Moto3 FP2
© , Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.
MotoGP: Team Technical Managers Discuss Their 2022 & 2023 Racebikes
Technical Managers talk 2022 so far
The Technical Managers for each of the six MotoGP™ factories sat down on Thursday to give their thoughts on the season so far, too, as well as look ahead to the future after a fruitful Misano Test. Davide Barana; Ducati Corse Technical Director, Kazutoshi Seki; 2022 Yamaha YZR-M1 Project Leader, Romano Albesiano; Aprilia Racing Technical Director, Sebastian Risse; Technical Manager KTM MotoGP, Ken Kawauchi; Technical Manager of Team Suzuki Ecstar and Takeo Yokoyama; HRC Technical Manager, had plenty to say.
Here are some key quotes!
QUOTES
DAVIDE BARANA – Ducati Corse Technical Director
How do you analyse 2022?
“To now, the season seems to demonstrate that our technical and sporting management style is paying back. On track, eight different riders with very competitive skill has allowed us to collect a lot of data that also is useful for each rider. It has been always our policy to share completely information between our teams and also it helps a lot in terms of developing the bike for sure, because we are not relating to only one fast rider, we have a lot of them, and each has his own character and his own skills and abilities. Compounding this different input, we are sure is one of the key factors to developing out best bike, so very satisfying to now.”
It took six races for the GP22 to win; how did you solve the problems, and were you concerned?
“From a racing management and also technical and sporting point of view, it is not an easy job. We always struggle with the need to develop the bike and also to keep confidence in our riders; confidence on the bike and also confidence on the technician to manage the bike properly. So, in particular, once you reach a certain level of performance, sometimes you are scared to change something. This is always a risk but it is a risk that we have to take because once you stop, when you believe you have arrived, you are in a good position, is the same point where you start to lose. So, at the beginning of the season, we continued to be aggressive on the development of the bike despite it already being a good bike, and this is the reason it took a while for us and for our riders to get the same confidence as with the previous bike and to achieve the best results. But now, I think we have found a way, the results demonstrate this, and as always, the others don’t stop working, as we have seen this year. Every year is different, there are new competitors – obviously, Aprilia is doing very well this year – so it’s important for us to never stop developing.”
What are the key areas you are looking to improve next season?
“Being honest, I don’t see a weakest point against the other right now. Now, I believe our bike is quite well-balanced in terms of performance and it does mean we have to work on every single aspect of the bike, trying to prioritise where we believe we have more to gain. As I said before, we collect so much input from different riders is helping a lot in defining where already the bike is stronger and where we have to work more, so I think we have to work on every aspect also. For example, engine, we have always been very good, but we see in recent years that the others are recovering, so for sure, we would like next year to regain the advantage we used to have, but also for sure, aerodynamics, driveability are important things we are working on.”
KAZUTOSHI SEKI – 2022 Yamaha YZR-M1 Project Leader
Your assessment of the YZR-M1 this year?
“The combination of our bike and our rider is competitive. At the beginning of the season, we struggled a little bit, but then we understand our bike, and after that, I think it’s competitive. Still, we miss something, but overall, I’m happy.”
How encouraged were you by Quartararo’s Misano test comments about the engine and when will the next evolution be ready?
“As Fabio said, the Misano test was very, very positive for us. Both riders – Franco and Fabio – gave us very interesting feedback and I believe it will help us for faster development. About development, we keep developing all the time and I hope we can bring something new for the test, not only for Valencia but also Sepang and Portimao. We can try to improve our bike until the last moment.”
How important has Luca Marmorini been in developing the new engine?
“Yes, this collaboration is very important. So, we tried to match the good points of the Japanese team with the local team, and I believe that we can achieve a synergy effect.”
ROMANO ALBESIANO – Aprilia Racing Technical Director
What has helped Aprilia become title contenders from a technical point of view?
“We have been improving for the last three years, continuously. The company has made some changes in the approach to the category, putting more resources and people into it, and there has been a continuous increase in performance, and we reached a good level. What I’m more happy about is the quantity of ideas and proposals that we produce inside the company and that makes me very optimistic, especially about the future.”
What areas are you looking to improve on?
“I think all the performance parameters can be improved, from engine side, from aerodynamics side, and also the quality of the performance analysis we do – the knowledge of the tyres, for example – we know we still have a lot to understand about these points. So, I feel we still have quite a big margin to improve in all these areas that are mentioned, so there is not one specific point but many, and as I said before, I feel we have the potential to do it.”
How challenging and how interesting to do in two development directions for two riders?
“Our job is basically to increase our understanding of the motorcycle, and having different riders – and next year, we’ll have four riders, which will make us even more rich in terms of data – with different styles, different approaches just gives us more information and to follow a different way of riding is not difficult, honestly. Okay, you cannot get confused, but if you have clear ideas in mind, you can do it easily because these bikes have such wide adjustment ranges and producing special parts for each rider is honestly not a big problem.”
SEBASTIAN RISSE – Technical Manager KTM MotoGP™
How do you reflect on KTM’s performance so far this season?
“We had an incredibly good start. Of course, what goes up can also come down at some point, and afterwards we had some races with difficulties. We had changed some things over the winter that we still had to understand and learn how to really exploit, how to get the best out of it. The biggest change was on the aerodynamics side and the rest of the bike was kind of following, trying to adapt to this, and finally I think we fixed on most tracks out weak point from last year which was acceleration out of the corners, and we identified other weak points that we have to work on, so at the moment we are working mainly with the turning of the bike. At the moment, the level of the bike is at a point that where we can put everything together, we can do something good already. But, we have a lot of ideas coming for this season, also for the coming season, to make the next step and I think this will bring us into the range to fight for the podium and further.”
Did KTM adopt of a new strategy of fewer new parts, was it a success, and will it continue in 2023?
“Basically, I think in the first years of the project, we have shown very quick reaction time and very short development time for changes. We were also proud of this. But then, looking for the last tenths, and then losing the concessions, it puts it into a different context. When you just keep following this same philosophy, you run out of time, you run out of chances, and because you run short on time, it’s easy to lose the way in this situation. So, it was clear for us that something had to change and it’s a continuous process that we have started. It’s for sure not about developing slower, it’s about building up a structure in the background, working more analytically, having a process of how to run things through the test team and being sure that something is good, so that then you can implement it in a race weekend without having too many question marks about it. And we are still developing this process. In the beginning, of course, when you make this step, you come to a phase when there’s not so much coming, because the next projects take a little bit longer time, but you have more projects in the background, and they are coming, step-by-step. So, I think we will come soon to the point where we have a similar amount of new components, but better proved components, and I believe that we have seen something already in the last Misano test that we will see now on-track in the next races and then hopefully we’ll make another step for next year.”
What has B. Binder been requesting you improve for 2023?
“For us, it is clear that the key thing we have to work on is the turning of the bike. Depending on the track layout, depending on the tyre allocation, sometimes you see us suffering more on the entry or suffering more on the exit, but the real reason is that we have to spend too much time and too much lean angle, we have to take a wider line on the entry than we want, and if we can improve this key point, I think everything around it will come.”
KEN KAWAUCHI – Team SUZUKI ECSTAR MotoGP™ Technical Manager
What did you change last winter to be so strong, especially in the opening races?
“Compared to last year, a big difference is of course the engine. The engine difference is more than usual, and that’s one point. The other point is the rear device. In the middle of last season, we started to use that. We still had some improvements to make last season and we could improve it a step; this is also a point. Other than these two points, we tried to improve many small areas and then we achieved such a good result.”
Are there any parts that were in development for next year that you can use in these final six races?
“Yes, we already had some items for 2023 that were already complete, so we brought some items to the last Misano test and we confirmed they were better, so for the last six races we will use it, and I hope this works.”
What are the targets for these last six races?
“Including Aragon, the remaining six tracks are not bad for us, so our target is clear; try to go back to the podium as soon as possible and try to win.”
TAKEO YOKOYAMA – HRC Technical Manager
Reflections on how season has been for Honda so far:
“In the winter time, we believed that we were doing more or less okay, we were ready to start the season, and the first race in Qatar with Pol was going alright. But then, you can see on the results, things started to go down. There are several reasons and we are still in the middle of investigating, analysing and coming back to where we want to be. For example, in Misano test, we were trying something very interesting, especially with Pol Espargaro, who did really well at the start of the season but not doing well in Misano race week. So in the test, we decided to do something interesting to compare what has been changed, and we believe that we have found something. So, I think now we are on the way to go back to where we want to be.”
