Update: The 100 Del Mar Launch Edition models sold out within 18 minutes.
LIVEWIRE REVEALS S2 DEL MAR ELECTRIC MOTORCYCLE
Reservations Open for 100 Del Mar Launch Edition Models Expected to Begin Deliveries in Spring 2023
MILWAUKEE, WI (May 10, 2022) – LiveWire™ is set to bring advanced design, technical innovation, and engineering expertise to urban riding and beyond, with the all-electric S2 Del Mar™ motorcycle, the first LiveWire model to feature the new S2 ARROW architecture.
The first 100 units will be built to order and serialized as Del Mar Launch Edition models, which can be reserved now at livewire.com for expected delivery in the spring of 2023.
The 100 Del Mar Launch Edition models will feature an exclusive finish and wheel design and an MSRP of $17,699.
The production S2 Del Mar will deliver immediately after the launch edition, with a target MSRP of $15,000 USD.
The S2 Del Mar features a targeted output of 80 horsepower (59.6 kW), and less than 440 pounds of weight, delivering projected 0-to-60 mph times of 3.5 seconds or less.
Del Mar range in city riding is targeted to be 100 miles.*
Another view of a LiveWire S2 Del Mar. Photo courtesy Harley-Davidson.
“The S2 Del Mar model represents the next step in the evolution of the LiveWire brand,” said Jochen Zeitz, Chairman, President and CEO of Harley-Davidson. “The ARROW architecture underpinning the Del Mar, developed in-house at LiveWire Labs, demonstrates our ambition to lead in the EV space and establish LiveWire as the most desirable electric motorcycle brand in the world.”
Advanced LiveWire ARROW Architecture
LiveWire’s scalable ARROW architecture with proprietary battery, motor, charging, and control systems debuts on the Del Mar model and was designed at LiveWire Labs in Mountain View, California. The ARROW architecture is intended to be modular and serves as the central component of the motorcycle chassis.
Del Mar is designed to offer its rider thrilling performance with a targeted output of 80 horsepower (59.6 kW), delivering projected 0-to-60 mph times of 3.5 seconds. City range is expected to be 100 miles.* The Del Mar model weight target is 440 pounds or less.
An Urban Street Tracker
Del Mar presents a street-tracker stance on 19-inch front and rear wheels equipped with custom developed LiveWire Dunlop DT1 tires equally capable on paved and dirt surfaces. The slim seat tops a short tail section. A tracker-style handlebar fronted by a thin flyscreen places the rider in an upright position for a comfortable and controlled riding experience.
Launch Edition Model
Only 100 examples of the Del Mar Launch Edition models will be made, featuring an exclusive finish and wheel design. The graphics and paint – in a choice of Jasper Gray or Comet Indigo – are applied by hand using a process that takes 5 days to complete. The design employs an opposing-fade, representing and celebrating both the exciting and soulful experiences of riding LiveWire electric motorcycles. The intricate pattern of the 19-inch PCB cast-aluminum wheels evokes the dense patterning and framework found on printed circuit boards. The vaulted and tapered spoke design promotes lateral stiffness for enhanced handling performance, while also pushing the boundaries of casting technology.
The Del Mar Launch Edition model debuts with an MSRP of $17,699, while the production version is expected to launch with a target MSRP of $15,000 USD. Delivery of the Launch Edition and production versions of S2 Del Mar model are set for the spring of 2023. All LiveWire S2 Del Mar motorcycles will be assembled at Harley-Davidson Vehicle Operations in York, PA.
To learn more about the LiveWire S2 Del Mar Launch Edition motorcycle visit: livewire.com/delmar.
*Range estimates are based on expected performance on a fully-charged battery and are derived from SAE J2982 Riding Range Test Procedure data on a sample motorcycle under ideal laboratory conditions. Your actual range will vary depending on your personal riding habits, road and driving conditions, ambient weather, vehicle condition and maintenance, tire pressure, vehicle configuration (parts and accessories), and vehicle loading (cargo, rider and passenger weight).
From the Iberian Peninsula, the Repsol Honda Team head in-land for round seven of the 2022 season with Marc Marquez and Pol Espargaro targeting further improvements.
The 2022 MotoGP World Championship season is now well and truly underway as the Grand Prix paddock arrives at the Le Mans circuit in France. Consistently on the calendar since 2000, the French track enjoys an enthusiastic crowd and often produces surprising races with unpredictable weather. For this year’s French Grand Prix, the forecast is looking decidedly more consistent with sun and clear skies currently on the horizon.
Marc Marquez arrives in Le Mans still full of fire after a fighting fourth in the Spanish Grand Prix. Battling hard with Aleix Espargaro and Jack Miller, the eight-time World Champion amazed fans around the world as he made another of his trademark saves during the race. More important than his performance in the race was the test on Monday where Marquez and his team were able to explore several setting and parameters for the new Repsol Honda Team RC213V. With this extra information, Marquez will be hoping to fight at the front of the race once again and potentially add to his three French GP wins and four total podiums in the premier class.
There was no one who put in more work than Pol Espargaro on the Monday Test in Jerez, the #44 completing the most laps of any rider. Espargaro is aiming to put this knowledge to work immediately at the French GP, a race where he has classically enjoyed success. Having only missed the top ten twice in France in the premier class and claiming a podium in the rain-soaked 2020 race, Espargaro’s history speed and the new RC213V have the potential to once again run at the front. The generally cooler conditions of Le Mans should also help Espargaro to show his and the bike’s full potential.
With 44 points, Marc Marquez holds ninth in the MotoGP World Championship and nine points further behind is Pol Espargaro with 35 points.
The Repsol Honda Team’s most recent podium at the French GP came in 2020 when Alex Marquez raced to second in the wet.
Marc Marquez
“Overall the Jerez weekend was good when we also include the test because we were able to learn a good amount. Now we arrive in France to see what’s possible. The important thing is to keep building, keep improving and keep closing the distance to the front. In Jerez we made progress and now we must keep on going, especially after the test it’s important to see how everything is. I have had some good races in Le Mans and some more challenging races there, it can depend a lot on the conditions but they’re looking good for this weekend.“
Pol Espargaro
“Last year I think Le Mans was one of the first weekends where we could really start to show our potential. I know how myself and the bike have improved since then so I am looking forward to going back and putting into action what we found during the test. I’ve had some good races in Le Mans, the cooler conditions and the high levels of grip suit my riding style a lot. MotoGP is very close at the moment so we can’t rely on the past, no matter what we need to work well from the start of the weekend – qualify well and fight hard during the race.”
Tour de force: Quartararo & Zarco head the charge in Sarthe
The home heroes head the ranks as MotoGP™ returns to historic Le Mans
It’s what we’d been waiting for since the start of the season and at Jerez, it was finally delivered: a showdown between the top two in the 2021 Championship and the duo tipped to fight it out again for the crown this season. And in the end, Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) couldn’t quite find an answer for Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team), with the Italian back to his serene best and back on the top step for the first time this season. Now it’s home turf for the reigning Champion as we head for the SHARK Grand Prix de France though, so will we get a repeat or can the rest close that fairly sizeable gap behind the duel last time out?
Last year, the weather made it a different challenge and the challenge was met by Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) as he made it back-to-back wins in a flag-to-flag spectacular. The year before a Ducati was also victorious, in the full wet, as Danilo Petrucci took to the top step. A Ducati – or more than one – was on the front row each time too, with the Borgo Panigale factory showing all-weather pace at the venue and that a threat in itself… but we’ve never seen Bagnaia on full song – the form he found from the latter half of 2021 – take on Le Mans, so that may well be a hand Ducati have not yet been able to play at the track.
Home hero Johann Zarco (Pramac Racing) will also be pushing to the maximum, having been on pole and the podium at the venue but never the top step. That’s true of more than just Le Mans as he searches for that elusive first premier class win, but on home turf he’s come close and this year the Frenchman will be one to watch again. An inconsistent start to the year could mean his mentality goes either way: there’s a little less to lose so it’s full gas, or there’s an even bigger incentive to settle for a safer points haul. We’re about to find out which he’ll choose…
Teammate Jorge Martin, meanwhile, needs some points. When the number 89 has put it together he’s been fighting at the front, but he’ll want a finish this weekend as he fights to recover in the standings from some DNFs. Bagnaia and Martin started the season with some similar hurdles – not least that incident in Qatar – but the number 63 is already into the top five overall on his recovery mission. Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing MotoGP™), in the battle of the sophomores, will also want to bounce back, although the Italian remains third in the Championship as it stands. Can he pull something out the locker in Sarthe?
