Australian Superbike: Race Results From Sydney Motorsport Park

David Swarts

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March 25, 2023

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Australian Superbike: Race Results From Sydney Motorsport Park

SBK R1
SBK R2

More, from a press release issued by ASBK:

ASBK ’23: Calm Waters At Night, Dunker Dunks on Supersport Regulars

Saturday at SMSP – It All Happens Now

There’s been a number of comparisons over the years between Phillip Island and Sydney Motorsport Park and today it was SMPS’s chance to really shine.

The weather here at SMSP was just as unpredictable as The Island, so there’s that and congrats all round…

Almost joking aside, it did indeed sprinkle down ahead of the warmup sessions for all classes and we spent an inordinate amount of time looking and the rain radar and thoughtfully making rubbish predictions.

Like The Island, Western Sydney does what it does and you best get used to it.

We poor fools, we didn’t know what was coming…

For all weekend results see Computime.com.au

Alpinestars Superbike

The warm-up was declared dry and so Josh Waters naturally went .9 of a second faster than most and Glenn Allerton brought his usual game-day excellence to the caper and was up to P2. At the end of the short session, it was Waters still up top with pole sitter Cru Halliday in second, Allerton third, Bryan Staring looking very good in fourth and Arthur Sissis up to fifth.

Race One

Herfoss, Allerton and Waters all got a ripping start, but it was Josh Waters on that ever-present McMartin Ducati Panigale V4R.

Cru Halliday – by his self-admitted lowly standards – got a great start and was second to Josh Waters who ripped out a 1:34 standing lap, a time that would have once been a pretty good flying lap.

Settling slightly through to lap three, it was Waters from Halliday and Allerton who had Troy Herfoss and Mike Jones for company.

Arthur Sissis had been unable to really launch like the rabbit he usually is and was fifth with Bryan Staring sixth.

Herfoss laid down a big black rubber line that impressed many but cost him four spots. Waters was now out to a half-second lead from Halliday and then a three-second gap back to Allerton in third. Waters’ fastest lap was a 1:29.001 to obliterate the lap record- indeed the top three had already knocked off the lap record.

Bryan Staring was in the 1:29s and was stalking Allerton who had slipped down to fourth after Mike Jones did stealthy Mike Jones things to limit his losses once again.

With nine laps to go, Herfoss was now working his way back into contention, passing Sissis and on a mission to get to Bryan Staring who in turn was all over Glenn Allerton. They swapped positions a few times, allowing Herfoss to get closer still.

A few light drops of rain kept life interesting and uncomfortable, but lap times remained in the 1:29s. Allerton, Staring and Herfoss got into an old school gentleman’s Donnybrook. Halliday was the fastest man on the circuit, but Waters was still .75 up on the factory Yamaha R1M.

At six laps to go, Staring and Herfoss tried to get through on Allerton, but Allerton can late brake like few others and Staring and Herfoss simply swapped spots while leaving Allerton in fourth.

Waters out front was looking composed, while Halliday was clearly not giving up the chase. The gap was now down to .5 of a second, but it felt like Waters was working his lap board pretty well.

Herfoss was finally past Allerton to take fourth position, while Staring remained in sixth.

Waters’ lead was down to just .2 of a second as Halliday was having the “ride of his life” according to commentator Steve Martin.

The cameras cut to Mike Jones’ bike as it massively let go an engine with a huge cloud of blue smoke. Shortly afterwards, the bike caught fire and brought out the red flag to stop the race.

Ten laps had been completed and race direction declared it a done deal. Josh Waters was the winner from pole-sitter Cru Halliday and the ever-present Troy Herfoss.

These were strange days, but Waters was still king.

1 21 Josh WATERS

2 65 Cru HALLIDAY

3 17 Troy HERFOSS

Race Two

From the second row of the grid, Herfoss blazed away with Arthur Sissis for company. The front-row starters were swamped. Allerton went around the outside of everyone to take the lead. Halliday had just described the back side of the circuit as “sketchy as” and the whole field was now sketching their way through this section.

Allerton led from Halliday, Waters, Herfoss and Staring. Broc Pearson had done a great job and worked his way up to sixth with Artur Sissis shuffled back to seventh, despite being second early in lap one.

Herfoss got the elbows out to pass Waters to then seek out Halliday and ultimately race leader Allerton.

Meanwhile, Mike Jones was down in a lowly eighth position on his second bike and would need to move forward to limit his losses. Waters was past Herfoss for third and he and Halliday were off after Allerton.

Allerton put his hand up down the straight to indicate rain, but new-found waterman Halliday took the lead with his foot down like a motocross rider through turn one and we wondered if there would be a red flag. It was hard to tell if it was raining elsewhere, and the merciful red flag came out after just three laps as the rain really fell in earnest.

Race Two Restart

At the restart- in order they crossed the line a lap earlier- Halliday led the bunch despite not getting the best jump. Sissis did the crazy fast start thing as he is want to do and this time he made it stick and he was third behind Herfoss.

Herfoss moved into the lead while Allerton went around Waters to move into third.

Herfoss went wide at turn six and Halliday politely followed so he wouldn’t feel alone. The rain continued. Mike Jones was back in tenth and struggling once again.

With five laps to run, Waters was out to a three-second lead with a gaggle of chasers: Allerton, Halliday, Herfoss, Sissis and Pearson.

Four laps to go and Waters was absolutely trucking. He was now six seconds up the road and effectively gone. Herfoss moved back into second on a mission like we had rarely seen before. Allerton continued to chase, but Halliday passed him down the straight as we ticked down to three laps remaining. Herfoss ran wide again, but this time lost no places but gave even more time to the seemingly absent Josh Waters who was now eight seconds ahead.

Two laps left and Herfoss was second from Halliday , Sissis and Allerton. The nine-second lead Waters enjoyed continued to grow. Herfoss seemed secure in second place, with Halliday also comfortably ahead of Sissis.

At the finish, it was the dominant shape of the McMartin Ducati Panigale V4R with Josh Waters aboard taking an easy win by 6.3 seconds (he gave them a few seconds on the last lap) from Troy Herfoss, Cru Halliday, Arthur Sissis and Glenn Allerton in fifth.

Five wins from five starts. The only blemish for the entire season to date was the single point missed for pole at round two. While Josh Waters might have been under some pressure leading into the round where he was dominant at the test, the pressure was now all the other way; how will the field respond?

But as Mike Jones had discovered at SMSP; even the seemingly invincible can have a day that goes DNF/10th…

1 21 Josh WATERS

2 17 Troy HERFOSS

3 65 Cru HALLIDAY

Michelin Supersport

Race One

The weather was again all the talk, but the precipitation thankfully stayed away. Pole sitter Sean Condon led them away from pole, but both Hayden Nelson and Tom Bramich fired off the line and were at the front or close to it. A few riders ran wide early and trying to work out who was where was a challenge.

Olly Simpson completed his first racing lap of Sydney Motorsport Park in the lead, Jake Farnsworth put a solid pass on Sean Condon while Olly Simpson was nearly unseated. That gave Farnsworth the opening he needed to take the lead.

Championship leader Ty Lynch was back in seventh while season-long contenders Lytras and Bramich were fifth and sixth.

At the front, Olly Simpson had a big moment and ran wide, allowing the likes of Bramich and Lytras to move forward.

