Alvaro Bautista on board the Ducati Panigale V4R of the Aruba.it Racing – Ducati Team also in the 2023 WorldSBK season
The Aruba.it Racing – Ducati Team is pleased to announce the contract extension for Alvaro Bautista who will ride the official Ducati Panigale V4R machine again in the 2023 WorldSBK season.
After becoming World Champion in the 125cc class in 2006 with 8 wins and a total of 14 podiums, Alvaro Bautista took part in the 250cc World Championship in the following three seasons, scoring 8 wins and a total of 24 podiums.
The Spanish rider – born in Talavera de la Reina (Toledo, Spain) on November 21, 1984 – landed in MotoGP in 2010 (scoring three podiums between 2012 and 2014) before climbing aboard the Ducati Desmosedici GP in the 2017 and 2018 seasons.
In his debut season in WordSBK (2019) with the Panigale V4R of the Aruba.it Racing – Ducati Team, he obtained 16 victories (24 podiums in total), finishing second in the championship standings.
After two years with another manufacturer, Bautista returns to the Aruba.it Racing – Ducati team at the start of the 2022 season. With four rounds out of twelve already held, the Spanish rider is currently leading the Superbike World Championship standings with 220 points.
Stefano Cecconi (Team Principal Aruba.it Racing – Ducati).
“I have always believed in Alvaro from a sporting point of view and we have always had a very good personal relationship even when our paths temporarily parted. When we decided to bet on him again last summer, some people called this move a very risky gamble, but there was a conviction on both sides that we were making the right choice: results so far confirm our decision and make us happy. This is also the reason why we are glad to continue our relationship with Alvaro for at least another year. Today we want to make a small exception to the rule and we toast his renewal; already from tomorrow, we are going back to work to prepare ourselves in the best possible way for the next races. The season is still long and we know very well that we cannot afford to let our guard down.”
Luigi Dall’Igna (Ducati Corse General Manager)
“We are very happy to be able to continue together with Bautista in 2023. As in the 2019 WorldSBK season, this year, Alvaro has been immediately competitive with our bike, starting from the winter tests; he is now leading, not surprisingly, a wonderful season, fighting intelligently for the world title. He is a precise rider, easy to work with: his fantastic riding style is not only enjoyable to watch on TV, but above all, it is his key to fully exploiting the potential of our Panigale V4 R. We are convinced that together we can achieve many important goals.”
Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati #19)
“I am very happy to be able to continue at least one more year with the Aruba.it Racing – Ducati Team, which represents a family to me. I have always felt good with this team and since I have returned, the feelings have been even more positive than in the 2019 season. When something works so well, we can only keep working, looking ahead. I feel I am still at the top, I feel I can still give a lot. Physically and mentally I think this is the best time of my career. I am also delighted to continue working with Ducati, a very important factory, tech-oriented, always looking for development: to be part of this project, of this team is something incredible on a personal level.”
Robem Engineering Aprilia riders score top-10 finishes in Sunday’s MotoAmerica Twins Cup race at The Ridge Motorsports Park
Twins Cup rookie Gloddy showed excellent pace Saturday before mechanical issue ended his race
SHELTON, Wash. — The MotoAmerica round at The Ridge Motorsports Park didn’t prove to be the big points-paying weekend Robem Engineering riders Teagg Hobbs and Ben Gloddy had been hoping for. Yet, the pair of New Hampshirites put a downer Race 1 at the June 24-26 event behind them to end the weekend with a pair of top 10 finishes in Race 2.
Hobbs started the weekend at less than 100 percent, as he is still dealing with the broken collarbone he suffered at the Road America at the beginning of June. Gloddy, who is in his first year competing in the MotoAmerica Twins Cup, was near the front of the field in Saturday’s contest before having his race soured by a bike problem.
Both riders were a little off the front-running pace to start the weekend. Gloddy was the faster of the two riders in Friday practice, finishing the session in sixth. Hobbs finished practice in eighth and was less than half a second off Gloddy’s pace. Both riders dropped more than second off their best lap times in Friday afternoon’s Qualifying 1, with Hobbs wrapping up the session seventh fastest and Gloddy eighth fastest. Qualifying concluded Saturday morning with Gloddy having secured fifth place on the Twins Cup starting grid. Hobbs qualified in ninth.
Later Saturday, Gloddy got a great start in the Twins Cup race and was right behind the leader at the first set of corners. He finished the first lap in second place, while he teammate Hobbs slipped down the running order to 11th place on the first lap. Gloddy held onto second place on Laps 2-4, though he slid back to third on Lap 5 and fourth on Laps 6 and 7. On Lap 7, Gloddy’s motorcycle unfortunately endured a mechanical failure that caused him to run off track and crash at Turn 6. Hobbs’ had moved into the top 10 for Laps 2 and 3 before he his race ended with a crash on Lap 4.
In Sunday’s Race 2, both riders got good starts and Gloddy and Hobbs finished the first lap in seventh and tenth place respectively. Hobbs fell as far back as 11th on Laps 2 and 3 before working his way up the running order to a seventh-place finish. Gloddy moved up from seventh to sixth on Lap 4 but wasn’t able to make any additional progress and had to settle for a sixth-place finish.
Gloddy and Hobbs will have a chance to bounce back to their usual frontrunning form in two weeks time at the next MotoAmerica round, which is scheduled for July 8-10 at the popular WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca.
Ben Gloddy / No. 72
“Overall, I had a good weekend at The Ridge. I felt really good in practice and qualifying. In Race 1, I got a really good start and me and another rider pulled a small gap in the first couple laps. Then my pace started to drop off. And then my bike had a mechanical failure that put me on the ground – which unfortunately ended my race. I didn’t get as good a start in Race 2 but was able to run with the leaders for a little bit. But the pain in my shoulder started to get worse and I wasn’t able to keep up with them.”
Teagg Hobbs (79). Photo by Sara Chappell Photos, courtesy Robem Engineering.
Teagg Hobbs / No. 79
“I was very happy to be able to ride so soon after my injury. The weekend didn’t go as smooth as we had hoped but we made steady progress. I am very excited to take a few weeks of rest before the next round at Laguna Seca. The team worked around the clock this weekend, and I can’t thank them enough for their amazing effort at The Ridge.”
Robem Engineering’s technical partners for 2022 include Aprilia Racing, Piaggio Group Americas, The Center for Plastic Surgery, Synchrony, Velocity Calibrations, Bitubo Suspension, Dunlop, Woodcraft Technologies, Dymag, Vesrah, Sprint Filter, DID, Magura USA, Sara Chappell Photos, NGK/NTK, Blud Lubricants, Millennium Technologies, Motovation USA and SC-Project.
More, from a press release issued by Tytlers Cycle/RideHVMC Racing:
Double win, another 1-2 finish and three riders in the points at The Ridge
The Tytlers Cycle Ride HVMC squad continued their run of form in the 2022 MotoAmerica Stock1000 championship – the latest round of the series at The Ridge in Washington state seeing Corey Alexander romp to a double victory after smashing the lap record to claim Pole Position during qualifying.
The winner of both races a year ago, the 2.47-mile circuit holds fond memories for Alexander who looked unbeatable as the weekend got underway on Friday.
Saturday’s opening race was a stop start affair with a series of red flags shortening the race. Despite the stoppages, Alexander withheld the pressure in the early stages to secure the win by a convincing margin with Travis Wyman narrowly missing the podium in fourth.
Sunday also saw a mid-race stoppage with the grid lining up for an even shorter five lap sprint for glory that saw the #23 under real pressure until the chequered flag. Initially controlling the pace out front, Alexander dropped to second with less than half a lap to go before resuming his position at the head of the pack to make it four wins on the bounce at the undulating and physically demanding circuit close to Seattle. The win saw Corey retake the lead in the championship as team mate Wyman kept his title hopes alive with a spirited ride to P2.
Zac Schumacher, the team’s third rider was also a double points finisher. The #90 brought his BMW M1000 R home fifteenth in both races.
All three riders head into the second half of the season which kicks off at Laguna Seca in two weeks.
Corey Alexander (23). Photo courtesy Tytlers Cycle/RideHVMC Racing.
Corey Alexander: “I am happy with the results on Saturday after setting a new lap record in Q2 and backing it up with the win in Race 1. It was a big points day with our nearest rival finishing behind us and it really set us up well for the rest of the weekend, especially with another top eight in the opening Superbike race. Sunday was another amazing day. It was a much tighter battle on track than on Saturday which makes it much more exciting for the fans and a little more satisfying when you come out on top in a last lap scrap. To take both wins was amazing for us and I hope to keep the momentum going into the next one at Laguna and for the rest of the season.”
Travis Wyman: “I was running third in the early stages of Saturday’s opening race, but I started to struggle with front end grip and settled for fourth. I got a good jump at the restart and fought my way through from fourth to second. I tried to close the gap on Corey, but I was just left with too much to do. I am happy that the team was able to secure another 1-2 finish and I am now focused on Laguna where I have had good results in the past.”
Zac Schumacher (90). Photo courtesy Tytlers Cycle/RideHVMC Racing.
Zac Schumacher: “A crash on Friday I still felt a bit rough when the lights went out on Saturday but after starting nineteenth, I was able to work my way into the points. I could have made it to P14, but I ran out of time. I made a good start in the first part of Race 2 and was battling hard with a couple of guys before the red flag came out. I got another decent launch at the restart and found myself battling for thirteenth position but on the last lap I made a mistake on the lap so settled for P15. I want to thank all my guys for putting the bike back together after the crash on Friday and I’m really looking forward to Laguna.”
More, from a press release issued by Team Suzuki Press Office:
DOUBLE PODIUMS FOR SUZUKI AT RIDGE MOTOAMERICA
Tyler Scott (SS): Suzuki GSX-R750 – 2nd
Liam Grant (SS): Suzuki GSX-R750 – 6th
Richie Escalante (SBK): Suzuki GSX-R1000R – 6th
Sam Lochoff (SS): Suzuki GSX-R750 – 15th
Teenager Tyler Scott raced his Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki GSX-R750 to second place in Sunday’s Ridge Motorsports Park weekend of the 2022 MotoAmerica AMA/ FIM North American Road Racing season.
Tyler Scott (70). Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Team Suzuki Press Office.
While it was Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Sam Lochoff who did the honours on Saturday, 16-year-old Scott took his turn in the spotlight in Sunday’s Supersport race.
Scott jumped to an early lead aboard his Suzuki GSX-R750 before settling into a race-long defense of second position. Despite facing heavy pressure on his rear wheel throughout the race, Scott kept his head and protected his racing line like a crafty veteran.
Demonstrating racecraft beyond his years, he managed to keep his rival corralled behind him to the chequered flag. The runner-up result was the rising star’s fourth podium finish of his rookie Supersport season.
Scott said: “All weekend we’ve been challenged with some handling issues, but we finally figured it out on the last day and made it count for the podium. I knew I had an aggressive rider on my back wheel. If I gave him an opportunity, he would have put a pass in there. The last five laps, I just put my head down and tried to keep 100% the best pace I could go.”
Sam Lochoff (44). Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Team Suzuki Press Office.
Unfortunately, the day wasn’t nearly so kind to Lochoff. The South African, already suffering from a painful broken ankle, crashed while running in fifth early. He remounted and returned to the pits for a quick check and adjustment before returning to the fray. Lochoff was awarded a championship point for his gritty effort with a 15th-place result.
Liam Grant (90). Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Team Suzuki Press Office.
Third Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki Supersport ace Liam Grant stepped up to fill the void. The up-and-coming rider earned sixth – his best Supersport result yet – as he continues to build confidence and speed in his rookie campaign.
Meanwhile, the squad’s MotoAmerica Superbike duo scooped a pair of top-ten finishes aboard their GSX-R1000Rs as well on Sunday. Richie Escalante made good on his impressive pace at the undulating circuit with a solid sixth-place performance. The premier-class rookie made a bid for a top-five, but ultimately fell just 0.171 seconds short at the flag.
Richie Escalante (54). Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Team Suzuki Press Office.
Escalante said: “To be honest, I am very happy with this weekend. Road America was very difficult for me, but I trained hard and was eager to get back on the bike at the Ridge, which I feel is easier for me to get up to speed.
“I felt strong on Friday and was going well on Saturday until I had the crash. Thankfully, my body was okay and the Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki team worked hard to get me back in the race and we were able to get 10th. The race on Sunday felt great; I was in a competitive fight for position throughout, and I feel like we made a lot of progress. I know the areas where I need to improve and I am looking forward to Laguna Seca.”