How important M. Marquez back to help with development of 2023 bike?
“I mean, Marc has been on a Honda for many years and he has been winning many races and many titles with us. Let’s say, he is the guy who understand the most about the Honda MotoGP™ bike. I mean, although things have changed on the bike – this year, you can see we have changed many things on the bike – but anyway, his understanding of what is happening on the bike is so good and so deep, so we are very happy to have Marc back on the bike and the last part of the season is going to be our testing period to be ready for next season. So, that’s the situation where we are and we need to work a lot with Marc.”
Can you tell us about using the Kalex swingarm, and will you use more outside expertise in future?
“For us, it doesn’t really matter what is outside and what is inside. You can see that we are in a position where we have to do everything to improve or to come back to the position. So, no matter how, we have to do everything we can do and trying a Kalex swingarm was just one of those things that we had to do, and we will continue doing everything we have to do.”
World Endurance: BMW Motorrad Quickest In Q1 At Bol d’Or 24-Hour
BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team’s Markus Reiterberger began First Qualifying for the 100th-anniversary Bol d’Or just like he’d finished this morning’s unofficial private practice with the fastest lap at Circuit Paul Ricard, as the Belgian team’s riders went quickest in three of the four segments.
The two-time FIM Endurance World Championship race winner from Germany was quickest among the Blue Riders in a time of 1m52.267s. Josh Hook left it late to go second fastest for F.C.C. TSR Honda France with a 1m52.511s, while Niccolò Canepa (YART – Yamaha Official Team EWC) placed third on a 1m52.925s. Leon Haslam who is taking part in his first 24-hour race this weekend and has never previously competed at Circuit Paul Ricard was fourth quickest for TATI Team Beringer Racing (1m53.117s), as a late charge from Randy de Puniet allowed the Webike SRC Kawasaki France rider to shoot up to fifth place in a time of 1m53.191s, just ahead of Viltaïs Racing Igol’s Florian Alt. Kevin Manfredi underlined his status as a Circuit Paul Ricard expert with the fastest Superstock category time, the Italian posting a best effort of 1m54.674s for Wójcik Racing Team, 0.337s faster than Sébastien Suchet could manage for National Motos Honda. Manfredi’s effort was the best Superstock time of all.
Illya Mykhalchyk continued Dunlop-equipped BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team’s strong First Qualifying Form by setting the fastest time in the Yellow Rider session. The Ukraine rider topped the order in 1m52.415s. Mike Di Meglio was second for F.C.C. TSR Honda France in a time of 1m52.630s with Marvin Fritz (1m53.307s) third for YART – Yamaha Official Team EWC. Xavi Fores dropped his ERC Endurance-Ducati but not before he’d posted a 1m53.470s best to go fourth quickest followed by Wójcik Racing Team’s Sheridan Morais (1m53.642s). Étienne Masson was sixth for Webike SRC Kawasaki France with a lap of 1m53.747s. After Isaac Viñales went seventh quickest for Team Moto Ain in the opening Blue Rider session, Corentin Perolami did likewise for the French privateer outfit in the Yellow Rider running in 1m53.789s. MACO Racing’s Enzo Boulom finished P10. Valentin Suchet ensured National Motos Honda topped the Superstock order ahead of Wójcik Racing Team’s Danny Webb, essentially a swap of positions between the squads from the previous session. Adrian Parassol suffered a fall from his Pitlane Endurance Yamaha but walked away unaided.
YART – Yamaha Official Team EWC’s Karel Hanika, the pole-sitter for the 24 Heures Motos and 24H SPA EWC Motos, prevented a BMW-powered clean sweep with the quickest time in the Red Rider session. The Bridgestone-equipped Czech posted a 1m52.914s best, which was 0.044s faster than the time Jérémy Guarnoni could manage for BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team. Alan Techer (1m53.159s) was third fastest on his return to F.C.C. TSR Honda France in place of the injured Gino Rea, with Florian Marino fourth for Websike SRC Kawasaki France (1m53.190s). There were strong EWC comeback performances from Sylvain Guintoli and Bastien Mackels, who missed the races at Suzuka and Spa-Francorchamps respectively through injury. Guintoli was fifth quickest on FIM Endurance World Championship leader Yoshimura SERT Motul’s #1 Suzuki with Mackels seventh for Kawasaki-powered TATI Team Beringer Racing. However, Guintoli’s 1m53.616s effort didn’t quite make him the fastest of the Yoshimura SERT Motul trio with that honour going to Gregg Black, who set a 1m53.527s, the eighth-best time, in the Blue Rider session. Kazuki Watanabe was ninth quickest for the France-based Japanese team in the Yellow Rider session in a time of 1m54.071s. Elsewhere in the Red Rider running, Steven Odendaal was sixth quickest for Viltaïs Racing Igol with two-time Bol d’Or winner David Checa eighth. Philipp Steinmayr ensured three different Superstock teams took their turn to set the pace with the Austrian quickest for Team 18 Sapeurs Pompiers CMS Motostore. Meanwhile, a crash for Junior Team LMS Suzuki’s Charles Cortot at T7 caused the session to be red-flagged to enable damage to trackside safety barriers to be repaired.
Kenny Foray was fastest for BMW Motorrad World Endurance in the Green Rider session for reserves, the Frenchman posting an impressive 1m52.717s. Lorenzo Zanetti, who had been due to contest the full EWC season for ERC Endurance-Ducati only to suffer serious injuries when he crashed during a race in Italy prior to the Le Mans opener, was second fastest followed by Yoshimura SERT Motul’s Christian Iddon, Robin Mulhauser (YART – Yamaha Official Team EWC) and James Westmoreland (Viltaïs Racing Igol). Wójcik Racing Team’s young Hungarian Bálint Kovács was the quickest Superstock competitor.
Qualifying results are based on the average time of a team’s fastest two riders (the results of the fourth rider are not taken into account) from today’s First Qualifying and Friday’s Second Qualifying. All riders per team must qualify within 108 per cent of the fastest team in each category.
Night Practice is up next for the EWC riders and their teams from 20h30 CET with Second Qualifying due to begin at 09h55 tomorrow (Friday).
BEST LAPS
Blue Rider:
Formula EWC: Markus Reiterberger (BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team) 1m52.267s
Superstock: Kevin Manfredi (Wójcik Racing Team) 1m54.674s
Yellow Rider:
Formula EWC: Illya Mykhalchyk (BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team) 1m52.415s
Superstock: Valentin Suchet (National Motos Honda) 1m55.259s
Red Rider:
Formula EWC: Karel Hanika (YART – Yamaha Official Team EWC) 1m52.914s,
Superstock: Philipp Steinmayr (Team 18 Sapeurs Pompiers CMS Motostore) 1m55.571s
Green Rider:
Formula EWC: Kenny Foray (BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team) 1m52.717s
Superstock: Bálint Kovács (Wójcik Racing Team) 1m55.859s
Video: Jake Gagne Talks About His Upcoming WorldSBK Wild Card
MotoAmerica Champion Jake Gagne Taking On Racing World Superbike In Portugal – Attack The World!
By Michael Gougis
This is different.
Wild card spots in the Superbike World Championships nowadays frequently go to riders from National-level series who are just guest pilots for the weekend. They get on machines that are different than the ones that they race, on tires that are different, with electronics that are different. They are there to fill the grid, and perhaps to put a well-respected name on the entry list and get a few more fans through the turnstiles.
But back in the day, when the World Superbike series came to town, sometimes there was a National-level crew that showed up to meet them, ready to rumble. They brought their own machines, bikes their riders knew intimately. They showed up with local track knowledge. And they could cause the World Superbike riders no shortage of headaches–and occasionally deliver an old-school, back-alley beatdown. In 1999, Vance & Hines showed up at Laguna Seca with AMA Superbike riders Anthony Gobert and Ben Bostrom and took both wins. In 2003, Shane “Shakey” Byrne crushed the World Superbike regulars as a wild card entrant at Brands Hatch, taking both wins on a Monstermob BSB-spec machine.
Mostly, those days are over. Spec tires, spec electronics, and divergent technical regulations mean that it’s much more difficult for a National-level team to compete at all, let alone run at the front.