Condon was boxing on and was back up to second and then took the lead via a clever late braking move. Farnsworth nearly threw himself down the road after getting on the gas a little early. Condon was leading and had the fastest lap of the race to boot.

Olly Simpson was working himself back into the caper and was back up to fifth. Passfield had found himself involved in some early bar banging and was down in 14th. Condon ripped out a 1:32.969 to stretch his lead to .7 of a second with six laps to go.

The order settled for the top three with Condon, Jake Farnsworth and Tom Bramich all evenly spaced. The battle was on for fifth with 2022 Supersport 300 champion Cameron Dunker leading a solid group that included John Lytras, Ty Lynch and Hayden Nelson.

At three laps to go, Condon was out to a second-plus gap and set sail for home for his first win of the year. Farnsworth was secure in second place with Bramich also solid in third.

While Farnsworth was able to chip away at Condon’s lead, it certainly felt like Condon was just doing what he needed to chalk up 25 points- which he did. The gap was still a second to second and Tom Bramich was a further 2.5 seconds in third. Olly Simpson was fourth with Cameron Dunker fifth.

1 26 Sean CONDON

2 49 Jake FARNSWORTH

3 44 Tom BRAMICH

Race Two

With a mixed grid of wets and dry tyres and weather conditions that could have been a separate article, it was always going to be a very different sort of race.

Jake Farnsworth was pulled from the grid at the 11th hour due to a faulty rear light.

The wet tyre crew took off as expected, with flat track wonderkid (And baby faced assassin) Cameron Dunker out quickly, but Ty Lynch was first through turns one and two and took off as best he could on what must be wet Michelins.

Olly Simpson- another rider very handy when the going gets weird, was up to second with Dunker settling into third. With about one third of the circuit dry and the rest varyinging degrees of damp, Simpson pushed past Dunker to take second and the top runners were off in an attempt to get away before the circuit got too dry.

Pole man Sean Condon was way down in 20th and would have been screaming for dry running, but it was still too early to say whether slicks were the wrong call.

It was still very wet at turn two, and the lack of a breeze and the high humidity just stopped the drying process.

Up front, Olly Simpson was leading by half a second to Cameron Dunker and a few more seconds back to Ty Lynch. Luke Sanders went down on the exit of turn four, throwing away a chance at a podium finish.

For the regulars, the contenders and past race winners it was a disaster: Lytras was in 10th, Bramich 16th, while Condon was the mover up to 12th.

Passfield was rumored to have chosen the odd combo of a slick front and wet rear, but no matter what he was running, he was still in fourth, just two seconds behind third placed Ty Lynch.

Cameron Dunker is a renowned flat tracker and was a smooth as butter in the mixed conditions. The gap between him and race leader Olly Simpson was down to half a second.

Sean Condon went down at turn six to end his night and really create issues for the once favoured rider for champion in 2023.

Jack Passfield was past Ty Lynch for third, but Lynch was determined to hang on to both Passfield tail and the championship lead.

Dunker continued his march to the lead, and the pressure he was excerting worked when Olly Simpson had a huge moment into turn one with two laps to go. Dunker was able to get .8 ahead almost immediately and set off for his first ever Supersport race win after a championship Supersport 300 year in 2022.

Ty Lynch was slowing significantly and was swamped by a group including Jonathan Nahlous, Dallas Skeer and Scott Nicholson. Lynch was in survival mood.

Dunker still had a .8 second lead into the last lap and was able to hang on for the win in his second-ever event in the Supersport category. Olly Simpson rolled through for second, but it was Scott Nicholson who took third after Passfield was shuffled back to seventh.

Some riders take years to get a race win and /or a round win in Supersport.

It took Cameron Dunker two rounds of Supersport to achieve both goals.

1 3 Cameron DUNKER

2 45 Olly SIMPSON

3 39 Scott NICHOLSON

Supersport 300

Race Two

Brandon Demmery would start from pole in the second Supersport 300 race of the weekend and the second-to-last race before the night sessions began in earnest.

The commentators teased the assembled crowd with the usual weather talk, but we started the race without precipitation, but with Brandon Demmery off the front into turn one. Marcus Hamod had a great start and was up to second and Henry Snell was also away well and into third.

OJC graduate Ryan Larkin was fourth with Jai Russo nipping at his heels. Snell got through Hamod mid-lap while Demmery held a small .1 lead.

The first trip down the straight saw the usual shuffling of the pack with Snell and Larkin being the biggest beneficiaries.

Meanwhile, Race Direction noted the start was once again under investigation.

Cameron Swain had been stalking the field for some time and was now up to third with Ryan Larkin behind him. Swain was soon into the lead, and Demmery was happy to let them lead and observe for a time. Swain had his “I’d like to get away thanks” attitude in full effect and was out to a .5 lead over Snell and Demmery.

At four laps to go, Demmery was back into the lead, dashing Swain’s hopes of a solo win. Russo was in third while Brodie Gawith and Henry Snell were fourth and fifth.

As the laps ran down, there was a clear lead group, but no clear leader. Russo, Swain and Demmery all spent time on the front while Casey Middleton and Cooper Rowntree stayed in contact.

The lead group was seven deep and all were capable of taking the win. Brock Quinlan was down and the race was red flagged with six laps completed due to Quinlan’s bike being in a dangerous place. The lead riders looked at each other, understandably confused about who was the winner.

Race direction declared Cameron Swain the winner from Brandon Demmery and Jai Russo after winding the clock back a lap per the usual red flag rules.

1 26 Cameron SWAIN

2 11 Brandon DEMMERY

3 32 Jai RUSSO

Race Three

The night race for the three hundies was still damp and so the teams took their cues from the just-completed Supersport race where those on wet tyres capitalised.

Cameron Swain jumped away with plenty of company but lead through lap one with Brandon Demmery and Brodie Gawith second and third.

A chase group formed with Luke Jhonston, Henry Snell, Marcos Hamod and Jai Russo all jostling for position. At the head of the group, Demmery and Swain were swapping off but not breaking away.

At six laps to go, it was still Swain and Demmery but they had plenty of willing company, but no definitive challenger for the top spot. Indeed, the leading pair were now out to a small but important lead of about 3.5 seconds.

Not realising that their dicing was going to end with no better result than third, the chasing group continued to box each others ears. The race was now down to Demmery and Swain and they spent the last few laps working out what to do as they headed to the finish.

Swain decided to try to establish a break of his own as he did at Phillip island a few weeks ago. He bever achieved more than a few tenths of a second and perhaps was playing into Demmery’s hands.

Then there were reports of some rain falling- just to ensure the drama had drama on drama.

But Demmery continued to fox behind Swain, absolutely content to let him lead aswe headed into the last lap. Their gar was out to 4 seconds, but Swain decided he’d had enough leading and slowed even more. You lead!… no sir YOU LEAD! But at the line, it was Demmery who picked Swain’s pocket for another win.

Brodie Gawith was third, some 3.3 seconds behind with Henry Snell right behind him

The battle for fifth was dramatic as they tried for five wide over the line but it was Hamod from Knezovic, Middleton, Russo, Jhonston and Josh Newman 10th…

1 11 Brandon DEMMERY

2 26 Cameron SWAIN

3 25 Brodie GAWITH

The bLU cRU Oceania Junior Cup

Race Two

Slicks were the go and the go was slick for Bodie Paige who jumped away to a small lead, but with an enthusiastic group chasing. Immediately, race direction noted the start was under investigation after a few nervous clutch hands were faster than the start lights.

