Four years in the cauldron of racing at the GP level has taught Energica a few new tricks on how to make an electric motorcycle better. Specifically, Energica has gathered critical information on battery capacity and management, as well as motor design and operation.
But the design of any motorcycle is a compromise. Energica looked at the new performance potential these developments provided and decided to deploy them to make a machine that was more comfortable and rider-friendly.
This week, Energica invited journalists from around the world to sample its all-new Experia Green Tourer, what it calls the world’s first all-electric sport touring motorcycle. What we found when we arrived for the test ride in the Dolomite mountains in northern Italy was a motorcycle that straddled the line between adventure bike and lightweight tourer.
And a brief test ride showed that Energica had indeed hit the design target of a more nimble, more efficient, and still powerful motorcycle that had the creature comforts of a machine designed to eat miles.
Energica launched the Experia Green Tourer in the habitat it was designed for – the twisty roads of the Dolomite mountains in northern Italy. Stunning views, lush pastures, and ski lifts everywhere. Photo by Michael Gougis.
Tech Briefing
Energica’s experience in FIM MotoE World Cup as the sole supplier of the spec Ego Corsa racebikes has led to a new battery configuration that nestles in and through the all-new steel trellis/aluminum castings frame. The battery pack is multifaceted, allowing more heat dissipation, and is lighter than before. Energica says the Experia now has the greatest battery capacity – 22.5 kilowatt-hours–of any production electric motorcycle. A complete redesign also led to a lighter and re-positioned inverter, which now shares coolant with the new motor.
For this machine, Energica employs the second iteration of its EMCE motor. Created in partnership with Mavel, an Italian company with deep experience in the electric automotive sector, the EMCE (Energica Mavel Co-Engineering) motor is smaller and features a permanent magnet-assisted synchronous reluctance design.
To put it simply, synchronous reluctance motors rely on a sophisticated rotor design to generate a magnetic field and spin the rotor, rather than relying on magnets that are a permanent component of the rotor. However, this design produces less torque than the more traditional design, so some magnets are embedded in the rotor to assist with power generation.
The advantages of this design include lower cost, fewer expensive rare earth magnets, greater safety, and less weight. Compared to the motors in Energica’s first motorcycles, the EMCE motor in the Experia weighs 44 pounds less. It makes less power than the EMCE motor in the other machines in the lineup, at 102 bhp and 85 lbs.-ft., but its smaller size allows for it to be mounted lower and for the shock to be relocated to the centerline of the machine, in the traditional location. As is traditional for electric motorcycles, there is no gearbox and no clutch. Claimed weight for the Experia is 573 pounds.
The new chassis is narrower between the rider’s legs and also is lighter than the previous models’ full steel trellis. Forks are 43mm inverted ZF Sachs adjustable for compression, rebound and preload; the ZF Sachs shock is adjustable for rebound and preload only. The tubular bars sit behind the company’s largest fairing–by far–to date.
Brembo master cylinders front and rear operate Brembo calipers–a pair of four-piston units in the front and a single two-piston unit in the back–on 330mm discs on the front wheel and a single 240mm disc in the rear.
Electronic rider aids include adjustable brake regeneration settings, adjustable traction control, cornering ABS by Bosch, and four different power modes–Sport, Urban, Eco and Rain. Creature comforts include heated grips, four USB power outlets, cruise control, a reverse gear ,and voluminous hard luggage by GIVI.
For this model, Energica deployed its new performance capabilities in rider comfort. The drag created by the new fairing is considerable, and electric bikes are particularly sensitive to aero drag in terms of energy consumption. So, the machine has only a slightly longer range than the prior models but gives the rider and passenger much more comfort over longer distances. Energica claims a range of 261 miles in city riding, 160 miles in combined highway/city riding and 130 miles at an average speed of about 68 mph.
The bike can be charged through all three types of charging systems currently available and will go from zero to 80% charged in 40 minutes on a DC fast charger.
Riding The Experia
Energica’s riding loop consisted of narrow, barely-two-lane-wide roads that meandered through small skiing villages in the mountains of northern Italy. It would have been challenging to evaluate the machines at speed if the roads were empty, as many of the corners would have been first-gear, slip-the-clutch curves on an internal combustion motorcycle. And the roads were not empty–much of the ride consisted of threading our way between bicycles, oncoming trucks, cars, and tour buses, as well as the motorcyclists who had thronged to the region.
Still, I found the torque to be impressive when my machine was in Sport mode, and the throttle response was linear and precise. My particular unit, a pre-production model, seemed to have a glitch that left it occasionally shifting itself into a softer power mode, but when it was on, the bike moved forward with the authority that only the largest gas-powered motorcycles can provide.
Energica hit the target when it came to maneuverability and ease of use. The lower center of gravity and narrower frame made it easier to change directions and to flick into those tighter curves. The brakes were well up to the task of plunging into downhill switchbacks.
And electric bikes have a comfort level that is just–serene. It wasn’t just the upright riding position, the spacious legroom, the lack of shifting and clutching. It was the quiet, the lack of vibration, that just left the whole experience feeling relaxed.
I am looking forward to spending time on an Experia in the States and doing a little two-up riding when the test units arrive. Electric bikes are different, but that doesn’t mean bad, and there are definitely parts of that riding experience that are uniquely pleasurable.
Production of the Experia is slated to begin in July, and units will be available in the U.S. in the fall. Suggested retail price starts at $23,750, although the company will at first only offer the Launch Edition with the hard luggage for $25,880.
Rueda heads Sachsenring Qualifying – Applications open for 2023 Rookies Cup
Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup points leader José Rueda, the 16-year-old Spaniard, continued his class act by claiming pole at the Sachsenring. Italian 17-year-old Filippo Farioli is only 0.120 seconds behind with Eddie O‘Shea, the 15-year-old Briton, completing the front row.
While the 2022 Rookies were chasing grid positions the Selection Process for the 2023 Cup was opened on the website.
Here you can sign up for the most exciting time of your life.
As always the Cup is open to everyone with a yearning to test themselves against the best teenage racers in the world and this starts with the online application.
Rueda loving the lefts
“I am very happy with that. I have never been here before and it’s not an easy track but I enjoy it so much. All those left corners are great fun.”
“I will push hard from the start and try and get away but I think there will be some riders who will try to go with us.”
“The bike is working really well, I have confidence in it and we really didn’t change much through the practice sessions. I think I am going to enjoy the races a lot.”
Farioli feeling great
“I think we did a very good job. In FP1 the feeling with the bike was not so good, and with the track. But through FP2 I learnt more, I tried some different things and we improved.”
“Then in the Quali I did the same and we got a good position, I’m happy and confident with the bike now, I am enjoying the track and am very focused.”
“I have the pace to do a better and different race to Mugello and I ended today feeling the bike is perfect and my feeling with the track is perfect.”
O‘Shea on the front
“It was very good, My first time on the front row and I believe my first time on the front three rows so I am happy to be up there with the fast boys.”
“I felt confident and all day, I felt I should be on the front row, if anything I am upset that I am not on pole, I felt that good.”
“I couldn’t ask for a better start to the weekend. I learnt a lot from the fast boys at Mugello after running in the front group. Once you do that your confidence level shoots through the roof.”
“So I came into this weekend, this is my favourite track and I said to my family that I’m going to be up there and I’m happy to live up to what I said.”
Piqueras picks up the pieces for 4th
“I am happy with the good Qualifying because I crashed in FP2 and the bike was a mess, destroyed. The guys did a fantastic job to rebuild it for Qualifying,” enthused the 15-year-old Spaniard.
“It is great to come back from that and be on the second row. The bike is fast and I have confidence for the races that I can race at the front.”
Buchanan better than ever in 5th
“I’m very happy with that, I knew the tyres were going to go off very fast, this track is so grippy that the tyres don’t last very long. So I knew that I had to put it in as quickly as I could,” explained the 15-year-old New Zealander.
“On my first flying lap I went off track at the final corner. So that was gone and the next lap had to count before the tyre dropped. So I put everything into that lap.”
I got the lap done, I think that is by far a new personal best for me. Unfortunately after that I crashed but the team were great and managed to fix it, a great job by them.”
“Then I was able to go out and set a really fast pace by myself which bodes well for the races.”
“It’s my best Qualifying by I think 13 positions. The bike set-up is great, I had a lot of confidence with it.”
Quiles kept from continuing
“I went off in the gravel and the bike fell on it’s side, I couldn’t get it out and the marshals didn’t really help me, I was stuck.”
“It’s a shame because I felt a lot of grip and I had a lot of confidence and I could make P5 but after the fall I couldn’t get going. Still I have a good setting for the races and I am feeling confident in the bike,” concluded the Spanish 14-year-old who still qualified 13th
O’Gorman out of luck
“I went to go inside someone on the first lap and high sided off the gas. It took a long time to get the bike back to the pits, the guys did a great job to repair it but we just didn’t make it before the end of the session,” explained the Irish 14-year-old.
Broadcast
This weekend’s Rookies Cup races can be seen live on www.redbull.tv and on TV stations around the world.
Race 1 is at 16:25 CET on Saturday and Race 2 is on Sunday at 15:30, the show starts 10 minutes before the race.
More, from a press release issued by MotorSport Vision Racing:
O’Halloran heads the pack as the top 19 Bennetts BSB contenders covered by 0.9s
Jason O’Halloran kicked off the fourth round of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship at Knockhill in style as the McAMS Yamaha rider topped the times in a frantic second SUPERPICKS Free Practice session.
After the opening practice took place in wet conditions, the second session proved crucial to deciding the top 12 riders who progress directly into tomorrow’s Qualifying 2, which will decide the grid positions for the eBay Sprint race.
O’Halloran had taken the advantage in the final five minutes as the times continued to shuffle, but the Donington Park double race winner had enough at the chequered flag to hold the leading position by 0.112s.
Glenn Irwin moved into second for Honda Racing UK to nudge Tommy Bridewell back into third place as the Oxford Products Racing Ducati rider led the charge for the Italian manufacturer.
Bridewell had just a 0.005s advantage over Rich Energy OMG Racing Yamaha’s Kyle Ryde in fourth, but his championship-leading teammate Bradley Ray crashed out in the early stages of the session meaning he couldn’t improve his time and ended the day in 15th place.
Josh Brookes completed the top five for MCE Ducati, maintaining the position ahead of Lee Jackson on the leading Cheshire Mouldings FS-3 Racing Kawasaki and Storm Stacey, who was just 0.266s adrift of the leading lap time.
Home hero Rory Skinner was eighth fastest and just 0.003s ahead of Danny Buchan with Tom Sykes completing the top ten on his return to Knockhill.
Christian Iddon had topped the wet morning session, but the Buildbase Suzuki rider ended the day with a crash. He still held onto the penultimate place in the top 12 ahead of Peter Hickman, who also tipped off the FHO Racing BMW.
Defending champion Tarran Mackenzie missed out on a position inside the top 12 by just 0.002s ahead of tomorrow’s SUPERPICKS Qualifying and eBay Sprint race in Scotland.
Bennetts British Superbike Championship, Knockhill, SUPERPICKS combined practice times:
Jason O’Halloran (McAMS Yamaha) 47.648s
Glenn Irwin (Honda Racing UK) +0.112s
Tommy Bridewell (Oxford Products Racing Ducati) +0.125s
Kyle Ryde (Rich Energy OMG Racing Yamaha) +0.130s
Josh Brookes (MCE Ducati) +0.136s
Lee Jackson (Cheshire Mouldings FS-3 Racing Kawasaki) 0.156s
Storm Stacey (Team LKQ Euro Car Parts Kawasaki) +0.266s
Rory Skinner (Cheshire Mouldings FS-3 Racing Kawasaki) +0.269s
Danny Buchan (SYNETIQ BMW) +0.421s
Tom Sykes (MCE Ducati) +0.449s
Christian Iddon (Buildbase Suzuki) +0.513s
Peter Hickman (FHO Racing BMW) +0.542s
For more information on the Bennetts British Superbike Championship visit www.britishsuperbike.com
Jason O’Halloran
McAMS Yamaha
Fastest in SUPERPICKS Free Practice
“It’s been a good first day, I felt really strong straight away in the wet this morning and had a good feeling with the bike.
“In the dry we knew we were in a good place from the test so we knew what we were doing.
“There was a lot of traffic out there today so I didn’t quite get the ideal lap, but I’m feeling strong even with the wind – which was quite high today.
“I’m feeling good and looking forward to going racing tomorrow.”
The three-time World Champion will be inducted into the Hall of Fame in Austria
Friday, 17 June 2022
Three-time World Champion Luigi Taveri will be named a MotoGP™ Legend in 2022. The late Swiss rider will be inducted into the MotoGP™ Legends Hall of Fame at the Red Bull Ring in Austria, honouring his achievements in the presence of his family.
Taveri was born in the canton of Zürich in 1929 and made his Grand Prix debut in 1954 in the 250cc and 500cc classes. The next season he competed on 125cc and 250cc machinery, and he came runner up in 1955 in the 125cc World Championship – taking his debut win in the first race of the year.
In 1962 he won his first World Championship, taking the crown in the 125cc class. He took two further Championships in the category, in 1964 and 1966, to secure his place in motorcycle racing history.
Between his debut in 1954 and his retirement at the end of 1966, the Swiss rider raced in the 50cc, 125cc, 250cc, 350cc and 500cc classes, taking wins on 50cc, 125cc and 250cc machinery, and finishing on the podium in the 350cc class. He is one of few riders to score Grand Prix points in the 50cc, 125cc, 250cc, 350cc and 500cc classes.