That’s what makes the Attack Racing wild card World Superbike project at Portimao so intriguing. MotoAmerica wanted its Superbike class rules to mirror the World Superbike specs, so the Yamaha YZF-R1 that Jake Gagne will be racing in Portugal will be very close to the same machine he has raced so successfully in the States. He’s fully familiar with the suspension, the brakes, the engine, and (perhaps most importantly) the electronics.
And Gagne himself has raced at the factory level in World Superbike. He knows how to switch from the Dunlop spec tire in MotoAmerica to the WorldSBK-spec Pirellis. He has raced at the Portimao circuit. In the States, he’s raced against Europeans who have won MotoGP and World Superbike races–and beaten them soundly. And the team has taken the time to test on Pirelli tires before shipping everything over to Portugal.
It’s not exactly the same as the old days. But at least on paper, the Attack Racing/Jake Gagne team looks like it’s got a better-than-average chance of not just showing up to have a good time. They are serious about taking on the World Superbike stars!
MotoAmerica: BARTCON Racing Raises $4,000 For Charity
Once again this year BARTCON Racing held a fund raiser for its home round of MotoAmerica at New Jersey Motorsport Park.
“It gives me great pleasure to report that we raised $4,000 dollars, which will go to both the Wounded Warrior Project and NYPD/FDNY Widows & Orphans Fund a.k.a. Answer The Call Foundation,” said Team Principal Colin Barton. “I cannot thank everyone enough for their generous contributions. And in closing, I would like to thank and congratulate Mr. Barry Gilsenan, of Celtic Racing, for his very generous donation and for being the winner of our Aliens Edition HJC Helmet giveaway.”
MotoGP: Marc Marquez Says “Most Important Thing Is To Be On The Bike”
“A lot of riders can fight for victory”: MotorLand stages another showdown
Thursday, 15 September 2022
It’s time for the Gran Premio Animoca Brands de Aragon and it’s a headline maker already. For the pre-event Press Conference on Thursday, Championship leader Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) was joined by Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team), now only 30 points back, as well as home hero Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing), Misano dueller Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) and two high profile returners: 2020 Champion Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar) and eight-time World Champion Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team).
Here are some key quotes!
QUOTES
FABIO QUARTARARO
Coming to Aragon as a bit of an underdog at this particular track, is it time to engage lion mode again?
“Yeah it’s a tough track but we’ve been pretty fast every time here in practice and qualifying, but in the race we’ve never had a good result. We know what the problem is, especially in the last two years, so we will try to figure out how to not have it this year. Sector 4 will be a tough one for us but I’m feeling confident so let’s see how it’s going.”
Happy with a new chassis, will some new parts help for final six races?
“Yeah we will have the chassis from the Misano test, let’s see when we can use it. I think the Misano test was important, not for what we tested but after the Misano race everybody was a little bit down but I think the test brought a lot of smiles to everybody and a lot of confidence. So it was a really good test and a really good moment to bring everyone up.”
Are you calm or more worried about Pecco’s form?
“Calm or worried, it’s the same situation. It’s still 30 points. What I need to do is do my best which is what I’m doing, put myself on the limit and see how the next ones go.”
FRANCESCO BAGNAIA
Describe your wave of confidence, happiness with bike?
“For sure, for me, this moment is quite great, because I feel incredible with my bike and also with the work we are doing in the box. Because, every time we start the weekend maybe in the not the best way possible – apart from Assen; that was incredible from the start – then Silverstone and Austria, we were struggling a bit but we found the way to prepare for the race. in Misano, it’s my home Grand Prix, it’s a magic place for me because I feel great there. We are working so well, considering that the start of the year wasn’t the best because I was struggling a lot to find a good setting, a good feeling with the new bike. We started in Jerez finding a really great pace again, but I committed too many mistakes. Le Mans and Sachsenring was a big problem for me – I lost a lot of confidence and lot of points – but I think we have done a really great job. Also in the summer break, with my trainer and with my team, we found the mistakes and where the problem was, and I think we learnt a big lesson and maybe also from that, we found the best consistency.”
Is there pressure on you given the 2021 Aragon result and four wins in a row?
“I think also in Austria, the people were saying that I had to win because I was with Ducati; in Misano, because it was my home Grand Prix. So, it doesn’t mean too much to me. I just want to try to work well like we have been doing in recent races, and try to be in front, because I think that a lot of riders this year can be fighting for the victory. The biggest key will be to be constant like we have been in recent races.”
How important was the first win, over M. Marquez, at Aragon in 2021 for your belief and confidence?
“It was arriving after a difficult period because I was always competitive with the pace to win races, but every time, something happened. So, the race here last year with Marc was, for sure, something that helped me to understand that I was able to win races. I wasn’t thinking that anything was changing after this win, that the world was always the same, but finally if we look at the results, it has given me the motivation and the power to be able to win the races. So, for sure, this race helped me to be more competitive.”
ALEIX ESPARGARO
Are you a lot more optimistic about podium chances this weekend?
“Yes fully agreed. It’s clear that two six places are not the best for the points and for the championship but as you mentioned they’re very difficult tracks and I’m proud because I did a very big effort. Now we’re at tracks that I really like and really enjoy, Aragon is one of my best tracks on the calendar so I can’t wait!”
Why does Aragon suit you and Aprilia?
“There is a lot of lean angle corners, we are struggling, especially me, on the hard brakes with the bike completely straight, I can’t stop the bike. But as soon as I’m able to lean and brake and in these types of accelerations the bike has a lot of stability and performance. So this is the reason why Aragon has been a good track for us so far and the 2022 spec-bike is the best Aprilia so far so I can’t wait to try it.”
How important is it to be back on the podium?
“The Championship is arriving at the last part, five races in six weeks is crazy. It’s going to be very fun, very demanding, so we can’t lose or concede more points. We have to be more competitive again like we were in the first part of the season, Aragon is a track I love and I hope we can start to be back on the podium here.”
ENEA BASTIANINI
How confident are you of fighting for the win again here?
“We come here from a really good race at Misano. We are starting on the right foot on Friday and this is important for us because, after the summer break, we are back stronger from the start, and I like this, and I think this can help me for the future. Aragon is one of my favourite tracks, I like it a lot, and I remember last year that I was fast in the race. For the future, we have three consecutive races and it will be hard to stay concentrated to the end of the championship but I’m motivated to do a great job.”
Are you aiming to find the missing consistency in the final six races of the season?
“Yeah, I felt this a little bit in the middle of the Championship this year. I have made a lot of errors since Mugello and this is not good for the Championship – we know this – but I think, for the rest of the Championship, I can be competitive in every race. Sometimes it will be harder to be part of the front group in the race, but I have a good package, the bike is very nice, and also because we have eight Ducatis, we can compare the data every time.”
Have there been any further discussions with Ducati about helping Bagnaia?
“The relationship also with the other guys at Ducati is very nice and I think we can be competitive, all the Ducati riders, for the future. We talk a lot together every time and I think it can be a key to get a great result in the future.”
JOAN MIR
How much you looking forward to being back?
“Yes very happy to be back here. It’s been a difficult two weeks trying to recover the ankle as much as I could, trying to be here in Aragon is the main goal. I know in these days I’ll have some pain because I’m not fully recovered but it won’t be a problem in terms of speed I guess, so I’m happy to be back.”
Any specific targets before the end of the season?
“Missing one race isn’t that much but if we couldn’t come to Aragon then two races you start to lose a bit of form and everything and it’s something I didn’t want. For me the main goal is to try and enjoy, in Austria I think we made a small improvement in terms of speed and we have to continue on that way and we have to see if we can fight in the top positions again, that will make me and the team very happy.”
Thoughts on 2023 Repsol Honda news:
“I’m very happy to finally announce that, it’s like a relief for me after many races you asking me this question and I couldn’t answer. So yeah it’s a big challenge, I have a big challenge in front of me. I know that I arrive to Honda in not the best moment for them and that makes the challenge a bit more intense, but the important thing is apart from that I need to finish the season as best as I can with Suzuki, then we will have time to think about Honda and everything. The goal for me is to finish the season as best as I can and to see if we can fight for a podium or victory, who knows.”
MARC MARQUEZ
What are your emotions coming into this weekend?
