Provisional 2023 British GP dates announced, MotoGP™ to return to the International Paddock
The event will remain a midsummer spectacle in 2023 as the MotoGP™ paddock returns to the International Paddock
Sunday, 07 August 2022
As the 2022 Monster Energy British Grand Prix gets in gear for race day, more details on the 2023 event can now be revealed.
Next year, the FIM MotoGP™ World Championship will return to the stunning Silverstone for another classic showdown from the 4th to the 6th of August 2023, retaining the perfect midsummer slot it moved to this season.
The 2023 event will also mark the MotoGP™ paddock’s return to the International Paddock and the iconic Silverstone Wing complex for the first time since 2012. The start-finish line will therefore be on the Hamilton Straight, with Abbey as Turn 1.
As the pinnacle of two wheels, MotoGP™ is a racing laboratory, driving progress and innovation at the forefront of the world’s push towards a more sustainable future – and working with all partners and stakeholders to put sustainability top of the agenda: racing together. Silverstone is a perfect partner in the sport’s push to create positive change as the first motor racing venue to join the UNFCCC Sports for Climate Action programme.
Since opening in 2011, the Silverstone Wing has become emblematic of the venue and is increasingly becoming a symbol of the circuit’s world-leading commitment to sustainability. As part of Silverstone’s Shift to Zero policy, the track has already installed 1,342 solar panels on the roof of the Wing International Conference and Exhibition Centre, and Phase 2 of this project, due for completion this autumn, will see a total of 2,764 panels covering over 5,200 m2. Over the next 12 months, Silverstone will also be installing 30 electric vehicle charging stations on site.
All Silverstone’s on-site generators now run on HVO biofuel, resulting in a 90% reduction of CO2 emissions and, from 2023, all the electricity consumed on site will be generated from renewable energy sources.
MotoGP™’s return to the International Paddock from 2023 will coincide with this important shift. Moving to alongside the Hamilton Straight will enable MotoGP™ to stage an even more sustainable event as the paddock will require significantly less temporary infrastructure – using less energy, more efficiently as the sport and its partners continue to drive progress.
Stuart Pringle, Managing Director of Silverstone: “I am looking forward to having MotoGP back at the International Paddock in 2023 which is now connected by a brand-new bridge to the 197 room Silverstone Hilton Garden Inn Hotel. By August 2023, phase 2 of the Wing solar panel project will be completed and will generate over 13% of the venue’s annual power, an initiative that aligns with Silverstone’s Shift to Zero plans and Dorna’s commitment to a more sustainable future.”
Carmelo Ezpeleta, CEO of Dorna Sports: “We’re delighted to announce when we will return to Silverstone next year, and that we will be returning to the International Paddock. Racing together, MotoGP is committed to increasing our positive impact and Silverstone is a valuable partner in our push to create a more sustainable future.
“As already announced, MotoGP will be powered by 100% sustainable fuel by 2027, and that is just one part of our global strategy as sustainability takes centre stage for the sport. Now is the time to take that innovation and let it inspire us in all our actions, on and off track, and we look forward to returning to the Wing as the perfect symbol of what is possible when we combine innovation, drive and our shared passion to create positive change.”
Make sure to save the provisional dates for another stunning and ever more sustainable British GP in 2023 as MotoGP™ returns to Silverstone from the 4th to the 6th of August.
Provisional Mission Production Twins Main Event Results (all on Dunlop tires):
1. Michael Rush (Har), 23 laps
2. Cory Texter (Yam), -02.490 seconds
3. Nick Armstrong (Yam), -05.634
4. Jesse Janisch (Har), -05.831
5. Michael Hill (Yam), -07.528
6. Ryan Wells (Kaw), -08.223
7. Cameron Smith (Yam), -09.016
8. Billy Ross (Har), -09.814
9. Johnny Lewis (Roy), -11.190
10. Cody Johncox (Yam), -14.940
11. Kasey Sciscoe (Kaw), -1 lap
12. Brock Schwarzenbacher (Kaw), -1 lap, -09.501
Provisional Parts Unlimited AFT Singles Main Event Results (all on Dunlop tires):
1. Trevor Brunner (Yam), 23 laps
2. Morgen Mischler (Hon), -00.494 second
3. Trent Lowe (Hon), -02.260 seconds
4. Dalton Gauthier (Hon), -02.766
5. Kody Kopp (KTM), -04.532
6. Ferran Cardus (Hon), -05.406
7. Max Whale (KTM), -05.517
8. James Ott (KTM), -05.799
9. Chad Cose (Hon), -09.145
10. Tarren Santero (Yam), -09.469
11. Gage Smith (Hon), -10.642
12. Hunter Bauer (KTM), -11.125
13. Jared Lowe (Hon), -12.074
14. Justin Jones (Hon), -14.440
15. Ryan Wells (Hon), -18.741
16. Travis Petton (Hon), -1 lap, -16.545
17. Chase Saathoff (Hon), -7 laps
Provisional Mission SuperTwins Main Event Results (all on Dunlop tires)(Race stopped due to rain and cancelled):
1. Jared Mees (Ind), 0 laps
2. Briar Bauman (Ind), -00.011 seconds
3. Dallas Daniels (Yam), -00.0**
4. JD Beach (Yam), -00.0**
5. Jarod Vanderkooi (Ind), -00.639
6. Brandon Robinson (Ind), -00.495
7. Davis Fisher (Ind), -00.451
8. Robert Pearson (Ind), -00.502
9. Jeffrey Carver (Har), -00.755
10. Shayna Texter-Bauman (Ind), -00.931
11. Ben Lowe (Ind), -00.921
12. Bronson Bauman (Har), -00.753
13. Michael Rush (PT) (Har), -01.580
14. Cory Texter (PT) (Yam), -01.099
15. Nick Armstrong (PT) (Yam), -01.297
16. Jesse Janisch (PT) (Har), -01.040
More, from a press release issued by American Flat Track (AFT):
Rush, Brunner Take First Wins of ‘22 in Black Hills Half-Mile
AFT Singles competitors Trevor Brunner (21) and Morgen Mischler (13) in action at Black Hills Speedway. Photo by Tim Lester, courtesy AFT.
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (August 6, 2022) – Progressive American Flat Track saw a pair of undercard stars recapture their past glory in Saturday evening’s Progressive Black Hills Half-Mile presented by Saddlemen at Black Hills Speedway in Rapid City, South Dakota.
But even the world’s fastest riders were unable to outrace the rain, which brought the Mission SuperTwins presented by S&S Cycle Main Event to a conclusion just moments after it started.
The stage was set for what promised to be an intriguing final battle before the skies opened, forcing the race to be red flagged. Continued inclement weather ultimately led to the round to be called complete. By rule, with the Main Event’s starting positions decided but less than two laps completed, every rider on the grid was awarded one point and “Rain Pay” (which divides 50% of the posted purse equally among all riders who earned starting positions) for their day’s work.
While a frustrating end for everyone involved, the night was highlighted by a pair of thrilling support races headlined by two highly motivated race winners.
Mission Production Twins presented by Vance & Hines
Despite still riding at less than 100%, Mikey Rush (No. 15 Helipower Racing/Las Vegas Harley-Davidson XG750R) achieved a huge milestone in his comeback following last year’s season-ending injury by taking his first-career Mission Production Twins presented by Vance & Hines victory.
Already a race winner in Progressive AFT’s other two classes, Rush completed the hat trick after tracking down and overhauling Mission Production Twins title rivals Jesse Janisch (No. 33 Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson XG750R) and Cory Texter (No. 1 G&G Racing/Yamaha Racing Yamaha MT-07).
Those two had been widely expected to settle tonight’s winner between themselves, a notion seemingly confirmed when they battled back and forth at the front during the race’s opening stages.
Instead, Rush executed a quick charge up to third before slotting past Texter for second at mid-distance. He pulled the same trick on Janisch 30 seconds later and just as quickly left the two in his wake.
“I never doubted myself,” said an emotional Rush. “It’s been a rough road coming off the couch and getting back to what I love doing. These guys rode a hell of a race, and I knew we had our work cut out for us.
“Just a big shout out to my team. I couldn’t do it without the Helipower Racing/Las Vegas Harley-Davidson team. My crew works their tail off and it’s an honor to ride these bikes.”
Despite missing out on the win, it still proved to be a positive night for Texter when considering the bigger picture. Aided by an assist from Nick Armstrong (No. 60 Competitive Racing Frames/Lessley Brothers Yamaha MT-07), who knocked Janisch off the podium altogether with a last-gasp move to claim his first podium since April’s I-70 Half-Mile, runner-up Texter managed to reduce Janisch’s title lead down from eleven points to six (214-208).
While it’s more than a little strong to call the result a disaster for Janisch, it was still a disappointment after he had managed to sweep the evening’s practice, qualifying, and Semi sessions – just as he had in his prior two victories – until finishing fourth in the Main.