Now, Taveri will be named a MotoGP™ Legend, joining a long list of greats that includes Valentino Rossi, Giacomo Agostini, Mick Doohan, Geoff Duke, Wayne Gardner, Mike Hailwood, Daijiro Kato, Eddie Lawson, Anton Mang, Angel Nieto, Wayne Rainey, Phil Read, Jim Redman, Kenny Roberts, Kenny Roberts Jr, Jarno Saarinen, Kevin Schwantz, Barry Sheene, Marco Simoncelli, Freddie Spencer, Casey Stoner, John Surtees, Carlo Ubbiali, Alex Crivillé, Franco Uncini, Marco Lucchinelli, Randy Mamola, Kork Ballington, Dani Pedrosa, Stefan Dörflinger, Jorge ‘Aspar’ Martinez, Jorge Lorenzo, Max Biaggi and the late Nicky Hayden.
The Taveri family: “Our family is overwhelmed and very happy to hear that Luigi receives this big honour. It would be so nice if he could be with us and celebrate this moment with all of you. Those who remember Luigi know that he would be standing here with a big smile on his face and searching for words. We thank Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta in Luigi’s name from the bottom of our heart.”
Carmelo Ezpeleta, CEO of Dorna Sports: “We’re very proud to induct Luigi into the MotoGP Hall of Fame. Few riders have achieved what he did, with success in so many classes and three World Championships. It’s important to celebrate the legacy of those who form part of our incredible history, and Luigi and his achievements are a significant part of that. We look forward to welcoming his family to the paddock to honour him as a MotoGP Legend.”
The Championship leader showed his hand on a day when every minute counted.
Alpinestars Superbike
There’s no event on the mi-bike Motorcycling Insurance Australian Superbike Championship presented by Motul (ASBK) quite like the Merlin Darwin Triple Crown.
Notably, we just have the nation’s finest Alpinestars Superbike racers on hand, while our other riders focus on Round Five at Morgan Park in August.
The escape to the warmth of Darwin for many of the southern-based teams comes at the ideal time. Racing on the same card as the always-professional Supercars is also a treat for the fans and riders alike. The three-race format (see triple crown!) brings a level of gravitas like no other event as we step from a maximum of 51 points on offer to 76.
The Triple Crown format has some added side effects. Race One is on the Saturday so Friday is no longer the “just feel it out” day. Across all three practice sessions today there was a genuine feeling of urgency and importance like no other Friday. Lose a day here from poor setup choices, and you’ll find yourself at the track on Saturday morning with a lot to do and no time to do it.
For the riders and teams who have had success here, it was a case of roll the bike out, set it up for the usual Darwin conditions (33c, sunny, rising track temperatures across the day) and be at the end of pit lane just as ASBK official Brendan Ferrari waves the green flag for the first session.
Due to increased safety measures and the expected event staff familiarisation process, free practice one was delayed by ten minutes and then shortened to 25 minutes. If there was a sense of urgency before, it was heightened immediately.
Early on it was Bryan Staring aboard the frankly stunning indigenous-round-liveried DesmoSport Ducati who banked the fastest lap. Staring looked- and sounded afterward- very comfortable aboard the 2021 race winning team bike. Staring bristled at suggestions that he was losing touch with the leading pair of Maxwell and Jones and his early form- and indeed pace across the day- indicates that the Western Australian is well in the hunt not only for the top step this weekend, but genuine championship contention.
Keeping Wayne Maxwell down is like stopping a Labrador puppy from jumping on you. Incorrigible. The 2021 champion has a theory- and we all know it, and he’s done it for years- post a ludicrously fast time and make the other riders work for it. Sure enough, he nailed the fasted time in FP1 and then left it to Staring and Mike Jones to duke it out for second and third respectively.
Mike Jones would not be denied. A few clever changes in both bike setup and mindset saw the familiar Yamaha hit the top of the table for FP2 and indeed bank the fastest lap of the day. While FP2 didn’t provide conditions as conducive to fast laps as FP1, the reality was the riders found a little more and all progressed. For FP2 it was Jones- who not only managed a race simulation, but then went to a softer tyre and banged out a succession of fastest laps. One rider confided afterward; “This weekend is his for the taking”.
Maxwell and Staring rounded out the top three for FP2.
Bryan Staring cleverly countered the Jones phenom by getting out early in Free Practice 3 and posting a fast time to again challenge the field to “come at me”. The track temperature was now fifty-hell-no and after a few solid sessions from everything from Supercars to Porsches and Hyundai Excels, the track had “gone away”. Bryan Staring would later admit he wasn’t sure if it was the cars or the temperature that had slowed things, but it was certainly not as fast as it was earlier in the day.
And while earlier sessions had been all about lap times and tuning, the early running in FP3 was apparently “who would like to crash?” with a multitude of riders – mercifully largely uninjured- finding themselves off track. Josh Waters, Luke Macdonald, Marc Chiodo and Ant West all crashed, and it was clear that there was a high level of pressure and expectation.
The day ended with combined times giving the nod to Jones from Maxwell and Staring. A much-improved Glenn Allerton – in his 100th ASBK event – found some time hidden deep in the M1000RR followed by Yamaha’s Cru Halliday who ought to be pleased with yet another consistent performance.
Former Darwin race winner, Honda’s Troy Herfoss and on-the-improve Arthur Sissis were sixth and seventh, with Lachlan Epis keen to make up for lost time in eighth, Daniel Falzon in ninth and Josh Waters down in tenth after his crash in FP3.
Saturday morning brings things to a head early with the first 20-minute qualifying session at 9:10am. The second session sees them back on track at 9:35am for the top 12 and at 1:20pm the best Superbike racers in the country will be unleased for 16 laps. With no more practice sessions and a lot to play for, Saturday will be as fascinating as it could be pivotal for season 2022.
Combined times- Friday- Merlin Darwin Triple Crown Alpinestars Superbike
1 46 Mike JONES (QLD) / Yamaha Racing Team Yamaha YZF-R1 1:05.506
2 1 Wayne MAXWELL (VIC) / Boost Mobile Racing with K-tech / AMA / Ipone / Pirelli / McMartin Racing Ducati V4R 1:05.591
Bagnaia fastest out the blocks with new lap record at the Sachsenring
It’s an all-Ducati top three lock out on Day 1 as Bagnaia leads Marini and Miller
Francesco Bagnaia (63). Photo courtesy Dorna.
Friday, 17 June 2022
Ducati Lenovo Team’s Francesco Bagnaia has come tantalisingly close to the 1:19s as he broke the All Time Lap Record in MotoGP™ FP2 at the Liqui Moly Motorrad Grand Prix Deutschland. The Italian fired in a 1:20.018 to establish a new benchmark around the Sachsenring as Ducati locked out the top three in the afternoon and overall. Mooney VR46 Racing Team’s Luca Marini grabbed second and FP1 pace-setter Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) took third, with Aprilia Racing’s Aleix Espargaro the best of the rest.
FP1
The twisty layout of the Sachsenring might not traditionally have suited the Bologna bullets, but it seems times they are a-changing as Ducati Lenovo Team had already gone one-two in FP1. Miller led the way with a 1:21.479, ahead of Bagnaia by just over a tenth.
Jack Miller (43). Photo courtesy Dorna.
World Championship leader Fabio Quartararo, who had the new-spec swingarm on his YZR-M1, was not far away either. The Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™ rider finished the session third-fastest courtesy of a 1:21.557 which he set just after Miller’s fastest lap. Very few went for time attacks at the end of proceedings but Quartararo continued to lap in the 1:22s despite using just the one set of tyres. Fourth went to Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing) on a 1:21.655 and fifth to Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) on a 1:21.660, an encouraging start to the weekend for the Japanese rider after his crash at Catalunya a fortnight ago.
Fabio Quartararo (20). Photo courtesy Dorna.
Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) was a solid sixth in FP1, and sampling the Noale factory’s new fairing, he clocked a 1:21.665 and managed to keep himself upright despite an excursion through the gravel at Turn 1. Marini started seventh on a 1:21.671 while Andrea Dovizioso (WithU Yamaha RNF MotoGP™ Team) picked himself up from a crash at Turn 1 to claim eighth with a 1:21.730 which he set near the end of the session on new tyres.
The top 10 was rounded out by Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) on a 1:21.735 and Alex Marquez (LCR Honda Castrol) on a 1:21.772, with Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) just 0.041 seconds slower again in 11th.
Maverick Vinales (12). Photo courtesy Dorna.
Pol Espargaro (Repsol Honda Team) crashed twice in FP1, rider ok but a little battered and bruised after a highside, and Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) also took a tumble. Rins didn’t complete the whole session as he nurses his wrist injured in Barcelona.
FP2
Aleix Espargaro took over on top with a 1:20.789 on his first run, with Bagnaia just 0.054 seconds slower. But Miller was one of the earliest to switch to genuine time attack mode in the closing stages of FP2 and, armed with new softs on the front and rear, he vaulted back to the top with a 1:20.211. Aleix Espargaro twice came close to bettering the Australian again with a 1:20.284 and a 1:20.219 on consecutive laps, but it fell to the man on the other red Ducati to get the job done.
Bagnaia broke Marc Marquez’s three-year-old All Time Lap Record of 1:20.195 when he laid down a 1:20.132 on a medium-soft tyre combination in the final three minutes of the session, and there was time enough to go even faster again before the chequered flag unfurled. Marini likewise beat Marquez’s old Sachsenring benchmark, shuffling Miller back to third, albeit only at 0.193 seconds off the pace of his team-mate… and that makes it a Ducati top three heading into Saturday.
Luca Marini (10). Photo courtesy Dorna.
Provisional Q2 places
Behind the Ducati trio, Aleix Espargaro was fourth-fastest all-told, and he is the odd one out in a top six otherwise filled up by GP22s. Johann Zarco claimed fifth on a 1:20.264 and Prima Pramac Racing teammate Jorge Martin finished up sixth on a 1:20.275.
Johann Zarco. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Seventh overall goes to World Championship leader Quartararo on a 1:20.399, ahead of Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) and another impressive performance from Fabio Di Giannantonio (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) on yet another Ducati.
Either side of the top 10 cut-off which decides who goes straight into Q2, as it stands it’s Joan Mir in 10th on a 1:20.574 and his Team Suzuki Ecstar teammate Alex Rins in 11th on a 1:20.591. Nakagami faded in the afternoon but was first of the Honda riders in 12th on a 1:20.616, while Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) took 13th at another 0.131 seconds off the pace after an early run through the gravel at Turn 1. Pol Espargaro took 14th, ahead of Franco Morbidelli (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™), Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team), and the first of the KTM contingent in Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), in 17th after a tough day for the Austrian factory.
Joan Mir (36). Photo courtesy Dorna.
Those outside the top ten will, of course, all be looking to improve their positions and book a place in Q2 when FP3 unfolds on Saturday. Can they do it? The answers will come from 09:55 (GMT +2), before qualifying from 14:10 as the grid gets decided at the unique challenge of the Sachsenring.
FRIDAY: TOP 3
1 Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) – Ducati – 1’20.018
3 Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) – Ducati – +0.193
Augusto Fernandez (37). Photo courtesy Dorna.
Fernandez demolishes the field on Friday
The number 37 finishes Day 1 nearly a half a second clear of Acosta and Aldeguer
Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Augusto Fernandez is the rider to beat after topping both Moto2™ Free Practice sessions on the opening day of the Liqui Moly Motorrad Grand Prix Deutschland, and both by big margins. He raised the bar and ended FP2 nearly half a second clear, with teammate Pedro Acosta next-best and Fermin Aldeguer (MB Conveyors Speed Up) making it an all-Spanish top three. Meanwhile, World Championship leader Italian Celestino Vietti (Mooney VR46 Racing Team), is currently a considerable way outside the provisional Q2 cut-off…
Fernandez was comfortably quickest in FP1 and 0.421 up on the field, and that was still the best lap of the day through much of FP2. It was only beaten by the man himself with less than 10 minutes to go in the afternoon when he went almost two tenths faster again. The Red Bull KTM Ajo duo was flying in formation but when Acosta crossed the line just behind, he was still 0.470 seconds shy and that’s how it stayed.
Earlier, Aldeguer had got somewhat close to the fastest lap of the session when he set a 1:24.501, and that effort would be good enough for third-quickest overall. Sam Lowes (Elf Marc VDS Racing team) clocked a late 1:24.557 to take up fourth spot and shuffle fellow Briton Jake Dixon (GASGAS Aspar Team), who laid down an early 1:24.600, back to fifth. Marcos Ramirez (MV Augusta Forward Racing) was another who did his best work right near the start of FP2, a 1:24.621 earning him sixth on the timesheets, ahead of home hero Marcel Schrötter (Liqui Moly Intact GP), rookie Alonso Lopez (MB Conveyors Speed Up), the now nearly-recovered Lorenzo Dalla Porta (Italtrans Racing Team), and Portugal winner Joe Roberts (Italtrans Racing Team).
Fine weather is expected again when FP3 unfolds and a number of key players in the World Championship will be hoping to improve. Currently 11th-fastest is the man who was runner-up at the Catalan GP a fortnight ago, Aron Canet (Flexbox HP40), ahead of Albert Arenas (GASGAS Aspar Team), Filip Salač (Gresini Racing Moto2™), and Jorge Navarro (Flexbox HP40).
That leaves Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team), Somkiat Chantra (Idemitsu Honda team Asia), and Ai Ogura (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) all looking for more, and Arbolino did not register a lap time in FP1 due to an early crash. The Italian only got up to 16th with a 1:25.058 in FP2, while Chantra and Ogura sit 19th and 21st respectively. Still, all three are faster than the rider at the very top of the Championship points table, with Vietti 24th and a full 1.467 seconds off on Friday.