With Jake Lewis unable to ride after suffering a broken thumb, bruised hip, and banged up elbow in Saturday’s fall, Team Hammer test rider David Anthony filled in as a substitute. The Australian proceeded to put forth a steady effort to collect a 10th-place finish for the team.
Team Hammer will next head to Laguna Seca Raceway in Monterey, California on July 8-10th.
More, from a press release issued by Aprilia:
ANTHONY MAZZIOTTO VICTORIOUS IN BOTH MOTOAMERICA TWINS CUP RACES ABOARD APRILIA RS 660 AT THE RIDGE MOTORSPORTS PARK
RODIO RACING/HSBK WARHORSE RACING RIDER MAZZIOTTO LEADS APRILIA 1-2 FINISH IN SATURDAY TWINS CUP RACE WITH VELOCE RACING’S KALEB DE KEYREL
Anthony Mazziotto (516). Photo by Sara Chappell Photos, courtesy Aprilia.
SHELTON, WA – 27 JUNE 2022 – Anthony Mazziotto hadn’t won a MotoAmerica Twins Cup race in 2022 aboard his Rodio Racing/Warhorse HSBK Racing Aprilia RS 660 prior to this weekend’s round at The Ridge Motorsports Park. By the end of the June 24-26 event, the New Jersey native, who amassed two wins and four additional podium finishes on an Aprilia in 2021, had notched a pole position, two victories and was at the head of a 1-2 Aprilia finish in Saturday’s Twins Cup contest.
Mazziotto was joined on the podium Saturday by reigning MotoAmerica Twins Cup champion and Veloce Racing rider Kaleb De Keyrel, who also led the early laps of Sunday’s race before suffering an unfortunate crash.
The other full-time Veloce Racing rider, Jody Barry, didn’t have his usual dominating form at The Ridge. But the fourth place finished he scored in Saturday’s race added 13 points to his championship bid, and Barry left The Ridge with a 14-point lead over Mazziotto. The other Aprilia riders currently in the top 10 of the Twins Cup points standings include De Keyrel in fifth and Robem Engineering riders Teagg Hobbs and Ben Gloddy in sixth and ninth respectively.
Both wins for Mazziotto were hard-earned, as he bested De Keyrel to the finish line in Saturday’s Race 1 by a mere 0.162 seconds before the race was ended four laps early due to an on-track incident. In Sunday’s race, Mazziotto made a daring pass on the last lap at the tight and tricky Turn 13 to outpace another rider the victory by just 0.341 seconds.
Aprilia riders had a good start to the weekend. There were five Aprilias in the top 10 in Friday practice and qualifying, and six in the top 10 in Saturday morning’s Qualifying 2 session. Mazziotto took the pole, the fourth pole by an Aprilia rider in five rounds this year – and four Aprilia riders qualified in the top six.
Overall, 12 of the 29 riders entered in MotoAmerica Twins Cup for the Ridge round were on Aprilia RS 660 models, and there were a total of eight RS 660 that finished in the top 10. Among them was Edoardo Mazzuoli of Milano, Italy, who raced a Veloce Racing Aprilia RS 660.
Anthony Mazziotto, Rodio Racing/Warhorse HSBK Racing
“It couldn’t have been a better weekend. I qualified on pole, won a WILBUR Watch Co. watch and won both the races. My bike felt really good, and – even though it was really hot here – my Aprilia RS 660 was running fantastic. We found a good setup this weekend, and K-Tech got my suspension dialed in for me. I felt really confident coming into this event because this is a track I did really well at last year. The pace this weekend was a lot faster than I thought it would be, but my Aprilia handled it well.”
MotoAmerica is back in action July 8-10 at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey, Calif. Championship Schedule, competitor information, and class rules can be found at https://motoamerica.com.
More, from a press release issued by Levi Badie Racing:
Levi Badie races to seventh and ninth in the latest round of the MotoAmerica Junior Cup Championship at The Ridge
Levi Badie leaves The Ridge Motorsport Park with a double top top finish in the latest round of the MotoAmerica Junior Cup Championship, the Belgian teenager once again riding strongly at another new circuit.
Running a strong second on Friday, Levi chased a better set-up all weekend, but with temperatures close to triple figures he was unable, when the lights went out, to improve over his qualifying position.
P7 and P9 this weekend see Levi move to within one point of the top ten in the overall standings, a more than respectable position for the #71 in his debut season of MotoAmerica competition, especially when you consider three events when he was unable to finish.
The series moves to the undulating Laguna Seca circuit in California in a fortnight, a circuit that should suit Levi, and one that he is excited to race at given its iconic status.
Levi Badie (71). Photo by Karen E. Ott, courtesy Levi Badie Racing.
Levi Badie: “I made a decent start in Saturday’s race, but the bike was sliding everywhere. I had no confidence and just did what I could not to crash. The bike was better in Race 2, but I still didn’t have the feeling I had had in previous rounds. I did the best I could and whilst I am disappointed not to be higher in the results, I am taking the positives and looking ahead to Laguna Seca.”
More, from a press release issued by Luke Power Racing:
Luke Power shows front running pace once again at The Ridge Motorsports Park
Aussie teenager Luke Power bounced back from a high-speed crash whilst in contention for another MotoAmerica Supersport podium at The Ridge Motorsports Park on Saturday, to secure a fifth-place finish on Sunday.
Luke, fresh from a maiden podium at Road America earlier in the month once again learned the 2.47mile circuit quickly in the opening session of the weekend before a small technical issue limited his running ahead of Race 1. Nevertheless the #68 put his 3D Motorsports Suzuki on the third row of the grid.
A rapid start soon saw him in contention for the podium in the opening laps on Saturday, before a small mistake saw him crash at speed, thankfully without injury.
A late night for the team, who rebuilt the bike for Sunday, were rewarded with a spirited ride to P5, a result that consolidates Luke’s position in the championship ahead of the next round of the series which takes place at the iconic Laguna Seca circuit in a fortnight.
Luke Power (68). Photo courtesy Luke Power Racing.
Luke Power: “It was a pretty disappointing Saturday, and I don’t really know what to say. We had an electronics issue which meant I couldn’t complete the full session in Q2. We made a change for the race, and I made a good start and felt really good and had good pace. I made a mistake downshifting and it bit me. The bike was a mess, and I was pretty banged up and I wasn’t sure I’d be on the grid on Sunday. Race 2 was pretty good considering what happened on Saturday. The team did a great job, working until 2am to give me a bike after I sent it into the trees, so I can’t thank them enough. I struggled a lot as the race progressed. My tyre dropped which affected my lap times in the final part of the race, but I was fortunate to be able to take advantage of a mistake ahead of me and was able to take another Top 5. It was damage limitation, and it could have been a lot worse. I am already looking forward to Laguna Seca, a track that I have always wanted to ride, and I hope to be able to put on a good show for the fans.”
More, from a press release issued by Pure Attitude Racing:
Hard work pays off as Liam MacDonald delivers first Twins Cup top ten of the season and Chase Black races into the top six
Pure Attitude Racing raced into the Top Ten of the 2022 MotoAmerica Twins Cup championship, and the Top 6 of the Junior Cup series at The Ridge Motorsports Park this weekend.
With temperatures skyrocketing the youngest member of the team, Chase Black, improved in final qualifying to secure a second-row grid slot in the Junior Cup category before putting himself in the leading group when the lights went out in Saturday’s opening race. Unfortunately, a crash put him out of contention. Buoyed but his pace on Saturday, Black was able to improve further on Sunday, running confidently throughout to take a well-deserved P6 aboard his Kawasaki at the flag, at the end of Race 2.
Twins Cup riders Liam MacDonald and Trevor Standish both made another significant step towards the front aboard their Yamaha R7 machines, the pair running much closer to the leaders during their first race on Saturday. A red flag following an engine blow up cut short the race and what should have been a double top ten for the duo. Trevor fell victim to oil on the track, along with a number of riders – a bitter blow for the #16 who was looking to build on season’s best to date. Liam MacDonald was able to avoid the carnage, crossing the line in ninth to record the team’s best result of the year, a feat he replicated on Sunday. Despite the best efforts of the team, Trevor was unable to take part in Sunday’s race.
Chase Blake (14). Photo courtesy Pure Attitude Racing.
Chase Black: “Overall it was good first race. I was running with the front group and could see the podium fight just ahead. I was pushing hard and was trying to get ahead of the guys around me but unfortunately, I hit the bumps and went down. It’s frustrating as I had podium pace. It was a solid second race. I didn’t make the best of starts but I dug deep and ran top six the entire race. We had a small issue towards the end of the race but after the crash on Saturday it’s a confidence building top six ahead of the next race in California.”
Liam MacDonald (37). Photo courtesy Pure Attitude Racing.
Liam MacDonald: “I am so happy with how this weekend has gone. Finally, things came together, and I was able to bring it home for the team inside the top ten not once but twice. All season we have pushed and worked hard to close the gap to the leaders and whilst we still have a lot to do, this result means so much to me. It was so hot out there on both days, but Sunday was insane, and my times were a little slower than the day before. The next race is at Laguna Seca, a track that I really enjoy, and I am keen to keep this momentum going there. A big thanks to the whole Pure Attitude Racing crew – this is just the beginning.”
Trevor Standish (16). Photo courtesy Pure Attitude Racing.
Trevor Standish: “We were having a really solid race until through no fault of my own I crashed. We made several changes and really started to go in the right direction. I made a decent start and was not too far behind my team mate when the lights went out. The nature of the class means that everyone is pushing for that little bit extra and one of our rivals blew up, dumping oil that claimed me and several others. It would have been nice to finish tenth which is where I was running when I went down but it is what it is. The team did an excellent job fixing the bike but unfortunately, I was unable to race on Sunday after I was sidelined with a recurring issue that I thought we had fixed before Saturday’s crash. I am disappointed to leave The Ridge with no points but that’s racing, and I am going to Laguna looking to build some momentum for the second half of the season.”
TWO-IN-A-ROW FOR RED BULL KTM’S KODY KOPP AT THE LIMA HALF-MILE Red Bull KTM Factory Racing – Lima Half-Mile
Kody Kopp. Photo courtesy KTM Factory Racing.
LIMA, Ohio – For the second consecutive round, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Kody Kopp dominated the AFT Singles competition, sweeping everything from pole position to the Main Event victory, with an impressive performance at Saturday’s Lima Half-Mile in Ohio.
Coming off a triumphant Short Track victory at Laconia, Kopp didn’t break stride as he stepped into Round 7 of the American Flat Track Championship full-speed ahead. The young rider was comfortable from the start, claiming the top spot in AFT Singles qualifying. With a great start from pole position in Semi 1, Kopp immediately charged to the front and he led from start to finish on the wide open “cushion” track.
In the Main Event, Kopp shot off the line to capture the holeshot and early race lead. Keeping his KTM 450 SX-F wide open for all 21 laps, the 17-year-old series points leader maintained his stance for the entire eight minutes plus-two-laps, claiming his fourth victory of the 2022 season.
Kody Kopp: “Two-in-a-row! We had another great day of riding and the bike was pretty dialed in from the start. It got pretty gnarly, the track conditions were deep, and I just used my ability to ride through rough tracks to my advantage. We had a good battle in the dash with Australian Tom Drane and he actually edged us out, and that fired me up pretty good for the Main Event so we put our head down and went to work. We’re at our fourth win of the season, which is pretty crazy if you ask me. It’s an unreal feeling. This team works so well together and the bikes are spot on every weekend. We’ve got a long way to go but we’re going to keep charging and keep pushing because we can’t let up!”
Kopp’s closest competitor all day was 16-year-old Australian rider, Tom Drane, who had a stand-out performance in his first AFT round of the season. After besting Kopp in the dash, Drane kept his KTM 450 SX-F within a second of the race leader for most of the Main Event, ultimately finishing four seconds back for a respectable runner-up result.
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Max Whale is still recovering from a knee injury sustained earlier this season. Whale’s recovery time is day-to-day at this point and the Australian native hopes to return to racing within the next couple of rounds.
Next Race: New York Short Track – Weedsport, New York – July 2, 2022
Round 7 Results – Lima Half-Mile
AFT Singles Main Event
1. Kody Kopp, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing
2. Tom Drane, KTM
3. Chase Saathoff, Honda
OTHER
5. James Ott, KTM
9. Hunter Bauer, KTM
14. Travis Petton IV, KTM
AFT Singles Point Standings (After Round 7)
1. Kody Kopp, 155 points
2. Morgen Mischler, 124
3. Dalton Gauthier, 102
OTHER
5. Max Whale, 89
8. James Ott, 58
13. Hunter Bauer, 41
14. Travis Petton IV, 34
20. Ryan Wells, 18
More, from a press release issued by Indian Motorcycle:
INDIAN MOTORCYCLE PRIVATEER BRANDON ROBINSON SECURES FIRST VICTORY OF 2022 AFTER HARD-FOUGHT BATTLE AT LIMA HALF-MILE
Brandon Robinson (center), Dallas Daniels (far left), and Jared Mees (far right) on the AFT Mission SuperTwins podium at the Lima Half-Mile. Photo courtesy Indian Motorcycle.
