Roadracing World Publishing is now requesting schedule and photo submissions from trackday organizers and riding school operators for the 2023 season to put in Roadracing World & Motorcycle Technology magazine and the 2023 Roadracing World Trackday Directory annual edition.
All schedule submissions should include: the name of your school or trackday organization, your schedule (including exact dates, correct track names and locations, and the track layout being used that day, if applicable), and full contact information for consumers.
Schedules submitted will be published in the Calendar section of Roadracing World magazine and the Events calendar section of Roadracingworld.com as soon as possible after they are received.
For trackday and school organizations and schedules to be listed in Roadracing World’s 2023 Trackday Directory annual edition, however, we need your schedule and the following information by February 3, 2023:
School or Trackday Organization Name:
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(Select one answer for each question)
1. Events Run Rain or Shine: Yes or No
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Please e-mail schedule/calendar and Trackday Directory listing information and/or updates to [email protected].
Even if your 2023 schedule is not finalized, please respond to us and send whatever information you can so that you will not be left out of the Trackday Directory annual. Provisional schedules or dates listed as provisional are allowed.
There is no cost to be listed in Roadracing World’s Trackday Directory annual edition, but we can’t post your information if we don’t receive it in time. As a result, late submissions or incomplete submissions may not be published.
Again, the deadline to submit is February 3, 2023.
If you’ve already submitted your schedule for inclusion in the Calendar section of Roadracing World & Motorcycle Technology, great! But this is not enough information for an entry in the Trackday Directory. Please submit the information requested above to be included in the once-per-year Roadracing World Trackday Directory or call us to do minor updates to the information we published in our last Trackday Directory.
If you have any doubt about what you have or have not sent in or if it was received, please contact us.
As always, we are also requesting trackday organizers and school operators to submit digital photos of their events and groups in action – on and off the track — for possible publication in the 2022 Trackday Directory. This is a great way to publicize your events and spotlight some of your members at no cost to you, but we need you to help us help you.
Digital photos must be in-focus, free from any watermarks or graphics, and high-resolution, which means a minimum of 300 dpi/ppi or 3000 pixels wide at 3 inches. The best way to submit these photos is with a file transfer program like Google Drive, Hightail, or Dropbox, which are free to download and use on a limited basis. Emailing the photos in small batches also works.
Photos must be accompanied by information to be used to write a caption. This includes the name of the track and information in order to credit the photographer, etc. By submitting a photo or photos, you certify that you own the submitted material and that you give us (Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.) permission to publish it in Roadracing World magazine and/or post it on Roadracingworld.com, without paying you (or anybody else) any money.
And racing organizations, if your contact information has changed since last year or you just want to be sure we have your correct information please e-mail it in.
For additional information, e-mail [email protected] or call (909) 654-4779.
The Autódromo Internacional do Algarve, located near the town of Portimão, hosts the final European test for the Kawasaki Racing Team across 31 January and 1 February before KRT, and the rest of the paddock, make ready to fly to the opening round of the 2023 WorldSBK season in Australia.
With both Jonathan Rea and, teammate, Alex Lowes, making strong progress in testing so far, the Jerez test in late January has set both the riders and their respective pit crews up well for the demands of the 4.592km (2.8533) track which includes one of the fastest straights on the European schedule of the world’s most prestigious production based motorcycle race series.
Hosting its first WorldSBK event in its inaugural year of 2008, the Portuguese circuit has been a fan and rider favourite since then and will produce yet more crucial data for KRT to assimilate in their quest to be super prepared for Phillip Island and round one.
Hoping for warmer weather than they experienced at Jerez, Rea and Lowes will be looking to refine and answer the last few questions before the Championship for real starts with two crucial points scoring events in quick succession at Phillip Island and Mandalika, Indonesia. Plus, with Portimao being on the season calendar for 2023, the team will be able to complete the process of matching previous data to the outcome of this test and be ready to race on Portuguese soil come September.
Jonathan Rea rates Portimao as one of the fastest yet technical tracks on the calendar and showed well in 2022 taking a podium spot in all three races across the weekend while Alex Lowes was just off the podium in Superpole and in the top five in both races. For both riders then the search for those extra tenths of a second in lap time makes this Portimao test highly significant.
Kevin Elliott Sr., the longtime President and owner of Championship Cup Series (CCS) and American Sportbike Racing Association (ASRA), died from liver failure Sunday night, January 29th in a hospice in Florida. He was 64.
Elliott was a former racer who worked as an official for Roger Edmondson-owned CCS from 1987 to 1991.
Elliott got out of the sport for a while and owned his own bar at one point.
“Then in 1998,” Elliott told Roadracingworld.com in an interview November 24, 2022, “when he [Roger Edmondson] was going to sell it to Pace Motorsports (which became Clear Channel), they talked me into coming back because they needed someone who could run the thing after the sale. Then, we bought it from Clear Channel on January 1, 2006.”
Kevin Elliott on the cover of the February 2016 issue of American Motorcyclist magazine, the official magazine of AMA. Photo used with permission of AMA.
Elliott had a very tough time keeping CCS and ASRA going since 2020, when the COVID pandemic shut down or otherwise limited many public events, including motorcycle road races at huge outdoor venues. But even after COVID restrictions were lifted, racers did not come back in the same numbers as they had in the past, according to Elliott, and CCS/ASRA slipped into debt.
Elliott took on the task of keeping the Daytona 200 going when MotoAmerica bought the rights to promote the AMA National Series and could not reach a deal with Daytona International Speedway to run the race. Under his guidance, the event quickly grew from an historic low 29 entries in 2014 (the last year it was run by Daytona Motorsports Group, or DMG), to more than double the entries, at 67. MotoAmerica took the event over in 2022 and in doing so also took over what had been the traditional spring ASRA/CCS event weekend, which was a key event for Elliott’s organization; the loss of revenue from that event contributed to the demise of ASRA/CCS.
At the end of 2022, ASRA/CCS was acquired from Elliott by Mark Lienhard and Alex Spellman, but dealing with business struggles, the pending acquisition, and the death of his son Kevin Elliott, Jr. in September 2022 all took a heavy toll on Kevin Elliott, Sr.
Elliott was generally a jolly man who could be efficiently dealing with a frustrating and stressful situation one second and then turn around, make a joke, and let out a hearty laugh the next second. These qualities and others allowed him to attract and keep a loyal group of officials who kept ASRA and CCS events running smoothly and earned him the respect of many professionals working in the motorsports industry.
ASRA/CCS owner & President Kevin Elliott with long-time race ASRA/CCS official Diane Shepard Tribou.
Next of kin include father Carl Elliott and stepmother Andrea Elliott; brother Michael Elliott and sister in law Robin Elliott; brother Terry Elliott; step sister Terra Bassi; son Nick Campbell and daughter in law Dana Campbell; daughter Jennifer Sims and son in law Joshua Sims; son Bill Elliott; and multiple grandchildren. He is preceded in death by his mother Roxie Elliott and his son Kevin Elliott, Jr.
Chase Sexton Wins Triple Crown Thriller at Anaheim 2 Supercross
Levi Kitchen Grabs First Supercross Victory in 250SX Class
Anaheim, Calif., – Team Honda HRC’s Chase Sexton took the win at round four of the 2023 Monster Energy AMA Supercross at Angel Stadium of Anaheim. The first of three Triple Crown events in 2023 delivered night-long racing thrills with three Main Events in each class. Main Event finishing positions combine to earn event points toward the 17-round Monster Energy AMA Supercross season as well as the inaugural 31-round SuperMotocross World Championship series.
Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Jason Anderson, the 2018 Supercross Champion, earned the runner-up spot at the second race held at the Anaheim venue this year. Progressive Insurance ECSTAR Suzuki’s Ken Roczen nabbed the final spot on the podium and was the most consistent of the top racers. The Western Regional 250SX Class delivered a first-time winner when Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Levi Kitchen earned the 250SX Class win in only his fifth Supercross race.
Chase Sexton (23) earned his second Monster Energy AMA Supercross victory in a thrilling Triple Crown event that will be re-watched for years. Photo courtesy Feld Motor Sports, Inc.
Chase Sexton grabbed the lead of 450SX Class Main Event 1 ahead of Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Adam Cianciarulo, Ken Roczen, and Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Dylan Ferrandis. Roczen was quickly into second place. Sexton and Roczen put a comfortable gap on the rest of the field early in the 12-minute plus one lap race. Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Eli Tomac was in sixth at the start and moving forward. It took him five and a half minutes to reach then pass Cianciarulo; Tomac held the third place spot to the finish. There was an exciting battle around Red Bull KTM’s Cooper Webb through most of the first race. As he and Ferrandis caught and passed Cianciarulo, Jason Anderson reached the pack. On the final lap Anderson contacted Webb in the corner after the whoops. Webb went down and Anderson rode off to capture fifth place. Cianciarulo took sixth ahead of Webb in seventh.
In 450SX Class Main Event 2 Tomac and Webb bumped just out of the gate. Anderson took the holeshot ahead of Roczen, Cianciarulo, and Sexton. Sexton was the rider on the move but an early mistake dropped him from fourth to eighth. Three and a half minutes into the race the top three, Anderson, Roczen, and Red Bull KTM’s Aaron Plessinger were packed together and had pulled a gap on the rest of the field. Plessinger moved into second but Roczen immediately counter attacked and took back the spot. A half lap later Plessinger crashed and Tomac took over the third place spot and soon applied pressure on Roczen for second. Roczen held strong until he slid out exiting a turn, giving an easy pass for Tomac. The top three looked set until Cooper Webb reached Roczen’s rear fender. The Suzuki rider had his third intense battle of the race, successfully holding off Webb to the end. The finishing order was Anderson, Tomac, Roczen, and Webb. With one 450SX Class race to go, Tomac and Roczen were tied for the overall lead with five points. Anderson and Sexton each held six points. The event win was there for the taking to any of the four racers.
Jason Anderson grabbed the Main Event 3 holeshot ahead of Webb, Sexton, and Tomac. Roczen was in ninth at the holeshot stripe. Sexton was quickly into second place and the win for the night’s overall looked to be between Anderson and Sexton. Two and a half minutes into the race Tomac made a surge to get around Webb but a Tomac mistake in one of the track’s main rhythm sections allowed Webb to hold the position. Two laps later Tomac jumped off line and crashed hard in the same rhythm section. He remounted in fourteenth but was clearly not charging. Further up the track, Sexton and Anderson traded the lead back and forth with Sexton finally making a pass stick. Anderson would face Webb in the closing laps, surrendering the second place spot to the KTM rider after nearly crashing on the slick dirt. Sexton won the Main Event and took the overall victory for the night. It was Sexton’s first Triple Crown win and his second 450SX Class win.
Levi Kitchen (43) earned his career-first Supercross victory in only his fifth attempt. Photo courtesy Feld Motor Sports, Inc.
Main Event 1 of the Western Regional 250SX Class kicked off the stadium event when Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s RJ Hampshire emerged from the first corner with the holeshot. Levi Kitchen, Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Stilez Robertson, and Smartop MotoConcepts Racing Honda’s Mitchell Oldenburg were right behind. Halfway through the opening lap of the 10-minute plus one lap race Team Honda HRC’s Jett Lawrence was into third and pushing to catch Hampshire and Kitchen. Less than two minutes in Lawrence got around Kitchen. A battle for the lead was developing when Lawrence suddenly high-sided exiting a turn and was flicked off his bike. He remounted in eighth place and was able to pass his way back to third behind Troy Lee Designs Red Bull GASGAS Factory Racing’s Pierce Brown. Title-contender Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Cameron McAdoo finished the first race in eighth, riding slightly off the pace after a tough crash in qualifying.