Barry Baltus (RW Racing GP) crashed in FP1 and went to the medical centre but was declared fit. Albert Arenas (GASGAS Aspar Team), Aldeguer, Keminth Kubo (Yamaha VR46 Master Camp), Niccolo Antonelli (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) and Lopez all crashed too, riders ok. Simon Corsi (MV Augusta Forward Racing Racing) had a spill in FP2 at Turn 1 – rider ok.
Will we see another Vietti rescue job, and can fellow title contender Ogura also dig himself out of trouble? Find out when FP3 kicks off on Saturday at 10:55 (GMT +2), before qualifying from 15:10.
Guevara splits the Leopards as Garcia faces a fight back to make it to Q2
Leopard Racing’s Tatsuki Suzuki ruled Day 1 at the Liqui Moly Motorrad Grand Prix Deutschland. The Japanese rider set a 1:26.363 in FP2 to take over on top overall, while teammate Dennis Foggia took third thanks to his time from the afternoon, too. GASGAS Aspar Team’s Izan Guevara splits the duo on the combined timesheets thanks to his FP1-topping 1:26.459.
The combined top 14 and riders provisionally on to move through to Q2 was exactly the same as the top 14 in FP1 until the last five minutes of the afternoon session, when Stefano Nepa (Angeluss MTA Team) elevated himself to fourth with a 1:26.842, knocking Jaume Masia (Red Bull KTM Ajo) back to 15th, but it was hardly the end of the story.
Joel Kelso (CIP Green Power), the rookie on his second visit to the Sachsenring in Moto3™, took fourth on the combined times on a 1:26.608 and John McPhee (Sterilgarda Husqvarna Max) finished fifth courtesy of his 1:26.691 from FP1. Lorenzo Fellon (SIC58 Squadra Corse) made an almighty save into Turn 11 when he closed up on Alberto Surra (Rivacold Snipers Team) before setting a 1:26.768 later in the session, that good enough for sixth ahead of Nepa.
Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Tech3), who went for a bit of impromptu motocross in the gravel during the session, nevertheless took eighth, ahead of Ryusei Yamanaka (MT Helmets – MSI) and second start podium finisher David Muñoz (BOE Motorsports). Diogo Moreira (MT Helmets – MSI) took P11 ahead of fellow rookie Daniel Holgado (Red Bull KTM Ajo), with Holgado’s teammate Masia in P13. Andrea Migno (Rivacold Snipers Team) is currently the last rider set to move through… leaving Championship leader Sergio Garcia (GASGAS Aspar Team) in P15 and looking to move up in FP3.
In FP1 only Masia crashed, before Kaito Toba (CIP Green Power) and Carlos Tatay (CFMoto Racing PrüstelGP) took tumbles in the afternoon but riders all ok.
FP3 kicks off at 9:00 (GMT +2) to decide the final graduates to Q2, before qualifying from 12:35.
2 Izan Guevara (GASGAS Aspar Team) – GASGAS – +0.162
3 Dennis Foggia (Leopard Racing) – Honda – +0.228
More, from a press release issued by Mooney VR46 Racing:
EXCELLENT DEBUT FOR MARINI AT SACHSENRING
The rider of the Mooney VR46 Racing Team is second in the combined standings after the first day in Germany. Just three tenths from the Q2, Bezzecchi in P16
Chemnitz (Germany) – Luca Marini closes the Day1 of the German GP, which will take place on Sunday at Sachsenring (02.00 pm), in second place in the overall standings, momentarily in Q2, just 115 thousandths from the leader of the day (Bagnaia, 1:20,018). Not far from the access into the second qualifying session also Marco Bezzecchi, 16th today in the free practices.
At ease on the Ducati Desmosedici GP from the start (P7 in FP1, 1:21.671) and satisfied with the progress made in the last test in Barcelona, Luca is among the protagonists of the afternoon session where he keeps a good pace and signs a best lap time of 1:20.133.
Taking confidence with the MotoGP on the tortuous German track and overall good feelings for Marco who set a lap time in FP2 of 1:20.866, a crono that means a gap of just three tenths of a second from the Top10.
Luca Marini
A good first day for all the Ducati: we worked well with the Team, it was important to quickly understand how to use the tires here and that’s where we can make a step forward. With the hard I wasn’t as fast as Pecco and I have really struggled with so little grip to get the bike turning, an aspect where we have to work on. In any case, the problem is clear and we will return on it in FP4. For now the goal is to achieve the direct access into the Q2 in FP3, the key for managing the QP. We will then analyse the data: this afternoon everyone with the heat have struggled a bit more and we have to compare the data to gain something in speed. I’m happy with this Friday.
Marco Bezzecchi
A first day that was not easy but not too complicated. I’m quite happy, I made a nice step forward between the two sessions and honestly I expected to struggle with the grip conditions. We need to go back to the data and work on this to be able to get closer to the Q2 tomorrow.
Pablo Nieto
A good start for Luca and the Team on a particularly complicated track. The guys did a good job and what they experienced at the Barcelona test was also helpful. I’m happy, Luca begins to have a real fun on track. Not far from the leaders also Marco, for the first time on the track here with the MotoGP. Let’s continue in this direction!
More, from a press release issued by Tech3 KTM Factory Racing:
Sun, Waterfall and Left Corners: Tech3 KTM Factory Racing Completes Day 1 in Sachsenring
Rookies Remy Gardner and Raul Fernandez set off for the first time on a MotoGP bike at Sachsenring, a place where they both have good records in lower categories. Coming from a positive weekend at the Catalunya Grand Prix followed by a test day, both were looking to continue their good form for the first day of the Motorrad Grand Prix Deutschland.
During Free Practice 1, Australian Remy Gardner was looking to take the positives which came out from the test day in Barcelona and develop them on a race weekend. This morning, he rode in 1’22.598, a best lap time obtained at the end of his first run, in new tyres. In the afternoon, he continued to push and times went down as the track got hotter. Remy managed to take his lap time down by 1.295, which placed him twenty-second in the combined standings. Tomorrow, he will continue to push in order to get a good grid position on qualifying day.
His teammate Raul Fernandez had in mind to try a different setting on the whole weekend after some positive information came out of the test day in Catalunya. In the morning, he got his best lap time in 1’22.807 and took it down to 1’21.820 in the afternoon session. He finished the first day of the German Grand Prix in P24 and will be looking to continue his efforts on Saturday, when the action resumes with FP3 at 9:55 local time (GMT+2), followed by FP4 and the qualifying sessions.
Remy Gardner
Position: 22nd
Time: 1’21.303
Laps: 42
“I expected a bit more from today to be honest but it has not been a bad day overall. We are close to the factory riders, which is important. We will see what we can do tomorrow and hopefully improve a bit.”
Raul Fernandez
Position: 24th
Time: 1’21.820
Laps: 41
“The day was good, especially during the Free Practice 2. I did not get a good lap time, but this weekend, we are trying a different setting that we worked on during the test in Catalunya, so we will see how it works on the weekend’s duration. I think that it was a rather positive day, so we will continue our efforts tomorrow.”
More, from a press release issued by Gresini Racing:
SACHSENRING FRIDAY: OK DAY FOR DIGGIA, BASTIANINI HAS MARGIN
#GermanGP Free Practice. The opening day for round ten of the season sees once again Fabio Di Giannantonio on great form, as he is now consistently in the top ten – at least in the single-lap performance. The series rookie was immediately very comfortable aboard his Desmosedici machine, and his performance gave him the ninth position in the combined times of today’s FP1 and FP2 sessions (1’20.545).
Without his race engineer Giribuola, who stayed at home as a precautionary measure after testing positive to Covid-19, Enea Bastianini had a bit more of a difficult time compared to his teammate. The standard bearer of Team Gresini MotoGP still has time to bounce back, starting from tomorrow morning’s FP3 which will be key in order to avoid having to go through Q1. Only a few milliseconds are needed in order to be back among the protagonists.
9th – FABIO DI GIANNANTONIO #49 (1’20.545s)
“We start back from Barcelona: we made very little changes to the bike and we had a good feeling, which is very, very positive. Let’s say we’re on the right track: we’re still missing something on the front-end, especially with regards to some corners like turn three, but we have some changes in mind to make a further step forward tomorrow. The goal is to be in Q2 here as well.”
13th – ENEA BASTIANINI #23 (1’20.747s)
“We struggled a bit, and last year here hadn’t been easy, either. We know where we have to focus on in order to be competitive and I’m confident tomorrow we’ll be part of the game. We’re still missing something in sectors two and three. From turn six to turn eight I don’t feel well, I have a lack of feeling with the front-end and that means cornering is also affected.”
More, from a press release issued by Repsol Honda:
Hundredths of a second the difference on German GP Friday for the Repsol Honda Team
A bruising first day in Germany for the Repsol Honda Team, but both Pol Espargaro and Stefan Bradl put in their maximum – unrewarded by just a few tenths but confident of more on Saturday.
Europe’s heatwave was in full affect at the Sachsenring as temperatures in the mid 20s graced the track all day and temperatures are only set to rise further over the weekend. The summer conditions meant times were immediately fast, the outright lap record already being improved upon in Free Practice 2. There was little to choose between the riders as the hotly contested premier class arrived at the shortest track on the calendar.
Pol Espargaro’s day got off to an incredibly difficult start with two crashes at Turn 1 during Free Practice 1. The first fall was a relatively gentle lowside but the second crash, just a few minutes later, was a vicious highside which brought the #44’s session to an early end. After a visit to the medical centre, Espargaro was deemed fit and fortunate to escape any major injuries. A whole team effort meant that both of Espargaro’s Honda RC213V machines were ready for Free Practice 2. Pushing through some pain in his ribs and wrist from the morning, Espargaro managed a 1’20.816 for 14th overall – just two tenths from the top ten. The time was just a tenth slower than his qualifying time from 2021.
Home hero Stefan Bradl was a man in demand with the fans as the German GP weekend got underway. The HRC Test rider started steadily and improved his pace in the morning before making a big step in FP2. Finding 0.7s from FP1 to FP2, Bradl challenged the top ten until the very final moments of the session. Ultimately taking 20th place on Friday, he is confident a lap in the 1’20s was possible today as his switch from tester to racer continues.
Pol Espargaro
12TH 1’20.816
“Today was a tough day. The first crash wasn’t bad but the second one really caught me by surprise and I came down quite hard. My wrist and elbow hurt a bit but the biggest pain at the moment is on my left ribs. It’s hard to take a deep breath and especially with all the left corners here, it’s quite painful. We need to rest tonight and take some anti-inflammatories. Even like this we were able to be faster than last year, but the pace is really high this weekend and we will have to work tomorrow for QP2. Today I was the limit, there’s still some margin inside of me.”
Stefan Bradl
20TH 1’21.117
“I am happy after today because we were able to make a good step. In Free Practice 1 we struggled a bit and then in the afternoon we improved. I am happy with the performance because not just the bike made a step, but I also did with my riding. There is still some parts to improve, especially about the timing of runs and my confidence when going for a fast lap. This will come with time and this is where we will find those last tenths we are missing. The goal for tomorrow is to improve again with the soft rear, I want to lap in a 1’20 – that’s the objective.”
More, from a press release issued by WithU Yamaha RNF MotoGP Team:
Interesting opening day for WithU Yamaha RNF MotoGP Team in Germany
While Darryn Binder got gradually used to the mostly left-hand circuit on Friday, Andrea Dovizioso was working on race pace.
Hot conditions welcomed riders and teams at the traditional Sachsenring Circuit in Germany for the 10th round of the 2022 MotoGP World Championship, which will see sold out grandstands throughout the weekend. Thereby, the WithU Yamaha RNF MotoGP Team duo of Darryn Binder and Andrea Dovizioso experienced an exciting Friday.
MotoGP rookie Binder was riding the German circuit for the first time today and clearly needed Free Practice one in the morning to get used to the 10 left corners of the unique track layout. But once he figured it out, he made a huge step from FP1 to FP2. The South African went 1.883 seconds faster in the afternoon to place himself in 19th position overall.
Meanwhile, Dovizioso registered a crash in the first session this morning, but went out again quickly to clock the eighth fastest time of the field and eventually finish FP1 well inside the top 10, just 0.251 seconds from the top. In FP2 the Italian focused on race pace and didn’t use a soft tyre for one fast lap. He concluded day one in P23, but seeing potential for Free Practice three tomorrow morning at 09:55 local time.
DARRYN BINDER
“It’s been a good day, a good start to the weekend here in Sachsenring. I struggled a little bit this morning in FP1 to learn the Sachsenring Circuit on the MotoGP bike, but towards the end of FP1, I started to find my feet. In FP2, I feel like I made a couple of good steps forward. To finish the day just one second off the top is pretty decent. I’m quite happy with that. I know where to work on tomorrow and I hope we keep improving.”
ANDREA DOVIZIOSO
“Today I did a different strategy than the other riders, as I stayed out with the used tyre until the end, so I didn’t do a single fast lap time in the afternoon. I don’t have the reference with the soft tyre yet, but with the hard tyre, the grip is very low. I’m not that fast, but I think, the base is better than some of the other races and after the practices of today, it’s clear, that we have to ride in a different way, because you can’t push at the beginning of the race and do 22.5s, as the tyre drops a lot. It was good to understand and now we’ll try to work in a better way tomorrow.”