Semi winner Michael Hill (No. 47 Pacific Auto Trim/Jim Speer Yamaha MT-07) enjoyed the best result of his professional career by completing the race’s top five.
Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER
Trevor Brunner (No. 21 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F) finally brought an end to the season-long stranglehold of the top step on the podium by the combined efforts of the factory KTM and American Honda squads thanks to a tenacious performance in the night’s Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER Main Event.
Brunner seized the early lead and controlled the race’s opening half but still found himself in need of a late strike after earlier losing the position to an on-form Morgen Mischler (No. 13 American Honda/Progressive Insurance CRF450R).
In fact, for a time, second-ranked Mischler appeared well positioned to make huge inroads in what had become a hefty title deficit. The Wisconsin native darted past both Brunner and teammate Chase Saathoff (No. 106 American Honda/Progressive Insurance CRF450R) to take point and had a third win of the season in his sights while championship leader Kody Kopp (No. 12 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 450 SX-FFE) languished down near the bottom of the top ten.
However, Brunner had other ideas, drawing back up on the rear of Mischler’s machine and ultimately diving underneath him to reclaim the lead with just ten seconds remaining on the clock. Brunner then cemented the win with a perfect execution of the final two laps to score his first victory since being drafted into the Estenson Racing Yamaha team at the start of the season to fill the seat left vacant due to the premier-class graduation of two-time Parts Unlimited AFT Singles champion Dallas Daniels.
Afterward, Brunner said, “After Mischler got by me, I just tried to stay cool, calm, and collected behind him. I tried to figure out what he was doing that was faster than what I was doing. I kind of figured that out and got close enough where it just became a matter of what I could do to pass him and where I could do it. Fortunately, I got under him entering one of the turns and never looked back.
“I can’t thank my whole team enough for all the support and all the hard work they’ve put in for me.”
Trent Lowe (No. 48 Mission Foods/Al Lamb’s Dallas Honda CRF450R) picked up his third podium finish of the season after out-dueling ‘19 class champ Dalton Gauthier (No. 79 American Honda/Progressive Insurance CRF450R) in their tussle for the final spot on the box.
Meanwhile, Mischler’s hopes to make major waves were further deflated after Saathoff encountered difficulties and lost several positions, including one to Kopp, who ultimately fought all the way back up to fifth at the checkered flag.
As a result, Kopp remains firmly in control of the title chase – even if he no longer seems quite as invincible as he did a few weeks back – leading Mischler by a still mammoth 44 points (234-190).
The Progressive Black Hills Half-Mile presented by Saddlemen will premiere on FS1 on Sunday, August 14, at 11:00 a.m. ET/8:00 a.m. PT, including exclusive features, cutting-edge aerial drone and onboard footage, and expert commentary.
You can catch the livestream of all the weekend’s racing activities on FansChoice.tv. FansChoice.tv provides free-to-view livestreaming of Practice and Qualifying. FansChoice.tv subscribers will then be able to watch the drama unfold from Opening Ceremonies through the Semis, Main Events, and podium celebrations. FansChoice.tv offers two subscription options, granting unlimited access to premium AFT content. Monthly subscriptions start at just $7.99, while a six-month subscription is available for $44.99.
FOX Sports and FansChoice.tv are the official homes for coverage of Progressive American Flat Track. For the 2022 season, all races will premiere in one-hour telecasts on FS1 during highly desirable weekend time slots. The complete schedule can be viewed at https://www.americanflattrack.com/events-foxsports. FansChoice.tv provides livestreaming coverage of every Progressive AFT round at http://www.FansChoice.tv.
Zarco obliterates the lap record to beat Viñales to Silverstone pole
Zarco, Viñales, Miller, Quartararo, Bagnaia and Aleix Espargaro all put in 1:57s in a super shootout at Silverstone
Johann Zarco. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Saturday, 06 August 2022
Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing) came out on top after a serious assault on the lap record in Q2 at the Monster Energy British Grand Prix at Silverstone, with the Frenchman putting in a 1:57.767 to just beat Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) by 0.098. Zarco extends his record as the rider with most premier class poles without a win and Viñales takes his first front row with Aprilia, with Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) completing that front row just another 0.066 back. The front two rows all went under the 1:57 barrier and eight riders beat the 2019 lap record.
Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) will start from Row 2 after a 1:57 and a stunning salvage job. The Aprilia rider suffered a huge highside in FP4 at Turn 12 and was sent skywards, given the all clear to continue by the Medical Centre with no fractures but definitely left with a pain barrier to ride through in qualifying and on Sunday.
Q1
Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) headed through on top, the Italian not really threatened by the rest in Q1 but the battle behind proving close.
It was Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) holding onto second until later in the session, but a late lunge from Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) saw him usurp the South African to move through.
Some early drama unfolded for Alex Marquez (LCR Honda Castrol) in the session as the Spaniard crashed down at the Vale chicane, rider ok but still lead Honda down in P17.
Q2
After his huge highside at Turn 12 in FP4, a bruised Aleix Espargaro was back out on track, meanwhile Martin laid down a quality early banker to edge teammate Zarco by less than a tenth after the first flying laps – meaning a 1:58.377 was the time to beat.
Quartararo did then better that by 0.118s as Miller rose to P2, 0.001s off the Frenchman. Espargaro’s first effort was 1.6s away from Quartararo’s pace, but that was just an exploratory run to see how he was feeling. New tyres were fitted and the number 41 was back out to see how far up the grid he could get.
It was Espargaro’s teammate Viñales who occupied provisional P3 heading into the final five minutes of the session though, with Martin and Zarco shuffled down to P4 and P5, with Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) P6 ahead of seventh placed Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team).
Attention then turned to Aleix Espargaro. Three red sectors resulted in a 1:57.966 – amazingly, a new all-time lap record and a phenomenal attempt. It wasn’t going to be enough for pole position, however, as a flurry of rapid times were about to come in. Quartararo briefly returned to P1 before Miller then bettered the Yamaha rider, but then came Zarco. He took over and the lap held firm as it wasn’t beaten by Bagnaia, who slotted into P4.
The last rider to cross the line on a flying lap was Viñales and it was a belter. Top Gun’s 1:57.865 was enough to shoot him up to second place, earning the Spaniard his best qualifying result with Aprilia and his first front row since claiming pole at the 2021 Dutch TT.
The Grid
Zarco’s new all-time lap record gives the man third in the World Championship chase his second pole of the season, ahead of Viñales and Miller. Quartararo will be praying for a great getaway from P4 as he faces the much-talked-about Long Lap penalty on Sunday afternoon, as three key title contenders line up on the second row: Bagnaia starts P5, Aleix Espargaro starts P6.
After coming through Q1, Bezzecchi starts seventh ahead of fellow Q1 graduate Bastianini – amazingly, both of the Ducati riders were under Marc Marquez’s (Repsol Honda Team) old lap record at Silverstone too. That’s just how competitive MotoGP™ is in 2022!
Martin has to settle for P9 despite being less than half a second away from pole, as Luca Marini (Mooney VR46 Racing Team), Rins and Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar) round out the Q2 places in P10, P11 and P12 respectively.
After all that, we’re set up for a spell-binding Sunday at Silverstone. Don’t miss a crucial battle in the Championship at 13:00 local time (GMT+1) as the premier class take on the Monster Energy British Grand Prix.
MotoGP™: FRONT ROW
1 Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing) – Ducati – 1’57.767
3 Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) – Ducati – +0.164
Johann Zarco: “Pretty happy. I got good confidence in FP4 with the hard rear, and on the first lap on the soft rear in qualifying, I felt this 58.4 was coming with good control. So, then it was necessary to have an extra push with the second tyre, and I’m pretty happy that I could do it immediately from the first lap when the tyre has the best performance. There was nobody on track – no one slowing down and disturbing me – just a few guys in front of me. It was good enough to get this extra motivation and enjoy a good time.”
Fernandez pips Roberts to lay down the gauntlet on Saturday
The Spaniard is back on top for the first time since 2019 as he denies Roberts by just 0.034
Augusto Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo) took his second career pole position at the Monster Energy British Grand Prix, just holding off Joe Roberts (Italtrans Racing Team) by 0.034 after a close Q2 on Saturday. Ai Ogura (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia), who trails Fernandez by a single point in the standings, lines up third for what promises to be a classic intermediate class race at Silverstone.
Q1
Jorge Navarro (Flexbox HP 40) emerged on top by a tenth in the first session, heading through ahead of Manuel Gonzalez (Yamaha VR46 Master Camp Team), Alessandro Zaccone (Gresini Racing Moto2) and Somkiat Chantra (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia), who just beat Lorenzo Dalla Porta (Italtrans Racing Team) to a place in Q2 by hundredths.
Q2
It was Fernandez vs Jake Dixon (GASGAS Aspar Team) for much of practice but that duel couldn’t quite materialise in qualifying as the Brit took a tumble – rider perfectly ok and rejoining – but not then able to push for pole. Fernandez, however, kept it almost pitch perfect to take to the top, back on pole for the first time since the 2019 Catalan GP and for only the second time so far.