Win Marks Robinson’s First at Lima Since 2016
Reigning Champion and Indian Wrecking Crew Rider Jared Mees Finishes Third,
Maintains Top Position on SuperTwins Leaderboard
Minneapolis, MN. (June 27, 2022) – Indian Motorcycle Racing, presented by Progressive Motorcycle Insurance, continued its 2022 American Flat Track (AFT) season Saturday night under the lights of Allen County Fairground for the Lima Half-Mile, where Indian Motorcycle privateer Brandon Robinson secured his first victory of the season after a bar-to-bar battle aboard his No. 44 Mission Roof Systems Indian FTR750. Joining Robinson on the podium was Indian Motorcycle Wrecking Crew rider and reigning champion Jared Mees, who finished the night’s main event in third place.
At the start of the race, Robinson launched off the line near the front of the pack, swapping positions multiple times throughout the opening laps before moving into second. Near the 8-minutes mark, Robinson snuck to inside of JD Beach to take over the lead, setting the pace for the racers behind him. He continued to ride unchallenged at the front, opening a small gap on the remainder of the field. With three-minutes and two laps remaining, Dallas Daniels closed the gap as the two engaged in a bar-to-bar battle. Daniels momentarily took over the lead by sliding into the inside corner, but Robinson quickly fought back to regain the lead position. As the racers entered the final two laps, Robinson continued to hold strong, maintaining his speed and position to extend his lead on Daniels. He ultimately took the checkered, securing the win with a 2.766-second margin of victory.
“This is a huge win for the entire team, as everyone worked hard to get the FTR750 dialed in. To take the podium after an intense battle is pretty awesome,” said Robinson. “We knew there was going to be strong competition when we lined up tonight. To come out on top after a tight, action-packed race really gives us some positive momentum heading into the second half of the season.”
Mees, who started on the second row, struggled to find his rhythm throughout the 25-lap race. At one point the reigning champion slipped back to fifth, but he was able to rebound and make multiple passes to finish third and maintain his position atop the SuperTwins leaderboard with 136 points.
Robinson’s first win of the season places him fifth in the championship standings with 103 points. Indian Wrecking Crew rider Briar Bauman finished the night in fourth and currently sits third in the season standings with 115 points.
The 2022 AFT season will continue Saturday, July 2, at the New York Short Track.
Sponsors for Indian Motorcycle Racing’s American Flat Track efforts include Progressive Insurance, S&S®, Indian Motorcycle Oil, Mission Foods, Bell Helmets, Drag Specialties and Parts Unlimited.
For more information on Indian Motorcycle Racing, visit IndianMotorcycle.com and follow along on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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Indian Motorcycle is America’s First Motorcycle Company®. Founded in 1901, Indian Motorcycle has won the hearts of motorcyclists around the world and earned distinction as one of America’s most legendary and iconic brands through unrivaled racing dominance, engineering prowess and countless innovations and industry firsts. Today that heritage and passion is reignited under new brand stewardship. To learn more, please visit www.indianmotorcycle.com.
Woodcliff Lake, NJ – June 27, 2022…BMW Motorrad USA would like to announce its renewed relationship with long time partner – The California Superbike School. BMW Motorrad USA and the California Superbike school enter their 13th year of collaboration, providing student riders with the opportunity to learn and improve their skills on one of the school’s 31 advanced BMW S 1000 RR motorcycles. California Superbike school itself celebrates 42 years of helping thousands of students of all skill levels become better and safer riders, not only on the track but more importantly, on the street.
“When BMW launched the S 1000 RR in 2009, it was the most advanced 1000 cc sport bike on the market and its performance and features, such as ABS and traction control, made it an immediate fit for the California Superbike School and for our shared values of teaching riders how to be safer both on track and on the street.” said Luciana Francisco, Head of Brand and Marketing, BMW Motorrad USA. “13 years on, the BMW S 1000 RR is lighter, quicker, even more advanced and continues to be the top choice for instructing both new and experienced riders at the legendary CA Superbike School. We look forward to many more years of helping Keith and Dylan Code and their team of instructors train future generation of riders.”
The California Superbike School, based in Los Angeles, CA, was founded in 1980 by 2-wheel racing and instructing legend Keith Code. Since then, over 150,000 riders have gone through the school, including professionals who have gone on to win 94 World and National Championships. The CA Superbike Schools also uses specialized training motorcycles (with outriggers) such as the Panic Brake Trainer and Slide Bike Trainer, allowing students to experience and learn important skills with increased safety. One Day Schools and Two-Day Camps are available at 12 locations around the USA.
“Partnering with BMW using the S 1000 RR was one the best moves we’ve made. The bike scores high in every category, especially in the areas of safety, predictability, handling, and a smooth delivery of power. Newer riders and racers alike seem to all love the Double R. The team at BMW Motorrad North America have a passionate devotion to rider training and safety, so the partnership works well.” Said Dylan Code, Vice President California Superbike School
BMW Group in America
BMW of North America, LLC has been present in the United States since 1975. Rolls-Royce Motor Cars NA, LLC began distributing vehicles in 2003. The BMW Group in the United States has grown to include marketing, sales, and financial service organizations for the BMW brand of motor vehicles, including motorcycles, the MINI brand, and Rolls-Royce Motor Cars; Designworks, a strategic design consultancy based in California; a technology office in Silicon Valley, and various other operations throughout the country. BMW Manufacturing Co., LLC in South Carolina is the BMW Group global center of competence for BMW X models and manufactures the X3, X4, X5, X6 and X7 Sports Activity Vehicles. The BMW Group sales organization is represented in the U.S. through networks of 350 BMW passenger car and BMW Sports Activity Vehicle centers, 146 BMW motorcycle retailers, 105 MINI passenger car dealers, and 38 Rolls-Royce Motor Car dealers. BMW (US) Holding Corp., the BMW Group’s sales headquarters for North America, is located in Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey.
More, from a press release issued by Monster Energy Yamaha:
DOUBLE NC SCORE FOR MONSTER ENERGY YAMAHA MOTOGP IN ASSEN
Assen (The Netherlands), 26th June 2022
GRAND PRIX OF THE NETHERLANDS
RACE
Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP‘s Fabio Quartararo and Franco Morbidelli both fell victim to Turn 5 at the TT Circuit Assen. Quartararo was able to continue after the first crash but was forced to retire after a second crash in Turn 5. Morbidelli also continued riding after a mishap in Turn 5 but was later forced to retire.
DNF FABIO QUARTARARO – / 15 LAPS
DNF FRANCO MORBIDELLI – / 18 LAPS
It was a day to forget for the Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Team. Crashes by Fabio Quartararo and Franco Morbidelli spoilt their chances to score championship points. Neither were able to finish the race.
Quartararo had a strong start from P2 and headed into the first corner side by side with Francesco Bagnaia but went a bit wide. It put him in the clutches of Aleix Espargaró. The duo battled on the opening lap, allowing the race leader to break away. The Yamaha man completed the first lap in third place, with a bit of a gap to second, but he was ready to fight back. He set a new fastest race lap on lap 3, underlining his eagerness.
But disaster struck with 22 laps to go when the Frenchman collided with Espargaró in Turn 5. He was able to rejoin the race but found himself in last place. He checked in at the pits if anything could be done and quickly headed back out again in the hope of collecting some championship points, but a second crash on lap 11 in Turn 5 again ended his race early.
Morbidelli started the race from P20 and kept his position in the opening lap. Fully immersed in the race, he waited five laps before getting in his long-lap penalty given to him for obstructing Enea Bastianini in FP2. But it was too late, and he was given a second long-lap penalty. He fell back to 23rd place.
The Italian was keen to bridge the gap to the riders in front of him. However, he too fell victim to Turn 5. Similar to his teammate, he was initially able to resume riding, but soon after retired from the race with 18 laps to go.
Today‘s results see Quartararo‘s lead in the championship standings reduced to 21 points, with his 172 points total, while Morbidelli remains in 19th with 25 points. After Round 11, Yamaha remain second with 172 points in the Constructor championship, and Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP now are in shared second position with 197 points in the Team championship.
After a five-week summer break, the team will be back in action on 5-7 August for Round 12 of the 2022 Moto2 World Championship, held at the Silverstone Circuit, UK.
Quartararo was given a long-lap penalty sanction for the British GP following the incident involving Aleix Espargaró on lap 3. The Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Team put in an appeal but Race Direction was not swayed.
MASSIMO MEREGALLI
TEAM DIRECTOR
These were results we didn‘t expect to score today. Luckily, neither rider got injured in their crashes. We started the race hoping to be able to put in a good performance. We were, anyway, well prepared for this race, but this is racing. We view the first crash of Fabio as a race incident and feel that Race Direction’s decision to give him a sanction for the next race is not only harsh considering he took nobody down with him and Aleix still scored points, but it’s also not consistent with race incidents we’ve seen in earlier GPs that were left unpunished. We will use this break to digest this GP and come back ready to fight in Silverstone in one month‘s time.
Fabio Quartararo (20). Photo courtesy Monster Energy Yamaha.
FABIO QUARTARARO
I made a rookie mistake. It was only the third lap and I attacked like it was the last one. It was totally my mistake. My apologies to Aprilia and Aleix for making him go out of the track. It was a race accident. I came into the pits because I felt there was a problem, but the team told me to continue because rain was supposed to come. But we crashed again. I feel pretty lucky I haven’t broken anything. I could save the first moment, but as soon as I moved, I had another one and fell. I feel a bit sore in the shoulder. But it’s my fault, I could have done a better result than crash in the third lap and crash again later. I crashed only twice in the first ten rounds of the season, and today I crashed twice in ten laps. We spoke with the team before the race. The strategy was that if I was in front, I would push. If I was behind, I would try not to make any mistakes. But I did the opposite. Not something I would do on purpose. It was just a stupid mistake.
Franco Morbidelli (21). Photo courtesy Monster Energy Yamaha.
FRANCO MORBIDELLI
I lost the front in Turn 5 and crashed. That was unfortunate. The biggest deal is that we need to get the right speed. And to get that with this bike, you have to be very aggressive, and that is not my way of riding. We will take this summer break to regroup and to understand it well. I will try to sort something out in my riding style to get more aggressive to make this bike work for me.
An unfortunate end to the Dutch Grand Prix for American Racing as Cameron Beaubier crashed out of the podium fight whilst Sean Dylan Kelly continues his learning curve to end the day in 19th.
Cam made a strong start to the weekend, flourishing in the mixed conditions to bag himself a direct place into Q2 where he took 18th position ahead of Sunday’s race.
On race day, the Californian made a lightning start to make up eight positions into 10th place before sweeping past Joe Roberts and Jorge Navarro to move into eighth position. Cam continued to make progress through the field, setting the fastest time on two separate laps and moving onto the fringes of the podium places as he attempted to hunt down Jake Dixon and Ai Ogura ahead. Unfortunately, with only four laps to go, the 29-year-old lost the front going into turn one causing him to crash out of the race.
Sean faced yet another brand-new circuit before he headed into the summer break. After two bruising crashes during the weekend, the Florida native lined up in 24th for the 24-lap race. A difficult start pushed the rookie down into 25th in the early stages of the race but he quickly fought back to regain two positions. Battling against Niccolò Antonelli, the duo chopped and changed places through much of the race until the Italian’s race came to a premature end with only two laps remaining. Sean kept his head down to cross the finish line in 19th position.
Sean Dylan Kelly (4) at Assen. Photo courtesy American Racing Team.
Sean Dylan Kelly #4 –
“Overall, the race was quite difficult. The first few laps weren’t as smooth as I would have liked; I had a couple of saves and some moments with other riders where I almost went down so I lost touch with some of the riders I would have liked to be with a couple of spots ahead of me. Either way, I was still able to do a decent pace and fight in a group to finish 19th with a little fight at the end which is still in the right direction since Mugello. In general, now that the summer break comes, I need to look back on the last four races as a big step; we’ve been consistent and much better than the first five-six race weekends. I’m happy with the direction we’re in and even this weekend, I had a couple of crashes and did bing myself up but even like this, we were still able to do a decent job. Going into the summer break, I’m really positive and looking forward to continuing the work at Silverstone.