By half lap, Bodie had a half second advantage with Archie Schmidt and Ella McCausland fighting for the right be first to chase Bodie.

Of course, this simply allowed Bodie Paige to grind out a slightly bigger gap. But McCausland was having none of it and around the time she took the lead of the race down the main straight she was also announced has having jumped the start.

Whether McCausland knew this via the race direction boards at the track was impossible to say, but she continued to race hard and remained close to or at the front for much of the middle part of the race.

The leading group was now McCausland, Bodie Paige, Riley Nauta, Valentino Knezovic and Hunter Corney rounding out the top five.

At two laps to go, Paige led while McCausland was clearly measuring her run for the finale. Ther riders diced as they do through the last lap, all competing to get into the ideal spot for the run to the line. McCausland led, but seemingly didn’t want to.

The run to the line: McCausland lead them down the straight and inexplicably none we able to make a run past her and she hit the line as the first female to cross the line first in the bLu cRU Oceania Junior Cup.

…then the race direction penalty for a jump start was applied and the win went to Haydn Fordyce from Valentino Knezovic and Bodie Paige in third.

The breakthrough win would have to wait for McCausland.

1 17 Haydn FORDYCE

2 48 Valentino KNEZOVIC

3 74 Bodie PAIGE

Race Three

The final Oceania Junior Cup race of the weekend was an exciting affair with plenty of action from start to finish. Ella Mcausland made a great start, quickly moving up to third after losing out in race two. Meanwhile, Bodie Paige took the lead by half a second and looked comfortable in the opening stages of the race, with the track not entirely wet and the back half dry.

Paige continued to lead the pack, with Nauta and Mcausland battling for second place. However, their fighting allowed Paige to extend his lead to one second on lap three. McAdam went down at turn two, but rejoined the race unharmed.

The lead group eventually split, with Paige signaling to the riders behind him that working together would be the only way to catch up. The group of four began to close in on Paige, but Oscar Lewis went down at turn two and Bodie Paige’s visor apparently started fogging up, causing him to wipe it repeatedly for visibility.

The lead group was now five strong, with a gap of 6 seconds to sixth. However, a mistake from Nixon Frost dropped him several positions from the front of the chasing pack. Mcausland made a great move from fifth to second at turn three, while Nauta was unseated at the exit of turn two, but able to continue.

The first sector was still wet, but Corporate Hill and T9 were drying quickly. Early podium sitter Lazos went down at T2, which claimed its third victim of the race. Paige took advantage of all the battling behind him to open up a multi second gap, eventually claiming a dominant victory.

Archie Schmidt made an impressive move from fourth to second at the turn none hairpin on the last lap, while Nauta and Schmidt claimed the final podium spots. All in all, it was a thrilling race full of ups and downs, and Paige proved to be the strongest rider of the day.

The overall round win went to rookie OJC entrant, New Zealand lad Haydn Fordyce who took up motorcycle racing less than a year ago…!

1 17 Haydn FORDYCE

2 48 Valentino KNEZOVIC

3 42 Riley NAUTA

Moto2: Salac Earns Pole Position In Portugal

David Swarts

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March 25, 2023

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Moto2: Salac Earns Pole Position In Portugal

Moto2 Combined Q

Moto3: Sasaki Snags Pole Position In Portugal

David Swarts

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March 25, 2023

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Moto3: Sasaki Snags Pole Position In Portugal

Moto3 Combined Q

MotoGP: Marc Marquez Takes Record-Breaking Pole Position In Portugal

David Swarts

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March 25, 2023

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MotoGP: Marc Marquez Takes Record-Breaking Pole Position In Portugal

MotoGP Combined Q

More, from a press release issued by Dorna:

The stage is set! Marc Marquez takes stunning last dash pole to deny Bagnaia

Marc Marquez pitches his tactics to perfection to pip Pecco, with Martin third as Quartararo and Aleix Espargaro face a fight back

Saturday, 25 March 2023

You couldn’t script it! The first qualifying session of 2023 will live long in the memory, with a handful of lap records and the fight for pole going right to the wire. In an almost perfect narrative arc, Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) topped Q1 with a new lap record and headed into Q2, although he’d seemed on the back foot before the very final lap. Right at the flag, however, the number 93 played his cards to perfection to take the first pole position of the season, deposing reigning Champion Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) and setting another new lap record.

Bagnaia takes second, however, and the front row is completed by Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing), setting up a mouthwatering start to the first ever MotoGP™ Sprint.

Here’s how it happened:

Q1

There were 15 World Championships out on track in Q1, and it was the rider with eight of them who moved through on top. The Repsol Honda Team were once again out flying in formation and behind an impressive job from new teammate Joan Mir, Marc Marquez made it count. The number 93 flew to a new lap record, a tenth faster than what we saw on Friday, to take over at the top – and then he even gambled. After setting his 1:37.6, Marc Marquez sat in the garage to wait it out and left the rest with a clear target.

That left the tension high in the best way. There were plenty of red sectors threatening both Marc Marquez in 1st and teammate Mir in second, and Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) was the first to upset the Repsol Honda 1-2, taking over in second.

Still, it wasn’t done. The rider left holding the serious threat was then home hero Oliveira and the Portuguese rider put in a couple of red sectors on his final effort round. Could he keep it rolling? Yes in terms of making it through, but no in terms of deposing Marc Marquez. The eight-time World Champion led the graduates and kept the lap record, with Oliveira heading to Q2 behind him.

Q2

That Marc Marquez lap record lasted about 10 minutes. The previous holder had an immediate reply, with Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) smashing in a 1:37.5 straight out the blocks. Once again there was an early target for the rest to chase, but this time it wouldn’t go the distance.

The first challenge came from reigning Champion Bagnaia as the Italian shaved a tenth and a half off, setting a 1:37.290. Martin was next to give it a go, and the Spaniard set two red sectors in the middle of the lap before just losing out in the fourth. He slotted into second behind Bagnaia, shuffling Miller down to third ahead of Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) and Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team).

Deciding pole all came down to two riders. The first was Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Team), who was putting in a solid lap but didn’t look to have the legs for pole. However, he also had some company: Marc Marquez. Slotted in behind the Italian and only 0.012 down part-way round, all eyes were on the eight-time World Champion. Could he finish the job?

Everything on the table, he could. Deposing Bagnaia by tucking in behind Bastianini was such a storyline, even Ducati Lenovo Team Manager Davide Tardozzi had to smile down in pitlane. And so Marc Marquez starts 2023 on pole position, staring down Turn 1 from the front not once, but twice. The MotoGP™ Sprint starts at 15:00 (GMT) later on Saturday, before the Grand Prix race on Sunday with the very same grid.

The Grid

Marc Marquez heads the front row from Bagnaia, with Martin’s lap putting him third. There was a stunning late effort from Oliveira to pip Miller right at the end, and he’ll start his home Sprint and home Grand Prix from fourth at the head of the second row.

Miller, despite losing out in the final flurry, starts fifth, with Bastianini completing that second row for the weekend.

Viñales heads Row 3 as the second Aprilia, with Mooney VR46 duo Bezzecchi and Luca Marini alongside. Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing), a previous polesitter at Portimao, completes the top ten.

There’s a name or two missing there, and some big ones. Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) was mid-top ten before getting shuffled back and back in the latter stages, unable to improve further. The 2021 Champion therefore lines up in P11, just ahead of the final rider in Q2: Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing). The number 41 suffered a minor crash, rider perfectly fine, but it dented his first qualifying of the season. Now both are on a mission to bounce back twice.