More, from a press release issued by Monster Energy Yamaha:
MONSTER ENERGY YAMAHA MOTOGP EVALUATE TYRE OPTIONS ON GERMAN GP FRIDAY
Sachsenring (Germany), 17th June 2022
GRAND PRIX OF GERMANY
FREE PRACTICE
Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP‘s Fabio Quartararo and Franco Morbidelli started the Motorrad Grand Prix Deutschland with high motivation, but getting the hard-spec tyres to work at the Sachsenring proved challenging. They secured 7th and 15th place respectively. With the top-17 riders setting times within 0.897s of each other, the heat is on this weekend.
7th FABIO QUARTARARO 1’20.399 (FP2) / 25 + 22 LAPS
15th FRANCO MORBIDELLI 1’20.856 (FP2) / 27 + 21 LAPS
The Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Team started Round 10 of the MotoGP World Championship at the Sachsenring looking for a solid base set-up suiting the twisty track and evaluating different tyre options. Fabio Quartararo and Franco Morbidelli secured 7th and 15th place respectively in the combined FP results.
Quartararo made steady progress in the morning session. He gradually found his pace on his first run and began to dip under the 1‘22s-mark. He worked himself up to second place with a 1‘21.557s on lap 11/25. He used his second run to improve his race set-up and ended FP1 in third place, 0.078s from first.
El Diablo used the hot afternoon session to find a good feeling on the hard-spec tyres, but he didn‘t feel like he could ride on the limit yet. He improved his time to a 1‘20.399s on lap 22/22 when he fitted a soft rear tyre and found more than a second compared to his morning result. He ended the first day in Saxony in seventh place, 0.381s off the fastest time.
Morbidelli was pleased to confirm some of his findings from the Catalan Test during the Friday session. He wrapped up his first run at the Sachsenring by setting a best morning time of 1‘21.939s on lap 9/27. At the time it earned him a top-10 placement. He ultimately completed FP1 in 14th position, 0.460s from the top.
Like his teammate, the number-21 rider shifted to the hard tyres in the afternoon to establish if it was a good option for the race. He too found that the hard tyre wasn‘t working as well for him compared to the medium option in the cooler morning session. Still, the Italian shaved off more than a second of his morning time. He clocked a 1‘20.856s on lap 19/21, which left him 15th and 0.838s off the P1 time.
MASSIMO MEREGALLI
TEAM DIRECTOR
The FP1 session was better than FP2 for us. We used the medium tyres in the morning session when the temperatures were lower. The bike was behaving well, and the pace of both riders was good. In the hotter afternoon, we used the hard compound because we wanted to see if this spec is a good option for us for the race. So far, the hard spec didn‘t give Fabio or Franky the feeling they were looking for in any area. We will investigate if there is something preventing this tyre from performing well for us, or if it‘s simply too hard. Though we‘re not satisfied with our afternoon performance, Fabio is still in the top 10. We will continue to work hard as we hope to make a significant step in FP3. The weather forecasts are good for tomorrow, this will give us all the time we need to improve.
FABIO QUARTARARO
I feel good, but we‘re still missing some performance. I mean, our pace is not too bad, but in the first laps on a new hard tyre I was pretty slow compared to the others, and we need to find a solution to find that 0.4s-0.5s that we‘re missing. When I go out on a new hard tyre, it feels like a used tyre, so that‘s something we need to improve. The feeling is kind of similar to Barcelona. Let‘s see who will and who won‘t improve when the temperatures go up further later this weekend. I don‘t think it will be a big issue for us.
FRANCO MORBIDELLI
So, there are some things to improve with the race tyres, but the feeling and the pace weren’t bad at all. For sure, to get to the top guys‘ pace we need at least 0.3s-0.4s. But the biggest problem is that I can’t improve on a new tyre like others can. Others seem to be able to improve by 1s. I’m not on that level. We are working on understanding the new tyres better to improve on them like we should.
More, from a press release issued by Aprilia:
PROVISIONAL TOP-10 FOR THE APRILIAS IN GERMANY
TYRE WEAR AND RACE PACE ARE THE PRIMARY OBJECTIVES ON THE FIRST DAY OF PRACTICE
The Friday practice sessions on the Sachsenring, in Germany, had both Aprilias finishing the day with a provisional top-10 position. This result has particular value as it was achieved in spite of concentrating efforts on preparation for the race on Sunday. Thirty laps which, due to the high temperatures predicted, promise to be extremely gruelling.
Aleix shone in both sessions, finishing fourth in the combined standings at a gap of just two tenths. However, by the Granollers native’s own admission, there is plenty of margin to be explored. This will be the clear goal tomorrow, where some time will need to be shaved off in order to go straight through to Q2.
Maverick also performed well, finishing the day eighth. He did a lot of testing and, like his teammate, he took the new aerodynamics solution developed by the Aprilia techs and already tested on the Monday after Barcelona onto the track.
ALEIX ESPARGARÓ
“As for how things went today, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to have the race straight away and then head off on holiday! All joking aside, we did good work today. Tyre choice and management seem to be particularly important here and, from this point of view, I was able to be fast on the hard rear. I made a few mistakes on the time attack but, despite this, I did three laps at 20.2 and that’s not at all bad. We can improve further but I can consider myself satisfied with this start.”
MAVERICK VIÑALES
“I’m pleased above all with the information we were able to gather today. We have already identified a couple of points where we need to improve. I need a bit more stability. I had a good pace on the medium tyre but here, as always, shooting for a qualifying position on the front two rows will be fundamental. The race will be significantly conditioned by this.”
More, from a press release issued by Team Suzuki ECSTAR:
VALIANT DISPLAY FROM SUZUKI ON FRIDAY IN GERMANY
Joan Mir: 10th – 1’20.574 (+ 0.556)
Alex Rins: 11th – 1’20.591 (+ 0.573)
Team Suzuki Ecstar’s riders made strides towards the Sachsenring race on Friday as both showed solid form. Alex Rins took to the track nursing the wrist injury he suffered in Catalunya, but he rode through the discomfort to finish just outside the Top 10, while Joan Mir kept himself among the fastest ten riders as he tried the new aerodynamic package on his GSX-RR.
Rins showed grit from FP1 onwards, putting in 13 laps in the morning session. A crash at Turn 1 with 17 minutes to go put paid to his progress, but thankfully the fall didn’t exacerbate his injury. Mir started FP1 in determined mood, looking good from the outset, and he completed a total of 23 laps which saw him gradually drop his times around the short Sachsenring circuit.
The ‘boys in blue’ showed further promise in FP2, as they both took chunks out of their morning times in the hot afternoon conditions. Mir spent the last part of the session with the aerodynamic package that was first tried in the Catalan Test, and a final push from both riders on hard-medium tyres saw them rise to the Top 5. At close of play on Friday Mir was 10th and Rins 11th.
Joan Mir:
“I feel good, we’re making steps forward and working hard, and this makes me happy. We’re getting there, slowly but surely – we’re still not quite where we want to be but we’re not far off it either. I’m keen to see what we can do tomorrow! We’ll try to improve and qualify well so that we can set ourselves on a good path for the race.”
Alex Rins:
“My wrist was a bit more painful than I expected. I suffered with it a bit in FP1, but I was hoping that for FP2 it would feel a bit freer and less painful, but it was actually the opposite; it was more uncomfortable in the afternoon. It could be that the high temperatures are making it feel worse, or just the fact that I was pushing for a fast time. We’ll see how I feel after resting tonight, and together with Livio and all the team we will make a decision following FP3 tomorrow.”
Livio Suppo – Team Manager:
“I’m very happy for Alex, he didn’t give up and kept the ‘no pain, no gain’ motto in his head! He was impressive, and he did some good laps. He’ll see how he feels this evening, but it seems that he’ll be able to continue. I’m also feeling pleased with Joan’s performance today; he was fast from the first exit, and he likes the new aero fairing, so we feel positive for tomorrow.”
More, from a press release issued by LCR Honda Castrol:
MIXED START FOR ÁLEX MÁRQUEZ AT SACHSENRING
Álex Márquez had a mixed day as free practice for the German Grand Prix at Sachsenring got underway on Friday. The LCR Honda CASTROL rider looked impressive in the morning as the premier class renewed rivalries at the famous old circuit in Saxony, but has work to do ahead of qualifying on Saturday after finishing the opening day in 18thposition overall.
Fresh from his excellent top-10 finish in Catalunya, the Spaniard got stronger throughout today’s FP1 and took 10thspot after finding good rhythm towards the end of the session. He improved by seven tenths in FP2, but that was only good enough for 18th and will now look to make a step forward in tomorrow’s FP3 to secure a place in Q2.
Álex Márquez – 18th
(1’21.053)
“First day here in Germany, it was quite good in the morning. We had a good feeling, tried some new things and felt good about the pace. In the afternoon we tried the hard rear, but it wasn’t a fantastic tyre for us, we were struggling a lot and there was no grip overall. We put the medium on for one lap before the soft and immediately the rhythm, the lap time and everything was much better, so that’s something we need to adjust and understand. Later on with the soft I was feeling good, but I had margin to improve, so tomorrow we should keep improving the bike and we’ll try hard to be in Q2. We’ll give our best as always.”
More, from a press release issued by LCR Honda Idemitsu:
TAKA THE TOP HONDA ON DAY ONE AT SACHSENRING
Takaaki Nakagami impressed on the opening day of free practice for the German Grand Prix having been passed fit to compete at the Sachsenring. Despite still feeling aches and pains from his fall at Montmelo last time out, the LCR Honda IDEMITSU man rode through the pain barrier and showed his potential to challenge towards the front of the MotoGP field this weekend.
Taka dispelled any concerns over his competitiveness in FP1 as he quickly established himself amongst the early pacesetters, eventually finishing the session in 5th. His race pace looked encouraging in FP2 and, although he was unable to find a quick lap and maintain his place in the top-10, he remains confident of improvement and making Q2 tomorrow.
Takaaki Nakagami – 12th
(1’20.616)
“It was a positive first day here in Sachsenring. We made a quite a big step this afternoon and our race pace is already good. We need to improve and work on our qualifying lap, because this afternoon at the end of FP2, the first time we tried the soft compound on the rear I had a lot of grip. So, we need to improve the setting on the bike and electronics in many areas. I am good, even though my physical condition is not the best, I am looking forward to riding tomorrow.”
More, from a press release issued by Ducati Lenovo Team:
Three Ducatis lead the way in free practice for the German GP at the Sachsenring. Bagnaia tops the timesheets ahead of Marini and Miller
Francesco Bagnaia leads the way after Friday’s free practice for the German GP, the tenth round of the 2022 MotoGP season, held this weekend at the Sachsenring circuit.
Located near the city of Chemnitz, the Saxon track has never been one of the most favourable for the characteristics of the Desmosedici GP, but today’s results proved otherwise.
The Ducati Lenovo Team rider closed ahead of two other Desmosedici GP bikes, with Mooney VR46 Racing Team rider Luca Marini second and team-mate Jack Miller third. In this morning’s FP1, the Australian rider closed in the first position, beating Bagnaia by just 15 thousandths. On the other hand, in this afternoon FP2, the Italian rider set the pace, setting a new all-time lap record in 1:20.018 with the soft tyre, closing ahead of Marini by just 115 thousandths and Miller by 193 thousandths.
Francesco Bagnaia (#63 Ducati Lenovo Team) – 1st (1:20.018)
“It was a very positive day, and I think this was our best Friday since the start of this season. After this first day, I don’t want to make any setup changes; I just want to focus on improving my race pace. The time attack also went well, and I had fun doing it. Tomorrow the conditions will be different: the temperatures will be higher, and the FP4 session will be fundamental to understand what kind of pace we can have in the race in the heat.”
Jack Miller (#43 Ducati Lenovo Team) – 3rd (1:20.211)
“During the Barcelona test, we could make some big steps forward. We changed my riding position a lot, which is now closer to that of the other Ducati riders, and this increased my feeling with the front, allowing me to ride differently and exploit the full potential of my bike. Sachsenring is a very narrow track, and on paper, it’s not one of the most favourable for the Desmosedici GP, but today I felt comfortable right away. The temperatures could be higher tomorrow and Sunday, but I’m confident I can do well anyway”.
The Ducati Lenovo Team riders will be back on track tomorrow at 9:55am local time for FP3, while qualifying for the German GP will take place from 2:10pm CEST at the end of FP4.
The Energica Experia Green Tourer Launch Edition comes with a full sport-touring fairing and hard luggage. The bike weighs 573 pounds, makes 102 horsepower and 85 lbs.-ft. of torque, and will cover up to 160 miles in combined city/highway riding. Photo by Michael Gougis.
Copyright 2022, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.
By Michael Gougis
Four years in the cauldron of racing at the GP level has taught Energica a few new tricks on how to make an electric motorcycle better. Specifically, Energica has gathered critical information on battery capacity and management, as well as motor design and operation.
But the design of any motorcycle is a compromise. Energica looked at the new performance potential these developments provided and decided to deploy them to make a machine that was more comfortable and rider-friendly.
This week, Energica invited journalists from around the world to sample its all-new Experia Green Tourer, what it calls the world’s first all-electric sport touring motorcycle. What we found when we arrived for the test ride in the Dolomite mountains in northern Italy was a motorcycle that straddled the line between adventure bike and lightweight tourer.
And a brief test ride showed that Energica had indeed hit the design target of a more nimble, more efficient, and still powerful motorcycle that had the creature comforts of a machine designed to eat miles.
Energica launched the Experia Green Tourer in the habitat it was designed for – the twisty roads of the Dolomite mountains in northern Italy. Stunning views, lush pastures, and ski lifts everywhere. Photo by Michael Gougis.