If I looked back to the pre-season tests, I have definitely struggled more than I even would have thought. I knew this was going to be tough, but I had some weekends that were very difficult for me. But I’m also extremely proud of the way I was able to get out of that because it felt like I was in a sand pit for many weekends so, for me to be able to get out of that and have people around to me be able to do that, I’m really proud of that. I think the expectations are bullshit because, at the end of the day, it’s what are we living and what are we doing so I’m proud of what we’re doing right now and I know where I can be as well so that’s all that matters and I’m just going to keep working.”
Cameron Beaubier (6) at Assen. Photo courtesy American Racing Team.
Cameron Beaubier #6 –
“For the whole weekend, we weren’t too far off but this morning, Stu found something that really helped us, something we were a little off on previously and I felt awesome this morning. I think I was like P6 pretty comfortably and I felt optimistic going into the race and honestly, it was a fun race being able to come through the pack and pick guys off and chase down the front group. Once I caught them, I was able to take a little breath but as soon as I took a breath, I got passed back by a couple of guys! I was feeling pretty good but I got in a little hot to the final chicane and clipped Ogura a teeny bit and that created just enough room for Vietti to try and get me going into Turn One, I saw his front wheel there and tried to hold my position but I just lost the front which was a bummer with only four laps to go because once I caught the front group, I was really trying to bide my time for the last five laps to see what I could do to challenge for a podium because I was feeling really good. It is what it is. I’m taking the positives from that one because I rode really well and felt awesome on the bike.
This year, when everything is working; the bike’s working, I’m working, I feel like we can be competitive with the fastest guys in the class. I definitely feel like I’ve made a handful of mistakes when we could have had some good results and hadn’t really had the luck on our side like with Portugal and even COTA. It’s been kind of a frustrating start to the season, I was expecting a little bit more results-wise out of myself but we’ve definitely shown the speed, we’ve shown we can be just as fast as the top guys when everything’s clicking. I’m definitely ready for the summer break now. I’ve only been home a week out of the last five months and I’m ready to recharge the batteries.”
John Hopkins, Racing Director –
“As far as the weekend goes, it was utterly disappointing and devastating. Just because I truly feel that Cam should have 100% been on the podium today. He did an amazing job in the race. It wasn’t the best of weekends practice wise, but he always turns it around for the race. He had an amazing race, he had a good start, kept his head down and rode today as we’ve always known him to be able to ride and known him to ride. We saw the Cameron of the end of last season/beginning of this season again which was good, and he had every intention of finishing on the podium to finish off this half of the season on a high. Unfortunately, the mistake, it was no one’s fault, it was just a racing mistake, but it was just utterly disappointing because he had the pace to be on the podium or even better.
With Sean, we’re still making considerable steady progress. He had a mishap this morning but he’s making continual progress and he’s right around the area where I’d expect him to be at this point in the season. It took him a little bit longer than we expected to get to this point but he’s right on track and I think he’s in a good position mentally and physically, he’s doing the job and getting on with it and, more importantly, he’s confident that he can do it now which is good.
It’ll be nice for the boys to get a little rest now and come back recharged and get some more improvements going into the second half of the season.”
Kazuki Watanabe will join Yoshimura Suzuki Endurance Race Team Motul at this year’s Suzuka 8H FIM Endurance World Championship on the 7th of August, as a full member of the team’s rider line-up.
In addition to contesting the All Japan Championship, the Japanese rider has played a crucial role within the Yoshimura SERT Motul operation developing the Suzuki GSX-R1000R as test/ reserve rider. It was always the intention that Watanabe would earn his EWC race stripes at the Suzuka 8H and now, in the 60th anniversary of the iconic event, he will get the opportunity to perform in front of an enthusiastic home crowd.
Watanabe will join team regulars Sylvain Guintoli and Xavier Siméon, on the team’s Suzuki race bike, while Gregg Black will take on a leadership position as Team Captain, supporting the riders from the pit box. Black will travel to Suzuka with the team for testing in July and again for the full race week in August. He will return as a team rider for the final round of the 2022 series; the Bol d’Or 24-Hour at the Paul Ricard Circuit in France.
Yohei Kato, Team Director:
“We are delighted that the FIM EWC is back at the Suzuka 8H this year, and we are proud to announce that we will be fighting the popular race with Xavier Simeon, Sylvain Guintoli and our development rider Kazuki Watanabe.
“Kazuki has been a reserve rider and a member of the team from the beginning, and he made a substantial contribution to developing our GSX-R1000R. We are confident that, with his vast experience of racing at Suzuka, he will race to defend the title and hopefully exceed our expectations.
“Gregg is an essential part of the team with his experience and knowledge as well as his leadership qualities. He will be working in the team as a Rider-Captain and will be on standby to take part in the race at any time.
“The Suzuka 8H is taking place for the first time in three years, and it is great news that we will be racing in front of the fans again.
“It will be a very tough competition, but we will do our best to take the Japanese-French Yoshimura SERT Motul riders and machine to a podium finish at the Suzuka 8H once again.”
Damien Saulnier: Team Manager:
“I am delighted that the Suzuka 8H is back on the EWC calendar, and the whole team is very excited to be racing in Japan once again.
“When we talk about endurance racing, the 24 hours races are usually the main talking point. However, the Suzuka 8 hours is something very special, with a huge history full of many legendary stories over the years. This makes us very motivated to have the chance to add to that history and make a new story about Yoshimura SERT Motul.
“Since the Covid-19 restrictions, we have been unable to race at Suzuka, and so returning there this year is important for all the manufacturers, teams, riders and fans.
“It is of course a home round for Yoshimura and Suzuki, and so I am very proud to be working with Yoshimura Japan and Yohei Kato’s staff.
“This is the only non-24 hours race in the series this year. It may be shorter but it will be a very tough and difficult race for everyone. There are wild-card factory teams and similar high-level Japanese teams fighting for victory.
“Let’s see how we can challenge and perform in this, the third round of the 2022 FIM EWC.”
Granado wins dramatic, shortened Race 2 at the Cathedral
The Brazilian cuts the gap after a stop-start second encounter for the FIM Enel MotoE™ World Cup at Assen
Eric Granado (51) leading Mattia Casadei (27) and the others during MotoE Race Two. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Sunday, 26 June 2022
Eric Granado (LCR E-Team) was rewarded for his bravery in tricky conditions as the Brazilian took victory in Race 2 of FIM Enel MotoE™ World Cup at the Motul TT Assen. The number 51 scythed his way from fourth to the lead in just three laps in a contest which would be cut short due a Red Flag, with points leader Dominique Aegerter (Dynavolt Intact GP MotoE™) claiming second and Mattia Casadei (Pons Racing 40) completing the podium.
The Red Flag saw Miquel Pons (LCR E-Team) crash out and suffer contact from Marc Alcoba (Openbank Aspar Team), with the LCR rider conscious and getting a check up at the circuit before heading to local hospital in Groningen for a CT scan to his pelvis.
Before the flag was thrown, however, it was a five-wide run to the first corner when the action finally got underway, with patchy showers having twice delayed the start. Casadei came from fourth on the grid to lead the field into the first corner, while Aegerter fended off an early challenge from Matteo Ferrari (Felo Gresini MotoE™) at Strubben, and then again at De Bult, to end the opening lap in second, with Granado just behind them.
The riders had no time to waste, with the delays seing the originally distance of eight laps cut to six, and Granado was a man on a mission. He passed Ferrari as they turned into Haarbocht at the start of Lap 2 although, in doing so, he made room for Pons to follow him. A brief battle between the LCR duo ensued before Granado shook off his teammate and attacked Aegerter.
Incredibly, as the rain flags flew again, Granado passed Aegerter around the outside of the high-speed Ramshoek left-hander, then went down the inside of Casadei when they arrived at Haarbocht again on Lap 3. Ferrari got back underneath Pons three corners further around at the Ossebroeken complex and, unfortunately, that was just the start of the LCR rider’s troubles.
Exiting the following corner, De Strubben, Pons highsided and was thrown from his motorcycle. Running two bikes back, Marc Alcoba was unable to avoid it and also crashed. Alcoba eventually remounted but, as Pons was initially attended to at the side of the track, the race was red flagged during Lap 4. Soon after news came through it would not restart, and instead half points would be awarded.
Granado is therefore classified the winner, ahead of Aegerter, Casadei, Ferrari, Niccolo Canepa (WithU GRT RNF MotoE™ Team), Alex Escrig (Tech3 E-Racing), Kevin Manfredi (Octo Pramac MotoE™), Maria Herrera (OpenBank Aspar Team), Kevin Zannoni (Ongetta Sic58 Squadracorse), and Hector Garzo (Tech3 E-Racing).
In the FIM Enel MotoE™ World Cup standings, Aegerter has now moved to 158 points, but Granado closes in slightly in second on 126.5 points, with Ferrari third but on 112.5. Action in the electric class resumes with the Motorrad Grand Prix von Österreich, at the Red Bull Ring – Spielberg on August 19-21!
MotoE™ PODIUM
1 Eric Granado – LCR E-Team – Energica – 05’21.0940
Eric Granado: “It was a strange win for me, just three laps. I knew that the conditions were going to change during the race, even if it’s just six laps, so I was just trying to be at the front as soon as I can. I just tried to be there and if the Red Flag came, I was in first position, and finally it came. It’s strange to win a three-lap race, but I’m happy. I want to say thank you to them team because yesterday was so close and I slept with a little strange feeling, but today it’s good. It’s not so good that it’s just half points in the championship but anyway, I take it and it’s good for confidence for the next race.”
HERE IS GRESINI MOTOGP’S LINE UP FOR 2023 FABIO IS CONFIRMED; MARQUEZ TO JOIN THE SQUAD
Our first official news for 2023 is here: Team Gresini MotoGP have selected Alex Marquez to replace Enea Bastianini – who will race a factory-spec Ducati machine starting next year. The Faenza-based squad looks once again at the wealth of talent from Spain, a country that always had strong ties and success with the team: from Gibernau to Martin, but also Toni Elias, Alvaro Bautista and Emilio Alzamora, who currently manages rider #73.
Born in Cervera, Alex Marquez has a top-level CV: he was Moto3 and Moto2 World Champion in 2014 and 2019, respectively, with a tally of 40 podiums that include 12 race wins – and two second places in the premier class back in 2020. The experienced 26-year-old will tackle his fourth season in the series, the first one with Ducati machinery.
Alongside the Spaniard will be Fabio Di Giannantonio, who is currently having great success tackling his rookie MotoGP season with Gresini. The Italian, who despite his young age has a long history with the squad, is among the contenders for Rookie of the Year 2022. He already has a pole position in the premier class and an eighth place as a best result.
#73 – ALEX MARQUEZ
“I’m really happy to announce that I’ll be joining Team Gresini MotoGP, and I’m also very excited to be starting this new adventure: it was crucial for me to change in order to recover the same type of motivation I had when I first joined this class. This was the best option for me, with a team that helped writing the history of this championship. I would like to thank Nadia, Carlo and all the GR staff for believing in me. I still have half a season left to do my best before starting 2023 with top motivation.”
#49 – FABIO DI GIANNANTONIO
“I’m really happy to extend my partnership with this team, which is like a family to me. It’s great because we’ll continue on this learning curve, and we’ll be doing so with a Ducati – and that makes me very happy. Continuity is key in MotoGP in order to be able to work on myself to be the best possible. We have been working on this contract extension for a little while, and now we can finally announce it. Obviously the goals will be higher: we’ll be using this second part of the season to improve our results and then next year I really want to make that step up.”
NADIA PADOVANI GRESINI – TEAM OWNER
“I’m really happy with this new project. First of all we’re confirming our continuation with Fabio Di Giannantonio. He has already shown his talent this year, as he has been improving race after race, and I’m sure that he’ll keep getting more competitive. We were looking to put a more experienced rider alongside him, and I think Alex Marquez is the perfect one for our team. His CV speaks for itself: we think he has great potential and that the Desmosedici machine may be the perfect companion on his new journey. Welcome to the family, Alex!”
Alvaro Bautista on top of the World Superbike podium at Estoril. Photo courtesy Ducati.
Alvaro Bautista on board the Ducati Panigale V4R of the Aruba.it Racing – Ducati Team also in the 2023 WorldSBK season
The Aruba.it Racing – Ducati Team is pleased to announce the contract extension for Alvaro Bautista who will ride the official Ducati Panigale V4R machine again in the 2023 WorldSBK season.
After becoming World Champion in the 125cc class in 2006 with 8 wins and a total of 14 podiums, Alvaro Bautista took part in the 250cc World Championship in the following three seasons, scoring 8 wins and a total of 24 podiums.