Don’t miss the Sprint at 15:00!

Moto2: Canet Breaks Lap Record In FP3 In Portugal

David Swarts

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March 25, 2023

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Moto2: Canet Breaks Lap Record In FP3 In Portugal

Moto2 FP3

Moto3: Ortola On Top In FP3 In Portugal

David Swarts

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March 25, 2023

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Moto3 FP3

Larry Pegram’s Daughter Riley Pegram Racing In Porsche Sprint Challenge

David Swarts

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March 24, 2023

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Larry Pegram’s Daughter Riley Pegram Racing In Porsche Sprint Challenge

MDK Motorsports is excited to announce our incredible new partnership with @yokohamatire! “Yokohama All-In” is the brand new diversity racing program that is designed to promote inclusiveness in racing. Our female drivers @_rileypegram will be competing in the Cayman class in her ADVAN liveried car, while @ashley.freiberg will be competing in the GT3 Cup class in the Shift Up Now navy car, both in the Porsche Sprint Challenge 2023 season.

Shift Up Now, is an organization working to help promote and fund female athletes in Motorsports, without whom Ashley would not be able to showcase her amazing talents.
Both drivers will be racing on ADVAN A005 racing slicks and A006 wet racing tires.

We are so incredibly proud of everyone involved in this program, including our Team Owner, Megan Kvamme and Team Manager, @sarahjbamber who made this partnership possible.

Go get ‘em, ladies!

Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup: Piqueras Takes Pole At Portimao

David Swarts

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March 24, 2023

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Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup: Piqueras Takes Pole At Portimao

Piqueras takes Portimão Rookie Pole from Moodley

South African 16-year-old Ruche Moodley had his name on pole position until the last minutes of Qualifying for the first round of the 2023 Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup. Angel Piqueras stole it when he managed to tuck his KTM RC 250 R into the right slipstream and cheat the Portimão headwind.

Angel Piqueras has the pace

“That was good, I tried several times to put together the right lap and it worked in the end when I got the tow I needed. The bike was great at the end of our test so we have not had to change anything today. I could just concentrate on the riding and putting the lap together.”

“I will try to break away but I think it will be very difficult, we’ll see.”

Ruche Moodley on the limit

“Last year I didn’t have a good strategy and this year I think I have, I just gave it everything, everywhere. I almost crashed six times in that lap but I am very happy.

“In the race, I think I can stay with whoever is in front of me, I don’t know how long I can do those lap times for but I will do my best.”

“I think that the bike is perfect at the moment, the work we did and the changes we made in the test, it’s great.”

Casey O’Gorman 3rd – also fast alone

“I went out with a group because the headwind was so strong that you needed the tow,” explained the 15-year-old Irishman. “On my fastest lap I made two overtakes so it could have been better. Then running some laps on my own I was faster but when I got to the straight I lost time because of the headwind.”

“Tomorrow, maybe I should just sit back and let the race come to me. In the last few laps, I’ve got a lot better at being aggressive and hopefully I can…. get the win.”

Lorenz Luciano 4th in his head

“I am very happy with the Qualifying and the grid position,” enthused the 18-year-old Belgian. “It is a lot better than last year. And the difference is just in my head, the mental side.”

“We had a good test and we improved the bike also today and I also improved, really my improvement is the most important. I don’t know what is possible in the race, I just want to enjoy it.”

Alberto Ferrández 5th and happy

“I’m very happy to be on the second row of the grid,” stated the 15-year-old Spaniard, fastest of the newcomers. “I feel that we improved the bike a lot, I feel good on the bike and I like the track.”

“I am really enjoying it and I think I can battle at the front in the race. I expect it will be 8 or so riders so what happens at the end, we will see.”

Hakim Danish 8th to start

“I am happy with that, I finished P8,” beamed the 15-year-old Malaysian. “I am happy to start the season, my first year in Rookies like that.”

“I feel that I got better from the test, and we changed the bike a little for the Quali and I think we can still improve the front for the race. I will talk to the technical staff and we will see what we might do.”

Màximo Quiles no luck and 9th

“I had a lot of bad luck,” complained the 15-year-old Spaniard. “Because in the Quali I was always on my own, but still I showed that I can be fast and that I am one of the strongest and next time I will find a slipstream and be at the front.”

Broadcast

This weekend’s Rookies Cup races can be seen live on www.redbull.tv and on TV stations around the world.

Note the early times for Race 2 on Sunday morning this season and the switch to summertime this Sunday so: Race 1 is at 17:10 CET on Saturday and Race 2 is on Sunday at 09:50 CEST, the show starts 10 minutes before the race.

Session for POR RookiesCup QP

MotoGP: Medical Update On Pol Espargaro (Updated Again)

David Swarts

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March 24, 2023

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MotoGP: Medical Update On Pol Espargaro (Updated Again)

GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3 rider Pol Espargaro crashed during MotoGP Free Practice Two Friday at Algarve International Circuit, causing the session to be red flagged.

From the first replay of the crash shown on MotoGP’s Video Pass, Espargaro was highsided from his motorcycle under deceleration entering Turn 10. The Spaniard then slid into the gravel trap with his racebike sliding immediately behind him.

And then the replay was stopped before the final part of the incident was seen.

Live video coverage showed Espargaro close to the unprotected outside wall and being treated by MotoGP medical staff while corner marshals formed a human wall to block the view of spectators and others.

Espargaro had an IV of fluids administered trackside, and Dorna quickly communicated that he was conscious.

About two hours after the crash, Dorna reported that Espargaro suffered back and chest trauma and was being transferred to a hospital in nearby Faro, Portugal, for further examination.

We will update this post as more information becomes available.

Update: Dorna has provided a detailed update on Pol Espargaro’s condition on the official MotoGP website here.

Second Update: According to Dorna, Pol Espargaro has been diagnosed with a pulmonary contusion (a.k.a. bruised lung), a fractured jaw, and a fractured dorsal vertebra.

MotoGP: More From A Record-Shattering Day One in Portugal (Updated)

David Swarts

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March 24, 2023

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MotoGP: More From A Record-Shattering Day One in Portugal (Updated)

By Michael Gougis

Jack Miller’s pre-season was challenging, but at the end of the first official day of the 2023 MotoGP season, he was quickest, smashing the best-ever lap time at the Autodromo Internactional do Algarve in Portugal.

Fairing: KTM's work in the aero field continues with the company's adoption of the “fat” fairing lower design that puts more bodywork surface closer to the track at maximum lean, generating downforce (right arrow), but unlike Ducati and Aprilia, also incorporates ducting (left arrow) that helps eliminate the high-pressure zone at the very lower leading edge of the fairing. Photo by Michael Gougis. — Fairing: KTM’s work in the aero field continues with the company’s adoption of the “fat” fairing lower design that puts more bodywork surface closer to the track at maximum lean, generating downforce (right arrow), but unlike Ducati and Aprilia, also incorporates ducting (left arrow) that helps eliminate the high-pressure zone at the very lower leading edge of the fairing. Photo by Michael Gougis.

Miller’s lap at 1:37.709 was more than a second under the existing all-time lap record of 1:38.725 set by Francesco “Pecco” Bagnaia in 2021. Maverick Vinales was second-quickest, his Aprilia sporting even more new aerodynamic devices around the front wheel, and only 0.037 second back. Bagnaia was third, 0.147 second behind Miller.