“First of all, hello everybody. Of course, I’m really happy to come back. It’s something that, even in Mugello, I didn’t expect to be here at Aragon to race this year, but things have been in a good way from the beginning, from the surgery, and step-by-step, I feel better. Of course, it’s a long way to go. The target I want to achieve, I still need to do a lot of work. But, after the Misano test, it has been very positive, the feeling. The way that I finished the test in terms of physical condition was good. We analysed my recovery with the arm during the following days and we understood that there may be some possibility to be in Aragon and we discussed it with the doctors, with the team, and with everybody, and we decided to be here because one of the most important things is to be on the bike, for myself but also to prepare the 2023, and now it’s important to combine and to have a good strategy and combine well the gym and the bike, and let’s see what I can do.”
Some riders expect you to fight for the podium here; what are your aims for the rest of the season?
“About the podium, my possibilities are one percent; I mean, really, really low. One thing is that I’m really far from my best physical condition, especially always talking about arm condition about the muscles. The bone is fixed – that is most important – but the muscle conditions still are very far from what I want. The second thing is that, as Mir mentioned, Honda is in a very difficult moment – we saw that from the other riders – and we are far from the other manufacturers, so let’s see. My target, my goal is to try to finish all weekends from now on. It’s true that the possibility’s on the table, because three races in a row are coming up, that maybe in Japan, maybe in Thailand, I need to stop in the middle of the weekend – we don’t know – but my intention and my goal is to try and finish all these weekends, try to prepare the 2023 well, try to give my precise comments to Honda, and let’s see. Try to be better and better, and next winter is when I need to understand where the level is or where is the top level of my right arm.”
Is the Kalex swingarm the new direction you wanted to see? Is Honda moving in the direction you want to see it going?
“I mean, Honda is Honda, and I’m not the guy, I’m not the person to organise a company. Just sometimes, it’s true that we share our comments and we try to give some ideas. In Misano, we tried a Kalex swingarm. If we tried it in Misano, it’s not that they started to speak in Austria – they started to speak before – so they are working really hard, they understand the situation, and they understand that we are far from especially Ducati and Aprilia, and we need to keep working. They are involved in the project, next year I will have a strong team-mate too, so the riders will be there. Now we need to the tools to work and to fight for a World Championship.”
Suzuki V-Strom 650 Adventure Models Continuing In 2023
Suzuki Launches Returning 2023 V-Strom 650 Adventure Tourers and Burgman 400 Scooter
Brea, CA – Continuing the release of the 2023 models are several highly versatile and stylish bikes in the Suzuki motorcycle product line.
The sophisticated and practical Burgman 400 scooter is perfect for everyday commuting with style, and the versatile V-Strom 650 makes for a well-equipped, intelligently engineered adventure touring middleweight. Both the Burgman and the V-Strom 650 offer riders real-world performance, class-leading build quality and unmatched value.
Adventure
V-Strom 650 models – Suzuki’s V-Strom 650 models attract riders demanding versatility combined with a rousing riding experience, who demand their motorcycles excel at touring, commuting, or augment a fun adventure when their ride demands it. These are touchstone middleweight motorcycles offering unprecedented balance with a natural riding position, comfortable ergonomics, and a flexible and vibrant engine signature producing stress-free riding during commutes around town or high-mile touring adventures.
V-Strom 650XT Adventure – Point the iconic Suzuki DR-BIG-inspired beak of the V-Strom at the horizon as the 37L quick-release aluminum panniers, rugged accessory bar, handlebar cross-brace, and mirror extensions are standard equipment. Finished with deep, Glass Sparkle Black paint, the 2023 V-Strom 650XT Adventure performs on tubeless-spoke wheels with blue-anodized rims conveying style, strength, and performance.
Loaded with intelligent features and ready for any adventure, the V-Strom 650XT Adventure continues the V-Strom legacy of offering a fun, agile, adventurous motorcycle providing unmatched versatility. The engine delivers stellar performance and great fuel economy while achieving worldwide emission standards. Suzuki’s proven engineering delivers a bike with low weight and a trim chassis, creating a V-Strom 650XT Adventure that does so many things so well, this bike could be called the Swiss Army Knife of motorcycles.
Check out a 2023 V-Strom 650XT Adventure for your next ride and you’ll see it checks off every box on a rider’s exploration list.
2023 V-Strom 650XT Adventure
MSRP $10,799
V-Strom 650XT – Riders love the Suzuki 2023 V-Strom 650XT for its unique merger of a lightweight chassis coupled with an exciting liquid-cooled, 90-degree, 650cc V-twin engine. A merger that creates a perfectly balanced motorcycle capable of delivering excitement, comfort, and confidence on every ride.
Riders exploring the V-Strom 650XT see it delivering on motorcycling adventure while bringing a big dose of intelligence and versatility. The 2023 V-Strom 650XT comes in a Pearl Brilliant White livery and is complemented by hand guards, a lower engine cowl, as well as spoke-style gold-anodized wheels mounting tubeless radial dual-sport tires.
2023 V-Strom 650XT
MSRP $9,599
V-Strom 650 – The Suzuki V-Strom 650 is the perfect motorcycle for riders looking for versatility, real-world performance, and exceptional value. The 2023 V-Strom 650’s perfect blend of V-twin performance in a strong, yet lightweight chassis that delivers thrilling rides and cost-effective fun like no other adventure tourer on the scene today.
The 2023 V-Strom 650 rocks Suzuki’s beautiful Pearl Vigor Blue and Metallic Matte Sword Silver paint complemented with black accents giving this model runway-level attractiveness. The beak-style fairing, with vertically stacked headlights, augments the V-Strom 650’s aerodynamic prowess while protecting the rider in style. Light and strong 10-spoke cast wheels shod with Adventure-spec Bridgestone Battlax 19-inch front and 17-inch rear tubeless radial tires are great for all-around performance.
2023 V-Strom 650
MSRP $9,104
Scooter
Burgman 400 – Already the leader in its category, the 2023 Suzuki Burgman 400 continues with a host of styling, technical, and feature updates galvanizing its reputation as the Elegant Athlete of the scooter world. The Burgman 400’s slim and sharp styling features a new Solid Iron Gray paint scheme combined with blue wheels and seat stitching that pay classy homage to Suzuki’s on-road championship heritage.
The Burgman’s nose and tail blend sophisticated styling with full LED function, as the dual headlights have integrated position lights, while the rear combination taillight elegantly blends with the smooth bodywork. Functional design is brought to the well-thought-out instrument panel. Riding range and real-time fuel consumption indicators also may help the rider conserve fuel.
The Burgman’s strong and responsive 400cc engine has a revised camshaft profile and a dual-spark technology ignition system achieving worldwide emissions standards while offering impressive fuel economy and highway riding power.
Similar to systems used on Suzuki’s V-Strom 650 adventure tourer and GSX-S750 street bikes, the Burgman features a rider-selectable Traction Control* system offering the rider peace of mind and excellent road-holding ability in a variety of road conditions. Suzuki’s Easy Start System is a standard Burgman feature, so a simple, momentary press of the starter button starts the engine, while the fuel injection maintains a steady, smooth idle under all conditions.
The large-diameter 15-inch cast front wheel helps increase stability while enhancing the Burgman 400’s visual appearance and carries a pair of 260mm disc brake rotors. The 13-inch rear wheel has a 210mm hydraulic disc brake for reliable stopping control. The Anti-lock Brake System (ABS)** monitors wheel speeds and hydraulic pressure hundreds of times per second to help provide stopping power that matches the available traction.
Blending styling, engineering, and chassis performance, along with confidence-inspiring rider aids, the Suzuki Burgman 400 remains the premium scooter of choice for riders of all experience levels seeking a scooter that makes a statement of intelligence and bravado.
2023 Burgman 400
MSRP $8,599
*The Traction Control System is not a substitute for the rider’s throttle control. It cannot prevent loss of traction due to excessive speed when the rider enters a turn and/or applies the brakes. Neither can it prevent the front wheel from losing grip
**Depending on road surface conditions, such as wet, loose, or uneven roads, braking distance for an ABS-equipped vehicle may be longer than for a vehicle not equipped with ABS. ABS cannot prevent wheel skidding caused by braking while cornering. Please drive carefully and do not overly rely on ABS.