The Spanish rider – born in Talavera de la Reina (Toledo, Spain) on November 21, 1984 – landed in MotoGP in 2010 (scoring three podiums between 2012 and 2014) before climbing aboard the Ducati Desmosedici GP in the 2017 and 2018 seasons.
In his debut season in WordSBK (2019) with the Panigale V4R of the Aruba.it Racing – Ducati Team, he obtained 16 victories (24 podiums in total), finishing second in the championship standings.
After two years with another manufacturer, Bautista returns to the Aruba.it Racing – Ducati team at the start of the 2022 season. With four rounds out of twelve already held, the Spanish rider is currently leading the Superbike World Championship standings with 220 points.
Stefano Cecconi (Team Principal Aruba.it Racing – Ducati).
“I have always believed in Alvaro from a sporting point of view and we have always had a very good personal relationship even when our paths temporarily parted. When we decided to bet on him again last summer, some people called this move a very risky gamble, but there was a conviction on both sides that we were making the right choice: results so far confirm our decision and make us happy. This is also the reason why we are glad to continue our relationship with Alvaro for at least another year. Today we want to make a small exception to the rule and we toast his renewal; already from tomorrow, we are going back to work to prepare ourselves in the best possible way for the next races. The season is still long and we know very well that we cannot afford to let our guard down.”
Luigi Dall’Igna (Ducati Corse General Manager)
“We are very happy to be able to continue together with Bautista in 2023. As in the 2019 WorldSBK season, this year, Alvaro has been immediately competitive with our bike, starting from the winter tests; he is now leading, not surprisingly, a wonderful season, fighting intelligently for the world title. He is a precise rider, easy to work with: his fantastic riding style is not only enjoyable to watch on TV, but above all, it is his key to fully exploiting the potential of our Panigale V4 R. We are convinced that together we can achieve many important goals.”
Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati #19)
“I am very happy to be able to continue at least one more year with the Aruba.it Racing – Ducati Team, which represents a family to me. I have always felt good with this team and since I have returned, the feelings have been even more positive than in the 2019 season. When something works so well, we can only keep working, looking ahead. I feel I am still at the top, I feel I can still give a lot. Physically and mentally I think this is the best time of my career. I am also delighted to continue working with Ducati, a very important factory, tech-oriented, always looking for development: to be part of this project, of this team is something incredible on a personal level.”
Ben Gloddy (72). Photo by Sara Chappell Photos, courtesy Robem Engineering.
Robem Engineering Aprilia riders score top-10 finishes in Sunday’s MotoAmerica Twins Cup race at The Ridge Motorsports Park
Twins Cup rookie Gloddy showed excellent pace Saturday before mechanical issue ended his race
SHELTON, Wash. — The MotoAmerica round at The Ridge Motorsports Park didn’t prove to be the big points-paying weekend Robem Engineering riders Teagg Hobbs and Ben Gloddy had been hoping for. Yet, the pair of New Hampshirites put a downer Race 1 at the June 24-26 event behind them to end the weekend with a pair of top 10 finishes in Race 2.
Hobbs started the weekend at less than 100 percent, as he is still dealing with the broken collarbone he suffered at the Road America at the beginning of June. Gloddy, who is in his first year competing in the MotoAmerica Twins Cup, was near the front of the field in Saturday’s contest before having his race soured by a bike problem.
Both riders were a little off the front-running pace to start the weekend. Gloddy was the faster of the two riders in Friday practice, finishing the session in sixth. Hobbs finished practice in eighth and was less than half a second off Gloddy’s pace. Both riders dropped more than second off their best lap times in Friday afternoon’s Qualifying 1, with Hobbs wrapping up the session seventh fastest and Gloddy eighth fastest. Qualifying concluded Saturday morning with Gloddy having secured fifth place on the Twins Cup starting grid. Hobbs qualified in ninth.
Later Saturday, Gloddy got a great start in the Twins Cup race and was right behind the leader at the first set of corners. He finished the first lap in second place, while he teammate Hobbs slipped down the running order to 11th place on the first lap. Gloddy held onto second place on Laps 2-4, though he slid back to third on Lap 5 and fourth on Laps 6 and 7. On Lap 7, Gloddy’s motorcycle unfortunately endured a mechanical failure that caused him to run off track and crash at Turn 6. Hobbs’ had moved into the top 10 for Laps 2 and 3 before he his race ended with a crash on Lap 4.
In Sunday’s Race 2, both riders got good starts and Gloddy and Hobbs finished the first lap in seventh and tenth place respectively. Hobbs fell as far back as 11th on Laps 2 and 3 before working his way up the running order to a seventh-place finish. Gloddy moved up from seventh to sixth on Lap 4 but wasn’t able to make any additional progress and had to settle for a sixth-place finish.
Gloddy and Hobbs will have a chance to bounce back to their usual frontrunning form in two weeks time at the next MotoAmerica round, which is scheduled for July 8-10 at the popular WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca.
Ben Gloddy / No. 72
“Overall, I had a good weekend at The Ridge. I felt really good in practice and qualifying. In Race 1, I got a really good start and me and another rider pulled a small gap in the first couple laps. Then my pace started to drop off. And then my bike had a mechanical failure that put me on the ground – which unfortunately ended my race. I didn’t get as good a start in Race 2 but was able to run with the leaders for a little bit. But the pain in my shoulder started to get worse and I wasn’t able to keep up with them.”
Teagg Hobbs (79). Photo by Sara Chappell Photos, courtesy Robem Engineering.
Teagg Hobbs / No. 79
“I was very happy to be able to ride so soon after my injury. The weekend didn’t go as smooth as we had hoped but we made steady progress. I am very excited to take a few weeks of rest before the next round at Laguna Seca. The team worked around the clock this weekend, and I can’t thank them enough for their amazing effort at The Ridge.”
Robem Engineering’s technical partners for 2022 include Aprilia Racing, Piaggio Group Americas, The Center for Plastic Surgery, Synchrony, Velocity Calibrations, Bitubo Suspension, Dunlop, Woodcraft Technologies, Dymag, Vesrah, Sprint Filter, DID, Magura USA, Sara Chappell Photos, NGK/NTK, Blud Lubricants, Millennium Technologies, Motovation USA and SC-Project.
More, from a press release issued by Tytlers Cycle/RideHVMC Racing:
Double win, another 1-2 finish and three riders in the points at The Ridge
The Tytlers Cycle Ride HVMC squad continued their run of form in the 2022 MotoAmerica Stock1000 championship – the latest round of the series at The Ridge in Washington state seeing Corey Alexander romp to a double victory after smashing the lap record to claim Pole Position during qualifying.
The winner of both races a year ago, the 2.47-mile circuit holds fond memories for Alexander who looked unbeatable as the weekend got underway on Friday.
Saturday’s opening race was a stop start affair with a series of red flags shortening the race. Despite the stoppages, Alexander withheld the pressure in the early stages to secure the win by a convincing margin with Travis Wyman narrowly missing the podium in fourth.
Sunday also saw a mid-race stoppage with the grid lining up for an even shorter five lap sprint for glory that saw the #23 under real pressure until the chequered flag. Initially controlling the pace out front, Alexander dropped to second with less than half a lap to go before resuming his position at the head of the pack to make it four wins on the bounce at the undulating and physically demanding circuit close to Seattle. The win saw Corey retake the lead in the championship as team mate Wyman kept his title hopes alive with a spirited ride to P2.
Zac Schumacher, the team’s third rider was also a double points finisher. The #90 brought his BMW M1000 R home fifteenth in both races.
All three riders head into the second half of the season which kicks off at Laguna Seca in two weeks.
Corey Alexander (23). Photo courtesy Tytlers Cycle/RideHVMC Racing.
Corey Alexander: “I am happy with the results on Saturday after setting a new lap record in Q2 and backing it up with the win in Race 1. It was a big points day with our nearest rival finishing behind us and it really set us up well for the rest of the weekend, especially with another top eight in the opening Superbike race. Sunday was another amazing day. It was a much tighter battle on track than on Saturday which makes it much more exciting for the fans and a little more satisfying when you come out on top in a last lap scrap. To take both wins was amazing for us and I hope to keep the momentum going into the next one at Laguna and for the rest of the season.”
Travis Wyman: “I was running third in the early stages of Saturday’s opening race, but I started to struggle with front end grip and settled for fourth. I got a good jump at the restart and fought my way through from fourth to second. I tried to close the gap on Corey, but I was just left with too much to do. I am happy that the team was able to secure another 1-2 finish and I am now focused on Laguna where I have had good results in the past.”
Zac Schumacher (90). Photo courtesy Tytlers Cycle/RideHVMC Racing.
Zac Schumacher: “A crash on Friday I still felt a bit rough when the lights went out on Saturday but after starting nineteenth, I was able to work my way into the points. I could have made it to P14, but I ran out of time. I made a good start in the first part of Race 2 and was battling hard with a couple of guys before the red flag came out. I got another decent launch at the restart and found myself battling for thirteenth position but on the last lap I made a mistake on the lap so settled for P15. I want to thank all my guys for putting the bike back together after the crash on Friday and I’m really looking forward to Laguna.”
More, from a press release issued by Team Suzuki Press Office:
DOUBLE PODIUMS FOR SUZUKI AT RIDGE MOTOAMERICA
Tyler Scott (SS): Suzuki GSX-R750 – 2nd
Liam Grant (SS): Suzuki GSX-R750 – 6th
Richie Escalante (SBK): Suzuki GSX-R1000R – 6th
Sam Lochoff (SS): Suzuki GSX-R750 – 15th
Teenager Tyler Scott raced his Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki GSX-R750 to second place in Sunday’s Ridge Motorsports Park weekend of the 2022 MotoAmerica AMA/ FIM North American Road Racing season.
Tyler Scott (70). Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Team Suzuki Press Office.
While it was Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Sam Lochoff who did the honours on Saturday, 16-year-old Scott took his turn in the spotlight in Sunday’s Supersport race.
Scott jumped to an early lead aboard his Suzuki GSX-R750 before settling into a race-long defense of second position. Despite facing heavy pressure on his rear wheel throughout the race, Scott kept his head and protected his racing line like a crafty veteran.
Demonstrating racecraft beyond his years, he managed to keep his rival corralled behind him to the chequered flag. The runner-up result was the rising star’s fourth podium finish of his rookie Supersport season.
Scott said: “All weekend we’ve been challenged with some handling issues, but we finally figured it out on the last day and made it count for the podium. I knew I had an aggressive rider on my back wheel. If I gave him an opportunity, he would have put a pass in there. The last five laps, I just put my head down and tried to keep 100% the best pace I could go.”
Sam Lochoff (44). Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Team Suzuki Press Office.
Unfortunately, the day wasn’t nearly so kind to Lochoff. The South African, already suffering from a painful broken ankle, crashed while running in fifth early. He remounted and returned to the pits for a quick check and adjustment before returning to the fray. Lochoff was awarded a championship point for his gritty effort with a 15th-place result.
Liam Grant (90). Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Team Suzuki Press Office.
Third Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki Supersport ace Liam Grant stepped up to fill the void. The up-and-coming rider earned sixth – his best Supersport result yet – as he continues to build confidence and speed in his rookie campaign.
Meanwhile, the squad’s MotoAmerica Superbike duo scooped a pair of top-ten finishes aboard their GSX-R1000Rs as well on Sunday. Richie Escalante made good on his impressive pace at the undulating circuit with a solid sixth-place performance. The premier-class rookie made a bid for a top-five, but ultimately fell just 0.171 seconds short at the flag.
Richie Escalante (54). Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Team Suzuki Press Office.
Escalante said: “To be honest, I am very happy with this weekend. Road America was very difficult for me, but I trained hard and was eager to get back on the bike at the Ridge, which I feel is easier for me to get up to speed.
“I felt strong on Friday and was going well on Saturday until I had the crash. Thankfully, my body was okay and the Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki team worked hard to get me back in the race and we were able to get 10th. The race on Sunday felt great; I was in a competitive fight for position throughout, and I feel like we made a lot of progress. I know the areas where I need to improve and I am looking forward to Laguna Seca.”
With Jake Lewis unable to ride after suffering a broken thumb, bruised hip, and banged up elbow in Saturday’s fall, Team Hammer test rider David Anthony filled in as a substitute. The Australian proceeded to put forth a steady effort to collect a 10th-place finish for the team.
Team Hammer will next head to Laguna Seca Raceway in Monterey, California on July 8-10th.