Tech Briefing
Energica’s experience in FIM MotoE World Cup as the sole supplier of the spec Ego Corsa racebikes has led to a new battery configuration that nestles in and through the all-new steel trellis/aluminum castings frame. The battery pack is multifaceted, allowing more heat dissipation, and is lighter than before. Energica says the Experia now has the greatest battery capacity – 22.5 kilowatt-hours–of any production electric motorcycle. A complete redesign also led to a lighter and re-positioned inverter, which now shares coolant with the new motor.
For this machine, Energica employs the second iteration of its EMCE motor. Created in partnership with Mavel, an Italian company with deep experience in the electric automotive sector, the EMCE (Energica Mavel Co-Engineering) motor is smaller and features a permanent magnet-assisted synchronous reluctance design.
To put it simply, synchronous reluctance motors rely on a sophisticated rotor design to generate a magnetic field and spin the rotor, rather than relying on magnets that are a permanent component of the rotor. However, this design produces less torque than the more traditional design, so some magnets are embedded in the rotor to assist with power generation.
The advantages of this design include lower cost, fewer expensive rare earth magnets, greater safety, and less weight. Compared to the motors in Energica’s first motorcycles, the EMCE motor in the Experia weighs 44 pounds less. It makes less power than the EMCE motor in the other machines in the lineup, at 102 bhp and 85 lbs.-ft., but its smaller size allows for it to be mounted lower and for the shock to be relocated to the centerline of the machine, in the traditional location. As is traditional for electric motorcycles, there is no gearbox and no clutch. Claimed weight for the Experia is 573 pounds.
The new chassis is narrower between the rider’s legs and also is lighter than the previous models’ full steel trellis. Forks are 43mm inverted ZF Sachs adjustable for compression, rebound and preload; the ZF Sachs shock is adjustable for rebound and preload only. The tubular bars sit behind the company’s largest fairing–by far–to date.
Brembo master cylinders front and rear operate Brembo calipers–a pair of four-piston units in the front and a single two-piston unit in the back–on 330mm discs on the front wheel and a single 240mm disc in the rear.
Electronic rider aids include adjustable brake regeneration settings, adjustable traction control, cornering ABS by Bosch, and four different power modes–Sport, Urban, Eco and Rain. Creature comforts include heated grips, four USB power outlets, cruise control, a reverse gear ,and voluminous hard luggage by GIVI.
For this model, Energica deployed its new performance capabilities in rider comfort. The drag created by the new fairing is considerable, and electric bikes are particularly sensitive to aero drag in terms of energy consumption. So, the machine has only a slightly longer range than the prior models but gives the rider and passenger much more comfort over longer distances. Energica claims a range of 261 miles in city riding, 160 miles in combined highway/city riding and 130 miles at an average speed of about 68 mph.
The bike can be charged through all three types of charging systems currently available and will go from zero to 80% charged in 40 minutes on a DC fast charger.
Riding The Experia
Energica’s riding loop consisted of narrow, barely-two-lane-wide roads that meandered through small skiing villages in the mountains of northern Italy. It would have been challenging to evaluate the machines at speed if the roads were empty, as many of the corners would have been first-gear, slip-the-clutch curves on an internal combustion motorcycle. And the roads were not empty–much of the ride consisted of threading our way between bicycles, oncoming trucks, cars, and tour buses, as well as the motorcyclists who had thronged to the region.
Still, I found the torque to be impressive when my machine was in Sport mode, and the throttle response was linear and precise. My particular unit, a pre-production model, seemed to have a glitch that left it occasionally shifting itself into a softer power mode, but when it was on, the bike moved forward with the authority that only the largest gas-powered motorcycles can provide.
Energica hit the target when it came to maneuverability and ease of use. The lower center of gravity and narrower frame made it easier to change directions and to flick into those tighter curves. The brakes were well up to the task of plunging into downhill switchbacks.
And electric bikes have a comfort level that is just–serene. It wasn’t just the upright riding position, the spacious legroom, the lack of shifting and clutching. It was the quiet, the lack of vibration, that just left the whole experience feeling relaxed.
I am looking forward to spending time on an Experia in the States and doing a little two-up riding when the test units arrive. Electric bikes are different, but that doesn’t mean bad, and there are definitely parts of that riding experience that are uniquely pleasurable.
Production of the Experia is slated to begin in July, and units will be available in the U.S. in the fall. Suggested retail price starts at $23,750, although the company will at first only offer the Launch Edition with the hard luggage for $25,880.
Rueda heads Sachsenring Qualifying – Applications open for 2023 Rookies Cup
Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup points leader José Rueda, the 16-year-old Spaniard, continued his class act by claiming pole at the Sachsenring. Italian 17-year-old Filippo Farioli is only 0.120 seconds behind with Eddie O‘Shea, the 15-year-old Briton, completing the front row.
While the 2022 Rookies were chasing grid positions the Selection Process for the 2023 Cup was opened on the website.
Here you can sign up for the most exciting time of your life.
As always the Cup is open to everyone with a yearning to test themselves against the best teenage racers in the world and this starts with the online application.
Rueda loving the lefts
“I am very happy with that. I have never been here before and it’s not an easy track but I enjoy it so much. All those left corners are great fun.”
“I will push hard from the start and try and get away but I think there will be some riders who will try to go with us.”
“The bike is working really well, I have confidence in it and we really didn’t change much through the practice sessions. I think I am going to enjoy the races a lot.”
Farioli feeling great
“I think we did a very good job. In FP1 the feeling with the bike was not so good, and with the track. But through FP2 I learnt more, I tried some different things and we improved.”
“Then in the Quali I did the same and we got a good position, I’m happy and confident with the bike now, I am enjoying the track and am very focused.”
“I have the pace to do a better and different race to Mugello and I ended today feeling the bike is perfect and my feeling with the track is perfect.”
O‘Shea on the front
“It was very good, My first time on the front row and I believe my first time on the front three rows so I am happy to be up there with the fast boys.”
“I felt confident and all day, I felt I should be on the front row, if anything I am upset that I am not on pole, I felt that good.”
“I couldn’t ask for a better start to the weekend. I learnt a lot from the fast boys at Mugello after running in the front group. Once you do that your confidence level shoots through the roof.”
“So I came into this weekend, this is my favourite track and I said to my family that I’m going to be up there and I’m happy to live up to what I said.”
Piqueras picks up the pieces for 4th
“I am happy with the good Qualifying because I crashed in FP2 and the bike was a mess, destroyed. The guys did a fantastic job to rebuild it for Qualifying,” enthused the 15-year-old Spaniard.
“It is great to come back from that and be on the second row. The bike is fast and I have confidence for the races that I can race at the front.”
Buchanan better than ever in 5th
“I’m very happy with that, I knew the tyres were going to go off very fast, this track is so grippy that the tyres don’t last very long. So I knew that I had to put it in as quickly as I could,” explained the 15-year-old New Zealander.
“On my first flying lap I went off track at the final corner. So that was gone and the next lap had to count before the tyre dropped. So I put everything into that lap.”
I got the lap done, I think that is by far a new personal best for me. Unfortunately after that I crashed but the team were great and managed to fix it, a great job by them.”
“Then I was able to go out and set a really fast pace by myself which bodes well for the races.”
“It’s my best Qualifying by I think 13 positions. The bike set-up is great, I had a lot of confidence with it.”
Quiles kept from continuing
“I went off in the gravel and the bike fell on it’s side, I couldn’t get it out and the marshals didn’t really help me, I was stuck.”
“It’s a shame because I felt a lot of grip and I had a lot of confidence and I could make P5 but after the fall I couldn’t get going. Still I have a good setting for the races and I am feeling confident in the bike,” concluded the Spanish 14-year-old who still qualified 13th
O’Gorman out of luck
“I went to go inside someone on the first lap and high sided off the gas. It took a long time to get the bike back to the pits, the guys did a great job to repair it but we just didn’t make it before the end of the session,” explained the Irish 14-year-old.
Broadcast
This weekend’s Rookies Cup races can be seen live on www.redbull.tv and on TV stations around the world.
Race 1 is at 16:25 CET on Saturday and Race 2 is on Sunday at 15:30, the show starts 10 minutes before the race.
More, from a press release issued by MotorSport Vision Racing:
O’Halloran heads the pack as the top 19 Bennetts BSB contenders covered by 0.9s
Jason O’Halloran kicked off the fourth round of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship at Knockhill in style as the McAMS Yamaha rider topped the times in a frantic second SUPERPICKS Free Practice session.
After the opening practice took place in wet conditions, the second session proved crucial to deciding the top 12 riders who progress directly into tomorrow’s Qualifying 2, which will decide the grid positions for the eBay Sprint race.
O’Halloran had taken the advantage in the final five minutes as the times continued to shuffle, but the Donington Park double race winner had enough at the chequered flag to hold the leading position by 0.112s.
Glenn Irwin moved into second for Honda Racing UK to nudge Tommy Bridewell back into third place as the Oxford Products Racing Ducati rider led the charge for the Italian manufacturer.
Bridewell had just a 0.005s advantage over Rich Energy OMG Racing Yamaha’s Kyle Ryde in fourth, but his championship-leading teammate Bradley Ray crashed out in the early stages of the session meaning he couldn’t improve his time and ended the day in 15th place.
Josh Brookes completed the top five for MCE Ducati, maintaining the position ahead of Lee Jackson on the leading Cheshire Mouldings FS-3 Racing Kawasaki and Storm Stacey, who was just 0.266s adrift of the leading lap time.
Home hero Rory Skinner was eighth fastest and just 0.003s ahead of Danny Buchan with Tom Sykes completing the top ten on his return to Knockhill.
Christian Iddon had topped the wet morning session, but the Buildbase Suzuki rider ended the day with a crash. He still held onto the penultimate place in the top 12 ahead of Peter Hickman, who also tipped off the FHO Racing BMW.
Defending champion Tarran Mackenzie missed out on a position inside the top 12 by just 0.002s ahead of tomorrow’s SUPERPICKS Qualifying and eBay Sprint race in Scotland.
Bennetts British Superbike Championship, Knockhill, SUPERPICKS combined practice times:
Jason O’Halloran (McAMS Yamaha) 47.648s
Glenn Irwin (Honda Racing UK) +0.112s
Tommy Bridewell (Oxford Products Racing Ducati) +0.125s
Kyle Ryde (Rich Energy OMG Racing Yamaha) +0.130s
Josh Brookes (MCE Ducati) +0.136s
Lee Jackson (Cheshire Mouldings FS-3 Racing Kawasaki) 0.156s
Storm Stacey (Team LKQ Euro Car Parts Kawasaki) +0.266s
Rory Skinner (Cheshire Mouldings FS-3 Racing Kawasaki) +0.269s
Danny Buchan (SYNETIQ BMW) +0.421s
Tom Sykes (MCE Ducati) +0.449s
Christian Iddon (Buildbase Suzuki) +0.513s
Peter Hickman (FHO Racing BMW) +0.542s
For more information on the Bennetts British Superbike Championship visit www.britishsuperbike.com
Jason O’Halloran
McAMS Yamaha
Fastest in SUPERPICKS Free Practice
“It’s been a good first day, I felt really strong straight away in the wet this morning and had a good feeling with the bike.
“In the dry we knew we were in a good place from the test so we knew what we were doing.
“There was a lot of traffic out there today so I didn’t quite get the ideal lap, but I’m feeling strong even with the wind – which was quite high today.
“I’m feeling good and looking forward to going racing tomorrow.”
Luigi Taveri (144) back in the day. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Luigi Taveri to be named MotoGP™ Legend
The three-time World Champion will be inducted into the Hall of Fame in Austria
Friday, 17 June 2022
Three-time World Champion Luigi Taveri will be named a MotoGP™ Legend in 2022. The late Swiss rider will be inducted into the MotoGP™ Legends Hall of Fame at the Red Bull Ring in Austria, honouring his achievements in the presence of his family.
Taveri was born in the canton of Zürich in 1929 and made his Grand Prix debut in 1954 in the 250cc and 500cc classes. The next season he competed on 125cc and 250cc machinery, and he came runner up in 1955 in the 125cc World Championship – taking his debut win in the first race of the year.
In 1962 he won his first World Championship, taking the crown in the 125cc class. He took two further Championships in the category, in 1964 and 1966, to secure his place in motorcycle racing history.
Between his debut in 1954 and his retirement at the end of 1966, the Swiss rider raced in the 50cc, 125cc, 250cc, 350cc and 500cc classes, taking wins on 50cc, 125cc and 250cc machinery, and finishing on the podium in the 350cc class. He is one of few riders to score Grand Prix points in the 50cc, 125cc, 250cc, 350cc and 500cc classes.
Now, Taveri will be named a MotoGP™ Legend, joining a long list of greats that includes Valentino Rossi, Giacomo Agostini, Mick Doohan, Geoff Duke, Wayne Gardner, Mike Hailwood, Daijiro Kato, Eddie Lawson, Anton Mang, Angel Nieto, Wayne Rainey, Phil Read, Jim Redman, Kenny Roberts, Kenny Roberts Jr, Jarno Saarinen, Kevin Schwantz, Barry Sheene, Marco Simoncelli, Freddie Spencer, Casey Stoner, John Surtees, Carlo Ubbiali, Alex Crivillé, Franco Uncini, Marco Lucchinelli, Randy Mamola, Kork Ballington, Dani Pedrosa, Stefan Dörflinger, Jorge ‘Aspar’ Martinez, Jorge Lorenzo, Max Biaggi and the late Nicky Hayden.
The Taveri family: “Our family is overwhelmed and very happy to hear that Luigi receives this big honour. It would be so nice if he could be with us and celebrate this moment with all of you. Those who remember Luigi know that he would be standing here with a big smile on his face and searching for words. We thank Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta in Luigi’s name from the bottom of our heart.”