Quartararo, however, will be the star of the show. The Frenchman’s stated 2022 mentality is to fight for fifth, seventh or 14th like it’s for the win, and he’s more than bearing that out on track as he proves a lonely Yamaha at times in the upper echelons – and he’s now extended that hard-fought Championship lead. He’s been the fastest rider at Le Mans with some impressive – and popular – pole positions already, and he’s finished on the podium, even in that flag-to-flag. But the best laid plans of El Diablo have not been simply podium pace. Until the weather has intervened, they’ve been an assault on the win… so will 2022 be his year?
Franco Morbidelli (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) and Andrea Dovizioso (WithU Yamaha RNF Racing) continue to struggle to cut that gap to Quartararo, the former with similar experience on the Yamaha and the latter trying to leverage his experience elsewhere to push himself forward. Can they start to build back up in France?
For Aprilia, meanwhile, every weekend is a positive one for Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing), it seems. The podiums keep on coming and those concessions are now a thing of the past, with the project reaching full circle as the Noale factory join their competitors. Will that have an effect? If it does it will be a while in showing, and in the meantime the grid have a very fast, very consistent pairing of Aleix Espargaro on the RS-GP to contend with. He’ll be aiming for the podium once again, and teammate Maverick Viñales will be aiming to move forward again too. The starts are one key focus for the factory, can they take a step forward there after the test in Jerez?
Since that test in Jerez, Suzuki have been in the headlines off track, but on track the Hamamatsu factory team will retain that singular focus of taking to the podium and top step. Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) had a dip in form in Jerez and a run off put paid to the kind of recovery we saw at COTA, but the number 42 remains fourth in the Championship and equal on points with Bastianini just ahead of him. We’ve seen some fearsome wet weather speed from Rins at Le Mans, can he bring that come rain or shine, and all the way to the finish line? For teammate Joan Mir, meanwhile, that bad luck in Portugal became a solid but not podium-threatening ride in Jerez, and the 2020 Champion will want more. Qualifying also remains a more difficult task for both Rins and Mir, so Saturday will once again be a key focus.
As 2022 goes on, so does Honda’s push with the new RC213V. The all-new bike started life on the podium and it’s since been a tougher season, but taking a fresh philosophy to race-day ready – and MotoGP™ race-day ready – is no mean feat, and it’s a long term commitment. Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) was back to his old tricks in a couple of ways at Jerez too; first in being the lead Honda by some margin and second, fighting for the podium with his elbows out and down in a spectacular and classic save. The number 93 said just before Jerez that it’s about making the package all work together – including the rider – and Sunday seemed to say a step had been made. As with nearly every venue, Marquez is no stranger to the top step at Le Mans either.
Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) arrives a little off fully fit after hurting his knee ligaments in testing, Pol Espargaro (Repsol Honda Team) wants to make s big step forward and Alex Marquez (LCR Honda Castrol) – who’s had some serious form at Le Mans including that wet-weather rookie podium – will want more Portugal form than Jerez. What can they do , and has Marc Marquez made a break from his fellow Honda riders with the new machine?
Finally, Jerez was a tougher one for KTM. After the Algarve was a solid ride and result for Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) but a first crash out in nearly a year for teammate Brad Binder, the South African turned the tables again in Spain but neither were in the postcode they’ll want. After having won multiple races in the wet and dry, with both riders, KTM won’t settle for being denied the podium fight. A new, eyebrow-raising exhaust was spotted at the Jerez test as the most outward sign of their push to regain ground, although the factory also reported they’d be trying something that would be a little harder to see. Can they make another step forward in getting that consistent form in France?
The SHARK Grand Prix de France will be a headline-maker for more than just Quartararo and Zarco, although the crowd is pretty much guaranteed to be partisan. Can Bagnaia, MIller, Marquez or more spoil the party? We’ll find out at 14:00 (GMT +2) on Sunday, so make sure to tune in!
3 Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) – Ducati – 69
4 Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) – Suzuki – 69
5 Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) – Ducati – 56
Moto2 racers Ai Ogura (79), Aron Canet (behind Ogura), and Tony Arbolino (behind Canet). Photo courtesy Dorna.
Moto2™: the chase is on at Le Mans
With three of Vietti’s key rivals locking out the podium in Spain, it’s very much game on in the intermediate class
The drama in Portugal seemed to send a shockwave through the Moto2™ World Championship, but Jerez saw the situation change again and not in favour of points leader Celestino Vietti (Mooney VR46 Racing Team). The Italian came home sixth and didn’t get in the podium fight, with that instead proving a three-way battle between Ai Ogura (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia), Aron Canet (Flexbox HP 40) and Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) – aka the three riders closest behind Vietti in the title fight. Will they make up more ground at Le Mans?
Ogura will arrive confident from his first Moto2™ win, and his first win in any class. It’s been a consistent and impressive journey for the Japanese rider in the World Championship, having fought for the title in Moto3™ and taken a podium as a rookie already in Moto2™, but that tick in the box was missing, presumed soon. Now it’s a done deal, and his pace was also a warning shot as he moves into second overall and now just 19 points off Vietti. Arbolino was also an impressive sophomore performer in third, hammering home his 2022 form and still only a point behind Ogura, so can they keep that rolling at Le Mans? Past form seems to matter little to both, with 2022 a whole new ball game, but Arbolino was nearly on the podium there last year.
Canet, meanwhile, was a headline unto himself. After that radius and finger fracture suffered in Portugal, the Pons rider didn’t know if he’d be able to take part in the weekend, but in the end came home second and gained a good chunk of ground on Vietti. The pain barrier was real but the Spaniard rode through it, and now there’s a little more time to have recovered ahead of Le Mans. Consistent speed is what he lacked before in Moto2™, now he has it in spades… so surely the Spaniard sees France as just another chance to fight for that podium and cut that gap – and another chance to push for that maiden Moto2™ win.
There are plenty more fast faces suffering a mix of bad luck and trouble in 2022 who may be able to get in the mix though: Augusto Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo), Jake Dixon (Autosolar GASGAS Aspar Team), Sam Lowes (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team), Somkiat Chantra (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) names but a few. Can they home back in on that podium?
The gap after Portugal seemed like a mountain for the competition, but in just one race there was a reminder how quickly it can disappear with a sixth place vs a podium packed with key rivals. Vietti will want to hit back and he’ll have chance on Sunday at 12:20 (GMT + 2), so tune in for Moto2™ at the SHARK Grand Prix de France!
Moto2™ CHAMPIONSHIP: TOP 5
1 Celestino Vietti (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) – Kalex – 100
2 Ai Ogura (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) – Kalex – 81
3 Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) – Kalex – 70
4 Aron Canet (Flexbox HP 40) – Kalex – 69
5 Joe Roberts (Italtrans Racing Team) – Kalex – 57
Izan Guevara (28) and Sergio Garcia (11) leading some other Moto3 riders. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Moto3™: will it be full GASGAS in France?
After a grandstand finish and a 1-2 on home turf for the Aspar Team, Le Mans awaits – with another final corner that tempts a showdown
Izan Guevara (Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team) pulled a genius rabbit out the hat to take his first win of the year in Jerez, heading round the outside of the final corner to outfox the rest. In doing so he underlined his impressive form in the World Championship – and in 2022 so far – and brought himself a few points closer to the top. But the top remains in the hands of more veteran teammate Sergio Garcia, with the Spaniard playing arguably the right cards in Jerez but coming up just short – nevertheless extending his lead over closest rival Dennis Foggia (Leopard Racing). Next up it’s Le Mans, and the final corner at the French venue offers another opportunity for those whose ambition is matched by their talent. So does anyone have an answer for the duo this time out?
Last season the weather put paid to a more usual Moto3™ showdown, and that will once again be a key consideration as Le Mans can be one more prone to rain. Even then though, Garcia won it and by more than a couple of seconds, so there’s no salvation coming from the weather for those looking to cut the gap. Foggia, with a more difficult record in the wet, will be one hoping it’s dry, and the Italian’s record at the venue doesn’t pencil it in as a key target for a place to make up ground either – so it could be damage limitation.
Guevara’s track record, meanwhile, doesn’t seem to have mattered much so far this season as he’s been fast everywhere, although Jerez is a track where the number 28 has more experience. Tracks like Le Mans are a good place to prove the step forward. For Jaume Masia (Red Bull KTM Ajo), who’s now on quite a podium run, it’s another chance to prove his consistency too, with the veteran having taken a rostrum at Jerez for the first time to secure another top finish. Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Tech3), meanwhile, will likely be tired of taking fourth and fifth – and the Turk can usually be relied on to try that move. Now he needs to make it stick, and on the team’s home turf.
