasaki had got the hammer down. Holgado started to lose touch with the duo as the gap grew to over a second and then beyond that, with the fight for the win quickly becoming a duel.
Onto the last lap though, Guevara had some time in hand, turning the screw even further to pull out a few tenths. The last final kilometers of racing saw Sasaki shadow the number 28 but find no answer for his pace, leaving Guevara to cross the line with just under a second of advantage for an imperious win – and a big advantage in the standings. Sasaki takes second and gains points on all his key rivals except the rider just ahead, with Holgado putting in an impressive ride to take his first ever GP podium in third.
Öncü was able to pull away from the freight train fight to take a comfortable fourth, leaving the battle behind to get decided on the drag to the line. Despite getting pushed off earlier in the race by Muñoz, Fernandez came back to take fifth place and his best ever result, just ahead of Ivan Ortola (Angeluss MTA Team) as the rookie likewise took his best finish. Muñoz was just a tenth behind them, with Jaume Masia (Red Bull KTM Ajo) in eighth, Carlos Tatay (CFMoto Racing PrüstelGP) and McPhee completing the top ten.
Xavier Artigas (CFMoto Racing PrüstelGP) pipped Suzuki to P11, with Garcia struggling in the latter stages to move forward and the former points leader finishing the race in P13 – just ahead of Foggia after tough day for two key protagonists in the fight for the crown.
The final point went to Diogo Moreira (MT Helmets – MSI) despite a Long Lap for track limits.
Guevara now leads the field to Motegi with a 33-point lead as Garcia and Foggia are left licking their wounds after a tough start to the triple-header. Sasaki moves up to 13 behind Foggia before his first race on home soil since 2019, and with his experience that could prove crucial too. Tune in for more next weekend!
Izan Guevara: “Incredible race for me, pole helped me for this race. In the first moments I pushed, with my pace alone from Practice… it was an incredible race, incredible work with my team, I lead the Championship with 33 points to Sergio… amazing race and I enjoyed it! Now I’m going to new tracks for me and I’ll push in these circuits!”
The new MotoGP sprint race will start at 3:00 p.m. local time each Saturday and the main MotoGP race will be the last thing on track each Sunday. MotoGP will race at Circuit of The Americas April 14-16, 2023. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
FIM Grand Prix World Championship
Decisions of the Grand Prix Commission
The Grand Prix Commission, composed of Messrs. Carmelo Ezpeleta (Dorna, Chairman), Paul Duparc (FIM); joining remotely, Hervé Poncharal (IRTA) and Biense Bierma (MSMA), in the presence of Carlos Ezpeleta (Dorna), Mike Trimby (IRTA, Secretary of the meeting) and Corrado Cecchinelli (Director of Technology), in a meeting held in Aragon on 16 September 2022, made the following decisions after numerous prior discussions:
Sporting Format – Effective season 2023
Grand Prix weekend schedule – MotoGP class
With the introduction of Sprint Races for the MotoGP class from 2023, the weekend schedule for each Grand Prix will change. MotoGP sessions will be the last session of each block, following Moto3 and Moto2.
Practice 1 for the MotoGP class will take place on Friday morning and will be 45 minutes long. Practice 2, on Friday afternoon, will be 60 minutes long. The combined times of P1 and P2 will decide the direct entrants to Q2.
The MotoGP class will have a 30-minute Free Practice session on Saturday morning, similar to the current FP4, from 10:10 to 10:40 LT. Q1 qualifying will begin at 10:50 before Q2 at 11:15.
Every Sprint Race will take place on Saturday at 15:00.
On Sunday morning, Warm Up for the MotoGP class will be reduced from 20 minutes to 10 minutes.
Grand Prix weekend schedule and race lengths – Moto2 and Moto3 classes
The Moto2 and Moto3 classes will each have three practice sessions followed by Q1-Q2 qualifying.
Moto3 Practice 1 and 2 will be 35 minutes long, five minutes shorter than current sessions. Moto2 Practice 1 and 2 will remain 40 minutes long. These sessions will take place on Friday and determine automatic entry into Q2.
For both Moto2 and Moto3, the third practice session will take place on Saturday morning and be 30 minutes long. This session will be a Free Practice for each class and will not be counted on the combined timesheets nor for entry to Q2.
There will be no Warm Up sessions for Moto2 and Moto3.
Race distances for both classes will also be shortened. To bring Moto2 and Moto3 in line with other competitions on similar machinery, it has been agreed to target new approximate race durations of 36 minutes for Moto2 and 34 minutes for Moto3.
MotoGP Sprint Race Regulations – effective season 2023
Race length, points and grid procedure
Each Sprint Race will be 50% of the Grand Prix race distance at the same event. Uneven numbers will be rounded down.
Points will be awarded as follows from 1st position to ninth position: 12, 9, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.