More, from a press release issued by Aprilia:
ANTHONY MAZZIOTTO VICTORIOUS IN BOTH MOTOAMERICA TWINS CUP RACES ABOARD APRILIA RS 660 AT THE RIDGE MOTORSPORTS PARK
RODIO RACING/HSBK WARHORSE RACING RIDER MAZZIOTTO LEADS APRILIA 1-2 FINISH IN SATURDAY TWINS CUP RACE WITH VELOCE RACING’S KALEB DE KEYREL
Anthony Mazziotto (516). Photo by Sara Chappell Photos, courtesy Aprilia.
SHELTON, WA – 27 JUNE 2022 – Anthony Mazziotto hadn’t won a MotoAmerica Twins Cup race in 2022 aboard his Rodio Racing/Warhorse HSBK Racing Aprilia RS 660 prior to this weekend’s round at The Ridge Motorsports Park. By the end of the June 24-26 event, the New Jersey native, who amassed two wins and four additional podium finishes on an Aprilia in 2021, had notched a pole position, two victories and was at the head of a 1-2 Aprilia finish in Saturday’s Twins Cup contest.
Mazziotto was joined on the podium Saturday by reigning MotoAmerica Twins Cup champion and Veloce Racing rider Kaleb De Keyrel, who also led the early laps of Sunday’s race before suffering an unfortunate crash.
The other full-time Veloce Racing rider, Jody Barry, didn’t have his usual dominating form at The Ridge. But the fourth place finished he scored in Saturday’s race added 13 points to his championship bid, and Barry left The Ridge with a 14-point lead over Mazziotto. The other Aprilia riders currently in the top 10 of the Twins Cup points standings include De Keyrel in fifth and Robem Engineering riders Teagg Hobbs and Ben Gloddy in sixth and ninth respectively.
Both wins for Mazziotto were hard-earned, as he bested De Keyrel to the finish line in Saturday’s Race 1 by a mere 0.162 seconds before the race was ended four laps early due to an on-track incident. In Sunday’s race, Mazziotto made a daring pass on the last lap at the tight and tricky Turn 13 to outpace another rider the victory by just 0.341 seconds.
Aprilia riders had a good start to the weekend. There were five Aprilias in the top 10 in Friday practice and qualifying, and six in the top 10 in Saturday morning’s Qualifying 2 session. Mazziotto took the pole, the fourth pole by an Aprilia rider in five rounds this year – and four Aprilia riders qualified in the top six.
Overall, 12 of the 29 riders entered in MotoAmerica Twins Cup for the Ridge round were on Aprilia RS 660 models, and there were a total of eight RS 660 that finished in the top 10. Among them was Edoardo Mazzuoli of Milano, Italy, who raced a Veloce Racing Aprilia RS 660.
Anthony Mazziotto, Rodio Racing/Warhorse HSBK Racing
“It couldn’t have been a better weekend. I qualified on pole, won a WILBUR Watch Co. watch and won both the races. My bike felt really good, and – even though it was really hot here – my Aprilia RS 660 was running fantastic. We found a good setup this weekend, and K-Tech got my suspension dialed in for me. I felt really confident coming into this event because this is a track I did really well at last year. The pace this weekend was a lot faster than I thought it would be, but my Aprilia handled it well.”
MotoAmerica is back in action July 8-10 at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey, Calif. Championship Schedule, competitor information, and class rules can be found at https://motoamerica.com.
More, from a press release issued by Levi Badie Racing:
Levi Badie races to seventh and ninth in the latest round of the MotoAmerica Junior Cup Championship at The Ridge
Levi Badie leaves The Ridge Motorsport Park with a double top top finish in the latest round of the MotoAmerica Junior Cup Championship, the Belgian teenager once again riding strongly at another new circuit.
Running a strong second on Friday, Levi chased a better set-up all weekend, but with temperatures close to triple figures he was unable, when the lights went out, to improve over his qualifying position.
P7 and P9 this weekend see Levi move to within one point of the top ten in the overall standings, a more than respectable position for the #71 in his debut season of MotoAmerica competition, especially when you consider three events when he was unable to finish.
The series moves to the undulating Laguna Seca circuit in California in a fortnight, a circuit that should suit Levi, and one that he is excited to race at given its iconic status.
Levi Badie (71). Photo by Karen E. Ott, courtesy Levi Badie Racing.
Levi Badie: “I made a decent start in Saturday’s race, but the bike was sliding everywhere. I had no confidence and just did what I could not to crash. The bike was better in Race 2, but I still didn’t have the feeling I had had in previous rounds. I did the best I could and whilst I am disappointed not to be higher in the results, I am taking the positives and looking ahead to Laguna Seca.”
More, from a press release issued by Luke Power Racing:
Luke Power shows front running pace once again at The Ridge Motorsports Park
Aussie teenager Luke Power bounced back from a high-speed crash whilst in contention for another MotoAmerica Supersport podium at The Ridge Motorsports Park on Saturday, to secure a fifth-place finish on Sunday.
Luke, fresh from a maiden podium at Road America earlier in the month once again learned the 2.47mile circuit quickly in the opening session of the weekend before a small technical issue limited his running ahead of Race 1. Nevertheless the #68 put his 3D Motorsports Suzuki on the third row of the grid.
A rapid start soon saw him in contention for the podium in the opening laps on Saturday, before a small mistake saw him crash at speed, thankfully without injury.
A late night for the team, who rebuilt the bike for Sunday, were rewarded with a spirited ride to P5, a result that consolidates Luke’s position in the championship ahead of the next round of the series which takes place at the iconic Laguna Seca circuit in a fortnight.
Luke Power (68). Photo courtesy Luke Power Racing.
Luke Power: “It was a pretty disappointing Saturday, and I don’t really know what to say. We had an electronics issue which meant I couldn’t complete the full session in Q2. We made a change for the race, and I made a good start and felt really good and had good pace. I made a mistake downshifting and it bit me. The bike was a mess, and I was pretty banged up and I wasn’t sure I’d be on the grid on Sunday. Race 2 was pretty good considering what happened on Saturday. The team did a great job, working until 2am to give me a bike after I sent it into the trees, so I can’t thank them enough. I struggled a lot as the race progressed. My tyre dropped which affected my lap times in the final part of the race, but I was fortunate to be able to take advantage of a mistake ahead of me and was able to take another Top 5. It was damage limitation, and it could have been a lot worse. I am already looking forward to Laguna Seca, a track that I have always wanted to ride, and I hope to be able to put on a good show for the fans.”
More, from a press release issued by Pure Attitude Racing:
Hard work pays off as Liam MacDonald delivers first Twins Cup top ten of the season and Chase Black races into the top six
Pure Attitude Racing raced into the Top Ten of the 2022 MotoAmerica Twins Cup championship, and the Top 6 of the Junior Cup series at The Ridge Motorsports Park this weekend.
With temperatures skyrocketing the youngest member of the team, Chase Black, improved in final qualifying to secure a second-row grid slot in the Junior Cup category before putting himself in the leading group when the lights went out in Saturday’s opening race. Unfortunately, a crash put him out of contention. Buoyed but his pace on Saturday, Black was able to improve further on Sunday, running confidently throughout to take a well-deserved P6 aboard his Kawasaki at the flag, at the end of Race 2.
Twins Cup riders Liam MacDonald and Trevor Standish both made another significant step towards the front aboard their Yamaha R7 machines, the pair running much closer to the leaders during their first race on Saturday. A red flag following an engine blow up cut short the race and what should have been a double top ten for the duo. Trevor fell victim to oil on the track, along with a number of riders – a bitter blow for the #16 who was looking to build on season’s best to date. Liam MacDonald was able to avoid the carnage, crossing the line in ninth to record the team’s best result of the year, a feat he replicated on Sunday. Despite the best efforts of the team, Trevor was unable to take part in Sunday’s race.
Chase Blake (14). Photo courtesy Pure Attitude Racing.
Chase Black: “Overall it was good first race. I was running with the front group and could see the podium fight just ahead. I was pushing hard and was trying to get ahead of the guys around me but unfortunately, I hit the bumps and went down. It’s frustrating as I had podium pace. It was a solid second race. I didn’t make the best of starts but I dug deep and ran top six the entire race. We had a small issue towards the end of the race but after the crash on Saturday it’s a confidence building top six ahead of the next race in California.”
Liam MacDonald (37). Photo courtesy Pure Attitude Racing.
Liam MacDonald: “I am so happy with how this weekend has gone. Finally, things came together, and I was able to bring it home for the team inside the top ten not once but twice. All season we have pushed and worked hard to close the gap to the leaders and whilst we still have a lot to do, this result means so much to me. It was so hot out there on both days, but Sunday was insane, and my times were a little slower than the day before. The next race is at Laguna Seca, a track that I really enjoy, and I am keen to keep this momentum going there. A big thanks to the whole Pure Attitude Racing crew – this is just the beginning.”
Trevor Standish (16). Photo courtesy Pure Attitude Racing.
Trevor Standish: “We were having a really solid race until through no fault of my own I crashed. We made several changes and really started to go in the right direction. I made a decent start and was not too far behind my team mate when the lights went out. The nature of the class means that everyone is pushing for that little bit extra and one of our rivals blew up, dumping oil that claimed me and several others. It would have been nice to finish tenth which is where I was running when I went down but it is what it is. The team did an excellent job fixing the bike but unfortunately, I was unable to race on Sunday after I was sidelined with a recurring issue that I thought we had fixed before Saturday’s crash. I am disappointed to leave The Ridge with no points but that’s racing, and I am going to Laguna looking to build some momentum for the second half of the season.”
The Lima Half-Mile. Photo by Scott Hunter, courtesy AFT.
TWO-IN-A-ROW FOR RED BULL KTM’S KODY KOPP AT THE LIMA HALF-MILE Red Bull KTM Factory Racing – Lima Half-Mile
Kody Kopp. Photo courtesy KTM Factory Racing.
LIMA, Ohio – For the second consecutive round, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Kody Kopp dominated the AFT Singles competition, sweeping everything from pole position to the Main Event victory, with an impressive performance at Saturday’s Lima Half-Mile in Ohio.
Coming off a triumphant Short Track victory at Laconia, Kopp didn’t break stride as he stepped into Round 7 of the American Flat Track Championship full-speed ahead. The young rider was comfortable from the start, claiming the top spot in AFT Singles qualifying. With a great start from pole position in Semi 1, Kopp immediately charged to the front and he led from start to finish on the wide open “cushion” track.
In the Main Event, Kopp shot off the line to capture the holeshot and early race lead. Keeping his KTM 450 SX-F wide open for all 21 laps, the 17-year-old series points leader maintained his stance for the entire eight minutes plus-two-laps, claiming his fourth victory of the 2022 season.
Kody Kopp: “Two-in-a-row! We had another great day of riding and the bike was pretty dialed in from the start. It got pretty gnarly, the track conditions were deep, and I just used my ability to ride through rough tracks to my advantage. We had a good battle in the dash with Australian Tom Drane and he actually edged us out, and that fired me up pretty good for the Main Event so we put our head down and went to work. We’re at our fourth win of the season, which is pretty crazy if you ask me. It’s an unreal feeling. This team works so well together and the bikes are spot on every weekend. We’ve got a long way to go but we’re going to keep charging and keep pushing because we can’t let up!”
Kopp’s closest competitor all day was 16-year-old Australian rider, Tom Drane, who had a stand-out performance in his first AFT round of the season. After besting Kopp in the dash, Drane kept his KTM 450 SX-F within a second of the race leader for most of the Main Event, ultimately finishing four seconds back for a respectable runner-up result.
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Max Whale is still recovering from a knee injury sustained earlier this season. Whale’s recovery time is day-to-day at this point and the Australian native hopes to return to racing within the next couple of rounds.
Next Race: New York Short Track – Weedsport, New York – July 2, 2022
Round 7 Results – Lima Half-Mile
AFT Singles Main Event
1. Kody Kopp, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing
2. Tom Drane, KTM
3. Chase Saathoff, Honda
OTHER
5. James Ott, KTM
9. Hunter Bauer, KTM
14. Travis Petton IV, KTM
AFT Singles Point Standings (After Round 7)
1. Kody Kopp, 155 points
2. Morgen Mischler, 124
3. Dalton Gauthier, 102
OTHER
5. Max Whale, 89
8. James Ott, 58
13. Hunter Bauer, 41
14. Travis Petton IV, 34
20. Ryan Wells, 18
More, from a press release issued by Indian Motorcycle:
INDIAN MOTORCYCLE PRIVATEER BRANDON ROBINSON SECURES FIRST VICTORY OF 2022 AFTER HARD-FOUGHT BATTLE AT LIMA HALF-MILE
Brandon Robinson (center), Dallas Daniels (far left), and Jared Mees (far right) on the AFT Mission SuperTwins podium at the Lima Half-Mile. Photo courtesy Indian Motorcycle.