Ayumu Sasaki (Sterilgarda Max Racing Team) is another to watch after the Japanese rider turned a back of the grid penalty into a sixth place finish, with super speed once again. His teammate – and former Le Mans winner – John McPhee is hoping to be back on track too, and the Scotsman was already feeling ready to give it a shot in Portugal. He’s the only rider in the field to have won at the track from pole.
Rookies Daniel Holgado (Red Bull KTM Ajo) and Diogo Moreira (MT Helmets – MSI) will be aiming high too after two more solid finishes, and home hero Lorenzo Fellon (SIC58 Squadra Corse) is hoping to be back. He missed the Spanish GP after a shoulder dislocation on Friday.
It’s now 21 points of advantage for Garcia at the top, and that’s only to Foggia. The Italian, and Honda, will be hoping to find something more for the French GP to stop that growing – especially after rookie Scott Ogden (VisionTrack Racing Team) was the lead Japanese machine home last time out. Find out what they have in the locker when the lights go out at the French GP at 11:00 (GMT +2) for Moto3™.
Former pro road racer and racing business owner Brett Ray died of a heart attack at his home in Marion, Illinois, on May 6. He was 59.
Ray grew up racing motorcycles in motocross, flat track, drag racing and even did some car racing, but he loved motorcycle road racing most of all. Through the 1990s and early 2000s he competed in AMA Pro Superbike, usually under the R & R Racing banner.
He later shifted to the AMA Pro SunTrust Moto-ST/Moto-GT endurance series, where he and Paul Schwemmer co-rode an Aprilia Tuono RSV1000 to third place overall in the race at VIRginia International Raceway.
He later came back to participate in the 75th Daytona 200 in 2016, qualified 38th in the field of 54, but DNF the race.
Away from the track, Ray turned his passion for racing into a business, also called R & R Racing. Ray started R & R Racing in 1991 and produced rear subframes, front fairing brackets, and bike stands, among other products.
Later in life Ray switched to pursuing a career in video and film production and worked on many commercial and film projects.
He is survived by wife Lana Ray; mother and father, Deanna and Lecil Ray; sister, Ellen Denise Sumrall; son, Brandon Ray; three stepdaughters, Morgan Thomas, Ashley Waldrop, and Makenzie Johnston; stepson, Taylor Wicks; six grandchildren; and a large extended family.
A visitation has been scheduled from 4:00-7:00 p.m. (Central Time) on May 11 at Wilson-McReynolds Funeral Home, 900 North Court Street, Marion, Illinois, (618) 993-2131, www.wilsonmcreynolds.com. The visitation will be immediately followed by a memorial service, which will be streamed live on the funeral home’s Facebook page.
“Summer Track Day Circus” Returns July 1st-2nd At Utah Motorsports Campus
The Summer Track Day Circus returning to UMC Summer 2022
[Grantsville, UT] Three prominent track day providers are returning to create another unique event for the summer of 2022. With the goal of creating an experience that delivers more than just track time, Apex Assassins, Legion Moto, and TrackDaz are back to bring riders The Summer Track Day Circus – a two-day event that will be held at Utah Motorsports Campus on July 1st and 2nd.
Center stage will be the 3+ mile long UMC outercourse. With its famously long and high speed straight and technical sections like the infamous “Attitudes,” this is enough to challenge and entertain any track day junkie.
In an effort to be the “The Greatest Trackday on Earth,” the event promises to have plenty of off-track entertainment and activities. Details include stunt shows, a mini bike mayhem course, slow drags, two up rides, a bike show, roll racing, raffles, a BBQ dinner, beer garden, ax throwing, go kart racing, demos, more shenanigans, games, and a bearded lady.
“Last year was absolutely amazing and this year we are going bigger. We have a ton more events going on for the whole family. We really want to bring more spectators out this year and include the local riding community,” says Legion Moto’s Matt Cooper. “If you are a motorcycle enthusiast of any kind, then this is the place you are going to want to be at for Independence Day Weekend”
Justin Miest Breaks Lap Record and Wins Multiple CRA Races At Brainerd
Brainerd, MN – Brainerd International Raceway hosted the first round of the Central Roadracing Association’s 2022 season on the Donnybrooke Course May 6-8. The weekend was action-packed with mixed conditions and featured 18-lap trophy dashes, sprint races, and the 30th annual running Framstad Cup race.
The club’s 2021 #1 Expert Christian Schmidt picked right up where he left off last season aboard his Kramer motorcycle putting down stunning lap times in the 1:51’s and sweeping the Welterweight class.
A surprise to the Welterweight and Lightweight grids this weekend was Aaron Anderson aboard a loaned Aprilia RS 660. Aaron, also a seasoned vet proves that he can not only race a big bike, but can also be at the sharp end of the smaller bike classes as he took home multiple wins over the weekend in the Trophy Dash and Welterweight races.
When mother nature decided to downpour and the fair-weather riders packed up, experts Kyle Franz and Ike Messmore stepped up to the opportunity and had great battles for the win in Lightweight SB.
Looking at the Novice smaller bike classes, Sam Fisk of Fisk Bros Racing was unstoppable taking home 10 wins across Featherweight, Welterweight and Lightweight classes and showing the grids that he’s making an early charge for the #1 novice plate.
In the Middleweight Superport Expert race, Matt Warnert and Brian Hebeisen couldn’t hold off the likes of Kyle Ohnsorg aboard his Adrenaline Engineering Yamaha R6. Ohnsorg proved that he can still race a 600 as he gapped Matt and Brian by almost a full second and put down a best lap of 1:44.522.
Aside from Kyle’s awesome performance on Saturday, the most action in the Middleweight and Heavyweight Expert races was between Matt on his Nielsen Racing Yamaha R6 and Brian on his Fisk Bros Racing Yamaha R6. These two are used to racing each other as close as it can get which makes for pure entertainment on track! Both riders managed consistent lap times in the 1:45’s in their battles.
In the Novice ranks new rider Judah Wimbley took his very first win in his first sprint race with the CRA [rookie] putting forth a valiant effort to hold off 2nd year Novice Ryan Largent in Middleweight Supersport Novice. The two were basically swapping paint coming through each corner as they matched lap times in the 1:50’s. Ryan, aboard his Nielsen Racing Yamaha R6, went on to also take his very first win in Middleweight GP, with an additional podium in Middleweight SB.
In the Unlimited Expert class, it was all about Justin Miest. Justin dominated Unlimited Supersport, holding off Ohnsorg and putting down a lap time of 1:38.514 on his Nielsen Racing Kawasaki ZX-10R and breaking the track record previously held by Kyle. Justin now holds track records for both Brainerd International Raceway’s Competition and Donnybrooke configurations on Michelin tires.
We also saw great battles between friends Shane Keaveny and Zach Hughes for the final podium position in Unlimited Supersport. Both riders swapped lap times in the 1:42’s and 1:43’s and were entertaining to watch in every corner.
The CRA would like to thank all the volunteers for all their hard work and dedication.
The 2nd round of the CRA season which is a combined event with CCS is set to take place on Brainerd International Raceway’s Competition Course, June 17-19.
IMS Outdoors has just posted the following to their social media accounts:
TO OUR IMS FANS:
After 40 years of producing IMS, we have made the difficult decision to suspend the IMS events in 2022. Our goal is always to provide the best experience possible for fellow motorcycle enthusiasts, and due to circumstances beyond our control, we wouldn’t have been able to produce an event series that would have met your, and our, expectations this year. We hope to bring the tour back at some point in the future, but for now, we say goodbye and thank you for your attendance over the years.
Any tickets or custom bike registrations purchased for 2022 events will be refunded within the next 7 days.
Tech3 KTM Factory Racing enters a new race week, and a special one, as the whole crew is getting ready for the team’s home race in Le Mans, where the SHARK Grand Prix de France, the seventh round of the season, will take place from May 13-15. It is expected to be an exciting weekend for the French motorcycle fans as the Bugatti circuit will welcome back the public at full capacity for the first time since 2019. The crowd will be eager to see La Crème de la Crème battle it out for the victory on Sunday on the 4.2km layout.