There will be a 15-minute grid procedure and same rules as the Grand Prix race regarding rain on the grid, flag-to-flag races and quick restarts. If a Sprint Race is interrupted the quick restart procedure will apply. Restarts will be in order to complete the original race distance, minus one lap, with a minimum distance of five laps. Results will be declared at ¾ of Sprint Race distance.
Technical Regulations – Fuel limitations
The limitation for fuel usage in Sprint Races has been agreed as approximately 12 litres.
Technical Penalties
Failure to abide by the technical rules during Practice or Qualifying sessions can result in a disqualification from Qualifying. This disqualification will apply to the grid for both the Sprint Race and Grand Prix Race.
Track Limit infringements
MotoGP Sprint Races will follow the same track limit infringement protocol as MotoE, which also has shorter race distances:
• 1 infringement = Track Limits Warning
• 3 infringements = Long Lap Penalty
Jump Starts
Jump Starts will result in the same penalty as in Grand Prix races: a double Long Lap penalty.
Disciplinary Penalties
Penalties awarded following incidents in any session – after the session in question has concluded – will normally apply to the Grand Prix race. For example, a Long Lap penalty awarded for irresponsible riding in Practice 1 will be served during the Grand Prix race.
The grid for both races will be the grid set by Q1 and Q2 qualifying. However, should a rider incur a grid penalty for
irresponsible riding or similar, this grid penalty will only be served on the grid for the Grand Prix race.
Moto3 and Moto2 Aerodynamics – Season 2023
Following confirmation by email from the FIM, this proposal was approved unanimously.
A regularly updated version of the FIM Grand Prix Regulations which contains the detailed text of the regulation changes may be viewed shortly onHERE.
MIR FORCED TO SIT OUT NEXT TWO RACES WITH ONGOING INJURY
Following the ankle injury suffered in a horror highside at the Austrian GP which forced him to miss the San Marino GP, Joan Mir has now had to withdraw from the Aragon and Japanese GPs.
His diagnosis of damage to the talus head and ligaments of his right ankle required a period of absolute rest, and this appeared to have lessened the pain and increased his strength. Joan was cleared to ride in Aragon by his own doctors and circuit medical staff, and he was hopeful of his ability to ride, but following the first three Free Practice sessions at the Spanish circuit the Mallorcan found a severe lack of mobility and an increase in pain. For his own safety, and the safety of those around him, he has decided to withdraw from the weekend’s proceedings. He will also sit out the forthcoming Japanese GP, which will take place next weekend.
The team support Joan’s decision and wish him a smooth and continued recovery.
Joan Mir:
“I tried but it doesn’t make sense to keep going. I don’t have the flexibility and sensitivity to ride properly. I also have a bit more pain that expected. I’m disappointed because I thought I would be able to ride without problems, and after the first two practice sessions I realised that wasn’t the case. I rested overnight and tried FP3 this morning, but the problems hadn’t improved. The doctors and physiotherapists have advised me to rest, and I accept this decision. I’m sorry for the team who have tried hard to help me, as always. Now the most important thing is to focus on coming back as soon as possible.”
Livio Suppo:
“Of course we’re really sorry for Joan, and we know he was really looking forward to racing at a circuit that he loves here in Spain. But safety first, and as the doctors have suggested to stop pushing on this injury to prevent further damage, then we obviously back this decision. We hope that 10 more days of physio will allow him to join us again in Thailand and we wish him all the best.”
Advantage Bagnaia at Aragon: Pecco’s perfect pole lap sees him take aim at win number five
Quartararo sixth, Aleix Espargaro fourth and Bagnaia on pole? Sunday’s MotorLand showdown promises another storm
Francesco Bagnaia (63). Photo courtesy Dorna.
Saturday, 17 September 2022
Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) has given himself the best possible opportunity to take a fifth straight MotoGP™ win, taking pole position with a new All Time Lap Record at the Gran Premio Animoca Brands de Aragon. Not only did Bagnaia take pole with a 1:46.069, just quicker than Jack Miller in a Ducati Lenovo one-two, he is set to start a full row ahead of his key World Championship rivals at MotorLand Aragon. Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) came from Q1 to take fourth on the grid, while Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) could only manage sixth. Will that 30 point gap look even smaller come Sunday?
Q1
With so many big names starting Q1, someone was bound to be disappointed and it turned out that Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) would be one of them. He was quickest after the first runs on a 1:46.909 before Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing) went to the top on a 1:46.843, but then then Aleix Espargaro usurped both with a 1:46.569. Eight-time World Champion Marquez was unable to improve as a Yellow Flag came out too, and he will start 13th, sharing Row 5 with Luca Marini (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) and Fabio Di Giannantonio (Gresini Racing MotoGP™).
Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) had his first crash of the year, the usual front-end wash-out at Turn 2, and is set to start 16th alongside Alex Marquez (LCR Honda Castrol) and Pol Espargaro (Repsol Honda Team). The latter was the crasher late in the Q1 session at Turn 5, the yellow flag cancelling a faster lap from team-mate Marc Marquez, among others.
Jack Miller (43). Photo courtesy Dorna.
Q2
As Q2 got underway, it was Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) who bolted out of the blocks with a 1:46.580 on his initial flying lap, and that would still be the benchmark when the first runs came to an end. As the track went quiet at the midway point, Bagnaia was still second on a 1:46.633 and Miller – one of two with a soft Michelin slick on the front as well as the rear (the other being Team Suzuki Ecstar’s Alex Rins) – was third. Quartararo was only seventh on a 1:46.952 and Aleix Espargaro sat 11th with a 1:48.742, but having reused a rear tyre after coming through Q1.
Once Espargaro got a new soft Michelin slick onto the back of his RS-GP, he was able to go second-quickest on a 1:46.590. That became third when Bagnaia set the 1:46.069 – 0.253 seconds up on his year-old lap record – before Bastianini clocked a 1:46.313 and then Miller a 1:46.159. Those laps decided the front row – a Ducati lockout – and Espargaro would be classified fourth.
Enea Bastianini (23). Photo courtesy Dorna.
At a tougher track for man and machine, Quartararo was pushing hard to make up the deficit to Bagnaia and company when he was forced into a super save at Turn 2 on his penultimate lap, which ruined that flyer but gave ‘El Diablo’ a fighting chance. Quartararo was only 10th when the chequered flag came out and dug ever so deep with his final attempt, but the 1:46.802 was only able to move him up to sixth. Starting between Espargaro and Yamaha’s Frenchman on Row 2 will be another Frenchman in Zarco, who also advanced from Q1 before setting a 1:46.646 in Q2.
Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team), Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) and Rins lock out Row 3, the latter a place ahead of where he started when he won at MotorLand. Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) is in tenth ahead of teammate Miguel Oliveira and Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu).
With Marquez back on track but back in the pack, Quartararo mid-top ten and Aleix Espargaro only just up the grid, there are already a whole host of headlines to be made on Sunday. Can Bagnaia make sure they’re all about a fifth win in a row? We’ll find out at 14:00 (GMT +2) as the lights go out for the premier class!
MotoGP™: TOP THREE
1 Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) – Ducati – 1’46.069
2 Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) – Ducati – +0.090
3 Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing MotoGP) – Ducati – +0.244
Francesco Bagnaia: “Thank you very much. Like I said before, I think it’s my best lap time ever. I never did a lap before that’s so perfect, when I’ve pushed so hard, so I’m very, very happy about what we have done. It’s the best way possible to finish the Saturday. Looking at the race, we are strong, but Fabio is also very strong so starting at the front is for sure an advantage.”
Fernandez flies clear of GASGAS duo for pole
The Championship leader looks to make more gains ahead of Ogura’s home race in Japan
Augusto Fernandez (37). Photo courtesy Dorna.
It’s a good time to be Augusto Fernandez. On top of his move to MotoGP™ next year at GASGAS Factory Racing now being confirmed, the current Red Bull KTM Ajo Moto2™ rider has qualified on pole position at the Gran Premio Animoca Brands de Aragon with a 1:51.888. Fernandez will share the front row of the grid at MotorLand Aragon with none other than the Shimoku GASGAS Aspar Team duo of Albert Arenas and Jake Dixon, whom he beat to pole by 0.124 and 0.291 seconds respectively. His nearest rival for the intermediate class title, Ai Ogura (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia), is set to get away from Row 3 come Sunday afternoon…
Ogura had dropped into Q1 but got himself out of there with the second-fastest time of that initial, 15-minute session, before setting the early pace in Q2 on a 1:52.402. That was the fastest lap of the session until Aron Canet (Flexbox HP40) clocked a 1:52.274 with less than five minutes remaining, but the Flexbox HP40 rider’s time would ultimately prove insufficient for a place on the front row at all.
Dixon took over top spot with a 1:52.179 before Fernandez jumped from a provisional Row 4 starting berth to first position with his 1:51.888. No one would go faster than that, but Arenas did follow him across the line to improve from seventh to second with a 1:52.012. With last-start winner Alonso Lopez (CAG Speed Up) setting a late 1:52.270, Canet was shuffled to fifth and they are set to share the second row – one which is covered by just a single hundredth of a second – with Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Ajo).