Main Event 2 in the 250SX Class was packed with drama. Right at the drop of the gate Lawrence moved over on Hampshire, putting the Main Event 1 winner into nearly dead last entering the first corner. Muc-Off FXR ClubMX Yamaha’s Phil Nicoletti grabbed the holeshot and put down a fast pace. Lawrence went down on the opening lap and Hampshire got caught up in the crash, losing back a few places he’d made early. Nicoletti lead Kitchen, Robertson and Red Bull KTM’s Max Vohland while Hampshire fought back from 16th and Lawrence from 22nd. Three minutes into the race Nicoletti held a 5.6 second lead. Then Hampshire went down hard when his hand came off the handlebars while blasting through the sand section. Hampshire was back up but riding slowly and he eventually pulled out of the race. Shortly after, Pierce Brown crashed in the whoops. He was slow to remount but re-joined the racing to finish thirteenth. With three minutes left on the race clock Lawrence had reached tenth place. With two laps to go Lawrence contacted McAdoo in a tight bowl turn. Lawrence bobbled and lost a position. At the checkers Robertson took the win followed by his teammate Levi Kitchen with Nicoletti in third. Lawrence crossed the line in sixth place. After two races the overall positions had Kitchen in the lead ahead of Robertson, with Oldenburg and Lawrence tied for third with one final race to determine the final order.
Jett Lawrence grabbed a big holeshot in Main Event 3 with Kitchen tucking into second place. Kitchen needed only to stay in second place to take his first Supercross victory. By the midpoint Lawrence still led and Kitchen remained in second with a comfortable gap on third place. Kitchen kept a steady pace and brought home second place in the race to earn the win at the Anaheim event. Lawrence earned second place points and Stilez Robertson took home third overall.
The racers line up again next Saturday night at round five at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas. The Western Regional 250SX Class now takes a two-weekend break as Houston marks round one of the Eastern Regional 250SX Class. The Houston race pays points for that regional series as well as for the SuperMotocross World Championship 250 class.
Every race of the Monster Energy Supercross season and the SuperMotocross World Championship series streams live on Peacock with select races broadcast on NBC, USA Network, and CNBC. For results, video highlights, features stories, and ticket sales to any of the upcoming rounds please go to SupercrossLIVE.com.
450SX Class podium (riders left to right) Jason Anderson, Chase Sexton, and Ken Roczen. Photo courtesy Feld Motor Sports, Inc.
450SX Class Results
1. Chase Sexton, Clermont, Fla., Honda
2. Jason Anderson, Rio Rancho, N.Mex., Kawasaki
3. Ken Roczen, Clermont, Fla., Suzuki
4. Cooper Webb, Newport, N.C., KTM
5. Dylan Ferrandis, Tallahassee, Fla., Yamaha
6. Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Yamaha
7. Aaron Plessinger, Hamilton, Ohio, KTM
8. Justin Barcia, Greenville, Fla., GASGAS
9. Adam Cianciarulo, New Smyrna Beach, Fla., Kawasaki
10. Joey Savatgy, Clermont, Fla., Kawasaki
450SX Class Championship Standings
1. Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Yamaha (69)
2. Chase Sexton, Clermont, Fla., Honda (65)
3. Cooper Webb, Newport, N.C., KTM (65)
4. Ken Roczen, Clermont, Fla., Suzuki (58)
5. Jason Anderson, Rio Rancho, N.Mex., Kawasaki (55)
Feld Motor Sports, Inc. is the worldwide leader in producing and presenting specialized arena and stadium-based motorsports entertainment. Properties include Monster Jam®, Monster Energy AMA Supercross, and the SuperMotocross World Championship. Feld Motor Sports, Inc. is a subsidiary of Feld Entertainment, Inc. Visit monsterjam.com, SupercrossLIVE.com, and feldentertainment.com for more information.
About Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship:
Monster Energy AMA Supercross is the most competitive and highest-profile off-road motorcycle racing championship on the planet. Founded in America and sanctioned by the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) since 1974. Over 17 weeks, Supercross attracts some of the largest and most impressive crowds inside the most recognizable and prestigious stadiums in North America to race in front of nearly one million live fans and broadcast to millions more worldwide. For more information, visit SupercrossLIVE.com.
About the SuperMotocross World Championship:
The SuperMotocross World Championship™ is the premier off-road motorcycle racing series that combines the technical precision of stadium racing with the all-out speed and endurance of outdoor racing. Created in 2022, the SuperMotocross World Championship combines the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship and the AMA Pro Motocross Championship into a 31-event series that culminates in a season-ending two round playoff and SuperMotocross World Championship Final. Visit SuperMotocross.com for more information.
About the American Motorcyclist Association:
Founded in 1924, the AMA is a not-for-profit member-based association whose mission is to promote the motorcycle lifestyle and protect the future of motorcycling. As the world’s largest motorcycling rights and event sanctioning organization, the AMA advocates for riders’ interests at all levels of government and sanctions thousands of competition and recreational events every year. The AMA also provides money-saving discounts on products and services for its members. Through the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in Pickerington, Ohio, the AMA honors the heroes and heritage of motorcycling. For more information, visit americanmotorcyclist.com.
Former racer and ASRA/CCS owner and President Kevin Elliott has been transferred from a hospital to a hospice for end of life care after declining further treatment for liver failure.
In a Facebook post, Elliott’s daughter Jennifer Sims wrote that her father had “made the decision to stop all treatment and just receive comfort care.”
A post made by Kevin Elliott’s daughter, Jennifer Sims, seen here with her father.
She added, “We ask that during this time, you please respect the privacy of our family and allow us to be together without any distractions. Please refrain from any calls, texts, or messages. We will update when anything changes and give information for any service when the time comes. Just know that he loved all of you and was at peace with his decision.”
Multistrada V4 Rally: production of the grand tourer Ducati gets underway
Twenty years after the birth of the first Multistrada, the new-born V4 Rally rolls off the production line, further expanding a never so complete touring family
Multistrada V4 Rally is the “Multi” designed to offer greater comfort for rider and passenger, more range and greater off-road aptitude to stop at nothing
The Multistrada V4 Rally will be available in Ducati dealerships from February
Borgo Panigale (Bologna, Italy) – Production of the Multistrada V4 Rally, the Ducati designed for lovers of long journeys, already featured in the third episode of the 2023 Ducati World Premiere, has begun at the Borgo Panigale factory. The new bike completes a touring range that has never been so extensive and which was born exactly 20 years ago with the first Multistrada 1000 that marked the opening of Ducati towards the world of travel.
Twenty years during which Multistrada has been able to evolve and renew itself through the 1100, 1200 and 1260, arriving at its fourth generation powered by the new, revolutionary V4 Granturismo. The Multistrada V4 interprets the concept of the Grand Tourer according to the values of Style, Sophistication, Performance that are intrinsic to Ducati’s DNA.
Multistrada introduced several innovations to the Ducati range, such as the Riding Modes and DVT variable valve timing, but it was also the first bike in the world equipped with technological innovations such as the semi-active Skyhook suspension, or more recently the world first of front and rear radar to support Adaptive Cruise Control and Blind Spot Detection systems as well as extended deactivation.
With the “Rally” Ducati takes the globetrotter spirit of the Multistrada V4 to an even higher level, thanks to better comfort for rider and passenger, greater range and a more pronounced off-road aptitude without neglecting performance (170 hp), reliability and running costs, with maintenance intervals every 60,000 km and Oil Service every 15,000 km/24 months thanks to the 1,158 cc V4 Granturismo engine. The new deactivation strategy extends to the entire rear bank even when moving at low speeds, when the engine speed and the torque request from the throttle are low, positively impacting fuel consumption which drops by around 10%.
To tackle unpaved roads even better, this Multistrada can count on semi-active suspension with increased travel of 200 mm, lightened spoked rims, reinforced engine guards, an Enduro Riding Mode with brand new Power Mode dedicated to off-road use, wider rider foot-pegs and an even more precise and efficient Skyhook DSS EVO control strategy in this model.
Comfort improves with particular attention to two-seater use: the windshield has been redesigned (increased by 40 mm in height and 20 mm in width), the tail has been lengthened and the luggage attachment set back to offer more space in the leg area to the passenger, who can also count on footrests with larger rubber inserts to reduce the level of transmitted vibrations. Furthermore, thanks to the availability of different height saddles for both rider and passenger and the lowered suspension kit, the Multistrada V4 Rally can be customized to adapt to any torque configuration. With a view to improving thermal comfort, the air vents in the leg area can now be divided in order to keep the heat released by the engine in the cold seasons.
To further support active safety, the Multistrada V4 Rally also integrates Cornering ABS, which allows you to harness the braking power of its system even when cornering, the Ducati Cornering Lights (DCL), which improve night-time visibility by illuminating the inside of the bend, Ducati Wheelie Control (DWC) and Ducati Traction Control (DTC). These systems use the inertial platform (IMU) to optimize intervention based on the lean and pitch angle of the vehicle.
The Multistrada V4 Rally also introduces a brand-new extended deactivation strategy of the rear bank, a technical solution making its debut on a production bike on the world stage. In addition to switching off the rear cylinders at idle when the bike is stationary, a function already present on the Multistrada V4, the V4 Granturismo now keeps the rear cylinder bank deactivated in other operating conditions to the benefit of fuel consumption and emissions.
The 6.5-inch colour TFT dashboard offers map navigation functions thanks to the Ducati Connect application, which supports the use of the telephone, now housed in a ventilated compartment, even to answer calls or listen to music, using a helmet equipped with an intercom system.
The Ducati Multistrada V4 Rally will arrive in dealerships from February 2023 in the two colours of Ducati Red and Brushed Aluminium & Matt Black, the latter with a visible brushed aluminium tank. Both versions have black spoked rims. There are three different versions: Adventure Radar, equipped with Adaptive Cruise Control and Blind Spot Detection functions, Adventure Travel & Radar, which adds aluminium side cases, heated grips and saddles, while the Full Adventure completes the latter equipment with an Akrapovič homologated silencer and front mudguard in carbon fibre.
The Multistrada V4 Rally – like all Ducati Multistradas – is covered by the “4|Ever Ducati” warranty, valid for 4 years with no mileage limit, with roadside assistance included throughout continental Europe.
DANI PEDROSA SET FOR 2023 MOTOGP™ GRAN PREMIO DE ESPAÑA RACE OUTING
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing will count on the presence of test rider and MotoGP Legend Dani Pedrosa for the Gran Premio de España at the Circuit de Jerez – Angel Nieto during April and for round four of 21 in the 2023 season.
The winner of 31 MotoGP Grands Prix will compete with the KTM RC16 for the second time. The first occasion came at the Red Bull Ring for the 2021 Grand Prix of Styria where he scored points and a top ten result with 10th position.
Pedrosa has been part of a comprehensive test team since 2019 and, along with another former Grand Prix winner Mika Kallio, has helped fashion the KTM RC16 to achieve victories and podiums.
Pedrosa has won four Grands Prix at Jerez. He claimed the 30th MotoGP victory of his career (the 53rd in world championship competition through 125, 250 and the premier class) at the venue in southern Spain in 2017. He has walked the Jerez podium nine times. He will share the garage for 2023 with current Red Bull KTM Factory Racing riders Brad Binder and Jack Miller.