Carmelo Ezpeleta, CEO of Dorna Sports: “We’re very proud to induct Luigi into the MotoGP Hall of Fame. Few riders have achieved what he did, with success in so many classes and three World Championships. It’s important to celebrate the legacy of those who form part of our incredible history, and Luigi and his achievements are a significant part of that. We look forward to welcoming his family to the paddock to honour him as a MotoGP Legend.”
Mike Jones (46). Photo by Karl Phillipson @optikalphoto, courtesy ASBK.
ASBK ’22: Jones On Show at Hidden Valley
The Championship leader showed his hand on a day when every minute counted.
Alpinestars Superbike
There’s no event on the mi-bike Motorcycling Insurance Australian Superbike Championship presented by Motul (ASBK) quite like the Merlin Darwin Triple Crown.
Notably, we just have the nation’s finest Alpinestars Superbike racers on hand, while our other riders focus on Round Five at Morgan Park in August.
The escape to the warmth of Darwin for many of the southern-based teams comes at the ideal time. Racing on the same card as the always-professional Supercars is also a treat for the fans and riders alike. The three-race format (see triple crown!) brings a level of gravitas like no other event as we step from a maximum of 51 points on offer to 76.
The Triple Crown format has some added side effects. Race One is on the Saturday so Friday is no longer the “just feel it out” day. Across all three practice sessions today there was a genuine feeling of urgency and importance like no other Friday. Lose a day here from poor setup choices, and you’ll find yourself at the track on Saturday morning with a lot to do and no time to do it.
For the riders and teams who have had success here, it was a case of roll the bike out, set it up for the usual Darwin conditions (33c, sunny, rising track temperatures across the day) and be at the end of pit lane just as ASBK official Brendan Ferrari waves the green flag for the first session.
Due to increased safety measures and the expected event staff familiarisation process, free practice one was delayed by ten minutes and then shortened to 25 minutes. If there was a sense of urgency before, it was heightened immediately.
Early on it was Bryan Staring aboard the frankly stunning indigenous-round-liveried DesmoSport Ducati who banked the fastest lap. Staring looked- and sounded afterward- very comfortable aboard the 2021 race winning team bike. Staring bristled at suggestions that he was losing touch with the leading pair of Maxwell and Jones and his early form- and indeed pace across the day- indicates that the Western Australian is well in the hunt not only for the top step this weekend, but genuine championship contention.
Keeping Wayne Maxwell down is like stopping a Labrador puppy from jumping on you. Incorrigible. The 2021 champion has a theory- and we all know it, and he’s done it for years- post a ludicrously fast time and make the other riders work for it. Sure enough, he nailed the fasted time in FP1 and then left it to Staring and Mike Jones to duke it out for second and third respectively.
Mike Jones would not be denied. A few clever changes in both bike setup and mindset saw the familiar Yamaha hit the top of the table for FP2 and indeed bank the fastest lap of the day. While FP2 didn’t provide conditions as conducive to fast laps as FP1, the reality was the riders found a little more and all progressed. For FP2 it was Jones- who not only managed a race simulation, but then went to a softer tyre and banged out a succession of fastest laps. One rider confided afterward; “This weekend is his for the taking”.
Maxwell and Staring rounded out the top three for FP2.
Bryan Staring cleverly countered the Jones phenom by getting out early in Free Practice 3 and posting a fast time to again challenge the field to “come at me”. The track temperature was now fifty-hell-no and after a few solid sessions from everything from Supercars to Porsches and Hyundai Excels, the track had “gone away”. Bryan Staring would later admit he wasn’t sure if it was the cars or the temperature that had slowed things, but it was certainly not as fast as it was earlier in the day.
And while earlier sessions had been all about lap times and tuning, the early running in FP3 was apparently “who would like to crash?” with a multitude of riders – mercifully largely uninjured- finding themselves off track. Josh Waters, Luke Macdonald, Marc Chiodo and Ant West all crashed, and it was clear that there was a high level of pressure and expectation.
The day ended with combined times giving the nod to Jones from Maxwell and Staring. A much-improved Glenn Allerton – in his 100th ASBK event – found some time hidden deep in the M1000RR followed by Yamaha’s Cru Halliday who ought to be pleased with yet another consistent performance.
Former Darwin race winner, Honda’s Troy Herfoss and on-the-improve Arthur Sissis were sixth and seventh, with Lachlan Epis keen to make up for lost time in eighth, Daniel Falzon in ninth and Josh Waters down in tenth after his crash in FP3.
Saturday morning brings things to a head early with the first 20-minute qualifying session at 9:10am. The second session sees them back on track at 9:35am for the top 12 and at 1:20pm the best Superbike racers in the country will be unleased for 16 laps. With no more practice sessions and a lot to play for, Saturday will be as fascinating as it could be pivotal for season 2022.
Combined times- Friday- Merlin Darwin Triple Crown Alpinestars Superbike
1 46 Mike JONES (QLD) / Yamaha Racing Team Yamaha YZF-R1 1:05.506
2 1 Wayne MAXWELL (VIC) / Boost Mobile Racing with K-tech / AMA / Ipone / Pirelli / McMartin Racing Ducati V4R 1:05.591
Bagnaia fastest out the blocks with new lap record at the Sachsenring
It’s an all-Ducati top three lock out on Day 1 as Bagnaia leads Marini and Miller
Francesco Bagnaia (63). Photo courtesy Dorna.
Friday, 17 June 2022
Ducati Lenovo Team’s Francesco Bagnaia has come tantalisingly close to the 1:19s as he broke the All Time Lap Record in MotoGP™ FP2 at the Liqui Moly Motorrad Grand Prix Deutschland. The Italian fired in a 1:20.018 to establish a new benchmark around the Sachsenring as Ducati locked out the top three in the afternoon and overall. Mooney VR46 Racing Team’s Luca Marini grabbed second and FP1 pace-setter Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) took third, with Aprilia Racing’s Aleix Espargaro the best of the rest.
FP1
The twisty layout of the Sachsenring might not traditionally have suited the Bologna bullets, but it seems times they are a-changing as Ducati Lenovo Team had already gone one-two in FP1. Miller led the way with a 1:21.479, ahead of Bagnaia by just over a tenth.
Jack Miller (43). Photo courtesy Dorna.
World Championship leader Fabio Quartararo, who had the new-spec swingarm on his YZR-M1, was not far away either. The Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™ rider finished the session third-fastest courtesy of a 1:21.557 which he set just after Miller’s fastest lap. Very few went for time attacks at the end of proceedings but Quartararo continued to lap in the 1:22s despite using just the one set of tyres. Fourth went to Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing) on a 1:21.655 and fifth to Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) on a 1:21.660, an encouraging start to the weekend for the Japanese rider after his crash at Catalunya a fortnight ago.
Fabio Quartararo (20). Photo courtesy Dorna.
Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) was a solid sixth in FP1, and sampling the Noale factory’s new fairing, he clocked a 1:21.665 and managed to keep himself upright despite an excursion through the gravel at Turn 1. Marini started seventh on a 1:21.671 while Andrea Dovizioso (WithU Yamaha RNF MotoGP™ Team) picked himself up from a crash at Turn 1 to claim eighth with a 1:21.730 which he set near the end of the session on new tyres.
The top 10 was rounded out by Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) on a 1:21.735 and Alex Marquez (LCR Honda Castrol) on a 1:21.772, with Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) just 0.041 seconds slower again in 11th.
Maverick Vinales (12). Photo courtesy Dorna.
Pol Espargaro (Repsol Honda Team) crashed twice in FP1, rider ok but a little battered and bruised after a highside, and Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) also took a tumble. Rins didn’t complete the whole session as he nurses his wrist injured in Barcelona.
FP2
Aleix Espargaro took over on top with a 1:20.789 on his first run, with Bagnaia just 0.054 seconds slower. But Miller was one of the earliest to switch to genuine time attack mode in the closing stages of FP2 and, armed with new softs on the front and rear, he vaulted back to the top with a 1:20.211. Aleix Espargaro twice came close to bettering the Australian again with a 1:20.284 and a 1:20.219 on consecutive laps, but it fell to the man on the other red Ducati to get the job done.
Bagnaia broke Marc Marquez’s three-year-old All Time Lap Record of 1:20.195 when he laid down a 1:20.132 on a medium-soft tyre combination in the final three minutes of the session, and there was time enough to go even faster again before the chequered flag unfurled. Marini likewise beat Marquez’s old Sachsenring benchmark, shuffling Miller back to third, albeit only at 0.193 seconds off the pace of his team-mate… and that makes it a Ducati top three heading into Saturday.
Luca Marini (10). Photo courtesy Dorna.
Provisional Q2 places
Behind the Ducati trio, Aleix Espargaro was fourth-fastest all-told, and he is the odd one out in a top six otherwise filled up by GP22s. Johann Zarco claimed fifth on a 1:20.264 and Prima Pramac Racing teammate Jorge Martin finished up sixth on a 1:20.275.
Johann Zarco. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Seventh overall goes to World Championship leader Quartararo on a 1:20.399, ahead of Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) and another impressive performance from Fabio Di Giannantonio (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) on yet another Ducati.
Either side of the top 10 cut-off which decides who goes straight into Q2, as it stands it’s Joan Mir in 10th on a 1:20.574 and his Team Suzuki Ecstar teammate Alex Rins in 11th on a 1:20.591. Nakagami faded in the afternoon but was first of the Honda riders in 12th on a 1:20.616, while Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) took 13th at another 0.131 seconds off the pace after an early run through the gravel at Turn 1. Pol Espargaro took 14th, ahead of Franco Morbidelli (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™), Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team), and the first of the KTM contingent in Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), in 17th after a tough day for the Austrian factory.
Joan Mir (36). Photo courtesy Dorna.
Those outside the top ten will, of course, all be looking to improve their positions and book a place in Q2 when FP3 unfolds on Saturday. Can they do it? The answers will come from 09:55 (GMT +2), before qualifying from 14:10 as the grid gets decided at the unique challenge of the Sachsenring.
FRIDAY: TOP 3
1 Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) – Ducati – 1’20.018
3 Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) – Ducati – +0.193
Augusto Fernandez (37). Photo courtesy Dorna.
Fernandez demolishes the field on Friday
The number 37 finishes Day 1 nearly a half a second clear of Acosta and Aldeguer
Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Augusto Fernandez is the rider to beat after topping both Moto2™ Free Practice sessions on the opening day of the Liqui Moly Motorrad Grand Prix Deutschland, and both by big margins. He raised the bar and ended FP2 nearly half a second clear, with teammate Pedro Acosta next-best and Fermin Aldeguer (MB Conveyors Speed Up) making it an all-Spanish top three. Meanwhile, World Championship leader Italian Celestino Vietti (Mooney VR46 Racing Team), is currently a considerable way outside the provisional Q2 cut-off…
Fernandez was comfortably quickest in FP1 and 0.421 up on the field, and that was still the best lap of the day through much of FP2. It was only beaten by the man himself with less than 10 minutes to go in the afternoon when he went almost two tenths faster again. The Red Bull KTM Ajo duo was flying in formation but when Acosta crossed the line just behind, he was still 0.470 seconds shy and that’s how it stayed.
Earlier, Aldeguer had got somewhat close to the fastest lap of the session when he set a 1:24.501, and that effort would be good enough for third-quickest overall. Sam Lowes (Elf Marc VDS Racing team) clocked a late 1:24.557 to take up fourth spot and shuffle fellow Briton Jake Dixon (GASGAS Aspar Team), who laid down an early 1:24.600, back to fifth. Marcos Ramirez (MV Augusta Forward Racing) was another who did his best work right near the start of FP2, a 1:24.621 earning him sixth on the timesheets, ahead of home hero Marcel Schrötter (Liqui Moly Intact GP), rookie Alonso Lopez (MB Conveyors Speed Up), the now nearly-recovered Lorenzo Dalla Porta (Italtrans Racing Team), and Portugal winner Joe Roberts (Italtrans Racing Team).
Fine weather is expected again when FP3 unfolds and a number of key players in the World Championship will be hoping to improve. Currently 11th-fastest is the man who was runner-up at the Catalan GP a fortnight ago, Aron Canet (Flexbox HP40), ahead of Albert Arenas (GASGAS Aspar Team), Filip Salač (Gresini Racing Moto2™), and Jorge Navarro (Flexbox HP40).
That leaves Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team), Somkiat Chantra (Idemitsu Honda team Asia), and Ai Ogura (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) all looking for more, and Arbolino did not register a lap time in FP1 due to an early crash. The Italian only got up to 16th with a 1:25.058 in FP2, while Chantra and Ogura sit 19th and 21st respectively. Still, all three are faster than the rider at the very top of the Championship points table, with Vietti 24th and a full 1.467 seconds off on Friday.
Barry Baltus (RW Racing GP) crashed in FP1 and went to the medical centre but was declared fit. Albert Arenas (GASGAS Aspar Team), Aldeguer, Keminth Kubo (Yamaha VR46 Master Camp), Niccolo Antonelli (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) and Lopez all crashed too, riders ok. Simon Corsi (MV Augusta Forward Racing Racing) had a spill in FP2 at Turn 1 – rider ok.
Will we see another Vietti rescue job, and can fellow title contender Ogura also dig himself out of trouble? Find out when FP3 kicks off on Saturday at 10:55 (GMT +2), before qualifying from 15:10.
Guevara splits the Leopards as Garcia faces a fight back to make it to Q2
Leopard Racing’s Tatsuki Suzuki ruled Day 1 at the Liqui Moly Motorrad Grand Prix Deutschland. The Japanese rider set a 1:26.363 in FP2 to take over on top overall, while teammate Dennis Foggia took third thanks to his time from the afternoon, too. GASGAS Aspar Team’s Izan Guevara splits the duo on the combined timesheets thanks to his FP1-topping 1:26.459.