Fairing And Swingarm: Aprilia continues to use the “fat” fairing lower to create downforce and clean and direct airflow under the machine when it is on its side in a corner. The manufacturer has gone a step further with wings bolted directly to the swingarm and front wheel fender (white arrows) that apply downforce directly to the tire, instead of transmitting it through the suspension as fairing-mounted aerodynamic devices do. Photo by Michael Gougis.

Aprilia Front Wheel: The front wheel winglets on the Aprilia RS-GP generate a small amount of drag but no downforce mid-corner on the upper part of the bike (left arrow designates direction of force generated by appendage) but push the front tire directly into the pavement when the bike is at maximum lean angle (right arrow). Aleix Espargaro told Roadracing World that the bike is fast, very fast, in the daunting, high-speed Turn 15 that leads onto the main straight at the Algarve. Photo by Michael Gougis. — Aprilia Front Wheel: The front fork winglets on the Aprilia RS-GP generate a small amount of drag but no downforce mid-corner on the upper part of the bike (left arrow designates direction of force generated by appendage) but push the front tire directly into the pavement when the bike is at maximum lean angle (right arrow). Aleix Espargaro told Roadracing World that the bike is very fast in the daunting, high-speed Turn 15 that leads onto the main straight at the Algarve. Photo by Michael Gougis.

Pol Espargaro suffered an ugly highside and became entangled with his GASGAS racebike as the bike and rider slid through the gravel. He was reported to be conscious.

Alex Marquez (73) was fast in the preseason on his new Gresini Ducati Desmosedici, and he topped the first practice session of the season. Photo by Michael Gougis.

Repsol Honda's Joan Mir was second in the first practice, ahead of Marc Marquez, who struggled to 11th. Neither ended the next session in the top 10. Photo by Michael Gougis. — Repsol Honda’s Joan Mir (seen here leading teammate Marc Marquez) was second in the first practice, ahead of Marc Marquez, who struggled to 11th. Neither ended the next session in the top 10. Photo by Michael Gougis.

Joe Roberts (16) was 12th in the second Moto2 practice session. Photo by Michael Gougis.

Sean Dylan Kelly (4) recovered from arm pump surgery during the off-season and was 18th at the end of Friday. Photo by Michael Gougis.

After years of rider objections, the gravel in the most common run-off areas at the Autodromo was replaced prior to the MotoGP riders going on track this weekend. Note how much smaller the rocks at the top of the screen are, compared to the rocks at the bottom. Photo by Michael Gougis.

More, from a press release issued by Gresini Racing:

ALEX MARQUEZ SHOWS SOME SKILLS ON DAY 1 AT PORTIMAO

Team Gresini left a mark in the inaugural day of action for the 2023 season and does so with Alex Marquez, who in his official debut on the sky-blue liveried Ducati machine surprised everyone (or almost everyone) with the quickest time in the FP1 session (1’38.782secs). In what was a more complex afternoon session, with two red flag situations, logged a 1’38.385secs – a time that was not quick enough to be seeded directly to the first Q2 of the year.

The experienced Spaniard is 0.6secs away from the top and only one tenth shy of the last classified of the ‘Q2 lot’. He will be the favourite in tomorrow’s Q1, which will also feature Fabio Di Giannantonio. The Italian, who is back in action after the crash in the official test here at Portimao, saw his confidence affected a little by a crash at turn five.

Proceedings will resume tomorrow: FP3 will begin at 10:10, while qualifying is scheduled at 10:50 (LOCAL TIME GMT).

Alex Marquez (73). Photo courtesy Gresini Racing.

11th – ALEX MARQUEZ #73

“Generally speaking it was a positive day, we only needed one little push to get into Q2. We missed out on the perfect lap and I’m aware it’s an area I need to improve. This was the first day of the season and maybe I was a little bit more nervous than usual. We still need to improve something strategy wise, but it’s normal on the first day of a Grand Prix.”

Fabio Di Giannantonio (49). Photo courtesy Gresini Racing.

21st – FABIO DI GIANNANTONIO #49

“It was a bit of a chaotic day between track conditions and red flags, but I wasn’t expecting that much of a difference only for one day of testing I missed. We lapped the same as we did in Day one of testing, while the others had made already a big step forward. We’re a bit on the back foot and we need to understand how to be better tomorrow. The crash didn’t help, but fortunately I’m fine.”

More, from a press release issued by RNF MotoGP Team:

Eventful opening day of 2023 at the roller coaster

The opening day of the 2023 MotoGP World Championship at the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve proved to be an eventful one. This morning’s FP1 was spoiled by some light rain in the beginning, while two red flags hindered proceedings in the afternoon during Free Practice two.

Both CryptoDATA RNF MotoGP Team riders Raul Fernandez and Miguel Oliveira struggled to build up the right confidence and speed with the interruptions, and on their way to a fast time, both went down. Luckily, Fernandez and Oliveira came away with no further damage, although the Portuguese home hero was affected by a contusion to his left foot and leg.

In FP1, Fernandez couldn’t find the good feeling he had during the test at this venue. He persisted, however, and worked with his team to improve in FP2. After his crash, he had to do his time attack with the bike that wasn’t adapted in terms of setting. Nevertheless, the Spaniard managed to improve his lap time from FP1 by nearly one second. He was still in P17 at the end of the day, but missing out on the top 10 by just 0.648 seconds.

At the same time, local man Oliveira struggled likewise to build a feeling in the changing conditions this morning and at the beginning of FP2, which was quickly interrupted by nearly half an hour by some timing issues. After the re-start, the Portuguese suffered a crash out of turn ten, where he hit his left leg heavily. Despite his crash, he was able to improve his lap time from the morning session by 0.836 seconds and ended the day in P19, just 0.054 seconds behind his teammate.

Both riders are looking to gain more confidence in Free Practice three tomorrow at 10:10 local time (11:10 CET) in hopes of making it through to Q2 and securing a solid starting position for the first-ever MotoGP sprint race on Saturday at 15:00 local time (16:00 CET).

RAUL FERNANDEZ

“The first session and the first run of the second session was far from ideal today, I didn’t feel good with the bike and felt quite uncomfortable. But the team did a great job, we changed some things and they gave me a good setting on the bike. But when I went out for the time attack, I crashed and the second bike wasn’t ready with the settings that I liked. I still did the time attack with the less preferred bike, but obviously, didn’t feel 100% comfortable with it. We will try again tomorrow and I hope we have better weather and I feel that we will also do a better job.”

MIGUEL OLIVEIRA

“Today was a strange day. We had Practice one with some drizzle at the beginning and managed to do only two runs. Therefore, we were not able to get a really good feeling. In Free Practice two it started quite well, I felt good with the bike, but when I tried the other bike we had in the garage with another configuration there was an issue with the steering damper. Then, there was this huge delay on the timing error. I don’t know what happened. For sure today was not the brightest day in terms of how smooth the sessions were. I had a heavy crash when I went on my out lap with new tyres. I went down because of a cold rear tyre. At first, I thought Pol’s bike had hit me, but then I completely understood that I crashed alone and I highsided at the entry of turn 11. Luckily, I had just a contusion of my foot and on my left leg. Still I tried to do my best and go out with the soft front and the soft rear, trying to get a good lap time. But I was just not confident and just tried to get through the day. Hopefully tomorrow we’ll have a better one.”