Behind that close trio, Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) earned seventh with a 1:52.289 as the chequered flag was out, and will head up Row 3 alongside the Idemitsu Honda Team Asia duo of Ogura, who went as quick as a 1:52.397, and Somkiat Chantra. Joe Roberts (Italtrans Racing Team) rounds out the top 10, ahead of Fermin Aldeguer (CAG Speed Up), Filip Salac (Gresini Racing Moto2™), and Jorge Navarro (Flexbox HP40), the latter of whom crashed at Turn 5 earlier in the session.
Manuel Gonzalez (Yamaha VR46 Master Camp Team) took 14th, from Q1 pace-setter Cameron Beaubier (American Racing), Bo Bendsneyder (Pertamina Mandalika SAG Team), and Celestino Vietti (Mooney VR46 Racing Team). Vietti’s had already been an eventful day given he looked to be directly through to Q2 until he lost his best lap for a track limits breach and slipped into Q1. The Italian advanced from that opening qualifying session but was soon on the back foot again due to an early crash at Turn 1 and would ultimately claim just 17th on a 1:53.481, one spot up on Alessandro Zaccone (Gresini Racing Moto2™).
It could be a decisive day in the title fight on Sunday, so make sure to tune in at 12:20 (GMT +2) for another intermediate class showdown!
Augusto Fernandez: “Of course, it helps to now be confirmed and everything is announced and the news is out, so I can focus a hundred percent on Moto2™. I have another big dream, I’m so close to it, so I want to keep focused on it. It was a very good day today; happy with the pole. I’m not so good on Saturdays, normally, so an important one, and we are ready for tomorrow.”
Guevara holds off Sasaki for pole
The points leader takes it by less than a tenth, with Sasaki and Holgado locking out the front row
Izan Guevara (28). Photo courtesy Dorna.
Autosolar GASGAS Aspar Team’s Izan Guevara held onto pole position at the Gran Premio Animoca Brands de Aragon, ending qualifying just 0.095 ahead of Sterilgarda Husqvarna Max’s Ayumu Sasaki and with Daniel Holgado (Red Bull KTM Ajo) set to start alongside the two in third. Guevara had been left vulnerable after proving too late to mount a final time attack, but in the end it was his team-mate and nearest rival for the title, Sergio Garcia, shuffled back as he prepares to line up in P12.
Holgado had been quickest once everyone had been through for one flying lap in Q2, on a 1:58.027, before Sasaki responded with a 1:57.963 next time through. Guevara then clocked a 1:57.868 to be the pace-setter with five minutes to go, but the final time attacks were still to come from most.
With the slipstream so important down Aragon’s back straight, there were the usual track position games at the start of the session and then again at the start of the final runs – even in terms of rolling bikes out of their boxes in pit lane, in some cases! Guevara left his run a little bit too late, however, and took the chequered flag before he had a chance to start another flying lap.
Fortunately for him, the first two rows did not change. Behind Guevara, Sasaki, and Holgado on the starting grid will be Tatsuki Suzuki (Leopard Racing), John McPhee (Sterilgarda Husqvarna Max), and Dennis Foggia (Leopard Racing). Suzuki managed a 1:58.271 on his first run and McPhee a 1:58.296, while Foggia improved to a 1:58.363 on his final lap to consolidate sixth position.
Rounding out the top 10 were Ivan Ortola (Angeluss MTA Team), Jaume Masia (Red Bull KTM Ajo), Stefano Nepa (Angeluss MTA Team), and Xavier Artigas (CFMoto Racing PruestelGP). Q1 fast man Carlos Tatay (CFMoto Racing PruestelGP) snatched 11th with the chequered flag out, while Garcia just got a spot on Row 4.
There was frustration for Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Tech3), who blitzed FP3 but then pulled off the race track early in Q2 with an apparent technical problem. He and bike got back to the pits and while his KTM was eventually re-fired, it would be seconds too late for him to make it back around and start another hot lap before the chequered flag came out. The Turk will start 13th, ahead of Taiyo Furusato (Honda Team Asia), Adrian Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Tech3), David Muñoz (BOE Motorsports), Diogo Moreira (MT Helmets – MSI), and Riccardo Rossi (SIC58 Squadra Corse). Neither of the latter two set a time in Q2, with Moreira having a crash at the Reverse Corkscrew – rider okay.
Earlier in the day, Alberto Surra (Rivacold Snipers Team) was declared unfit, however, after sustaining a fractured left wrist in a crash in FP3.
The grid for Sunday’s race is an interesting one, so make sure to tune in at 11am (GMT +2) as Guevara looks to hammer home his advantage – and the rest dig in to stop him!
Izan Guevara: “I had victory in the first two races in Spain, this is the third race. I’m really happy with this day today. It’s my fourth pole position this year, which is amazing. For tomorrow, I have good pace alone, in the race I will push, and it’s possible that I will battle for victory tomorrow.
“I have good memories here. In 2020, with the CEV, I started P22 and I won three races. Tomorrow, I will try to push alone if there is a free moment.”
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