Francesco Guidotti, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team Manager: “It’s fantastic news that Dani wants to refresh himself with MotoGP this season and Jerez makes good sense as it’s a popular place for us to test and, also, he knows the place very well. It will be an ideal opportunity for him to get more information for the future development of our race bike and we look forward to having him with us in the pitbox.”
Pit Beirer, KTM Motorsports Director: “Mika Kallio, Dani Pedrosa and our whole test program is so important and of course they have limited track time. Dani is a strong guy with a strong mentality and we always said when he wanted to do a wildcard then we’d be happy to make that happen. The perfect ‘test’ is always a race situation. If we can work on future development parts then it is super-important and I’m very happy that Dani will race again.”
Unofficial Day Two Test Times (all on Pirelli tires):
Toprak Razgatlioglu, Turkey (Yam), 1:38.269
Jonathan Rea, UK (Kaw), 1:38.352
Alvaro Bautista, Spain (Duc), 1:38.449
Michael Rinaldi, Italy (Duc), 1:38.646
Alex Lowes, UK (Kaw), 1:39.175
Dominique Aegerter, Switzerland (Yam), 1:39.193
Andrea Locatelli, Italy (Yam), 1:39.280
Danilo Petrucci, Italy (Duc), 1:39.311
Iker Lecuona, Spain (Hon), 1:39.337
Remy Gardner, Australia (Yam), 1:39.464
Loris Baz, France (BMW), 1:39.517
Scott Redding, UK (BMW), 1:39.710
Xavi Vierge, Spain (Hon), 1:39.860
Philipp Oettl, Germany (Duc), 1:40.023
Garrett Gerloff, USA (BMW), 1:40.101
Michael van der Mark, Netherlands (BMW), 1:40.221
Tom Sykes, UK (Kaw), 1:40.750
Lorenzo Baldassarri, Italy (Yam), 1:40.975
Florian Marino, France (Kaw), 1:41.553
Oliver Konig, Czech Republic (Kaw), 1:41.595
More, from a press release issued by Dorna WorldSBK Press Office:
Jerez Test concludes with Razgatlioglu on top ahead of Rea and Bautista
Riders wrapped up their first test of 2023 in Jerez before moving onto Portimao next week
Toprak Razgatlioglu (54). Photo courtesy Dorna.
Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha WorldSBK) had a positive test and was unfazed by a crash midway through day 2 to set the fastest time again.
Jonathan Rea. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) was second fastest ahead of defending World Champion Alvaro Bautista.
Dominique Aegerter (77). Photo courtesy Dorna.
Rookies Dominique Aegerter (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) and Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) impressed finishing 6th and 8th respectively.
Iker Lecuona. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Team HRC’s Iker Lecuona spearheaded Honda’s effort as 9th fastest after completing 68 laps on Thursday.
Scott Redding (45). Photo courtesy Dorna.
Scott Redding continued his development work as BMW introduced a new
M 1000 RR model for 2023.
Tom Sykes (66). Photo courtesy Dorna.
Tom Sykes returns to WorldSBK for his first test back on the Kawasaki
ZX-10RR with the Kawasaki Puccetti Racing team.
WorldSBK Day 2 Report
Testing at the Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto came to a conclusion for the teams and riders from the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship that attended. Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha WorldSBK) was able to bounce back from his crash in the morning to record the fastest time with a 1’31.269s set in the afternoon; attempting to break the 1’37s barrier. Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) was second on Day 2, less than a tenth behind Razgatlioglu while 2022 WorldSBK Champion Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) took third place.
Alvaro Bautista (1). Photo courtesy Dorna.
After a strong showing on Day 1, three WorldSBK rookies finished the test inside the top ten on Day 2. Dominique Aegerter (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) was sixth fastest after posting a 1’39.193s, with Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) taking eighth place after setting a 1’39.311s. Aegerter’s GRT Yamaha teammate, Remy Gardner, took tenth spot but was only three tenths slower than Aegerter at the end of Day 2; showing how tight the WorldSBK field is in 2023.
Danilo Petrucci (9). Photo courtesy Dorna.
Most teams will now be headed to Autódromo Internacional do Algarve in Portugal for another two-day test to be held on Tuesday 31st January and Wednesday 1st February.
Read the full report from Day 2 in Jerez on worldsbk.com
Garrett Gerloff (31). Photo courtesy Dorna.
More, from a press release issued by Team HRC:
The 2023 pre-season kicks off for Team HRC with testing at Jerez
On Wednesday 25 and Thursday 26 January, Team HRC and its factory Superbike riders Iker Lecuona and Xavi Vierge took to the Jerez de la Frontera circuit in Spain for the first two-day test session of 2023, alongside most of the WorldSBK field.
Sunny albeit very cool conditions (which were even cooler on the second day with a maximum air temperature of just 13°C) offered Lecuona and Vierge the opportunity to continue with the development of the CBR1000RR-R FIREBLADE, the duo working efficiently and uninterruptedly from around midday until late in the afternoon on both days. This was fortuitous, considering that the team’s last test at Jerez in mid-December was seriously compromised by bad weather. Team HRC essentially picked up where it left off last time out then, carrying out tests and comparisons that were not possible in last month’s wet conditions.
Over the two days, Lecuona and Vierge focused on several new updates HRC had prepared for the test, spanning all areas of the bike’s setup, with the pair clocking up 68 and 88 laps on Wednesday and 68 and 79 on Thursday, respectively.
The squad will be back on track in just a few days’ time, participating in test sessions organised at the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve in Portugal on Monday 31 January and Tuesday 1 February.
Iker Lecuona (7) telling someone they are number one. Photo courtesy Team HRC.
Iker Lecuona 7
“I’m much happier today than I was yesterday, when we were struggling with the braking basically all day. So today we focused in on this area and made a big improvement that allowed me to enjoy riding the bike again. That was the first positive, but we were actually able to take steps with regard to various aspects of the bike’s setup, except one, in that we still have more to do in terms of turning. Having said that, I’m happy with the work we were able to carry out over what have been two very good days of testing, and I’m also pleased with the pace I was able to maintain on used tyres. I also tried a new soft spec today but almost crashed at turn 8. I think I made one of my best ever saves, touching with my elbow and knee but keeping it upright. Although I didn’t profit from the qualifying tyre, I was consistent and fast with the “0” spec, with which I worked almost all day, and we’re happy with that.”
Xavi Vierge (97). Photo courtesy Team HRC.
Xavi Vierge 97
“It’s been very positive to finally be back on track, especially because we only saw rain during our last tests here in December. It’s true that it has been very cold, but from midday on we were able to enjoy solid track time. We had a lot of work to do and have tried many things, basically going through all the items that we didn’t have a chance to check properly during the final rounds and testing sessions of 2022. We’ve made some steps forward and now have a direction for our next test in Portimão. We’re doing all we can to achieve our targets as quickly as possible and having so many Japanese engineers here has been extra motivation for us to do our very best”.
More, from a press release issued by Aruba.it Racing Ducati:
Bautista and Rinaldi conclude the first winter tests of the 2023 WorldSBK season. Bulega (WorldSSP) also on track at Jerez de la Frontera with the Panigale V2
The first winter tests for the Aruba.it Racing – Ducati team concluded this afternoon at Jerez de la Frontera (Spain). Alvaro Bautista and Michael Rinaldi had the chance to test the new Ducati Panigale V4 R for the first time, alternating their rides with the 2022 machines for comparisons that produced important data ahead of the start of the 2023 WorldSBK season.
On “Day 1” the Spanish rider completed 86 laps, finishing with the second-best time (1’38.851), two-tenths behind Razgatlioglu (Yamaha). Third place for Rinaldi, who set a time of 1’39.240, completing 72 laps.
On the second day, both Bautista (1’38.449 – 86 laps completed) and Rinaldi (1’38.646 – 67 laps completed) were able to lower their lap times, finishing third and fourth respectively behind Razgatlioglu (Yamaha – 1’38.269) and Rea (Kawasaki – 1’38.325)
The Aruba.it Racing – Ducati team will be back on track at Portimao (Portugal) next Tuesday for the second session of winter testing
Alvaro Bautista (1). Photo courtesy Ducati.
Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati #19)
“Two very interesting days of testing. We tried the new Panigale V4R for the first time and I have to say that the sensations were very positive. We worked a lot on the tire solutions even though obviously the very low temperature of these two days doesn’t allow us to have very clear ideas. In any case, I am very satisfied with our work”.
Michael Rinaldi (21). Photo courtesy Ducati.
Michael Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati #21)
“We have worked on both the bike and the tires. We go to Portiamo with a good charge knowing that we have faced two very productive days. Our lap times were in line with the front guys even if with the qualifying tire I wasn’t able to improve much. On the race pace, on the other hand, the feeling was really good, that’s why I am happy”.
The Aruba.it Racing – Ducati team will be back on track at Portimao (Portugal) next Monday for the second session of winter testing
WorldSSP
Positive feelings also for Nicolò Bulega, who took advantage of the two days of testing to find a good feeling with his Ducati Panigale V2. The Italian rider completed a total of 122 laps, finishing with a best time of 1’41.685.
Nicolo Bulega (11). Photo courtesy Ducati.
Nicolò Bulega (Aruba.it Racing WSSP Team #11)
“I am very satisfied with these two days of testing. After two months away from the circuits it wasn’t easy to find a good feeling and instead the sensations have been positive. Especially today we did some really intense work with the team that we will continue in Portimao”.
More, from a press release issued by Kawasaki:
Two Strong Testing Days For KRT
Jonathan Rea and Alex Lowes restarted their pre-season preparations for the 2023 FIM Superbike World Championship with a successful two day test at the Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto, between 25-26 January.
In contrast to some previous tests, conditions were consistently dry at the 4.423km long circuit in the far south west of Spain. With cool track temperatures experienced in the early morning and just before the end of track action (at 18.00) each day, the team elected not to ride for the entire duration of the available track time.
Rea was eventually the second fastest rider overall after setting 98 laps across the two day test. He posted a lap of 1’38.352, near the end of the second day. He was almost one second faster on day two than his already strong pace after day one.
Jonathan had a new electronics engineer, Sander Donkers, in his garage at Jerez with another addition to the team for 2023, Christophe Lambert, also now working alongside the established KRT personnel at Jerez.
Lowes concentrated on getting more comfortable at full pace on his machine and improving consistency over full race distance. He and his crew were satisfied with the results in this area and overall Alex was fifth fastest, despite not trying to go for a fast flying lap at the end of two very useful days of set-up progress.
Lowes’ best lap was a 1.39.175 and he completed over 115 laps all in.
After the completion of the Jerez sessions there will be one more European-based winter test for both KRT riders, at the very different venue of the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve, in Portugal, between 31 January and 1 February. After that there will be two final days of official winter testing at Phillip Island in Australia, and the first points scoring round of the season will take place at the same venue on the last weekend of February.
Jonathan Rea. Photo courtesy Kawasaki.
Jonathan Rea, stated: “It has been a productive couple of days. We didn’t do so many laps because of the cold track conditions in the morning, so we just started a little bit later. But the laps we did do were very productive. I really got on well with my new electronics guy, Sander. We also have Christophe arriving with a lot of experience. So the first day was more about understanding and communication, how they adapted the set-up to my requests and how I make my comments to them. It is only the first step but they had some really good ideas. We improved quite a lot in one area. From the chassis side, we had some items to test from Showa, things we had to reconfirm from last year. We were able to get our workload done. We also tried out some some development front tyre options from Pirelli. The track itself was in good shape on both days but it was a bit windy at the end of the final day. I am quite encouraged by this test but we still have a lot of work to do before Phillip Island.”