More, from a press release issued by Monster Energy Yamaha:

MIXED FIRST DAY IN PORTIMAO FOR MONSTER ENERGY YAMAHA MOTOGP

Portimao (Portugal), 24th March 2023

GRAND PRIX OF PORTUGAL

PRACTICE

Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP‘s Fabio Quartararo and Franco Morbidelli were keen to kick off the 2023 MotoGP season today at the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve. However, the first day of the Grande Prémio de Portugal was a bit of a rollercoaster ride. Damp conditions in P1 and two red flags in P2 kept the riders on their toes. Quartararo ultimately secured 6th in the combined session rankings and so a place in tomorrow‘s Q2. Franco Morbidelli ended the day in 20th place and will take part in Q1.

6^th FABIO QUARTARARO 1’38.015 (P2) / 16+29 LAPS

20^th FRANCO MORBIDELLI 1’38.978 (P2) / 13+29 LAPS

The Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Team was excited to commence the Grande Prémio de Portugal and thus their 2023 MotoGP World Championship quest. Fabio Quartararo saved the best for last and spurted to sixth overall, earning him a place in tomorrow‘s Q2. Franco Morbidelli suffered a highside in the damp early stages of P1, but was OK to keep riding. The Italian ended the day in 20th place and will take part in tomorrow‘s Q1.

Fans were cheering as they saw Quartararo enter the track for P1. With the GP weekend format changed for 2023, the Friday sessions carry even more importance. For the Frenchman it was therefore key to start work on his bike‘s settings. Several riders opted for a soft rear tyre in the final stages of the session to put in a time attack. El Diablo, however, stayed out on a soft-medium tyre combination and set a 1‘39.281s on lap 16/16, to take eighth place, 0.499s from the top.

The number-20 rider worked himself up to the top spot only 10 minutes into the sunny afternoon session. Having a full hour of dry track time, he aimed to make the most of the opportunity to prepare for tomorrow‘s Sprint and Sunday‘s race. However, two red flags halted his progress slightly. When the session got back underway for a second time, Quartararo went into time attack mode. He set a 1‘38.015s on lap 28/29, to take sixth place in the P2 and combined timesheets, 0.306s from first. It got him straight into tomorrow‘s Q2.

Rain in Moto2 P1, right before the very first MotoGP session of 2023, had made the track slippery. As Morbidelli headed out on slicks, he suffered an early highside, but he was quick to step back aboard his M1 and ride it to the pit box. When the Italian returned out on track, the riding line was significantly dryer and he gradually rose through the rankings until the final minutes when a time attack started. He ended the session in 14th place, 0.847s off the fastest time, with a 1‘39.629s, set on lap 12/13.

The number-21 was OK to start pushing again in the P2 session in the afternoon, but it wasn‘t all plain sailing. A technical issue at the Portimao circuit caused a red-flag interruption, and later a heavy crash by a fellow MotoGP rider halted the session once again. The stop-start situation meant Morbidelli had to abort his original plans to improve rear grip. He pushed in the final minutes, but his 1‘38.978s, set on lap 27/29, put him in 20th place in the P2 and combined results, 1.269s from first.

MASSIMO MEREGALLI

TEAM DIRECTOR

It was a mixed first day in Portimao in more ways than one. The riders and team had to adapt to the new format – which allows little track time before pushing for a spot in Q2 – and on top of that deal with the change in riding conditions between P1 and P2 and the multiple stops in the middle of the second session. We are all relieved to hear that Pol Espargaró is conscious. All in all, it was a tricky day. Fabio did well to keep his concentration – also when Marc Marquez was in his slipstream multiple times in P2 – and still set a 1‘38.015s lap at the end. On the other hand, it was a tough first day for Franky. He had a nasty crash in P1 in damp conditions, but luckily, he was OK to continue riding. He didn‘t have the speed he was looking for during the time attack due to a lack of rear grip. Tomorrow‘s FP session will be crucial. We will use the 30 minutes to the fullest to prepare for qualifying and our first ever Sprint.

FABIO QUARTARARO

I think we are working in a good way. I’m feeling much calmer than I was last year. Even if I don’t feel like I’m at my 100%, I feel like we are working in the proper way, and we are being precise. I’m in P6, and only 0.3s behind. I think we can make a step for tomorrow. I feel okay on the bike, and looking at the data, we’re not in a bad situation. We need to keep going and figure out where we can improve.

FRANCO MORBIDELLI

It was an interesting day. It was a new experience to have a one-hour practice in the afternoon. Unfortunately, today I struggled with the rear grip. We have some modifications in mind that should improve that. Let’s see if I can use them well tomorrow.

More, from a press release issued by Repsol Honda:

Red flag impacted Friday in Portugal for Repsol Honda Team

A complicated afternoon session saw Joan Mir and Marc Marquez work to keep their places in the combined top ten, ultimately missing out by just a few tenths in the hyper-competitive MotoGP field.

The sound of MotoGP returned in earnest as round one of the 2023 World Championship season got underway in Portimao. A return to Europe for the first race of the year, fans were already lining the stands of the circuit as the premier class rolled out for Free Practice 1 just before 11:00 Local Time.

Spits of rain in the morning session would send the majority of the field back to their garages after only a few laps as they waited for the conditions to improve. After setup adjustments to suit the conditions, both Joan Mir and Marc Marquez returned to the track to make the most of the remaining track time.

Ending the morning in second place with a 1’38.827, the newest addition to the Repsol Honda Team was able to impress immediately as he led a strong session for the Honda RC213V. In the afternoon, Mir was again able to end the day as the fastest Honda – claiming 12th place with a best lap of 1’38.394. Just over 0.1s saw the double World Champion miss out on a combined top ten spot on his Honda Grand Prix debut, the #36 poised to fight for one of the two transfer spots in Q1. A crash during Free Practice 2 saw Mir walk away without serious consequence.

Marc Marquez’s day followed a similar pattern as he finished the morning inside the top ten before improving his time by over a second to a 1’38.419. Unfortunately, his improvements were not enough and finished the day as the 14th fastest rider, a harmless fall in the final minutes of the session ending his last chance of improvements.

Saturday will not only see the classic battle for pole position, but also the debut of the MotoGP Sprint – a shortened 12 lap race where riders will battle for half points.

Joan Mir

12TH 1’38.394

“We were able to improve a lot from the test to today and I was able to feel a lot better with the bike. I think we left something more out there on track, so I am not fully satisfied. With our second tyre we weren’t able to make the most of it, but the team and I understand what we need to do in the future to improve this. That’s important. Of course, it’s a shame because we were having a great day. Tomorrow is a new day and I think we have a good chance to go through Q1.”

Marc Marquez

14TH 1’38.419

“All of the Honda riders were quite close today. I was feeling quite good with the bike today and our goal today was to get into Q2 and we just missed that. It will be an intense day tomorrow because everyone is riding very well and at the limit after the test. It wasn’t the best day overall today, it was a standard day, but I am aiming to make a step tomorrow and be a bit faster. The crash I had today was one of those crashes where you know it will come, I was braking too late after Turn 2 – I tried to save it but it didn’t work.”