Roberts gave it a good go and got within 0.034, but the American is forced to settle for second ahead of Ogura as the Japanese rider joins fellow Championship challenger Fernandez on the front row.
Albert Arenas (GASGAS Aspar Team) takes fourth ahead of Celestino Vietti (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) as the latter pushes to hold onto that moniker on Sunday, also facing down a Long Lap penalty as Fernandez and Ogura line up ahead of him. Dixon completes Row 2, well in the right postcode to push for a home podium.
Bo Bendsneyder (Pertamina Mandalika SAG Team), Alonso Lopez (CAG Speed Up) and Marcel Schrötter (Liqui Moly Intact GP) are on Row 3, with Aron Canet (Flexbox HP 40) down in P10 and looking for more on race day.
That race day is a little later for the intermediate class at Silverstone, with lights out at 14:30 (GMT +1) – don’t miss it!
2 Joe Roberts (Italtrans Racing Team) – Kalex – +0.034
3 Ai Ogura (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) – Kalex – +0.177
Augusto Fernandez: “Yeah, it was a good one, I’m so happy with this pole. Also, because we struggled a little bit this morning – not a lot – but in the end we could make a good lap. Yeah, it was flying this morning and we wanted to do a good lap. A 2:04.1, I think, was the pole, so feeling good, feeling a bit better with the bike in terms of pace, so ready for tomorrow!”
Moreira makes history to become first Brazilian to take lightweight class pole
The rookie heads Guevara by just 0.068, with Garcia facing a fight back from P11
Diogo Moreira (MT Helmets – MSI) became the first Brazilian rider to take pole position in the lightweight class on Saturday at the Monster Energy British Grand Prix, the rookie riding the venue for the very first time and getting the better of Championship challenger Izan Guevara (Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team) by just 0.068. Ryusei Yamanaka made it both MT Helmets – MSI riders on the front row as he took third, and the Japanese rider was still within 0.078 of pole as the margins proved small despite the expanse of Silverstone Circuit.
Q1
Two huge names found themselves down in Q1: Championship leader Sergio Garcia (Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team) and multiple winner Jaume Masia (Red Bull KTM Ajo). It all went down to the wire and Riccardo Rossi (SIC58 Squadra Corse) moved through on top, just ahead of Xavier Artigas (CFMoto Racing PrüstelGP). Garcia held on to third ahead of Taiyo Furusato (Honda Team Asia) as the Japanese rider stayed ahead of David Muñoz (BOE Motorsports), Adrian Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Tech3) and Masia – who faces race day down from P20.
Q2
After the first runs it was Moreira on top already, and despite a Leopard Racing freight train of Tatsuki Suzuki and Dennis Foggia giving it a shot, and no one could topple the Brazilian on take two either. So the rookie keeps pole ahead of Championship challenger Guevara, with Yamanaka on the heels of the Leopard train and coming through to take third.
Rossi holds fourth after topping Q1, ahead of Stefano Nepa (Angeluss MTA Team) in fifth and Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Tech 3) in sixth as the Turk looks to extend his streak as the only rider to score in every race so far in 2022.
Foggia and Suzuki head up Row 3, not able to gain on the final run, with Assen winner Ayumu Sasaki (Sterilgarda Max Racing Team) pipping home hero teammate John McPhee just behind as the two Husqvarnas complete the top ten.
Behind them, Championship leader Garcia faces a fight back from P11 and will be looking for more on Sunday, with teammate Guevara perfectly poised to attack that points lead. Can the number 11 hit back?
The lights go out for the lightweight class at the slightly later time of 11:20 (GMT +1) on Sunday, tune in to see who will head the standings on the way to Austria!
Diogo Moreira: “For sure, we are happy – my first time here in Silverstone and my first pole position. I think we are in a good way, we trained a lot for the first day here and I hope tomorrow stays the same. Let’s see!”
A delayed and revised Top 10 Trial for pole position for the third round of the FIM Endurance World Championship saw Tetsuta Nagashima post a 2m04.934 to take pole position on the #33 Team HRC CBR1000RR-R SP for tomorrow’s 43rd running of the Coca-Cola Suzuka 8 Hours whilst YART lead the way for the EWC season-contenders.
After mixed conditions affected running so far at Suzuka the single pole lap format was revised for an open 40-minute session for the two nominated riders from each team.
For Team HRC, it was Nagashima first to push the Bridgestones, with the pole lap set on his first flying lap, which would prove to be unbeatable for the rest of the session.
“So I’m really happy to that we have achieved the pole position,” said Nagashima. “Unfortunately, we didn’t have the top 10 trial today. But anyway, we’re going to do it’s very good to start from the pole opposition. So tomorrow we’re going to do a great job.
Next fastest was another Suzuka-only effort with the #10 Kawasaki Racing Team Suzuka 8H ZX-10R and Jonathan Rea making amends for his FP2 off to set a 2m05.149s late on in the session.
“I was very happy with the lap time,” said Rea. “I got caught out a little bit this morning with the Bridgestone tyre as it’s the first time I’ve ever used their soft tyre. We’ve been working with the race tyre and I underestimated how much grip the soft has in change of direction.
“I really support the race directors when they changed the Top 10 Trial format because so many riders hadn’t completed one chrono lap, so for me to go into super pole and set one lap would have been very strange. So, instead we had 40 minutes to make the lap time and step by step I understood this soft tyre and you know the lap time was quite good, I made a few mistakes but really happy with second place.
“Congratulations to Tetsuto as it’s an incredible lap time. My team-mates have been doing a really good job this week and we’ve got a great starting position.”
Leading the charge for the EWC season contenders, it was the #7 YART – Yamaha Official Team EWC with all three riders going out in the session as allowed by the revised format, and all three posting times in the 2m05s.
It was Karel Hanika last to post his fast time and his was the fastest too, with a 2m05.769s from Marvin Fritz on a 2m05.776s and Niccolò Canape with a 2m05.981s, illustrating just how well matched the YART riders are.
“I’m pretty happy to sit here next to these guys so congratulations to Honda and Kawasaki,” said Hanika. “First of all, I should not have been running today as I had a pretty nasty crash yesterday so the Top 10 Trial should have been for my team-mates. To stand here today with the fastest lap on the Yamaha is pretty good, but the most important is that all of us are fast.
“Coming to this race we knew that we were lacking a bit of pace in the testing compared to these guys, so that is what we were working on this week. We can feel the improvements in the dry conditions and even in the wet. Probably we need to improve in the mix conditions, but hopefully we can be good tomorrow.”
Second quickest of the regulars was the #5 FCC TSR CBR1000RR-R Fireblade with Josh Hook posting a 2m06.204s, whilst the #37 BMW MOTORRAD WORLD ENDURANCE TEAM M1000RR qualified 9th with Markus Reiterberger setting a 2m06.897s.
More, from a press release issued by Kawasaki:
KRT Takes Second Place On Suzuka 8 Hours Grid
Saturday practice and qualifying at the 2022 Suzuka 8 Hours took place in unexpected fashion as the competing teams entered the final day before the race itself on Sunday. The Number 10 official KRT squad ended a sometimes dramatic few hours on track second on the starting grid, just 0.215 seconds from the very top.
A final – and unexpected – ‘Superpole-style’ qualifying session was held over 40 minutes duration. It determined the top ten starting places for the 43rd Suzuka 8 Hours race. The planned ‘Ten Lap Trial’ qualifying format, for the ten best teams from earlier qualifying sessions, was cancelled. The final free practice session held just before the Top Ten Trial had been cut short after a crash, reducing important preparation time for the Top Ten Trial itself.
WorldSBK KRT riders Jonathan Rea and Alex Lowes were the two riders who set the final qualifying laps for the team in the 40 minute session. Lowes was fast straight away on his first flying lap with a soft Bridgestone rear tyre, but Rea could not capitalise fully in his first run on the soft tyre.
The team and rider came up with a plan that saw Rea finally qualify second fastest, to earn an almost ideal starting position alongside the fastest qualifiers from Team HRC. Rea set a strong 2’05.149 lap on the Ninja ZX-10RR despite not having a perfectly clean best lap.
Weather conditions for Raceday are predicted to be changeable which promises a challenging day for all 45 teams who are on the provisional starting grid. Wise tyre and refuelling strategies will count as much as the three riders’ personal on-track performances.
Kawasaki will now attempt to take a third Suzuka 8 Hours victory as a manufacturer.
The 43rd Suzuka 8 Hours will start – and finish – on Sunday 7 August 2022.
Jonathan Rea, stated: “I am very happy with the lap-time. This morning I got caught out a little bit with the tyre. It is the first time I have ever used the soft tyre from Bridgestone. We have been working a lot with our race tyre and I underestimated how much grip there was in the change of direction. So, to do the ‘Time Attack’, I support the decision of the directors when they changed the format. With so many riders having completed one chrono lap, for me to go into a Superpole one lap session was very strange. We then had 40 minutes to make a lap time. Step-by-step, I understood the soft tyre and the lap was quite good. I made a few mistakes but I am really happy with second place. My team-mates have been doing a really good job this weekend so we have an incredible starting position.”