Alex Lowes (22). Photo courtesy Kawasaki.
Alex Lowes, stated: “We had a good second day of testing here in Jerez. We have got some new parts on the bike and I did a longer race simulation that I was happy with. We were consistent, just missing a little bit of performance on fresh tyres – but I did not really go for a time attack and try to push hard. We did a lot of laps today and I felt good physically. We had more of our test items to try and improve again in Portimao next week. I focused on the harder tyres and did a long run on the hardest front and rear options, to try and take some grip away, because the track is so grippy in the winter. It felt quite good, so I am very optimistic for the next test.”
Pere Riba, Crew Chief for Jonathan Rea, stated: “The test was good. Priority number one for me was to work with our new guys. Sander our electronics guy working with Jonathan, and also Christophe, who also is with us this year. They have to get used to, and understand, our systems, strategies and everything. We have this test in Jerez, then Portimao and then we go to Australia. So we have to understand the base for our electronics side and the engine side. Apart from that, we also made a test with Pirelli, trying out two front tyres. We had some engine items that we collected information about and we will compare them again in Portimao, at a different track design. We also had a small item to check with Showa.”
Marcel Duinker, Crew Chief for Alex Lowes, stated: “The test was good for us; very productive. It has been quite a while since the last test at the beginning of December but at this test we had one main priority. That is what we worked on over both days and we found the correct set-up. We are more comfortable with it and in general this was our main limitation for some time. We finished the test with very good results. We were not chasing lap times although many people put in Q tyres in to go as fast as possible. We were not looking at that. We made a long run to check our consistency with our set-up and we confirmed our bike specification. We have another test in Portimao, which is a completely different track, and there we will re-confirm the items we have developed from the beginning of December. Everybody was positive about this test.”
Tom Sykes (66). Photo courtesy Kawasaki.
Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) was once more out on the Ninja ZX-10RR that he will race in the 2023 season, after competing in the BSB championship in 2022. He finished 17th overall on the final day. Oliver Konig (Orelac Racing VerdNatura Kawasaki) was also out testing in readiness for his second WorldSBK season, finishing 20th fastest overall.
More, from a press release issued by GYTR GRT Yamaha:
AEGERTER AND GARDNER COMPLETE A “MARATHON” TEST IN JEREZ, THEIR FIRST ON DRY
The GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team finally returned to action with a two-days session of test on 25th-26th January at the Circuito de Jerez-Ángel Nieto, Spain, in preparation of the 2023 FIM Superbike World Championship.
So, the brand new rookie GRT duo got the chance to ride their Yamaha R1 WorldSBK bikes in the dry, with Dominique Aegerter and Remy Gardner who enjoyed the time spent on the machines, finding their ways throughout the test sessions.
On the first day, both riders could run in good weather conditions from 11:15 to 17:30, without any break, looking firstly on getting confidence with their bikes. Afterwards, the GYTR GRT Yamaha pair went on maximising their time on the track, going on to know the Yamaha R1 machines at the very best.
Indeed, at the end of the first test session, Aegerter and Gardner completed more than 170 laps combined, having good vibes on their first ever run in the dry. The Swiss rider concluded with an impressive 89 laps, more than everyone else, recording a 1’39.934 (69/89), while his Australian teammate finished with just three less (86 laps) pulling on a 1’40.551 (79/86) as personal best.
Day 2 did not tell a different story, as the GYTR GRT Yamaha duo kept rolling laps at the Circuito de Jerez-Ángel Nieto, finding once again dry tarmac. Both riders found themselves well on the bikes, eventually improving their performance. Thereby, Aegerter set a 1’39.193 (70/71), with Gardner who recorded a 1’39.464 (70/76).
The GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team will now move to Portimao, Portugal, for one more test session on 31st January-1st February.
“I’m happy with the job done during the two days here in Jerez. Finally we could ride in the dry and at the end I was able to ride a little bit more comfortable. We tried a lot of things, including working on my riding style. The final position is good as the lap times, even though we know we still have margin to improve. Let’s move on to Portimao, where we will go more in depth with the testing and hopefully further improve.”
Remy Gardner (87) getting crossed up at Jerez. Photo courtesy GYTR GRT Yamaha.
Remy Gardner (1’39.464, 162 laps)
“I’m quite happy with the progress we made throughout the two days, we’re working well. I’m trying to understand the tyres, the bike, and I’m feeling good with everything. I’m enjoying a lot the time spent here in Jerez and I’m already looking forward to Portimao, where I’m confident we can find some more improvements and be faster.”
More, from a press release issued by Team GoEleven:
WINTER TEST; FIRST CONTACT WITH 2023 SEASON IN JEREZ!
Finally, WorldSBK is back on track! The main protagonists of the 2023 Superbike season hit the track for two days of winter tests at the Jerez track in Andalusia. Sun and good weather allowed many teams to show important technical innovations, despite the low temperatures.
Philipp Oettl and the Go Eleven Team restarted from the bike in 2022 configuration during the first day, so as to regain feeling and confidence after a couple of months of break, only to then switch to a hybrid bike, with various 2023 innovations during day 2. If Philipp found good sensations on the first day, on the second day, when he switched to the 2023 configuration, with a different seat and tank than those previously used, some difficulty arose in finding the right riding position. Several modifications were made to find a temporary solution, working on footrest, handlebars and heights, but the German rider has still not managed to get the feeling he had with the bike from the end of last year. For the Portimao tests, which will be held next week, further developments should arrive, and studying the best solution for the riding position, then we can concentrate on the set-up in view of the start of the season, also evaluating the new parts with which the 2023 Panigale is equipped. The Spark exhaust, in the external and high version, another news of the new season, has provided positive feedback especially at low revs, without losing performance at top speeds. Furthermore, during the two days of Jerez, Oettl never used the SCQ tyre, concentrating his work on the “racing” configuration; it’s essential to first find the right feeling, then think about the time attack!
COMBINED RESULTS:
P 1 T. Razgatlioglu 1.38.269
P 2 J. Rea + 0.083
P 3 A. Bautista + 0.180
P 4 M. Rinaldi + 0.377
P 5 A. Lowes + 0.906
…
P 14 P. Oettl + 1.754
Philipp Oettl (Rider):
“The first day was positive overall, we started from the 2022 bike, then I did a few laps in “almost” 2023 configuration. The second day was much more difficult, on the new bike the seat position is really different for me, and I am not comfortable at the moment. We spent the day adjusting the ride position, but still we didn’t find a good balance. For Portimao, we will try to do something different, going similar to the 2022 bike. I didn’t expect this kind of problem, but it’s a new bike for us, I am quite confident we can find a good solution from the beginning of Portimao test, so we can start working on more important parts of the bike.”
Denis Sacchetti (Team Manager):
“Yesterday we used the bike in the 2022 configuration, to restart from our reference point, while today we started work on the new bike, the 2023, and there is more work to be done than we expected. The day was used to understand the correct ergonomic, in order to feel comfortable on the bike, so we did many seat tests focusing exclusively on this, and never looking for the lap time. We believe that the potential of the Ducati package is very high, and in Portimao we will focus on giving Philipp the opportunity to make the most of it. This year the level is high, and every detail must be given the utmost importance.”
More, from a press release issued by Yamaha:
Razgatlıoğlu Dominates Proceedings in Jerez
The Yamaha WorldSBK teams depart the first two-day test of 2023 at Jerez in confident mood, after strong performances from both seasoned WorldSBK campaigners Toprak Razgatlıoğlu and Andrea Locatelli and class rookies Dominique Aegerter, Remy Gardner and Lorenzo Baldassarri.
Pata Yamaha WorldSBK’s Razgatlıoğlu once again led the way, stamping his authority on proceedings by topping the timesheet on both days, with his lap time of 1’38.269 on day two tantalisingly close to the circuit lap record. Teammate, Andrea Locatelli, focused on evaluating development parts first tested in wet conditions back in December but made a significant improvement on the second day to finish seventh on the timesheet.
The GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK duo of Aegerter and Gardner completed a true ‘marathon’ on track, racking up a total of 382 laps between them over the two days. Both riders started on the 2022 specification R1 WorldSBK, as they continued to familiarise themselves with the characteristics of the bike they’ll race for the first time this season but moved on to test the 2023 development parts late on the opening day. Both riders ended the two days comfortably inside the top ten but are confident of further improvement with two more days of testing in Portimao.
For Lorenzo Baldassarri the Jerez test was his first outing on the GMT94 Yamaha WorldSBK R1 he’ll race this season, so familiarization was his only focus during the two days. The Italian had a permanent smile on his face throughout the two days and is keen to repeat the experience next week in Portimao.
All four Yamaha WorldSBK teams will now head directly to Portimao for two more days of testing before heading down under to Australia for the opening round of the season at Phillip Island. In Portugal they will be joined by the Yamaha Motoxracing Team and rider Bradley Ray, who this year will contest the European rounds on the WorldSBK calendar.
Toprak Razgatlıoğlu – 1’38.269
Pata Yamaha WorldSBK
“A very big crash this morning but I am very lucky, just a little pain in my left leg but now the feeling is coming better. We improved my R1, with good acceleration and good grip – I was trying today for 1’37 for the record, but I did not see! We used a Q tyre today and I see best lap, 1’38.2. In general, good testing for me – in Portimão we need to try some more set-up because we are happy but also we are not stopping. Just we try to keep making everything better – thanks to my team, every day they are working and now we start to see how the level of the bike is and I am very happy.”
Andrea Locatelli – 1’39.280
Pata Yamaha WorldSBK
“These two days of testing were positive, because we returned on track in dry conditions – last time here in Jerez was raining for three days! We were able to take some confidence again with the R1 in the dry and it was positive to understand where we start with some new parts for 2023. Today, we improved a lot compared to yesterday and this is a good point to start again in Portimão. I was also able to push a bit more and to try a little bit to close the gap to the front guys, but to be honest we didn’t use a lot of soft tyres – or the Q tyre – to try and improve the lap time. We mainly try to work around the bike and search for good grip which is more important for the races. In the end, two positive days, no crash or mistakes and I had a good feeling on the bike, so now we can continue working next week.”
Dominique Aegerter – 1’39.193
GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK
“I’m happy with the job done during the two days here in Jerez. Finally we could ride in the dry and at the end I was able to ride a little bit more comfortable. We tried a lot of things, including working on my riding style. The final position is good as the lap times, even though we know we still have margin to improve. Let’s move on to Portimao, where we will go more in depth with the testing and hopefully further improve.”
Remy Gardner – 1’39.464
GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK
“I’m quite happy with the progress we made throughout the two days, we’re working well. I’m trying to understand the tyres, the bike, and I’m feeling good with everything. I’m enjoying a lot the time spent here in Jerez and I’m already looking forward to Portimao, where I’m confident we can find some more improvements and be faster.”
Lorenzo Baldassarri – 1’40.975
GMT94 Yamaha WorldSBK
“This has been a very useful test for me and my team to know our new Yamaha R1. We started from a base setup and little by little we could get some nice improvements. We could finally take some decisions about the basic set up in electronics and geometries so that we can have a base for the next test in Portimao next week. The lap time now is pretty far but it is not so relevant, we need to take our time and improve step by step in all directions. Thanks to the Team and Yamaha who put very strong efforts to put me in the best conditions to start the season in the good way.”