More, from a press release issued by Mooney VR46 Racing Team:

MARINI AND BEZZECCHI IMMEDIATELY FAST AT PORTIMAO

The riders of the Mooney VR46 Racing Team sign the access to tomorrow’s Q2 at the end of the first free practice session of the year

Portimao (Portugal), March 24th 2023 – Luca Marini and Marco Bezzecchi continue in the slipstream of the excellent sensations of the pre-season and close the first day of free practices at the Portuguese GP (Sunday, 02.00 pm local time) respectively in fourth and eighth place in the combined time sheets. On the Ducati Desmosedici GP of the Mooney VR46 Racing Team, they both qualified for tomorrow’s Q2 (11.15 am local time).

Third this morning (1’38.922) and in the garage for part of the afternoon session due to the double red flag and the crash in the final stages, Luca sets the time of 1’37.899, a chrono that is only one tenth behind the poleman of the day (Miller, 1’37.709).

Marco is also at ease, fourth in the first free practice (1’39.018) and also the victim of a crash in the FP2, who stops at 1’38.158 and remains attached to the group of very first guys.

LUCA MARINI – 10

Today was a busy day: the second session was very long, but we tried to stay focused despite the interruptions. I’m happy that Pol (Espargaro) is OK, the crash was very strong. I am satisfied in any case of the day, we are competitive. I’m surprised, the track had more rubber in the test than today, but we were faster. Tomorrow I expect an important time for the pole position, we will try to stay as far ahead as possible for the sprint and the race.

MARCO BEZZECCHI – 72

I didn’t want to crash, I made a small mistake at turn nine, but I’m happy. With the M I’m strong, but also with the S I have a good feeling. Compared to the test, I made a step forward on the first half of the track, turns 3, 5 and 8, while I struggle in T3 and T4. Tomorrow in the sprint we will begin to understand the real values and I hope to be able to fight.

More, from a press release issued by Aprilia:

MOTOGP KICKS OFF IN PORTUGAL

THE FIRST WEEKEND OF THE 2023 SEASON GETS OFF ON THE RIGHT FOOT FOR APRILIA

MAVERICK VIÑALES AND ALEIX ESPARGARÓ GO STRAIGHT THROUGH TO Q2 IN PORTIMAO WITH THE SECOND AND NINTH TIMES

Maverick Vinales (12) and Aleix Espargaro (41). Photo courtesy Aprilia.

The MotoGP season opener was decidedly positive for the Aprilia Racing Team. With the new practice and weekend format, the two sessions on Friday already decide who goes straight through to the second qualifying session (Q2), which is where the first four rows of the starting grid are determined. Those positions will then be valid for both the race on Sunday and the Sprint Race which will be held on Saturday afternoon.

Maverick and Aleix confirmed their good sensations from the winter tests, tackling the two sessions today consistently maintaining a high pace. Stably at the top end of the standings throughout the two sessions they sealed their performance with a fast lap that placed them solidly in the top ten. Maverick finished in second place just 40 thousandths of a second behind the leader and Aleix placed ninth at +0.544.

This takes both riders straight through to Q2, the qualifying session for the leaders.

Aleix Espargaró

“I am extremely pleased because I had even better sensations than in the tests, which were already positive. It was clearly not easy for me to go back out on the track after Pol’s accident, but I’ve been doing this job for a long time and I know that these things happen. Fortunately, it seems that serious consequences were avoided. Having someone like Doctor Charte taking care of us riders is truly a great help. Tomorrow, we’ll focus entirely on the qualifiers because I’m convinced that the results of the Sprint Race will depend greatly on the start. With a good spot on the grid, we’ll be able to make a play for it.”

Maverick Viñales

“This was not an easy result. There was a lot of work behind the scenes. We picked back up with the good sensations we had in the tests and we need to keep going in this direction. Before starting this morning I was a bit nervous, as often happens on the first day of a new season, but I’m at ease now after verifying our real level. I was fast on the fast lap but times were more than satisfactory on the long run too. As for testing the tyres, I have a pretty clear idea about the choice for the rear, whereas a lot will depend on the temperature for the front.”

More, from a press release issued by LCR Honda Idemitsu:

TAKAAKI NAKAGAI COMPLETES THE FIRST PRACTICE DAY IN PORTIMAO

LCR Honda IDEMITSU rider Takaaki Nakagami has completed the first official day of practice at the Autodromo do Algarve, finishing 15th in the standings.

It’s been a very demanding Friday as weather conditions in the morning and red flags in the afternoon have jeopardized and delayed the initial plans.

The Japanese will have to go through Q1 tomorrow, but he’s made a step forward and feels comfortable on the bike, and Takaaki and the crew are working hard to reduce the gap (1.1 far from the first).

Takaaki Nakagami (30). Photo courtesy LCR Honda.

Takaaki Nakagami 15th

(1’38.827)

“We made a step forward after the test some days ago, and I’ve felt comfortable on the bike. There are still some areas to improve, but I’m positive because we’ve already seen some progression. I’m curious to see how the new Saturday format works for us; let’s keep working and pushing to reach our goals”.

More, from a press release issued by LCR Honda Castrol:

ALEX RINS COMPLETES THE FIRST PRACTICE DAY IN PORTIMAO

LCR Honda CASTROL rider Alex Rins has completed the first official day of practice at the Autodromo do Algarve, ending 13th in the standings.

It’s been a very demanding Friday as weather conditions during the morning and red flags in the afternoon have jeopardized and delayed the initial plans.

Alex Rins will have to go through Q1 tomorrow, but the rider is closer to the top, and he and the crew are working unceasingly to reduce the current gap (0.7 far from the first).

Alex Rins (42). Photo courtesy LCR Honda.

Alex Rins 13th

(1’38.416)

“Overall, we’ve improved. We are not far from the guys at the front; however, we still need to work on the race pace, the grip, and some other details. The main thing is that we are constantly taking small steps, which means we are working in the right direction, but we must be patient because there is still work to do”.

More, from a press release issued by Dorna:

Who predicted that?! Miller rolls out a new lap record to head the first Friday charge to Q2

The riders heading straight to Q2 are decided as Miller sets a new lap record, Bagnaia starts strong and Marquez loses a cat and mouse with Quartararo

Friday, 24 March 2023

Another two tenths have come off the fastest ever lap of the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve, courtesy of none other than Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing). “Thriller” lived up to his name to come out on top, defeating Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) by less than half a tenth. Third goes to the previous record holder at Portimao, reigning Champion Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team), as rollercoaster Day 1 sets the new era in motion.

P1

Light rain in the opening stages of the session saw the majority of the grid watch the opening laps from the pitlane, but with about half an hour to go, the rain cleared and it was go time. A flurry of fast laps in the closing stages of the session decided the order, and an incredible lap came in from Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) to secure top spot.

Joan Mir (36) and Marc Marquez. Photo courtesy Dorna.

Meanwhile Repsol Honda – aka Marc Marquez and Joan Mir – did some formation flying, and by the end of the session Mir secured second with some solid early signs. The Mooney VR46 Racing Team duo of Luca Marini and Marco Bezzecchi also pushed hard in the morning, taking third and fourth.

The top Aprilia was Viñales in sixth, ahead of Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing), who led the session up until the closing stages. Key title contenders Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) and Bagnaia had a relatively quiet session and finished P1 locked together in eighth and ninth, with Marc Marquez forced to settle for P10.

Maverick Vinales (12). Photo courtesy Dorna.