Alex Lowes, stated: “I am really happy with qualifying. For me it was my best ever lap at Suzuka and I have been coming here for a long time. So that was nice. As a team we have been doing a really good job. We have worked hard for the race and we have been pretty good in all different conditions. It looks like we are going to have some typical Suzuka rain, on-and-off, on Sunday. So we need to be prepared for that and able to adapt to all the situations. But we are really enjoying being back here at the Suzuka 8-Hours. It has been a couple of years since we have been able to come back so I am happy to be here now. It’s been a pleasure to be riding with these guys, Leon and Jonathan, and I am looking forward to the race tomorrow.”
Leon Haslam, stated: “For me it was a different qualifying day to normal, when I would have had the pressure of riding. Today, I think I was more nervous watching these guys and there was more excitement than when I had to ride the bike! They both did an amazing job. Alex straight in with a tyre he had never used before and into the 2.05s. Johnny was fantastic. Honestly, the team has been working really well and I am happy to be a part of the Kawasaki Racing Team with these two guys. Step-by-step again now and we will see what the weather holds tomorrow. I am feeling very confident and really happy with everything so far.”
Guim Roda, KRT Team Manager, stated: “It has been another stressful Saturday because first it was wet and raining in the morning. Then we didn’t know how to approach the Top Ten Trial. In the Free Practice before the Top Ten Trial qualifying Johnny fell and we needed to reorganise some things in our strategy. Then there was another crash and they had to cancel the free practice. Then the organisation and the FIM had to cancel the Top Ten Trial, and we went into 40 minutes of Superpole-style qualifying. In that time we had to play with the tyres we had left; not so many. We organised to work with Johnny and Alex as the two riders who would go for the best lap time. Alex made an incredible job using the soft tyre for the first time. He had to run fast straight away but also check the feeling he was getting. He made an incredible lap time. At the same time Johnny, in the first ‘out,’ did not quite understand the soft tyre. But in his second run he was so fast. If he could have made a perfect clean lap maybe he could run in 2’04.8 or 2’04.9 pace? In any case, it is was incredible. We are so happy for that and let’s see how we are tomorrow in the race itself.”
The famous #11 machine of Webike SRC Kawasaki France with riders Randy de Puniet, Etienne Masson and Florian Marino, will start a positive 12th on the grid in the Superbike class. Kawasaki Plaza Racing Team, with riders Ryosuke Iwato, Yuta Okaya and Naoki Kiyosue, were the second place qualifiers in the Superstock category and an impressive 14th overall, even when measured against the more highly race-prepared Superbike squads.
More, from a press release issued by Yamaha:
YART Yamaha Set to Start Suzuka 8 Hours from Third
The Yamalube YART Yamaha Official EWC Team will begin the 43rd edition of the Coca-Cola Suzuka 8 Hours Endurance Race from third after a strong performance in a revised Top 10 qualifying session on Saturday in Japan.
The Austrian squad of Niccolò Canepa, Marvin Fritz, and Karel Hanika ended Friday’s rain-affected qualifying sessions at Round 3 of the FIM Endurance World Championship (EWC) in second and got off to a great start on Saturday as they backed up that pace in the final Free Practice session by setting a 2:06.888 to finish in second.
Due to safety issues, the normal Top 10 Trial format at Suzuka – where two riders from each team are selected to take to the track one at a time and their average lap time decides the final grid spots – was swapped for a more conventional 40-minute session featuring the fastest ten teams from Friday’s combined qualifying sessions.
The format change meant that all three YART riders could set a lap as they continued to spearhead the Yamaha attack against their championship rivals and factory teams, with only the fastest time counting towards the final result. In the EWC, five championship points are available during qualifying, so the session took on even more importance in the overcast but hot and humid conditions at Suzuka.
Canepa was the first out after setting the fastest time on Friday (2:05.863), and the Italian rider immediately showed he meant business by recording a 2:05.981 on his first flying lap. He was going even quicker on his next lap but had to pit for fuel, and a small mistake on his second run meant he could not improve.
Handing the Bridgestone-shod YART Yamaha R1 over to his teammate Fritz, the German rider improved the team’s time to a 2:05.776 on his first attempt to record his personal best lap around the iconic 5.821km Suzuka Circuit. After another pit stop, it was time for Hanika to take to the track, looking to prove a point following the disruption of both of his qualifying sessions on Friday due to rain.
The 26-year-old had to adapt quickly to the change in format, as he was not due to ride during the Top 10 Trial and therefore had not gone out to do a lap in the Free Practice session. Despite this, the Czech rider used the chance to show his true pace to improve the team’s time even more by setting a 2:05.769, a new fastest-ever lap for a Yamaha in EWC at Suzuka. This was good enough to secure third on the timesheets, 0.835s off pole position and meant YART finished as the leading full-time EWC team, only behind the two factory squads, securing three vital championship points in the process.
Having shown incredibly consistent pace all week, whether during the day or at night, in wet or dry conditions, the Yamalube YART Yamaha Official EWC Team head into Sunday’s 8-hour race full of confidence that they can take the fight to the factory teams and attempt to close the now 27-point gap to the leaders in the EWC overall standings. The action on Sunday kicks off at 8:30 am local time (UTC+9) before the legendary endurance race begins with the traditional Le Mans running start at 11:30 am.
Karel Hanika – P3 (2:05.769)
Yamalube YART Yamaha Official EWC Team
“Today was incredible! It was a tough day for me yesterday after what happened during qualifying. I would not have been riding today in the Top 10 Trial, but the format change meant I had a second chance. We made a plan that we would each do two laps, and Niccolò, who was the quickest yesterday, would get another two laps at the end. I had to adjust quickly when they announced the format change, as I was not supposed to be riding, and I didn’t do a lap in the Free Practice session this morning. It was not easy to get up to speed quickly, and I made a few small mistakes, but in the end, it was still enough to set the fastest-ever lap for Yamaha at Suzuka. We know our potential is higher as our ideal lap time was a lot quicker, but for each of us to set our best times within one-tenth of each other over the last two days is remarkable. Everything is working really well with the YART Yamaha R1, now, we need to be a bit lucky during the race, make the right decisions, and we can fight at the front. We have more EWC experience than the factory teams, so we are confident and can’t wait for the race tomorrow.”
Marvin Fritz – P3 (2:05.776)
Yamalube YART Yamaha Official EWC Team
“Today was a really good day! We were the only team with all three riders breaking into the 2:05s, which shows we have great pace and consistency. It is incredible when you think that all three riders have set times this week quicker than Yamaha had ever been around Suzuka in the past, even with the factory team. Thank you to all of the team for doing an amazing job and my teammates for being so quick. We have good pace in the dry, and we were also the fastest during the wet Night Practice on Friday, so I think we are ready for the race, whatever the weather throws at us. Our target is to get on the podium, but we will just focus on ourselves and see where we finish at the end of the 8 hours.”
Niccolò Canepa – P3 (2:05.981)
Yamalube YART Yamaha Official EWC Team
“We are incredibly happy about securing third in qualifying because all three riders were in the 2:05s. Honestly, this was our target, so we are delighted to have achieved it. I am pleased with my time. I could have gone even quicker, but I ran out of fuel towards the end of my first stint and then made a small mistake on my second attempt. My teammates were superb, and it shows how strong we are as a team that we all managed laps in the 2:05s. The YART Yamaha R1 is working so well here at Suzuka; we are full of confidence heading into the race. Thanks to all of the team and my teammates for their hard work.”
Mandy Kainz
Yamalube YART Yamaha Official EWC Team – Team Manager
“Today, we saw what teamwork is all about. All three riders lapped in the 2:05s, and we were only behind the two factory teams. Considering the resources we have at our disposal, this is a superb result, and we managed to achieve our target. We have shown this week that we are fast in all conditions, and the team have worked superbly to prepare the bike in the best possible way. We head into tomorrow’s race confident we can fight with the factory teams and looking to close the gap to our full-time rivals in the EWC championship. Anything can happen in endurance racing, but we have put ourselves in a great position for the race.”
(dyno testing, final checks, special projects and shipping)
Roadracing World’s Sam Fleming and Melissa Berkoff visited the MV Agusta factory in Varese Italy in April 2022.
It is very rare to be able to video inside a modern motorcycle factory so you can join Sam and Melissa in a detailed walk through the factory to see the final steps of ensuring performance and quality of the MV Agusta motorcycles.
This is part three of a three-part series.
Most of these videos are unscripted and had to be shot contemporaneously with the tour so forgive any verbal slips or the handheld nature of the camera work.