Australian Remy Gardner was on the podium last season in Le Mans as he finished second of the Moto2 race, behind teammate Raul Fernandez who was the 2021 Moto2 winner. This year, Remy will have high hopes to do a good weekend, after a tough Spanish Grand Prix in Jerez, followed by a test day which had to be stopped due to a crash, without any major consequences fortunately. The rookie has already finished in the points two times this year, and will aim to do it for a third time on a layout that should fit the KTM RC16 well. Out for both the Portuguese and Spanish Grand Prix, Raul Fernandez is expected to be back on track this week, having followed an intense recovery process on his right hand over the last couple of days. The Spaniard will be motivated to do well and give his best for his team’s home race.
The action will start as usual on Friday at 9:55 (GMT+2) with the first free practice session, followed by the second one at 14:10, both of forty-five minutes each. On Saturday, the action will resume with the third free practice at 9:55, at the end of which qualifying entries will be determined. There will be a final chance to practice at 13:30 with FP4, before the qualifying sessions start at 14:10. The SHARK Grand Prix de France is scheduled on Sunday, May 15, at 14:00 local time, for twenty-seven laps.
Remy Gardner
Championship: 22nd
Points: 3
“We are heading to Le Mans for the French Grand Prix with a few points to improve following the test day in Jerez. I am hoping that the layout will suit the bike better, so if we manage to take some steps, there is room for a good result. I am really looking forward to getting back to the action on Friday in France, my team’s home Grand Prix.”
Raul Fernandez
Championship: 23rd
Points: 0
“Before everything, I would like to say a big thank you to all the team at Clinica Luis Banos who helped me with my hand. They did a great job to allow me to be ready at 100% for the French Grand Prix. I feel so much better, I am optimistic and ready to get back to racing after two weekends out. In addition, Le Mans is the home Grand Prix for my team, so I really want to race there. I have good memories from the past season, so let’s see what we can do!”
Hervé Poncharal
Team Manager
“After a tough Spanish Grand Prix in Jerez for the Tech3 KTM Factory Racing team, we are now all very excited to be heading to known lands in Le Mans for the French Grand Prix, our home race. Remy Gardner is coming from a challenging race during which he had to manage a bike with only one wing, and he provided a great effort despite the difficulty. Unfortunately, Raul Fernandez had to miss out on a second race due to his right hand injury sustained in Portimao. I am certain that both rookies will be fit and motivated for the weekend ahead of us in Le Mans. The Bugatti circuit offers a layout that could fit well both the KTM RC16 and the riding styles of our riders.
The weather always spices things up in Le Mans, but this time, it looks like we are set for a sunny week, which will help our rookies to continue their progress in the MotoGP category. Although we don’t have any French riders this year, this Grand Prix is always special to us because it is also the home race for some of our partners who have been supporting us for a while, including Elf. There will be a lot of local and national media interest this week, especially that we now have a French champion in the name of Fabio Quartararo. Johann Zarco is also greatly appreciated by the French fans. I hope that we will have a great show for all of these people who come support us every year.”
Le Mans preview. MotoGP make its return to French soil, for what has become through the years a classic in the series. Enea Bastianini and Fabio Di Giannantonio will be racing at the home track of current championship leader Quartararo with very different goals, albeit both with ambitious goals.
The rider #23 wants to return to the time of form shown in the extra-European races earlier this year, even though the main goal is to find back that feeling with his Ducati machine that he was never able to get at Jerez a fortnight ago. The post-race Spanish test gave him some fresh confidence, with the Italian star eager to fly again – hopefully with some favourable weather.
For Di Giannantonio it is time to raise the bar and score his first MotoGP points. The base set-up he found with the team at Jerez may be a good starting point to well-perform in France already.
Historical recurrences: Le Mans is among the most challenging tracks on the MotoGP calendar, but Gresini Racing was able to secure several podium finishes at this track throughout the years. Two wins and a second for Sete Gibernau (in 2003, 2004 and 2005, respectively) and a win and a second place for Marco Melandri in 2006 and 2007, but not only.
Both Enea Bastianini and Fabio Di Giannantonio have had their ‘podium taste’ with the Faenza-based team before: ‘Bestia’ managed to do so in 2015 as he finished second in the Moto3 class, while Diggia did the same two years later. This is their best career result in France, at least so far.
ENEA BASTIANINI #23 (3º in the championship standings with 69 points)
“Le Mans is quite an unusual track, but a very good one nonetheless. Usually the track, and therefore track conditions, are a key variable, but let’s hope it will be different this time. I would like to find back that feeling with the bike that we kind of lost a bit at Jerez: let’s say being back to the one we had in Portimao, where only the result was unkind to us.”
FABIO DI GIANNANTONIO #49
“Le Mans is a tough track, temperature and weather wise. We always had very unique conditions, but we’re coming from a positive test in which we found a good direction to follow in terms of set-up, so I’m curious to see if it’ll work at this track.”
MICHAEL DUNLOP IN ELEVENTH HOUR DEAL WITH HAWK RACING SUZUKI FOR fonaCAB AND NICHOLL OILS NORTH WEST 200 SUPERBIKE RACES
Michael Dunlop has dramatically unveiled the machine he will race in the Superbike races at this year’s fonaCAB and Nicholl Oils North West 200 on the eve of the opening practice session.
Dunlop has turned to his old friends, Stuart and Steve Hicken of Hawk Racing, who have produced a superbike-spec GSX-R1000R Suzuki for the Ballymoney man at the 11th hour after his split with the PBM Ducati team.
“It has been one of those situations where I have had to go back to someone I can trust,” the 33-year-old said. “Stuart has always said to call him if I needed anything. I made the call and they have built this Suzuki for me. Steve and Stuart might not have the biggest budget in the world but they always give 100% and that is all you can ask for.”
Dunlop won the Senior TT on a Hawk Racing-built Suzuki in 2017. He previously rode for the Hicken-owned team in 2014, 2015 and 2016 on BMW machinery.
“Everyone else has had three years to prepare for this week but we have had just three days,” Steve Hicken joked. “It is just another one of those deals that happens between Hawk and Michael but if you win five TTs with someone there is a respect so let’s see what we can do now.”
“Michael is a big favourite with the North West 200 fans and we wanted him here on a superbike,” NW200 race boss, Mervyn Whyte said. “It is a last-minute deal but Michael is vastly experienced at the North West and if anyone can produce the goods on the day it is him.”
Dunlop is now hoping he can find a sponsor for the Suzuki before Saturday’s races.
“The last time I rode the Suzuki it was a brand new bike and the team has had four years to develop it since then,” Dunlop said. “I’ve had the support of Gary Ryan, the Black Dub and H&S to get this deal sorted but it would be good to have someone behind us for the race.”
More, from a press release issued by Isle of Man TT Press Office:
MICHAEL DUNLOP JOINS HAWK RACING FOR 2022 ISLE OF MAN TT RACES
The return of the Isle of Man TT Races will also see Michael Dunlop return to GSX-R1000R machinery for the Superbike classes, as he today confirmed that he joins Stuart and Steve Hicken’s Hawk Racing.
The announcement renews a long and illustrious partnership with the family-run team, which began in 2014 and included a Superbike and Senior TT double in their debut year.
Two more victories came at TT 2016 before the team switched to Suzuki power for the 2017 season. Despite the change, Dunlop was able to take the brand-new and unproven GSX-R L7 model to an impressive Senior TT – Suzuki’s first in 13 years.
19-time TT winner Dunlop commented: “After 3 years away from the roads and the Isle of Man, it’s important for me to be with a team I know and on a bike that I know. It’s been a big effort to get the bike ready so quickly, so I can’t thank Stuart [Hicken], Steve [Hicken], and the team, plus my own Street Sweep, H&S Contractors, and UGGLY&CO personal sponsors enough for all their efforts.”
Team Principal of Hawk Racing Steve Hicken added: “We’ve a great relationship with Michael and have enjoyed a lot of success over the years. Of course these aren’t ideal circumstances without any testing, but you can never rule Michael out and we’ll do everything we can to give him the bike he needs.”
A LiveWire S2 Del Mar. Photo courtesy Harley-Davidson.
Update: The 100 Del Mar Launch Edition models sold out within 18 minutes.
LIVEWIRE REVEALS S2 DEL MAR ELECTRIC MOTORCYCLE
Reservations Open for 100 Del Mar Launch Edition Models Expected to Begin Deliveries in Spring 2023
MILWAUKEE, WI (May 10, 2022) – LiveWire™ is set to bring advanced design, technical innovation, and engineering expertise to urban riding and beyond, with the all-electric S2 Del Mar™ motorcycle, the first LiveWire model to feature the new S2 ARROW architecture.