Moto2: Fernandez Fastest, Beaubier P10 And Top American In FP1
MotoGP: Aleix Espargaro Tops Opening Practice At MotorLand Aragon
Moto3: Sasaki Starts Off Fastest In FP1 At MotorLand Aragon
MotoGP: Team Technical Managers Discuss Their 2022 & 2023 Racebikes
Technical Managers talk 2022 so far
The Technical Managers for each of the six MotoGP™ factories sat down on Thursday to give their thoughts on the season so far, too, as well as look ahead to the future after a fruitful Misano Test. Davide Barana; Ducati Corse Technical Director, Kazutoshi Seki; 2022 Yamaha YZR-M1 Project Leader, Romano Albesiano; Aprilia Racing Technical Director, Sebastian Risse; Technical Manager KTM MotoGP, Ken Kawauchi; Technical Manager of Team Suzuki Ecstar and Takeo Yokoyama; HRC Technical Manager, had plenty to say.
Here are some key quotes!
QUOTES
DAVIDE BARANA – Ducati Corse Technical Director
How do you analyse 2022?
“To now, the season seems to demonstrate that our technical and sporting management style is paying back. On track, eight different riders with very competitive skill has allowed us to collect a lot of data that also is useful for each rider. It has been always our policy to share completely information between our teams and also it helps a lot in terms of developing the bike for sure, because we are not relating to only one fast rider, we have a lot of them, and each has his own character and his own skills and abilities. Compounding this different input, we are sure is one of the key factors to developing out best bike, so very satisfying to now.”
It took six races for the GP22 to win; how did you solve the problems, and were you concerned?
“From a racing management and also technical and sporting point of view, it is not an easy job. We always struggle with the need to develop the bike and also to keep confidence in our riders; confidence on the bike and also confidence on the technician to manage the bike properly. So, in particular, once you reach a certain level of performance, sometimes you are scared to change something. This is always a risk but it is a risk that we have to take because once you stop, when you believe you have arrived, you are in a good position, is the same point where you start to lose. So, at the beginning of the season, we continued to be aggressive on the development of the bike despite it already being a good bike, and this is the reason it took a while for us and for our riders to get the same confidence as with the previous bike and to achieve the best results. But now, I think we have found a way, the results demonstrate this, and as always, the others don’t stop working, as we have seen this year. Every year is different, there are new competitors – obviously, Aprilia is doing very well this year – so it’s important for us to never stop developing.”
What are the key areas you are looking to improve next season?
“Being honest, I don’t see a weakest point against the other right now. Now, I believe our bike is quite well-balanced in terms of performance and it does mean we have to work on every single aspect of the bike, trying to prioritise where we believe we have more to gain. As I said before, we collect so much input from different riders is helping a lot in defining where already the bike is stronger and where we have to work more, so I think we have to work on every aspect also. For example, engine, we have always been very good, but we see in recent years that the others are recovering, so for sure, we would like next year to regain the advantage we used to have, but also for sure, aerodynamics, driveability are important things we are working on.”
KAZUTOSHI SEKI – 2022 Yamaha YZR-M1 Project Leader
Your assessment of the YZR-M1 this year?
“The combination of our bike and our rider is competitive. At the beginning of the season, we struggled a little bit, but then we understand our bike, and after that, I think it’s competitive. Still, we miss something, but overall, I’m happy.”
How encouraged were you by Quartararo’s Misano test comments about the engine and when will the next evolution be ready?
“As Fabio said, the Misano test was very, very positive for us. Both riders – Franco and Fabio – gave us very interesting feedback and I believe it will help us for faster development. About development, we keep developing all the time and I hope we can bring something new for the test, not only for Valencia but also Sepang and Portimao. We can try to improve our bike until the last moment.”
How important has Luca Marmorini been in developing the new engine?
“Yes, this collaboration is very important. So, we tried to match the good points of the Japanese team with the local team, and I believe that we can achieve a synergy effect.”
ROMANO ALBESIANO – Aprilia Racing Technical Director
What has helped Aprilia become title contenders from a technical point of view?
“We have been improving for the last three years, continuously. The company has made some changes in the approach to the category, putting more resources and people into it, and there has been a continuous increase in performance, and we reached a good level. What I’m more happy about is the quantity of ideas and proposals that we produce inside the company and that makes me very optimistic, especially about the future.”
What areas are you looking to improve on?
“I think all the performance parameters can be improved, from engine side, from aerodynamics side, and also the quality of the performance analysis we do – the knowledge of the tyres, for example – we know we still have a lot to understand about these points. So, I feel we still have quite a big margin to improve in all these areas that are mentioned, so there is not one specific point but many, and as I said before, I feel we have the potential to do it.”
How challenging and how interesting to do in two development directions for two riders?
“Our job is basically to increase our understanding of the motorcycle, and having different riders – and next year, we’ll have four riders, which will make us even more rich in terms of data – with different styles, different approaches just gives us more information and to follow a different way of riding is not difficult, honestly. Okay, you cannot get confused, but if you have clear ideas in mind, you can do it easily because these bikes have such wide adjustment ranges and producing special parts for each rider is honestly not a big problem.”
SEBASTIAN RISSE – Technical Manager KTM MotoGP™
How do you reflect on KTM’s performance so far this season?
“We had an incredibly good start. Of course, what goes up can also come down at some point, and afterwards we had some races with difficulties. We had changed some things over the winter that we still had to understand and learn how to really exploit, how to get the best out of it. The biggest change was on the aerodynamics side and the rest of the bike was kind of following, trying to adapt to this, and finally I think we fixed on most tracks out weak point from last year which was acceleration out of the corners, and we identified other weak points that we have to work on, so at the moment we are working mainly with the turning of the bike. At the moment, the level of the bike is at a point that where we can put everything together, we can do something good already. But, we have a lot of ideas coming for this season, also for the coming season, to make the next step and I think this will bring us into the range to fight for the podium and further.”
Did KTM adopt of a new strategy of fewer new parts, was it a success, and will it continue in 2023?
“Basically, I think in the first years of the project, we have shown very quick reaction time and very short development time for changes. We were also proud of this. But then, looking for the last tenths, and then losing the concessions, it puts it into a different context. When you just keep following this same philosophy, you run out of time, you run out of chances, and because you run short on time, it’s easy to lose the way in this situation. So, it was clear for us that something had to change and it’s a continuous process that we have started. It’s for sure not about developing slower, it’s about building up a structure in the background, working more analytically, having a process of how to run things through the test team and being sure that something is good, so that then you can implement it in a race weekend without having too many question marks about it. And we are still developing this process. In the beginning, of course, when you make this step, you come to a phase when there’s not so much coming, because the next projects take a little bit longer time, but you have more projects in the background, and they are coming, step-by-step. So, I think we will come soon to the point where we have a similar amount of new components, but better proved components, and I believe that we have seen something already in the last Misano test that we will see now on-track in the next races and then hopefully we’ll make another step for next year.”
What has B. Binder been requesting you improve for 2023?
“For us, it is clear that the key thing we have to work on is the turning of the bike. Depending on the track layout, depending on the tyre allocation, sometimes you see us suffering more on the entry or suffering more on the exit, but the real reason is that we have to spend too much time and too much lean angle, we have to take a wider line on the entry than we want, and if we can improve this key point, I think everything around it will come.”
KEN KAWAUCHI – Team SUZUKI ECSTAR MotoGP™ Technical Manager
What did you change last winter to be so strong, especially in the opening races?
“Compared to last year, a big difference is of course the engine. The engine difference is more than usual, and that’s one point. The other point is the rear device. In the middle of last season, we started to use that. We still had some improvements to make last season and we could improve it a step; this is also a point. Other than these two points, we tried to improve many small areas and then we achieved such a good result.”
Are there any parts that were in development for next year that you can use in these final six races?
“Yes, we already had some items for 2023 that were already complete, so we brought some items to the last Misano test and we confirmed they were better, so for the last six races we will use it, and I hope this works.”
What are the targets for these last six races?
“Including Aragon, the remaining six tracks are not bad for us, so our target is clear; try to go back to the podium as soon as possible and try to win.”
TAKEO YOKOYAMA – HRC Technical Manager
Reflections on how season has been for Honda so far:
“In the winter time, we believed that we were doing more or less okay, we were ready to start the season, and the first race in Qatar with Pol was going alright. But then, you can see on the results, things started to go down. There are several reasons and we are still in the middle of investigating, analysing and coming back to where we want to be. For example, in Misano test, we were trying something very interesting, especially with Pol Espargaro, who did really well at the start of the season but not doing well in Misano race week. So in the test, we decided to do something interesting to compare what has been changed, and we believe that we have found something. So, I think now we are on the way to go back to where we want to be.”