The combined top 14 and riders provisionally on to move through to Q2 was exactly the same as the top 14 in FP1 until the last five minutes of the afternoon session, when Stefano Nepa (Angeluss MTA Team) elevated himself to fourth with a 1:26.842, knocking Jaume Masia (Red Bull KTM Ajo) back to 15th, but it was hardly the end of the story.
Joel Kelso (CIP Green Power), the rookie on his second visit to the Sachsenring in Moto3™, took fourth on the combined times on a 1:26.608 and John McPhee (Sterilgarda Husqvarna Max) finished fifth courtesy of his 1:26.691 from FP1. Lorenzo Fellon (SIC58 Squadra Corse) made an almighty save into Turn 11 when he closed up on Alberto Surra (Rivacold Snipers Team) before setting a 1:26.768 later in the session, that good enough for sixth ahead of Nepa.
Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Tech3), who went for a bit of impromptu motocross in the gravel during the session, nevertheless took eighth, ahead of Ryusei Yamanaka (MT Helmets – MSI) and second start podium finisher David Muñoz (BOE Motorsports). Diogo Moreira (MT Helmets – MSI) took P11 ahead of fellow rookie Daniel Holgado (Red Bull KTM Ajo), with Holgado’s teammate Masia in P13. Andrea Migno (Rivacold Snipers Team) is currently the last rider set to move through… leaving Championship leader Sergio Garcia (GASGAS Aspar Team) in P15 and looking to move up in FP3.
In FP1 only Masia crashed, before Kaito Toba (CIP Green Power) and Carlos Tatay (CFMoto Racing PrüstelGP) took tumbles in the afternoon but riders all ok.
FP3 kicks off at 9:00 (GMT +2) to decide the final graduates to Q2, before qualifying from 12:35.
2 Izan Guevara (GASGAS Aspar Team) – GASGAS – +0.162
3 Dennis Foggia (Leopard Racing) – Honda – +0.228
More, from a press release issued by Mooney VR46 Racing:
EXCELLENT DEBUT FOR MARINI AT SACHSENRING
The rider of the Mooney VR46 Racing Team is second in the combined standings after the first day in Germany. Just three tenths from the Q2, Bezzecchi in P16
Chemnitz (Germany) – Luca Marini closes the Day1 of the German GP, which will take place on Sunday at Sachsenring (02.00 pm), in second place in the overall standings, momentarily in Q2, just 115 thousandths from the leader of the day (Bagnaia, 1:20,018). Not far from the access into the second qualifying session also Marco Bezzecchi, 16th today in the free practices.
At ease on the Ducati Desmosedici GP from the start (P7 in FP1, 1:21.671) and satisfied with the progress made in the last test in Barcelona, Luca is among the protagonists of the afternoon session where he keeps a good pace and signs a best lap time of 1:20.133.
Taking confidence with the MotoGP on the tortuous German track and overall good feelings for Marco who set a lap time in FP2 of 1:20.866, a crono that means a gap of just three tenths of a second from the Top10.
Luca Marini
A good first day for all the Ducati: we worked well with the Team, it was important to quickly understand how to use the tires here and that’s where we can make a step forward. With the hard I wasn’t as fast as Pecco and I have really struggled with so little grip to get the bike turning, an aspect where we have to work on. In any case, the problem is clear and we will return on it in FP4. For now the goal is to achieve the direct access into the Q2 in FP3, the key for managing the QP. We will then analyse the data: this afternoon everyone with the heat have struggled a bit more and we have to compare the data to gain something in speed. I’m happy with this Friday.
Marco Bezzecchi
A first day that was not easy but not too complicated. I’m quite happy, I made a nice step forward between the two sessions and honestly I expected to struggle with the grip conditions. We need to go back to the data and work on this to be able to get closer to the Q2 tomorrow.
Pablo Nieto
A good start for Luca and the Team on a particularly complicated track. The guys did a good job and what they experienced at the Barcelona test was also helpful. I’m happy, Luca begins to have a real fun on track. Not far from the leaders also Marco, for the first time on the track here with the MotoGP. Let’s continue in this direction!
More, from a press release issued by Tech3 KTM Factory Racing:
Sun, Waterfall and Left Corners: Tech3 KTM Factory Racing Completes Day 1 in Sachsenring
Rookies Remy Gardner and Raul Fernandez set off for the first time on a MotoGP bike at Sachsenring, a place where they both have good records in lower categories. Coming from a positive weekend at the Catalunya Grand Prix followed by a test day, both were looking to continue their good form for the first day of the Motorrad Grand Prix Deutschland.
During Free Practice 1, Australian Remy Gardner was looking to take the positives which came out from the test day in Barcelona and develop them on a race weekend. This morning, he rode in 1’22.598, a best lap time obtained at the end of his first run, in new tyres. In the afternoon, he continued to push and times went down as the track got hotter. Remy managed to take his lap time down by 1.295, which placed him twenty-second in the combined standings. Tomorrow, he will continue to push in order to get a good grid position on qualifying day.
His teammate Raul Fernandez had in mind to try a different setting on the whole weekend after some positive information came out of the test day in Catalunya. In the morning, he got his best lap time in 1’22.807 and took it down to 1’21.820 in the afternoon session. He finished the first day of the German Grand Prix in P24 and will be looking to continue his efforts on Saturday, when the action resumes with FP3 at 9:55 local time (GMT+2), followed by FP4 and the qualifying sessions.
Remy Gardner
Position: 22nd
Time: 1’21.303
Laps: 42
“I expected a bit more from today to be honest but it has not been a bad day overall. We are close to the factory riders, which is important. We will see what we can do tomorrow and hopefully improve a bit.”
Raul Fernandez
Position: 24th
Time: 1’21.820
Laps: 41
“The day was good, especially during the Free Practice 2. I did not get a good lap time, but this weekend, we are trying a different setting that we worked on during the test in Catalunya, so we will see how it works on the weekend’s duration. I think that it was a rather positive day, so we will continue our efforts tomorrow.”
More, from a press release issued by Gresini Racing:
SACHSENRING FRIDAY: OK DAY FOR DIGGIA, BASTIANINI HAS MARGIN
#GermanGP Free Practice. The opening day for round ten of the season sees once again Fabio Di Giannantonio on great form, as he is now consistently in the top ten – at least in the single-lap performance. The series rookie was immediately very comfortable aboard his Desmosedici machine, and his performance gave him the ninth position in the combined times of today’s FP1 and FP2 sessions (1’20.545).
Without his race engineer Giribuola, who stayed at home as a precautionary measure after testing positive to Covid-19, Enea Bastianini had a bit more of a difficult time compared to his teammate. The standard bearer of Team Gresini MotoGP still has time to bounce back, starting from tomorrow morning’s FP3 which will be key in order to avoid having to go through Q1. Only a few milliseconds are needed in order to be back among the protagonists.
9th – FABIO DI GIANNANTONIO #49 (1’20.545s)
“We start back from Barcelona: we made very little changes to the bike and we had a good feeling, which is very, very positive. Let’s say we’re on the right track: we’re still missing something on the front-end, especially with regards to some corners like turn three, but we have some changes in mind to make a further step forward tomorrow. The goal is to be in Q2 here as well.”
13th – ENEA BASTIANINI #23 (1’20.747s)
“We struggled a bit, and last year here hadn’t been easy, either. We know where we have to focus on in order to be competitive and I’m confident tomorrow we’ll be part of the game. We’re still missing something in sectors two and three. From turn six to turn eight I don’t feel well, I have a lack of feeling with the front-end and that means cornering is also affected.”
More, from a press release issued by Repsol Honda:
Hundredths of a second the difference on German GP Friday for the Repsol Honda Team
A bruising first day in Germany for the Repsol Honda Team, but both Pol Espargaro and Stefan Bradl put in their maximum – unrewarded by just a few tenths but confident of more on Saturday.
Europe’s heatwave was in full affect at the Sachsenring as temperatures in the mid 20s graced the track all day and temperatures are only set to rise further over the weekend. The summer conditions meant times were immediately fast, the outright lap record already being improved upon in Free Practice 2. There was little to choose between the riders as the hotly contested premier class arrived at the shortest track on the calendar.
Pol Espargaro’s day got off to an incredibly difficult start with two crashes at Turn 1 during Free Practice 1. The first fall was a relatively gentle lowside but the second crash, just a few minutes later, was a vicious highside which brought the #44’s session to an early end. After a visit to the medical centre, Espargaro was deemed fit and fortunate to escape any major injuries. A whole team effort meant that both of Espargaro’s Honda RC213V machines were ready for Free Practice 2. Pushing through some pain in his ribs and wrist from the morning, Espargaro managed a 1’20.816 for 14th overall – just two tenths from the top ten. The time was just a tenth slower than his qualifying time from 2021.
Home hero Stefan Bradl was a man in demand with the fans as the German GP weekend got underway. The HRC Test rider started steadily and improved his pace in the morning before making a big step in FP2. Finding 0.7s from FP1 to FP2, Bradl challenged the top ten until the very final moments of the session. Ultimately taking 20th place on Friday, he is confident a lap in the 1’20s was possible today as his switch from tester to racer continues.
Pol Espargaro
12TH 1’20.816
“Today was a tough day. The first crash wasn’t bad but the second one really caught me by surprise and I came down quite hard. My wrist and elbow hurt a bit but the biggest pain at the moment is on my left ribs. It’s hard to take a deep breath and especially with all the left corners here, it’s quite painful. We need to rest tonight and take some anti-inflammatories. Even like this we were able to be faster than last year, but the pace is really high this weekend and we will have to work tomorrow for QP2. Today I was the limit, there’s still some margin inside of me.”
Stefan Bradl
20TH 1’21.117
“I am happy after today because we were able to make a good step. In Free Practice 1 we struggled a bit and then in the afternoon we improved. I am happy with the performance because not just the bike made a step, but I also did with my riding. There is still some parts to improve, especially about the timing of runs and my confidence when going for a fast lap. This will come with time and this is where we will find those last tenths we are missing. The goal for tomorrow is to improve again with the soft rear, I want to lap in a 1’20 – that’s the objective.”
More, from a press release issued by WithU Yamaha RNF MotoGP Team:
Interesting opening day for WithU Yamaha RNF MotoGP Team in Germany
While Darryn Binder got gradually used to the mostly left-hand circuit on Friday, Andrea Dovizioso was working on race pace.
Hot conditions welcomed riders and teams at the traditional Sachsenring Circuit in Germany for the 10th round of the 2022 MotoGP World Championship, which will see sold out grandstands throughout the weekend. Thereby, the WithU Yamaha RNF MotoGP Team duo of Darryn Binder and Andrea Dovizioso experienced an exciting Friday.
MotoGP rookie Binder was riding the German circuit for the first time today and clearly needed Free Practice one in the morning to get used to the 10 left corners of the unique track layout. But once he figured it out, he made a huge step from FP1 to FP2. The South African went 1.883 seconds faster in the afternoon to place himself in 19th position overall.
Meanwhile, Dovizioso registered a crash in the first session this morning, but went out again quickly to clock the eighth fastest time of the field and eventually finish FP1 well inside the top 10, just 0.251 seconds from the top. In FP2 the Italian focused on race pace and didn’t use a soft tyre for one fast lap. He concluded day one in P23, but seeing potential for Free Practice three tomorrow morning at 09:55 local time.
DARRYN BINDER
“It’s been a good day, a good start to the weekend here in Sachsenring. I struggled a little bit this morning in FP1 to learn the Sachsenring Circuit on the MotoGP bike, but towards the end of FP1, I started to find my feet. In FP2, I feel like I made a couple of good steps forward. To finish the day just one second off the top is pretty decent. I’m quite happy with that. I know where to work on tomorrow and I hope we keep improving.”
ANDREA DOVIZIOSO
“Today I did a different strategy than the other riders, as I stayed out with the used tyre until the end, so I didn’t do a single fast lap time in the afternoon. I don’t have the reference with the soft tyre yet, but with the hard tyre, the grip is very low. I’m not that fast, but I think, the base is better than some of the other races and after the practices of today, it’s clear, that we have to ride in a different way, because you can’t push at the beginning of the race and do 22.5s, as the tyre drops a lot. It was good to understand and now we’ll try to work in a better way tomorrow.”
More, from a press release issued by Monster Energy Yamaha:
MONSTER ENERGY YAMAHA MOTOGP EVALUATE TYRE OPTIONS ON GERMAN GP FRIDAY
Sachsenring (Germany), 17th June 2022
GRAND PRIX OF GERMANY
FREE PRACTICE
Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP‘s Fabio Quartararo and Franco Morbidelli started the Motorrad Grand Prix Deutschland with high motivation, but getting the hard-spec tyres to work at the Sachsenring proved challenging. They secured 7th and 15th place respectively. With the top-17 riders setting times within 0.897s of each other, the heat is on this weekend.
7th FABIO QUARTARARO 1’20.399 (FP2) / 25 + 22 LAPS
15th FRANCO MORBIDELLI 1’20.856 (FP2) / 27 + 21 LAPS
The Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Team started Round 10 of the MotoGP World Championship at the Sachsenring looking for a solid base set-up suiting the twisty track and evaluating different tyre options. Fabio Quartararo and Franco Morbidelli secured 7th and 15th place respectively in the combined FP results.
Quartararo made steady progress in the morning session. He gradually found his pace on his first run and began to dip under the 1‘22s-mark. He worked himself up to second place with a 1‘21.557s on lap 11/25. He used his second run to improve his race set-up and ended FP1 in third place, 0.078s from first.