The first 100 units will be built to order and serialized as Del Mar Launch Edition models, which can be reserved now at livewire.com for expected delivery in the spring of 2023.
The 100 Del Mar Launch Edition models will feature an exclusive finish and wheel design and an MSRP of $17,699.
The production S2 Del Mar will deliver immediately after the launch edition, with a target MSRP of $15,000 USD.
The S2 Del Mar features a targeted output of 80 horsepower (59.6 kW), and less than 440 pounds of weight, delivering projected 0-to-60 mph times of 3.5 seconds or less.
Del Mar range in city riding is targeted to be 100 miles.*
Another view of a LiveWire S2 Del Mar. Photo courtesy Harley-Davidson.
“The S2 Del Mar model represents the next step in the evolution of the LiveWire brand,” said Jochen Zeitz, Chairman, President and CEO of Harley-Davidson. “The ARROW architecture underpinning the Del Mar, developed in-house at LiveWire Labs, demonstrates our ambition to lead in the EV space and establish LiveWire as the most desirable electric motorcycle brand in the world.”
Advanced LiveWire ARROW Architecture
LiveWire’s scalable ARROW architecture with proprietary battery, motor, charging, and control systems debuts on the Del Mar model and was designed at LiveWire Labs in Mountain View, California. The ARROW architecture is intended to be modular and serves as the central component of the motorcycle chassis.
Del Mar is designed to offer its rider thrilling performance with a targeted output of 80 horsepower (59.6 kW), delivering projected 0-to-60 mph times of 3.5 seconds. City range is expected to be 100 miles.* The Del Mar model weight target is 440 pounds or less.
An Urban Street Tracker
Del Mar presents a street-tracker stance on 19-inch front and rear wheels equipped with custom developed LiveWire Dunlop DT1 tires equally capable on paved and dirt surfaces. The slim seat tops a short tail section. A tracker-style handlebar fronted by a thin flyscreen places the rider in an upright position for a comfortable and controlled riding experience.
Launch Edition Model
Only 100 examples of the Del Mar Launch Edition models will be made, featuring an exclusive finish and wheel design. The graphics and paint – in a choice of Jasper Gray or Comet Indigo – are applied by hand using a process that takes 5 days to complete. The design employs an opposing-fade, representing and celebrating both the exciting and soulful experiences of riding LiveWire electric motorcycles. The intricate pattern of the 19-inch PCB cast-aluminum wheels evokes the dense patterning and framework found on printed circuit boards. The vaulted and tapered spoke design promotes lateral stiffness for enhanced handling performance, while also pushing the boundaries of casting technology.
The Del Mar Launch Edition model debuts with an MSRP of $17,699, while the production version is expected to launch with a target MSRP of $15,000 USD. Delivery of the Launch Edition and production versions of S2 Del Mar model are set for the spring of 2023. All LiveWire S2 Del Mar motorcycles will be assembled at Harley-Davidson Vehicle Operations in York, PA.
To learn more about the LiveWire S2 Del Mar Launch Edition motorcycle visit: livewire.com/delmar.
*Range estimates are based on expected performance on a fully-charged battery and are derived from SAE J2982 Riding Range Test Procedure data on a sample motorcycle under ideal laboratory conditions. Your actual range will vary depending on your personal riding habits, road and driving conditions, ambient weather, vehicle condition and maintenance, tire pressure, vehicle configuration (parts and accessories), and vehicle loading (cargo, rider and passenger weight).
Marc Marquez (93), as seen in action at Jerez. Photo courtesy Repsol Honda.
Repsol Honda Team land in Le Mans
From the Iberian Peninsula, the Repsol Honda Team head in-land for round seven of the 2022 season with Marc Marquez and Pol Espargaro targeting further improvements.
The 2022 MotoGP World Championship season is now well and truly underway as the Grand Prix paddock arrives at the Le Mans circuit in France. Consistently on the calendar since 2000, the French track enjoys an enthusiastic crowd and often produces surprising races with unpredictable weather. For this year’s French Grand Prix, the forecast is looking decidedly more consistent with sun and clear skies currently on the horizon.
Marc Marquez arrives in Le Mans still full of fire after a fighting fourth in the Spanish Grand Prix. Battling hard with Aleix Espargaro and Jack Miller, the eight-time World Champion amazed fans around the world as he made another of his trademark saves during the race. More important than his performance in the race was the test on Monday where Marquez and his team were able to explore several setting and parameters for the new Repsol Honda Team RC213V. With this extra information, Marquez will be hoping to fight at the front of the race once again and potentially add to his three French GP wins and four total podiums in the premier class.
There was no one who put in more work than Pol Espargaro on the Monday Test in Jerez, the #44 completing the most laps of any rider. Espargaro is aiming to put this knowledge to work immediately at the French GP, a race where he has classically enjoyed success. Having only missed the top ten twice in France in the premier class and claiming a podium in the rain-soaked 2020 race, Espargaro’s history speed and the new RC213V have the potential to once again run at the front. The generally cooler conditions of Le Mans should also help Espargaro to show his and the bike’s full potential.
With 44 points, Marc Marquez holds ninth in the MotoGP World Championship and nine points further behind is Pol Espargaro with 35 points.
The Repsol Honda Team’s most recent podium at the French GP came in 2020 when Alex Marquez raced to second in the wet.
Marc Marquez
“Overall the Jerez weekend was good when we also include the test because we were able to learn a good amount. Now we arrive in France to see what’s possible. The important thing is to keep building, keep improving and keep closing the distance to the front. In Jerez we made progress and now we must keep on going, especially after the test it’s important to see how everything is. I have had some good races in Le Mans and some more challenging races there, it can depend a lot on the conditions but they’re looking good for this weekend.“
Pol Espargaro
“Last year I think Le Mans was one of the first weekends where we could really start to show our potential. I know how myself and the bike have improved since then so I am looking forward to going back and putting into action what we found during the test. I’ve had some good races in Le Mans, the cooler conditions and the high levels of grip suit my riding style a lot. MotoGP is very close at the moment so we can’t rely on the past, no matter what we need to work well from the start of the weekend – qualify well and fight hard during the race.”
The start of the MotoGP race at Le Mans in 2021. Photo courtesy Michelin.
Tour de force: Quartararo & Zarco head the charge in Sarthe
The home heroes head the ranks as MotoGP™ returns to historic Le Mans
It’s what we’d been waiting for since the start of the season and at Jerez, it was finally delivered: a showdown between the top two in the 2021 Championship and the duo tipped to fight it out again for the crown this season. And in the end, Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) couldn’t quite find an answer for Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team), with the Italian back to his serene best and back on the top step for the first time this season. Now it’s home turf for the reigning Champion as we head for the SHARK Grand Prix de France though, so will we get a repeat or can the rest close that fairly sizeable gap behind the duel last time out?
Last year, the weather made it a different challenge and the challenge was met by Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) as he made it back-to-back wins in a flag-to-flag spectacular. The year before a Ducati was also victorious, in the full wet, as Danilo Petrucci took to the top step. A Ducati – or more than one – was on the front row each time too, with the Borgo Panigale factory showing all-weather pace at the venue and that a threat in itself… but we’ve never seen Bagnaia on full song – the form he found from the latter half of 2021 – take on Le Mans, so that may well be a hand Ducati have not yet been able to play at the track.
Home hero Johann Zarco (Pramac Racing) will also be pushing to the maximum, having been on pole and the podium at the venue but never the top step. That’s true of more than just Le Mans as he searches for that elusive first premier class win, but on home turf he’s come close and this year the Frenchman will be one to watch again. An inconsistent start to the year could mean his mentality goes either way: there’s a little less to lose so it’s full gas, or there’s an even bigger incentive to settle for a safer points haul. We’re about to find out which he’ll choose…
Teammate Jorge Martin, meanwhile, needs some points. When the number 89 has put it together he’s been fighting at the front, but he’ll want a finish this weekend as he fights to recover in the standings from some DNFs. Bagnaia and Martin started the season with some similar hurdles – not least that incident in Qatar – but the number 63 is already into the top five overall on his recovery mission. Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing MotoGP™), in the battle of the sophomores, will also want to bounce back, although the Italian remains third in the Championship as it stands. Can he pull something out the locker in Sarthe?