How important M. Marquez back to help with development of 2023 bike?
“I mean, Marc has been on a Honda for many years and he has been winning many races and many titles with us. Let’s say, he is the guy who understand the most about the Honda MotoGP™ bike. I mean, although things have changed on the bike – this year, you can see we have changed many things on the bike – but anyway, his understanding of what is happening on the bike is so good and so deep, so we are very happy to have Marc back on the bike and the last part of the season is going to be our testing period to be ready for next season. So, that’s the situation where we are and we need to work a lot with Marc.”
Can you tell us about using the Kalex swingarm, and will you use more outside expertise in future?
“For us, it doesn’t really matter what is outside and what is inside. You can see that we are in a position where we have to do everything to improve or to come back to the position. So, no matter how, we have to do everything we can do and trying a Kalex swingarm was just one of those things that we had to do, and we will continue doing everything we have to do.”
World Endurance: BMW Motorrad Quickest In Q1 At Bol d’Or 24-Hour
BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team’s Markus Reiterberger began First Qualifying for the 100th-anniversary Bol d’Or just like he’d finished this morning’s unofficial private practice with the fastest lap at Circuit Paul Ricard, as the Belgian team’s riders went quickest in three of the four segments.
The two-time FIM Endurance World Championship race winner from Germany was quickest among the Blue Riders in a time of 1m52.267s. Josh Hook left it late to go second fastest for F.C.C. TSR Honda France with a 1m52.511s, while Niccolò Canepa (YART – Yamaha Official Team EWC) placed third on a 1m52.925s. Leon Haslam who is taking part in his first 24-hour race this weekend and has never previously competed at Circuit Paul Ricard was fourth quickest for TATI Team Beringer Racing (1m53.117s), as a late charge from Randy de Puniet allowed the Webike SRC Kawasaki France rider to shoot up to fifth place in a time of 1m53.191s, just ahead of Viltaïs Racing Igol’s Florian Alt. Kevin Manfredi underlined his status as a Circuit Paul Ricard expert with the fastest Superstock category time, the Italian posting a best effort of 1m54.674s for Wójcik Racing Team, 0.337s faster than Sébastien Suchet could manage for National Motos Honda. Manfredi’s effort was the best Superstock time of all.
Illya Mykhalchyk continued Dunlop-equipped BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team’s strong First Qualifying Form by setting the fastest time in the Yellow Rider session. The Ukraine rider topped the order in 1m52.415s. Mike Di Meglio was second for F.C.C. TSR Honda France in a time of 1m52.630s with Marvin Fritz (1m53.307s) third for YART – Yamaha Official Team EWC. Xavi Fores dropped his ERC Endurance-Ducati but not before he’d posted a 1m53.470s best to go fourth quickest followed by Wójcik Racing Team’s Sheridan Morais (1m53.642s). Étienne Masson was sixth for Webike SRC Kawasaki France with a lap of 1m53.747s. After Isaac Viñales went seventh quickest for Team Moto Ain in the opening Blue Rider session, Corentin Perolami did likewise for the French privateer outfit in the Yellow Rider running in 1m53.789s. MACO Racing’s Enzo Boulom finished P10. Valentin Suchet ensured National Motos Honda topped the Superstock order ahead of Wójcik Racing Team’s Danny Webb, essentially a swap of positions between the squads from the previous session. Adrian Parassol suffered a fall from his Pitlane Endurance Yamaha but walked away unaided.
YART – Yamaha Official Team EWC’s Karel Hanika, the pole-sitter for the 24 Heures Motos and 24H SPA EWC Motos, prevented a BMW-powered clean sweep with the quickest time in the Red Rider session. The Bridgestone-equipped Czech posted a 1m52.914s best, which was 0.044s faster than the time Jérémy Guarnoni could manage for BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team. Alan Techer (1m53.159s) was third fastest on his return to F.C.C. TSR Honda France in place of the injured Gino Rea, with Florian Marino fourth for Websike SRC Kawasaki France (1m53.190s). There were strong EWC comeback performances from Sylvain Guintoli and Bastien Mackels, who missed the races at Suzuka and Spa-Francorchamps respectively through injury. Guintoli was fifth quickest on FIM Endurance World Championship leader Yoshimura SERT Motul’s #1 Suzuki with Mackels seventh for Kawasaki-powered TATI Team Beringer Racing. However, Guintoli’s 1m53.616s effort didn’t quite make him the fastest of the Yoshimura SERT Motul trio with that honour going to Gregg Black, who set a 1m53.527s, the eighth-best time, in the Blue Rider session. Kazuki Watanabe was ninth quickest for the France-based Japanese team in the Yellow Rider session in a time of 1m54.071s. Elsewhere in the Red Rider running, Steven Odendaal was sixth quickest for Viltaïs Racing Igol with two-time Bol d’Or winner David Checa eighth. Philipp Steinmayr ensured three different Superstock teams took their turn to set the pace with the Austrian quickest for Team 18 Sapeurs Pompiers CMS Motostore. Meanwhile, a crash for Junior Team LMS Suzuki’s Charles Cortot at T7 caused the session to be red-flagged to enable damage to trackside safety barriers to be repaired.
Kenny Foray was fastest for BMW Motorrad World Endurance in the Green Rider session for reserves, the Frenchman posting an impressive 1m52.717s. Lorenzo Zanetti, who had been due to contest the full EWC season for ERC Endurance-Ducati only to suffer serious injuries when he crashed during a race in Italy prior to the Le Mans opener, was second fastest followed by Yoshimura SERT Motul’s Christian Iddon, Robin Mulhauser (YART – Yamaha Official Team EWC) and James Westmoreland (Viltaïs Racing Igol). Wójcik Racing Team’s young Hungarian Bálint Kovács was the quickest Superstock competitor.
Qualifying results are based on the average time of a team’s fastest two riders (the results of the fourth rider are not taken into account) from today’s First Qualifying and Friday’s Second Qualifying. All riders per team must qualify within 108 per cent of the fastest team in each category.
Night Practice is up next for the EWC riders and their teams from 20h30 CET with Second Qualifying due to begin at 09h55 tomorrow (Friday).
BEST LAPS
Blue Rider:
Formula EWC: Markus Reiterberger (BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team) 1m52.267s
Superstock: Kevin Manfredi (Wójcik Racing Team) 1m54.674s
Yellow Rider:
Formula EWC: Illya Mykhalchyk (BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team) 1m52.415s
Superstock: Valentin Suchet (National Motos Honda) 1m55.259s
Red Rider:
Formula EWC: Karel Hanika (YART – Yamaha Official Team EWC) 1m52.914s,
Superstock: Philipp Steinmayr (Team 18 Sapeurs Pompiers CMS Motostore) 1m55.571s
Green Rider:
Formula EWC: Kenny Foray (BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team) 1m52.717s
Superstock: Bálint Kovács (Wójcik Racing Team) 1m55.859s
Video: Jake Gagne Talks About His Upcoming WorldSBK Wild Card
MotoAmerica Champion Jake Gagne Taking On Racing World Superbike In Portugal – Attack The World!
By Michael Gougis
This is different.
Wild card spots in the Superbike World Championships nowadays frequently go to riders from National-level series who are just guest pilots for the weekend. They get on machines that are different than the ones that they race, on tires that are different, with electronics that are different. They are there to fill the grid, and perhaps to put a well-respected name on the entry list and get a few more fans through the turnstiles.
But back in the day, when the World Superbike series came to town, sometimes there was a National-level crew that showed up to meet them, ready to rumble. They brought their own machines, bikes their riders knew intimately. They showed up with local track knowledge. And they could cause the World Superbike riders no shortage of headaches–and occasionally deliver an old-school, back-alley beatdown. In 1999, Vance & Hines showed up at Laguna Seca with AMA Superbike riders Anthony Gobert and Ben Bostrom and took both wins. In 2003, Shane “Shakey” Byrne crushed the World Superbike regulars as a wild card entrant at Brands Hatch, taking both wins on a Monstermob BSB-spec machine.