Yamaha Champions Riding School/ChampU Chief Instructor and CEO Nick Ienatsch leads fellow instructors Chris Peris, Eziah Davis, Cody Wyman, and Michael Henao through Turn Five at Inde Motorsports Ranch in Willcox, Arizona. Photo by Joe Salas/4theriders.com.
Roadracing World Publishing is now requesting schedule and photo submissions from trackday organizers and riding school operators for the 2023 season to put in Roadracing World & Motorcycle Technology magazine and the 2023 Roadracing World Trackday Directory annual edition.
All schedule submissions should include: the name of your school or trackday organization, your schedule (including exact dates, correct track names and locations, and the track layout being used that day, if applicable), and full contact information for consumers.
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For trackday and school organizations and schedules to be listed in Roadracing World’s 2023 Trackday Directory annual edition, however, we need your schedule and the following information by February 3, 2023:
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Please e-mail schedule/calendar and Trackday Directory listing information and/or updates to [email protected].
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As always, we are also requesting trackday organizers and school operators to submit digital photos of their events and groups in action – on and off the track — for possible publication in the 2022 Trackday Directory. This is a great way to publicize your events and spotlight some of your members at no cost to you, but we need you to help us help you.
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Jonathan Rea, as seen during testing at Jerez in January. Photo courtesy Kawasaki.
KRT make ready for final European WorldSBK test
The Autódromo Internacional do Algarve, located near the town of Portimão, hosts the final European test for the Kawasaki Racing Team across 31 January and 1 February before KRT, and the rest of the paddock, make ready to fly to the opening round of the 2023 WorldSBK season in Australia.
With both Jonathan Rea and, teammate, Alex Lowes, making strong progress in testing so far, the Jerez test in late January has set both the riders and their respective pit crews up well for the demands of the 4.592km (2.8533) track which includes one of the fastest straights on the European schedule of the world’s most prestigious production based motorcycle race series.
Hosting its first WorldSBK event in its inaugural year of 2008, the Portuguese circuit has been a fan and rider favourite since then and will produce yet more crucial data for KRT to assimilate in their quest to be super prepared for Phillip Island and round one.
Hoping for warmer weather than they experienced at Jerez, Rea and Lowes will be looking to refine and answer the last few questions before the Championship for real starts with two crucial points scoring events in quick succession at Phillip Island and Mandalika, Indonesia. Plus, with Portimao being on the season calendar for 2023, the team will be able to complete the process of matching previous data to the outcome of this test and be ready to race on Portuguese soil come September.
Jonathan Rea rates Portimao as one of the fastest yet technical tracks on the calendar and showed well in 2022 taking a podium spot in all three races across the weekend while Alex Lowes was just off the podium in Superpole and in the top five in both races. For both riders then the search for those extra tenths of a second in lap time makes this Portimao test highly significant.
Kevin Elliott Sr., the longtime President and owner of Championship Cup Series (CCS) and American Sportbike Racing Association (ASRA), died from liver failure Sunday night, January 29th in a hospice in Florida. He was 64.
Elliott was a former racer who worked as an official for Roger Edmondson-owned CCS from 1987 to 1991.
Elliott got out of the sport for a while and owned his own bar at one point.
“Then in 1998,” Elliott told Roadracingworld.com in an interview November 24, 2022, “when he [Roger Edmondson] was going to sell it to Pace Motorsports (which became Clear Channel), they talked me into coming back because they needed someone who could run the thing after the sale. Then, we bought it from Clear Channel on January 1, 2006.”
Kevin Elliott on the cover of the February 2016 issue of American Motorcyclist magazine, the official magazine of AMA. Photo used with permission of AMA.
Elliott had a very tough time keeping CCS and ASRA going since 2020, when the COVID pandemic shut down or otherwise limited many public events, including motorcycle road races at huge outdoor venues. But even after COVID restrictions were lifted, racers did not come back in the same numbers as they had in the past, according to Elliott, and CCS/ASRA slipped into debt.
Elliott took on the task of keeping the Daytona 200 going when MotoAmerica bought the rights to promote the AMA National Series and could not reach a deal with Daytona International Speedway to run the race. Under his guidance, the event quickly grew from an historic low 29 entries in 2014 (the last year it was run by Daytona Motorsports Group, or DMG), to more than double the entries, at 67. MotoAmerica took the event over in 2022 and in doing so also took over what had been the traditional spring ASRA/CCS event weekend, which was a key event for Elliott’s organization; the loss of revenue from that event contributed to the demise of ASRA/CCS.
At the end of 2022, ASRA/CCS was acquired from Elliott by Mark Lienhard and Alex Spellman, but dealing with business struggles, the pending acquisition, and the death of his son Kevin Elliott, Jr. in September 2022 all took a heavy toll on Kevin Elliott, Sr.
Elliott was generally a jolly man who could be efficiently dealing with a frustrating and stressful situation one second and then turn around, make a joke, and let out a hearty laugh the next second. These qualities and others allowed him to attract and keep a loyal group of officials who kept ASRA and CCS events running smoothly and earned him the respect of many professionals working in the motorsports industry.
ASRA/CCS owner & President Kevin Elliott with long-time race ASRA/CCS official Diane Shepard Tribou.
Next of kin include father Carl Elliott and stepmother Andrea Elliott; brother Michael Elliott and sister in law Robin Elliott; brother Terry Elliott; step sister Terra Bassi; son Nick Campbell and daughter in law Dana Campbell; daughter Jennifer Sims and son in law Joshua Sims; son Bill Elliott; and multiple grandchildren. He is preceded in death by his mother Roxie Elliott and his son Kevin Elliott, Jr.
Opening ceremonies of Round 4 of the 2023 Monster Energy Supercross season and the first Triple Crown event of the year. Photo courtesy Feld Motor Sports, Inc.
Chase Sexton Wins Triple Crown Thriller at Anaheim 2 Supercross
Levi Kitchen Grabs First Supercross Victory in 250SX Class
Anaheim, Calif., – Team Honda HRC’s Chase Sexton took the win at round four of the 2023 Monster Energy AMA Supercross at Angel Stadium of Anaheim. The first of three Triple Crown events in 2023 delivered night-long racing thrills with three Main Events in each class. Main Event finishing positions combine to earn event points toward the 17-round Monster Energy AMA Supercross season as well as the inaugural 31-round SuperMotocross World Championship series.
Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Jason Anderson, the 2018 Supercross Champion, earned the runner-up spot at the second race held at the Anaheim venue this year. Progressive Insurance ECSTAR Suzuki’s Ken Roczen nabbed the final spot on the podium and was the most consistent of the top racers. The Western Regional 250SX Class delivered a first-time winner when Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Levi Kitchen earned the 250SX Class win in only his fifth Supercross race.
Chase Sexton (23) earned his second Monster Energy AMA Supercross victory in a thrilling Triple Crown event that will be re-watched for years. Photo courtesy Feld Motor Sports, Inc.
Chase Sexton grabbed the lead of 450SX Class Main Event 1 ahead of Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Adam Cianciarulo, Ken Roczen, and Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Dylan Ferrandis. Roczen was quickly into second place. Sexton and Roczen put a comfortable gap on the rest of the field early in the 12-minute plus one lap race. Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Eli Tomac was in sixth at the start and moving forward. It took him five and a half minutes to reach then pass Cianciarulo; Tomac held the third place spot to the finish. There was an exciting battle around Red Bull KTM’s Cooper Webb through most of the first race. As he and Ferrandis caught and passed Cianciarulo, Jason Anderson reached the pack. On the final lap Anderson contacted Webb in the corner after the whoops. Webb went down and Anderson rode off to capture fifth place. Cianciarulo took sixth ahead of Webb in seventh.
In 450SX Class Main Event 2 Tomac and Webb bumped just out of the gate. Anderson took the holeshot ahead of Roczen, Cianciarulo, and Sexton. Sexton was the rider on the move but an early mistake dropped him from fourth to eighth. Three and a half minutes into the race the top three, Anderson, Roczen, and Red Bull KTM’s Aaron Plessinger were packed together and had pulled a gap on the rest of the field. Plessinger moved into second but Roczen immediately counter attacked and took back the spot. A half lap later Plessinger crashed and Tomac took over the third place spot and soon applied pressure on Roczen for second. Roczen held strong until he slid out exiting a turn, giving an easy pass for Tomac. The top three looked set until Cooper Webb reached Roczen’s rear fender. The Suzuki rider had his third intense battle of the race, successfully holding off Webb to the end. The finishing order was Anderson, Tomac, Roczen, and Webb. With one 450SX Class race to go, Tomac and Roczen were tied for the overall lead with five points. Anderson and Sexton each held six points. The event win was there for the taking to any of the four racers.
Jason Anderson grabbed the Main Event 3 holeshot ahead of Webb, Sexton, and Tomac. Roczen was in ninth at the holeshot stripe. Sexton was quickly into second place and the win for the night’s overall looked to be between Anderson and Sexton. Two and a half minutes into the race Tomac made a surge to get around Webb but a Tomac mistake in one of the track’s main rhythm sections allowed Webb to hold the position. Two laps later Tomac jumped off line and crashed hard in the same rhythm section. He remounted in fourteenth but was clearly not charging. Further up the track, Sexton and Anderson traded the lead back and forth with Sexton finally making a pass stick. Anderson would face Webb in the closing laps, surrendering the second place spot to the KTM rider after nearly crashing on the slick dirt. Sexton won the Main Event and took the overall victory for the night. It was Sexton’s first Triple Crown win and his second 450SX Class win.
Levi Kitchen (43) earned his career-first Supercross victory in only his fifth attempt. Photo courtesy Feld Motor Sports, Inc.
Main Event 1 of the Western Regional 250SX Class kicked off the stadium event when Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s RJ Hampshire emerged from the first corner with the holeshot. Levi Kitchen, Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Stilez Robertson, and Smartop MotoConcepts Racing Honda’s Mitchell Oldenburg were right behind. Halfway through the opening lap of the 10-minute plus one lap race Team Honda HRC’s Jett Lawrence was into third and pushing to catch Hampshire and Kitchen. Less than two minutes in Lawrence got around Kitchen. A battle for the lead was developing when Lawrence suddenly high-sided exiting a turn and was flicked off his bike. He remounted in eighth place and was able to pass his way back to third behind Troy Lee Designs Red Bull GASGAS Factory Racing’s Pierce Brown. Title-contender Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Cameron McAdoo finished the first race in eighth, riding slightly off the pace after a tough crash in qualifying.
Main Event 2 in the 250SX Class was packed with drama. Right at the drop of the gate Lawrence moved over on Hampshire, putting the Main Event 1 winner into nearly dead last entering the first corner. Muc-Off FXR ClubMX Yamaha’s Phil Nicoletti grabbed the holeshot and put down a fast pace. Lawrence went down on the opening lap and Hampshire got caught up in the crash, losing back a few places he’d made early. Nicoletti lead Kitchen, Robertson and Red Bull KTM’s Max Vohland while Hampshire fought back from 16th and Lawrence from 22nd. Three minutes into the race Nicoletti held a 5.6 second lead. Then Hampshire went down hard when his hand came off the handlebars while blasting through the sand section. Hampshire was back up but riding slowly and he eventually pulled out of the race. Shortly after, Pierce Brown crashed in the whoops. He was slow to remount but re-joined the racing to finish thirteenth. With three minutes left on the race clock Lawrence had reached tenth place. With two laps to go Lawrence contacted McAdoo in a tight bowl turn. Lawrence bobbled and lost a position. At the checkers Robertson took the win followed by his teammate Levi Kitchen with Nicoletti in third. Lawrence crossed the line in sixth place. After two races the overall positions had Kitchen in the lead ahead of Robertson, with Oldenburg and Lawrence tied for third with one final race to determine the final order.