The Wing complex at Silverstone. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Provisional 2023 British GP dates announced, MotoGP™ to return to the International Paddock
The event will remain a midsummer spectacle in 2023 as the MotoGP™ paddock returns to the International Paddock
Sunday, 07 August 2022
As the 2022 Monster Energy British Grand Prix gets in gear for race day, more details on the 2023 event can now be revealed.
Next year, the FIM MotoGP™ World Championship will return to the stunning Silverstone for another classic showdown from the 4th to the 6th of August 2023, retaining the perfect midsummer slot it moved to this season.
The 2023 event will also mark the MotoGP™ paddock’s return to the International Paddock and the iconic Silverstone Wing complex for the first time since 2012. The start-finish line will therefore be on the Hamilton Straight, with Abbey as Turn 1.
As the pinnacle of two wheels, MotoGP™ is a racing laboratory, driving progress and innovation at the forefront of the world’s push towards a more sustainable future – and working with all partners and stakeholders to put sustainability top of the agenda: racing together. Silverstone is a perfect partner in the sport’s push to create positive change as the first motor racing venue to join the UNFCCC Sports for Climate Action programme.
Since opening in 2011, the Silverstone Wing has become emblematic of the venue and is increasingly becoming a symbol of the circuit’s world-leading commitment to sustainability. As part of Silverstone’s Shift to Zero policy, the track has already installed 1,342 solar panels on the roof of the Wing International Conference and Exhibition Centre, and Phase 2 of this project, due for completion this autumn, will see a total of 2,764 panels covering over 5,200 m2. Over the next 12 months, Silverstone will also be installing 30 electric vehicle charging stations on site.
All Silverstone’s on-site generators now run on HVO biofuel, resulting in a 90% reduction of CO2 emissions and, from 2023, all the electricity consumed on site will be generated from renewable energy sources.
MotoGP™’s return to the International Paddock from 2023 will coincide with this important shift. Moving to alongside the Hamilton Straight will enable MotoGP™ to stage an even more sustainable event as the paddock will require significantly less temporary infrastructure – using less energy, more efficiently as the sport and its partners continue to drive progress.
Stuart Pringle, Managing Director of Silverstone: “I am looking forward to having MotoGP back at the International Paddock in 2023 which is now connected by a brand-new bridge to the 197 room Silverstone Hilton Garden Inn Hotel. By August 2023, phase 2 of the Wing solar panel project will be completed and will generate over 13% of the venue’s annual power, an initiative that aligns with Silverstone’s Shift to Zero plans and Dorna’s commitment to a more sustainable future.”
Carmelo Ezpeleta, CEO of Dorna Sports: “We’re delighted to announce when we will return to Silverstone next year, and that we will be returning to the International Paddock. Racing together, MotoGP is committed to increasing our positive impact and Silverstone is a valuable partner in our push to create a more sustainable future.
“As already announced, MotoGP will be powered by 100% sustainable fuel by 2027, and that is just one part of our global strategy as sustainability takes centre stage for the sport. Now is the time to take that innovation and let it inspire us in all our actions, on and off track, and we look forward to returning to the Wing as the perfect symbol of what is possible when we combine innovation, drive and our shared passion to create positive change.”
Make sure to save the provisional dates for another stunning and ever more sustainable British GP in 2023 as MotoGP™ returns to Silverstone from the 4th to the 6th of August.
Provisional Mission Production Twins Main Event Results (all on Dunlop tires):
1. Michael Rush (Har), 23 laps
2. Cory Texter (Yam), -02.490 seconds
3. Nick Armstrong (Yam), -05.634
4. Jesse Janisch (Har), -05.831
5. Michael Hill (Yam), -07.528
6. Ryan Wells (Kaw), -08.223
7. Cameron Smith (Yam), -09.016
8. Billy Ross (Har), -09.814
9. Johnny Lewis (Roy), -11.190
10. Cody Johncox (Yam), -14.940
11. Kasey Sciscoe (Kaw), -1 lap
12. Brock Schwarzenbacher (Kaw), -1 lap, -09.501
Provisional Parts Unlimited AFT Singles Main Event Results (all on Dunlop tires):
1. Trevor Brunner (Yam), 23 laps
2. Morgen Mischler (Hon), -00.494 second
3. Trent Lowe (Hon), -02.260 seconds
4. Dalton Gauthier (Hon), -02.766
5. Kody Kopp (KTM), -04.532
6. Ferran Cardus (Hon), -05.406
7. Max Whale (KTM), -05.517
8. James Ott (KTM), -05.799
9. Chad Cose (Hon), -09.145
10. Tarren Santero (Yam), -09.469
11. Gage Smith (Hon), -10.642
12. Hunter Bauer (KTM), -11.125
13. Jared Lowe (Hon), -12.074
14. Justin Jones (Hon), -14.440
15. Ryan Wells (Hon), -18.741
16. Travis Petton (Hon), -1 lap, -16.545
17. Chase Saathoff (Hon), -7 laps
Provisional Mission SuperTwins Main Event Results (all on Dunlop tires)(Race stopped due to rain and cancelled):
1. Jared Mees (Ind), 0 laps
2. Briar Bauman (Ind), -00.011 seconds
3. Dallas Daniels (Yam), -00.0**
4. JD Beach (Yam), -00.0**
5. Jarod Vanderkooi (Ind), -00.639
6. Brandon Robinson (Ind), -00.495
7. Davis Fisher (Ind), -00.451
8. Robert Pearson (Ind), -00.502
9. Jeffrey Carver (Har), -00.755
10. Shayna Texter-Bauman (Ind), -00.931
11. Ben Lowe (Ind), -00.921
12. Bronson Bauman (Har), -00.753
13. Michael Rush (PT) (Har), -01.580
14. Cory Texter (PT) (Yam), -01.099
15. Nick Armstrong (PT) (Yam), -01.297
16. Jesse Janisch (PT) (Har), -01.040
More, from a press release issued by American Flat Track (AFT):
Rush, Brunner Take First Wins of ‘22 in Black Hills Half-Mile
AFT Singles competitors Trevor Brunner (21) and Morgen Mischler (13) in action at Black Hills Speedway. Photo by Tim Lester, courtesy AFT.
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (August 6, 2022) – Progressive American Flat Track saw a pair of undercard stars recapture their past glory in Saturday evening’s Progressive Black Hills Half-Mile presented by Saddlemen at Black Hills Speedway in Rapid City, South Dakota.
But even the world’s fastest riders were unable to outrace the rain, which brought the Mission SuperTwins presented by S&S Cycle Main Event to a conclusion just moments after it started.
The stage was set for what promised to be an intriguing final battle before the skies opened, forcing the race to be red flagged. Continued inclement weather ultimately led to the round to be called complete. By rule, with the Main Event’s starting positions decided but less than two laps completed, every rider on the grid was awarded one point and “Rain Pay” (which divides 50% of the posted purse equally among all riders who earned starting positions) for their day’s work.
While a frustrating end for everyone involved, the night was highlighted by a pair of thrilling support races headlined by two highly motivated race winners.
Mission Production Twins presented by Vance & Hines
Despite still riding at less than 100%, Mikey Rush (No. 15 Helipower Racing/Las Vegas Harley-Davidson XG750R) achieved a huge milestone in his comeback following last year’s season-ending injury by taking his first-career Mission Production Twins presented by Vance & Hines victory.
Already a race winner in Progressive AFT’s other two classes, Rush completed the hat trick after tracking down and overhauling Mission Production Twins title rivals Jesse Janisch (No. 33 Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson XG750R) and Cory Texter (No. 1 G&G Racing/Yamaha Racing Yamaha MT-07).
Those two had been widely expected to settle tonight’s winner between themselves, a notion seemingly confirmed when they battled back and forth at the front during the race’s opening stages.
Instead, Rush executed a quick charge up to third before slotting past Texter for second at mid-distance. He pulled the same trick on Janisch 30 seconds later and just as quickly left the two in his wake.
“I never doubted myself,” said an emotional Rush. “It’s been a rough road coming off the couch and getting back to what I love doing. These guys rode a hell of a race, and I knew we had our work cut out for us.
“Just a big shout out to my team. I couldn’t do it without the Helipower Racing/Las Vegas Harley-Davidson team. My crew works their tail off and it’s an honor to ride these bikes.”
Despite missing out on the win, it still proved to be a positive night for Texter when considering the bigger picture. Aided by an assist from Nick Armstrong (No. 60 Competitive Racing Frames/Lessley Brothers Yamaha MT-07), who knocked Janisch off the podium altogether with a last-gasp move to claim his first podium since April’s I-70 Half-Mile, runner-up Texter managed to reduce Janisch’s title lead down from eleven points to six (214-208).
While it’s more than a little strong to call the result a disaster for Janisch, it was still a disappointment after he had managed to sweep the evening’s practice, qualifying, and Semi sessions – just as he had in his prior two victories – until finishing fourth in the Main.
Semi winner Michael Hill (No. 47 Pacific Auto Trim/Jim Speer Yamaha MT-07) enjoyed the best result of his professional career by completing the race’s top five.
Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER
Trevor Brunner (No. 21 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F) finally brought an end to the season-long stranglehold of the top step on the podium by the combined efforts of the factory KTM and American Honda squads thanks to a tenacious performance in the night’s Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER Main Event.
Brunner seized the early lead and controlled the race’s opening half but still found himself in need of a late strike after earlier losing the position to an on-form Morgen Mischler (No. 13 American Honda/Progressive Insurance CRF450R).
In fact, for a time, second-ranked Mischler appeared well positioned to make huge inroads in what had become a hefty title deficit. The Wisconsin native darted past both Brunner and teammate Chase Saathoff (No. 106 American Honda/Progressive Insurance CRF450R) to take point and had a third win of the season in his sights while championship leader Kody Kopp (No. 12 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 450 SX-FFE) languished down near the bottom of the top ten.
However, Brunner had other ideas, drawing back up on the rear of Mischler’s machine and ultimately diving underneath him to reclaim the lead with just ten seconds remaining on the clock. Brunner then cemented the win with a perfect execution of the final two laps to score his first victory since being drafted into the Estenson Racing Yamaha team at the start of the season to fill the seat left vacant due to the premier-class graduation of two-time Parts Unlimited AFT Singles champion Dallas Daniels.
Afterward, Brunner said, “After Mischler got by me, I just tried to stay cool, calm, and collected behind him. I tried to figure out what he was doing that was faster than what I was doing. I kind of figured that out and got close enough where it just became a matter of what I could do to pass him and where I could do it. Fortunately, I got under him entering one of the turns and never looked back.
“I can’t thank my whole team enough for all the support and all the hard work they’ve put in for me.”
Trent Lowe (No. 48 Mission Foods/Al Lamb’s Dallas Honda CRF450R) picked up his third podium finish of the season after out-dueling ‘19 class champ Dalton Gauthier (No. 79 American Honda/Progressive Insurance CRF450R) in their tussle for the final spot on the box.
Meanwhile, Mischler’s hopes to make major waves were further deflated after Saathoff encountered difficulties and lost several positions, including one to Kopp, who ultimately fought all the way back up to fifth at the checkered flag.
As a result, Kopp remains firmly in control of the title chase – even if he no longer seems quite as invincible as he did a few weeks back – leading Mischler by a still mammoth 44 points (234-190).
The Progressive Black Hills Half-Mile presented by Saddlemen will premiere on FS1 on Sunday, August 14, at 11:00 a.m. ET/8:00 a.m. PT, including exclusive features, cutting-edge aerial drone and onboard footage, and expert commentary.
You can catch the livestream of all the weekend’s racing activities on FansChoice.tv. FansChoice.tv provides free-to-view livestreaming of Practice and Qualifying. FansChoice.tv subscribers will then be able to watch the drama unfold from Opening Ceremonies through the Semis, Main Events, and podium celebrations. FansChoice.tv offers two subscription options, granting unlimited access to premium AFT content. Monthly subscriptions start at just $7.99, while a six-month subscription is available for $44.99.
FOX Sports and FansChoice.tv are the official homes for coverage of Progressive American Flat Track. For the 2022 season, all races will premiere in one-hour telecasts on FS1 during highly desirable weekend time slots. The complete schedule can be viewed at https://www.americanflattrack.com/events-foxsports. FansChoice.tv provides livestreaming coverage of every Progressive AFT round at http://www.FansChoice.tv.
Zarco obliterates the lap record to beat Viñales to Silverstone pole
Zarco, Viñales, Miller, Quartararo, Bagnaia and Aleix Espargaro all put in 1:57s in a super shootout at Silverstone
Johann Zarco. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Saturday, 06 August 2022
Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing) came out on top after a serious assault on the lap record in Q2 at the Monster Energy British Grand Prix at Silverstone, with the Frenchman putting in a 1:57.767 to just beat Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) by 0.098. Zarco extends his record as the rider with most premier class poles without a win and Viñales takes his first front row with Aprilia, with Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) completing that front row just another 0.066 back. The front two rows all went under the 1:57 barrier and eight riders beat the 2019 lap record.
Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) will start from Row 2 after a 1:57 and a stunning salvage job. The Aprilia rider suffered a huge highside in FP4 at Turn 12 and was sent skywards, given the all clear to continue by the Medical Centre with no fractures but definitely left with a pain barrier to ride through in qualifying and on Sunday.
Q1
Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) headed through on top, the Italian not really threatened by the rest in Q1 but the battle behind proving close.
It was Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) holding onto second until later in the session, but a late lunge from Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) saw him usurp the South African to move through.
Some early drama unfolded for Alex Marquez (LCR Honda Castrol) in the session as the Spaniard crashed down at the Vale chicane, rider ok but still lead Honda down in P17.
Q2
After his huge highside at Turn 12 in FP4, a bruised Aleix Espargaro was back out on track, meanwhile Martin laid down a quality early banker to edge teammate Zarco by less than a tenth after the first flying laps – meaning a 1:58.377 was the time to beat.
Quartararo did then better that by 0.118s as Miller rose to P2, 0.001s off the Frenchman. Espargaro’s first effort was 1.6s away from Quartararo’s pace, but that was just an exploratory run to see how he was feeling. New tyres were fitted and the number 41 was back out to see how far up the grid he could get.
It was Espargaro’s teammate Viñales who occupied provisional P3 heading into the final five minutes of the session though, with Martin and Zarco shuffled down to P4 and P5, with Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) P6 ahead of seventh placed Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team).
Attention then turned to Aleix Espargaro. Three red sectors resulted in a 1:57.966 – amazingly, a new all-time lap record and a phenomenal attempt. It wasn’t going to be enough for pole position, however, as a flurry of rapid times were about to come in. Quartararo briefly returned to P1 before Miller then bettered the Yamaha rider, but then came Zarco. He took over and the lap held firm as it wasn’t beaten by Bagnaia, who slotted into P4.
The last rider to cross the line on a flying lap was Viñales and it was a belter. Top Gun’s 1:57.865 was enough to shoot him up to second place, earning the Spaniard his best qualifying result with Aprilia and his first front row since claiming pole at the 2021 Dutch TT.
The Grid
Zarco’s new all-time lap record gives the man third in the World Championship chase his second pole of the season, ahead of Viñales and Miller. Quartararo will be praying for a great getaway from P4 as he faces the much-talked-about Long Lap penalty on Sunday afternoon, as three key title contenders line up on the second row: Bagnaia starts P5, Aleix Espargaro starts P6.
After coming through Q1, Bezzecchi starts seventh ahead of fellow Q1 graduate Bastianini – amazingly, both of the Ducati riders were under Marc Marquez’s (Repsol Honda Team) old lap record at Silverstone too. That’s just how competitive MotoGP™ is in 2022!
Martin has to settle for P9 despite being less than half a second away from pole, as Luca Marini (Mooney VR46 Racing Team), Rins and Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar) round out the Q2 places in P10, P11 and P12 respectively.
After all that, we’re set up for a spell-binding Sunday at Silverstone. Don’t miss a crucial battle in the Championship at 13:00 local time (GMT+1) as the premier class take on the Monster Energy British Grand Prix.
MotoGP™: FRONT ROW
1 Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing) – Ducati – 1’57.767
3 Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) – Ducati – +0.164
Johann Zarco: “Pretty happy. I got good confidence in FP4 with the hard rear, and on the first lap on the soft rear in qualifying, I felt this 58.4 was coming with good control. So, then it was necessary to have an extra push with the second tyre, and I’m pretty happy that I could do it immediately from the first lap when the tyre has the best performance. There was nobody on track – no one slowing down and disturbing me – just a few guys in front of me. It was good enough to get this extra motivation and enjoy a good time.”
Fernandez pips Roberts to lay down the gauntlet on Saturday
The Spaniard is back on top for the first time since 2019 as he denies Roberts by just 0.034
Augusto Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo) took his second career pole position at the Monster Energy British Grand Prix, just holding off Joe Roberts (Italtrans Racing Team) by 0.034 after a close Q2 on Saturday. Ai Ogura (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia), who trails Fernandez by a single point in the standings, lines up third for what promises to be a classic intermediate class race at Silverstone.
Q1
Jorge Navarro (Flexbox HP 40) emerged on top by a tenth in the first session, heading through ahead of Manuel Gonzalez (Yamaha VR46 Master Camp Team), Alessandro Zaccone (Gresini Racing Moto2) and Somkiat Chantra (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia), who just beat Lorenzo Dalla Porta (Italtrans Racing Team) to a place in Q2 by hundredths.
Q2
It was Fernandez vs Jake Dixon (GASGAS Aspar Team) for much of practice but that duel couldn’t quite materialise in qualifying as the Brit took a tumble – rider perfectly ok and rejoining – but not then able to push for pole. Fernandez, however, kept it almost pitch perfect to take to the top, back on pole for the first time since the 2019 Catalan GP and for only the second time so far.