P2

It was a stop start afternoon session with a first Red Flag due to systems issue at the track, but as the clock ran down the times continued to tumble. Martin set a mid-session banker, the first rider to get below the previous race weekend record, and with the pace set, the rest of the grid chased down the Spaniard’s lap time. The riders were pushing hard, including the 2022 Champion Bagnaia, who also had a high-speed moment, saving it heroically on his elbow as he hurtled through the fast-flowing final corner.

Francesco Bagnaia (1). Photo courtesy Dorna.

With 15 minutes to go, Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) went top, before a second Red Flag caused another stoppage due to a crash for Pol Espargaro (GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3). The Spaniard was taken to Faro hospital for further examination and more details can be found here.

Once the session was back underway, soft tyres were thrown in and another flurry of fast laps followed, as the riders competed to get into that all-important top 10 for a secure spot in Q2. With eight minutes to go, Pecco took his number-1-plated Ducati to the top with an incredible 1:37.856, but that was all she wrote for the Italian following his stellar lap as he swiftly retired from the session with an issue. That left a target, and the timing screens began to light up with just two minutes remaining. Two riders bettered Bagnaia by the flag: Miller and Viñales, who both flew into the 1:37 club to put themselves in prime positions heading into Saturday.

Fabio Quartararo (20) and Marc Marquez (93). Photo courtesy Dorna.

That left Bagnaia third ahead of Marini who bounced back into fourth, with Martin forced to settle for fifth. Quartararo takes sixth on Day 1… and had some company from Marc Marquez in the afternoon. Reminiscent of a few moments in recent seasons, the number 93 was locked onto the number 20 for a little while, and got caught out. Marquez went down at Turn 3 and lost his chance to improve further, finding himself out of Q1 but rider perfectly ok.

Behind Quartararo in sixth then comes not Marquez but Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing), with Bezzecchi next up. Aleix Espargaro goes through in ninth, with the last rider in Q2 for now proving Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Team)…. just! Alex Marquez, Joan Mir, Alex Rins (LCR Honda Castrol) and Marc Marquez will now head for Q1.

Cold tyres caught out Bezzecchi and Augusto Fernandez (GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3) early after the session was restarted. Both riders were up and ok, and back on track for the rest of the session. Miguel Oliveira (CryptoData RNF MotoGP™ Team) suffered a highside, rider ok, and teammate Raul Fernandez also crashed in the afternoon, rider ok.

Jack Miller (43) catching air in Portugal. Photo courtesy Dorna.

Riders through to Q2:

Miller, Viñales, Bagnaia, Marini, Martin, Quartararo, Zarco, Bezzecchi, Aleix Espargaro and… Bastianini! Find the full timesheets below and join us for super Saturday with FP at 10:10, qualifying from 10:50 and then some history made at 15:00 as the first MotoGP™ Sprint begins!

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After a successful debut at the 2022 Valencia GP, MotoGP™ Circuit now rolls out across the blockbuster 2023 calendar!

Moto2™: Acosta deposes Dixon on Day 1

Pedro Acosta (37). Photo courtesy Dorna.

The tale of Day 1 at the Grande Premio Tissot de Portugal was a duel: Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Ajo) vs Jake Dixon (Inde GASGAS Aspar Team). The Spaniard ended the day top by less than a tenth in the end, with Dixon second before a couple of tenths back to Filip Salač (QJMOTOR Gresini Moto2™) in third.

Elf Marc VDS Racing Team’s Sam Lowes and Tony Arbolino complete the top five, both also quick in testing, but it’s advantage Acosta and Dixon so far on the Algarve.

The top 14 go straight to Q2, see who makes the cut in P3 at 9:25 (GMT) on Saturday. The provisional line-up after P1 and P2 can be found below in the combined times.

ICYMI: 2022 Championship runner up Ai Ogura (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) is missing the first round through injury following a crash in training. He’s not being replaced. Rookie – and reigning Moto3™ Champion – Izan Guevara (Inde GASGAS Aspar Team) is also sidelined following recent surgery, replaced by Jordi Torres. Alex Escrig (Forward Team) was declared unfit following a final medical check on Friday morning after his crash in the Jerez test. He is replaced by David Sanchis.

Holgado heads Moreira in Moto3™

Daniel Holgado (96). Photo courtesy Dorna.

Day 1 of the Grande Premio Tissot de Portugal saw Daniel Holgado (Red Bull KTM Tech3) top the timesheets from Diogo Moreira (MT Helmets – MSI), the latter proving a popular prediction for Champion this season amongst the MotoGP™ field and off to good start. Third goes to David Muñoz (BOE Motorsports), making it three sophomores in the top three.

Veteran Ayumu Sasaki (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) was fourth, with Ivan Ortola (Angeluss MTA Team) completing the top five. Kaito Toba (SIC58 Squadra Corse) headed the Honda machinery in P6.

The top 14 go straight to Q2, to find out who they are make sure to tune into P3 for the lightweight class from 8:40 (GMT) to 9:00. For now, the combined timesheets are below for a look at the current state of play.

More, from a press release issued by Ducati:

Francesco Bagnaia and Enea Bastianini finish Friday free practice for the Portuguese GP in third and tenth place respectively

Day 1 of practices for the Portuguese GP, the 2023 MotoGP World Championship opening round, scheduled this weekend at the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve in Portimão, saw Francesco Bagnaia and Enea Bastianini finish with the third and tenth fastest times, respectively.

The Ducati Lenovo Team riders thus gain direct access to the first Q2 of the season. In fact, following the new format, MotoGP riders took part in two practice sessions today – Practice 1 of 45 minutes this morning and 1 hour of Practice 2 this afternoon – which decided the top ten that will take part directly in the second qualifying session tomorrow morning.

After finishing with the ninth fastest time in Practice 1, Bagnaia closed as the third quickest in the afternoon, despite a session full of unforeseen events. After a prolonged interruption due to a blackout of the time screens, Pecco returned to the track for his first “time attack”, which he had to abort after almost suffering a crash. The World Champion returned to the track for a second attempt, interrupted by a second red flag following Pol Espargaro’s crash. Despite this, the Italian rider still made the most of the soft tyre as he secured third place in 1:37.856.

Enea Bastianini, who made his race debut with the factory Borgo Panigale-based squad today, also managed to close with the tenth fastest time in 1:38.256, 547 thousandths from the top of the combined standings.

Francesco Bagnaia (1). Photo courtesy Ducati.

Francesco Bagnaia (#1, Ducati Lenovo Team) – 3rd (1:37.856)

“Our first practice day for 2023 went well: with used tyres, we are quite competitive, and even in the time attack, we managed to set a good lap time. In the first attempt, I risked falling at the last corner, while with the second soft tyre, I managed to close only one lap before the red flag came out following Pol’s crash. In any case, we can be happy and ready to face the first Sprint Race of the season.”

Enea Bastianini (23). Photo courtesy Ducati.

Enea Bastianini (#23, Ducati Lenovo Team) – 10th (1:38.256)

“It was difficult to concentrate this afternoon, but I managed. The last two time attacks went well, although I was expecting more. I still have to figure out how to get the most from the new bike, but I’m learning its strengths. For now, I am satisfied with the progress made during the day, and we will try to make more tomorrow.”

In addition to qualifying tomorrow morning starting at 11am local time, MotoGP riders will also face their first race of the weekend, the Sprint Race beginning at 3pm, Portugal time, over a 12-lap distance.

Australian Superbike: Race Results From Sydney Motorsport Park

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_CM23301 — Action from an Australian Superbike race at Sydney Motorsport Park. Photo courtesy ASBK.