Win Marks Robinson’s First at Lima Since 2016
Reigning Champion and Indian Wrecking Crew Rider Jared Mees Finishes Third,
Maintains Top Position on SuperTwins Leaderboard
Minneapolis, MN. (June 27, 2022) – Indian Motorcycle Racing, presented by Progressive Motorcycle Insurance, continued its 2022 American Flat Track (AFT) season Saturday night under the lights of Allen County Fairground for the Lima Half-Mile, where Indian Motorcycle privateer Brandon Robinson secured his first victory of the season after a bar-to-bar battle aboard his No. 44 Mission Roof Systems Indian FTR750. Joining Robinson on the podium was Indian Motorcycle Wrecking Crew rider and reigning champion Jared Mees, who finished the night’s main event in third place.
At the start of the race, Robinson launched off the line near the front of the pack, swapping positions multiple times throughout the opening laps before moving into second. Near the 8-minutes mark, Robinson snuck to inside of JD Beach to take over the lead, setting the pace for the racers behind him. He continued to ride unchallenged at the front, opening a small gap on the remainder of the field. With three-minutes and two laps remaining, Dallas Daniels closed the gap as the two engaged in a bar-to-bar battle. Daniels momentarily took over the lead by sliding into the inside corner, but Robinson quickly fought back to regain the lead position. As the racers entered the final two laps, Robinson continued to hold strong, maintaining his speed and position to extend his lead on Daniels. He ultimately took the checkered, securing the win with a 2.766-second margin of victory.
“This is a huge win for the entire team, as everyone worked hard to get the FTR750 dialed in. To take the podium after an intense battle is pretty awesome,” said Robinson. “We knew there was going to be strong competition when we lined up tonight. To come out on top after a tight, action-packed race really gives us some positive momentum heading into the second half of the season.”
Mees, who started on the second row, struggled to find his rhythm throughout the 25-lap race. At one point the reigning champion slipped back to fifth, but he was able to rebound and make multiple passes to finish third and maintain his position atop the SuperTwins leaderboard with 136 points.
Robinson’s first win of the season places him fifth in the championship standings with 103 points. Indian Wrecking Crew rider Briar Bauman finished the night in fourth and currently sits third in the season standings with 115 points.
The 2022 AFT season will continue Saturday, July 2, at the New York Short Track.
Sponsors for Indian Motorcycle Racing’s American Flat Track efforts include Progressive Insurance, S&S®, Indian Motorcycle Oil, Mission Foods, Bell Helmets, Drag Specialties and Parts Unlimited.
For more information on Indian Motorcycle Racing, visit IndianMotorcycle.com and follow along on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
ABOUT INDIAN MOTORCYCLE®
Indian Motorcycle is America’s First Motorcycle Company®. Founded in 1901, Indian Motorcycle has won the hearts of motorcyclists around the world and earned distinction as one of America’s most legendary and iconic brands through unrivaled racing dominance, engineering prowess and countless innovations and industry firsts. Today that heritage and passion is reignited under new brand stewardship. To learn more, please visit www.indianmotorcycle.com.
BMW Motorrad USA and California Superbike School have renewed their relationship for a 13th year. Photo courtesy BMW Motorrad USA.
Woodcliff Lake, NJ – June 27, 2022…BMW Motorrad USA would like to announce its renewed relationship with long time partner – The California Superbike School. BMW Motorrad USA and the California Superbike school enter their 13th year of collaboration, providing student riders with the opportunity to learn and improve their skills on one of the school’s 31 advanced BMW S 1000 RR motorcycles. California Superbike school itself celebrates 42 years of helping thousands of students of all skill levels become better and safer riders, not only on the track but more importantly, on the street.
“When BMW launched the S 1000 RR in 2009, it was the most advanced 1000 cc sport bike on the market and its performance and features, such as ABS and traction control, made it an immediate fit for the California Superbike School and for our shared values of teaching riders how to be safer both on track and on the street.” said Luciana Francisco, Head of Brand and Marketing, BMW Motorrad USA. “13 years on, the BMW S 1000 RR is lighter, quicker, even more advanced and continues to be the top choice for instructing both new and experienced riders at the legendary CA Superbike School. We look forward to many more years of helping Keith and Dylan Code and their team of instructors train future generation of riders.”
The California Superbike School, based in Los Angeles, CA, was founded in 1980 by 2-wheel racing and instructing legend Keith Code. Since then, over 150,000 riders have gone through the school, including professionals who have gone on to win 94 World and National Championships. The CA Superbike Schools also uses specialized training motorcycles (with outriggers) such as the Panic Brake Trainer and Slide Bike Trainer, allowing students to experience and learn important skills with increased safety. One Day Schools and Two-Day Camps are available at 12 locations around the USA.
“Partnering with BMW using the S 1000 RR was one the best moves we’ve made. The bike scores high in every category, especially in the areas of safety, predictability, handling, and a smooth delivery of power. Newer riders and racers alike seem to all love the Double R. The team at BMW Motorrad North America have a passionate devotion to rider training and safety, so the partnership works well.” Said Dylan Code, Vice President California Superbike School
BMW Group in America
BMW of North America, LLC has been present in the United States since 1975. Rolls-Royce Motor Cars NA, LLC began distributing vehicles in 2003. The BMW Group in the United States has grown to include marketing, sales, and financial service organizations for the BMW brand of motor vehicles, including motorcycles, the MINI brand, and Rolls-Royce Motor Cars; Designworks, a strategic design consultancy based in California; a technology office in Silicon Valley, and various other operations throughout the country. BMW Manufacturing Co., LLC in South Carolina is the BMW Group global center of competence for BMW X models and manufactures the X3, X4, X5, X6 and X7 Sports Activity Vehicles. The BMW Group sales organization is represented in the U.S. through networks of 350 BMW passenger car and BMW Sports Activity Vehicle centers, 146 BMW motorcycle retailers, 105 MINI passenger car dealers, and 38 Rolls-Royce Motor Car dealers. BMW (US) Holding Corp., the BMW Group’s sales headquarters for North America, is located in Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey.
More, from a press release issued by Monster Energy Yamaha:
DOUBLE NC SCORE FOR MONSTER ENERGY YAMAHA MOTOGP IN ASSEN
Assen (The Netherlands), 26th June 2022
GRAND PRIX OF THE NETHERLANDS
RACE
Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP‘s Fabio Quartararo and Franco Morbidelli both fell victim to Turn 5 at the TT Circuit Assen. Quartararo was able to continue after the first crash but was forced to retire after a second crash in Turn 5. Morbidelli also continued riding after a mishap in Turn 5 but was later forced to retire.
DNF FABIO QUARTARARO – / 15 LAPS
DNF FRANCO MORBIDELLI – / 18 LAPS
It was a day to forget for the Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Team. Crashes by Fabio Quartararo and Franco Morbidelli spoilt their chances to score championship points. Neither were able to finish the race.
Quartararo had a strong start from P2 and headed into the first corner side by side with Francesco Bagnaia but went a bit wide. It put him in the clutches of Aleix Espargaró. The duo battled on the opening lap, allowing the race leader to break away. The Yamaha man completed the first lap in third place, with a bit of a gap to second, but he was ready to fight back. He set a new fastest race lap on lap 3, underlining his eagerness.
But disaster struck with 22 laps to go when the Frenchman collided with Espargaró in Turn 5. He was able to rejoin the race but found himself in last place. He checked in at the pits if anything could be done and quickly headed back out again in the hope of collecting some championship points, but a second crash on lap 11 in Turn 5 again ended his race early.
Morbidelli started the race from P20 and kept his position in the opening lap. Fully immersed in the race, he waited five laps before getting in his long-lap penalty given to him for obstructing Enea Bastianini in FP2. But it was too late, and he was given a second long-lap penalty. He fell back to 23rd place.
The Italian was keen to bridge the gap to the riders in front of him. However, he too fell victim to Turn 5. Similar to his teammate, he was initially able to resume riding, but soon after retired from the race with 18 laps to go.
Today‘s results see Quartararo‘s lead in the championship standings reduced to 21 points, with his 172 points total, while Morbidelli remains in 19th with 25 points. After Round 11, Yamaha remain second with 172 points in the Constructor championship, and Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP now are in shared second position with 197 points in the Team championship.
After a five-week summer break, the team will be back in action on 5-7 August for Round 12 of the 2022 Moto2 World Championship, held at the Silverstone Circuit, UK.
Quartararo was given a long-lap penalty sanction for the British GP following the incident involving Aleix Espargaró on lap 3. The Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Team put in an appeal but Race Direction was not swayed.
MASSIMO MEREGALLI
TEAM DIRECTOR
These were results we didn‘t expect to score today. Luckily, neither rider got injured in their crashes. We started the race hoping to be able to put in a good performance. We were, anyway, well prepared for this race, but this is racing. We view the first crash of Fabio as a race incident and feel that Race Direction’s decision to give him a sanction for the next race is not only harsh considering he took nobody down with him and Aleix still scored points, but it’s also not consistent with race incidents we’ve seen in earlier GPs that were left unpunished. We will use this break to digest this GP and come back ready to fight in Silverstone in one month‘s time.
Fabio Quartararo (20). Photo courtesy Monster Energy Yamaha.
FABIO QUARTARARO
I made a rookie mistake. It was only the third lap and I attacked like it was the last one. It was totally my mistake. My apologies to Aprilia and Aleix for making him go out of the track. It was a race accident. I came into the pits because I felt there was a problem, but the team told me to continue because rain was supposed to come. But we crashed again. I feel pretty lucky I haven’t broken anything. I could save the first moment, but as soon as I moved, I had another one and fell. I feel a bit sore in the shoulder. But it’s my fault, I could have done a better result than crash in the third lap and crash again later. I crashed only twice in the first ten rounds of the season, and today I crashed twice in ten laps. We spoke with the team before the race. The strategy was that if I was in front, I would push. If I was behind, I would try not to make any mistakes. But I did the opposite. Not something I would do on purpose. It was just a stupid mistake.
Franco Morbidelli (21). Photo courtesy Monster Energy Yamaha.
FRANCO MORBIDELLI
I lost the front in Turn 5 and crashed. That was unfortunate. The biggest deal is that we need to get the right speed. And to get that with this bike, you have to be very aggressive, and that is not my way of riding. We will take this summer break to regroup and to understand it well. I will try to sort something out in my riding style to get more aggressive to make this bike work for me.
American Cameron Beaubier (6) charged from 18th on the grid to fight with podium finishers Jake Dixon (96) and Ai Ogura (79), before crashing out in the closing laps of the Moto2 race at Assen. Photo courtesy American Racing Team.
An unfortunate end to the Dutch Grand Prix for American Racing as Cameron Beaubier crashed out of the podium fight whilst Sean Dylan Kelly continues his learning curve to end the day in 19th.
Cam made a strong start to the weekend, flourishing in the mixed conditions to bag himself a direct place into Q2 where he took 18th position ahead of Sunday’s race.
On race day, the Californian made a lightning start to make up eight positions into 10th place before sweeping past Joe Roberts and Jorge Navarro to move into eighth position. Cam continued to make progress through the field, setting the fastest time on two separate laps and moving onto the fringes of the podium places as he attempted to hunt down Jake Dixon and Ai Ogura ahead. Unfortunately, with only four laps to go, the 29-year-old lost the front going into turn one causing him to crash out of the race.
Sean faced yet another brand-new circuit before he headed into the summer break. After two bruising crashes during the weekend, the Florida native lined up in 24th for the 24-lap race. A difficult start pushed the rookie down into 25th in the early stages of the race but he quickly fought back to regain two positions. Battling against Niccolò Antonelli, the duo chopped and changed places through much of the race until the Italian’s race came to a premature end with only two laps remaining. Sean kept his head down to cross the finish line in 19th position.
Sean Dylan Kelly (4) at Assen. Photo courtesy American Racing Team.
Sean Dylan Kelly #4 –
“Overall, the race was quite difficult. The first few laps weren’t as smooth as I would have liked; I had a couple of saves and some moments with other riders where I almost went down so I lost touch with some of the riders I would have liked to be with a couple of spots ahead of me. Either way, I was still able to do a decent pace and fight in a group to finish 19th with a little fight at the end which is still in the right direction since Mugello. In general, now that the summer break comes, I need to look back on the last four races as a big step; we’ve been consistent and much better than the first five-six race weekends. I’m happy with the direction we’re in and even this weekend, I had a couple of crashes and did bing myself up but even like this, we were still able to do a decent job. Going into the summer break, I’m really positive and looking forward to continuing the work at Silverstone.