Quartararo, however, will be the star of the show. The Frenchman’s stated 2022 mentality is to fight for fifth, seventh or 14th like it’s for the win, and he’s more than bearing that out on track as he proves a lonely Yamaha at times in the upper echelons – and he’s now extended that hard-fought Championship lead. He’s been the fastest rider at Le Mans with some impressive – and popular – pole positions already, and he’s finished on the podium, even in that flag-to-flag. But the best laid plans of El Diablo have not been simply podium pace. Until the weather has intervened, they’ve been an assault on the win… so will 2022 be his year?
Franco Morbidelli (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) and Andrea Dovizioso (WithU Yamaha RNF Racing) continue to struggle to cut that gap to Quartararo, the former with similar experience on the Yamaha and the latter trying to leverage his experience elsewhere to push himself forward. Can they start to build back up in France?
For Aprilia, meanwhile, every weekend is a positive one for Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing), it seems. The podiums keep on coming and those concessions are now a thing of the past, with the project reaching full circle as the Noale factory join their competitors. Will that have an effect? If it does it will be a while in showing, and in the meantime the grid have a very fast, very consistent pairing of Aleix Espargaro on the RS-GP to contend with. He’ll be aiming for the podium once again, and teammate Maverick Viñales will be aiming to move forward again too. The starts are one key focus for the factory, can they take a step forward there after the test in Jerez?
Since that test in Jerez, Suzuki have been in the headlines off track, but on track the Hamamatsu factory team will retain that singular focus of taking to the podium and top step. Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) had a dip in form in Jerez and a run off put paid to the kind of recovery we saw at COTA, but the number 42 remains fourth in the Championship and equal on points with Bastianini just ahead of him. We’ve seen some fearsome wet weather speed from Rins at Le Mans, can he bring that come rain or shine, and all the way to the finish line? For teammate Joan Mir, meanwhile, that bad luck in Portugal became a solid but not podium-threatening ride in Jerez, and the 2020 Champion will want more. Qualifying also remains a more difficult task for both Rins and Mir, so Saturday will once again be a key focus.
As 2022 goes on, so does Honda’s push with the new RC213V. The all-new bike started life on the podium and it’s since been a tougher season, but taking a fresh philosophy to race-day ready – and MotoGP™ race-day ready – is no mean feat, and it’s a long term commitment. Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) was back to his old tricks in a couple of ways at Jerez too; first in being the lead Honda by some margin and second, fighting for the podium with his elbows out and down in a spectacular and classic save. The number 93 said just before Jerez that it’s about making the package all work together – including the rider – and Sunday seemed to say a step had been made. As with nearly every venue, Marquez is no stranger to the top step at Le Mans either.
Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) arrives a little off fully fit after hurting his knee ligaments in testing, Pol Espargaro (Repsol Honda Team) wants to make s big step forward and Alex Marquez (LCR Honda Castrol) – who’s had some serious form at Le Mans including that wet-weather rookie podium – will want more Portugal form than Jerez. What can they do , and has Marc Marquez made a break from his fellow Honda riders with the new machine?
Finally, Jerez was a tougher one for KTM. After the Algarve was a solid ride and result for Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) but a first crash out in nearly a year for teammate Brad Binder, the South African turned the tables again in Spain but neither were in the postcode they’ll want. After having won multiple races in the wet and dry, with both riders, KTM won’t settle for being denied the podium fight. A new, eyebrow-raising exhaust was spotted at the Jerez test as the most outward sign of their push to regain ground, although the factory also reported they’d be trying something that would be a little harder to see. Can they make another step forward in getting that consistent form in France?
The SHARK Grand Prix de France will be a headline-maker for more than just Quartararo and Zarco, although the crowd is pretty much guaranteed to be partisan. Can Bagnaia, MIller, Marquez or more spoil the party? We’ll find out at 14:00 (GMT +2) on Sunday, so make sure to tune in!
3 Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) – Ducati – 69
4 Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) – Suzuki – 69
5 Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) – Ducati – 56
Moto2 racers Ai Ogura (79), Aron Canet (behind Ogura), and Tony Arbolino (behind Canet). Photo courtesy Dorna.
Moto2™: the chase is on at Le Mans
With three of Vietti’s key rivals locking out the podium in Spain, it’s very much game on in the intermediate class
The drama in Portugal seemed to send a shockwave through the Moto2™ World Championship, but Jerez saw the situation change again and not in favour of points leader Celestino Vietti (Mooney VR46 Racing Team). The Italian came home sixth and didn’t get in the podium fight, with that instead proving a three-way battle between Ai Ogura (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia), Aron Canet (Flexbox HP 40) and Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) – aka the three riders closest behind Vietti in the title fight. Will they make up more ground at Le Mans?
Ogura will arrive confident from his first Moto2™ win, and his first win in any class. It’s been a consistent and impressive journey for the Japanese rider in the World Championship, having fought for the title in Moto3™ and taken a podium as a rookie already in Moto2™, but that tick in the box was missing, presumed soon. Now it’s a done deal, and his pace was also a warning shot as he moves into second overall and now just 19 points off Vietti. Arbolino was also an impressive sophomore performer in third, hammering home his 2022 form and still only a point behind Ogura, so can they keep that rolling at Le Mans? Past form seems to matter little to both, with 2022 a whole new ball game, but Arbolino was nearly on the podium there last year.
Canet, meanwhile, was a headline unto himself. After that radius and finger fracture suffered in Portugal, the Pons rider didn’t know if he’d be able to take part in the weekend, but in the end came home second and gained a good chunk of ground on Vietti. The pain barrier was real but the Spaniard rode through it, and now there’s a little more time to have recovered ahead of Le Mans. Consistent speed is what he lacked before in Moto2™, now he has it in spades… so surely the Spaniard sees France as just another chance to fight for that podium and cut that gap – and another chance to push for that maiden Moto2™ win.
There are plenty more fast faces suffering a mix of bad luck and trouble in 2022 who may be able to get in the mix though: Augusto Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo), Jake Dixon (Autosolar GASGAS Aspar Team), Sam Lowes (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team), Somkiat Chantra (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) names but a few. Can they home back in on that podium?
The gap after Portugal seemed like a mountain for the competition, but in just one race there was a reminder how quickly it can disappear with a sixth place vs a podium packed with key rivals. Vietti will want to hit back and he’ll have chance on Sunday at 12:20 (GMT + 2), so tune in for Moto2™ at the SHARK Grand Prix de France!
Moto2™ CHAMPIONSHIP: TOP 5
1 Celestino Vietti (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) – Kalex – 100
2 Ai Ogura (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) – Kalex – 81
3 Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) – Kalex – 70
4 Aron Canet (Flexbox HP 40) – Kalex – 69
5 Joe Roberts (Italtrans Racing Team) – Kalex – 57
Izan Guevara (28) and Sergio Garcia (11) leading some other Moto3 riders. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Moto3™: will it be full GASGAS in France?
After a grandstand finish and a 1-2 on home turf for the Aspar Team, Le Mans awaits – with another final corner that tempts a showdown
Izan Guevara (Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team) pulled a genius rabbit out the hat to take his first win of the year in Jerez, heading round the outside of the final corner to outfox the rest. In doing so he underlined his impressive form in the World Championship – and in 2022 so far – and brought himself a few points closer to the top. But the top remains in the hands of more veteran teammate Sergio Garcia, with the Spaniard playing arguably the right cards in Jerez but coming up just short – nevertheless extending his lead over closest rival Dennis Foggia (Leopard Racing). Next up it’s Le Mans, and the final corner at the French venue offers another opportunity for those whose ambition is matched by their talent. So does anyone have an answer for the duo this time out?
Last season the weather put paid to a more usual Moto3™ showdown, and that will once again be a key consideration as Le Mans can be one more prone to rain. Even then though, Garcia won it and by more than a couple of seconds, so there’s no salvation coming from the weather for those looking to cut the gap. Foggia, with a more difficult record in the wet, will be one hoping it’s dry, and the Italian’s record at the venue doesn’t pencil it in as a key target for a place to make up ground either – so it could be damage limitation.
Guevara’s track record, meanwhile, doesn’t seem to have mattered much so far this season as he’s been fast everywhere, although Jerez is a track where the number 28 has more experience. Tracks like Le Mans are a good place to prove the step forward. For Jaume Masia (Red Bull KTM Ajo), who’s now on quite a podium run, it’s another chance to prove his consistency too, with the veteran having taken a rostrum at Jerez for the first time to secure another top finish. Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Tech3), meanwhile, will likely be tired of taking fourth and fifth – and the Turk can usually be relied on to try that move. Now he needs to make it stick, and on the team’s home turf.