El Diablo used the hot afternoon session to find a good feeling on the hard-spec tyres, but he didn‘t feel like he could ride on the limit yet. He improved his time to a 1‘20.399s on lap 22/22 when he fitted a soft rear tyre and found more than a second compared to his morning result. He ended the first day in Saxony in seventh place, 0.381s off the fastest time.
Morbidelli was pleased to confirm some of his findings from the Catalan Test during the Friday session. He wrapped up his first run at the Sachsenring by setting a best morning time of 1‘21.939s on lap 9/27. At the time it earned him a top-10 placement. He ultimately completed FP1 in 14th position, 0.460s from the top.
Like his teammate, the number-21 rider shifted to the hard tyres in the afternoon to establish if it was a good option for the race. He too found that the hard tyre wasn‘t working as well for him compared to the medium option in the cooler morning session. Still, the Italian shaved off more than a second of his morning time. He clocked a 1‘20.856s on lap 19/21, which left him 15th and 0.838s off the P1 time.
MASSIMO MEREGALLI
TEAM DIRECTOR
The FP1 session was better than FP2 for us. We used the medium tyres in the morning session when the temperatures were lower. The bike was behaving well, and the pace of both riders was good. In the hotter afternoon, we used the hard compound because we wanted to see if this spec is a good option for us for the race. So far, the hard spec didn‘t give Fabio or Franky the feeling they were looking for in any area. We will investigate if there is something preventing this tyre from performing well for us, or if it‘s simply too hard. Though we‘re not satisfied with our afternoon performance, Fabio is still in the top 10. We will continue to work hard as we hope to make a significant step in FP3. The weather forecasts are good for tomorrow, this will give us all the time we need to improve.
FABIO QUARTARARO
I feel good, but we‘re still missing some performance. I mean, our pace is not too bad, but in the first laps on a new hard tyre I was pretty slow compared to the others, and we need to find a solution to find that 0.4s-0.5s that we‘re missing. When I go out on a new hard tyre, it feels like a used tyre, so that‘s something we need to improve. The feeling is kind of similar to Barcelona. Let‘s see who will and who won‘t improve when the temperatures go up further later this weekend. I don‘t think it will be a big issue for us.
FRANCO MORBIDELLI
So, there are some things to improve with the race tyres, but the feeling and the pace weren’t bad at all. For sure, to get to the top guys‘ pace we need at least 0.3s-0.4s. But the biggest problem is that I can’t improve on a new tyre like others can. Others seem to be able to improve by 1s. I’m not on that level. We are working on understanding the new tyres better to improve on them like we should.
More, from a press release issued by Aprilia:
PROVISIONAL TOP-10 FOR THE APRILIAS IN GERMANY
TYRE WEAR AND RACE PACE ARE THE PRIMARY OBJECTIVES ON THE FIRST DAY OF PRACTICE
The Friday practice sessions on the Sachsenring, in Germany, had both Aprilias finishing the day with a provisional top-10 position. This result has particular value as it was achieved in spite of concentrating efforts on preparation for the race on Sunday. Thirty laps which, due to the high temperatures predicted, promise to be extremely gruelling.
Aleix shone in both sessions, finishing fourth in the combined standings at a gap of just two tenths. However, by the Granollers native’s own admission, there is plenty of margin to be explored. This will be the clear goal tomorrow, where some time will need to be shaved off in order to go straight through to Q2.
Maverick also performed well, finishing the day eighth. He did a lot of testing and, like his teammate, he took the new aerodynamics solution developed by the Aprilia techs and already tested on the Monday after Barcelona onto the track.
ALEIX ESPARGARÓ
“As for how things went today, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to have the race straight away and then head off on holiday! All joking aside, we did good work today. Tyre choice and management seem to be particularly important here and, from this point of view, I was able to be fast on the hard rear. I made a few mistakes on the time attack but, despite this, I did three laps at 20.2 and that’s not at all bad. We can improve further but I can consider myself satisfied with this start.”
MAVERICK VIÑALES
“I’m pleased above all with the information we were able to gather today. We have already identified a couple of points where we need to improve. I need a bit more stability. I had a good pace on the medium tyre but here, as always, shooting for a qualifying position on the front two rows will be fundamental. The race will be significantly conditioned by this.”
More, from a press release issued by Team Suzuki ECSTAR:
VALIANT DISPLAY FROM SUZUKI ON FRIDAY IN GERMANY
Joan Mir: 10th – 1’20.574 (+ 0.556)
Alex Rins: 11th – 1’20.591 (+ 0.573)
Team Suzuki Ecstar’s riders made strides towards the Sachsenring race on Friday as both showed solid form. Alex Rins took to the track nursing the wrist injury he suffered in Catalunya, but he rode through the discomfort to finish just outside the Top 10, while Joan Mir kept himself among the fastest ten riders as he tried the new aerodynamic package on his GSX-RR.
Rins showed grit from FP1 onwards, putting in 13 laps in the morning session. A crash at Turn 1 with 17 minutes to go put paid to his progress, but thankfully the fall didn’t exacerbate his injury. Mir started FP1 in determined mood, looking good from the outset, and he completed a total of 23 laps which saw him gradually drop his times around the short Sachsenring circuit.
The ‘boys in blue’ showed further promise in FP2, as they both took chunks out of their morning times in the hot afternoon conditions. Mir spent the last part of the session with the aerodynamic package that was first tried in the Catalan Test, and a final push from both riders on hard-medium tyres saw them rise to the Top 5. At close of play on Friday Mir was 10th and Rins 11th.
Joan Mir:
“I feel good, we’re making steps forward and working hard, and this makes me happy. We’re getting there, slowly but surely – we’re still not quite where we want to be but we’re not far off it either. I’m keen to see what we can do tomorrow! We’ll try to improve and qualify well so that we can set ourselves on a good path for the race.”
Alex Rins:
“My wrist was a bit more painful than I expected. I suffered with it a bit in FP1, but I was hoping that for FP2 it would feel a bit freer and less painful, but it was actually the opposite; it was more uncomfortable in the afternoon. It could be that the high temperatures are making it feel worse, or just the fact that I was pushing for a fast time. We’ll see how I feel after resting tonight, and together with Livio and all the team we will make a decision following FP3 tomorrow.”
Livio Suppo – Team Manager:
“I’m very happy for Alex, he didn’t give up and kept the ‘no pain, no gain’ motto in his head! He was impressive, and he did some good laps. He’ll see how he feels this evening, but it seems that he’ll be able to continue. I’m also feeling pleased with Joan’s performance today; he was fast from the first exit, and he likes the new aero fairing, so we feel positive for tomorrow.”
More, from a press release issued by LCR Honda Castrol:
MIXED START FOR ÁLEX MÁRQUEZ AT SACHSENRING
Álex Márquez had a mixed day as free practice for the German Grand Prix at Sachsenring got underway on Friday. The LCR Honda CASTROL rider looked impressive in the morning as the premier class renewed rivalries at the famous old circuit in Saxony, but has work to do ahead of qualifying on Saturday after finishing the opening day in 18thposition overall.
Fresh from his excellent top-10 finish in Catalunya, the Spaniard got stronger throughout today’s FP1 and took 10thspot after finding good rhythm towards the end of the session. He improved by seven tenths in FP2, but that was only good enough for 18th and will now look to make a step forward in tomorrow’s FP3 to secure a place in Q2.
Álex Márquez – 18th
(1’21.053)
“First day here in Germany, it was quite good in the morning. We had a good feeling, tried some new things and felt good about the pace. In the afternoon we tried the hard rear, but it wasn’t a fantastic tyre for us, we were struggling a lot and there was no grip overall. We put the medium on for one lap before the soft and immediately the rhythm, the lap time and everything was much better, so that’s something we need to adjust and understand. Later on with the soft I was feeling good, but I had margin to improve, so tomorrow we should keep improving the bike and we’ll try hard to be in Q2. We’ll give our best as always.”
More, from a press release issued by LCR Honda Idemitsu:
TAKA THE TOP HONDA ON DAY ONE AT SACHSENRING
Takaaki Nakagami impressed on the opening day of free practice for the German Grand Prix having been passed fit to compete at the Sachsenring. Despite still feeling aches and pains from his fall at Montmelo last time out, the LCR Honda IDEMITSU man rode through the pain barrier and showed his potential to challenge towards the front of the MotoGP field this weekend.
Taka dispelled any concerns over his competitiveness in FP1 as he quickly established himself amongst the early pacesetters, eventually finishing the session in 5th. His race pace looked encouraging in FP2 and, although he was unable to find a quick lap and maintain his place in the top-10, he remains confident of improvement and making Q2 tomorrow.
Takaaki Nakagami – 12th
(1’20.616)
“It was a positive first day here in Sachsenring. We made a quite a big step this afternoon and our race pace is already good. We need to improve and work on our qualifying lap, because this afternoon at the end of FP2, the first time we tried the soft compound on the rear I had a lot of grip. So, we need to improve the setting on the bike and electronics in many areas. I am good, even though my physical condition is not the best, I am looking forward to riding tomorrow.”
More, from a press release issued by Ducati Lenovo Team:
Three Ducatis lead the way in free practice for the German GP at the Sachsenring. Bagnaia tops the timesheets ahead of Marini and Miller
Francesco Bagnaia leads the way after Friday’s free practice for the German GP, the tenth round of the 2022 MotoGP season, held this weekend at the Sachsenring circuit.
Located near the city of Chemnitz, the Saxon track has never been one of the most favourable for the characteristics of the Desmosedici GP, but today’s results proved otherwise.
The Ducati Lenovo Team rider closed ahead of two other Desmosedici GP bikes, with Mooney VR46 Racing Team rider Luca Marini second and team-mate Jack Miller third. In this morning’s FP1, the Australian rider closed in the first position, beating Bagnaia by just 15 thousandths. On the other hand, in this afternoon FP2, the Italian rider set the pace, setting a new all-time lap record in 1:20.018 with the soft tyre, closing ahead of Marini by just 115 thousandths and Miller by 193 thousandths.
Francesco Bagnaia (#63 Ducati Lenovo Team) – 1st (1:20.018)
“It was a very positive day, and I think this was our best Friday since the start of this season. After this first day, I don’t want to make any setup changes; I just want to focus on improving my race pace. The time attack also went well, and I had fun doing it. Tomorrow the conditions will be different: the temperatures will be higher, and the FP4 session will be fundamental to understand what kind of pace we can have in the race in the heat.”
Jack Miller (#43 Ducati Lenovo Team) – 3rd (1:20.211)
“During the Barcelona test, we could make some big steps forward. We changed my riding position a lot, which is now closer to that of the other Ducati riders, and this increased my feeling with the front, allowing me to ride differently and exploit the full potential of my bike. Sachsenring is a very narrow track, and on paper, it’s not one of the most favourable for the Desmosedici GP, but today I felt comfortable right away. The temperatures could be higher tomorrow and Sunday, but I’m confident I can do well anyway”.
The Ducati Lenovo Team riders will be back on track tomorrow at 9:55am local time for FP3, while qualifying for the German GP will take place from 2:10pm CEST at the end of FP4.
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ADHD Friendly Mode: this mode helps users with ADHD and Neurodevelopmental disorders to read, browse, and focus on the main website elements more easily while significantly reducing distractions.
Blindness Mode: this mode configures the website to be compatible with screen-readers such as JAWS, NVDA, VoiceOver, and TalkBack. A screen-reader is software for blind users that is installed on a computer and smartphone, and websites must be compatible with it.
Keyboard Navigation Profile (Motor-Impaired): this profile enables motor-impaired persons to operate the website using the keyboard Tab, Shift+Tab, and the Enter keys. Users can also use shortcuts such as “M” (menus), “H” (headings), “F” (forms), “B” (buttons), and “G” (graphics) to jump to specific elements.
Additional UI, design, and readability adjustments
Font adjustments – users, can increase and decrease its size, change its family (type), adjust the spacing, alignment, line height, and more.
Color adjustments – users can select various color contrast profiles such as light, dark, inverted, and monochrome. Additionally, users can swap color schemes of titles, texts, and backgrounds, with over seven different coloring options.
Animations – person with epilepsy can stop all running animations with the click of a button. Animations controlled by the interface include videos, GIFs, and CSS flashing transitions.
Content highlighting – users can choose to emphasize important elements such as links and titles. They can also choose to highlight focused or hovered elements only.
Audio muting – users with hearing devices may experience headaches or other issues due to automatic audio playing. This option lets users mute the entire website instantly.
Cognitive disorders – we utilize a search engine that is linked to Wikipedia and Wiktionary, allowing people with cognitive disorders to decipher meanings of phrases, initials, slang, and others.
Additional functions – we provide users the option to change cursor color and size, use a printing mode, enable a virtual keyboard, and many other functions.
Browser and assistive technology compatibility
We aim to support the widest array of browsers and assistive technologies as possible, so our users can choose the best fitting tools for them, with as few limitations as possible. Therefore, we have worked very hard to be able to support all major systems that comprise over 95% of the user market share including Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari, Opera and Microsoft Edge, JAWS and NVDA (screen readers).
Notes, comments, and feedback
Despite our very best efforts to allow anybody to adjust the website to their needs. There may still be pages or sections that are not fully accessible, are in the process of becoming accessible, or are lacking an adequate technological solution to make them accessible. Still, we are continually improving our accessibility, adding, updating and improving its options and features, and developing and adopting new technologies. All this is meant to reach the optimal level of accessibility, following technological advancements. For any assistance, please reach out to