Mostly, those days are over. Spec tires, spec electronics, and divergent technical regulations mean that it’s much more difficult for a National-level team to compete at all, let alone run at the front.
That’s what makes the Attack Racing wild card World Superbike project at Portimao so intriguing. MotoAmerica wanted its Superbike class rules to mirror the World Superbike specs, so the Yamaha YZF-R1 that Jake Gagne will be racing in Portugal will be very close to the same machine he has raced so successfully in the States. He’s fully familiar with the suspension, the brakes, the engine, and (perhaps most importantly) the electronics.
And Gagne himself has raced at the factory level in World Superbike. He knows how to switch from the Dunlop spec tire in MotoAmerica to the WorldSBK-spec Pirellis. He has raced at the Portimao circuit. In the States, he’s raced against Europeans who have won MotoGP and World Superbike races–and beaten them soundly. And the team has taken the time to test on Pirelli tires before shipping everything over to Portugal.
It’s not exactly the same as the old days. But at least on paper, the Attack Racing/Jake Gagne team looks like it’s got a better-than-average chance of not just showing up to have a good time. They are serious about taking on the World Superbike stars!
MotoAmerica: BARTCON Racing Raises $4,000 For Charity
Once again this year BARTCON Racing held a fund raiser for its home round of MotoAmerica at New Jersey Motorsport Park.
“It gives me great pleasure to report that we raised $4,000 dollars, which will go to both the Wounded Warrior Project and NYPD/FDNY Widows & Orphans Fund a.k.a. Answer The Call Foundation,” said Team Principal Colin Barton. “I cannot thank everyone enough for their generous contributions. And in closing, I would like to thank and congratulate Mr. Barry Gilsenan, of Celtic Racing, for his very generous donation and for being the winner of our Aliens Edition HJC Helmet giveaway.”
MotoGP: Marc Marquez Says “Most Important Thing Is To Be On The Bike”
“A lot of riders can fight for victory”: MotorLand stages another showdown
Thursday, 15 September 2022
It’s time for the Gran Premio Animoca Brands de Aragon and it’s a headline maker already. For the pre-event Press Conference on Thursday, Championship leader Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) was joined by Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team), now only 30 points back, as well as home hero Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing), Misano dueller Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) and two high profile returners: 2020 Champion Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar) and eight-time World Champion Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team).
Here are some key quotes!
QUOTES
FABIO QUARTARARO
Coming to Aragon as a bit of an underdog at this particular track, is it time to engage lion mode again?
“Yeah it’s a tough track but we’ve been pretty fast every time here in practice and qualifying, but in the race we’ve never had a good result. We know what the problem is, especially in the last two years, so we will try to figure out how to not have it this year. Sector 4 will be a tough one for us but I’m feeling confident so let’s see how it’s going.”
Happy with a new chassis, will some new parts help for final six races?
“Yeah we will have the chassis from the Misano test, let’s see when we can use it. I think the Misano test was important, not for what we tested but after the Misano race everybody was a little bit down but I think the test brought a lot of smiles to everybody and a lot of confidence. So it was a really good test and a really good moment to bring everyone up.”
Are you calm or more worried about Pecco’s form?
“Calm or worried, it’s the same situation. It’s still 30 points. What I need to do is do my best which is what I’m doing, put myself on the limit and see how the next ones go.”
FRANCESCO BAGNAIA
Describe your wave of confidence, happiness with bike?
“For sure, for me, this moment is quite great, because I feel incredible with my bike and also with the work we are doing in the box. Because, every time we start the weekend maybe in the not the best way possible – apart from Assen; that was incredible from the start – then Silverstone and Austria, we were struggling a bit but we found the way to prepare for the race. in Misano, it’s my home Grand Prix, it’s a magic place for me because I feel great there. We are working so well, considering that the start of the year wasn’t the best because I was struggling a lot to find a good setting, a good feeling with the new bike. We started in Jerez finding a really great pace again, but I committed too many mistakes. Le Mans and Sachsenring was a big problem for me – I lost a lot of confidence and lot of points – but I think we have done a really great job. Also in the summer break, with my trainer and with my team, we found the mistakes and where the problem was, and I think we learnt a big lesson and maybe also from that, we found the best consistency.”
Is there pressure on you given the 2021 Aragon result and four wins in a row?
“I think also in Austria, the people were saying that I had to win because I was with Ducati; in Misano, because it was my home Grand Prix. So, it doesn’t mean too much to me. I just want to try to work well like we have been doing in recent races, and try to be in front, because I think that a lot of riders this year can be fighting for the victory. The biggest key will be to be constant like we have been in recent races.”
How important was the first win, over M. Marquez, at Aragon in 2021 for your belief and confidence?
“It was arriving after a difficult period because I was always competitive with the pace to win races, but every time, something happened. So, the race here last year with Marc was, for sure, something that helped me to understand that I was able to win races. I wasn’t thinking that anything was changing after this win, that the world was always the same, but finally if we look at the results, it has given me the motivation and the power to be able to win the races. So, for sure, this race helped me to be more competitive.”
ALEIX ESPARGARO
Are you a lot more optimistic about podium chances this weekend?
“Yes fully agreed. It’s clear that two six places are not the best for the points and for the championship but as you mentioned they’re very difficult tracks and I’m proud because I did a very big effort. Now we’re at tracks that I really like and really enjoy, Aragon is one of my best tracks on the calendar so I can’t wait!”
Why does Aragon suit you and Aprilia?
“There is a lot of lean angle corners, we are struggling, especially me, on the hard brakes with the bike completely straight, I can’t stop the bike. But as soon as I’m able to lean and brake and in these types of accelerations the bike has a lot of stability and performance. So this is the reason why Aragon has been a good track for us so far and the 2022 spec-bike is the best Aprilia so far so I can’t wait to try it.”
How important is it to be back on the podium?
“The Championship is arriving at the last part, five races in six weeks is crazy. It’s going to be very fun, very demanding, so we can’t lose or concede more points. We have to be more competitive again like we were in the first part of the season, Aragon is a track I love and I hope we can start to be back on the podium here.”
ENEA BASTIANINI
How confident are you of fighting for the win again here?
“We come here from a really good race at Misano. We are starting on the right foot on Friday and this is important for us because, after the summer break, we are back stronger from the start, and I like this, and I think this can help me for the future. Aragon is one of my favourite tracks, I like it a lot, and I remember last year that I was fast in the race. For the future, we have three consecutive races and it will be hard to stay concentrated to the end of the championship but I’m motivated to do a great job.”
Are you aiming to find the missing consistency in the final six races of the season?
“Yeah, I felt this a little bit in the middle of the Championship this year. I have made a lot of errors since Mugello and this is not good for the Championship – we know this – but I think, for the rest of the Championship, I can be competitive in every race. Sometimes it will be harder to be part of the front group in the race, but I have a good package, the bike is very nice, and also because we have eight Ducatis, we can compare the data every time.”
Have there been any further discussions with Ducati about helping Bagnaia?
“The relationship also with the other guys at Ducati is very nice and I think we can be competitive, all the Ducati riders, for the future. We talk a lot together every time and I think it can be a key to get a great result in the future.”
JOAN MIR
How much you looking forward to being back?
“Yes very happy to be back here. It’s been a difficult two weeks trying to recover the ankle as much as I could, trying to be here in Aragon is the main goal. I know in these days I’ll have some pain because I’m not fully recovered but it won’t be a problem in terms of speed I guess, so I’m happy to be back.”
Any specific targets before the end of the season?
“Missing one race isn’t that much but if we couldn’t come to Aragon then two races you start to lose a bit of form and everything and it’s something I didn’t want. For me the main goal is to try and enjoy, in Austria I think we made a small improvement in terms of speed and we have to continue on that way and we have to see if we can fight in the top positions again, that will make me and the team very happy.”
Thoughts on 2023 Repsol Honda news:
“I’m very happy to finally announce that, it’s like a relief for me after many races you asking me this question and I couldn’t answer. So yeah it’s a big challenge, I have a big challenge in front of me. I know that I arrive to Honda in not the best moment for them and that makes the challenge a bit more intense, but the important thing is apart from that I need to finish the season as best as I can with Suzuki, then we will have time to think about Honda and everything. The goal for me is to finish the season as best as I can and to see if we can fight for a podium or victory, who knows.”