Ayumu Sasaki (Sterilgarda Max Racing Team) is another to watch after the Japanese rider turned a back of the grid penalty into a sixth place finish, with super speed once again. His teammate – and former Le Mans winner – John McPhee is hoping to be back on track too, and the Scotsman was already feeling ready to give it a shot in Portugal. He’s the only rider in the field to have won at the track from pole.
Rookies Daniel Holgado (Red Bull KTM Ajo) and Diogo Moreira (MT Helmets – MSI) will be aiming high too after two more solid finishes, and home hero Lorenzo Fellon (SIC58 Squadra Corse) is hoping to be back. He missed the Spanish GP after a shoulder dislocation on Friday.
It’s now 21 points of advantage for Garcia at the top, and that’s only to Foggia. The Italian, and Honda, will be hoping to find something more for the French GP to stop that growing – especially after rookie Scott Ogden (VisionTrack Racing Team) was the lead Japanese machine home last time out. Find out what they have in the locker when the lights go out at the French GP at 11:00 (GMT +2) for Moto3™.
Brett Ray (left) with teammate John Ashmead (right) and Trevor Kemp, a Silkolene representative at the time, at Daytona International Speedway in 1994. Photo by etechphoto.com.
Former pro road racer and racing business owner Brett Ray died of a heart attack at his home in Marion, Illinois, on May 6. He was 59.
Ray grew up racing motorcycles in motocross, flat track, drag racing and even did some car racing, but he loved motorcycle road racing most of all. Through the 1990s and early 2000s he competed in AMA Pro Superbike, usually under the R & R Racing banner.
He later shifted to the AMA Pro SunTrust Moto-ST/Moto-GT endurance series, where he and Paul Schwemmer co-rode an Aprilia Tuono RSV1000 to third place overall in the race at VIRginia International Raceway.
He later came back to participate in the 75th Daytona 200 in 2016, qualified 38th in the field of 54, but DNF the race.
Away from the track, Ray turned his passion for racing into a business, also called R & R Racing. Ray started R & R Racing in 1991 and produced rear subframes, front fairing brackets, and bike stands, among other products.
Later in life Ray switched to pursuing a career in video and film production and worked on many commercial and film projects.
He is survived by wife Lana Ray; mother and father, Deanna and Lecil Ray; sister, Ellen Denise Sumrall; son, Brandon Ray; three stepdaughters, Morgan Thomas, Ashley Waldrop, and Makenzie Johnston; stepson, Taylor Wicks; six grandchildren; and a large extended family.
A visitation has been scheduled from 4:00-7:00 p.m. (Central Time) on May 11 at Wilson-McReynolds Funeral Home, 900 North Court Street, Marion, Illinois, (618) 993-2131, www.wilsonmcreynolds.com. The visitation will be immediately followed by a memorial service, which will be streamed live on the funeral home’s Facebook page.
“Summer Track Day Circus” Returns July 1st-2nd At Utah Motorsports Campus
The Summer Track Day Circus returning to UMC Summer 2022
[Grantsville, UT] Three prominent track day providers are returning to create another unique event for the summer of 2022. With the goal of creating an experience that delivers more than just track time, Apex Assassins, Legion Moto, and TrackDaz are back to bring riders The Summer Track Day Circus – a two-day event that will be held at Utah Motorsports Campus on July 1st and 2nd.
Center stage will be the 3+ mile long UMC outercourse. With its famously long and high speed straight and technical sections like the infamous “Attitudes,” this is enough to challenge and entertain any track day junkie.
In an effort to be the “The Greatest Trackday on Earth,” the event promises to have plenty of off-track entertainment and activities. Details include stunt shows, a mini bike mayhem course, slow drags, two up rides, a bike show, roll racing, raffles, a BBQ dinner, beer garden, ax throwing, go kart racing, demos, more shenanigans, games, and a bearded lady.
“Last year was absolutely amazing and this year we are going bigger. We have a ton more events going on for the whole family. We really want to bring more spectators out this year and include the local riding community,” says Legion Moto’s Matt Cooper. “If you are a motorcycle enthusiast of any kind, then this is the place you are going to want to be at for Independence Day Weekend”
Justin Miest (44). Photo by Jim Sendy, courtesy CRA.
Justin Miest Breaks Lap Record and Wins Multiple CRA Races At Brainerd
Brainerd, MN – Brainerd International Raceway hosted the first round of the Central Roadracing Association’s 2022 season on the Donnybrooke Course May 6-8. The weekend was action-packed with mixed conditions and featured 18-lap trophy dashes, sprint races, and the 30th annual running Framstad Cup race.
The club’s 2021 #1 Expert Christian Schmidt picked right up where he left off last season aboard his Kramer motorcycle putting down stunning lap times in the 1:51’s and sweeping the Welterweight class.
A surprise to the Welterweight and Lightweight grids this weekend was Aaron Anderson aboard a loaned Aprilia RS 660. Aaron, also a seasoned vet proves that he can not only race a big bike, but can also be at the sharp end of the smaller bike classes as he took home multiple wins over the weekend in the Trophy Dash and Welterweight races.
When mother nature decided to downpour and the fair-weather riders packed up, experts Kyle Franz and Ike Messmore stepped up to the opportunity and had great battles for the win in Lightweight SB.
Looking at the Novice smaller bike classes, Sam Fisk of Fisk Bros Racing was unstoppable taking home 10 wins across Featherweight, Welterweight and Lightweight classes and showing the grids that he’s making an early charge for the #1 novice plate.
In the Middleweight Superport Expert race, Matt Warnert and Brian Hebeisen couldn’t hold off the likes of Kyle Ohnsorg aboard his Adrenaline Engineering Yamaha R6. Ohnsorg proved that he can still race a 600 as he gapped Matt and Brian by almost a full second and put down a best lap of 1:44.522.
Aside from Kyle’s awesome performance on Saturday, the most action in the Middleweight and Heavyweight Expert races was between Matt on his Nielsen Racing Yamaha R6 and Brian on his Fisk Bros Racing Yamaha R6. These two are used to racing each other as close as it can get which makes for pure entertainment on track! Both riders managed consistent lap times in the 1:45’s in their battles.
In the Novice ranks new rider Judah Wimbley took his very first win in his first sprint race with the CRA [rookie] putting forth a valiant effort to hold off 2nd year Novice Ryan Largent in Middleweight Supersport Novice. The two were basically swapping paint coming through each corner as they matched lap times in the 1:50’s. Ryan, aboard his Nielsen Racing Yamaha R6, went on to also take his very first win in Middleweight GP, with an additional podium in Middleweight SB.
In the Unlimited Expert class, it was all about Justin Miest. Justin dominated Unlimited Supersport, holding off Ohnsorg and putting down a lap time of 1:38.514 on his Nielsen Racing Kawasaki ZX-10R and breaking the track record previously held by Kyle. Justin now holds track records for both Brainerd International Raceway’s Competition and Donnybrooke configurations on Michelin tires.
We also saw great battles between friends Shane Keaveny and Zach Hughes for the final podium position in Unlimited Supersport. Both riders swapped lap times in the 1:42’s and 1:43’s and were entertaining to watch in every corner.
The CRA would like to thank all the volunteers for all their hard work and dedication.
The 2nd round of the CRA season which is a combined event with CCS is set to take place on Brainerd International Raceway’s Competition Course, June 17-19.
The Progressive IMS Outdoors 2022 tour has been "suspended." Photo courtesy Progressive IMS Outdoors.
IMS Outdoors has just posted the following to their social media accounts:
TO OUR IMS FANS:
After 40 years of producing IMS, we have made the difficult decision to suspend the IMS events in 2022. Our goal is always to provide the best experience possible for fellow motorcycle enthusiasts, and due to circumstances beyond our control, we wouldn’t have been able to produce an event series that would have met your, and our, expectations this year. We hope to bring the tour back at some point in the future, but for now, we say goodbye and thank you for your attendance over the years.
Any tickets or custom bike registrations purchased for 2022 events will be refunded within the next 7 days.
Raul Fernandez (25) will spend his second season in MotoGP on the WithU RNF Aprilia team. Photo courtesy Tech3 KTM Factory Racing.