Roberts gave it a good go and got within 0.034, but the American is forced to settle for second ahead of Ogura as the Japanese rider joins fellow Championship challenger Fernandez on the front row.
Albert Arenas (GASGAS Aspar Team) takes fourth ahead of Celestino Vietti (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) as the latter pushes to hold onto that moniker on Sunday, also facing down a Long Lap penalty as Fernandez and Ogura line up ahead of him. Dixon completes Row 2, well in the right postcode to push for a home podium.
Bo Bendsneyder (Pertamina Mandalika SAG Team), Alonso Lopez (CAG Speed Up) and Marcel Schrötter (Liqui Moly Intact GP) are on Row 3, with Aron Canet (Flexbox HP 40) down in P10 and looking for more on race day.
That race day is a little later for the intermediate class at Silverstone, with lights out at 14:30 (GMT +1) – don’t miss it!
2 Joe Roberts (Italtrans Racing Team) – Kalex – +0.034
3 Ai Ogura (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) – Kalex – +0.177
Augusto Fernandez: “Yeah, it was a good one, I’m so happy with this pole. Also, because we struggled a little bit this morning – not a lot – but in the end we could make a good lap. Yeah, it was flying this morning and we wanted to do a good lap. A 2:04.1, I think, was the pole, so feeling good, feeling a bit better with the bike in terms of pace, so ready for tomorrow!”
Moreira makes history to become first Brazilian to take lightweight class pole
The rookie heads Guevara by just 0.068, with Garcia facing a fight back from P11
Diogo Moreira (MT Helmets – MSI) became the first Brazilian rider to take pole position in the lightweight class on Saturday at the Monster Energy British Grand Prix, the rookie riding the venue for the very first time and getting the better of Championship challenger Izan Guevara (Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team) by just 0.068. Ryusei Yamanaka made it both MT Helmets – MSI riders on the front row as he took third, and the Japanese rider was still within 0.078 of pole as the margins proved small despite the expanse of Silverstone Circuit.
Q1
Two huge names found themselves down in Q1: Championship leader Sergio Garcia (Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team) and multiple winner Jaume Masia (Red Bull KTM Ajo). It all went down to the wire and Riccardo Rossi (SIC58 Squadra Corse) moved through on top, just ahead of Xavier Artigas (CFMoto Racing PrüstelGP). Garcia held on to third ahead of Taiyo Furusato (Honda Team Asia) as the Japanese rider stayed ahead of David Muñoz (BOE Motorsports), Adrian Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Tech3) and Masia – who faces race day down from P20.
Q2
After the first runs it was Moreira on top already, and despite a Leopard Racing freight train of Tatsuki Suzuki and Dennis Foggia giving it a shot, and no one could topple the Brazilian on take two either. So the rookie keeps pole ahead of Championship challenger Guevara, with Yamanaka on the heels of the Leopard train and coming through to take third.
Rossi holds fourth after topping Q1, ahead of Stefano Nepa (Angeluss MTA Team) in fifth and Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Tech 3) in sixth as the Turk looks to extend his streak as the only rider to score in every race so far in 2022.
Foggia and Suzuki head up Row 3, not able to gain on the final run, with Assen winner Ayumu Sasaki (Sterilgarda Max Racing Team) pipping home hero teammate John McPhee just behind as the two Husqvarnas complete the top ten.
Behind them, Championship leader Garcia faces a fight back from P11 and will be looking for more on Sunday, with teammate Guevara perfectly poised to attack that points lead. Can the number 11 hit back?
The lights go out for the lightweight class at the slightly later time of 11:20 (GMT +1) on Sunday, tune in to see who will head the standings on the way to Austria!
Diogo Moreira: “For sure, we are happy – my first time here in Silverstone and my first pole position. I think we are in a good way, we trained a lot for the first day here and I hope tomorrow stays the same. Let’s see!”
A delayed and revised Top 10 Trial for pole position for the third round of the FIM Endurance World Championship saw Tetsuta Nagashima post a 2m04.934 to take pole position on the #33 Team HRC CBR1000RR-R SP for tomorrow’s 43rd running of the Coca-Cola Suzuka 8 Hours whilst YART lead the way for the EWC season-contenders.
After mixed conditions affected running so far at Suzuka the single pole lap format was revised for an open 40-minute session for the two nominated riders from each team.
For Team HRC, it was Nagashima first to push the Bridgestones, with the pole lap set on his first flying lap, which would prove to be unbeatable for the rest of the session.
“So I’m really happy to that we have achieved the pole position,” said Nagashima. “Unfortunately, we didn’t have the top 10 trial today. But anyway, we’re going to do it’s very good to start from the pole opposition. So tomorrow we’re going to do a great job.
Next fastest was another Suzuka-only effort with the #10 Kawasaki Racing Team Suzuka 8H ZX-10R and Jonathan Rea making amends for his FP2 off to set a 2m05.149s late on in the session.
“I was very happy with the lap time,” said Rea. “I got caught out a little bit this morning with the Bridgestone tyre as it’s the first time I’ve ever used their soft tyre. We’ve been working with the race tyre and I underestimated how much grip the soft has in change of direction.
“I really support the race directors when they changed the Top 10 Trial format because so many riders hadn’t completed one chrono lap, so for me to go into super pole and set one lap would have been very strange. So, instead we had 40 minutes to make the lap time and step by step I understood this soft tyre and you know the lap time was quite good, I made a few mistakes but really happy with second place.
“Congratulations to Tetsuto as it’s an incredible lap time. My team-mates have been doing a really good job this week and we’ve got a great starting position.”
Leading the charge for the EWC season contenders, it was the #7 YART – Yamaha Official Team EWC with all three riders going out in the session as allowed by the revised format, and all three posting times in the 2m05s.
It was Karel Hanika last to post his fast time and his was the fastest too, with a 2m05.769s from Marvin Fritz on a 2m05.776s and Niccolò Canape with a 2m05.981s, illustrating just how well matched the YART riders are.
“I’m pretty happy to sit here next to these guys so congratulations to Honda and Kawasaki,” said Hanika. “First of all, I should not have been running today as I had a pretty nasty crash yesterday so the Top 10 Trial should have been for my team-mates. To stand here today with the fastest lap on the Yamaha is pretty good, but the most important is that all of us are fast.
“Coming to this race we knew that we were lacking a bit of pace in the testing compared to these guys, so that is what we were working on this week. We can feel the improvements in the dry conditions and even in the wet. Probably we need to improve in the mix conditions, but hopefully we can be good tomorrow.”
Second quickest of the regulars was the #5 FCC TSR CBR1000RR-R Fireblade with Josh Hook posting a 2m06.204s, whilst the #37 BMW MOTORRAD WORLD ENDURANCE TEAM M1000RR qualified 9th with Markus Reiterberger setting a 2m06.897s.
More, from a press release issued by Kawasaki:
KRT Takes Second Place On Suzuka 8 Hours Grid
Saturday practice and qualifying at the 2022 Suzuka 8 Hours took place in unexpected fashion as the competing teams entered the final day before the race itself on Sunday. The Number 10 official KRT squad ended a sometimes dramatic few hours on track second on the starting grid, just 0.215 seconds from the very top.
A final – and unexpected – ‘Superpole-style’ qualifying session was held over 40 minutes duration. It determined the top ten starting places for the 43rd Suzuka 8 Hours race. The planned ‘Ten Lap Trial’ qualifying format, for the ten best teams from earlier qualifying sessions, was cancelled. The final free practice session held just before the Top Ten Trial had been cut short after a crash, reducing important preparation time for the Top Ten Trial itself.
WorldSBK KRT riders Jonathan Rea and Alex Lowes were the two riders who set the final qualifying laps for the team in the 40 minute session. Lowes was fast straight away on his first flying lap with a soft Bridgestone rear tyre, but Rea could not capitalise fully in his first run on the soft tyre.
The team and rider came up with a plan that saw Rea finally qualify second fastest, to earn an almost ideal starting position alongside the fastest qualifiers from Team HRC. Rea set a strong 2’05.149 lap on the Ninja ZX-10RR despite not having a perfectly clean best lap.
Weather conditions for Raceday are predicted to be changeable which promises a challenging day for all 45 teams who are on the provisional starting grid. Wise tyre and refuelling strategies will count as much as the three riders’ personal on-track performances.
Kawasaki will now attempt to take a third Suzuka 8 Hours victory as a manufacturer.
The 43rd Suzuka 8 Hours will start – and finish – on Sunday 7 August 2022.
Jonathan Rea, stated: “I am very happy with the lap-time. This morning I got caught out a little bit with the tyre. It is the first time I have ever used the soft tyre from Bridgestone. We have been working a lot with our race tyre and I underestimated how much grip there was in the change of direction. So, to do the ‘Time Attack’, I support the decision of the directors when they changed the format. With so many riders having completed one chrono lap, for me to go into a Superpole one lap session was very strange. We then had 40 minutes to make a lap time. Step-by-step, I understood the soft tyre and the lap was quite good. I made a few mistakes but I am really happy with second place. My team-mates have been doing a really good job this weekend so we have an incredible starting position.”