MARC MARQUEZ
What are your emotions coming into this weekend?
“First of all, hello everybody. Of course, I’m really happy to come back. It’s something that, even in Mugello, I didn’t expect to be here at Aragon to race this year, but things have been in a good way from the beginning, from the surgery, and step-by-step, I feel better. Of course, it’s a long way to go. The target I want to achieve, I still need to do a lot of work. But, after the Misano test, it has been very positive, the feeling. The way that I finished the test in terms of physical condition was good. We analysed my recovery with the arm during the following days and we understood that there may be some possibility to be in Aragon and we discussed it with the doctors, with the team, and with everybody, and we decided to be here because one of the most important things is to be on the bike, for myself but also to prepare the 2023, and now it’s important to combine and to have a good strategy and combine well the gym and the bike, and let’s see what I can do.”
Some riders expect you to fight for the podium here; what are your aims for the rest of the season?
“About the podium, my possibilities are one percent; I mean, really, really low. One thing is that I’m really far from my best physical condition, especially always talking about arm condition about the muscles. The bone is fixed – that is most important – but the muscle conditions still are very far from what I want. The second thing is that, as Mir mentioned, Honda is in a very difficult moment – we saw that from the other riders – and we are far from the other manufacturers, so let’s see. My target, my goal is to try to finish all weekends from now on. It’s true that the possibility’s on the table, because three races in a row are coming up, that maybe in Japan, maybe in Thailand, I need to stop in the middle of the weekend – we don’t know – but my intention and my goal is to try and finish all these weekends, try to prepare the 2023 well, try to give my precise comments to Honda, and let’s see. Try to be better and better, and next winter is when I need to understand where the level is or where is the top level of my right arm.”
Is the Kalex swingarm the new direction you wanted to see? Is Honda moving in the direction you want to see it going?
“I mean, Honda is Honda, and I’m not the guy, I’m not the person to organise a company. Just sometimes, it’s true that we share our comments and we try to give some ideas. In Misano, we tried a Kalex swingarm. If we tried it in Misano, it’s not that they started to speak in Austria – they started to speak before – so they are working really hard, they understand the situation, and they understand that we are far from especially Ducati and Aprilia, and we need to keep working. They are involved in the project, next year I will have a strong team-mate too, so the riders will be there. Now we need to the tools to work and to fight for a World Championship.”
Suzuki V-Strom 650 Adventure Models Continuing In 2023
Suzuki Launches Returning 2023 V-Strom 650 Adventure Tourers and Burgman 400 Scooter
Brea, CA – Continuing the release of the 2023 models are several highly versatile and stylish bikes in the Suzuki motorcycle product line.
The sophisticated and practical Burgman 400 scooter is perfect for everyday commuting with style, and the versatile V-Strom 650 makes for a well-equipped, intelligently engineered adventure touring middleweight. Both the Burgman and the V-Strom 650 offer riders real-world performance, class-leading build quality and unmatched value.
Adventure
V-Strom 650 models – Suzuki’s V-Strom 650 models attract riders demanding versatility combined with a rousing riding experience, who demand their motorcycles excel at touring, commuting, or augment a fun adventure when their ride demands it. These are touchstone middleweight motorcycles offering unprecedented balance with a natural riding position, comfortable ergonomics, and a flexible and vibrant engine signature producing stress-free riding during commutes around town or high-mile touring adventures.
V-Strom 650XT Adventure – Point the iconic Suzuki DR-BIG-inspired beak of the V-Strom at the horizon as the 37L quick-release aluminum panniers, rugged accessory bar, handlebar cross-brace, and mirror extensions are standard equipment. Finished with deep, Glass Sparkle Black paint, the 2023 V-Strom 650XT Adventure performs on tubeless-spoke wheels with blue-anodized rims conveying style, strength, and performance.
Loaded with intelligent features and ready for any adventure, the V-Strom 650XT Adventure continues the V-Strom legacy of offering a fun, agile, adventurous motorcycle providing unmatched versatility. The engine delivers stellar performance and great fuel economy while achieving worldwide emission standards. Suzuki’s proven engineering delivers a bike with low weight and a trim chassis, creating a V-Strom 650XT Adventure that does so many things so well, this bike could be called the Swiss Army Knife of motorcycles.
Check out a 2023 V-Strom 650XT Adventure for your next ride and you’ll see it checks off every box on a rider’s exploration list.
2023 V-Strom 650XT Adventure
MSRP $10,799
V-Strom 650XT – Riders love the Suzuki 2023 V-Strom 650XT for its unique merger of a lightweight chassis coupled with an exciting liquid-cooled, 90-degree, 650cc V-twin engine. A merger that creates a perfectly balanced motorcycle capable of delivering excitement, comfort, and confidence on every ride.
Riders exploring the V-Strom 650XT see it delivering on motorcycling adventure while bringing a big dose of intelligence and versatility. The 2023 V-Strom 650XT comes in a Pearl Brilliant White livery and is complemented by hand guards, a lower engine cowl, as well as spoke-style gold-anodized wheels mounting tubeless radial dual-sport tires.
2023 V-Strom 650XT
MSRP $9,599
V-Strom 650 – The Suzuki V-Strom 650 is the perfect motorcycle for riders looking for versatility, real-world performance, and exceptional value. The 2023 V-Strom 650’s perfect blend of V-twin performance in a strong, yet lightweight chassis that delivers thrilling rides and cost-effective fun like no other adventure tourer on the scene today.
The 2023 V-Strom 650 rocks Suzuki’s beautiful Pearl Vigor Blue and Metallic Matte Sword Silver paint complemented with black accents giving this model runway-level attractiveness. The beak-style fairing, with vertically stacked headlights, augments the V-Strom 650’s aerodynamic prowess while protecting the rider in style. Light and strong 10-spoke cast wheels shod with Adventure-spec Bridgestone Battlax 19-inch front and 17-inch rear tubeless radial tires are great for all-around performance.
2023 V-Strom 650
MSRP $9,104
Scooter
Burgman 400 – Already the leader in its category, the 2023 Suzuki Burgman 400 continues with a host of styling, technical, and feature updates galvanizing its reputation as the Elegant Athlete of the scooter world. The Burgman 400’s slim and sharp styling features a new Solid Iron Gray paint scheme combined with blue wheels and seat stitching that pay classy homage to Suzuki’s on-road championship heritage.
The Burgman’s nose and tail blend sophisticated styling with full LED function, as the dual headlights have integrated position lights, while the rear combination taillight elegantly blends with the smooth bodywork. Functional design is brought to the well-thought-out instrument panel. Riding range and real-time fuel consumption indicators also may help the rider conserve fuel.
The Burgman’s strong and responsive 400cc engine has a revised camshaft profile and a dual-spark technology ignition system achieving worldwide emissions standards while offering impressive fuel economy and highway riding power.
Similar to systems used on Suzuki’s V-Strom 650 adventure tourer and GSX-S750 street bikes, the Burgman features a rider-selectable Traction Control* system offering the rider peace of mind and excellent road-holding ability in a variety of road conditions. Suzuki’s Easy Start System is a standard Burgman feature, so a simple, momentary press of the starter button starts the engine, while the fuel injection maintains a steady, smooth idle under all conditions.
The large-diameter 15-inch cast front wheel helps increase stability while enhancing the Burgman 400’s visual appearance and carries a pair of 260mm disc brake rotors. The 13-inch rear wheel has a 210mm hydraulic disc brake for reliable stopping control. The Anti-lock Brake System (ABS)** monitors wheel speeds and hydraulic pressure hundreds of times per second to help provide stopping power that matches the available traction.
Blending styling, engineering, and chassis performance, along with confidence-inspiring rider aids, the Suzuki Burgman 400 remains the premium scooter of choice for riders of all experience levels seeking a scooter that makes a statement of intelligence and bravado.
2023 Burgman 400
MSRP $8,599
*The Traction Control System is not a substitute for the rider’s throttle control. It cannot prevent loss of traction due to excessive speed when the rider enters a turn and/or applies the brakes. Neither can it prevent the front wheel from losing grip
**Depending on road surface conditions, such as wet, loose, or uneven roads, braking distance for an ABS-equipped vehicle may be longer than for a vehicle not equipped with ABS. ABS cannot prevent wheel skidding caused by braking while cornering. Please drive carefully and do not overly rely on ABS.