Jett Lawrence grabbed a big holeshot in Main Event 3 with Kitchen tucking into second place. Kitchen needed only to stay in second place to take his first Supercross victory. By the midpoint Lawrence still led and Kitchen remained in second with a comfortable gap on third place. Kitchen kept a steady pace and brought home second place in the race to earn the win at the Anaheim event. Lawrence earned second place points and Stilez Robertson took home third overall.
The racers line up again next Saturday night at round five at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas. The Western Regional 250SX Class now takes a two-weekend break as Houston marks round one of the Eastern Regional 250SX Class. The Houston race pays points for that regional series as well as for the SuperMotocross World Championship 250 class.
Every race of the Monster Energy Supercross season and the SuperMotocross World Championship series streams live on Peacock with select races broadcast on NBC, USA Network, and CNBC. For results, video highlights, features stories, and ticket sales to any of the upcoming rounds please go to SupercrossLIVE.com.
450SX Class podium (riders left to right) Jason Anderson, Chase Sexton, and Ken Roczen. Photo courtesy Feld Motor Sports, Inc.
450SX Class Results
1. Chase Sexton, Clermont, Fla., Honda
2. Jason Anderson, Rio Rancho, N.Mex., Kawasaki
3. Ken Roczen, Clermont, Fla., Suzuki
4. Cooper Webb, Newport, N.C., KTM
5. Dylan Ferrandis, Tallahassee, Fla., Yamaha
6. Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Yamaha
7. Aaron Plessinger, Hamilton, Ohio, KTM
8. Justin Barcia, Greenville, Fla., GASGAS
9. Adam Cianciarulo, New Smyrna Beach, Fla., Kawasaki
10. Joey Savatgy, Clermont, Fla., Kawasaki
450SX Class Championship Standings
1. Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Yamaha (69)
2. Chase Sexton, Clermont, Fla., Honda (65)
3. Cooper Webb, Newport, N.C., KTM (65)
4. Ken Roczen, Clermont, Fla., Suzuki (58)
5. Jason Anderson, Rio Rancho, N.Mex., Kawasaki (55)
Feld Motor Sports, Inc. is the worldwide leader in producing and presenting specialized arena and stadium-based motorsports entertainment. Properties include Monster Jam®, Monster Energy AMA Supercross, and the SuperMotocross World Championship. Feld Motor Sports, Inc. is a subsidiary of Feld Entertainment, Inc. Visit monsterjam.com, SupercrossLIVE.com, and feldentertainment.com for more information.
About Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship:
Monster Energy AMA Supercross is the most competitive and highest-profile off-road motorcycle racing championship on the planet. Founded in America and sanctioned by the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) since 1974. Over 17 weeks, Supercross attracts some of the largest and most impressive crowds inside the most recognizable and prestigious stadiums in North America to race in front of nearly one million live fans and broadcast to millions more worldwide. For more information, visit SupercrossLIVE.com.
About the SuperMotocross World Championship:
The SuperMotocross World Championship™ is the premier off-road motorcycle racing series that combines the technical precision of stadium racing with the all-out speed and endurance of outdoor racing. Created in 2022, the SuperMotocross World Championship combines the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship and the AMA Pro Motocross Championship into a 31-event series that culminates in a season-ending two round playoff and SuperMotocross World Championship Final. Visit SuperMotocross.com for more information.
About the American Motorcyclist Association:
Founded in 1924, the AMA is a not-for-profit member-based association whose mission is to promote the motorcycle lifestyle and protect the future of motorcycling. As the world’s largest motorcycling rights and event sanctioning organization, the AMA advocates for riders’ interests at all levels of government and sanctions thousands of competition and recreational events every year. The AMA also provides money-saving discounts on products and services for its members. Through the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in Pickerington, Ohio, the AMA honors the heroes and heritage of motorcycling. For more information, visit americanmotorcyclist.com.
Former racer and ASRA/CCS owner and President Kevin Elliott has been transferred from a hospital to a hospice for end of life care after declining further treatment for liver failure.
In a Facebook post, Elliott’s daughter Jennifer Sims wrote that her father had “made the decision to stop all treatment and just receive comfort care.”
A post made by Kevin Elliott’s daughter, Jennifer Sims, seen here with her father.
She added, “We ask that during this time, you please respect the privacy of our family and allow us to be together without any distractions. Please refrain from any calls, texts, or messages. We will update when anything changes and give information for any service when the time comes. Just know that he loved all of you and was at peace with his decision.”
Robbie Petersen (16) on a Yamaha YZR500 leads Top Kipp (16) on a Yamaha OW01 fitted with a FZR1000 engine and Kurt Hall (60) riding a methanol-burning Suzuki GSX-R1100 during a Formula USA race at Road Atlanta in 1991.
Classic video from the Formula USA/WERA Pro Series and Suzuki Cup Finals event at Road Atlanta in 1991.
This video was uploaded to YouTube by “oldSCCAguy yah” and is used here with permission of California Superbike School.
We will post more vintage racing videos as they become available.
Scott Russell (22), riding a Muzzy Kawasaki ZX-7 Superbike, fills the on-board camera shot from the back of Chuck Graves' Suzuki GSX-R1100 Superbike during the coverage of a Formula USA race at Road Atlanta in 1990.
Classic video from the 1990 WERA Grand National Finals (GNF), including endurance race highlights, Formula USA races, and Suzuki Cup Finals.
This video was uploaded to YouTube by “AmpedSS” and is used here with permission of California Superbike School.
We will post more vintage videos as they become available.
A 2023-model Ducati Multistrada V4 Rally being ridden in Africa. Photo courtesy Ducati.
Multistrada V4 Rally: production of the grand tourer Ducati gets underway
Twenty years after the birth of the first Multistrada, the new-born V4 Rally rolls off the production line, further expanding a never so complete touring family
Multistrada V4 Rally is the “Multi” designed to offer greater comfort for rider and passenger, more range and greater off-road aptitude to stop at nothing
The Multistrada V4 Rally will be available in Ducati dealerships from February
Borgo Panigale (Bologna, Italy) – Production of the Multistrada V4 Rally, the Ducati designed for lovers of long journeys, already featured in the third episode of the 2023 Ducati World Premiere, has begun at the Borgo Panigale factory. The new bike completes a touring range that has never been so extensive and which was born exactly 20 years ago with the first Multistrada 1000 that marked the opening of Ducati towards the world of travel.
Twenty years during which Multistrada has been able to evolve and renew itself through the 1100, 1200 and 1260, arriving at its fourth generation powered by the new, revolutionary V4 Granturismo. The Multistrada V4 interprets the concept of the Grand Tourer according to the values of Style, Sophistication, Performance that are intrinsic to Ducati’s DNA.
Multistrada introduced several innovations to the Ducati range, such as the Riding Modes and DVT variable valve timing, but it was also the first bike in the world equipped with technological innovations such as the semi-active Skyhook suspension, or more recently the world first of front and rear radar to support Adaptive Cruise Control and Blind Spot Detection systems as well as extended deactivation.
With the “Rally” Ducati takes the globetrotter spirit of the Multistrada V4 to an even higher level, thanks to better comfort for rider and passenger, greater range and a more pronounced off-road aptitude without neglecting performance (170 hp), reliability and running costs, with maintenance intervals every 60,000 km and Oil Service every 15,000 km/24 months thanks to the 1,158 cc V4 Granturismo engine. The new deactivation strategy extends to the entire rear bank even when moving at low speeds, when the engine speed and the torque request from the throttle are low, positively impacting fuel consumption which drops by around 10%.
To tackle unpaved roads even better, this Multistrada can count on semi-active suspension with increased travel of 200 mm, lightened spoked rims, reinforced engine guards, an Enduro Riding Mode with brand new Power Mode dedicated to off-road use, wider rider foot-pegs and an even more precise and efficient Skyhook DSS EVO control strategy in this model.
Comfort improves with particular attention to two-seater use: the windshield has been redesigned (increased by 40 mm in height and 20 mm in width), the tail has been lengthened and the luggage attachment set back to offer more space in the leg area to the passenger, who can also count on footrests with larger rubber inserts to reduce the level of transmitted vibrations. Furthermore, thanks to the availability of different height saddles for both rider and passenger and the lowered suspension kit, the Multistrada V4 Rally can be customized to adapt to any torque configuration. With a view to improving thermal comfort, the air vents in the leg area can now be divided in order to keep the heat released by the engine in the cold seasons.
To further support active safety, the Multistrada V4 Rally also integrates Cornering ABS, which allows you to harness the braking power of its system even when cornering, the Ducati Cornering Lights (DCL), which improve night-time visibility by illuminating the inside of the bend, Ducati Wheelie Control (DWC) and Ducati Traction Control (DTC). These systems use the inertial platform (IMU) to optimize intervention based on the lean and pitch angle of the vehicle.
The Multistrada V4 Rally also introduces a brand-new extended deactivation strategy of the rear bank, a technical solution making its debut on a production bike on the world stage. In addition to switching off the rear cylinders at idle when the bike is stationary, a function already present on the Multistrada V4, the V4 Granturismo now keeps the rear cylinder bank deactivated in other operating conditions to the benefit of fuel consumption and emissions.
The 6.5-inch colour TFT dashboard offers map navigation functions thanks to the Ducati Connect application, which supports the use of the telephone, now housed in a ventilated compartment, even to answer calls or listen to music, using a helmet equipped with an intercom system.
The Ducati Multistrada V4 Rally will arrive in dealerships from February 2023 in the two colours of Ducati Red and Brushed Aluminium & Matt Black, the latter with a visible brushed aluminium tank. Both versions have black spoked rims. There are three different versions: Adventure Radar, equipped with Adaptive Cruise Control and Blind Spot Detection functions, Adventure Travel & Radar, which adds aluminium side cases, heated grips and saddles, while the Full Adventure completes the latter equipment with an Akrapovič homologated silencer and front mudguard in carbon fibre.
The Multistrada V4 Rally – like all Ducati Multistradas – is covered by the “4|Ever Ducati” warranty, valid for 4 years with no mileage limit, with roadside assistance included throughout continental Europe.
Dani Pedrosa (26), as seen testing a new seat and tail section for KTM in September 2022. Photo courtesy Dorna.
DANI PEDROSA SET FOR 2023 MOTOGP™ GRAN PREMIO DE ESPAÑA RACE OUTING
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing will count on the presence of test rider and MotoGP Legend Dani Pedrosa for the Gran Premio de España at the Circuit de Jerez – Angel Nieto during April and for round four of 21 in the 2023 season.
The winner of 31 MotoGP Grands Prix will compete with the KTM RC16 for the second time. The first occasion came at the Red Bull Ring for the 2021 Grand Prix of Styria where he scored points and a top ten result with 10th position.
Pedrosa has been part of a comprehensive test team since 2019 and, along with another former Grand Prix winner Mika Kallio, has helped fashion the KTM RC16 to achieve victories and podiums.
Pedrosa has won four Grands Prix at Jerez. He claimed the 30th MotoGP victory of his career (the 53rd in world championship competition through 125, 250 and the premier class) at the venue in southern Spain in 2017. He has walked the Jerez podium nine times. He will share the garage for 2023 with current Red Bull KTM Factory Racing riders Brad Binder and Jack Miller.