Alex Lowes, stated: “I am really happy with qualifying. For me it was my best ever lap at Suzuka and I have been coming here for a long time. So that was nice. As a team we have been doing a really good job. We have worked hard for the race and we have been pretty good in all different conditions. It looks like we are going to have some typical Suzuka rain, on-and-off, on Sunday. So we need to be prepared for that and able to adapt to all the situations. But we are really enjoying being back here at the Suzuka 8-Hours. It has been a couple of years since we have been able to come back so I am happy to be here now. It’s been a pleasure to be riding with these guys, Leon and Jonathan, and I am looking forward to the race tomorrow.”
Leon Haslam, stated: “For me it was a different qualifying day to normal, when I would have had the pressure of riding. Today, I think I was more nervous watching these guys and there was more excitement than when I had to ride the bike! They both did an amazing job. Alex straight in with a tyre he had never used before and into the 2.05s. Johnny was fantastic. Honestly, the team has been working really well and I am happy to be a part of the Kawasaki Racing Team with these two guys. Step-by-step again now and we will see what the weather holds tomorrow. I am feeling very confident and really happy with everything so far.”
Guim Roda, KRT Team Manager, stated: “It has been another stressful Saturday because first it was wet and raining in the morning. Then we didn’t know how to approach the Top Ten Trial. In the Free Practice before the Top Ten Trial qualifying Johnny fell and we needed to reorganise some things in our strategy. Then there was another crash and they had to cancel the free practice. Then the organisation and the FIM had to cancel the Top Ten Trial, and we went into 40 minutes of Superpole-style qualifying. In that time we had to play with the tyres we had left; not so many. We organised to work with Johnny and Alex as the two riders who would go for the best lap time. Alex made an incredible job using the soft tyre for the first time. He had to run fast straight away but also check the feeling he was getting. He made an incredible lap time. At the same time Johnny, in the first ‘out,’ did not quite understand the soft tyre. But in his second run he was so fast. If he could have made a perfect clean lap maybe he could run in 2’04.8 or 2’04.9 pace? In any case, it is was incredible. We are so happy for that and let’s see how we are tomorrow in the race itself.”
The famous #11 machine of Webike SRC Kawasaki France with riders Randy de Puniet, Etienne Masson and Florian Marino, will start a positive 12th on the grid in the Superbike class. Kawasaki Plaza Racing Team, with riders Ryosuke Iwato, Yuta Okaya and Naoki Kiyosue, were the second place qualifiers in the Superstock category and an impressive 14th overall, even when measured against the more highly race-prepared Superbike squads.
More, from a press release issued by Yamaha:
YART Yamaha Set to Start Suzuka 8 Hours from Third
The Yamalube YART Yamaha Official EWC Team will begin the 43rd edition of the Coca-Cola Suzuka 8 Hours Endurance Race from third after a strong performance in a revised Top 10 qualifying session on Saturday in Japan.
The Austrian squad of Niccolò Canepa, Marvin Fritz, and Karel Hanika ended Friday’s rain-affected qualifying sessions at Round 3 of the FIM Endurance World Championship (EWC) in second and got off to a great start on Saturday as they backed up that pace in the final Free Practice session by setting a 2:06.888 to finish in second.
Due to safety issues, the normal Top 10 Trial format at Suzuka – where two riders from each team are selected to take to the track one at a time and their average lap time decides the final grid spots – was swapped for a more conventional 40-minute session featuring the fastest ten teams from Friday’s combined qualifying sessions.
The format change meant that all three YART riders could set a lap as they continued to spearhead the Yamaha attack against their championship rivals and factory teams, with only the fastest time counting towards the final result. In the EWC, five championship points are available during qualifying, so the session took on even more importance in the overcast but hot and humid conditions at Suzuka.
Canepa was the first out after setting the fastest time on Friday (2:05.863), and the Italian rider immediately showed he meant business by recording a 2:05.981 on his first flying lap. He was going even quicker on his next lap but had to pit for fuel, and a small mistake on his second run meant he could not improve.
Handing the Bridgestone-shod YART Yamaha R1 over to his teammate Fritz, the German rider improved the team’s time to a 2:05.776 on his first attempt to record his personal best lap around the iconic 5.821km Suzuka Circuit. After another pit stop, it was time for Hanika to take to the track, looking to prove a point following the disruption of both of his qualifying sessions on Friday due to rain.
The 26-year-old had to adapt quickly to the change in format, as he was not due to ride during the Top 10 Trial and therefore had not gone out to do a lap in the Free Practice session. Despite this, the Czech rider used the chance to show his true pace to improve the team’s time even more by setting a 2:05.769, a new fastest-ever lap for a Yamaha in EWC at Suzuka. This was good enough to secure third on the timesheets, 0.835s off pole position and meant YART finished as the leading full-time EWC team, only behind the two factory squads, securing three vital championship points in the process.
Having shown incredibly consistent pace all week, whether during the day or at night, in wet or dry conditions, the Yamalube YART Yamaha Official EWC Team head into Sunday’s 8-hour race full of confidence that they can take the fight to the factory teams and attempt to close the now 27-point gap to the leaders in the EWC overall standings. The action on Sunday kicks off at 8:30 am local time (UTC+9) before the legendary endurance race begins with the traditional Le Mans running start at 11:30 am.
Karel Hanika – P3 (2:05.769)
Yamalube YART Yamaha Official EWC Team
“Today was incredible! It was a tough day for me yesterday after what happened during qualifying. I would not have been riding today in the Top 10 Trial, but the format change meant I had a second chance. We made a plan that we would each do two laps, and Niccolò, who was the quickest yesterday, would get another two laps at the end. I had to adjust quickly when they announced the format change, as I was not supposed to be riding, and I didn’t do a lap in the Free Practice session this morning. It was not easy to get up to speed quickly, and I made a few small mistakes, but in the end, it was still enough to set the fastest-ever lap for Yamaha at Suzuka. We know our potential is higher as our ideal lap time was a lot quicker, but for each of us to set our best times within one-tenth of each other over the last two days is remarkable. Everything is working really well with the YART Yamaha R1, now, we need to be a bit lucky during the race, make the right decisions, and we can fight at the front. We have more EWC experience than the factory teams, so we are confident and can’t wait for the race tomorrow.”
Marvin Fritz – P3 (2:05.776)
Yamalube YART Yamaha Official EWC Team
“Today was a really good day! We were the only team with all three riders breaking into the 2:05s, which shows we have great pace and consistency. It is incredible when you think that all three riders have set times this week quicker than Yamaha had ever been around Suzuka in the past, even with the factory team. Thank you to all of the team for doing an amazing job and my teammates for being so quick. We have good pace in the dry, and we were also the fastest during the wet Night Practice on Friday, so I think we are ready for the race, whatever the weather throws at us. Our target is to get on the podium, but we will just focus on ourselves and see where we finish at the end of the 8 hours.”
Niccolò Canepa – P3 (2:05.981)
Yamalube YART Yamaha Official EWC Team
“We are incredibly happy about securing third in qualifying because all three riders were in the 2:05s. Honestly, this was our target, so we are delighted to have achieved it. I am pleased with my time. I could have gone even quicker, but I ran out of fuel towards the end of my first stint and then made a small mistake on my second attempt. My teammates were superb, and it shows how strong we are as a team that we all managed laps in the 2:05s. The YART Yamaha R1 is working so well here at Suzuka; we are full of confidence heading into the race. Thanks to all of the team and my teammates for their hard work.”
Mandy Kainz
Yamalube YART Yamaha Official EWC Team – Team Manager
“Today, we saw what teamwork is all about. All three riders lapped in the 2:05s, and we were only behind the two factory teams. Considering the resources we have at our disposal, this is a superb result, and we managed to achieve our target. We have shown this week that we are fast in all conditions, and the team have worked superbly to prepare the bike in the best possible way. We head into tomorrow’s race confident we can fight with the factory teams and looking to close the gap to our full-time rivals in the EWC championship. Anything can happen in endurance racing, but we have put ourselves in a great position for the race.”
Inside the MV Agusta factory in Varese, Italy. Photo courtesy MV Agusta.
MV Agusta Motorcycle Factory Tour Part 3
(dyno testing, final checks, special projects and shipping)
Roadracing World’s Sam Fleming and Melissa Berkoff visited the MV Agusta factory in Varese Italy in April 2022.
It is very rare to be able to video inside a modern motorcycle factory so you can join Sam and Melissa in a detailed walk through the factory to see the final steps of ensuring performance and quality of the MV Agusta motorcycles.
This is part three of a three-part series.
Most of these videos are unscripted and had to be shot contemporaneously with the tour so forgive any verbal slips or the handheld nature of the camera work.
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