If I looked back to the pre-season tests, I have definitely struggled more than I even would have thought. I knew this was going to be tough, but I had some weekends that were very difficult for me. But I’m also extremely proud of the way I was able to get out of that because it felt like I was in a sand pit for many weekends so, for me to be able to get out of that and have people around to me be able to do that, I’m really proud of that. I think the expectations are bullshit because, at the end of the day, it’s what are we living and what are we doing so I’m proud of what we’re doing right now and I know where I can be as well so that’s all that matters and I’m just going to keep working.”
Cameron Beaubier (6) at Assen. Photo courtesy American Racing Team.
Cameron Beaubier #6 –
“For the whole weekend, we weren’t too far off but this morning, Stu found something that really helped us, something we were a little off on previously and I felt awesome this morning. I think I was like P6 pretty comfortably and I felt optimistic going into the race and honestly, it was a fun race being able to come through the pack and pick guys off and chase down the front group. Once I caught them, I was able to take a little breath but as soon as I took a breath, I got passed back by a couple of guys! I was feeling pretty good but I got in a little hot to the final chicane and clipped Ogura a teeny bit and that created just enough room for Vietti to try and get me going into Turn One, I saw his front wheel there and tried to hold my position but I just lost the front which was a bummer with only four laps to go because once I caught the front group, I was really trying to bide my time for the last five laps to see what I could do to challenge for a podium because I was feeling really good. It is what it is. I’m taking the positives from that one because I rode really well and felt awesome on the bike.
This year, when everything is working; the bike’s working, I’m working, I feel like we can be competitive with the fastest guys in the class. I definitely feel like I’ve made a handful of mistakes when we could have had some good results and hadn’t really had the luck on our side like with Portugal and even COTA. It’s been kind of a frustrating start to the season, I was expecting a little bit more results-wise out of myself but we’ve definitely shown the speed, we’ve shown we can be just as fast as the top guys when everything’s clicking. I’m definitely ready for the summer break now. I’ve only been home a week out of the last five months and I’m ready to recharge the batteries.”
John Hopkins, Racing Director –
“As far as the weekend goes, it was utterly disappointing and devastating. Just because I truly feel that Cam should have 100% been on the podium today. He did an amazing job in the race. It wasn’t the best of weekends practice wise, but he always turns it around for the race. He had an amazing race, he had a good start, kept his head down and rode today as we’ve always known him to be able to ride and known him to ride. We saw the Cameron of the end of last season/beginning of this season again which was good, and he had every intention of finishing on the podium to finish off this half of the season on a high. Unfortunately, the mistake, it was no one’s fault, it was just a racing mistake, but it was just utterly disappointing because he had the pace to be on the podium or even better.
With Sean, we’re still making considerable steady progress. He had a mishap this morning but he’s making continual progress and he’s right around the area where I’d expect him to be at this point in the season. It took him a little bit longer than we expected to get to this point but he’s right on track and I think he’s in a good position mentally and physically, he’s doing the job and getting on with it and, more importantly, he’s confident that he can do it now which is good.
It’ll be nice for the boys to get a little rest now and come back recharged and get some more improvements going into the second half of the season.”
Kazuki Watanabe (1) at speed on the Yoshimura SERT Motul Suzuki GSX-R1000R. Photo courtesy Team Suzuki Press Office.
WATANABE TO RACE AT SUZUKA 8H
Kazuki Watanabe will join Yoshimura Suzuki Endurance Race Team Motul at this year’s Suzuka 8H FIM Endurance World Championship on the 7th of August, as a full member of the team’s rider line-up.
In addition to contesting the All Japan Championship, the Japanese rider has played a crucial role within the Yoshimura SERT Motul operation developing the Suzuki GSX-R1000R as test/ reserve rider. It was always the intention that Watanabe would earn his EWC race stripes at the Suzuka 8H and now, in the 60th anniversary of the iconic event, he will get the opportunity to perform in front of an enthusiastic home crowd.
Watanabe will join team regulars Sylvain Guintoli and Xavier Siméon, on the team’s Suzuki race bike, while Gregg Black will take on a leadership position as Team Captain, supporting the riders from the pit box. Black will travel to Suzuka with the team for testing in July and again for the full race week in August. He will return as a team rider for the final round of the 2022 series; the Bol d’Or 24-Hour at the Paul Ricard Circuit in France.
Yohei Kato, Team Director:
“We are delighted that the FIM EWC is back at the Suzuka 8H this year, and we are proud to announce that we will be fighting the popular race with Xavier Simeon, Sylvain Guintoli and our development rider Kazuki Watanabe.
“Kazuki has been a reserve rider and a member of the team from the beginning, and he made a substantial contribution to developing our GSX-R1000R. We are confident that, with his vast experience of racing at Suzuka, he will race to defend the title and hopefully exceed our expectations.
“Gregg is an essential part of the team with his experience and knowledge as well as his leadership qualities. He will be working in the team as a Rider-Captain and will be on standby to take part in the race at any time.
“The Suzuka 8H is taking place for the first time in three years, and it is great news that we will be racing in front of the fans again.
“It will be a very tough competition, but we will do our best to take the Japanese-French Yoshimura SERT Motul riders and machine to a podium finish at the Suzuka 8H once again.”
Damien Saulnier: Team Manager:
“I am delighted that the Suzuka 8H is back on the EWC calendar, and the whole team is very excited to be racing in Japan once again.
“When we talk about endurance racing, the 24 hours races are usually the main talking point. However, the Suzuka 8 hours is something very special, with a huge history full of many legendary stories over the years. This makes us very motivated to have the chance to add to that history and make a new story about Yoshimura SERT Motul.
“Since the Covid-19 restrictions, we have been unable to race at Suzuka, and so returning there this year is important for all the manufacturers, teams, riders and fans.
“It is of course a home round for Yoshimura and Suzuki, and so I am very proud to be working with Yoshimura Japan and Yohei Kato’s staff.
“This is the only non-24 hours race in the series this year. It may be shorter but it will be a very tough and difficult race for everyone. There are wild-card factory teams and similar high-level Japanese teams fighting for victory.
“Let’s see how we can challenge and perform in this, the third round of the 2022 FIM EWC.”
Granado wins dramatic, shortened Race 2 at the Cathedral
The Brazilian cuts the gap after a stop-start second encounter for the FIM Enel MotoE™ World Cup at Assen
Eric Granado (51) leading Mattia Casadei (27) and the others during MotoE Race Two. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Sunday, 26 June 2022
Eric Granado (LCR E-Team) was rewarded for his bravery in tricky conditions as the Brazilian took victory in Race 2 of FIM Enel MotoE™ World Cup at the Motul TT Assen. The number 51 scythed his way from fourth to the lead in just three laps in a contest which would be cut short due a Red Flag, with points leader Dominique Aegerter (Dynavolt Intact GP MotoE™) claiming second and Mattia Casadei (Pons Racing 40) completing the podium.
The Red Flag saw Miquel Pons (LCR E-Team) crash out and suffer contact from Marc Alcoba (Openbank Aspar Team), with the LCR rider conscious and getting a check up at the circuit before heading to local hospital in Groningen for a CT scan to his pelvis.
Before the flag was thrown, however, it was a five-wide run to the first corner when the action finally got underway, with patchy showers having twice delayed the start. Casadei came from fourth on the grid to lead the field into the first corner, while Aegerter fended off an early challenge from Matteo Ferrari (Felo Gresini MotoE™) at Strubben, and then again at De Bult, to end the opening lap in second, with Granado just behind them.
The riders had no time to waste, with the delays seing the originally distance of eight laps cut to six, and Granado was a man on a mission. He passed Ferrari as they turned into Haarbocht at the start of Lap 2 although, in doing so, he made room for Pons to follow him. A brief battle between the LCR duo ensued before Granado shook off his teammate and attacked Aegerter.
Incredibly, as the rain flags flew again, Granado passed Aegerter around the outside of the high-speed Ramshoek left-hander, then went down the inside of Casadei when they arrived at Haarbocht again on Lap 3. Ferrari got back underneath Pons three corners further around at the Ossebroeken complex and, unfortunately, that was just the start of the LCR rider’s troubles.
Exiting the following corner, De Strubben, Pons highsided and was thrown from his motorcycle. Running two bikes back, Marc Alcoba was unable to avoid it and also crashed. Alcoba eventually remounted but, as Pons was initially attended to at the side of the track, the race was red flagged during Lap 4. Soon after news came through it would not restart, and instead half points would be awarded.
Granado is therefore classified the winner, ahead of Aegerter, Casadei, Ferrari, Niccolo Canepa (WithU GRT RNF MotoE™ Team), Alex Escrig (Tech3 E-Racing), Kevin Manfredi (Octo Pramac MotoE™), Maria Herrera (OpenBank Aspar Team), Kevin Zannoni (Ongetta Sic58 Squadracorse), and Hector Garzo (Tech3 E-Racing).
In the FIM Enel MotoE™ World Cup standings, Aegerter has now moved to 158 points, but Granado closes in slightly in second on 126.5 points, with Ferrari third but on 112.5. Action in the electric class resumes with the Motorrad Grand Prix von Österreich, at the Red Bull Ring – Spielberg on August 19-21!
MotoE™ PODIUM
1 Eric Granado – LCR E-Team – Energica – 05’21.0940
Eric Granado: “It was a strange win for me, just three laps. I knew that the conditions were going to change during the race, even if it’s just six laps, so I was just trying to be at the front as soon as I can. I just tried to be there and if the Red Flag came, I was in first position, and finally it came. It’s strange to win a three-lap race, but I’m happy. I want to say thank you to them team because yesterday was so close and I slept with a little strange feeling, but today it’s good. It’s not so good that it’s just half points in the championship but anyway, I take it and it’s good for confidence for the next race.”
Fabio Di Giannantonio (left) and Alex Marquez (right) with Gresini Racing Team Owner Nadia Padovani Gresini (center). Photo courtesy Gresini Racing.
HERE IS GRESINI MOTOGP’S LINE UP FOR 2023 FABIO IS CONFIRMED; MARQUEZ TO JOIN THE SQUAD
Our first official news for 2023 is here: Team Gresini MotoGP have selected Alex Marquez to replace Enea Bastianini – who will race a factory-spec Ducati machine starting next year. The Faenza-based squad looks once again at the wealth of talent from Spain, a country that always had strong ties and success with the team: from Gibernau to Martin, but also Toni Elias, Alvaro Bautista and Emilio Alzamora, who currently manages rider #73.
Born in Cervera, Alex Marquez has a top-level CV: he was Moto3 and Moto2 World Champion in 2014 and 2019, respectively, with a tally of 40 podiums that include 12 race wins – and two second places in the premier class back in 2020. The experienced 26-year-old will tackle his fourth season in the series, the first one with Ducati machinery.
Alongside the Spaniard will be Fabio Di Giannantonio, who is currently having great success tackling his rookie MotoGP season with Gresini. The Italian, who despite his young age has a long history with the squad, is among the contenders for Rookie of the Year 2022. He already has a pole position in the premier class and an eighth place as a best result.
#73 – ALEX MARQUEZ
“I’m really happy to announce that I’ll be joining Team Gresini MotoGP, and I’m also very excited to be starting this new adventure: it was crucial for me to change in order to recover the same type of motivation I had when I first joined this class. This was the best option for me, with a team that helped writing the history of this championship. I would like to thank Nadia, Carlo and all the GR staff for believing in me. I still have half a season left to do my best before starting 2023 with top motivation.”
#49 – FABIO DI GIANNANTONIO
“I’m really happy to extend my partnership with this team, which is like a family to me. It’s great because we’ll continue on this learning curve, and we’ll be doing so with a Ducati – and that makes me very happy. Continuity is key in MotoGP in order to be able to work on myself to be the best possible. We have been working on this contract extension for a little while, and now we can finally announce it. Obviously the goals will be higher: we’ll be using this second part of the season to improve our results and then next year I really want to make that step up.”
NADIA PADOVANI GRESINI – TEAM OWNER
“I’m really happy with this new project. First of all we’re confirming our continuation with Fabio Di Giannantonio. He has already shown his talent this year, as he has been improving race after race, and I’m sure that he’ll keep getting more competitive. We were looking to put a more experienced rider alongside him, and I think Alex Marquez is the perfect one for our team. His CV speaks for itself: we think he has great potential and that the Desmosedici machine may be the perfect companion on his new journey. Welcome to the family, Alex!”
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