Francesco Guidotti, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team Manager: “It’s fantastic news that Dani wants to refresh himself with MotoGP this season and Jerez makes good sense as it’s a popular place for us to test and, also, he knows the place very well. It will be an ideal opportunity for him to get more information for the future development of our race bike and we look forward to having him with us in the pitbox.”
Pit Beirer, KTM Motorsports Director: “Mika Kallio, Dani Pedrosa and our whole test program is so important and of course they have limited track time. Dani is a strong guy with a strong mentality and we always said when he wanted to do a wildcard then we’d be happy to make that happen. The perfect ‘test’ is always a race situation. If we can work on future development parts then it is super-important and I’m very happy that Dani will race again.”
Toprak Razgatlioglu (54). Photo courtesy Dorna WorldSBK Press Office.
FIM Superbike World Championship Test
Jerez Circuit, Spain
January 26, 2023
Unofficial Day Two Test Times (all on Pirelli tires):
Toprak Razgatlioglu, Turkey (Yam), 1:38.269
Jonathan Rea, UK (Kaw), 1:38.352
Alvaro Bautista, Spain (Duc), 1:38.449
Michael Rinaldi, Italy (Duc), 1:38.646
Alex Lowes, UK (Kaw), 1:39.175
Dominique Aegerter, Switzerland (Yam), 1:39.193
Andrea Locatelli, Italy (Yam), 1:39.280
Danilo Petrucci, Italy (Duc), 1:39.311
Iker Lecuona, Spain (Hon), 1:39.337
Remy Gardner, Australia (Yam), 1:39.464
Loris Baz, France (BMW), 1:39.517
Scott Redding, UK (BMW), 1:39.710
Xavi Vierge, Spain (Hon), 1:39.860
Philipp Oettl, Germany (Duc), 1:40.023
Garrett Gerloff, USA (BMW), 1:40.101
Michael van der Mark, Netherlands (BMW), 1:40.221
Tom Sykes, UK (Kaw), 1:40.750
Lorenzo Baldassarri, Italy (Yam), 1:40.975
Florian Marino, France (Kaw), 1:41.553
Oliver Konig, Czech Republic (Kaw), 1:41.595
More, from a press release issued by Dorna WorldSBK Press Office:
Jerez Test concludes with Razgatlioglu on top ahead of Rea and Bautista
Riders wrapped up their first test of 2023 in Jerez before moving onto Portimao next week
Toprak Razgatlioglu (54). Photo courtesy Dorna.
Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha WorldSBK) had a positive test and was unfazed by a crash midway through day 2 to set the fastest time again.
Jonathan Rea. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) was second fastest ahead of defending World Champion Alvaro Bautista.
Dominique Aegerter (77). Photo courtesy Dorna.
Rookies Dominique Aegerter (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) and Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) impressed finishing 6th and 8th respectively.
Iker Lecuona. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Team HRC’s Iker Lecuona spearheaded Honda’s effort as 9th fastest after completing 68 laps on Thursday.
Scott Redding (45). Photo courtesy Dorna.
Scott Redding continued his development work as BMW introduced a new
M 1000 RR model for 2023.
Tom Sykes (66). Photo courtesy Dorna.
Tom Sykes returns to WorldSBK for his first test back on the Kawasaki
ZX-10RR with the Kawasaki Puccetti Racing team.
WorldSBK Day 2 Report
Testing at the Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto came to a conclusion for the teams and riders from the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship that attended. Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha WorldSBK) was able to bounce back from his crash in the morning to record the fastest time with a 1’31.269s set in the afternoon; attempting to break the 1’37s barrier. Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) was second on Day 2, less than a tenth behind Razgatlioglu while 2022 WorldSBK Champion Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) took third place.
Alvaro Bautista (1). Photo courtesy Dorna.
After a strong showing on Day 1, three WorldSBK rookies finished the test inside the top ten on Day 2. Dominique Aegerter (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) was sixth fastest after posting a 1’39.193s, with Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) taking eighth place after setting a 1’39.311s. Aegerter’s GRT Yamaha teammate, Remy Gardner, took tenth spot but was only three tenths slower than Aegerter at the end of Day 2; showing how tight the WorldSBK field is in 2023.
Danilo Petrucci (9). Photo courtesy Dorna.
Most teams will now be headed to Autódromo Internacional do Algarve in Portugal for another two-day test to be held on Tuesday 31st January and Wednesday 1st February.
Read the full report from Day 2 in Jerez on worldsbk.com
Garrett Gerloff (31). Photo courtesy Dorna.
More, from a press release issued by Team HRC:
The 2023 pre-season kicks off for Team HRC with testing at Jerez
On Wednesday 25 and Thursday 26 January, Team HRC and its factory Superbike riders Iker Lecuona and Xavi Vierge took to the Jerez de la Frontera circuit in Spain for the first two-day test session of 2023, alongside most of the WorldSBK field.
Sunny albeit very cool conditions (which were even cooler on the second day with a maximum air temperature of just 13°C) offered Lecuona and Vierge the opportunity to continue with the development of the CBR1000RR-R FIREBLADE, the duo working efficiently and uninterruptedly from around midday until late in the afternoon on both days. This was fortuitous, considering that the team’s last test at Jerez in mid-December was seriously compromised by bad weather. Team HRC essentially picked up where it left off last time out then, carrying out tests and comparisons that were not possible in last month’s wet conditions.
Over the two days, Lecuona and Vierge focused on several new updates HRC had prepared for the test, spanning all areas of the bike’s setup, with the pair clocking up 68 and 88 laps on Wednesday and 68 and 79 on Thursday, respectively.
The squad will be back on track in just a few days’ time, participating in test sessions organised at the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve in Portugal on Monday 31 January and Tuesday 1 February.
Iker Lecuona (7) telling someone they are number one. Photo courtesy Team HRC.
Iker Lecuona 7
“I’m much happier today than I was yesterday, when we were struggling with the braking basically all day. So today we focused in on this area and made a big improvement that allowed me to enjoy riding the bike again. That was the first positive, but we were actually able to take steps with regard to various aspects of the bike’s setup, except one, in that we still have more to do in terms of turning. Having said that, I’m happy with the work we were able to carry out over what have been two very good days of testing, and I’m also pleased with the pace I was able to maintain on used tyres. I also tried a new soft spec today but almost crashed at turn 8. I think I made one of my best ever saves, touching with my elbow and knee but keeping it upright. Although I didn’t profit from the qualifying tyre, I was consistent and fast with the “0” spec, with which I worked almost all day, and we’re happy with that.”
Xavi Vierge (97). Photo courtesy Team HRC.
Xavi Vierge 97
“It’s been very positive to finally be back on track, especially because we only saw rain during our last tests here in December. It’s true that it has been very cold, but from midday on we were able to enjoy solid track time. We had a lot of work to do and have tried many things, basically going through all the items that we didn’t have a chance to check properly during the final rounds and testing sessions of 2022. We’ve made some steps forward and now have a direction for our next test in Portimão. We’re doing all we can to achieve our targets as quickly as possible and having so many Japanese engineers here has been extra motivation for us to do our very best”.
More, from a press release issued by Aruba.it Racing Ducati:
Bautista and Rinaldi conclude the first winter tests of the 2023 WorldSBK season. Bulega (WorldSSP) also on track at Jerez de la Frontera with the Panigale V2
The first winter tests for the Aruba.it Racing – Ducati team concluded this afternoon at Jerez de la Frontera (Spain). Alvaro Bautista and Michael Rinaldi had the chance to test the new Ducati Panigale V4 R for the first time, alternating their rides with the 2022 machines for comparisons that produced important data ahead of the start of the 2023 WorldSBK season.
On “Day 1” the Spanish rider completed 86 laps, finishing with the second-best time (1’38.851), two-tenths behind Razgatlioglu (Yamaha). Third place for Rinaldi, who set a time of 1’39.240, completing 72 laps.
On the second day, both Bautista (1’38.449 – 86 laps completed) and Rinaldi (1’38.646 – 67 laps completed) were able to lower their lap times, finishing third and fourth respectively behind Razgatlioglu (Yamaha – 1’38.269) and Rea (Kawasaki – 1’38.325)
The Aruba.it Racing – Ducati team will be back on track at Portimao (Portugal) next Tuesday for the second session of winter testing
Alvaro Bautista (1). Photo courtesy Ducati.
Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati #19)
“Two very interesting days of testing. We tried the new Panigale V4R for the first time and I have to say that the sensations were very positive. We worked a lot on the tire solutions even though obviously the very low temperature of these two days doesn’t allow us to have very clear ideas. In any case, I am very satisfied with our work”.
Michael Rinaldi (21). Photo courtesy Ducati.
Michael Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati #21)
“We have worked on both the bike and the tires. We go to Portiamo with a good charge knowing that we have faced two very productive days. Our lap times were in line with the front guys even if with the qualifying tire I wasn’t able to improve much. On the race pace, on the other hand, the feeling was really good, that’s why I am happy”.
The Aruba.it Racing – Ducati team will be back on track at Portimao (Portugal) next Monday for the second session of winter testing
WorldSSP
Positive feelings also for Nicolò Bulega, who took advantage of the two days of testing to find a good feeling with his Ducati Panigale V2. The Italian rider completed a total of 122 laps, finishing with a best time of 1’41.685.
Nicolo Bulega (11). Photo courtesy Ducati.
Nicolò Bulega (Aruba.it Racing WSSP Team #11)
“I am very satisfied with these two days of testing. After two months away from the circuits it wasn’t easy to find a good feeling and instead the sensations have been positive. Especially today we did some really intense work with the team that we will continue in Portimao”.
More, from a press release issued by Kawasaki:
Two Strong Testing Days For KRT
Jonathan Rea and Alex Lowes restarted their pre-season preparations for the 2023 FIM Superbike World Championship with a successful two day test at the Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto, between 25-26 January.
In contrast to some previous tests, conditions were consistently dry at the 4.423km long circuit in the far south west of Spain. With cool track temperatures experienced in the early morning and just before the end of track action (at 18.00) each day, the team elected not to ride for the entire duration of the available track time.
Rea was eventually the second fastest rider overall after setting 98 laps across the two day test. He posted a lap of 1’38.352, near the end of the second day. He was almost one second faster on day two than his already strong pace after day one.
Jonathan had a new electronics engineer, Sander Donkers, in his garage at Jerez with another addition to the team for 2023, Christophe Lambert, also now working alongside the established KRT personnel at Jerez.
Lowes concentrated on getting more comfortable at full pace on his machine and improving consistency over full race distance. He and his crew were satisfied with the results in this area and overall Alex was fifth fastest, despite not trying to go for a fast flying lap at the end of two very useful days of set-up progress.
Lowes’ best lap was a 1.39.175 and he completed over 115 laps all in.
After the completion of the Jerez sessions there will be one more European-based winter test for both KRT riders, at the very different venue of the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve, in Portugal, between 31 January and 1 February. After that there will be two final days of official winter testing at Phillip Island in Australia, and the first points scoring round of the season will take place at the same venue on the last weekend of February.
Jonathan Rea. Photo courtesy Kawasaki.
Jonathan Rea, stated: “It has been a productive couple of days. We didn’t do so many laps because of the cold track conditions in the morning, so we just started a little bit later. But the laps we did do were very productive. I really got on well with my new electronics guy, Sander. We also have Christophe arriving with a lot of experience. So the first day was more about understanding and communication, how they adapted the set-up to my requests and how I make my comments to them. It is only the first step but they had some really good ideas. We improved quite a lot in one area. From the chassis side, we had some items to test from Showa, things we had to reconfirm from last year. We were able to get our workload done. We also tried out some some development front tyre options from Pirelli. The track itself was in good shape on both days but it was a bit windy at the end of the final day. I am quite encouraged by this test but we still have a lot of work to do before Phillip Island.”