Home Grand Prix Time for Tech3 KTM Factory Racing
Tech3 KTM Factory Racing enters a new race week, and a special one, as the whole crew is getting ready for the team’s home race in Le Mans, where the SHARK Grand Prix de France, the seventh round of the season, will take place from May 13-15. It is expected to be an exciting weekend for the French motorcycle fans as the Bugatti circuit will welcome back the public at full capacity for the first time since 2019. The crowd will be eager to see La Crème de la Crème battle it out for the victory on Sunday on the 4.2km layout.
Australian Remy Gardner was on the podium last season in Le Mans as he finished second of the Moto2 race, behind teammate Raul Fernandez who was the 2021 Moto2 winner. This year, Remy will have high hopes to do a good weekend, after a tough Spanish Grand Prix in Jerez, followed by a test day which had to be stopped due to a crash, without any major consequences fortunately. The rookie has already finished in the points two times this year, and will aim to do it for a third time on a layout that should fit the KTM RC16 well. Out for both the Portuguese and Spanish Grand Prix, Raul Fernandez is expected to be back on track this week, having followed an intense recovery process on his right hand over the last couple of days. The Spaniard will be motivated to do well and give his best for his team’s home race.
The action will start as usual on Friday at 9:55 (GMT+2) with the first free practice session, followed by the second one at 14:10, both of forty-five minutes each. On Saturday, the action will resume with the third free practice at 9:55, at the end of which qualifying entries will be determined. There will be a final chance to practice at 13:30 with FP4, before the qualifying sessions start at 14:10. The SHARK Grand Prix de France is scheduled on Sunday, May 15, at 14:00 local time, for twenty-seven laps.
Remy Gardner
Championship: 22nd
Points: 3
“We are heading to Le Mans for the French Grand Prix with a few points to improve following the test day in Jerez. I am hoping that the layout will suit the bike better, so if we manage to take some steps, there is room for a good result. I am really looking forward to getting back to the action on Friday in France, my team’s home Grand Prix.”
Raul Fernandez
Championship: 23rd
Points: 0
“Before everything, I would like to say a big thank you to all the team at Clinica Luis Banos who helped me with my hand. They did a great job to allow me to be ready at 100% for the French Grand Prix. I feel so much better, I am optimistic and ready to get back to racing after two weekends out. In addition, Le Mans is the home Grand Prix for my team, so I really want to race there. I have good memories from the past season, so let’s see what we can do!”
Hervé Poncharal
Team Manager
“After a tough Spanish Grand Prix in Jerez for the Tech3 KTM Factory Racing team, we are now all very excited to be heading to known lands in Le Mans for the French Grand Prix, our home race. Remy Gardner is coming from a challenging race during which he had to manage a bike with only one wing, and he provided a great effort despite the difficulty. Unfortunately, Raul Fernandez had to miss out on a second race due to his right hand injury sustained in Portimao. I am certain that both rookies will be fit and motivated for the weekend ahead of us in Le Mans. The Bugatti circuit offers a layout that could fit well both the KTM RC16 and the riding styles of our riders.
The weather always spices things up in Le Mans, but this time, it looks like we are set for a sunny week, which will help our rookies to continue their progress in the MotoGP category. Although we don’t have any French riders this year, this Grand Prix is always special to us because it is also the home race for some of our partners who have been supporting us for a while, including Elf. There will be a lot of local and national media interest this week, especially that we now have a French champion in the name of Fabio Quartararo. Johann Zarco is also greatly appreciated by the French fans. I hope that we will have a great show for all of these people who come support us every year.”
Le Mans preview. MotoGP make its return to French soil, for what has become through the years a classic in the series. Enea Bastianini and Fabio Di Giannantonio will be racing at the home track of current championship leader Quartararo with very different goals, albeit both with ambitious goals.
The rider #23 wants to return to the time of form shown in the extra-European races earlier this year, even though the main goal is to find back that feeling with his Ducati machine that he was never able to get at Jerez a fortnight ago. The post-race Spanish test gave him some fresh confidence, with the Italian star eager to fly again – hopefully with some favourable weather.
For Di Giannantonio it is time to raise the bar and score his first MotoGP points. The base set-up he found with the team at Jerez may be a good starting point to well-perform in France already.
Historical recurrences: Le Mans is among the most challenging tracks on the MotoGP calendar, but Gresini Racing was able to secure several podium finishes at this track throughout the years. Two wins and a second for Sete Gibernau (in 2003, 2004 and 2005, respectively) and a win and a second place for Marco Melandri in 2006 and 2007, but not only.
Both Enea Bastianini and Fabio Di Giannantonio have had their ‘podium taste’ with the Faenza-based team before: ‘Bestia’ managed to do so in 2015 as he finished second in the Moto3 class, while Diggia did the same two years later. This is their best career result in France, at least so far.
ENEA BASTIANINI #23 (3º in the championship standings with 69 points)
“Le Mans is quite an unusual track, but a very good one nonetheless. Usually the track, and therefore track conditions, are a key variable, but let’s hope it will be different this time. I would like to find back that feeling with the bike that we kind of lost a bit at Jerez: let’s say being back to the one we had in Portimao, where only the result was unkind to us.”
FABIO DI GIANNANTONIO #49
“Le Mans is a tough track, temperature and weather wise. We always had very unique conditions, but we’re coming from a positive test in which we found a good direction to follow in terms of set-up, so I’m curious to see if it’ll work at this track.”
Michael Dunlop and his Hawk Racing Suzuki GSX-R1000R Superbike. Photo courtesy North West 200 Press Office.
MICHAEL DUNLOP IN ELEVENTH HOUR DEAL WITH HAWK RACING SUZUKI FOR fonaCAB AND NICHOLL OILS NORTH WEST 200 SUPERBIKE RACES
Michael Dunlop has dramatically unveiled the machine he will race in the Superbike races at this year’s fonaCAB and Nicholl Oils North West 200 on the eve of the opening practice session.
Dunlop has turned to his old friends, Stuart and Steve Hicken of Hawk Racing, who have produced a superbike-spec GSX-R1000R Suzuki for the Ballymoney man at the 11th hour after his split with the PBM Ducati team.
“It has been one of those situations where I have had to go back to someone I can trust,” the 33-year-old said. “Stuart has always said to call him if I needed anything. I made the call and they have built this Suzuki for me. Steve and Stuart might not have the biggest budget in the world but they always give 100% and that is all you can ask for.”
Dunlop won the Senior TT on a Hawk Racing-built Suzuki in 2017. He previously rode for the Hicken-owned team in 2014, 2015 and 2016 on BMW machinery.
“Everyone else has had three years to prepare for this week but we have had just three days,” Steve Hicken joked. “It is just another one of those deals that happens between Hawk and Michael but if you win five TTs with someone there is a respect so let’s see what we can do now.”
“Michael is a big favourite with the North West 200 fans and we wanted him here on a superbike,” NW200 race boss, Mervyn Whyte said. “It is a last-minute deal but Michael is vastly experienced at the North West and if anyone can produce the goods on the day it is him.”
Dunlop is now hoping he can find a sponsor for the Suzuki before Saturday’s races.
“The last time I rode the Suzuki it was a brand new bike and the team has had four years to develop it since then,” Dunlop said. “I’ve had the support of Gary Ryan, the Black Dub and H&S to get this deal sorted but it would be good to have someone behind us for the race.”
More, from a press release issued by Isle of Man TT Press Office:
MICHAEL DUNLOP JOINS HAWK RACING FOR 2022 ISLE OF MAN TT RACES
The return of the Isle of Man TT Races will also see Michael Dunlop return to GSX-R1000R machinery for the Superbike classes, as he today confirmed that he joins Stuart and Steve Hicken’s Hawk Racing.
The announcement renews a long and illustrious partnership with the family-run team, which began in 2014 and included a Superbike and Senior TT double in their debut year.
Two more victories came at TT 2016 before the team switched to Suzuki power for the 2017 season. Despite the change, Dunlop was able to take the brand-new and unproven GSX-R L7 model to an impressive Senior TT – Suzuki’s first in 13 years.
19-time TT winner Dunlop commented: “After 3 years away from the roads and the Isle of Man, it’s important for me to be with a team I know and on a bike that I know. It’s been a big effort to get the bike ready so quickly, so I can’t thank Stuart [Hicken], Steve [Hicken], and the team, plus my own Street Sweep, H&S Contractors, and UGGLY&CO personal sponsors enough for all their efforts.”
Team Principal of Hawk Racing Steve Hicken added: “We’ve a great relationship with Michael and have enjoyed a lot of success over the years. Of course these aren’t ideal circumstances without any testing, but you can never rule Michael out and we’ll do everything we can to give him the bike he needs.”
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