Alex Lowes (22). Photo courtesy Kawasaki.
Alex Lowes, stated: “We had a good second day of testing here in Jerez. We have got some new parts on the bike and I did a longer race simulation that I was happy with. We were consistent, just missing a little bit of performance on fresh tyres – but I did not really go for a time attack and try to push hard. We did a lot of laps today and I felt good physically. We had more of our test items to try and improve again in Portimao next week. I focused on the harder tyres and did a long run on the hardest front and rear options, to try and take some grip away, because the track is so grippy in the winter. It felt quite good, so I am very optimistic for the next test.”
Pere Riba, Crew Chief for Jonathan Rea, stated: “The test was good. Priority number one for me was to work with our new guys. Sander our electronics guy working with Jonathan, and also Christophe, who also is with us this year. They have to get used to, and understand, our systems, strategies and everything. We have this test in Jerez, then Portimao and then we go to Australia. So we have to understand the base for our electronics side and the engine side. Apart from that, we also made a test with Pirelli, trying out two front tyres. We had some engine items that we collected information about and we will compare them again in Portimao, at a different track design. We also had a small item to check with Showa.”
Marcel Duinker, Crew Chief for Alex Lowes, stated: “The test was good for us; very productive. It has been quite a while since the last test at the beginning of December but at this test we had one main priority. That is what we worked on over both days and we found the correct set-up. We are more comfortable with it and in general this was our main limitation for some time. We finished the test with very good results. We were not chasing lap times although many people put in Q tyres in to go as fast as possible. We were not looking at that. We made a long run to check our consistency with our set-up and we confirmed our bike specification. We have another test in Portimao, which is a completely different track, and there we will re-confirm the items we have developed from the beginning of December. Everybody was positive about this test.”
Tom Sykes (66). Photo courtesy Kawasaki.
Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) was once more out on the Ninja ZX-10RR that he will race in the 2023 season, after competing in the BSB championship in 2022. He finished 17th overall on the final day. Oliver Konig (Orelac Racing VerdNatura Kawasaki) was also out testing in readiness for his second WorldSBK season, finishing 20th fastest overall.
More, from a press release issued by GYTR GRT Yamaha:
AEGERTER AND GARDNER COMPLETE A “MARATHON” TEST IN JEREZ, THEIR FIRST ON DRY
The GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team finally returned to action with a two-days session of test on 25th-26th January at the Circuito de Jerez-Ángel Nieto, Spain, in preparation of the 2023 FIM Superbike World Championship.
So, the brand new rookie GRT duo got the chance to ride their Yamaha R1 WorldSBK bikes in the dry, with Dominique Aegerter and Remy Gardner who enjoyed the time spent on the machines, finding their ways throughout the test sessions.
On the first day, both riders could run in good weather conditions from 11:15 to 17:30, without any break, looking firstly on getting confidence with their bikes. Afterwards, the GYTR GRT Yamaha pair went on maximising their time on the track, going on to know the Yamaha R1 machines at the very best.
Indeed, at the end of the first test session, Aegerter and Gardner completed more than 170 laps combined, having good vibes on their first ever run in the dry. The Swiss rider concluded with an impressive 89 laps, more than everyone else, recording a 1’39.934 (69/89), while his Australian teammate finished with just three less (86 laps) pulling on a 1’40.551 (79/86) as personal best.
Day 2 did not tell a different story, as the GYTR GRT Yamaha duo kept rolling laps at the Circuito de Jerez-Ángel Nieto, finding once again dry tarmac. Both riders found themselves well on the bikes, eventually improving their performance. Thereby, Aegerter set a 1’39.193 (70/71), with Gardner who recorded a 1’39.464 (70/76).
The GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team will now move to Portimao, Portugal, for one more test session on 31st January-1st February.
“I’m happy with the job done during the two days here in Jerez. Finally we could ride in the dry and at the end I was able to ride a little bit more comfortable. We tried a lot of things, including working on my riding style. The final position is good as the lap times, even though we know we still have margin to improve. Let’s move on to Portimao, where we will go more in depth with the testing and hopefully further improve.”
Remy Gardner (87) getting crossed up at Jerez. Photo courtesy GYTR GRT Yamaha.
Remy Gardner (1’39.464, 162 laps)
“I’m quite happy with the progress we made throughout the two days, we’re working well. I’m trying to understand the tyres, the bike, and I’m feeling good with everything. I’m enjoying a lot the time spent here in Jerez and I’m already looking forward to Portimao, where I’m confident we can find some more improvements and be faster.”
More, from a press release issued by Team GoEleven:
WINTER TEST; FIRST CONTACT WITH 2023 SEASON IN JEREZ!
Finally, WorldSBK is back on track! The main protagonists of the 2023 Superbike season hit the track for two days of winter tests at the Jerez track in Andalusia. Sun and good weather allowed many teams to show important technical innovations, despite the low temperatures.
Philipp Oettl and the Go Eleven Team restarted from the bike in 2022 configuration during the first day, so as to regain feeling and confidence after a couple of months of break, only to then switch to a hybrid bike, with various 2023 innovations during day 2. If Philipp found good sensations on the first day, on the second day, when he switched to the 2023 configuration, with a different seat and tank than those previously used, some difficulty arose in finding the right riding position. Several modifications were made to find a temporary solution, working on footrest, handlebars and heights, but the German rider has still not managed to get the feeling he had with the bike from the end of last year. For the Portimao tests, which will be held next week, further developments should arrive, and studying the best solution for the riding position, then we can concentrate on the set-up in view of the start of the season, also evaluating the new parts with which the 2023 Panigale is equipped. The Spark exhaust, in the external and high version, another news of the new season, has provided positive feedback especially at low revs, without losing performance at top speeds. Furthermore, during the two days of Jerez, Oettl never used the SCQ tyre, concentrating his work on the “racing” configuration; it’s essential to first find the right feeling, then think about the time attack!
COMBINED RESULTS:
P 1 T. Razgatlioglu 1.38.269
P 2 J. Rea + 0.083
P 3 A. Bautista + 0.180
P 4 M. Rinaldi + 0.377
P 5 A. Lowes + 0.906
…
P 14 P. Oettl + 1.754
Philipp Oettl (Rider):
“The first day was positive overall, we started from the 2022 bike, then I did a few laps in “almost” 2023 configuration. The second day was much more difficult, on the new bike the seat position is really different for me, and I am not comfortable at the moment. We spent the day adjusting the ride position, but still we didn’t find a good balance. For Portimao, we will try to do something different, going similar to the 2022 bike. I didn’t expect this kind of problem, but it’s a new bike for us, I am quite confident we can find a good solution from the beginning of Portimao test, so we can start working on more important parts of the bike.”
Denis Sacchetti (Team Manager):
“Yesterday we used the bike in the 2022 configuration, to restart from our reference point, while today we started work on the new bike, the 2023, and there is more work to be done than we expected. The day was used to understand the correct ergonomic, in order to feel comfortable on the bike, so we did many seat tests focusing exclusively on this, and never looking for the lap time. We believe that the potential of the Ducati package is very high, and in Portimao we will focus on giving Philipp the opportunity to make the most of it. This year the level is high, and every detail must be given the utmost importance.”
More, from a press release issued by Yamaha:
Razgatlıoğlu Dominates Proceedings in Jerez
The Yamaha WorldSBK teams depart the first two-day test of 2023 at Jerez in confident mood, after strong performances from both seasoned WorldSBK campaigners Toprak Razgatlıoğlu and Andrea Locatelli and class rookies Dominique Aegerter, Remy Gardner and Lorenzo Baldassarri.
Pata Yamaha WorldSBK’s Razgatlıoğlu once again led the way, stamping his authority on proceedings by topping the timesheet on both days, with his lap time of 1’38.269 on day two tantalisingly close to the circuit lap record. Teammate, Andrea Locatelli, focused on evaluating development parts first tested in wet conditions back in December but made a significant improvement on the second day to finish seventh on the timesheet.
The GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK duo of Aegerter and Gardner completed a true ‘marathon’ on track, racking up a total of 382 laps between them over the two days. Both riders started on the 2022 specification R1 WorldSBK, as they continued to familiarise themselves with the characteristics of the bike they’ll race for the first time this season but moved on to test the 2023 development parts late on the opening day. Both riders ended the two days comfortably inside the top ten but are confident of further improvement with two more days of testing in Portimao.
For Lorenzo Baldassarri the Jerez test was his first outing on the GMT94 Yamaha WorldSBK R1 he’ll race this season, so familiarization was his only focus during the two days. The Italian had a permanent smile on his face throughout the two days and is keen to repeat the experience next week in Portimao.
All four Yamaha WorldSBK teams will now head directly to Portimao for two more days of testing before heading down under to Australia for the opening round of the season at Phillip Island. In Portugal they will be joined by the Yamaha Motoxracing Team and rider Bradley Ray, who this year will contest the European rounds on the WorldSBK calendar.
Toprak Razgatlıoğlu – 1’38.269
Pata Yamaha WorldSBK
“A very big crash this morning but I am very lucky, just a little pain in my left leg but now the feeling is coming better. We improved my R1, with good acceleration and good grip – I was trying today for 1’37 for the record, but I did not see! We used a Q tyre today and I see best lap, 1’38.2. In general, good testing for me – in Portimão we need to try some more set-up because we are happy but also we are not stopping. Just we try to keep making everything better – thanks to my team, every day they are working and now we start to see how the level of the bike is and I am very happy.”
Andrea Locatelli – 1’39.280
Pata Yamaha WorldSBK
“These two days of testing were positive, because we returned on track in dry conditions – last time here in Jerez was raining for three days! We were able to take some confidence again with the R1 in the dry and it was positive to understand where we start with some new parts for 2023. Today, we improved a lot compared to yesterday and this is a good point to start again in Portimão. I was also able to push a bit more and to try a little bit to close the gap to the front guys, but to be honest we didn’t use a lot of soft tyres – or the Q tyre – to try and improve the lap time. We mainly try to work around the bike and search for good grip which is more important for the races. In the end, two positive days, no crash or mistakes and I had a good feeling on the bike, so now we can continue working next week.”
Dominique Aegerter – 1’39.193
GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK
“I’m happy with the job done during the two days here in Jerez. Finally we could ride in the dry and at the end I was able to ride a little bit more comfortable. We tried a lot of things, including working on my riding style. The final position is good as the lap times, even though we know we still have margin to improve. Let’s move on to Portimao, where we will go more in depth with the testing and hopefully further improve.”
Remy Gardner – 1’39.464
GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK
“I’m quite happy with the progress we made throughout the two days, we’re working well. I’m trying to understand the tyres, the bike, and I’m feeling good with everything. I’m enjoying a lot the time spent here in Jerez and I’m already looking forward to Portimao, where I’m confident we can find some more improvements and be faster.”
Lorenzo Baldassarri – 1’40.975
GMT94 Yamaha WorldSBK
“This has been a very useful test for me and my team to know our new Yamaha R1. We started from a base setup and little by little we could get some nice improvements. We could finally take some decisions about the basic set up in electronics and geometries so that we can have a base for the next test in Portimao next week. The lap time now is pretty far but it is not so relevant, we need to take our time and improve step by step in all directions. Thanks to the Team and Yamaha who put very strong efforts to put me in the best conditions to start the season in the good way.”
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